Out of the blue last week, Microsoft’s Xbox team announced they would be holding a special 20th Anniversary livestream for the Xbox gaming brand. While confirming that this stream wouldn’t “feature any new game announcements”, and keeping to their word, there were a number of announcements made during the broadcast. You can either watch the full stream below, or, keep scrolling down for a summary of the major unveiled content.
Halo Infinite Multiplayer Beta and Season 1 Launches Three Weeks Early
As a “thank you to the Xbox community for 20 years of support”, Team Xbox and developer 343 Industries confirmed the free-to-play Halo Infinite Multiplayer Beta and Season 1 of the game is launching three weeks early. Specifically, it is now available to all gamers on the Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC and via the Xbox Cloud Gaming service. Players can enjoy the Season 1 content including all maps, core modes, Academy features and Battle Pass while partaking in this early access “beta”.
Power On: The Story of Xbox
While you are unlikely to hear of any major secretive battles that have happened over the last 20 years, this is being produced by the team after all, but Microsoft are inviting gamers to “go behind the scenes and discover the true story behind the creation of Xbox and the 20-year journey that followed”. This will be accomplished through a 6-part documentary titled Power On: The Story of Xbox, releasing on streaming services (Including IMDbTV, Microsoft, Redbox, The Roku Channel and Youtube) starting 13 December 2021.
Backwards Compatibility
70+ Xbox 360 and original Xbox games have now been added to the backwards compatible library on the Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. On the newest consoles, each of these titles feature Auto HDR support and resolution enhancements. This is on top of FPS boost capabilities for more games. The games now featuring official backwards compatibility include:
- The entire Max Payne series and the F.E.A.R. franchise are now playable on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles for the very first time.
- The entire Skate franchise is now complete with the addition of Skate 2 and playable on both Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles.
- 20+ original Xbox titles including Dead or Alive Ultimate, Star Wars: Jedi Knight II, Star Wars: Starfighter, and Otogi franchises.
A full list of newly compatible games can be viewed below:
The Xbox Vault
Through a partnership with Netflix’s Red Notice starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Godot, Xbox has announced The Xbox Vault. You can read more about this, in a statement provided by Xbox Global Partnerships Director, Marcos Waltenberg, below:
Many recall the magical moment when Johnson took the stage at CES two decades ago, to reveal the first-ever Xbox console, so it was only natural he appeared on our 20th anniversary broadcast from inside The Xbox Vault — an immersive online experience inspired by “Red Notice” and filled with legendary Xbox artifacts, giving fans a chance to win over 1,000 limited-edition prizes. The collection of Xbox artifacts inside the virtual vault includes past and present consoles, accessories, characters, weapons and vehicles from beloved franchises including Halo, Gears of War, Forza Horizon, Minecraft, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Doom, Fallout, and many more.
Johnson explains the premise is simple: He’s trying to prevent his “Red Notice” compatriots and master thieves, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot, from stealing the Xbox artifacts, and needs fans help to protect the treasures, ensuring he remains the people’s champion for good. And the reward? Players will have the opportunity to enter a global sweepstakes to win prizes like:
- A one-of-a-kind oil painting of “The Rock,” illustrating when he revealed the first Xbox on the CES stage in 2001.
- Three replica Cleopatra Eggs modelled after the movie props, with hidden Xbox easter eggs for fans to uncover.
- One of 20 custom “Red Notice” Xbox Series X consoles, featuring a bright red and illuminating gold design with a kaleidoscope pattern of the coveted Cleopatra Eggs.
- 1,000 collectible trading cards featuring the “Red Notice” cast and 12-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
Once fans enter The Xbox Vault, they have four minutes to find as many of the 27 artifacts and answer unique trivia questions about each item to earn points toward their total score. For every 1000 points earned, players gain one additional entry into the global sweepstakes. When time is running low, the vault glows red, and when time finally expires, the security doors shut. But don’t fret – you can play as many times as you like, and the site will accept your highest score as entry into the sweepstakes.
Fans around the world can access The Xbox Vault from November 15 to November 24 – and perhaps win themselves that oil painting of “The Rock”.
