FREEBIES: Xbox Live Games With Gold For June 2016

For the month of June, Xbox Live Gold members will receive four new free games – two on Xbox One and two on Xbox 360 – as part of the Games with Gold program. You can play both Xbox 360 titles on your Xbox One with Backward Compatibility

*Titles are available as free downloads for qualifying Xbox Live Gold members in all markets where Xbox Live is available. Some regions may offer different titles depending on market availability.

On Xbox One, Xbox Live Gold members can download Goat Simulator ($9.99 ERP) for free during the month of June. The Crew ($29.99 ERP) will be available as a free download from June 16th to July 15th.

On Xbox 360, starting Wednesday, 01 June, Super Meat Boy ($14.99 ERP) will be free for Xbox Live Gold members through June 15th. Then on June 16th, Xbox Live Gold Members can download XCOM: Enemy Unknown ($39.99 ERP) for free through June 30th.

NEWS: Rocket League Cross Network Play Between Xbox One and PC Arrives

Today’s the day!

As we promised in March, cross-network play for the Xbox One and Steam PC versions of Rocket League will officially roll-out later this afternoon by 3pm PT/ 6pm ET/ 10pm UTC, making it the first-ever Xbox One game to support cross-network play with a Steam PC game.

Nearly 2 million Xbox One players have already competed in Rocket League since we launched in February 2016, but with today’s new cross-network update, your potential pool of teammates and opponents will grow even larger!

It’s an historic moment for us here at Psyonix, and we’re really excited to bring Xbox One and Steam PC players closer together. Cross-network play has been something that Xbox One gamers have been asking us for since the day we launched, and thanks to Microsoft’s new cross-network policies, we’re proud to give it to them.

Enjoy the new feature — and remember — you can toggle cross-network play on or off with an easy-to-find check box in the Options menu (see a preview below). Have fun!

Xbox-Cross-Network-Menu

Note: Online matchmaking services may not be available until the patch has fully deployed.


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BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE: Today We Are Getting Six New Backwards Compatible Games

Today Microsoft has bestowed on us six classic Xbox 360 games that are now backwards compatible and playable on the Xbox One.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown, DuckTales: Remastered, Hexic 2,Magic 2012, Domino Master & Unbound Saga

*As always, those that own these games digitally will be able to download them again for free from the "Ready to Download" section of the Xbox One. If you own Alan Wake on disc, you can also put this in and the necessary files required to make it work will be downloaded.

From the award-winning creators of Civilization comes an action-strategy game about humanity’s last stand. Threatened by an unknown enemy, the Earth’s governments unite to form a secret paramilitary organization, known as XCOM, to combat this extraterrestrial attack. As the commander of XCOM, you control the global defense team in a battle against a terrifying alien invasion. Control the fate of the human race by creating and managing a fully operational base, researching alien technologies, planning combat missions, and controlling soldier movement in battle.

 Go back to one of the golden ages of gaming, but now refined with a level of detail that will please the most hardened devoted Disney or retro Capcom fan, alike. Featuring hand-drawn animated sprites, authentic Disney character voices talent and richly painted level backgrounds from the classic cartoon TV series, Scrooge McDuck and family come to life like never before. The gameplay retains the authenticity of its 8-bit predecessor, simple and fun, with slight modifications to improve gameplay flow and design. Embark on an authentic DuckTales adventure, as Scrooge McDuck and his three nephews; Huey, Dewey and Louie travel to exotic locations throughout the world in their quest to retrieve the five Legendary Treasures.

Ready to put your hex-busting skills to the test? The game’s not over until you build a full cluster, flower, or line of black pearls! For an extra layer of challenge, match wits with a friend or the devious computer player in Battle mode. 

Face off against the AI, or gather your allies for the new multiplayer format: Archenemy, where you team up to take down a boss opponent. And if one of your fellow Planeswalkers drops out, no problem–the AI will drop in for uninterrupted action! Featuring ten unique decks, Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012 also lets you customize those decks. As you progress in the game, you can enhance your deck by swapping in new, unlockable cards! Gather your allies. A challenge awaits.

Domino Master game! Play against friends and family, or challenge the world on Xbox LIVE.

Guide Rick and Lori through dozens upon dozens of environments filled with realtime physics, destructible objects, fearsome foes, and wicked bosses. Unlock a huge variety of super-skills and power moves on your journey through the wild comic world of Toxopolis! Break off a weapon and RAGE OFF THE PAGE!

YSK: Xbox One Has A built In Display Calibrator

From TV salespeople to TV reviewers, you'll often hear the word "calibrate" thrown around. It is said that getting your TV calibrated will improve its performance and increase its accuracy.

Calibrating a tv will get you the best possible picture your TV or display can produce.  A little known fact in the tech world is TVs DO NOT COME FROM THE FACTORY CALIBRATED.  While you may like the picture your display provides chances are it's not correctly calibrated.

To properly calibrate a display you should hire a pro to come to your house with special tools to do the calibration, however this can cost hundreds of dollars.  The next best option is to use a calibration DVD/Blu-RAY, this can still cost about about $20+ to purchase.  Why spend all that money, save it to buy games.

Xbox One has a built in display calibrator, here is how to use it:

1. Scroll left on the Home screen to open the guide.
2. Select Settings.
3. Select All Settings.
4. Under Display & sound, select Video output.
5. Choose Calibrate HDTV, read each screen carefully

Note: This will allow you to manually adjust your TV using the TV remote or the options in the TV menu. The adjustments are done to your TV not the Xbox.  Some of the setting in the Xbox One TV calibrator may be called something different on your model.

FREEBIE: Forge – Halo 5: Guardians Edition for Windows 10 available later this year

From the very beginning, community creations have been central to the Halo experience. From stacking up grenades underneath an unsuspecting Warthog to multiplayer movie-making, the Halo sandbox has always been fertile soil for millions of moments and memories created for, and by, the fans.

In 2007, Halo 3 upped the ante with the introduction of a map manipulation tool called Forge, and quite literally changed the game forever, enabling a cascade of creativity, from new map and unique game type experiences to interactive art – all created by the community itself.

When Forge was redesigned from the ground up for Halo 5: Guardians on the Xbox One, it opened the door to even more inventive community-created content, pushing the boundaries even further to give players more power and control than ever before, and removing as many constraints as possible to allow for the creation of incredibly high quality maps. From the stunningly beautiful maps created by WyvernZu, to the hilarious mini-games from TurbTastic, we’ve been continually blown away with the countless crazy and creative experiences that Halo fans have made. As a famous Spartan once said, however, “I think we’re just getting started…”

Today, we’re excited to announce that we’re bring this same spirit of creation and collaboration to the PC later this year with Forge – Halo 5: Guardians Edition for Windows 10. Best of all? It will be absolutely free. In addition to the evolutions already present in the mode on Xbox One, Forge – Halo 5: Guardians Edition for Windows 10 will include some exciting new features designed specifically with PC users in mind, including:

• Keyboard & Mouse Support – For the first time ever, Forgers will have the option of using a keyboard & mouse allowing for more precision control than ever before.
• Increased Resolution – Support for multiple resolutions including 4k.
• Test and Play with Friends – Enlist the help of Friends to help build, test, and play your Forge creations on Windows 10.
• Build on Windows 10 and Publish to Xbox One – Experiences built on Windows 10 can be published to and played on Xbox One, opening the doors for countless new experiences to be enjoyed by players all over the world.
• If you’re already finding yourself excited about the incredible possibilities that are opened up by expanding Forge to the Windows 10 platform, trust us, you’re not alone. 343 Industries UGC Director, Tom French, and his team are already chomping at the bit to get these new creative tools into the hands of the community.

CLICK READ MORE FOR REST OF ARTICLE

NEW RELEASE: Homefront: The Revolution Xbox One

Homefront: The Revolution

Homefront: The Revolution is an open-world first person shooter where you must lead the Resistance movement in guerrilla warfare against a superior military force. A living, breathing, open world responds to your actions – you and your Resistance Cell can inspire a rebellion on the streets and turn Occupation into Revolution, as oppressed civilians take up the fight. But your enemy has the advantage – superior technology, firepower, heavy armour and air support. You must learn the art of guerrilla warfare – ambush, sabotage, infiltration, deception – and fight a running battle through the war-ravaged suburbs of Philadelphia.

BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE: CoD: Black Ops is FINALLY PLAYABLE one Xbox One with Backwards Compatibility

After sitting for months on the top of the Microsoft Xbox Feedback site, Backwards Compatible Wish List and listed as Available Soon on the official Backwards Compatible site/list.

Call of Duty: Black Ops is FINALLY PLAYABLE one Xbox One with Backward Compatibility.

 *As always, those that own these games digitally will be able to download them again for free from the "Ready to Download" section of the Xbox One. If you own Alan Wake on disc, you can also put this in and the necessary files required to make it work will be downloaded.

Call of Duty®: Black Ops takes you deep behind enemy lines into the world of deniable operations as a member of an elite special forces unit engaging in covert warfare, classified operations, and explosive conflicts across the globe. With access to a variety of exclusive weaponry and equipment, your actions will tip the balance during the most dangerous time period mankind has ever known. Black Ops features: - An epic campaign and story that keeps you glued to edge of your seat from start to finish. - Call of Duty's signature Multiplayer gameplay with deeper levels of character customization, and all new modes like Wager Matches, the Theater, and Combat Training which can be played Solo or Co Op. - Zombies! Providing endless hours of intense Zombie-slaying entertainment, Solo or Co-Op.

NEWS: Nearly 1 million previously used XBL gamertags are going to be re-released starting this Wed

Starting on Wednesday, May 18th @2:00pm ET / 11:00AM PT, we will begin releasing nearly one million Gamertags to our valued Xbox Live Gold members with active subscriptions and at least 1 year of cumulative Xbox Live Gold tenure. These Gamertags will be released over a 24-hour period, to give our fans in various countries an equal chance to get one.

These Gamertags are from accounts abandoned from the original Xbox era, the same source of Gamertags we used in our 2011 release. These accounts never migrated to Xbox 360 and as a result they have been inactive for quite some time.

While it may be challenging to find the exact Gamertag you want, keep trying, as there are many great Gamertags that will be released. Although we can’t share the actual list, we can tell you that many of the available Gamertags are in the following categories:

• Proper Names
• Pop culture references (Entertainment, sports, gaming)
• Types of Food
• Geography and Travel
• Science and Technology
• Math and Numbers
• Animals

Some of the greatest inventions of all time
Access to these newly-released Gamertags will be available on Xbox.com, which is the most convenient way to make a Gamertag change. Xbox Live Gold members can also access these Gamertags within the Xbox App on Windows 10 and on the Xbox One console. Xbox 360 owners will need to use Xbox.com, the Xbox App on Windows 10, or an Xbox One console to participate given that access to these newly-released Gamertags is not available from an Xbox 360 console. Click here to change your Gamertag on the web.

To determine the tenure of your Xbox Live Gold account, view your Profile on an Xbox One console or on the Xbox App on Windows 10. Changing your Gamertag won’t impact your Gamerscore, Achievements, or your Friends list.

Remember, we rely on your feedback to bring the features you want to Xbox Live, so keep the suggestions coming!

For more information on this and other Xbox News, check out Xbox Wire.

NEWS: Xbox One backwards compatibility now supports multi-disc games

Microsoft has confirmed this weekend that the Xbox One's backwards compatibility has now added support for multi-disc games starting with "Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut."

"We know fans were asking for this feature and our engineers worked hard developing a solution to enable it so we could further expand the titles included in Xbox One Backward Compatibility," an Xbox spokesperson said. "We're continuing to listen to our fans on Xbox Feedback and work with our publishing partners to grow out library of Xbox One Backward Compatibility titles and will work to include more multi-disc games."

Earlier in the day, Xbox spokesperson Major Nelson confirmed the news, as well. "I can confirm that the BC team has done work to support multi-disc scenarios," he wrote. "Be sure to thank the BC engineers."

Source

NEWS: Project Spark Discontinued

After much consideration, Microsoft and Team Dakota have decided to discontinue support for “Project Spark.”

Starting 5/13/16, “Project Spark” will no longer be available for download on the Xbox Marketplace or Windows Store. For existing users of “Project Spark,” online services will be unavailable after 8/12/16. Without services, players will no longer be able to download user-generated content or upload their own creations. If you want to access user-generated content offline, you will need to download this content prior to 8/12/16. Be sure to download your favorite community creations and your own uploads if they are not saved locally. We’re also aware that after transitioning “Project Spark” to be a free incubation engine last fall, that some players might still have purchased the game at retail, and have outlined steps about obtaining a credit for those players below.

This was an extremely difficult decision for our team that we do not take lightly. When "Project Spark" transitioned away from active development last fall, many of our team members moved to other projects within Microsoft Studios. While this means there have been no layoffs at Microsoft, it also means it’s simply no longer feasible to continue the behind-the-scenes work involved with keeping “Project Spark” up and running with meaningful updates and bug fixes, so we have come to this hard decision.

Despite this news, we want to celebrate the accomplishments of our team and community of creators and players. Our team released 46 content packs, thousands of assets and 16 updates since launch (averaging more than one update every two months). We produced hundreds of livestreams and videos to educate and celebrate our community. In turn, our passionate fans have then gone above and beyond supporting “Project Spark” by uploading hundreds of thousands of creations and dreaming up millions of objects, behaviors, and experiences. Outside the game, they created fan sites, tutorials, forums, apps, and more! We thank everyone who has played or created anything within “Project Spark,” as it would have never existed without you.

As mentioned earlier, for players who purchased and redeemed the “Project Spark Starter Kit” sold in retail outlets will receive a credit to their Microsoft account. If you purchased and redeemed the code inside a retail copy of “Project Spark” after Oct. 5, 2015 and before today, you will receive a credit that can be used to purchase content in the Xbox or Windows store. Credits will be granted automatically to eligible customers. For more information, please visit http://xbox.com/spark.