About Nathan Bowring

A brand new system update for the Xbox One is rolling out now, packed with plenty of fan-requested features. This will be the last major update this year, following 10 consecutive updates that released throughout 2014. This may be the year’s final update, but more feature-rich updates are planned for 2015.

Customization is a big part of the new update. You’ll now be able to set your background image, using either unlocked achievement art or your own imported images. You’ll also be able to customize your profile, letting you edit and display your location and bio. The brand new showcase feature lets you pick your favorite achievements and game clips and attach them to your profile, letting you show off your accomplishments to the world. If game clips are your thing, you’ll now be able to share them through Twitter if you have an account linked to your Gamertag.

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It’s official: Mojang is now a part of Microsoft. The news was tweeted by Xbox head Phil Spencer, who welcomed the developer as the newest member of Microsoft Studios. …
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Microsoft has reported a great first quarter, thanks in part to a huge boost in console sales. According to Games Industry International, sales of Xbox consoles were up 102 …
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Earlier this year Microsoft acquired indie developer Mojang for $2.5 billion. It was a big move, and it left many fans wondering how it might effect Mojang’s hit game Minecraft. In a recent interview with IGN, Xbox head Phil Spencer talked about the desire to meet the needs of the game’s community. He said that Minecraft 2 may not make the most sense, and his words were followed by every fan of the game breathing a sigh of relief. Minecraft already does what it was created to do perfectly, why would it ever need a sequel?

Why it works so well

From the beginning, Minecraft was a game all about building. Not only was the gameplay about letting you create whatever you wanted, but the game itself was designed to be built up into something better. If you look at its original release and look at it now, it’s a very different game. Thanks to Mojang’s constant support with free updates, the game was able to constantly grow into something more grand. Content is constantly being added, and bugs are always being squashed. A sequel could never improve on the Minecraft formula, because its formula is all about improvement. A sequel would be a radical shift away from the pre-established normal of the game, changing it from a single evolving entity to a standard game series with annual static sequels.

Now that Microsoft owns the game, the company’s best course of action to keep customers happy would just be to keep the updates rolling. Minecraft is now on more platforms than ever, catering to millions of players. Everyone who has purchased the game bought it knowing it would receive updates, that the developers would be adding more fun content. It’s essentially an Everlasting Gobbstopper: for a one-time price you get something you can never finish and that will remain good for years to come. If a sequel comes along it will make the original go stale, forever stopping progress in your old worlds. It’d be like a new Skylanders game that wasn’t compatible with last year’s figures, or a new box of Legos that didn’t fit your old pieces. New content shouldn’t intend to be a rigid standalone package; it should be an addition to the big Minecraft toy box.

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A new month is almost upon us, which can only mean it’s time to find out what’s coming up for Games with Gold. Xbox One owners will get to Volgarr the …
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Xbox One is gearing up for a big holiday season, as Microsoft has revealed a big discount on the console. Starting November 2 and lasting until January 3, 2015 all Xbox One bundles will be available for $50 off their original MSRPs. Kinect bundles will now cost $449, and Kinect-less bundles will go for $349. Most major retailers will feature the promotion, including Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Microsoft Stores, Target, Toys ‘R Us and Walmart.

Three special edition Xbox One bundles will be available for the holidays, all of which will receive the $50 discount. Starting November 2 the Assassin’s Creed bundle  will be available, which includes Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Assassin’s Creed Unity. The Kinect version of the bundle also includes Dance Central Spotlight. The Sunset Overdrive bundle includes a digital download of the game along with a special white console and white controller. For $449 you can get the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare bundle, including a custom controller, a copy of the game, and a console packed with a 1TB hard drive.

To see everything Xbox One has to offer this holiday, check out the video after the jump.

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A deadly hunter is storming through the Multiverse, and his power is in your hands. Wizards of the Coast have revealed Garruk’s Revenge, a new expansion for Magic 2015: Duels …
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This year, masters of storytelling Telltale Games released two critically acclaimed episodic series on XBLA, and soon they’ll be telling those tales on Xbox One. Both The Walking Dead Season 2 and The Wolf Among Us will be getting next-gen retail releases this fall. Each game will be the complete experience, so you can play the story from beginning to end without all that pesky waiting between episodes. If disks aren’t your thing, both seasons will also be available to download.

For those of you wanting to continue Clementine’s story in the zombie apocalypse, The Walking Dead Season 2 will get its retail release on October 21. If you’re not caught up on the series, the first season is already available for Xbox One. If noir crime stories and magical creatures are up your alley, The Wolf Among Us will arrive a little later November 4. You can check out the dark and moody trailers for both games after the jump.

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It may sound like a joke, but it’s super cereal: a pack of South Park-themed tables will be coming to Pinball FX2 very soon. South Park Pinball captures the essence of the construction paper cartoon in two new tables centered around our favorite foul-mouthed fourth graders. South Park: Super Sweet Pinball recreates the insanity of the small Colorado town with Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny. This table features many fan-favorite faces and some memorable moments from the show. Butters’ Very Own Pinball Game is all about the boy who could laugh at a storm cloud recreating his best moments, including saving Imaginationland and his exploits as Professor Chaos.

South Park: Super Sweet Pinball is coming to Xbox 360 on October 15 and Xbox One on October 16. The pack will cost $4.99 on either platform. If you want to see both new tables in action, just check out the trailer after the jump, m’kay?

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Ascend: Hand of Kul was released on XBLA just under a year ago, and last week the plug was suddenly pulled on the free-to-play RPG. Microsoft removed the game …
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