Drakong Challenger: One-minute review

The Drakong Challenger takes aim at the budget controller market by offering a basic but high-performing pad. On the style front, the Challenger is very much a case of function over form. You’d be hard-pressed to tell it apart from your run-of-the-mill Xbox controller, although the green rings around the thumbsticks are one notable point of difference.

Just like that controller, the Challenger is very comfortable in the hand. It’s also surprisingly well-made, with a solid shell and planted buttons. What’s more, it’s pleasingly light, making it easy to use for long periods. All this makes it one of the best Xbox Controllers at the budget end of the sector in terms of construction.

Although there’s no software to accompany the Challenger, you can assign the back buttons quite easily using the M button. A rumble notifies you when your assignments have been confirmed, which is a useful indicator.

The Challenger impresses in action. The triggers and sticks are as smooth and precise as you would expect from their Hall Effect technology, while the D-pad and face buttons are satisfyingly damped and quick to respond and rebound. The back buttons are a little less tactile, but they suffice nonetheless.

Given how inexpensive it is, you’d seriously have to consider the Challenger over a standard Xbox controller or any other, for that matter, so long as wireless connectivity is something you’re willing to sacrifice.

Drakong Challenger review: Price & availability

• $34.99 (about £25 / AU$50)
• One month of Game Pass Ultimate included
• Good price-to-performance ratio

The Drakong Challenger costs $34.99 (about £25 / AU$50) and is available now. It comes with a USB-C cable, as well as a code for a one-month free trial of Game Pass Ultimate.

The Challenger is cheaper than the official Xbox Wireless Controller, although that gamepad has the advantage of wireless connectivity. However, it doesn’t include a rechargeable battery as standard, nor does it have customizable back buttons.

If you want something a little more feature-packed, but don’t want to spend a huge amount, the Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline is a good alternative. It has companion software that can be used to remap buttons, as well as adjust vibration intensity and thumbstick dead zones. Also, the controller itself is far more vibrant than the Challenger — and many other controllers, for that matter.

Drakong Challenger review: Specs

Drakong Challenger review: Design

• Classic Xbox controller design
• Light yet solid construction
• No accompanying software

As far as looks go, the Challenger barely departs from the traditional Xbox design. It has the same shape, size, and layout, with the only additional flourishes being green rings around the sticks and a subtle outline around the two halves of the pad. There’s no RGB lighting, despite what those aforementioned stick rings may lead you to believe.

However, all this isn’t to say the Challenger has a disappointing construction. After all, to many gamers, the Xbox controller form is comfortable and practical. And despite the plastics not feeling particularly premium, the Challenger is surprisingly solid and pleasingly light at the same time, which is always a winning combination.

What’s more, the sticks and buttons are well fitted with no play in them at all, which isn’t something that can be said about most budget controllers. The back of the handles is textured for added traction, but the improvement is marginal given how subtle this texture is.

There’s no software available to customize the Challenger, but there are two mappable back buttons. I couldn’t find information on how to map them anywhere, but thankfully it’s a fairly simple process to figure out. You simply press the M button and a back button simultaneously until you feel a rumble, then press the button you want to assign and another rumble will confirm its activation.

The Challenger has no wireless connectivity, which is a shame but understandable at this price point. The included USB cable is quite long, but it isn’t finished in a braided fabric, which is something you often find on the best gaming mice to improve flexibility and reduce drag. It does at least seem quite durable, and the connection at either end was solid in my experience, despite the small amount of superficial wobbling at the controller end.

Drakong Challenger review: Performance

• Solid and responsive buttons
• Precise and tactile triggers and sticks
• Easy connectivity to Xbox and PC

The Drakong Challenger might be a budget controller, but that’s not something you’ll notice when gaming with it, as every input is smooth, solid, and precise. The face buttons are also well damped and very responsive, rebounding quickly to allow for easy spamming when needed. The same goes for the D-pad, and despite its traditional four-pronged hat, it felt comfortable in my thumb, even when performing rolls and frantic inputs in Tekken 8.

On the shoulder buttons, the texture is subtle but noticeable, and feels quite nice on the fingers, although I’m not sure it provides much in the way of traction. The Hall Effect triggers are light but offer a surprising amount of control, which was especially helpful when accelerating and braking in Assetto Corsa. The Hall Effect thumbsticks were accurate and responsive when steering, too, as well as when aiming in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. I also appreciated their soft, grippy coating and textured rims for added purchase and feedback.

The two back buttons are easy to reach, but they don’t feel quite as tactile as the other inputs, lacking depth of travel and dampening by comparison. Also, I found them quite easy to trigger accidentally, even when I didn’t have a particularly tight grip on the pad.

Surprisingly for an inexpensive controller, the Challenger features a headset jack. The cable connection is solid, and I didn’t notice any loss in audio quality relative to connections made elsewhere.

As for the pad itself, I had no issues connecting it via the USB cable to either an Xbox Series X or to my PC, being just as easy to use with the latter as the best PC controllers.

Should I buy the Drakong Challenger?

Buy it if…

Don't buy it if…

Drakong Challenger review: Also consider

How I tested the Drakong Challenger

• Tested for several days
• Played a variety of games
• Experienced with many other gamepads

I tested the Challenger for several days, using it for a variety of games and on both PC and Xbox.

I played Assetto Corsa to test the triggers, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl to test the precision of the sticks. I also played Tekken 8 to test the responsiveness and comfort of the D-pad and face buttons.

I’ve been gaming for decades and have used a wide variety of systems and controllers in that time. I’ve also reviewed a range of them, from simple budget-friendly affairs to feature-packed premium offerings.

• Read more about how we test
• First reviewed: September 2026

The Grand Theft Auto 6: An Extended Look is finally live! Those tuning in for the Netflix premiere were treated to 26 minutes' worth of new content about the game ahead of its November 19 launch, including huge amounts of gameplay footage, cinematics, and a deeper look into the lives of Jason and Lucia.

If you don't have Netflix, you'll be able to watch on Rockstar's YouTube channel at 9PM ET / 6PM PDT / 2AM BST / 3AM CEST.

There is so much to unpack, from a revamped combat system, interactive gameplay mechanics, story hints, and more — but to make things easier, we've gone ahead and created a breakdown of the top things we learned in case you missed it.

Cinematics and gameplay blend right into each other

The extended look began with Lucia and Jason walking into an apartment block looking to pick up a package for someone named "Boobie." For this mission, it looks like Jason is the playable character as he guides Lucia through the building and encounters some incredibly detailed NPCs.

Here, and in several other instances, the gameplay appears to instantly shift into a cutscene before the action kicks back in again. Another instance happens later on; Jason and Lucia are fleeing from the police with a client, and Jason must shoot at them out the window while Lucia evades — the scene quickly transitions into something cinematic before going back into gameplay.

At the end of the extended look, Lucia and Jason get separated on a mission; as soon as he finishes shooting some guys under player control, it suddenly cuts to a cinematic scene showing him texting with Lucia, which then transitions to her point of view, and the end of the cutscene leads to you controlling her.

There will be quick time events

During a fight scene between Lucia and an enemy at the end of the extended look, the player is prompted with a quick time event, which is surprisingly old-school for this game. But there seems to be a choice in the matter — there are two options on-screen, and in the video she picks up her heel and nails the guy in the face, making a quip based on your choice of button to mash. We get the sense this will appear throughout the game.

There will be slow-mo with enemy weak zones

Jason can be seen firing his weapon at some enemies and the gameplay suddenly slows down after he uses his his focus meter seen in the top left corner. During this same encounter, an enemy's body becomes highlighted showing red and yellow weak zones for the player — we're assuming red is a killshot and yellow will disarm or disable.

There will be disguises… lots of disguises

There were quite a few moments were we see Jason and Lucia on story missions wearing disguises with new identities when taking on certain clients, such as personal security for a party. The footage showed changing outfits being a mechanic, and we see lots of different hairstyles on Lucia — it seems like it'll be necessary, not just fun.

There's a six-star Wanted system

Unlike GTA 5, which has a five-star Wanted system, GTA 6 will have six stars. What does this mean? Well, it's one higher, isn't it?

The gun handling is better than GTA 5

Picking up and swapping out weapons looks incredibly slick; Jason and Lucia have their own weapons they can pull out on their respective weapon wheels, but they can quickly swipe up downed-enemies' weapons mid combat, too.

You can race cars in an actual track

Driving around Leonida looks amazing, but players will also be able to take part in races on an actual race track, with cars and bikes, if you want a high-speed challenge.

Lots of water activities

Players will be able to drive fanboats, jetskis and canoes, and explore bodies of water across Leonida. Admittedly, the fanboat looks a little less high-octane than some sections of the video…

You can base jump

As shot near the end of the extended look shows the player guiding Lucia to run and jump off a skyscaper before pulling out her parachute and getting an incredible view of Vice City.

Environmental destruction

During police chases, Jason and Lucia can shoot out the tires of their pursuers, which will lead to police cars flipping and crashing, causing dynamic environmental destruction that looks incredibly cinematic.

A wide range of people will hire you for jobs

While we don't know specific story details yet, it seems that Jason and Lucia have their own business going on where they'll work for an assortment of clients. They'll rob banks and stores, protect clients, deliver goods, and more. Standard GTA stuff, but it's the first time we've seen what this will look like.

You can pet the dog

It's the main thing some of us care about.

An improved HUD

The game's HUD looks way cleaner than GTA 5's, and quicker to access; switching between Lucia and Jason is as quick as pressing one button, and the weapon wheel is minimal and fast to use.

Switching between Lucia and Jason is really fast

As I just mentioned, switching between both co-protagonsits is unbelieavably fast. In one moment, you see Lucia base jumping and when the player switches to Jason, it takes just a couple of seconds — there's flash, the camera zooms into the sky, pans across the city, then zooms down into a building and we're with Jason again. And that's running on the base PS5!

You can scuba dive (and regular dive)

Players will be able to dive into bodies of water to swim, but also scuba dive to see all the pretty fish below the surface!

The weapon icon from GTA 4 returns

During combat, the equipped weapon icon from GTA 4, can be seen in the top right corner, under the Wanted stars and ammo. It was missing in 5, but 4 stans will feel a warm, familiar feeling.

Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline Wireless Controller: One-minute review

The Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline is the best-looking Xbox controller that I’ve ever tested. The face plate, complete with its illustration of a San Diego skyline dripping with inviting tropical vibes, is gorgeous and pairs wonderfully with the contrasting baby blue buttons and bright pink thumbstick caps.

The Pacific Skyline has a hidden trick up its sleeve as well — stunning RGB lighting that illuminates the city’s major buildings when the controller is turned on and can be customized with a variety of colours and presets without the need for any companion software. It’s genuinely a beautiful bit of hardware, and there’s nothing else quite like it on the market.

I’m sure the look was also closely inspired by Grand Theft Auto 6 as it’s very reminiscent of the game’s bright promotional art, and I already know that this will be my go-to gamepad when I venture into the neon-soaked streets of Vice City on Xbox Series X.

The aesthetics are great, but the controller also performs well overall — even if it’s not particularly feature-rich. The TMR thumbsticks are responsive and smooth, the rear buttons are easy to remap on the fly, and the built-in audio controls are genuinely useful and effective, giving you some compelling reasons to choose it over the stock Xbox Wireless Controller aside from just the look.

Yes, there are some controllers with even more features available for around the same price, just look at the GameSir G7 Pro, but you simply won’t find anything that’s this visually appealing elsewhere.

Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline Wireless Controller: Price and availability

• Available in the US and UK
• Costs $89.99 / £79.99 / around AU$150
• You’re paying a premium for the design

The Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline Wireless Controller is readily available in the US and UK exclusively via the Turtle Beach website, where it costs $89.99 / £79.99 (that’s roughly AU$150). This model does not seem to have made its way to Australia yet.

It’s a solid price given the feature set, but you’re definitely paying a bit of a premium for the design, and alternatives like the GameSir G7 Pro deliver more features for the same cost.

Still, it’s worth it if you're considering the likes of the standard Xbox Wireless Controller but are willing to splash out for a nicer and more unique design.

Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline Wireless Controller: Specs

Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline Wireless Controller: Design and features

• Stunning tropical aesthetic
• Standard Xbox controller form factor
• Rear inputs and on-board controls

Out of the box, the first thing you’re going to notice about the Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline Wireless Controller is its beautiful design. Turtle Beach says that the pink and baby blue look was inspired by the ‘Xbox pastel project’ — which saw a selection of third-party gamepads with pastel aesthetics hit the market a few years ago.

I think there’s another clear inspiration, though: GTA 6. Covered in palm trees, with views of a beach and a city skyline (in this case, San Diego, the home of Turtle Beach), it’s a perfect match for the highly anticipated upcoming open-world game.

I imagine this pad is Turtle Beach’s way of getting in on the GTA 6 hype, but that’s certainly not a complaint as I think the result is stunning. The bright colors really pop, and the design is detailed enough to pore over without being too distracting.

There is also some brilliant RGB lighting when you turn on the pad, which lights up to reveal an otherwise hidden skyline. It looks truly brilliant and surprisingly tasteful, especially if you set it to a static illumination in a custom color.

In terms of layout, the Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline Wireless Controller is very close to the standard Xbox gamepad.

The overall shapes are extremely similar, though side by side you will notice that the Pacific Skyline has slightly softer corners and fatter grips. The Turtle Beach pad does have three extra buttons: a microphone mute button (which can also be pressed to access on-board functions) and two customizable rear paddles.

If you look at the D-pad, you will notice a few small markings. Hold the microphone mute button and tap up or down to raise or lower the volume of your connected headphones, while left and right adjust game chat balance. The controls are intuitive and easy to remember, and genuinely quite useful as it means that you don’t have to fiddle around with system menus to adjust game volume if you’re playing with wired headphones connected via the controller's 3.5mm jack.

The controller doesn't feature any removable batteries, and is instead charged via a USB Type-C cable. A generous roughly 10ft / 300cm one is included in the box along with a USB dongle. Sadly, neither the cable nor the dongle are pink or blue to match the controller — a missed opportunity to make them stand out against those of other pads.

Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline Wireless Controller: Performance

• Delivers well-rounded performance
• Basic but functional software
• Very lightweight

The Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline Wireless Controller delivers basically everything you could want from a basic Xbox Wireless Controller alternative. The thumbsticks are smooth and responsive, the buttons are satisfying to press and well-sized, and additional features like the volume mixing and rear inputs work just as you would expect.

It certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel in any respect, but the performance is exactly what you would want and expect at this price. There are more versatile options out there, though I think this is reasonable when, realistically, you’re mainly buying this particular controller for its looks.

The controller is compatible with two pieces of companion software: the Swarm II mobile app and the Turtle Beach - PDP Control Hub. Both offer similar options and are rather basic, mainly there for adjusting vibration strength, remapping buttons, and tweaking thumbstick dead zones.

My only real complaint using the controller is that the materials simply don’t feel as premium as the Xbox Wireless Controller. I think a lot of that comes down to the weight: the Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline Wireless Controller is very light, making it comfortable in the hands but meaning it lacks that reassuring heftiness. The back of the grips is also completely smooth, and I found myself missing the more grippy texture of the original pad.

The Pacific Skyline controller gains back the upper hand with its built-in battery. It lasts for about 20 hours per charge — roughly on par with Microsoft’s pad, all without the need to fiddle with pricey AAs every time you need to top it up.

Should I buy the Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline Wireless Controller?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Also consider...

Not keen on the Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline Wireless Controller? Here are two alternatives to weigh up.

How I tested the Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline Wireless Controller

• Tested for multiple weeks
• Used as primary controller for Xbox and PC
• Compared to other gamepads

I tested the Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline Wireless Controller for more than two weeks, using it as my primary gamepad for both Xbox and PC play.

During that time, I experienced a wide range of games with it, including driving titles such as Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, Forza Horizon 3, and Forza Horizon 6, plus shooters like Gears of War Reloaded.

Throughout my time with the controller, I compared it to my hands-on testing of other Xbox controllers, including the standard model and those by competitors like GameSir and PowerA.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed August 2026

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has become a bit of a meme in my house. It’s basically the only game that my non-gaming partner and I were equally excited about on its release. Every time I’ve gotten my hands on a new gaming machine, the immediate question was ‘can it run Flight Simulator?’, to which the answer was always, regrettably, no.

Which is why when I recently picked up a second-hand Xbox Series X and subscribed to Game Pass Ultimate, there was a lot of excitement when I realized we could finally play Flight Simulator in all its graphical glory. I jumped at the chance to finally lose my chocks, slip the surly bonds of earth, and crash my plane into the face of god.

What a wonderful world

My eldest brother was a bit of a Flight Sim nerd back in the day. So my impression of flight simulators was pretty firmly defined by their late 1980s incarnations — essentially just some flat polygons and super-aliased lines in two-point perspective, accompanied by a bunch of truly incomprehensible dials. Having utterly ignored the development of flight simulators ever since, it’s safe to say that when I saw how far they’d come in the last almost four decades, it was a bit of a shock to the system.

A lot of the praise that was heaped on Flight Simulator 2024 when it was released centered on how gorgeous the graphics were. And even playing now, some two years down the line, that praise holds up. Lighting effects are exquisite, with sunsets over enormous bodies of water like Lake Titicaca looking almost absurdly true to life. Weather effects and realistic day/night cycles only emphasise this, making the world around you feel fluid and organic.

But the biggest graphical draw for me is knowing that there’s a whole world meticulously rebuilt from satellite data for me to soar over. Flying down the Grand Canyon, the scale is still absolutely breathtaking, and I couldn’t resist the temptation to gun my little prop plane down over all the rapids in the Colorado River. Likewise, when I flew over Machu Picchu, the landscape is truly stunning, and there’s a real joy in winding along the surrounding valleys, watched over by lofty mountains. The level of detail is genuinely mind-blowing.

While cities aren’t quite as perfectly rendered as the landscape — the game’s algorithm makes a lot of assumptions when filling in the gaps from the satellite data — visiting places you know well is genuinely a bit uncanny. I landed my little prop plane in my street, and it felt a little surreal to stare at my own front door when I was sat mere feet away inside. Flight Sim also does a wonderful job of recreating local landmarks: it was so fun checking out Bath’s Royal Crescent, even if the game’s algorithm insisted on popping little corner shops at the base of every Georgian townhouse.

Given it’s based on satellite data, some areas are a little less exciting than others. For example, I decided to check out the thick Congolese rainforest and was rewarded with a flat, unbroken canopy for 100 miles in every direction. I know, right? Bro shocked a rainforest contains trees. But not every journey is going to be a scenic smorgasbord, so some flights are going to be more droolworthy than others.

Still, playing Flight Simulator 2024 is one heck of a visual treat. And I would regularly fire up the game just so I could check out a favorite landmark or explore a new patch of sky.

Brace for landing

Okay, so we’ve established that Flight Simulator 2024 is a very pretty game. But there’s a reason there are as many flying enthusiasts working toward getting their pilot’s license as there are casual sightseers playing the game. Because, underneath all the gloss and sheen lies the cold steel endoskeleton of an unflinchingly brutal simulator.

Having invested 12 hours in Flight Simulator 2024 so far, I’ve gone from being truly, hauntingly terrible at it to simply being really bad. Honestly, I’ve heard the word ‘stall’ so many times at this point, I’ll likely still wake up with it echoing in my ears in my sweat-drenched retirement home bed some half a century from now. Even though I’ve now qualified for my commercial licence, I feel nothing but pity for the virtual passengers that board my plane, as I know they have at best a 40% chance of reaching their destination in one piece.

Part of the reason for this is that the simulation is just staggeringly realistic. There’s an enormous number of variables to manage, all of which you can manage via controller shortcuts or direct from the cockpit controls, if you really want to double down on the masochism. Get the balance of these slightly wrong — for example, getting your pitch a few degrees off or mismanaging your throttle — and you’ll find yourself losing height too fast or hearing the Cessna 172’s dreaded ‘stall’ warning.

Don’t get me wrong. I’ve stopped making truly cringeworthy mistakes. I no longer get screamed at by air traffic control for failing to radio for clearance to hit the runway or drop out of the air ten seconds after takeoff because I’ve set my throttle too low. I’m pretty good at using trim to maintain my attitude while at cruising altitude, and I can comfortably use dead reckoning to navigate my way along my intended flight path.

But I still find landing a painful and protracted process of plate spinning that I understand in principle and yet rarely manage to nail in practice. I think I’ve hit the perfect glide path, only to find myself coming in far too low, forcing me to gun my throttle like Maverick just to avoid myself ending up a smear on the cliff face. Or I execute what I think is the perfect flare to raise my nose as I hit the tarmac, only to realize I’m going too fast and rapidly jackknife my plane face down into the runway. As Douglas Adams remarked, it’s not the fall that kills you: it’s hitting the ground at 85 knots.

All of this sounds like it should be deeply frustrating. And it is. But it’s also weirdly compelling: the more I flop off the end of the runway like a cat dripping off the edge of a table or bounce around on the tarmac like a drunken rabbit on a trampoline, the more I double down and want to nail it the next time. Because there’s something exciting about the unlimited horizons beckoning you onward.

• Grand Theft Auto 6 is selling eight times faster on PS5 than Xbox says IGN
• Xbox disputes this, however, in a statement to Windows Central
• This potential bad news comes just as Xbox announced console price hikes

IGN has reported that, based on its internal affiliate data, Grand Theft Auto 6 preorders on PS5 are surging ahead of Xbox preorders of the game at a rate of eight to one — Xbox is now saying this is far from the full picture. Though, I have a hard time believing Xbox is doing a heck of a lot better than this data suggests.

In a statement to Windows Central, an Xbox spokesperson explained that “This doesn’t represent pre-order data. We’ve had record orders. People should wait for real data and not clicks on affiliate links."

Now, I don’t doubt that GTA 6 is selling gangbusters everywhere it’s playable, leading to “record sales.” Grand Theft Auto 5 is considered the third-best-selling game of all time — trailing only Minecraft and Tetris (though not everyone counts Tetris, as the figures aggregate several versions of the game, and you might see some places calling GTA 5 the second-best-selling of all time). So it tracks that out of the gate GTA 6 would be hugely popular too, and I expect it will only get more popular when GTA 6 Online and the PC port eventually release.

However, Xbox seeing record orders and its preorders lagging behind PlayStation’s aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, it’s no secret that the PS5 has outsold Xbox consoles this generation, so you’d expect the Sony hardware to have more GTA 6 game sales — though with estimated sales figures sitting at around 95 million for PlayStation to 35 million Xboxes, you would expect a rate of two or three to one, not eight to one.

Is something more going on here as Xbox suggests?

What's going on with GTA 6 sales?

On Xbox’s side of the argument, there are reasons not to extrapolate too much from affiliate link data.

First, people might simply be picking the game up digitally directly from Xbox’s store rather than through typical affiliate partners like Walmart, Argos, and Amazon. Given that GTA 6’s physical edition is functionally identical to the digital version — as there’s no disc, just a download code in a plastic case — there’s little to no advantage to buying from a retail store.

And given Xbox's digital gaming focus with services like Game Pass and multi-platform gaming across consoles, PCs, and PC handhelds (even if GTA 6 doesn’t look set to be a Play Anywhere title at launch), it makes sense that Xbox gamers would be more comfortable (and possibly more likely to shop) at Xbox’s own store compared with PS5 gamers and PlayStation's store.

What’s more, affiliate data doesn’t necessarily mean sales. IGN hasn’t said much on what exactly its data is based on, but if it's affiliate link clicks (as the Xbox spokesperson suggests it is), then that doesn’t necessarily mean the PS5 version is selling eight times more copies, just that links for the PS5 version are eight times more popular.

Gamers could simply be clicking on them more but then not buying the game, or clicking a few times before making a purchase, though I’m not sure why you wouldn’t expect Xbox and PlayStation gamers to be equally flaky on a post-click purchase.

The only final piece of support for Xbox would be if IGN’s audience skewed more towards PlayStation at a rate disproportionate to the overall population’s two- or three-to-one.

Though as a general gaming outlet rather than one dedicated to either side of the aisle, I don’t see that being the case — all I could see happening is IGN’s audience of gaming enthusiasts could be more likely to own both an Xbox Series and PlayStation 5 console, and then with Sony’s promise that GTA 6 “plays best on PS5” they’d be more likely to pick up a copy for Sony’s hardware compared with Xbox’s.

All that’s to say, while IGN’s stats might not be entirely accurate to the final picture, I don’t doubt that PS5 sales of GTA 6 are blowing Xbox’s out of the water. And even if current sales aren’t quite eight-to-one, I wouldn’t be surprised if sales trend in that direction.

My argument here is Xbox consoles are set to get a major price hike effective August 1, 2026, putting the Series X at $749 for the all-digital, and $899 for the disc drive equipped model (price increases outside the US are yet to be confirmed) — a sharp raise on the previous costs of $599 and $649 respectively which are the identical to the equivalent PS5 models.

Sony may announce similar hikes itself — it isn’t immune to the cost increases hitting the whole industry, though its drastically better sales may help it weather the storm for a little longer — but until it does, the PS5 looks like a much better deal. If casual gamers still rocking a last-gen console finally want to upgrade so they can play GTA 6, there will be a clear winner: the PlayStation 5.

There’s still a lot of time before Grand Theft Auto 6’s eventual November 19 release date (I’ll be ready for another delay until it’s actually in my hands), but I don’t think Xbox’s fortunes will turn around dramatically by then.

Not only do I review gaming gear for a living, I game every day, which is how I know how important a truly reliable gamepad can be. Fortunately, while we're on the final day of Prime Day, I'm still seeing loads of offers out there on some of my favorite Xbox controllers. That's why I've brought you together the best I've found.

• View the full Amazon Prime Day sale

For a long time, when gaming on my PC and Xbox Series X, I just stuck with the Robot White Xbox Wireless Controller that came with my console. And who could blame me? It's a seriously well-designed controller, from its multi-platform connectivity to its Impulse Triggers. But there's a whole rainbow of different colorways out there: given they're so cheap, why not opt for the badass bubblegum vibes of Deep Pink or the exhilarating Electric Volt?

And although it may have taken me a while, I have since upgraded to a pro-grade pad: the fantastic Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless, one of the many premium controllers you can get an enormous discount on this Prime Day. Can't quite stretch to a high-end controller? Fortunately, plenty of cheaper options like the PowerA Wired Controller are still going for a song, so there's never been a better time to get your hands on a new one.

If you're keen to browse the deals where you are, feel free to skip straight to the US links or UK links. And if you're also on the hunt for other bargains, don't forget to follow our Amazon Prime Day US live blog or our Amazon Prime Day UK live blog.

Xbox controller sale — top picks

• Xbox Wireless Controller — Robot White: now $49.99 at Amazon (was $64.99)
• Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless: now $149.99 at Best Buy (was $189.99)
• GameSir Kaleid: now $32.51 at Amazon (was $40.40)

Xbox controllers — US deals

Xbox controllers — UK deals

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Back-to-school tech: 48% off laptops, headphones & tablets
• Cheap TVs: Samsung, Sony & LG from $89.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Smartwatches: up to $250 off Garmin & Apple
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

More Amazon Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: Fire, Ring & Blink from £13.99
• Apple: up to 33% off AirPods & Apple Watch
• Appliances: up to 45% off Ninja & De'Longhi
• Fans: from £20
• Headphones: up to 50% off Beats & Sony
• Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £79.99
• Vacuums: up to 40% off Shark & Roborock
• Wearables: up to 30% off Garmin & Oura

Microsoft has just announced that the price of the Xbox Series X and Series S consoles will increase "effective August 1, 2026" in a post on Xbox News Wire. Specifically, the company says that "The price of Xbox consoles will increase by US$100 for 512 GB models and US$150 for 1 TB models. We will also be sunsetting our 2 TB model."

We don't have confirmation on what this will mean in countries outside the US, but we know there will be changes worldwide; the question is how much.

This will make the prices of Xbox consoles in the US as follows:

So the Xbox Series S now costs the same as the Series X used to, and is the same price as the PS5 Digital Edition currently costs (though we'll see if that changes again too…).

Fortunately, you have a chance to beat the price rise at the moment — if you're in the US, Walmart has a great discount on the 1TB disc version currently.

We're getting into a real crunch point when it comes to price rises caused by the AI-driven memory crisis.

Apple has just announced a huge suite of price rises, having resisted as long as possible, and the price of the Steam Machine shocked people who were hoping for something more console-level — but Valve says the memory companies had them over a barrel, basically.

It's hard to say if the price rise coming just before the Grand Theft Auto 6 launch is a cynical move by Xbox, or if letting us know six weeks in advance, during a sales event, just after GTA 6 pre-orders went live is doing us a favor — I'm inclined to lean towards the latter.

If you've been following our GTA 6 pre-order live updates, you'll know that pre-orders now finally live in the UK for the new game.

Not only can you get your order in, including for the GTA 6 Ultimate Edition with all of its extras over the standard edition, but this has also finally revealed to us what the UK price actually is — Rockstar only revealed the US prices when it announced the pre-order time.

So now we know that GTA 6 will cost £69.99 for the Standard Edition, and £89.99 for the Ultimate Edition — we're in a brave new world of video game prices here, folks.

And don't forget, if you buy the 'physical' version of it, you're not getting a disc in the box. It's just for show on your shelf.

We're updating this page as different retailers start showing their pre-order pages — here's a quick list of search page links for now, but we'll put solid links in as they appear.

Confirmed pre-orders

• PlayStation Store
  🅿️ Standard Edition digital pre-order
  🅿️ Ultimate Edition digital pre-order
• Xbox Store
  ❎ Standard Edition digital pre-order
  ❎ Ultimate Edition digital pre-order
• Amazon:
  📦 PS5 Standard Edition box pre-order
  📦 Xbox Standard Edition box pre-order
• ShopTo:
  🟡 PS5 Standard Edition box pre-order
  🟡 Xbox Standard Edition box pre-order
• The Game Collection:
  🎮 Standard Edition box pre-order (both consoles)
• Smyth's Toys:
  🇸 PS5 Standard Edition box pre-order
  🇸 Xbox Standard Edition box pre-order
• Very:
  𝓥 PS5 Standard Edition box pre-order
  𝓥 Check Ultimate Edition box pre-order

Links for other retailers — pre-orders not confirmed yet

• Currys:
  ©️Check Standard Edition stock
  ©️Check Ultimate Edition stock
• Argos:
  🟥Check Standard Edition stock
  🟥Check Ultimate Edition stock
• Very:
  𝓥 Check Standard Edition stock
  𝓥 Check Ultimate Edition stock
• EE:
  📱Check Standard Edition stock
  📱Check Ultimate Edition stock
• John Lewis:
  🛍️Check Standard Edition stock
  🛍️Check Ultimate Edition stock

I've spent most of my life drifting from one fleeting entanglement to another, never really taking the risk to actually invest in something significant. But then, four months ago, I finally made a real commitment: my life changed for the better and I haven't looked back since. That's right, I finally bought myself a premium gaming controller. And, this Prime Day, I think should take the leap too.

But there are lots of great PC and Xbox controllers out there, so how do you know when you've found the one? Trust me: when you know, you know. And for me, that controller is the Asus ROG Raikiri II.

If you want a super low-latency, wireless controller for PC or Xbox, the Asus ROG Raikiri II is an excellent choice, thanks to its great feature-set and impressive build. And while it usually has a unflinchingly high price tag, you're currently in luck, as right now you can pick up the ROG Raikiri II at Amazon for $189.99 (was $143.99). In my book, that turns it from a strong candidate to an absolute must-have.

I've not exactly tried to hide my love for this controller, as you can see from my Asus ROG Raikiri II review. I gave it a glowing 4.5 stars, thanks to its compelling features.

Those dual-mode triggers mean you can easily set it to a shallow tap for clicking heads in shooters or set them to their full range for granular control over your accelerator for driving games.

The thumbsticks also feel wonderfully precise, making it easy to sneak past fascists on Indiana Jones and The Great Circle. Also, its 2.4GHz wireless connectivity offers super low-latency of just 2.3ms, making it always feel really responsive.

And when it comes to design, it's no less impressive. It feels solidly built in your hand and comes with its own charging dock and replacement thumbsticks. Meanwhile, its customizable RGB lightning adds just enough flair without it feel overdone or garish. Finally, ROG's Gear Link software allows to set response curves for its sticks and triggers and changes its lighting patterns. Not bad for less that $150 / £200.

Want to peruse some other controllers before making your decision? Then check out our guide to the best PC controllers. Alternatively, keep an eye on our Amazon Prime Day live blog for all the latest deals as we unearth them.

If you’ve read many of my recent gaming reviews, you’ll notice that there’s often one reference that’s peppered throughout them. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. In fact, if you’ve ever had the misfortune of getting caught in a conversation with me, you’ll find I reference it approximately every 6.5 seconds. It was my frontrunner for Game of the Year 2025 by a clear furlong.

And yet despite my enduring love for it, a recent acquisition has totally changed the way I play the game. When toying around with the Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox controller for review, I found it totally changed the way I play the game and, honestly, helped me enjoy it a whole lot more. I’d been missing something since the very beginning of the game, and the high-end, premium controller helped me realise why.

So what was it about picking up one of the best Xbox controllers out there that proved such a game-changer?

Despair Obscur

It’s not hard to explain why I’ve enjoyed Expedition 33 so much. The heyday of turn-based role-playing games (RPGs) came during my youth, when my brain was at its squishiest and most impressionable. I know we’re only supposed to care about action RPGs and Soulslikes these days, but Expedition 33 is a love letter to many of the games that sparked my adoration of RPGs, while having enough modern innovations to feel truly forward-looking.

Yet I have a confession to make. Despite how much I love the game, I’ve been harboring a dark, shameful secret that cuts to the core of my identity. While I never wanted to admit this publicly, I feel like I can no longer hide it… I kinda suck at it.

Don’t get me wrong. I hold my own in battles. My builds are relatively effective, I have a good lot of synergies worked out with my skills, and I can usually ace most of the quicktime events (QTEs). The vast majority of opponents fall at my feet, and I can master a lot of the bosses after a few humiliating deaths. So what’s the issue?

In a word: parrying. Ever since I started playing, I’d always felt something was slightly off with the parrying and counter mechanics – I could pull them off regularly enough to be satisfying and to bring many enemies to their knees. However, I often felt like I was missing something.

The window felt unforgiving at the best of times, and every time I came across new enemies, I’d spend most of the encounters with them learning their timings before they largely disappeared from play. I wanted to excel, but often found I got by on a painful process of repeating counters until I had the rhythm down. Later in the game, this sensation was only compounded – certain bosses required almost flawless countering, and the introduction of Verso’s Perfection ranks meant coasting was no longer an option.

I know, I know… get gud, right? But despite all the practice I got, I never quite built up the fluency I needed. And advice online didn’t seem to work for me: listening out for aural cues or the way the screen zooms in just before an attack didn’t help me hit the window with enough regularity. My younger co-workers didn’t seem to have any issues with it, convincing me my issue was more likely with my middle-aged brain. The old girl just ain’t as fast as she used to be.

But, as it turned out, the issue wasn’t with my wetware. It was with my hardware.

He’s got control again

Ridiculous as it is, I don’t actually spend a lot of money on gaming accessories. Despite owning a mid-weight gaming PC, an Xbox Series X, and a Steam Deck, when it comes to choosing between games and accessories, I’ll choose games every time. As a result, I’ve got a Steam library full of uncompleted games, and yet I’ve always used my PC with the cheapest controller I could get my hands on. Yes, I know: I can literally hear your eyes rolling from here.

Fortunately, TechRadar Gaming’s managing editor has been dragging me kicking and screaming into the 2020s one accessory review at a time. And it was as a part of this gradual reeducation process that I recently tested out a new pro controller for Xbox and PC: the Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Controller.

When I test any gaming accessory, I’ll always try it out with as wide a range of genres as possible. So, naturally, one of the first titles I fired up was Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Suddenly, something was different. Instead of getting slashed to ribbons by the Obscurs I was facing, I started deflecting their blows like a spider at the peak of his Olympic fencing career. The crack-thin parry window suddenly felt like an enormous floor-to-ceiling window, and hitting it became a far-less stressful experience. Verso finally went from an, at best, straight-C student to regularly unleashing his most powerful attacks.

I’d never previously considered that a more pro-level pad could make this much of a difference. But take a quick glance at the Raikiri II’s design and feature-set, and it’s easy to see why it’s been so transformative for my gameplay.

The most obvious is its triggers. Not only is the Raikiri II one of the few console controllers so far to have introduced Tunnel Magnetoresistance (TMR) sensors to its triggers – promising even more sensitivity and longevity than Hall effect sensors – but using Asus’s Gear Link software, you can set the sensitivity window for each trigger independently. By far the biggest game changer as far as Expedition 33 is concerned, though, is their micro-switch setting, a digital setting with minimal travel that makes it easier to hammer that parry trigger much faster.

But that’s not the only trick the Raikiri II has up its sleeve here. It’s also a blindingly fast controller, full stop. Thanks to its 1000Hz polling rate, it will pick up any trigger pull or button click within 1ms. On top of this, it has a seriously low input lag of just 2.32ms when hooked up in wired mode or 3.53ms when connected via its 2.4GHz wireless mode – meaning that the gains you’re getting out of faster triggers aren’t swallowed up by lag on the digital side.

And it’s not only been transformative for playing Expedition 33. Tweaking its left thumbstick curves on the Gear Link software made keeping up with the frenetic pace of Doom easier, while lengthening the sensitivity window for the accelerator on Forza Horizon 5 gave me slightly more granular control of my speed as I hurtled around the streets of Guanajuato. As important as speed, that increased level of sensitivity can be transformative for certain titles.

So while I’m not suggesting that all your woes in gaming can be solved with a magic bullet, I’ve definitely noticed how a more pro-level pad has given me more of an edge in certain titles. I may not be able to guarantee that’s why you’re finding the timing tricky in games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, but it’s definitely worth considering if you’ve followed all other advice to no avail. Because sometimes that extra edge and precision can make all the difference.

Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless: one-minute review

The Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless is a controller compatible with both Xbox Series X|S and PC. It’s an unabashedly premium product at $189.99 / £199 / AU$349 but, for that price, it’s wonderfully responsive, beautifully designed and comes with a good array of accessories.

First off, the Raikiri II feels beautifully well built. It feels solid and substantial, yet it’s ergonomically designed. Elements like the rear buttons are perfectly placed under your fingertips to make them easy to access without shifting your grasp, while its textured grips meant it never once slipped in my hands. Its RGB lighting is also tastefully done, just subtle enough to not detract from its sleek appearance and coming with plenty of customizable options.

Both the thumbsticks and shoulder triggers are staggeringly accurate, thanks to Asus’s decision to use TMR sensors in each of them. Not only do I relish not having to worry about the dreaded stick drift anymore but I found them astoundingly precise, giving me spot-on control over everything from acceleration in racing games to aiming in FPSes. The fact that the shoulder triggers can be toggled to using micro-switches is just the icing on the cake – smashing parries out against the Paintress in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has never felt so satisfying to me.

This awesome sensitivity and precision is further supported by the Raikiri II’s blisteringly fast connectivity, which rivals that of many of the best Xbox controllers. Not only does it offer an absurdly rapid 1,000Hz polling rate but its 2.4GHz wireless connection and USB-C connectivity each trim input latencies down to just 3.5ms and 2.3ms. Naturally, it also offers Bluetooth connectivity but, honestly, I found the former options so fast that I’d opt for those every time.

Thanks to Asus’s Gear Link software, you can also customize a lot of the Raikiri II’s functionality. On top of basic options like button remapping, you can also set discreet response curves and deadzones for each thumbstick, as well as start and end points for each of the shoulder triggers. There’s also the option to tweak how intense the controller’s rumble settings are and map the pad’s four rear buttons to various functions.

While you can save all of these settings to one of five profiles, this does come with a pretty serious caveat. When playing on Xbox, you can only switch between them using the Gear Link software, meaning hooking it up to your laptop or desktop each time. To me, this feels like a pretty major oversight – can you really class this Raikiri II’s Xbox edition, if a key part of the functionality is inaccessible to Xbox gamers?

This one misstep aside though, the Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless is a seriously impressive controller. While I think PC gamers will get even more out of it than those on Xbox, it’s still a fantastically responsive pad on either platform, offering some features I’ve not seen on many other products, like those TMR triggers. Yes, it’s relatively pricey at $189.99 / £199 / AU$349 but, if you’re looking for a trailblazing premium controller, it’s a great option.

Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless review: price and availability

• Launched December 10, 2025
• Retails for $189.99 / £199 / AU$349
• Offers a lot of accessories for that price

Having launched on December 10, 2025, the Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless is available now. You can pick it up for $189.99 / £199 / AU$349, putting it firmly up the premium end of the Xbox controller market.

In return for that spend, though, you get a whole heap of functionality, plus a range of connectivity options: Bluetooth, a 2.4GHz wireless dongle or wired USB-C connectivity. On top of this, it also comes with a carry case, USB-C cable, charging dock and replacement thumbsticks, so it’s a very decent package for the price.

Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless review: specs

Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless review: design and features

• Long-lasting TMR sticks
• Excellent dual-mode triggers
• Attractive, ergonomic design

Over the years, I’ve built up quite the grisly mausoleum of dead controllers, both Xbox and otherwise. Eventually, the dreaded stick drift has claimed every single one. So it’s a relief to know that won’t happen with the ROG Raikiri II’s drift-resistant thumbsticks.

Asus has opted for TMR sticks here, which it says are not only more accurate but consume less power than Hall-effect alternatives. While it’s difficult to assess what kind of longevity you’ll get out of them, from the second I held the ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless in my hands, the thumbsticks felt incredibly responsive and enabled me to make surgically precise movements in a variety of games.

But perhaps even more than the Raikiri II’s thumbsticks, I really fell for its dual-mode shoulder triggers. When set to their micro-switch triggers, I found they were lightning fast to activate, making them perfect for hammering the trigger in FPS games. Meanwhile, their full-range TMR sensor mode is a real rarity on console controllers – we’ve certainly not tested many with that functionality here at TechRadar Gaming – and it gave me really wonderfully precise control for games like Forza Horizon 5.

At first, I found the clicky feedback of the micro-switch face buttons took a little getting used to, as I’m more familiar with the spongy softness of the Xbox Wireless Controller buttons. But once I’d adapted to their novel feel, I was fully converted – they activate seriously quickly and offer such an immediate response that you know almost instantly when you’ve hit your target.

Its extra rear shortcut buttons are perfectly placed, sitting right under where your middle and ring fingers naturally grab the pad. And they’re wonderfully versatile. Not only are they great if you want to set up extra macros in game but being able to set a couple as shortcuts for the shoulder buttons saved me ever having to switch my grip during sessions of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which reduced my response times in game significantly.

When it comes to looks, the controller styles itself after the recent Xbox ROG Ally X, riffing off design elements like its subtle decal. It also mimics its textured grips, which I definitely found made it easier to keep hold of the pad without them ever feeling rough. In fact, its matt plastic build always feels pleasantly tactile to the touch, while the whole device feels just substantial enough to avoid flimsy or hollow.

And while I know that for some people RGB lighting on a controller is an unnecessary gimmick, I have to admit that I’m completely suckered in by the ROG Raikiri II’s lighting. Partly this is because it’s relatively subtle and restrained, limiting itself to a strip down either side and the central ROG button, and it’s fully customizable, allowing you to decide quite how much you want to lean into full-blown esports styling.

Finally, the ROG Raikiri II has an impressive range of connectivity options. On top of Bluetooth, it also has 2.4GHz wireless connectivity via a dongle and a USB-C wired connection. These latter two are particularly impressive, offering an 1,000Hz polling rate and trimming input latencies to just 3.5ms and 2.3ms respectively, meaning you should easily get the drop on most of your enemies in game.

Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless review: performance

• Blisteringly fast response times
• Brilliantly customisable
• Custom profiles can’t be changed on Xbox

With its 1,000Hz polling rate in PC mode, it’s safe to say I was expecting the Raikiri II to respond to inputs rapidly. And it did not disappoint. Even when playing fast-paced FPSes like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, I couldn’t detect the least hint of lag over its low-latency 2.4GHz RF connectivity or USB-C cable.

But it’s not only its connectivity that make for lightning fast gaming – those dual-mode shoulder triggers are a literal game-changer. When I first tried them out while playing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the difference compared to my previous budget controller was immediately appreciable. Especially when using them in their micro-switch trigger mode, I suddenly found myself going from fumbling three-quarters of parries to nailing them 80% of the time. Those triggers respond fast and I certainly found it had a palpable impact on my game play.

And with Asus’s Gear Link software you can tweak things even further to get the kind of performance you need for each game you’re playing and save them to one of five customized profiles. You can access this tool by hooking up the Raikiri II to your PC and accessing it in your browser.

This method does come with an unfortunate wrinkle, however. As it's browser-based, there’s no way to access it on the fly from your Xbox and the controller doesn’t offer any way to switch between profiles as you play. That means you can only ever access one tuning at a time on your console before you need to return to a PC to switch things up – which is a weird choice to make for a controller that literally has ‘Xbox’ in the name.

Honestly, that’s a bit of a shame as, otherwise, the Gear Link software offers really granular control over the responsiveness of your controller. For example, I was able to set one of my profiles with very quick response and shallow range for its triggers, making it really easy to fan the hammer when trying to gun down opponents on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Conversely, for Forza Horizon 5, I set the right trigger to activate over its full range, giving me really precise control over the throttle so I could better manage my speed during cornering.

And that’s just the beginning. You can also set independent custom curves for each of the TMR thumbsticks, enabling you to tweak how fast they respond the further they’re moved, as well as set the size of their deadzones. While playing Doom, I set the left stick to have a rapid curve and kept the right one set as linear – as a result, I was able to close the gap between Doom Guy and all those demons far quicker, without having the camera whip round too violently.

The Gear Link software also unlocks a bunch of other customization options. You can change the intensity of the controller’s vibration haptics, which I imagine is very useful for people who have sensory processing problems or find it difficult to grip on to a controller that’s vibrating too fiercely.

It also unlocks some aesthetic tweaks for that RGB lighting. You have the option to set each zone up separately, whether you want it in solid color, breathing, reacting to button presses or color cycling. My personal go-to though? It definitely has to be battery mode, which allows you to set the lighting to specific colors for different battery levels – I can now get a precise sense of how much juice my pad has left at just a glance, which is a lifesaver.

Overall, I found the performance of the Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless to be seriously impressive. Don’t get me wrong: there are some odd choices along the way, especially the lack of a hotswap button for saved profiles on the Xbox. But if you’re not flipping through different genres at the drop of a hat or you’re playing on PC, it's an incredibly responsive controller with a great level of customizability.

Should I buy the Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless review: also consider

How I tested the Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless

• Tested it over two weeks
• Used it on both Xbox and PC
• Created multiple custom profiles

I tested the Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless over a period of several weeks. I tried it out on both the Xbox Series X and on PC and tried it out on a wide range of genres, from RPGs like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, FPSes like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and racing games like Forza Horizon 5.

Not only did I try the Raikiri II using all three connection methods – 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth and wired – but I used the Asus's Gear Link software to tweak all of its available settings. That included creating multiple profiles with varying trigger ranges, thumbstick curves and button assignments.

In terms of my testing experience, not only am I TechRadar's reviews editor, with experience of reviewing a wide array of gadgets, but I've been gaming for 35 years. That's across a wide range of platforms, including PC, consoles and gaming handhelds, meaning I've got loads of experience in gaming across a wide range of genres.

• First reviewed: February 2026
• Read more about how we test

If you’ve recently bought an Xbox Series X Digital Edition, you’ve likely realised that space is less than ideal. Game installs grow in size seemingly by the patch (we’re looking at you, Call of Duty) and who wants to be limited to just a few games, right? Today, you can buy the Seagate 2TB Xbox Storage Expansion Card at Amazon for $219.98 (was $359.99) and enjoy a huge boost to how many games you can have installed at once.

The Seagate 2TB Xbox Storage Expansion Card has been a little cheaper in the past. During the last Black Friday, it was $20 lower than this, dipping just under the $200 mark. However, it hasn’t been that low since, so the current offer is a very good price for this expansion card.

It works just like any hard drive upgrade, but you just slot it into the back of your Xbox like a game cartridge, meaning no need to open up your Xbox. It’s good to go within seconds.

Today’s best Xbox storage deal

The Seagate 2TB Xbox Storage Expansion Card isn’t the most exciting of upgrades for your Xbox, like the best Xbox controllers would be, but it’s a huge quality-of-life improvement. The Xbox Series X is a “tower of power”, but more storage is always welcome.

Unlike the PlayStation 5, you can’t just install one of the best SSDs and be all set. However, while the Seagate 2TB Xbox Storage Expansion Card costs more than these, you get a much simpler installation process. I’ve used the smaller 1TB version, and I can’t fault it. I just had to turn my Xbox around and slot it in. Within seconds, I was installing more games to suit my indecisive mood.

This is the ideal time to buy some of the best Xbox Series X games or upgrade to one of the best Xbox Series X headsets while you’re sprucing up your gaming time.

Current-generation game consoles are far from cheap, but thanks to Black Friday deals being in full swing, you can get the Xbox Series X 1TB Digital Edition at Amazon for $398 (was $449). That's a decent saving on a console that'll last you for some time yet and is arguably only just getting into its stride.

A cool $50 off is around the price of a game or a few months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which I think is also essential for any Xbox player. Plus in the rather fetching white finish, this Series X won't look as dominating in your entertainment setup as the Black model. You do have to make do without a disc drive, but I've found I very rarely use it on my Series X, as I've gone the digital download route. But if you're not convinced, check out our live coverage of the Black Friday Xbox deals for bargains that could catch your eye.

Not in the US? Scroll down for Xbox Series X deals in your area.

Today's best Xbox Series X deals

If you want my credentials for recommending an Xbox Series X deal, well, I reviewed the launch Series X for TechRadar's sibling site Tom's Guide and declared it to be the ultimate Xbox.

I stand by that conclusion, as while the Series X lacks the pizazz of the PS5 and PS5 Pro with their stand-out exclusive games, Microsoft's flagship console is just awesome at playing a vast range of Xbox games ranging from the latest releases to those on the original Xbox. In short, I love it.

But there's a but... and that's the 1TB of onboard storage fills up fast given the size of modern games. However, the Amazon deal on the WD_Black Expansion Card has you covered.

More of today's Black Friday sales in the US

• Amazon: TVs, iPads & air fryers from $12.99
• Apple: AirPods, iPads, watches from $89.99
• Best Buy: $1,000 off TVs & laptops
• B&H: $600 off Nikon, GoPro, Canon & Sony
• Cheap TVs: deals from $69.99 at Best Buy
• Christmas trees: from $54.99 at Amazon
• Dell: Inspiron & XPS laptops from $279.99
• Dreamcloud: mattresses from $349 + free shipping
• Gift ideas: deals for the family from $9.99
• Holiday: decor, lights, & PJs from $10.99
• Home Depot: 40% off tools & appliances
• Lowe's: holiday decor & appliances from $17.31
• Nectar: up to 50% off all mattresses
• Nordstrom: 46% off boots, coats & jewelry
• Purple: up to $1,000 off mattresses + base
• Saatva: up to $600 off luxury mattresses
• Samsung: $2,500+ off TVs, phones & appliances
• Target: furniture, Christmas decor, tech & clothing
• Tempur-Pedic: up to $500 off mattress sets
• Walmart: cheap TVs, robot vacs & AirPods
• Wayfair: 70% off furniture & decor

More of today's Black Friday sales in the UK

• Amazon: up to 58% off Kindle and Echo
• AO: savings on games consoles and appliances
• Argos: up to 50% off toys, Lego, TVs and gifts
• Boots: up to 60% off Dyson, Oral-B and Philips
• Carphone Warehouse: iPhone from £19.99p/m
• Currys: deals on TVs, appliances, laptops
• Dell: laptops, desktops, monitors from £299
• Dunelm: deals on homewares and appliances
• Dyson: up to £150 off
• Ebay: up to 50% off refurbished tech
• EE Store: £40 off the PlayStation5 Pro
• Emma: up to 50% off mattresses
• Jessops: up to £900 off cameras and drones
• John Lewis: up to £300 off appliances and TVs
• LG: £1,000 or more off TVs and appliances
• Ninja: up to £70 off air fryers
• Samsung: up to £600 off TVs, phones and tablets
• Shark: up to £100 off vacuums
• Toolstation: discounts on tools and smart home
• Very: up to 30% off phones, appliances & clothing

If you're wondering where to buy the new Xbox Series X and Series S consoles, then we're here to help.

All three of the new consolevariants are now out in the wild having released officially on October 15 (with some select countries following slightly later on October 29).

In brief, the main advancements and differences with these variants are boosts to storage on the Series S and Galaxy Black Series X models, and the offer of an all-digital, disc-less experience on the powerful Series X (in white for the first time).

You can see the key details below and the best places to place your pre-order for each, and we'll add more links and details when further listings appear.

Where to buy and pre-order the new Xbox Series X and S consoles

Where to buy and pre-order the new Xbox Series X and S consoles

Where to buy and pre-order the new Xbox Series X and S consoles

If you've been waiting for a new, different edition of the Xbox Series X console that's a bit special, or something that has a larger SSD for more games, then now is a great time to pre-order and jump in.

You might also like...

• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle preview: shaping up to be a whip-cracking adventure
• The best Xbox Game Pass deals going right now
• A spread of the latest best Xbox game deals running now

Following what was a pretty awesome show stocked-full of exciting games at the Xbox Games Showcase, there’s never been a better time to get onboard the Xbox console wagon. That’s especially true since Amazon has slashed the price of the more powerful Series X to just AU$639 – one of the lowest prices we’ve ever seen. 

And if the upcoming onslaught of games coming to the Xbox isn’t already enough to whet your whistle, don’t forget you can also subscribe to access to Xbox Game Pass, which we regard as being an incredible games subscription service. For just AU$18.95 each month – you can try it for two weeks for just AU$1 – Game Pass Ultimate gives you access to the best Xbox Game Pass games library that includes: Minecraft, Forza Horizon V, Fallout 4,  The Callisto Protocol, Senua's Saga: Hellblade II, Starfield and more. Game Pass Ultimatecosts just NZ$21.95p/m in New Zealand, though that tasty little 14-day trial doesn't seem to be available.

Of course while providing access to the best games of 2024, the Xbox Series X is also the most overqualified media streaming device on the market. Not only can the Xbox Series X take care of all your movie streaming needs via its vast support for streaming apps, and play the best Xbox games, but it’s also a fantastic Blu-ray player, capable of supporting Ultra HD Blu-ray discs for when you really want to bring the cinema experience into your home – just make sure you have one of the best TVs to support 4K content. Whether you're an avid gamer or not, the Xbox Series X is ready to be your main source of entertainment. 

If you'd rather wait for the best product rather than the best deal, Microsoft recently announced new Xbox Series console models. This includes a 'robot white' Xbox Series X, new digital-only Xbox Series S in the same colourway and a 2TB Xbox Series X in a new 'galaxy black' colourway. If you're not necessarily loyal to Sony or Microsoft, the PS5 Pro is all-but guaranteed to release later this year.

With a huge new slate of games coming to the Xbox, a massive library of games available through Game Pass and an awesome array of Xbox Exclusives, though we've already seen Sea of Thieves and Hi-Fi Rush come to PlayStation, this deal couldn't be coming at a better time for buyers.

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• Sticking to PlayStation? Save on more from Sony with our coupons.
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• Keep track of the latest Xbox news and deals with our Xbox coverage.

It’s good news and bad news for prospective Final Fantasy 14 players on Xbox Series X|S. The open beta for the beloved massively multiplayer online role-playing game finally has a confirmed start date, but it’s simultaneously been confirmed that players will be required to have an Xbox Game Pass subscription in order to play the full release later down the line.

First thing’s first, the beta start date. New players can dive into the Free Trial version of Final Fantasy 14 (which allows you to experience A Realm Reborn, Heavensward and Stormblood expansions up to level 70, without playtime restrictions), from Wednesday, February 21 at 3am ET / 12am PT / 8am GMT / 7pm AEDT. This matches the estimated start date given by director and producer Naoki Yoshida (also known as Yoshi-P) during the Final Fantasy 14 in-person Fan Fest event last month, so it’s not too much of a surprise. 

However, the emphasis here is on ‘new players.’ In a news post on the Final Fantasy 14 website announcing the start date, it was confirmed that those who’ve previously used the Free Trial on another platform, or have a Final Fantasy 14 license registered to their Square Enix account already won’t be able to join in. They’ve instead been asked to wait for the full release, which will come “immediately” after the open beta concludes (although no indication has been given as to when this will be). 

Anyone who wants to play Final Fantasy 14’s Free Trial on Xbox, "including the open beta test," will be able to play regardless of whether they have an active Xbox Game Pass Core or Ultimate subscription or not. However, the full release will require an active Game Pass subscription. This is quite surprising given that on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, players aren’t required to have an active PlayStation Plus subscription of any kind in order to play, and no extra fees are required on PC, either. 

All this considered, it appears that Xbox Series X|S will be the most expensive platform to play Final Fantasy 14 on if you count the additional cost incurred by the Xbox Game Pass subscription. Be sure to keep this in mind before deciding whether you want to dive in yourself. 

For more games like Final Fantasy 14, be sure to check out our recommendations for the best MMORPGs, as well as the best MMOs. 

Baldur’s Gate 3 players on Xbox, rejoice. Game director and CEO of Larian Studios, Swen Vincke, has confirmed that the root of the problem causing save files to occasionally go missing on Xbox Series X|S has been found, and a fix is on the way. 

In a Twitter / X post published today (January 9), Vincke shared the patch notes for Baldur’s Gate 3’s latest hotfix, number 16, which promises fixes to several crashes and bugs. While the missing Xbox save file issue hasn’t been ironed out in this hotfix, Vincke stated that it’s “incoming.”

“Sizeable hotfix to kick off the new year. Also got good news from Xbox - they found the firmware issue that could cause save games to go missing, and a fix is incoming,” he wrote. “In the end, all will be well.”

In case you were unfamiliar, the missing save file issue has affected unlucky players since the Series X|S launch of Baldur’s Gate 3 last month. Larian and Microsoft have continued investigating the issue, and midway through December, Larian’s director of publishing, Michael Douse, announced that reports of the problem were down 75%. 

To help avoid the issue, players were previously advised to close the game fully when they’re finished playing, and keep their Xbox console connected to power. They can also take advantage of a workaround by creating a Larian account and activating cross-saves, which will automatically upload their last five saves to Larian’s servers. These can then be accessed even if the bug occurs by reactivating cross-save functionality in the options screen. 

Vincke didn’t announce exactly when the fix will be rolled out, but rest assured that it’s on the way, and it should allow Xbox players to dive into their adventure with peace of mind. 

For more games like Baldur’s Gate 3, be sure to check out our lists of the best RPGs and best story games.

Anyone who’s been anticipating the release of Final Fantasy 14 on Xbox Series X|S doesn’t have much longer to wait, as director and producer Naoki Yoshida (aka Yoshi-P) has confirmed that the open beta will begin next month. 

It was first announced last July that the hit massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) would be coming to Xbox consoles, at which point it was given a “spring 2024” release window, effectively placing it tentatively between the months of March to June. Now though, during the Final Fantasy 14 Fan Festival 2024, which took place in Tokyo over the weekend, Yoshida narrowed this down even earlier to February.

“As far as Xbox goes, we will be beginning the open beta test in February. Our current plan is to begin open beta around the 21st, plans could still change a few days in either direction, but that’s what we’re aiming for,” he said. “I really hope that a lot of Xbox players will get started right from beta and join us in [Final Fantasy] 14, and I look forward to meeting a lot of Xbox players as Warriors of Light in-game.”

Last year, it was announced (via Xbox Wire) that the Xbox Series X version of Final Fantasy 14 will include 4K support, but “both consoles will enjoy fast loading times.” At the time, it was also stated that Series X|S players will be able to try out the copypasta-famous Expanded Free Trial, which will allow them to play through A Realm Reborn, Heavensward and Stormblood expansions up to level 70, without any playtime restrictions. 

In other Final Fantasy 14 news, during the Fan Festival it was also confirmed that the Pictomancer job (essentially, class) is coming to the game’s upcoming Dawntrail expansion. Placed in the caster DPS (damage per second) role, players will be able to cast spells using a paintbrush. 

Dawntrail still doesn’t have an exact release date beyond its 'summer 2024' window, meaning it could launch anytime between June and August. Yoshida stated: "Unfortunately, though we do have an internal date that we are targeting, we are adjusting the schedule, making sure it's fine-tuned as much as it possibly can be before announcing, so we will not be sharing that today.” Explaining this, he said that he doesn’t want the expansion to get delayed like Endwalker previously did.

Find some fantastic recommendations for more games like Final Fantasy 14 with our lists of the best MMORPGs, as well as the best MMOs. 

Didn't get the Xbox Series X you've been wishing for this Christmas? Never fear, because right now it's massively discounted in the after-Christmas deals.

In fact, this is almost the best deal we've ever seen on Microsoft's most powerful Xbox, slashing the price from $499 to $379 at Walmart. For a current-gen console, that's a nearly unheard-of 24% discount, granting you 4K gaming, 3D spatial sound, and 12 teraflops of processing power at a fraction of the price.

We were mega surprised earlier this month to see Walmart offering a similar deal at a record-low price of $349, but it was fairly short-lived. Based on that, we'd strongly suggest acting fast before the year's out, as there's every chance we won't see a cheap Xbox deal as this good for a while.

If the Series X is still out of your price range, Walmart also has a fantastic bundle deal on the Xbox Series S, which is the same deal it's had for a while now, knocking the price down to just $269. Marvelous.

Not in the US but still on the lookout for the best Xbox Series X and S deals? Take a look at the best offers in your region below. 

Want to complete your new gaming setup? Check out our guides to the very best Xbox controllers and best Xbox Series X headsets for up-to-date recommendations on top hardware.

Looking for some fantastic game recommendations? Be sure to check out our list of the best Xbox Series X games, or read up on the best Xbox controllers.

One of the best Xbox controller deals we've seen this year is available once again in the after-Christmas sales - the white Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma is back at its lowest-ever price for just $89.99 at Amazon.

We've only seen the price drop this low once before, which was during Black Friday earlier this year, however the black colorway was discounted by a further $2 briefly, too. Given there's not long left before the New Year, we wouldn't expect to see prices this low until the next major sales event which is a fair few months away - so act fast!

The Wolverine V2 Chroma doesn't quite rank among our picks of the best Xbox controllers, but it's a close contender, offering a superb array of sophisticated features including its two trigger locks, six additional remappable buttons (including an additional set of shoulder buttons) and a personal favorite - customizable Razer Chroma RGB. Plus, you're buying into Razer's fantastic, robust build quality, meaning you get even more bang for your buck in the long run. 

The standard Wolverine V2 is also half-price for $49.99 right now at Amazon, a fantastic deal that nearly matches its record low of $40.

Not in the US but still on the lookout for the best Razer Wolverine V2 prices? Take a look at the best offers in your region below. 

Looking for some fantastic game recommendations? Be sure to check out our list of the best Xbox Series X games, or read up on the best Xbox controllers.

If you're in the market for an affordable headset, you're in luck - both the Xbox and Playstation-licensed models of the Razer Kaira X are on offer at a record-low price in the after-Christmas sales.

Right now, you can grab this Razer headset for just $39.99 at Amazon, a record-low price we've only seen a handful of times this year during major sales events. Plus, given there's not another big sales event for a good few months, it's wise to act now if you're in need of one of the best wired gaming headsets.

This deal knocks $20 off Razer's already-great value headset, and for that price, you get excellent, plug-and-play simplicity and the fantastic audio quality Razer is known so well for. It features cutting-edge TriForce 50mm drivers, memory foam cushions and a Razer cardioid mic, as well as built-in volume and mute controls. Plus, it's compatible with PC, Mac, and mobile devices, too, giving you more ways to play.

Not in the US but still on the lookout for the best Razer Kaira X prices? Take a look at the best offers in your region below. 

Looking for some fantastic game recommendations? Be sure to check out our list of the best Xbox Series X games and best PlayStation 5 games.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably left your holiday shopping right up until the last moment and are now finding yourself desperately scrambling to get your hands on some great gifts that will be delivered just in time for the big day.

Luckily, I’ve got you covered with some personal picks for great Xbox Series S deals that should arrive by Christmas day. Thanks to its more affordable price tag, the Xbox Series S is a great choice for gifting and could make for the perfect treat for the gamer in your life.

You can find the console in a range of attractive bundles in the US, like the Xbox Series S Starter Bundle which includes three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and is currently $249.99 at Walmart (was $299.99). Top accessories like the attractive Electric Volt Xbox Wireless Controller are also on a discount, with this desirable model just $45 at Walmart (was $64.99).

Similar deals are also available in the UK, where the Xbox Series S Starter Bundle is just £209.99 at Currys (was £249.99). The Electric Volt Xbox Wireless Controller is also reduced, now £49.95 at Amazon (was £59.99).

The Xbox Series S is compatible with all of the best Xbox Series X games and comes in a super small and convenient size. For a full breakdown of the differences between the two models, see our guide to the Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S. Also be sure to visit our extensive Xbox gift guide while you're here for even more gifting ideas.

Today's best Xbox Series S deals

Don't worry if you're not in the US or UK, we've got all the best Xbox deals for your region below:

For some great games to play on Xbox, see our guides to the best Xbox Series X games and the best single-player games.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Xbox Series X|S version is apparently still experiencing some save data issues, but players have been reassured that they now seem to be much rarer following a recent firmware update. 

In case you were unfamiliar, not long after the Xbox Series X|S version of Baldur's Gate 3 released at The Game Awards on December 7, some fans reported issues with their save files disappearing following a crash. Larian Studios and Microsoft have been investigating the matter since - Xbox users were advised to keep their consoles connected to power even when switched off, and close their game entirely when they’re done playing.

On Saturday (December 16), Larian Studios’ director of publishing, Michael Douse, shared on Twitter / X that the save issues are still “lingering” with new reports coming in from players, despite the fact that “the most recent firmware should have solved it.” However, “reports since Thursday’s update are down over 75%.”

“We’re in a holding pattern at the moment, since it’s firmware side,” Douse wrote. “Do keep your Xbox connected to the internet as much as you can.

“If I lost my saves I would not be ok with that. So I get it,” he continued. “I just want you to know that people are actively looking at it. Hopefully we hear more soon.”

He reiterated the previous advice of closing the game fully and keeping consoles connected to power in order to prevent the issue from happening in the first place, noting that “statistically you shouldn’t have any issues.”

In other news, last week, Baldur’s Gate 3’s director and the CEO of Larian Studios, Swen Vincke, revealed that it was decided “from the get-go” that the enormous role-playing game wouldn’t be available to play via Xbox Game Pass. He told IGN: “We are in the business of making a game that has a beginning, middle, and an end. We made a big game, so I think there's a fair price to be paid for that, and I think that that is okay.”

For more games like Baldur’s Gate 3, be sure to check out our recommendations for the best RPGs, as well as the best story games.

If you missed out on last month's Black Friday Xbox Series X deals but were hoping to pick up one of Microsoft’s powerful current-generation consoles for the holidays, then you might just be in luck. The price of the console has been slashed once again and you can currently pick up the current-gen machine for just $349 at Walmart. 

First things first, $349 is a phenomenal deal. At $150 off the usual $499.99 price, that’s a saving of about 30%, which is even better than some of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday discounts we saw this year.

If you've wanted a new Xbox console for yourself or as a gift before the holidays then this is your best bet - and it's at an incredible price. We just don't know how long the price will be held at this low level so act quickly if you're keen!

Not in the US but still on the lookout for the best Xbox Series X prices? Take a look at the best offers in your region below. 

Note: We previously reported on the console being discounted at Target for one day only earlier this week. However that deal has ended and we have updated this story accordingly with the next best offer.

Looking for some fantastic game recommendations? Be sure to check out our list of the best Xbox Series X games. You can enhance your gaming experience even further with our recommendations for the best Xbox controllers. 

At long last, the wait is over - Larian Studios has officially revealed the release date for the Xbox Series X|S version of Baldur’s Gate 3, and players will be able to dive into the action…immediately.

 Well isn’t this a nice surprise? It’s been stated a few times by the developers that Baldur’s Gate 3 would be hitting Xbox’s current-gen consoles by the end of the year, but I’m not sure if anyone was expecting it to happen right here, right now. Prospective players are now able to download a digital version of the enormous role-playing game, so the only thing stopping them from diving in is the increasingly large file size; and the hours they’ll inevitably spend on the character creation screen, of course. 

While Baldur’s Gate 3 released on PC in August and PlayStation 5 a month later, the developers faced difficulties during development trying to get the split-screen co-op feature working on Xbox Series S. In August, Larian boss Swen Vincke revealed that the Series S version will no longer feature split-screen at launch, but the official Xbox Twitter account clarified that it will continue to work alongside the developers to “explore the addition” in a post-launch capacity. This could be the first game to flout Microsoft's version parity requirement for games launching on the Xbox Series S and X

For those who’ve been hanging on for a physical version of Baldur’s Gate 3, the physical deluxe edition for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC is set to ship in Q1 2024, complete with a whole load of extra bonuses such as a soundtrack and map. It won’t be a limited-run product, so there’s no need to worry about buying from scalpers at an inflated price. 

If you love Baldur’s Gate 3, you can find some more amazing game recommendations on our lists of the best story games, as well as the best RPGs.

Now this is the Cyber Monday Xbox Series S deal you've been looking for: only a matter of weeks after launch, the new Xbox Series S 1TB console is on sale for below $300 for Cyber Monday.

It seems wild to say it but it's true! If you head on over to Dell right now you can pick the shiny new 1TB, black console for just $299.99 (was $349.99). This is a brand-new low price for the beefed-up all-digital console and sees it go below the $300 mark for the first time ever. Safe to say, if you've been eyeing up this larger-capacity variant at all, now is the time to strike.

This rather negates the price bump Microsoft added for that extra 512GB of storage and means that you can pick up this newer model for the same price as the regular white Series S would normally cost. We often encourage some extra storage with that white Series S, but that's not as big a problem here, and 1TB means this can really be an Xbox Game Pass machine too, holding a fair bunch of games on the subscription service at any one time.

We've got more information on the deal below as well as some of the latest prices on the regular model in case you want to keep your options open when searching through the wider Cyber Monday gaming deals, and the adjacent Cyber Monday Xbox Series X deals.

Today's best Cyber Monday Xbox Series S deal

If you're content with the smaller capacity of the original white model and are maybe looking to save a few more bucks, then check out the below prices on the white, 512GB model. 

If you're ready to commit to your new Xbox Series S machine and are interested in getting the best possible start then check out the latest lowest price on the below Xbox accessories to kit yourself out immediately. 

If you're looking for savings on other platforms this year check out the Cyber Monday PS5 deals and Cyber Monday Nintendo Switch deals.

Well, it finally happened, the Xbox Series X games console has had its price slashed on Amazon, ahead of Black Friday, with the 1TB gaming machine drop to AU$649. It’s not too often we see discounts on Microsoft’s gaming powerhouse – we have seen plenty of great deals on the PlayStation since its launch – so if you’ve been holding off, now could be the time to buy. 

If you want to get a game with the Xbox Series X to start playing immediately, Amazon also has a bundle that includes the latest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 title for AU$733. Admittedly, it’s not the greatest Call of Duty title to ever be released – we gave it just two stars in our Modern Warfare 3 review – but considering the price of the console plus the game is less than you’ll pay for a standalone console at most other Australia retailers right now, it could still be worth your consideration. 

The Xbox Series X can do pretty much anything you would want or expect a current-generation console to do, and in some areas, it has a leg up over its closest Sony-branded rival. Most notably, the Xbox is technically more powerful than the PS5 and it supports Dolby Vision via streaming apps. 

If you’ve previously owned either console’s predecessors, then you’ll likely be somewhat loyal, but it is worth pointing out that – in our opinion at least – the Xbox does lag behind a little when it comes to exclusive gaming titles. The Xbox gets titles including Halo and Forza, mind you, which could be enough of a draw for many gamers. There’s also Xbox Games Pass to talk about, which is a fantastic cloud-gaming streaming service that can be played on a multitude of devices when you’re away from home. 

It’s a terrific console, and now that it’s hit its lowest Aussie price – which we can’t guarantee will go any lower on Black Friday itself – it could be worth snapping up before stock runs out. 

Ark: Survival Ascended - the Unreal Engine 5 remake of the 2017 action-survival game Ark: Survival Evolved - has been hit with a last-minute delay on Xbox Series X|S after it was initially scheduled to release today (November 14).

The news was announced yesterday evening (November 13) on the official Ark Twitter account. There, the team wrote: “Xbox and Windows Survivors, the game is still going through the certification process and will not be releasing on Tuesday. 

“We are expecting it to release it later this week, but, we'll update with a more precise time when we have it.”

Since that post, no further information has been provided. It’s less than two weeks since the initial Xbox release date was announced in the first place. At the time, developer Studio Wildcard stated that it would launch with crossplay for the PC version, which launched in early access in October, as well as official servers for the different modes with boosted rates in order for players to catch up with those who’ve been playing in early access.

It was also stated at the time that the release date for the PS5 version is yet to be finalized, but the team expected that it would launch at the end of November. At the time of writing, it’s not known if this version is going to be pushed back, too, but when it launches, players can expect to see more official servers with even greater boosted rates to help them get up to speed with players who started before them on other platforms.

Black Friday is almost here, and Black Friday gaming deals are already available at various retailers. If you want to check out some of the best discounts, you can check out our Black Friday Xbox Series X deals hub, as well as our Black Friday video game deals roundup for offers on various huge current-gen games.