Pokémon Go Fest 2022 kicks off this June and will see the annual community gathering holding in-person events for the first time since 2019. 

According to a post on the Pokémon website, announcing this year's global Pokémon Go event, developer Niantic has scheduled Pokémon Go Fest events from June through August. But while there are a few global events on the cards, there are also three in-person events scheduled: in Berlin, Seattle and Sapporo.

Details on timings and tickets haven't been revealed yet, but we expect Niantic will share more in the coming months. Until then, check out the (loose) schedule below:

• June 4 - June 5: global event
• July 1 -  July 3: in-person event in Berlin, Germany
• July 22 - July 24: in-person event in Seattle, Washington
• August 5 - August 7: in-person event in Sapporo, Japan
• August 27 - global event

This will be the first time Pokémon Go Fest will host in-person events in three years. The last Pokémon Go Fest took place in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic, and subsequent events were held remotely, letting you could take part in them from your lovely lockdown abode. At least, they did until now.

But are players ready?

It will be interesting to see what attendance is like for these events, as Niantic has recently faced backlash over forcing players outside with its Community Days and its removal of the Incense stationary bonus. It seems the developer really wants to start pushing us outside again, even if we're not all ready yet.

Fortunately, there will at least be some global events as part of Pokémon Go Fest 2022, which was always the case, as not all trainers are able to globe-trot with ease. However, it's not entirely clear if these events will require you to go outside to take part or if you can continue to do so from your own home.

• Where is Kecleon in Pokémon Go? We asked Niantic for an answer

Pokémon Go's April Fool's Day event is here once more and, like last year, a Ditto influx is upon us.

Throughout April 1 (from 12am to 11:59pm local time), Ditto will run amock in Pokémon Go. That means you can expect the purple trickster to be disguised as other pokémon as part of its own April Fool's joke. And you'll also have the chance to encounter a rare Shiny Ditto.

Between 5pm and 8pm local time, Ditto will appear more frequently masquerading as other pokémon in the wild. You may even encounter other shiny pokémon. These are all of the pokémon that Ditto may appear as in that time period:

• Ekans
• Gastly
• Natu
• Surskit
• Finneon
• Dwebble
• Swirlix

Not enough Ditto content for you? Well, you'll also be able to pick up Ditto-themed stickers from PokéStops and by opening gifts – though you can purchase them from the shop too.

Dittos everywhere

While a Pokémon Go event is always exciting, the real draw for this one is the ability to capture Shiny Dittos. We're already seeing plenty of players capturing Shiny Dittos while they have the chance – after all, they're extremely rare and the last time we had the opportunity to catch them was during last September's Special Research Task.

We love to see it 🤩 Now if I can just get a shiny Ditto today, that'd be great 🙏💙✨️ Sending shiny Dittos vibes to everyone 💙✨️💙✨️#PokemonGo #Ditto #PokemonGoAprilFools pic.twitter.com/QPVK1ZvbxbApril 1, 2022

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There are a couple of things worth noting for catching a Shiny Ditto though. Firstly, as Ditto is appearing as other pokémon, you may catch an average-looking pokémon that could transform into a Shiny (or normal) Ditto. However, if you encounter a shiny pokémon then it can't transform into Ditto at all.

• Pokémon Go Community days will force players outside – and they're not happy

Blizzard is developing a Warcraft mobile game, due for release in 2022.

The mobile title was announced as part of Activision Blizzard's recent quarterly earnings report,  which was delivered as a press release rather than a call on this occasion.

"Blizzard is planning substantial new content for the Warcraft franchise in 2022, including new experiences in World of Warcraft and Hearthstone, and getting all-new mobile Warcraft content into players’ hands for the first time," the press release reads.

This isn't a huge surprise as, back in 2021, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick confirmed in an earnings call that Blizzard had multiple free-to-play mobile Warcraft experiences in "advanced development" (via IGN)

"In our Warcraft franchise, we intend to deliver more frequent premium content to sustain and expand the World of Warcraft community," Kotick said to investors at the time. "And we’ve made multiple, mobile, free-to-play Warcraft experiences and they’re now in advanced development based on our franchise’s beloved IP."

So while Activision Blizzard hasn't been forthcoming with details on this new mobile content (which could potentially be more than one game), such as its release date, we do know it'll likely be a free-to-play experience.

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Analysis: Blizzard's push into mobile

Blizzard appears to be pushing more and more into the mobile space in recent years. The developer has found success with Hearthstone on mobile devices, and is due to release the controversial Diablo Immortal sometime this year (following a delay). There have also been rumors that an Overwatch mobile game is in development (via NME). So it makes sense that the developer plans to bring another of its franchises to mobile in the future - whether it'll be a mainline or spin-off game remains to be seen.

It's likely the success of Activision Blizzard King's other mobile titles has encouraged Blizzard to enter the mobile space. The press release states that both Candy Crush and Call of Duty Mobile's net bookings grew year-on-year in the company's fourth quarter, with players worldwide spending over $1billion on Call of Duty Mobile. Overall, Activision Blizzard’s mobile net bookings grew 18% year-over-year and represented 33% of total net bookings in the fourth quarter.

It makes sense, then, that Blizzard wants to push more into the mobile space. But how Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard will affect these future mobile plans, remains to be seen.

A new Crash Bandicoot game will release in October, making it the first mainline entry to release in 10 years. 

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time is a sequel to the original three Crash Bandicoot games and sees the series' original villains, Dr. Neo Cortex, Dr. N. Tropy, and Uka-Uka, freeing themselves from the planet they were stranded on. In doing so, they open a rift in the space-time continuum and cause chaos. It's up to Crash and Coco to clean up the mess by finding and reuniting the Quantum Masks that held everything together.  

Being a brand new Crash Bandicoot game, there's a bunch of new worlds and powers to take advantage of – and we can't wait to jump in.

Check out the trailer below:

While Crash Bandicoot 4 will keep to the classic platformer formula, developer Toys with Bob has also brought some modern elements to the game – adding more open world elements that encourage exploration and collecting.

In addition, both Crash and Coco have new abilities such as wall-running, grinding rails and the ability to swing on ropes. But you won't just play as the Bandicoots, overlapping timelines will allow you to finally play as Dr. Cortex, who has his own unique abilities (via GamesRadar).

When can I play?

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time will release on October 2, 2020 for PS4 and Xbox One. 

It's not been confirmed whether we'll see this sequel spinning onto PS5 and Xbox Series X - but it seems likely.

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The Last of Us 2 is a triumph in emotive storytelling, exploring the darker side of Ellie and forcing us to face some uncomfortable situations as a result. But all that build up would be worth very little if Naughty Dog didn't stick the landing when it came to The Last of Us 2 - fortunately, it absolutely did.

The Last of Us 2 gave us the closure we needed after embarking on a 30-hour adventure full of twists, turns and plenty of bloody violence, but the ending has many threads to dissect. So we're going to take a look at how the phenomenal sequel ended, what it means for the characters involved and the questions that have gone unanswered.

Be warned, there are major spoilers for The Last of Us 2 ahead. So proceed with caution.

• Read our full The Last of Us 2 review

The Last of Us 2 ending: what happened

The ending sequence of The Last of Us 2 really begins following Ellie and Abbey's fight in the theatre. Abbey, having overpowered a vengeful Ellie, leaves her counterpart alive but tells her that she never wants to see her face again. 

We then cut to 18 months later. Ellie and Dina reside in the big country house they had always dreamed of, complete with vegetable allotments and a flock of sheep. Dina has given birth to a baby boy called JJ (named after Joel and Jesse) and the pair are raising him in what appears on the surface to be the perfect family dynamic given the post-apocalyptic state of the world.

However, it becomes evident that Ellie is suffering from PTSD in the aftermath of Joel's death. Despite appearing to have moved on, Ellie can't sleep and suffers flashbacks to her ordeal. After all, she never truly got her revenge.

Things come to a head when Joel's brother Tommy shows up at the house, telling Ellie and Dina that he has located Abbey, and berating Ellie when the couple tell him that they've moved on. But Ellie hasn't moved on and she later decides to follow the lead, in a final attempt to avenge Joel's death. Despite Dina telling her that she won't put herself or JJ through this ordeal again, Ellie sets off for Santa Barbara, where Abbey is apparently living on an abandoned ship on the shore.

Meanwhile Abbey and Lev who, following the lead given to them by Owen before his death, are in search of the Fireflies in a suburb in Santa Barbara. The pair have now developed a relationship akin to that of Ellie and Joel's: the grizzled adult and the smart-mouthed teen. While Ellie seems haunted by what happened years before, Abbey and Lev have let go, in search of a better future.

However, while it seems that Fireflies have been residing in the house that Abbey's tip has led them to, they're long gone, and the pair are captured by a group called the Rattlers and taken hostage.

We then cut back to Ellie, who has arrived in sun-kissed Santa Barbara several months later. Hot on the heels of Abbey and Lev, Ellie is soon caught in a Rattler trap, before breaking free and forcing her captors to tell her where Abbey is. Despite being badly wounded, she breaks into the Rattlers compound, picking them off one-by-one, in search of Abbey only to discover that, following an escape attempt, the pair have been strung up on some pillars on the beach - left to die.

Ellie makes her way to the beach and finds a much weaker Abbey than she previously encountered. Gone is Abbey's long plait and muscley figure, and instead we see a thinner woman with all her hair cut off. She's almost unrecognisable from the warrior we once knew. 

Feeling empathy for her nemesis, and perhaps wanting to be the one who is responsible for Abbey's death, Ellie frees Lev and Abbey, escorting them to some nearby boats. But, as Abbey and Lev are about to make their escape, Ellie decides she's not going to let her closure go that easily and forces Abbey into a final fight.

It's an uncomfortable and violent affair, both Abbey and Ellie are broken by their desire for revenge - their vendettas have taken over their lives and and cost them those that they love. Eventually, Ellie gets the upperhand on Abbey and begins to drown her, before a flashback of Joel sees her letting go - of both Abbey and the revenge mission that has cost her everything.

As Ellie breaks down in tears on the beach, Abbey sails off with Lev. 

When Ellie finally returns home, she finds that Dina and JJ are gone. All that is left in their family home is Ellie's artwork, some records and the guitar Joel gave her - which she can no longer play as Abbey bit off some of her fingers during their final fight. Ellie grabs her backpack, leaves behind the guitar and her other possessions, and heads leaves.

The Last of Us 2 ending: what does it mean?

The Last of Us 2's ending is a hard pill to swallow. Throughout the game, our perception of Ellie shifts somewhat as we begin to empathize more with Abbey. After all, the parallels between the two characters become increasingly clearer and both women are simply fighting to avenge someone they love. 

However, Abbey grows throughout the game, developing a bond with Lev despite their tribal differences, refusing to let Owen make her his mistress and showing mercy to Ellie. Abbey lets go of her revenge mission and gains more than she ever had previously - her power is in her ability to let go. 

On the other hand, Ellie is blinded by her vendetta, and feels she will never truly get closer until her avenges Joel's death. She is wrapped up in her own guilt about how her relationship with Joel ended, the part she played in his death and the sheer grief of the traumatic situation she endured. But, despite having built a somewhat idyllic life that was paving the way for a brighter future, she didn't know when to let go. As a result, Ellie lost everything.

Not only did she lose her own sense of self, she lost the family she had built in Jackson and the picture-perfect life she had built with Dina. She even lost the ability to play guitar, something which helps her feel connected with Joel. 

The Last of Us 2 ending: unanswered questions

The Last of Us 2's ending is heartbreaking and poignant. But while many loose ends are tied up in a neat little bow, we still have some questions.

For a start, where is Ellie heading off to? And what's her plan next? We could see our broken protagonist heading back to Jackson to try and rebuild or perhaps even sentencing herself to a lonesome life on the road. We're hoping she's going to track down Dina and JJ to beg forgiveness. Dina could have headed back to Jackson but that seems a bit too easy - we're just hoping they'll be reunited once more.

However, given that a lot of the game is played as Abbey, have we perhaps seen the last of Ellie? It could be that future The Last of Us games focus on Abbey from here on. After all, we don't know where Abbey and Lev are heading to following their escape. The assumption is that the pair are going to hunt down the reformed Fireflies, wherever they may be. Because, despite the Rattlers disrupting their communication, it seems like Owen's tip was legit. 

Regardless of who we will be playing, it looks like a potential The Last of Us 3 will focus on the reformed Fireflies. But don't expect any news on that anytime soon as Naughty Dog hasn't confirmed if there will be another entry in the series - plus we all need time to recover from the sequel...

• Best PS4 games: the most essential PlayStation 4 releases

Not a fan of the PS5 design? Well, don't worry, as there will be plenty of PS5 special editions available that will offer an alternative to the futuristic, white PlayStation 5, and with more customizable options than we've seen with past consoles. 

That's according to PlayStation vice-president of UX design Matt MacLaurin, who took to LinkedIn to answer fans' questions about the next-gen console (via VG247). 

MacLaurin revealed that, while the PS5 design unveiled at Sony's June 11 PS5 event is the flagship console, fans will be able to get their hands on "even more beautiful (and hopefully radical) special editions" of the PlayStation 5. He added that "customization with special editions will be beyond anything seen before".

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Some 'radical' alternatives

While we're not quite sure what these PS5 special edition consoles will look like, or how soon after launch we'll be able to get our hands on them, this should come as welcome news to those who aren't fans of the controversial PS5 design. 

In addition, while it seems that we'll have more customization options with the PS5 than with its predecessor, how exactly this will work remains a mystery. The PS4 currently allows users to alter UI colors and implement specific background themes, but MacLaurin's comments suggest users may get to customize more than that.

We already know that the PS5 interface is going to be revealed soon, and that it will be "a 100% overhaul of the PS4 UI", so we're hoping Sony reveals the PS5's new customization options alongside this.

• PS5 vs Xbox Series X: what we know so far

Sony finally unveiled a host of PS5 games during its recent PlayStation 5 event, alongside a somewhat surprising first-look at the next-gen console. However, the biggest curveball of the showcase was that the company is not releasing just one Ps5 console later this year, but two.

Alongside the standard PS5, Sony is also releasing a PS5 Digital Edition. In a similar vein to Microsoft's Xbox One S All-Digital Edition, this streamlined console does away with the traditional disk-drive and focuses solely on digital content.

However, while a more affordable offering to the (no doubt) costly standard PS5 is welcome news, I don't think Sony is quite ready to move into the digital-only space. Not without major improvements. Here's why.

• PS5 price and pre-orders: how much will the PlayStation 5 cost?
• PS4 Pro vs PS5: will it be worth the upgrade?
• Xbox Series X games: all the games confirmed for the new Xbox

Xbox's push into digital streaming

When Xbox released its Xbox One S All-Digital console in May 2019, the move made sense. Microsoft has spent years honing its digital-streaming offerings for a console such as this through the expansion of Xbox Game Pass and the gradual roll out of Project xCloud. 

Despite being primarily a PlayStation player, I own an Xbox One S All-Digital and can happily utilize Xbox Game Pass without issue. I never miss the newest launches, I can take advantage of backwards-compatible titles and, when Project xCloud officially launches this year, I expect to be able to seamlessly jump from playing those games on my console to a tablet or other mobile device. And I'm not alone, Microsoft reported 10 million Xbox game Pass subscribers back in April 2020. 

"As it stands, PS Now needs some serious work - and Sony knows it."

So it makes sense that a digital-only next-gen Xbox (codenamed Project Lockhart) seems to be on the cards. Xbox is the digital platform right now and, as Game Pass expands, the future looks bright for the company. I, as a digital console owner, see a clear pathway that Xbox has laid out which assures me that, in the future, I'll be looked after.

On the other hand, Sony's digital offering with the PS4 has been lacklustre to say the least. Sony's game-streaming service, PS Now, has only 2.2 million subscribers compared to Xbox Game Pass' 10 million. 

As it stands, PS Now needs some serious work – and Sony knows it. For a start, the subscription price was too high for what's on offer (something Sony has since corrected) but the key issue is that there's little sight of new titles landing on the service until months later. PS Now is great for those who want to play some older-generation PlayStation games, but while Xbox offers both brand new and old titles on its service, PlayStation floats in between.

Xbox Game Pass is great value because for less than a tenner a month you get access to the newest games and old games – without having to shell out a substantial amount to play the latest game. That makes it accessible.

In addition, both Microsoft and even Google are moving into mobile gaming spaces, allowing players to jump from console to mobile seamlessly. Meanwhile Sony has confirmed that, while the PS5 will continue to support PS Now, there are no plans to bring the service to mobile. 

Hopefully improvements are coming

While PS Now isn't up to scratch, it's worth noting that this is something Sony is likely working on behind the scenes. We're likely to see PS Now hitting Xbox Game Pass standards at some point but, as it stands, we can't be sure. 

Microsoft introduced its digital plans before heading into the next-generation, so we know the Xbox Series X (and any potential digital versions) will be able to utilize that base that's been built up and a digital edition will be viable.

While the PS5 Digital Edition will have plenty of room (at least 825GB) for downloaded games to live on, streaming services are vital to digital-only consoles. 

Hopefully Sony will reveal it's next-gen digital plans in the coming months. Because even though the PS5 Digital Edition is likely to be somewhat cheaper than the standard edition, we're still expecting the console to be costly - and I, for one, want to know I'm getting my money's worth first.

• PS5 vs Xbox Series X: what we know so far

It's not long until we finally get our hands on The Last of Us 2, but the road to the highly-anticipated sequel's release date hasn't been smooth. Between delays and spoiler leaks, The Last of Us 2 has had a fairly rocky development road but, according to Sony, these factors haven't hugely affected pre-orders.

In an interview with CNET, Sony Interactive Entertainment boss Jim Ryan revealed that – despite the spoilers and delays – demand for The Last of Us 2 remains strong. In fact, Sony has taken more The Last of Us 2 pre-orders in Europe than it did for critically-acclaimed PS4 exclusive Marvel's Spider-Man.

"We hope this'll be a defining game for this generation," Ryan told CNET. The SIE boss also confirmed that The Last of Us 2 is PS5 compatible, suggesting Sony may have a forwards-compatibility feature up its sleeve, similar to Xbox Series X's Smart Delivery. 

• PS5 vs Xbox Series X: what we know so far
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• PS5 price and pre-orders: how much will it cost and when can you buy?

Move over Spider-Man

Marvel's Spider-Man sold 13 million units worldwide, making it the best selling superhero game of all time in the US. 

While Ryan didn't state at what point The Last of Us 2's pre-order figures have been taken from, we assume they have been taken from after the point that The Last of Us 2 was de-listed from the PlayStation Store, when pre-orders were cancelled due to the game being "indefinitely delayed". 

Regardless, it seems like the hype for The Last of Us 2 is still there despite the massive spoilers leak that took place last month.

And the Sony hype is only building, with the company announcing last week that it will finally host the PS5 games reveal on June 4. In the interview with CNET, Ryan confirmed that the PS5 games reveal event on June 4 will showcase PS5 games and gameplay, and will be part of a "series of PS5 updates" ahead of the next-gen console's release in late 2020. We can't wait to see what's in store.

The Last of Us 2 will release exclusively for PS4 on June 19, 2020.

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Sony has told developers that any new PS4 games submitted for certification after July 13 will have to be PS5-compatible. 

Developer documentation released on a PlayStation internal partner website states that first-party developers submitting games past this date must ensure that the game will also run on the PS5, according Eurogamer.

That means that any PS4 and PS4 Pro game submitted after this date will have to be 'forwards compatible'. In other words, they'll have to be able to play on the PS5 as well as the PS4. It's worth noting however, this applies to certification, not release date. So the likes of Ghost of Tsushima, releasing on July 17, won't be affected – although we do expect to see it land on PS5 as well as PS4.

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Not just new games

When submitting a PS4 game to Sony, developers will be presented with an option to confirm that the game is compatible with the PS5, according to the report. From July 13, this will have to be the case for any PS4 games. This option was apparently added in a new version of the PS4 software developer kit, released at the end of April. 

In order to be deemed PS5 compatible, the PS4 game's code must be able to run smoothly on the next-gen console while providing the same features and experience as it does on the PlayStation 4 console.

While it's mandatory that PS4 games submitted after this date need to be PS5 compatible, Sony has "strongly recommended" that PS4 games released before July 13 receive patches or updates to make it so. 

Forwards compatible

Sony isn't the only company thinking about forwards compatibility. The Xbox Series X's Smart Delivery feature will mean that if you buy one version of an Xbox game that supports Smart Delivery, you'll always have access to the best version of that game no matter which hardware you're playing it on. 

So if you buy Halo Infinite on Xbox One, then later play it on Xbox Series X, your one-time purchase gets you the versions of the game optimized for both Xbox consoles. 

Microsoft has committed to Smart Delivery on all of its exclusive Xbox Games Studios titles, and CD Projekt Red has committed to doing the same with Cyberpunk 2077.

In addition, EA has said that certain games the company is launching this year on current-gen consoles “can be upgraded for free for the next generation" - but for a limited time only. 

With Sony hinting that we won't be able to play PS5 exclusives on PS4, at least we know we'll be able to bring some of our PS4 games into the next generation with us.

• PS5 DualSense controller vs Xbox Series X controller

Sony recently revealed we'll be getting our first look at PS5 games on June 4, but if you're holding out hope that any of Sony's PS5 exclusives that are revealed during the showcase will come to the PS4 too, you might be disappointed.

In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Sony Interactive Entertainment's president and CEO Jim Ryan seemed to shoot down the possibility of PS5-exclusives games coming to PS4 in the future.

"We have always said that we believe in generations," Ryan said. "We believe that when you go to all the trouble of creating a next-gen console, that it should include features and benefits that the previous generation does not include. And that, in our view, people should make games that can make the most of those features.

"We do believe in generations, and whether it's the DualSense controller, whether it's the 3D audio, whether it's the multiple ways that the SSD can be used... we are thinking that it is time to give the PlayStation community something new, something different, that can really only be enjoyed on PS5."

• Best PS4 games: the most essential PlayStation 4 releases
• PS5 vs Xbox Series X: what we know so far
• Xbox Series X: all the games rumored and confirmed

A different approach

Based on Ryan's words, it sounds like you'll have to upgrade to enjoy any of the PS5's launch titles, or any first-party PS5 games in the future. Still, third-party publishers will bring games to both platforms (as is the case with Assassin's Creed Valhalla), so it's not like PS4 players will automatically be left behind when the PS5 gets here. 

This is a totally different approach to that which Microsoft is taking with the Xbox Series X, which will allow players to enjoy Xbox Series X games on both the next-gen console and the Xbox One. Not only that, but Microsoft has promised that Xbox Series X games will play "up and down" its generations of devices for at least the next year. 

However, there is good news. Ryan confirmed the PS5 will release globally in its "Holiday 2020" release window and that both the console, and its games are still on track. 

We can't wait to hear more about the PS5's game line-up on June 4 - even if we may have to shell out for an upgrade to play its biggest titles.

• PS5 games reveal event confirmed for June 4

Microsoft has revealed details on how Xbox Series X backwards compatibility will work, calling the new Xbox "the most compatible next-generation console".

In an Xbox Wire post, Jason Ronald, director of program management for Xbox Series X, revealed that the Xbox Series X will launch with thousands of games, across four generations of Xbox. Not only that, but these games will "play better than ever before" thanks to Microsoft's new HDR reconstruction technique and the Xbox Series X's Quick Resume feature. In addition, the Xbox Series X's powerful specs will enable select backwards-compatible titles to run at higher resolutions or double the frame rate.

 "As gamers, we also know how important it is to preserve and respect our gaming legacies," Ronald wrote in the post. "Your favorite games and franchises, your progression and achievements, and the friendships and communities you create through gaming should all move with you across generations. Not only that, your favorite gaming accessories and peripherals should also move forward with you as well."

• PlayStation 5: release date, specs, news and features
• Xbox Series X vs PS5: what we know so far
• Xbox Series X games: all the games rumored and confirmed

Custom processor is key

According to Ronald, the same team that brought backwards-compatibility to the Xbox One are doing the same for Xbox Series X. 

Technical aspects have made this job for the Xbox Series X somewhat more challenging, but the next-gen console's custom processor has been specially designed to combat this issue and allow us to enjoy titles from all Xbox generations seamlessly.

"Maintaining compatibility presents a massive technical challenge as fundamental system and chip architectures advance across generations," Ronald explains. "Developers highly optimize their games to the unique capabilities and performance of a console to provide the best experience for their players. To make the Xbox Series X our most compatible console ever required both significant innovation in the design of the custom processor as well as the unique design of the Xbox operating system and hypervisor at the heart of our next-generation platform." 

Ronald also revealed that the Xbox team has logged more than 100,000 hours of Xbox Series X play testing, with members of the team now using the Xbox Series X as their primary console. 

"By the time we launch this holiday, the team will have spent well over 200,000 hours ensuring your game library is ready for you to jump in immediately," Ronald states.

Backwards-compatibility boost

Not only will we be able to enjoy thousands of backwards-compatible games on the Xbox Series X from launch, but these games will apparently play better than ever before. 

The Xbox Series X will be able to run backwards-compatible games natively, with each game fully harnessing the power of the new Xbox's CPU, GPU and SSD. 

"This means that all titles run at the peak performance that they were originally designed for, many times even higher performance than the games saw on their original launch platform, resulting in higher and more steady framerates and rendering at their maximum resolution and visual quality," Ronald explains. "Backwards-compatible titles also see significant reductions in in-game load times from the massive leap in performance from our custom NVME SSD which powers the Xbox Velocity Architecture."

Not only will backwards-compatible games perform better, but they'll look better too. The Xbox Series X will deliver a HDR reconstruction technique which will automatically add HDR support to games - without impacting performance. 

In addition, the Xbox Series X's Quick Resume feature will also be compatible with backwards-compatible games, allowing players to essentially jump into games instantly, picking up where they left off, or to jump between games seamlessly.

According to Ronald, these advances don't require any additional work from developers and instead will happen at platform level. The team is also working on new techniques that will allow select backwards-compatible titles to run at higher resolutions and even double the frame rate.

A history of Xbox at your fingertips

It does currently look like the Xbox Series X could be the most compatible next-gen console. Not only will the new Xbox be backwards-compatible with generations of Xbox games, but we also know this extends to Xbox One accessories.

However, we're largely in the dark about Sony's plans for backwards compatibility with the PS5. We know the PS5 will be able to play "almost all" of the best PS4 games at launch, but the company hasn't revealed if backwards-compatibility will extend beyond that. 

Sony hasn't had a great history of backwards compatible to date. While early versions of the PlayStation 3 were able to play PS2 titles, the console was eventually able to play original PlayStation One titles purchased on the store. With the PlayStation 4 generation, Sony placed a big bet on PS Now to pick up some of the slack in terms of backwards-compatibility.

PlayStation Now allows for players to stream selected games from PS2, PS3 and PS4. Originally a streaming-only feature, PlayStation Now does offer some PS4 games as downloads, but those with poor internet speeds need not apply and even those with great connections will find that input lag can cause issues in more reaction-based games.

Meanwhile, the Xbox One currently supports 575 Xbox 360 titles and 41 original Xbox titles. It doesn't cover the thousands of games in the Xbox back catalog but it looks like Microsoft is looking to fix that with the Xbox Series X.

We're expecting to hear more about Xbox Series X backwards compatibility in the coming months, with the new Xbox's release date drawing ever closer. Hopefully we'll get a taste of which older Xbox games we'll be able to dive into during one of Microsoft's monthly Xbox 20/20 streams.

• What is backwards compatibility? The key PS5 and Xbox Series X feature explained

Grand Theft Auto publisher, Take-Two Interactive, has revealed it has 93 "full game releases" planned for the next five years – and we're hoping GTA 6 is one of them.

During a recent earnings call (via GamesRadar), Take-Two president Karl Slatoff said that this line-up is the strongest in the company's history, but what can we expect? Well, according to Slatoff, 63 of these games are "core gaming experiences", 17 will be "mid-core or arcade" and 13 are casual games. 

However, out of these 93 games, 21 will be exclusively mobile titles - with the other 72 landing on PC, consoles and streaming platforms. But, perhaps the most interesting stat from this meeting is that half of this games line-up are from existing IPs. Suggesting we could be seeing GTA 6 in that five-year window, with the highly-anticipated next GTA falling into that "core gaming experiences" category.

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"This is a larger pipeline than we've had before, we've been talking about this for quite some time. Our expectation is that we'd like to keep up this velocity," Slatoff said. "It's really important for us to build scale, and this is one way that we're doing it. We need more at-bats."

CEO Strauss Zelnick explained that the publisher plans to smooth out its financial results with "a handful or greater of new significant releases every year". And it looks like the company believes it may have some big successes in the pipeline.

"With our strong catalog, with our live service offerings, and with our annual releases, we can have great strength, even in a light year, even though it's not our goal to have a light year, and then do even better in the year when we're able to launch a number of titles, which is our strategy, and even better than that if we're fortunate enough to have a blockbuster title. And we have some of those as well," Zelnick said.

GTA in the next five years is likely

Neither Rockstar Games nor Take-Two Interactive has confirmed that GTA 6 is in the works but five years is a long time. While we're hoping to see the next GTA in the next year or two, considering the rumored size of the game, we could be waiting longer. 

While Take-Two didn't specifically mention GTA 6 during the earnings call, we can assume that it will be in that line-up of upcoming games. In addition, the fact that we're going to see games from existing Take-Two IPs fuels rumors that we may see Bully 2 in the future.

But that's just from Rockstar Games, Take-Two is the parent company of developers such as Private Division and 2K Games. While we know may of these exisiting IP games will likely be 2K Sports titles like the NBA series, and that a new BioShock is on the way, we could also see sequels to the likes of L.A. Noire and Civilization. But that could be wishful thinking.

For now, we're hoping it's not long until we hear more about Take-Two's plans, and to finally get confirmation that GTA 6 is on the way.

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The Xbox Series X gameplay reveal was a huge disappointment. Where was the pizzazz? The mind-blowing graphics? The huge step in gaming experiences that we've been waiting for? Where were all those teraflops being put to use, eh? 

We've been waiting for a while to finally see next-gen gameplay, for both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, because it's arguably one of the biggest moments in a new console's reveal road - that moment when you see just how much the games themselves, not just the hardware, have been able to advance. We want to see something mind-blowing.

But we didn't get that from Microsoft. Instead we got 13 game reveals with 'Xbox Series X Optimized' badges and a lot of talk about Smart Delivery. We don't want to be told that these games will look better, we want to see it. I (personally) want a reason to upgrade, not to be stuck in a limbo between this generation and the next. All this focus on cross-gen by Microsoft is robbing us of that initial next-gen thrill.

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Smart Delivery and generation limbo

Let's get this out of the way first. Cross-gen games are good. They allow players to enjoy new games even if they can't, for whatever reason, upgrade to next-gen consoles. After all, the Xbox Series X price is likely going to be expensive.

However, in the lead up to any next-gen console, I want a thrill. I want to see games running at their very best rather than being told that they can. The Xbox Series X gameplay didn't lean on next-gen gameplay. It didn't aim to stagger us with the power of the Series X console, instead we were ploughed away with trailer after trailer which were cut together in such a way that we rarely truly got to see how the games play. There was no very little 'X-factor' for a console with so many 'Xs' to its name.

Instead there was a lot of focus on the Xbox Series X's innovative Smart Delivery feature. Smart Delivery means that if you buy one version of an Xbox game that supports Smart Delivery, you'll always have access to the best version of that game no matter which hardware you're playing it on. 

So if you buy Halo Infinite on Xbox One, then later play it on Xbox Series X, your one-time purchase gets you the versions of the game optimized for both Xbox consoles. Microsoft has committed to Smart Delivery on all of its exclusive Xbox Games Studios titles, and CD Projekt Red has committed to doing the same with Cyberpunk 2077.

So really, with these games available for current consoles and next-gen consoles, why would you want to upgrade? Especially as Microsoft has confirmed it won't have any true Xbox Series X-only exclusives for a few years. It feels a bit like Microsoft has shot itself in the foot and is taking away my desire to upgrade. Because what's the incentive? I haven't seen one yet, I've only been told about them.

Let's hope it improves

I hoped the Xbox Series X gameplay reveal would be the event that made me say "I need to get that console". But it wasn't. And, following the dry PS5 specs reveal, I'm starting to lose hope that an event like that will ever happen. Especially as this was only the first of Microsoft's Xbox 20/20 monthly streams. 

Microsoft missed a huge opportunity on May 7 and hopefully it's something it learns from and tackles in its Xbox Game Studios focused stream in July - where we'll see the like of Halo Infinite and Hellblade 2. 

But if it's holding something big back, that's a strange approach – why not hit the gaming masses with a knockout punch straight away? At this rate, they may lose interest and look to the competition instead, or more pertinently given the Smart Delivery system, be considering ekeing a few more years out of ol' faithful Xbox One instead.

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Microsoft has announced that it will reveal the Xbox Series X's gameplay for the first time on May 7 (that's today!), during a special episode of Inside Xbox.

The Xbox Series X's gameplay reveal will be the first time we get a look at next-gen gameplay from either Microsoft or Sony, and we can't wait to see those powerful Xbox Series X specs in action. We're also expecting Microsoft to announce a bunch of third-party Xbox Series X games, along with world premiere trailers and sneak peaks at some of the games.

In addition, Microsoft has said it will reveal more details on which of these games will utilize the next-gen console's Smart Delivery feature. It's shaping up to be an exciting reveal.

Want to watch the Xbox Series X reveal stream live? Then you can find the live stream down below. We'll be following today's Xbox Series X gameplay reveal with our own live blog giving you expert analysis and opinion too.

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How to watch the Xbox Series X gameplay live stream

The live stream will kick off at 4pm BST / 11am ET / 8am PT today. We've embedded the stream below, although these streams typically don't go live until shortly before the event starts.

What to expect

According to Microsoft, the Xbox Series X gameplay reveal today will see us fans getting a first look at next-gen gameplay, trailers and sneak peeks from Xbox's third-party partners, an update on how devs are utilizing the Xbox Series X and, finally, confirmation of the Xbox Series X games that will use Smart Delivery.

It's unlikely that we'll hear more about Xbox Series X hardware during this stream, so we probably won't get confirmation on the Xbox Series X price. In addition, while we're hoping to see more of first-party games such as Hellblade 2 and Halo Infinite, that doesn't look particularly likely either, as it seems this stream will focus primarily on third-party Xbox Series X games.

However, we do know that we're also going to see Assassin's Creed Valhalla in action later today, as it's tied up in an exclusive marketing agreement with Microsoft. 

The Xbox Series X gameplay reveal is only the start of Microsoft's next-gen reveal plans. According to the company, this event will kick off Xbox 20/20, a stream which will take place each month throughout the rest of the year in the lead-up to the launch of the next-gen console.

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Today's the day! The day Microsoft offers up its Xbox Series X gameplay reveal event, where we'll finally get a look at next-gen games in action for the first time during a special episode of Inside Xbox.

And the good news is you can follow along live right here, with our Xbox Series X gameplay reveal live blog, where we're providing expert analysis and opinion on everything that's announced.

• How to watch the Xbox Series X gameplay reveal

So what are we expecting Microsoft to show off today? Well, the company has confirmed that this event will focus primarily on third-party Xbox Series X games. So unfortunately, we won't be seeing the likes of Halo Infinite and Hellblade 2 today, sorry folks. We also won't be seeing any hardware, so we'll have to wait a little longer to get confirmation on the Xbox Series X's price.

However, we will be seeing next-gen gameplay for the first time ever, with Ubisoft confirming Assassin's Creed Valhalla will be one of the games on show. 

In addition, expect first looks, sneak peeks and trailers for upcoming Xbox Series X games as well as world premiere announcements. Microsoft has also confirmed it will reveal the list of Xbox Series X games which will utilize its innovative Smart Delivery feature. It's shaping up to be quite the event.

The Xbox Series X gameplay reveal is live now.

Xbox Series X gameplay reveal live blog

All times in Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)

8:34 - Assassin's Creed will utilize Smart Delivery too. Apparently we're going to see reinvented combat, a new player progression system and new weapon/gear systems. 

8:33 - We seen a lot of battle scenes but that was not the Assassin's Creed Valhalla gameplay demo we were hoping for. We're pretty much just hearing stuff we've heard before. 

8:32 - Oh this is very disappointing. 

8:30 - Valhalla looks absolutely stunning. Got some picturesque screenshots of Stone Henge and the beautiful English countryside. You know, before the Vikings burned it.

8:30 - Assassin's Creed Valhalla gameplay trailer next.

8:28 - Was that it for game announcements? That was disappointing. Jeez.

8:27 - Yakuza: Like a Dragon will be an Xbox Series X launch title. Will also be available on PC and Xbox One.

8:26 - Is this new Yakuza? Looks like it!

8:25 - Next up is Second Extinction: Reclaim Earth. Seems to see you gunning down dinosaurs. 

8:24 - It's called Scarlett Nexus.

8:23 - Japanese art style, seems to follow a young guy with psychokinesis in a big, futuristic city. Seems to be taking on some odd looking monsters - some even have flowers attached. Classic Bandai offering.

8:22 - Next up is something from Bandai Namco - again, Smart Delivery. 

8:21 - The Medium is a next-gen psychological horror game coming "Holiday 2020". The Silent Hill composer is on board for the score.  

8:20 - Those are some stunning graphics on that pregnant lady. Looks like a story-driven, narrative game.

8:19 - Another world premiere. Looks like another indie - this time a top-down shooter called The Ascent.

8:18 - Next up is a cool looking indie called Call of the Sea, almost looks like it's set in the world of Sea of Thieves.

8:16 - VAMPIRES! Well, Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 to be more precise. It looks ace. Again will utilize Smart Delivery.

8:15 - This is a bit creepy. A man dancing around some human flesh puppets. Seems to have taken a leaf from the Joker's weird dancing scene.

8:12 - Surprising to see Madden 21 featured as EA has its own stream coming up on June 11, but here we are.  Patrick Mahomes Quarter Back for Kansas City Chiefs is here to show it off. Again will utilize Smart Delivery.

8:11 - Chorvs: Rise as One up next. Due for release in 2021. Seems to be a space saga of some sort.

8:10 - Ooh it's Scorn from Ebb Software. Been awhile since we heard or seen anything about that.

8:09 - What is this now? Looks like Alien meets Doom.

8:06 - Next up is a world premiere from Codemasters. Of course it's the next Dirt game - Dirt 5 - and it'll be coming to Xbox Game Pass. Pretty much what you would expect from a Dirt game. Dirty and fast.

8:05 - First game on show! Bright Memory Infinite. This new game utilizes Smart Delivery, ray-tracing and faster loading times. It looks pretty sci-fi with some telekinesis, a lot of shooting and some futuristic vehicles. 

8:03 - Matt Booty is here to discuss Xbox Game Studios games. Booty has clarified that we'll hear more about Xbox Series X first-party games in July.

8:02 - Aaron Greenberg is streaming live from his kitchen. Strange times. Lovely fridge though - wonder if it can run Crysis?

8:00 - And we're off! The Xbox Series X gameplay reveal is live now. We're expecting this stream to last about an hour and to be packed with Xbox goodness. Are you ready for your first look at next-gen gameplay? Because we certainly are.

7:45 - Just 15 minutes to go. The Xbox Series X gameplay reveal stream is live now and counting down. Time to get comfy and settle in for (roughly) the next hour.

7:30  -We know what the Xbox Series X looks like and what it's packing under the hood, and it's going to be an absolute beast of a console.The next Xbox's gaming PC design is pretty apt, considering the next-gen console's internal hardware is comparable to one - so make sure you check out our Xbox Series X spec analysis.

Here's a quick rundown of the Xbox Series X specs and key features:

• CPU: 8x Zen 2 Cores at 3.8GHz (3.6GHz with SMT) 7nm
• GPU: 12 TFLOPs, 52 CUs at 1.825GHz, Custom RDNA 2
• Memory: 16GB GDDR6
• Storage: 1TB custom NVMe SSD
• Optical drive: 4K UHD Blu-ray
• Ports: HDMI 2.1 output, 3x USB 3.2, networking port, expanded storage slot, power input
• 120 fps support
• Potential 8K resolutions
• Ray-tracing technology
• Variable Rate Shading for more stable frame rates
• Compatible with Xbox One accessories
• Smart Delivery

7:15 - So when are we expecting the Xbox Series X to release? Microsoft has given the release window of "Holiday 2020" - which means we'll likely see the Xbox Series X release between October and December this year. We're predicting a November release date as, historically, that's when we've seen Microsoft release its consoles.

It's possible that the release date will be November 26, 2020 (AKA Thanksgiving in the US). An image stating the Xbox Series X is "coming Thanksgiving 2020" (shown below) appeared on a number of product pages around the world briefly a few months back before being reverted back to to the previously announced "Holiday 2020" release window.

A Microsoft spokesperson responded to TechRadar to clarify, saying "An Xbox product page in some regions inaccurately listed the launch date for Xbox Series X as Thanksgiving 2020. We are committed to launching Holiday 2020.” 

Regardless, we won't be hearing more about the Xbox Series X release date today. Sorry.

7:00 - Just one hour to go until the Xbox Series X gameplay reveal kicks off. Are you excited? We sure are. 

Here's how to watch the Xbox Series X gameplay reveal if you want to catch all the action live as it happens.

6:45 - Unfortunately, because today's event is going to focus on third-party games, we're not going to hear anything about the Xbox Series X price.

Currently we're still in the dark about what the next Xbox will cost. This isn't particularly surprising, given what a sore spot the price of the Xbox One was for fans. At launch, the original Xbox One cost a whopping $499 / £429 / AU$599, which was quickly reduced when Microsoft realized people weren't forking out.

Microsoft has at the very least promised that it's learned from this pricing mistake, with Phil Spencer stating that this time "we will not be out of position on power or price.” That doesn't mean that the console will be cheap, mind you, it just means the price point will be better aligned with the console's power and the price points of the competition. 

But we're not going to find out that price today. It's more likely we'll find out this information, and the Xbox Series X's firm release date, in a few months time. Likely during one of the Xbox 20/20 streams.

6:30 - According to a tweet by Xbox boss Phil Spencer, the Xbox Series X games we'll see today have never been shown in an Xbox show before. However, Spencer did add the caveat that an Assassin's Creed game has appeared at an Xbox event before - just not Valhalla. And "maybe one other game has been on our stage" but apart from that we're going to be seeing "a lot of new games" from studios big and small. 

Cyberpunk 2077 had a big presence at the Xbox E3 2019 conference last year (Keanu Reeves was even there) so pretty much confirms (as expected) we won't be seeing the dystopian RPG today. Hopefully Keanu Reeves can just show up anyway...

6:20 - Less than two hours to wait until we get to hear the sweet tones of Microsoft's voice-over man saying "world premiere" and "exclusive". Someone hold me.

6:00 - What's this Smart Delivery feature we're going to hear more about? Smart Delivery relates to game ownership: in short, if you buy one version of an Xbox game that supports Smart Delivery, you'll always have access to the best version of that game no matter which hardware you're playing it on. 

So if you buy Halo Infinite on Xbox One, then later play it on Xbox Series X, your one-time purchase gets you the versions of the game optimized for both Xbox consoles. Cross-gen titles will be a standard part of game release cycles in the next year or two – so it's a useful initiative. Microsoft has committed to Smart Delivery on all of its exclusive Xbox Games Studios titles, and CD Projekt Red has committed to doing the same with Cyberpunk 2077.

We're due to get confirmation today of the Xbox Series X games that will utilize this Smart Delivery feature.

5:30 - Will you be tuning into the Xbox Series X gameplay reveal today? Let us know in the poll below:

5:00 - So let's talk a bit about which third-party Xbox Series X games have been confirmed and therefore could maybe make an appearance later today. 

We already know Assassin's Creed Valhalla gameplay will be shown but, in addition, we know that a remake of THQ Nordic's cult classic Gothic, Battlefield 6, Gollum, WRC 9, Dying Light 2, Cyberpunk 2077 and Outriders will land on Xbox Series X. In addition, Ubisoft has confirmed that Watch Dogs: Legion, Rainbow Six Quarantine and Gods and Monsters will land on the next Xbox; while Rainbow Six Siege will be available on Xbox Series X from launch. In addition, there's a new Far Cry game rumored to be in the works.

So which games could we see from this list? Well, more Ubsisoft titles could make an appearance, especially if Valhalla is already confirmed. While Gothic, Battlefield 6, Gollum, WRC 9, Dying Light 2, and Outriders are also possibilities - depending how far along in development they are. 

However, we're not expecting to see or hear anything about Cyberpunk 2077 as developer CD Projekt Red has already confirmed its hosting its own stream, Night City Wire, on June 11. We probably won't see Battlefield 6 either as EA is hosting EA Play Live on June 11.

Apart from that, we fully expect Microsoft to have some third-party surprises up its sleeve.

4:45 - Every game we're going to see today is Xbox Series X optimized. That means you'll be seeing the badge below a lot today. But what does Xbox Series X optimized actually mean? It means that developers have specifically created these games to utilize the next-gen's console powerful specs to the best of their ability. 

4:15 - The official Road to Xbox 20/20 Twitter account has tweeted out this handy list of what time the stream will go live internationally. 

Check it out below:

4:00 - Ok, so what do we know for sure that we'll see seeing today? Well, according to Microsoft, this event will see us fans getting a first look at Xbox Series X gameplay, trailers and sneak peeks from Xbox's third-party partners, an update on how devs are utilizing the Xbox Series X and, finally, confirmation of the Xbox Series X games which will use Smart Delivery.

We're not exactly sure which third-party Xbox Series X games we'll see but Ubisoft has confirmed we'll definitely be getting a look at Assassin's Creed Valhalla - so prepare yourself or some Viking goodness.

3:45 - We're very excited to see next-gen gameplay for the very first time today. That's right, to date we've not seen any Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 gameplay at all. So Microsoft could really set the bar today with the Xbox Series X and it'll truly give us insight into what we can expect from next-generation consoles. What's not to be excited about!?

3:15 - We're still a few hours away from the Xbox Series X gameplay reveal, but we're already looking forward to seeing what Microsoft has to show us. What are you most looking forward to?

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