A veteran Halo Studios (previously 343 Industries) developer has left the studio, and has shared a curious post on his professional Linkedin page, saying that he would say more 'when it is absolutely safe to do so'. Writing on Linkedin, Glenn Israel, who was with the Microsoft-owned studio for 17 years, and served as Halo Infinite's Art Director shared the following rather ominous post - "As of today and after seventeen long years, I am officially no longer contributing to the Halo universe. There is little more I can say for the moment, though I intend to share this particular story in its entirety when it is absolutely safe to do so next year.

This week, Slipknot founding member Shawn "Clown" Crahan announced his very own Minecraft Realm server called "Vernearth", which will be available for Minecraft Java players (version 1.21.4) later this October. Vernearth is a surreal, Slipknot-inspired multiplayer realm that Clown considers "an extension of his creativity outside Slipknot", suitable for all ages. As the press release puts it, "this isn’t just Minecraft." It’s Vernearth. Vernearth is a surrealist experience. Think of it as a place where time and reality don’t play by the rules. Over 100 million blocks make up this ever-changing landscape, home to mysterious beings called Mind Stewards and endless opportunities for creation, combat, and exploration.

This week, publisher Blizzard Entertainment dropped their latest trailer for "Season 19: Haunted Masquerade" for their free-to-play hero shooter 'Overwatch 2'. This season brings about festive Halloween events new and old to ongoing Stadium evolutions, magical Mythics and costumed cosmetics. The full blog post can be found right over here, but the gist of it is that players can expect new Mythic Hero skins, ace-in-the-hole "Gadgets" shake up Stadium matches, "Wrath of the Bride" returns, and more. Plus, if you missed it last time, you now have a chance to grab all the "One Punch Man" collaborative skins once this season makes its way to production.

This week, developers Little Sewing Machine and Meangrip Studios along with publisher Maximum Entertainment announced that their horror fantasy game 'Bye Sweet Carole' is now available on PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch consoles. Bye Sweet Carole transports players into a hauntingly beautiful realm where dark fairy tales and nightmarish realities intertwine. Players will follow the story of Lana Benton, a courageous young girl on a desperate search for her missing friend, Carole, in the ominous Bunny Hall orphanage. Have a gander below for more details on Bye Sweet Carole including physical release information for Nintendo Switch and PS5 consoles.

This week, publisher KingsIsle Entertainment announced that their cult-classic turn-based deckbuilding MMORPG 'Wizard101' is now available across Xbox and PlayStation consoles. First made available on PCs way back when people used ActiveX to launch video games from their browsers, players will take on the role of their very own wizard as they make their way through the ranks at Ravenswood Academny---overcoming many perilous journeys in this family-friendly MMO. Have a gander below for more details on Wizard101. The game is a free-to-start title, whose full content can be made available either by subscription or by purchasing game areas separately.

Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds 2 preload is now up for Xbox Series consoles and Xbox on PC, and it's a sizeable download. The Outer Worlds 2 preload weighs in at: Xbox Series is 79.49 GB Xbox on PC is 77.30 GB The title will release on October 29th, 2025, and having the preload ready this often is a decently good sign. The title will release on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Steam, and Xbox on PC. It is of course a Day One Game Pass title. I got to play it back at Gamescom, playing through the same build again on my home console…

Xbox Game Pass is adding two classic PC titles today: Heroes of Might and Magic 2 and 3 join the service in GP Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Heroes of Might and Magic Game Pass: image credit - Xbox Yesterday, Xbox gave us a list of 8 games joining the service. Today, they decided to chuck two more in for fans on PC. Heroes of Might and Magic II & III are both surprise drops into Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass as part of Ubisoft+ Classics. PC players will get to play:

ARC Raiders is another game that's going to be coming our way fairly soon, wedged between FPS juggernauts Battlefield 6 and Call of Duty Black Ops 7. As a third-person extraction shooter, it occupies a somewhat different space, and now the team at Embark have shared some detail on a discussion topic that games like ARC Raiders often bump into - progression wipes. For Embark, they're called 'Expedition Projects'. Embark detail how ARC Raiders Progression Wipes will work | Image Credit: Embark While Design Director Virgil notes the benefits a global wipe or reset provide, the team don't intend to have mandatory wipes that reset players back to the starting line.

Battlefield 6 is right around the corner, and while we've covered the games campaign, we're just as eager as everyone else to get really stuck in to its multiplayer. As per usual in the game industry nowadays, Battlefield 6 Launches with a Day One Patch - and we've got all the details. Battlefield 6 Launches with a Day One Patch | Image Credit: EA/Battlefield Studios Per a blog post from EA, Battlefield 6 launches with a Day One Patch - "Patch 1.0.1.0, delivering a wide range of updates and improvements across the game made since the Open Beta Weekends.

Here is every source that was used during the October 9th, 2025, episode of Xbox Era Headlines. Headlines for October 9th Ubisoft canceled AC game set during the Reconstruction, worried about reaction by Trump govt and backlash to Yasuke - Was Project Scarlet, the next mainline game set for 2027 From the ashes of Project Blackbird, is Sackbird Studios Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is getting new game + Heart Machine making layoffs and ending development on Hyper Light Breaker (update: one more patch early next year) ‘Ninja Gaiden 4’ and ‘Keeper’ lead 8 games joining Game Pass to start October…

Well, who saw this coming? For a long time now, Call of Duty fans have long bemoaned SBMM (Skill-based Matchmaking) in the games, and during the recent Black Ops 7 Beta, Treyarch ran several trials with this tuned very low. Big surprise, it was a hit, and now they've confirmed Black Ops 7 'Open Matchmaking' will be the default for Multiplayer. The Call of Duty community is unmatched, and we thank you for joining us in the Black Ops 7 Beta over the last week. This Beta has provided Treyarch the opportunity to try new things and rapidly test and implement player feedback.

Battlefield 6 goes all out in its campaign. It is the biggest, loudest, brashest one since Battlefield 4. Fantastic gameplay, epic scope, and incredible audio are matched by a story straight out of the mid-2000s. A jingoistic, predictable, and poorly written affair that, as trope-filled as it is, did not ruin my enjoyment. Battlefield 6 Campaign Review | Image Credit: XboxEra (Battlefield 6 PC) NATO goes to PAX In this near-future tale, America is weakened as our allies have mostly abandoned us and NATO. A new power has risen in the east, Pax Armata.

Machine Games is currently celebrating their 15th anniversary and as part of these celebrations they are releasing a special update to Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The anniversary update will include a New Game+ mode, a cool new Cairo outfit for Indy and new voice language settings. We have also provided the latest patch notes for the update in this article. Let's 'dig in' and see what treasure we can uncover! Indiana Jones gets New Game+ as Machine Games Celebrates 15 Years New Game+ The main highlight of this update has to be the New Game+ mode.

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Grounded 2 has been available to play in Game Preview since July this year and is currently included within an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. The game is also available to purchase for PC and this weekend the team have announced that the Grounded 2 Game Preview is free this weekend on Steam. Gear up and get ready to explore Brookhollow Park! Play Grounded 2 Game Preview for FREE this weekend on Steam. ✨ Oct 9 @ 10am PT → Oct 13 @ 10am PT pic.twitter.com/hWPOAT21rx — Grounded (@GroundedTheGame) …

The team at Activision have announced their newest free trial of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 but this time they are offering even more than usual. This time around, the entire campaign of the title is included as starting today, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has a free trial for a whole week including Campaign, Multiplayer and Zombies. Starting today, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has a free trial for a whole week including Campaign, Multiplayer and Zombies | Image Credit: Activision Running up until the 16th of October, this free trial (unlike previous trials) also includes multiplayer and Zombies, so there is absolutely tons to play through.

Well, this is certainly interesting! The team behind Zenimax Online's cancelled 'Project Blackbird' have formed a new independent studio. Amusingly, these folks have named the new team 'Sackbird Studios'. Team behind Zenimax Online's cancelled 'Project Blackbird' found a new team - 'Sackbird Studios' | Image Credit: Sackbird Studios If you cast your minds back to earlier this year, this was yet another moment where everyone was very mad at Microsoft, and with good reason. We saw Everwild cancelled over at Rare, Perfect Dark and The Initiative Studio cancelled and shuttered…

Double Fine's latest game, Keeper, is out in a week and a half and the preload is now available on Xbox Series consoles. Keeper preload on Xbox Series X Keeper, the latest game from Double Fine, is due out on October 17th, 2025, on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Steam. The preload on Xbox Series consoles is now available, weighing in at a light 25.43 GB. We got to check out Keeper in a hands-off preview back at Gamescom: After Psychonauts 2, it’s hard to believe that DoubleFine could get even 

It's not long to wait until the release of the Outer Worlds 2, and in honour of the launch this month the team over at the Xbox Design Lab have released two new customisable controllers. The game might not be here until October 29th, but these controllers can be yours today as the new 'The Outer Worlds 2' controllers are available now at the Xbox Design Lab. New 'The Outer Worlds 2' Controllers Available at Xbox Design Lab From the developers: "The Xbox Wireless Controller on Xbox Design Lab offers endless customization to help you play your way, whether its guns blazing or stealth combat.

Ever fancied running your own grocery store? Well, now you can as part of your subscription to Xbox Game Pass. The chilled-out first person simulation game released originally on Steam and was super popular, and now months later Supermarket Simulator has landed in Xbox Game Pass, complete with a multiplayer update. Supermarket Simulator Lands in Xbox Game Pass The premise is simple for Supermarket Simulator - You are tasked with managing a supermarket and all that entails. You'll be taking on cashier duties involving scanning items and processing payments, providing excellent customer service whilst also managing your stock and displays.

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Xbox Game Pass Wave One for October sees Ninja Gaiden 4, Keeper, and BALL x Pit, leading 8 total games for Game Pass' first wave of October, 2025. Game Pass October - image credit: Xbox Here is everything joining the platform during Wave One: Supermarket Simulator (Cloud, Console, and PC) - Joins Today The Casting of Frank Stone (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – October 14 Ball x Pit (Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 15 The Grinch: Christmas Adventures (Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 15 Pax Dei 

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One of the year's best-reviewed titles, and a personal favorite, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has just hit a new sales milestone, and is releasing new content to celebrate Expedition 33 sales & new content Claire Obscur: Expedition 33, one of the year's biggest surprise hits, has surpassed 5 million sales, per developer Sandfall Interactive. They released the following statement about the milestone, hit despite the game being in Xbox Game Pass at launch: “The response to our game has been nothing short of incredible,” says Guillaume Broche, Creative Director of Expedition 33 at Sandfall Interactive.