Microsoft kicked off its X018 event by announcing PlayerUnknown Battlegrounds would be coming to the Xbox Game Pass service Monday, adding the popular battle royale shooter to its slate of more than 100 titles available.
New subscribers, starting today, will get their first month for just $1, a 90 percent discount from its standard $10 monthly fee. The deal will remain live through the holidays.
And that’s not the only discount Microsoft unveiled: The Xbox One X is getting a Black Friday price drop to $399, a $100 discount on its standard $499 price, and all controllers (including the colorful Design Lab controllers) are $10 off.
In the biggest surprise of the event, Microsoft revealed its intent to purchase two storied RPG-focused developers: inXile and Obsidian, both of which have roots stretching back to classic 1990s RPGs. You can read the full details here and that brings Microsoft’s total number of studios to 13.
The full list of Microsoft Studios, including inXile and Obsidian.
CNET screenshot
Crackdown 3, after a lengthy wait, will be coming February 15, 2019, complete with a new multiplayer mode Wrecking Zone, in which two teams of five compete against each other in “fully-destructible environments.” And the original Crackdown, for those interested, is now available for free via the Microsoft Store.
Microsoft also revealed Void Bastards, a game that blends roguelike elements and System Shock-style environmental exploration and manipulation with a unique art style that’s reminiscent of the days of cell-shaded games.
Developed by Blue Manchu, a studio co-founded by Jonathan Chey (one of the co-creators of BioShock), Void Bastards is launching in 2019 and will be available via Game Pass at launch.
Mouse and keyboard support was previously announced for the Xbox One, but it’ll finally be live starting Wednesday, Nov. 14. Head here to learn more about the launch lineup of supporting titles, in addition to some more info on Razer’s partnership to build an Xbox-focused mouse and keyboard.
Read on for a quick rundown of Microsoft’s other announcements, and go even further to check out all of the other trailers Microsoft is showcasing for other previously-revealed titles.
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