Latest news with #SeriesX
Hypebeast
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Microsoft Unveils an Xbox Series X Milk Pitcher
Summary XboxCanada has unveiled an unexpected new home essential: the Xbox Milk Pitcher. Following past releases such as theXbox Mini Fridgeand theXbox Series S Toaster— which famously sears the Xbox logo onto a slice of toast — Microsoft continues to blur the line between gaming gear and household novelty. Taking inspiration from theXbox Series X, the new milk pitcher comes in white or black and reportedly holds up to 1.3 liters of liquid. Xbox Canada teased it on X, writing,'Hydration or calcium is key to staying on top of your game.' Whether this is a legitimate product release or just a clever marketing stunt remains unclear as no official announcement has been made. Introducing the Xbox Milk Pitcher because hydration or calcium is key to staying on top of your game 🎮🥛 — Xbox Canada (@XboxCanada)June 1, 2025
Engadget
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Engadget
The latest Xbox kitchen kitsch is a Series X milk jug for Canadians
We've seen a few Xbox-styled kitchen items over the last few years, from the Series X fridge to the Series S toaster. The latest one is probably not one for those of you in the US. Over the weekend, Xbox Canada revealed a Xbox Series X bagged milk pitcher styled after the Xbox Series X. Milk in a bag is a long-standing tradition in Canada, India, South America and several other parts of the world. The idea is that you plop a bag into a pitcher, cut off the corner and pour away, all the while taking great care not to spill any. There are practical benefits, such as bags taking up less space in garbage or recycling. But containers for bagged milk are typically boring white jugs. At least until now. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so. The Xbox Series X Milk Pitcher comes in white or black and it can hold up to 1.3 liters ( fine , if you insist, 2.75 pints) of bagged milk. That should give you enough fuel for your next Halo Infinite deathmatch battle or adventure in the Oblivion remaster. Sadly, there's no word as yet if Xbox Canada is going to sell this thing or if it's just a fun marketing gimmick. I get it, bagged milk confused me too before my first visit to Canada as a teen. But milk in a bag is as Canadian as poutine, Letterkenny , hockey games on frozen ponds and The Beaches. As one of Engadget's Canadian contingent, it's my civic duty to test this out. My email's in my bio, Xbox.
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Nintendo President fears Switch 2 price hike amid tariff wars, as "people will have less money to spend on game consoles"
Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa expressed concerns that the company may need to increase the price of the upcoming Switch 2 console in the United States due to recently implemented tariffs on Chinese imports. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The revelation came during Nintendo's May 8 earnings call, just weeks before the console's scheduled June 5 launch. "If the assumptions regarding tariffs change significantly, we would like to consider what price adjustments we should make and implement them after considering various aspects," Furukawa stated, addressing the potential impact on the already premium-priced $449.99 console. Tariffs threaten consumer spending power, says Furukawa Nintendo's forecast assumes tariffs of 10% on products from Japan, Vietnam, and Cambodia, while Chinese imports face a staggering 145% tariff (as of now, US and China are renegotiating the trade terms, which possibly could lower the tariff). The company expects these trade measures to impact profits by "tens of billions of yen." Furukawa highlighted broader economic concerns beyond direct manufacturing costs. "If prices of daily necessities like food increase (because of the tariffs), then people will have less money to spend on game consoles. If we were to adjust the price of the Switch 2, this could decrease demand." While Nintendo primarily manufactures Switch hardware for North America in Vietnam, certain accessories and amiibo figures come from China, subjecting them to higher tariff rates. Nintendo balances pricing against adoption goals Despite these challenges, Nintendo forecasts selling 15 million Switch 2 units in its first year – matching the original Switch's debut performance – though analysts describe this projection as "conservative" given the tariff uncertainties. The company faces a delicate balancing act between covering increased costs and maintaining consumer interest. "Nintendo will carefully consider various factors when changing any pricing, including its acceptability to customers," Furukawa emphasized. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Switch 2 isn't alone in facing potential price hikes. Microsoft has already increased Xbox Series S prices by $80 and Series X by $100, while some smaller gaming hardware companies have suspended U.S. shipments entirely due to prohibitive tariff costs. Pre-orders for the Switch 2 opened on April 24 following a brief delay related to tariff concerns, with Nintendo warning that release-day delivery cannot be guaranteed due to overwhelming d
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Now that the Series S costs even more, I can't help but feel Microsoft wants us to look at handhelds and say, "this is an Xbox"
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Future / Phil Hayton It might sound like the beginnings of a cheesy meme, but Microsoft's "this is an Xbox" strategy is now in full swing. Not only is the gaming giant pushing to transform its brand into a platform, but it has even just given players a reason to play Game Pass on gaming handhelds and other devices by increasing its console prices. Ironically, by proclaiming that almost every internet-connected device is part of its ecosystem, Microsoft still has me asking, "What actually is an Xbox?" Yes, it's a console like the Series X or S that can run Microsoft's games natively, but at the same time, even if we ignore the idea of running the system's library using cloud shenanigans, I can install and run every new Xbox game on a handheld or a PC. Prior to Microsoft's price increases, I merely put the decision to launch games simultaneously on console and PC for the greater good of versatility. However, now that the cheapest MS box, the Series S, costs $380, it now feels like a direct reason to pick up something like the Asus ROG Ally or Steam Deck OLED instead. Simply put, if everything is an Xbox, then you're arguably better off buying anything other than the box. Portable PCs are becoming better Valve Xbox alternatives Credit: Future / Phil Hayton Before I pitch the idea of buying a handheld exclusively for Xbox games, I want to clarify that the Series S is still relevant. As much as Microsoft wants to boldly claim that everything is part of its ecosystem, that's not strictly true unless you're exclusively talking about Game Pass. By sticking with an actual console, you're getting a level of backwards compatibility and optimization for new games that just isn't the same when taking a DIY approach on PC, even the company's app does have provisions for bridging the gap. That said, if you boil down the core point of an Xbox in 2025 to being able to play new games on day one, gaming handhelds boast a better value proposition. Yes, the Series S still has a better chance at running any recent releases at a better frame rate and resolution, but with some tweaks, the Steam Deck will provide playable results and provide portable freedom for $10 less than Microsoft's system. Frankly, I think it's bananas that a handheld can remotely keep up with a current-gen system. That's before we even start to explore the slightly more expensive Asus ROG Ally and future handhelds that will raise the portable performance bar even further. If you're big into performance metrics and squeezing the best frame rates out of your hardware, there is still room to argue in favor of a Series S, but to everyday players, the gap might not even be that significant. Credit: Future / Phil Hayton This actually became crystal clear to me a few weeks ago, when my partner and I decided to start playing Split Fiction. As an experiment, I actually decided to install the game on the Ayaneo mini PC AM02 - a tiny rig I keep in my living room that's armed with the same AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS chipset as many handhelds. To my complete amusement, I was able to run the chaotic sci-fi co-op caper at 1080p 60fps without any major visual drawbacks, and my other half figured I was using an Xbox since I was using the console's wireless controllers. The tiny machine boasts roughly the same performance levels as a ROG Ally, so you're talking about a setup that could match the experience as the Series S for not that much more if you pair it with a Steam Deck dock. Before running to your keyboard to shout at me, I know this isn't going to apply to every game. Optimisation is still a huge issue with any PC based machine, and the limited specs of handhelds and mini PCs can be a massive drawback. Still, all it might take is a new generation of devices kitted out with new Ryzen chips with FSR 4 AI upscaling abilities to clear the hurdle, and at that point, there will be fewer reasons than ever to buy a Series S. Xbox Cloud Gaming is creeping in Credit: Future It's easy to forget that Microsoft wants players to start playing Xbox games via the cloud. You could say that's why it's pointing at everything from Fire TV sticks to lightweight handhelds and saying, "this is an Xbox," since not having to buy an expensive system increases its chances of getting you to subscribe. I'm still not convinced that tactic will entice players to completely switch to cloud gaming, and I really still view it as a secondary experimental way to access your library. But, if people end up priced out of buying a new console, it's easy to see why they'd turn to using cheaper devices to stream new releases as a last resort, broadband reliability be damned. Hilariously, that means handhelds like the Logitech G Cloud, a system I honestly used to think was a hard sell, is actually quite attractive compared to the Series S. Right now, you can grab the streaming device for $275 at Amazon, and if you're planning on just playing using that side of Game Pass anyway, it'll mean getting it for $105 less than a Series S. Look, I'm not saying the G Cloud is going to provide a better experience than the Series S. I'd still rather use Microsoft's cheapest Xbox to install games and dabble with streaming if it takes my fancy. However, that doesn't change the fact that cheaper systems like this that are built for cloud gaming are hovering above the price-hiked system like versatile vultures primed to pinch players. Will your next Xbox be a handheld? Probably Credit: Future / Phil Hayton It might sound like I'm saying Microsoft is going to lose Xbox fans to handheld makers due to the price hike. And, in reality, they are, but they're also herding players towards the same waters it's about to jump into. Microsoft has all but confirmed that it's making a handheld of some kind. At the moment, it looks like it'll be a collaborative effort between MS and Asus on something that looks like a ROG Ally but smells like an Xbox, and the main reason for that team-up is to gain Game Pass subscribers. Simply put, if you buy a ROG Ally now instead of waiting for the "Xbox handheld," Microsoft still has a chance of getting you on Game Pass. I mean, we're living in a time where you can now buy exclusives like Forza on PS5, so the idea that the primary focus is services rather than specific hardware makes sense. However, if it did have a preference for your device of choice, especially if you'd have previously bought a Series S, it'd probably be a Windows handheld. Keep in mind that the Nintendo Switch 2 is about to enter the scene with a bang, and its portable play becomes more desirable than ever, the last thing Microsoft will want is to be tethered to a living room setup. Already got Valve's handheld? Swing by the best Steam Deck accessories and best Steam Deck dock for useful add-ons. Alternatively, take a peek at the best gaming laptops for alternative mobile rigs.
Digital Trends
06-05-2025
- Business
- Digital Trends
With game prices rising, it's time for me to become a more discerning player
2025 has felt like a speedrun toward economic ruin for anyone who wasn't already unfathomably wealthy. You don't need me to tell you that prices have been on the rise for months on just about everything, from basic necessities like food and utilities to electronics, with no end in sight. Even if the games industry was somehow immune to all these political and economic quakes, the fact that regular people are starting to make more difficult choices with our dollars was going to come to a head sooner or later. Of course, games are not exempt from the realities of bipolar tariff policies and soaring inflation. We saw this months ago when the Nintendo Switch 2 preorders were delayed for weeks after President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs were announced. While the console itself was spared from a price hike (for now, at least), other hardware and games have raised their price tags, with $80 games slowly becoming the norm. Even just last week, Xbox sent out a warning that it, too, would be embracing the $80 standard for its AAA games starting this year, alongside a $100 increase on its almost 5 year old Series X hardware. Recommended Videos There have been warning signs about $80 games for months now, but we're finally on the cusp of it being a reality. In order to keep this hobby as part of my life, I have no choice but to become a more discerning player. Better late than never Video games are an expensive hobby. Whether it was when games topped out at $60, $70, or now $80, games have always been a luxury. That base price of admission was right on the edge for me in terms of having to give each purchase deep consideration before investing. Granted, I fully admit that I am in a very privileged position where I do get access to some games through my job, but I still pay out of pocket for the majority of the games I play. At $80, I have to stop and think a little more. I don't know if it's the psychology of that number or if that $10 extra dollars really is the line for me, but I am already looking ahead at some of my most anticipated upcoming games and asking myself if I'm willing to spend that much money on them. For some, the answer is yes, but there are plenty of games I think I will end up waiting on at that price. I know that is going to trigger plenty of FOMO, but I can't afford to not be selective anymore. I have to choose my shots more carefully and decide which games are the ones that I cannot wait to play, and which are the ones I can wait a few months for to get on sale. Plus, time and time again we're seeing that it pays to wait for games to get patches and improvements in the months after release. Even just performing this exercise, I realize how few big AAA games that are likely to hit this $80 price are ones that I feel that level of passion for. If a game isn't speaking to me or doing something truly special in the space, I'm not as willing to drop my cash on it for what will only amount to a decent time. The silver lining here is that most of these special games are no longer coming from the AAA space where this pricing is most likely to appear. The indie scene has been on a warpath of delivering amazing experiences for over a decade and are only getting more and more notoriety. Last year Balatro swept dozens of awards on the biggest stages in gaming, and Blue Prince seems like it could do the same in 2025. The once withering AA space is also starting to sprout once again, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 being the frontrunner for my favorite game of the year. For every AAA game that is trying to cater to the entire gaming audience, there are a dozen indies and AA games with a laser focus, like Animal Well, UFO 50, Mouthwashing, and Split Fiction that end up creating a much stronger connection with you. The more breakout successes we can get with games like Blue Prince and Clair Obscur, the more confidence I hope other studios will have in exploring the range of game scope and pricing. A game's price never has and never will correlate to its potential to move you. This is also where subscriptions are going to show their worth. Game Pass has always been a no-brainer, but now more than ever to secure day one access to Xbox's massive publishing catalogue on top of the selection of other games it adds every month. PlayStation Plus caters to my nostalgic side with PS1 and PS2 games alongside its own growing library. These subscriptions aren't cheap themselves, but I can always subscribe for a month or two when I know there's something appealing on offer. I don't blame companies for moving to the $80 price point. It was an inevitability even before tariffs entered the equation, with bloating team sizes, production costs, and a relatively stagnant player base that couldn't support those projects at that price. That said, it isn't yours or my responsibility to support an unsustainable business model. I personally don't see this being something all, or even the majority, of games are able to get away with but it certainly isn't going away. I just hope that companies are able to respond appropriately if/when sales decline without resorting to more layoffs and studio closures. Sadly, that is a lesson this industry just never seems to learn. I want to support this industry but at this point I, and many people like me, are going to have to be more discerning if we want to participate in this hobby at all.
