More than 20 games are coming to Xbox next week

By Jon Silman September 4, 2020

Xbox and Windows 10 users are in for a big week as Microsoft releases more than 20 new games for both platforms. RPGs, platformers, and sports games are all part of the mix, so there’s something for everyone. Here are a few highlights.

Contents

Necromunda: Underhive Wars
The Sims 4 Star Wars: Journey to Batuu
Golf Zero
CarX Drift Racing Online
The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon

Necromunda: Underhive Wars

This game is a tactical-RPG and the first video game adaption of the popular tabletop strategy board game. The player develops gangs with different powers and attributes and sends them to fight each other against the backdrop of a dystopian landscape.

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Necromunda: Underhive Wars will also support 4-player online gang fights. It releases on September 7 and is available for pre-order for $32. After release, it will cost $40.

The Sims 4 Star Wars: Journey to Batuu

The Star Wars Sims Game Pack is here, and players will get the chance to choose their faction. The game features missions to help players move up in the ranks, and famous characters from the Star Wars universe will make appearances. The game requires a copy of The Sims 4 and will be available on Mac, PC, Steam, Xbox One, and PS4 on September 8.

Golf Zero

In the mood for a cute indie platformer reminiscent of Super Meat Boy? Golf Zero is 80 levels of platforming fun where the main character has to avoid hazards like saw blades, bullets, and boulders while trying to sink a putt. It has a fun throwback style and requires precision and timing. The game releases September 9 on Xbox One.

CarX Drift Racing Online

Drifting is the name of the game in this racing simulator. Play online with Xbox Live with matches ranging from 2 to 16 players. The game features crisp visuals, sweet locales, and a lot of drifting-induced tire smoke. There are more than 50 cars and 100 complete body kits, as well as countless customization options. The game will be available for Xbox One on September 8 for $30.

The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon

Fans of The Outer Worlds are in luck as the game’s first expansion will release September 9 on PC, Xbox One, and PS4. The new content follows Minnie Ambrose in a detective adventure, where players are tasked with finding out more about Dr. Olivia Ambrose.

Other notable releases include Vampire: The Masquerade – Shadows of New York releasing on September 10, and Tell Me Why: Chapter 3, from the developers of the hit Life is Strange.

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Gaming

Your Xbox Live Gold subscription will turn into Xbox Game Pass Core this September

Microsoft finally made the decision to move on from its monthly online-access subscription service Xbox Live Gold. On September 14, Xbox Live Gold will transform into Xbox Game Pass Core, with current Gold subscribers automatically gaining a Game Pass Core subscription.

An Xbox Live subscription tied to online play has existed in some form since Xbox Live launched in 2002, but Xbox Live Gold as we now know it truly came into form in July 2013 when Microsoft started the Games with Gold program that gave subscribers free games each month in addition to that online access. Although Microsoft rolled back some online restrictions in 2021, Games with Gold continues to this day. That will all end when Game Pass Core launches.

Gaming

Xbox icon ‘Major Nelson’ is leaving the company after 20 years

Larry Hryb holding an Xbox microphone at an Xbox event.

Larry Hryb -- better-known to Xbox fans by his gamer tag Major Nelson, as the senior director of corporate communications for Xbox, and as host of the official Xbox podcast -- is moving on from his position at Microsoft.

Hryb worked at Xbox for two decades, starting as editor-in-chief of MSN Music before becoming a senior project manager at Xbox during the early days of the Xbox Live and Xbox 360 era. He gained the most notoriety for hosting a "Major Nelson Radio" podcast, which was one of the first to give players an inside look into game development and the people who make games. That transformed into the official Xbox Podcast, which Hryb hosted alongside other duties.
Before Phil Spencer, Hryb was the face of Xbox for a lot of people, so this is a pretty significant departure for Xbox, which is coming off an outstanding June 2023 showcase. Hryb explained his reasoning for his departure from Microsoft on Twitter.
"After 20 incredible years, I have decided to take a step back and work on the next chapter of my career," Hryb wrote. "As I take a moment and think about all we have done together, I want to thank the millions of gamers around the world who have included me as part of their lives. Also, thanks to Xbox team members for trusting me to have a direct dialogue with our customers. The future is bright for Xbox and, as a gamer, I am excited to see the evolution. Thank you and I’ll see you online."
Hryb went on to confirm that the Xbox Podcast will go on a hiatus following his departure, but says it will come back in a new format sometime in the future. He did not reveal more about what exactly that "next chapter" of his career is just yet.

Gaming

Xbox unveils colorful summer collection of headsets, controllers, and more

The Designed for Xbox Summer Collection 2023

Xbox unveiled the second-ever "Designed for Xbox" collection it partnered with accessory manufacturers to make. Called the Designed for Xbox Summer Collection 2023, it's made up of seven Xbox-compatible gaming devices that sport sparkly, sometimes pastel-like designs.
These accessories will all roll out over the course of the summer. That said, some are actually available today. When it comes to controllers, players can pick up the nebula-like purple PowerA Advantage Wired Controller for Xbox Series X/S - Sparkle controller for $38 as well as two Frosted Diamond and Australian Opal PDP Wired Controllers for $40. For those looking to expand their Xbox system's storage, the pastel-colored WD_BLACK D30 Game Drive SSD for Xbox – Limited Edition Summer Collection also launches today for $130.

That's not all, though. Later this month, on July 24, two new Hyperkin Xenon Wired Controllers for Xbox -- which are built like Xbox 360 controllers -- will release. They are sparkly purple Cosmic Night and sparkly black Twilight Galaxy controllers that will each retail for $50.