Microsoft Announces New Xbox Hardware, Software at Gamescom 2017

Microsoft didn’t just announce the first preorders for Xbox One X at gamescom 2017 this past weekend: It also announced new Xbox One S bundles, an expansion of Xbox Design Lab availability, and its holiday 2017 games lineup.

I wrote about the Xbox One X preorders—and two of the Xbox One S bundles—previously in Microsoft Launches Xbox One X Preorders with a Special Edition Console. But there was a ton of other news from the show. (Which I got to watch from a laptop on the floor of my empty home, as we’re about to move, finally, to Pennsylvania.)

Here’s what Microsoft announced.

Xbox One X Project Scorpio Edition

While there will be a “normal” Xbox One X console available in November too, a special launch edition version of the console, called Xbox One X Project Scorpio Edition, is available for preorder for a limited time, and while supplies last. Note that this launch is global, so you can preorder it in multiple markets around the world. Xbox One X arrives November 7.

Xbox One S Minecraft Limited Edition Bundle (1TB)

I’m not normally a fan of customized consoles per se—remember that horrible version they did for Gears of War 4?—but this one is cool. The Xbox One S Minecraft Limited Edition Bundle features a Minecraft-inspired console design and wireless controller, a full game download of Minecraft plus the Redstone Pack, and a collection of unique skin packs. It will be available for a limited time only for some reason, and will ship in all Xbox markets except Brazil and China on October 3.

Related to this, Microsoft is also release two Minecraft-inspired custom wireless controllers, the Minecraft Creeper controller, featuring the iconic green Minecraft design, and the Minecraft Pig controller, in pink. Both feature textured grips and A/B/X/Y buttons in the Minecraft font. They will be available at Microsoft Stores and Target in the US on September 5 and then more broadly a week later. You can preorder them now.

Xbox One S Shadow of War Bundles

As noted previously, two Xbox One S Shadow of War bundles, with 500 GB and 1 TB hard drives, will arrive in October.

Xbox Design Lab is coming to 20 additional markets

Microsoft’s Xbox Design Lab launched last summer in the US and Canada, and it’s a fun way to make a truly personalized wireless controller for yourself. Since then, Microsoft has expanded the program to new markets, and this week it announced that it would bring Xbox Design Lab to an additional 20 markets, all of which are in Europe.

On August 22, gamers in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden will be able to order their custom controllers online through local-language websites. But those websites above will also allow fans from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia to order custom controllers too.

Xbox Game Pass opens to 8 new markets

As I wrote about earlier today, Microsoft is expanding Xbox Game Pass to 8 new markets—Argentina, Brazil, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Africa, Turkey and UAE–on September 1.

Holiday games lineup

Microsoft announced (or at least showcased) much of its holiday 2017 games lineup, from both first- and third-party publishers. There weren’t a lot of surprises, frankly, but here are a few that stood out to me.

Microsoft will publish PlayerUnknown’s Battle Royale when it comes to Xbox One later this year. It will be made available to Xbox Insiders via the Xbox Game Preview program, Microsoft said. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is also coming to Xbox One this season.

Halo 5: Guardians returns with 4K support as an Xbox One X enhanced title this year. And Halo Wars 2: Awakening the Nightmare is expanding on the original title with new single- and multiplayer capabilities. But Assassin’s Creed: Origins is emerging as the launch title to watch, with an amazing presentation and a nice Egypt locale.

ReCore: Definitive Edition provides improved visuals with HDR support, plus new adventures, characters, and other additional content.

The software giant announced several PC titles during the gamescom event, including Age of Empires: Definitive Edition, Forza Motorsport 7, Crackdown 3 (though this one was delayed to early 2018), Super Lucky’s Tale, and Sea of Thieves (with cross-play).

But the game I’m most lookin forward to, of course, is Cuphead, the much-delayed Xbox Play Anywhere title. Cuphead will finally launch on September 29 for both Xbox One and Windows 10. You can preorder it now. Which you should.