subscription service Archives

AppWizard

July 31, 2025

First-party and Game Pass push Xbox revenue up 10%

Microsoft's Xbox division achieved a ten percent increase in revenue, with a 13 percent surge in content and services revenue for the financial year 2024/25. Xbox Game Pass generated nearly billion in annual revenue for the first time. The latest Call of Duty installment, Black Ops 6, attracted over 50 million players, totaling two billion hours of gameplay. Microsoft launched Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation and Oblivion Remastered across all platforms. The company is developing around 40 games currently.

AppWizard

July 26, 2025

Weekend PC Download Deals for July 25: Green Man Gaming & GamesPlanet Summer Sales

Retailers are offering discounts on various games as summer ends, with notable deals from Green Man Gaming and GamesPlanet on titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Star Wars Outlaws. Xbox Game Pass users have additional discounts on select titles. The Epic Games Store is offering Legion TD 2 for free until July 31. Green Man Gaming has a coupon code JUL15 for a 15% discount on PC games. The Humble Choice subscription is available for .99 per month, featuring titles like Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader and Cat Quest 3, with tiered deals for various games.

AppWizard

July 10, 2025

Call of Duty: WWII pulled from PC Game Pass after hackers hijack players’ PCs

Activision has removed Call of Duty: WWII from the Microsoft Store and PC Game Pass due to reports of player hacks linked to a critical security vulnerability that allowed hackers to gain remote access to players' computers. This issue arose shortly after the game's introduction to Microsoft’s Game Pass in late June 2025, with players experiencing computer freezes, unexpected command prompts, shutdowns, and direct messages from hackers. The vulnerability, known as Remote Code Execution (RCE), was present in the outdated version on the Microsoft Store, while the Steam version had been patched. Activision has not provided details on the removal or a timeline for the game's return, and players are advised against downloading it from any platform until security concerns are addressed.

AppWizard

July 8, 2025

Activision took down Call of Duty game after PC players hacked, says source

Activision has temporarily removed the Microsoft Store version of “Call of Duty: WWII” due to a serious security breach involving a vulnerability that allowed hackers unauthorized access to players' computers. The company is investigating the situation and is working on a patch to resolve the exploit. Players have reported hacking incidents while playing, with concerns raised about a remote code execution vulnerability. The affected version of the game differs from those on Steam, as it contained an outdated flaw that had already been patched elsewhere. Activision has faced multiple hacking incidents in recent years, including issues with its anti-cheat system and malware targeting players. The company has also experienced layoffs that have impacted its cybersecurity resources.

AppWizard

July 8, 2025

Arkane co-founder calls Xbox Game Pass “unsustainable”

Raphael Colantonio, co-founder of Arkane Studios, expressed concerns about the sustainability of Xbox Game Pass, calling it "unsustainable" and "actively damaging" to the gaming industry. He believes the model, supported by Microsoft's financial resources, is not viable long-term and cannot coexist with traditional sales models. Colantonio stated that "the maths don't work for Game Pass" and highlighted that the service's current success is due to Microsoft's significant investment. Game Pass has 34 million subscribers, but recent layoffs in Microsoft's gaming division raise questions about the future of the company's gaming strategy.

AppWizard

July 8, 2025

Gamers hacked playing Call of Duty: WWII—PC version temporarily taken offline

The PC version of Call of Duty: WWII has been temporarily taken offline due to a serious security concern involving a remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability. This flaw allows attackers to execute malicious code on players' machines without consent, leading to unauthorized control during multiplayer sessions. Exploits reported include opening command prompts, sending messages via Notepad, forcing remote shutdowns, and changing desktop wallpapers. The vulnerability is particularly concerning for PC gamers using Microsoft’s Game Pass subscription service, as it stems from the game's reliance on peer-to-peer networking. Activision is speculated to be enhancing its anti-cheat systems in response, but the effectiveness of updates to address the RCE vulnerability is uncertain.

AppWizard

July 8, 2025

Xbox bet that Game Pass would be the future of gaming, and we’re all paying for it

Microsoft announced a reduction of 9,100 employees, significantly affecting the Xbox division, following a previous round of 6,000 layoffs, totaling 27,600 positions eliminated since the beginning of 2023. Promising titles have been canceled, raising concerns about the future of gaming projects and workforce stability. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's compensation increased by 63% to million in 2024 amid these layoffs. Game Pass currently has around 35 million subscribers, falling short of the goal of over 100 million by 2030. The focus has shifted from hardware to services, with concerns about the sustainability of the Game Pass model and its impact on the gaming ecosystem. Rumors suggest the next generation of consoles may resemble PCs more than traditional gaming hardware.

AppWizard

July 3, 2025

Get This Fantastic Warhammer CRPG And 7 More Games For Just $15 At Humble This Month

The July 2025 lineup for Humble Choice includes the following games: Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, Cat Quest 2, Death's Door, Daemon X Machina, Wizard with a Gun, Neo Cab, Everafter Falls, and Blanc. Humble Choice is a subscription service that allows members to access and keep a curated selection of PC games indefinitely, along with exclusive discounts and access to the Humble Vault. Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader features rich CRPG mechanics and tactical combat in the Warhammer 40K universe. Daemon X Machina is a mech battle game that serves as a spiritual successor to Armored Core. Wizard with a Gun is a co-op survival game focused on resource gathering and crafting. Additionally, 5% of every Humble Choice membership fee is donated to charity, with this month's proceeds benefiting Covenant House.

Winsage

June 30, 2025

Lifetime access to the full MS Office Suite is just $40

Microsoft Office Professional 2021 is available for a one-time payment of .97, originally priced at 9.99, allowing installation on a single Windows PC. The lifetime license includes applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, Access, and a free version of Teams. This offer does not involve cloud services or recurring charges and is available until July 15.

AppWizard

June 26, 2025

Will Death Stranding 2 be released on PC, Xbox, or Game Pass? Everything we know about Kojima’s new game

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach has launched as a PlayStation 5 exclusive, with no current plans for a PC or Xbox version, nor availability on Game Pass. A PC port may be possible several months after launch, similar to the original game's release timeline. An Xbox release at launch is not feasible, and while a future release on Xbox is possible, it is unlikely soon. Any potential inclusion on Game Pass would depend on third-party publishing agreements after the exclusivity period. Future licensing agreements, market demand, and technical adaptations could influence broader availability.