Red Dead Redemption is now playable for “free” (with an active subscription) via Rockstar Games’ GTA+ service on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.
The development was first spotted by X/Twitter accounts like @videotechuk_, and was later announced more formally by Rockstar Games. This includes the Undead Nightmare expansion as well. IGN has also verified that the version of Red Dead Redemption on GTA+ on PlayStation 5 includes the toggle for 60 frames-per-second.
Red Dead Redemption and Undead Nightmare have been added to the Games Included With GTA+ library, and are available for GTA+ Members to play on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S with their active Membership: https://t.co/G2BbgZT6yUpic.twitter.com/boFyDXkcj0
Last year, Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption Update 1.03 quietly gave players a new 60fps toggle option on PS5 via backward compatibility. Although the news was exciting for PS5 owners, Xbox owners felt like they were left in a lurch because their versions of Red Dead Redemption — while running in 4K resolution — were limited to 30fps.
Unfortunately, Xbox owners still won’t be able to experience a “free” souped-up next-gen upgraded version of Red Dead Redemption with their $5.99 GTA+ subscriptions. Still, it’s a better situation than fans who are on PC, considering GTA+ is only on Xbox Series X/S and Playstation 5 and Red Dead Redemption still doesn’t have a port on PC.
Red Dead Redemption was originally released on Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 in 2004. In our review, we wrote, “Red Dead Redemption is a complete game in every sense — both the single player and multiplayer modes are excellent — and still manages to offer an attention to detail you rarely see from a game of this scope.”
Isaiah Colbert is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow them on Twitter @ShinEyeZehUhh.
Hey Xbox Insiders! We have a new Xbox Update Preview releasing to the Omega ring today.
It’s important we note that some updates made to these preview OS builds include background improvements that ensure a quality and stable build for Xbox consoles. We will continue to post these release notes, even when the noticeable changes to the UI are minimal or behind the scenes, so you’re aware when updates are coming to your device.
Details can be found below!
System Update Details
OS Version: XB_FLT_2404ZN25398.4051.240321-2000
Available: 4 p.m. PT – March 26, 2024
Mandatory: 4 p.m. PT – March 27, 2024
Note: This update may not occur automatically before it has already become mandatory. You can always find the most current update as soon as it is available by opening the Guide > Profile & system > Settings > System > Updates.
Remember: Newly enrolled users in this ring are not guaranteed to receive all early updates, but they’ll receive the update prior to the GA release. Additionally, a small subset of users may remain on their current GA build once they enroll until the next system update becomes mandatory for the public. Visit the Xbox Insider Program FAQ to learn more.
New Features and Experiences
We have exciting news! Omega users can expect something new coming to their Xbox Update Preview.
Capture & Share
Users will now see a toast notification after uploading a new screenshot or game clip to OneDrive if they’re running low on space.
Discord Voice – Soundboard Audio
Xbox players who have joined Discord Voice will now be able to hear soundboard audio from others in the channel or call. A mute button for soundboard audio can be found in the Discord Voice options in the Guide. At this time, you cannot trigger soundboard audio from the console.
Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta)
Xbox Insiders can preview Mouse and Keyboard support while playing via cloud gaming on supported browsers (Edge and Chrome) and the Xbox App on Windows PCs for users enrolled in the PC Gaming Preview.
Note: Users on browser will need to enable Preview features on their browser to gain access to the feature. This is done by clicking on your profile picture at xbox.com/play and then select Settings and then enable “Preview features.”
Currently supported titles and any known issues are below:
Fortnite
Browsers only
ARK Survival Evolved
Sea of Thieves
Grounded
Halo Infinite
Atomic Heart
Known Issue: There is some difficulty switching between gamepad (controller) and Mouse and Keyboard while streaming game
Sniper Elite 5
Deep Rock Galactic
High on Life
Zombie Army 4 Dead War
Gears Tactics
Pentiment
Doom 64
Age of Empires 2
Additional consideration for Xbox Insiders:
Some games will display controller UI elements (e.g., “press A to start”) by default. Their UI will adapt to Mouse & Keyboard input only after player has started to use Mouse/Keyboard to interact with the game (moving the cursor and/or pressing keys)
On browser:
The game stream needs to be in full screen mode to work with mouse and keyboard. Players can hold the ESC key at any time to exit full-screen mode.
The player must click on the game stream element explicitly for it to “capture your pointer”. Otherwise, your mouse input won’t be sent to the game.
Players can press F9 to exit mouse and keyboard use for the game
Fixes Included
Thanks to all the great feedback Xbox Insiders provide and the hard work of Xbox engineers, we are happy to announce the following fixes have been implemented with this build:
Capture & Share
Fixes to improve unexpected behavior in the Captures app when storing captures on both the internal Xbox storage and an external drive.
Network Transfer
Fixes to address an unexpected error that could occur when initiating a network transfer if the content already exists.
Parties
Fixes to address an issue where no members would be listed when attempting to invite club members to a party.
System
Various updates to properly reflect local languages across the console.
While known issues may have been listed in previous Xbox Insider Release Notes, they are not being ignored! However, it may take Xbox engineers more time to find a solution. If you experience any of these issues, we ask that you please follow any guidance provided and file feedback with Report a Problem.
Audio
Some users have reported experiencing intermittent audio issues across the dashboard, games, and apps.
Troubleshooting: If you do experience issues, please confirm your TV and all other equipment have the latest firmware installed. If you are unsure, you may need to contact the manufacturer for assistance. You can also find additional troubleshooting tips here: Troubleshoot audio on your Xbox console.
Feedback: If you continue to experience issues after applying the latest firmware and troubleshooting further, please submit feedback via Report a Problem when you are experiencing the issue. Use the “Reproduce with advanced diagnostics” option, then select the category “Console experiences” and “Console Audio Output Issues”.
Note: Be sure to include as much information as possible about the issue, when it started, your setup, troubleshooting you have completed, and any additional information that will help us reproduce the issue.
Networking
We are investigating reports of an issue where the console may not connect to the network immediately on boot. If you experience this, be sure to report the issue via Report a Problem as soon as you’re able.
Workaround: Wait a minute or two for the connection to establish. If your console still hasn’t connected, restart your Xbox from the Power Center or the guide then file feedback with Report a Problem. Learn more about restarting here: How to restart or power cycle your Xbox console.
As always, be sure to use Report a problem to keep us informed of any issues you encounter. We may not be able to respond to everyone, but the data we’ll gather is crucial to finding a resolution.
If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please visit the community subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help with your concerns.
When posting to the subreddit, please look through the most recent posts to see if your issue has already been posted or addressed. We always recommend adding to existing threads with the same issue before posting a new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, don’t forget to use “Report a Problem” before posting – the information shared in both places helps us understand your issue better.
Thank you to every Xbox Insider in the subreddit today and welcome to the community if you’re just joining us! We love that it has become such a friendly and community-driven hub of conversation and support.
For more information regarding the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding your Xbox Update Preview ring!
Today Amazon is offering the recently released Crucial T500 1TB PCIe 4.0 M.2 NVMe SSD for only $72.99. The Crucial T500 is currently one of the top performing PCIe 4.0 SSDs on the market, and no other SSD that can match its speed is even close to this 1TB price right now. The T500 works equally well as additional storage for your PS5 console or as a blazing fast boot drive for your gaming rig.
1TB Crucial T500 PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 SSD for $72.49
The T500 is Crucial’s newest flagship PCIe 4.0 SSD and replaces the P5 Plus. It has proven to be one of the fastest SSDs on the market with sequential speeds of 7,300/6,800MB/s and random speeds of 1.15M/1.44M IOPs. There are only a few SSDs out right now that can match its speed, like the WD Black SN850X, the Samsung 990 Pro, and the SK Hynix P41 Platinum. The T500 utilizes a Phison E25 controller with 232-layer Micron TLC NAND flash memory. It’s backed by a 5 year warranty.
The Crucial T500 also makes for an excellent PS5 SSD.It fulfills all of Sony’s requirements, like a minimum read speed of 5,500MB/s and a PCI-Express Gen4x4 interface. The only caveat is that it doesn’t include a built-in heatsink. That is easily remedied by picking up a inexpensive PS5 heatsink off Amazon.
If you’re looking for more SSD storage upgrade options for your PS5 console, check out our best PS5 SSD deals of 2023. There are even less expensive options if you’re not married to any brand.
I find myself increasingly turned off these days by simulations that boast of endless butterfly effects. I guess my misgivings can be boiled down to “a chain of dominoes is still a chain of dominoes even if it’s 1000 metres in extent”. Without some reason to care supplied by a narrative or broader question of theming and aesthetics, it all risks being admirable of execution but also like sheer technical maximalism – systems for the sake of systems. What do I care if I can make the 567th domino fall over by kicking the first?
Still, I’m very interested to see more of City 20. In development since 2018, it’s the work of Untold Games, a studio hitherto known for VR projects, location-based “immersive experiences” and ports of games such as Journey To The Savage Planet. As a piece of mechanics, it’s a top-down sandbox survival experience with a highly reactive environment and procedural storytelling, influenced by the likes of Rimworld (and not, the developers insist, created using latter-day generative AI tools). As a story scenario, meanwhile, it’s inspired by Cold War conspiracy theories about Soviet “secret cities” given over to uranium enrichment and nuclear experiments. The titular City 20 is one such burg, though not a direct recreation. As the game begins, a nuclear accident has led to a radiation spike and a partial evacuation: you play one of the poor suckers who didn’t make the last bus out of town.
Good news for people who don’t cringe violently every time they encounter the phrase “Narrative Legos”! We’ve finally got some more details about the extremely Bioshock-adjacent Judas, courtesy of the Ian Games Network, who spent six hours playing the game and chatting to Levine at Ghost Story Games in Boston. It’s a massive interview, but very broadly, it’s an FPS game that gives you guns in your right hand and “various organic powers” in your left. It’s got a big focus on story and choosing your own path through character interaction, and it also has roguelike elements. “The ship is different every time you die and come back, the ship layout can be different,” says Levine.
Judas, it terms out, is the name of the woman you’ve likely already seen in the trailers, who is also your player character. The game takes place aboard the Mayflower, a spaceship the size of a city doing that thing from Hitchhiker’s Guide with the hairdressers, only the Earth seems to have been in actual danger this time. You start the game being resurrected, or “reprinted”. You’ll then start chatting to holographic projections of the three leaders of the ship; all of which have different goals, roles, and Bioshock-ian quirks. They’re at odds with each other, and you’ll get to decide who to work with and against, hence “Narrative Legos” and “No two playthroughs ever…” yadayada, which is a phrase that seems almost quaint in terms of comparative obnoxiousness.
Last week, The Mushroom Kingdom’s beloved ruler made her solo Switch debut with Princess Peach: Showtime!, an impressive performance in an approachable production that gracefully leaps between genres and finally delivers a star vehicle for a woman that has spent too long out of the spotlight.
Our royal reviewer PJ O’Reilly came away most impressed by the princess’ performance, awarding it an 8/10 in his review and saying that, despite some technical snags, it has “creativity, style, and fun to spare,” with “Nintendo finally everyone’s favourite imaginary princess the rollicking adventure she deserves.”
Everything You Need to Know About Diablo IV Coming to Game Pass
Megan Spurr, Community Lead, Xbox Game Pass
The gates of Hell are opening even wider, and Diablo IV is coming to Game Pass starting March 28! Whether you’re a seasoned demon slayer, or brand new to the world of Diablo, this guide is for you. Let’s unleash the darkness and unravel the mysteries of Sanctuary.
For PC players, here’s how to get in the game:
Open the Xbox App on PC and make sure you are signed in with your Microsoft account tied to your Game Pass membership. Then click on Diablo IV and then the Install button.
Click “Install Battle.net” when prompted and complete the installation. (If you already have Battle.net installed, you’ll skip to the next step automatically)
You’ll be prompted to connect your Battle.net account to your Microsoft account. If you already have a Battle.net account you can log in to complete the connection, or from here you can create a Battle.net account to make the connection.
Once you have downloaded Battle.net and connected your accounts, you can complete the installation of Diablo IV!
Story and Lore
If you’re new to Diablo, you will be able to dive right into the demonic world of Diablo IV with no need to have played the previous titles. The story takes place several decades after the events of Diablo III and introduces a new cast of characters and motivations in the most sinister chapter of the Diablo universe to date. This is a standalone game that you can jump into immediately, illustrating how the very world you’ll save came to be. Set in Sanctuary, a refuge built by members of the warring High Heavens and Burning Hells as an escape from the unremitting conflict, you begin your journey wandering through an ominous frozen land. You quickly learn about the prophesied return of the demon Lilith, the Daughter of Hatred, who created Sanctuary alongside the arch angel Inarius. Consumed by hatred and revenge, her desire for the conquest and destruction of heaven and hell puts all of Sanctuary’s denizens at risk as she brings dark urges to the hearts of both demons and humans alike. It falls on you and a select few to oppose her plans and do battle while keeping the fate of Sanctuary in the balance.
Gameplay
Now that you know a little more about Sanctuary, let’s talk gameplay. Diablo IV is an isometric action role playing game (ARPG), where you’ll harness abilities, powerful Skills, and famed gear to defend your home from snarling demons and otherworldly horrors. Across Sanctuary, you’ll delve into replayable, procedurally generated dungeons, while progressing through the story and getting more potent items and materials for your wanderer. Your character traverses the open world of Sanctuary, hack-and-slashing through the progression system as one of five experience-defining class fantasies: Barbarian, Druid, Necromancer, Rogue, or Sorcerer Participate in world events, take down strongholds, work with other players to tackle World Bosses, or battle other players in the PvP Fields of Hatred. Join or make your own clan to form alliances with other players.
We have a quick “teach me” from head of Diablo Rod Fergusson to walk through how to play:
Choose your Class
There are 5 classes to choose from in Diablo IV. Each with multiple skills and talents to fit your preferred playstyle.
Barbarian: The master of arms of Diablo IV. Dual wield or swing massive 2-handed weapons (with the ability to swap between both in the heat of combat) while you get up close and personal with your enemies.
Druid: Shapeshift your way through Sanctuary as a werewolf or a werebear while doling out magic alongside your spirit animal pets (they each grant you specific boons) to freak out everyone around you.
Necromancer: You never have to travel alone as a speaker of the dead. Use your profane knowledge to summon your own personal pack of skeletons and a golem to fight the monsters for, or with you.
Rogue: If you can’t choose between ranged or melee, why not both? Move quickly in combat to either stab combatants up close or fire at them with a bow from afar.
Sorcerer: Enjoy time around the fire as you set your enemies ablaze (or freeze them or strike with lightning) with elemental magics.
If you’re new to Diablo IV, it’s recommended to start by creating a character in the Seasonal realm, but do not check the “Skip Campaign” option – make your way through Diablo IV’s story mode first. Seasons are recurring, time-limited events, challenges, rewards, and gameplay changes, and when a season ends, your seasonal characters and their progress are converted to non-seasonal characters, so once you’re through the story mode, you’re good to roll a new character for Season 4 dropping in May!
You’re about to dive into a world of chaos, monsters, gear, and a conflict between the High Heavens and Burning Hells.
Pick your class, play style, and go hunt down Lilith. See you in hell, friends!
Diablo® IV is the next-gen action RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish Dungeons, and legendary loot. Embark on the campaign solo or with friends, meeting memorable characters through beautifully dark settings and a gripping story, or go rogue through an expansive End Game and shared world where players will meet in towns to trade, team up to battle World Bosses, or descend into PVP zones to test their skills against other players – no lobbies necessary – with cross-play and cross-progression on all available platforms.
This is only the beginning for Diablo® IV, with new events, stories, seasons, rewards, and more looming on the horizon.
Battle.net account required. Internet connection required.
Diablo 4 hits Game Pass this week as the first Blizzard game on Microsoft’s subscription service since the $69 billion buyout of Activision Blizzard. However, there are a few hoops you need to jump through if you want to get stuck in on PC.
After Diablo 4 goes into Game Pass on March 28, it will be available as part of the PC Game Pass subscription. As outlined by Megan Spurr, Community Lead, Xbox Game Pass, in a post on Xbox.com, here’s how PC players can install Diablo 4 via Game Pass:
Open the Xbox App on PC and make sure you are signed in with your Microsoft account tied to your Game Pass membership. Then click on Diablo 4 and then the Install button.
Click “Install Battle.net” when prompted and complete the installation. (If you already have Battle.net installed, you’ll skip to the next step automatically)
You’ll be prompted to connect your Battle.net account to your Microsoft account. If you already have a Battle.net account you can log in to complete the connection, or from here you can create a Battle.net account to make the connection.
Once you have downloaded Battle.net and connected your accounts, you can complete the installation of Diablo 4!
Based on these instructions, installing Diablo 4 via Game Pass is not as seamless a process as PC subscribers had hoped for when Microsoft announced Blizzard games would hit the subscription service. Microsoft will no-doubt be hoping for less friction when other Blizzard games inevitably hit Game Pass in the future, but for now, players are essentially playing through Battle.net under the guise of Game Pass.
PC Game Pass subscribers have also expressed the lack of achievements with Diablo 4. Battle.net has an achievements system of its own, but some had hoped that playing the action role-playing game through PC Game Pass would incorporate the achievements the Xbox version already has.
If you’re planning to play Diablo 4 via Game Pass, check out IGN’s comprehensive Diablo 4 guide hub for everything you need to know.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
If you’ve read my duology on spending far too long queuing in Hitman, you’ll know I’ve a predilection for the virtual people watching of NPCs in games that have some sort of schedule system. “It’s a wholesome pursuit of game design knowledge!” I stammer, as the guards approach. “It gives me a greater appreciation for the obscure details lurking in the hidden corners of virtual cities!” I protest, as I’m clapped in chains after being caught staring through a blacksmiths window for four hours watching him eat the same heel of bread, rubbing my hands together and grinning manically. Imagine my glee, then, when an early quest in action RPGDragon’s Dogma 2 not only condoned my weird hobby, but actively encouraged it.
Alfred is bardic beggar you’ll likely first encounter by Vernworth’s city square water feature. He’s doing a spot of medieval busking, spinning some brilliantly localized rhyming yarns to whoever will listen. He also periodically asks for beer money, even if you think he’s shit, which is a great pitch. Onlookers come and go, but after listening to him gas up the nobility with tall tales for a spell, you’ll likely spot a particularly enthusiastic permanent fixture off to the side. Have a chat, and he’ll tell you he reckons there’s something fishy about Alfred. He never sees much patronage from busking, but he never seems short of coin. Follow him around for a bit and see how he makes his money, won’t you? My annoyance that I’d just given Alfred several hundred gold immediately dissipated at the prospect of some quest journal-sanctioned stalking.
Ever since 2024 has rolled around, we have yet to see an outstanding deal on a WD Black solid state drive. Well, that streak is finally over. Walmart is offering the generously sized 4TB WD Black SN850X PCIe 4.0 M.2 NVMe SSD for only $249.99. The SN850X works equally well as additional storage for your PS5 console or as a blazing fast boot drive for your gaming rig. We picked the SN850P (which is identical to the SN850X) as the best high-capacity M.2 SSD for 2024.
4TB WD Black SN850X PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 SSD for $249.99
The SN850X is the latest generation of WD’s flagship Black series M.2 SSDs. It’s easily one of the fastest SSDs on the market and any other 4TB SSD with comparable speed would run you well over $300. There are only a few SSDs out right now that can match its speed. Off the top of my head, the only SSDs I can think of are the new Samsung 990 Pro and the SK Hynix P41 Platinum.
The SN850X’s upgrades over the SN850 include newer flash chips (BiCS5 vs BiCS4) and an updated firmware, both of which offer improved sequential and random read/write speeds. What this all means is that the SN850X will perform exceedingly well as a boot drive for a gaming PC. For PC gamers, there’s also an updated Game Mode 2.0 utility that’s designed to tune the SSD for better performance during gaming sessions. The 4TB capacity means you won’t have to worry as much about overfilling your drive full of games and apps. With that much storage you might not even need another drive.
The SN850X also makes for an excellent PS5 SSD. It is identical to the SN850P, which is the only officially licensed PS5 SSD on the market. It fulfills almost all of Sony’s requirements, like a minimum read speed of 5,500MB/s and a PCI-Express Gen4x4 interface. The only caveat is that this particular model doesn’t include a built-in heatsink. That is easily remedied by picking up a inexpensive PS5 heatsink off Amazon.
If you’re looking for more SSD storage upgrade options for your PS5 console, check out our best PS5 SSD deals of 2023. There are even less expensive options if you’re not married to any brand.
