Samuel Tolbert
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Plays games, writes stuff. Aspiring narrative designer. Semi-accomplished himbo. Gaming freelancer @WindowsCentral, @inversedotcom . He/Him. Signal: 8034036061
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Articles by Samuel Tolbert
How Double Fine balances fun with pottery sculpting in Kiln
The teams at Double Fine Productions are no strangers to creative and unusual games, from exploring wild worlds composed of different brains in Psychonauts to wandering the world as a walking lighthouse in Keeper. Now, the studio is taking on pottery with its latest game, a multiplayer title named Kiln. In Kiln players take to a pottery wheel to craft a vase or jar to their liking before using their collection of vessels to brawl with others in objective-driven online multiplayer match-ups.
The Elder Scrolls Online fully shifts to Seasons, with new story, reworks, and quests across 2026 — and most new content will now be free
A screenshot from The Elder Scrolls Online showing werewolf Firralthel. One of the longer-running games in the Bethesda Softworks umbrella is getting a major shake-up, with The Elder Scrolls Online fully embracing a shift into a seasonal model. While the team at ZeniMax Online Studios was already experimenting with this shift last year, it's now being fully embraced, with regular seasons and a complete rethink of how new quests, zones, and more are added to the game.
The Elder Scrolls Online fully shifts to Seasons, with new story, reworks, and quests across 2026 — and most new content will now be free | Flipboard
21 hours ago Subscribers can play several other games, including the original Final Fantasy in all its 2D glory, on Game Pass in January. Resident Evil Requiem, the ninth game in the main Resident Evil series, is set to be released on Feb. 26. Xbox Game Pass subscribers can prepare for Requiem by playing …
The Elder Scrolls Online is finally getting cross-play for Xbox, PC, and PlayStation — but don’t expect it to arrive soon
A screenshot from The Elder Scrolls Online showing three people running toward an armed figure throwing ghostly red skulls. Ahead of today’s news, I attended a Q&A with some members of ZeniMax Online Studios. In addition to a roadmap of more immediate improvements across 2026, executive producer Susan Kath confirmed that, at long last, cross-play is in the works for The Elder Scrolls Online, stating that there is a dedicated team working on the feature.
Total War tackling Warhammer 40,000 while coming to Xbox and PlayStation can be the breakout this series deserves — and I'll remain cautiously excited
Space Marines in Total War: Warhammer 40,000. It's a huge opportunity, and it could see the popularity of Total War as a whole skyrocket, provided the team can nail several different major elements all at once. So many huge possibilities The universe of Warhammer 40,000 brings a mind-boggling new level of scale to Total War. (Image credit: Sega) At a surface level, this game's potential speaks for itself.
Dispatch is one of my favorite superhero stories in years — between the great characters, humor, and romance, I'm already hungry for a Season 2
Robert Robertson hero image in Dispatch. It's always a good feeling when seeing the credits rolling on a game almost immediately makes me feel hungry for more. I had a blast playing through all eight episodes of Dispatch, the debut game from developer AdHoc Studio. For the unfamiliar, Dispatch is an original story focused on the less-glamorous side of superhero work.
Keeper is a wonderfully strange indie filled with funny little guys, clever survival mechanics, and more charm than most big-budget games — now on Xbox Game Pass
The lighthouse in Keeper in a pool looking at weird little one-eyed guys. No matter if you're playing a game or watching a movie, a work of art is almost assuredly made better by the presence of strange little dudes. This basic fact is a major part of what powered Star Wars creator George Lucas, who, yes, envisioned wars of light and dark with space wizards clashing across planets, but who also really just wanted as many odd-looking fellows as he could cram into a single frame.
Halo: Campaign Evolved is bringing some new weapons — here's my informed speculation about what they could be
Key art for Halo: Campaign Evolved, showing Master Chief. When I visited Halo Studios in October, the team confirmed there would be nine weapons available that weren't previously, and they even confirmed several of these, with the Energy Sword, Fuel Rod Cannon, and Sentinel Beam all present like in Combat Evolved, but now able to be picked up and used by players.
Halo: Campaign Evolved is bringing some new weapons — here's my informed speculation about what they could be | Flipboard
Halo: Campaign Evolved is bringing some new weapons — here's my informed speculation about what they could be Halo: Campaign Evolved is introducing several new weapons, and while a few are know, there are still some mysteries remaining. Let's speculate.
007: First Light has officially been delayed, with the next James Bond adventure now targeting a May 2026 release window — the team wants to deliver the "strongest possible version at launch"
James Bond leaping a fallen tree in 007 First Light. 2026 is almost here, and the holidays are in full force, but that won't stop companies from sharing news of game delays. To that end, players will be waiting longer for their next outing with James Bond, as 007 First Light is being delayed a bit, developer and publisher IO Interactive shared on Tuesday via Bluesky.
Gears of War: E-Day is The Coalition's "most ambitious game yet," says studio head — and the upcoming Xbox sequel will be the "best place to jump into the Gears universe"
Gears of War: E-Day art with the crimson skull. As 2025 closes, the teams at Xbox put out a message looking back over the first-party games that launched throughout the year, with some small tidbits about what's to come in 2026, including with the next Gears of War. "This is our most ambitious game yet, entirely built from scratch in Unreal Engine 5 to feel like Gears and play like new," Crump says. "This is a return to our roots as Marcus & Dom face the Locust for the first time ever.
Gears of War: E-Day is The Coalition's "most ambitious game yet," says studio head - and the upcoming Xbox sequel will be the "best place to jump into the Gears universe" | Flipboard
5 hours ago The Steam Winter Sale is here. Steep discounts on all sorts of games, both new and old, AAA and indie, are around from now until January 5. I’ve scoured the Steam Sale looking for some of the best deals out there. I have a few rules for this “Dirt Cheap” list. First, the game has to be …
Gears of War: E-Day — the Coalition’s most ambitious game | Flipboard
6 days ago These have regret, love, and everything between. Ever wondered what you’d fix, redo, or finally say if you suddenly woke up in your teenage body again? Because honestly, I think about this way more than I should. So when I saw a Redditor ask, “You wake up in your teen years again. What’s the first …
Fallout 5 will be affected by the Fallout TV series — "We are taking that into account," says Bethesda's Todd Howard
Maximus in Fallout TV series Season 2. With Season 2 of the Fallout TV series now here, many players are likely wondering how (or even if) the events of the uber-popular show will tie into developer Bethesda Game Studios' next entry in the universe of Fallout role-playing games (RPGs). "In short, yes," says Todd Howard, executive producer and director at Bethesda Game Studios, speaking with BBC on all things Fallout in the wake of the season's debut.
Fallout 5 will be affected by the Fallout TV series — "We are taking that into account," says Bethesda's Todd Howard | Flipboard
Now Although I happen to like Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, it’s mostly now remembered for being the start of a trilogy that dropped the stock of Star Wars so hard that it seems like there are more haters than fans these days. But if audiences had any type of nuance to their hatred, they …
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 topped the US sales charts in November 2025 — but it's down compared to Black Ops 6
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 multiplayer reveal screenshots show combat, weapons, score streaks, and maps. Activision's yearly blockbuster once again topped the sales charts for its debut month in the U.S, according to Circana executive director and analyst Mat Piscatella, who shared the latest numbers in a threat on Bluesky.
Larian Studios' next Divinity game will be a turn-based RPG — and the studio is using generative AI for ideation
Divinity Game Awards 2025 village burning ritual. It's still early days, but Larian Studios is sharing some details on what players can expect from the team's next big game.
Hollow Knight: Silksong has crossed 7 million copies sold, with "millions more" on Xbox Game Pass — and a free expansion is coming in 2026
Hollow Knight: Silksong Sea of Sorrow teaser. Team Cherry's Hollow Knight: Silksong launched to critical acclaim back in September, and to close the year out, the developers have shared an impressive update on the game's commercial performance, revealing that Hollow Knight: Silksong has passed 7 million copies sold.
Bungie re-reveals extraction shooter Marathon with a new March 2026 release window — alongside player-requested improvements and a darker sci-fi aesthetic
Marathon image with pink lighting. Developer and publisher Bungie re-revealed its upcoming extraction shooter Marathon on Monday, showing off new gameplay footage and images while diving into what's new since the game was delayed past its original September 2025 release date. Bungie notes that the game is leaning into a darker science-fiction tone. Instead of players leaving a duffel bag of goodies once killed, the Runner bodies remain, leaving corpses that decay over time.
Hollow Knight: Silksong has crossed 7 million copies sold, with "millions more" on Xbox Game Pass — and a free expansion is coming in 2026 | Flipboard
15 hours ago In an era where we often have to twiddle our thumbs for three years before a new season of a TV show we enjoy returns to our screens, the second season of Fallout has had a relatively short turnaround. It's set to hit Prime Video 20 months after the first batch of episodes. As it turns out, the …
Divinity: Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition Xbox Series X|S version is now live with 60 FPS — and it's a free upgrade for existing owners
Divinity: Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition art. This upgrade allows players who already own Divinity: Original Sin 2 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, or Nintendo Switch to upgrade to Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, or Nintendo Switch 2 for free, respectively. The turn-based RPG first launched for Windows PC in 2017, before being ported to consoles later on. Set in the world of Rivellon like other Divinity games, the story opens as the gods are gone, with new threats emerging.
DOOM developer id Software has officially unionized under Microsoft — marking a major shift in the gaming industry’s labor landscape
Doom union posters. As the year draws to a close, another Microsoft-owned game studio is organizing, with Texan developer id Software voting to unionize on Friday, per the Communication Workers of America (CWA). The CWA notes that a "strong majority" of the studio's staff voted in favor of unionization, with 165 workers now joining a wall-to-wall union. Like with prior studio organizational efforts, Microsoft has voluntarily recognized the union.
DOOM developer id Software has officially unionized under Microsoft — marking a major shift in the gaming industry’s labor landscape | Flipboard
1 hour ago LUXOR, Egypt (AP) — Egypt on Sunday revealed the revamp of two colossal statues of a prominent pharaoh in the southern city of Luxor, the latest in the government’s archaeological events that aim at drawing more tourists to the country. The giant alabaster statues, known as the Colossi of Memnon, …
Here is how Xbox leadership is changing in early 2026
Enjoy our content? Make sure to set Windows Central as a preferred source in Google Search, and find out why you should so that you can stay up-to-date on the latest news, reviews, features, and more.The year isn't quite over, but there's a small shake-up coming to the Xbox division's leadership next year.
Xbox leadership gets a shake-up in 2026 — current CFO Tim Stuart transitions to COO of ZeniMax Media
Xbox's logo at Summer Game Fest 2024. The year isn't quite over, but there's a small shake-up coming to the Xbox division's leadership next year. Sources tell Windows Central that Tim Stuart, the chief financial officer (CFO) of Microsoft Gaming, will be stepping into a new role as chief operating officer (COO) of ZeniMax Media, the publisher responsible for Bethesda Softworks-published titles such as DOOM, The Elder Scrolls, and Fallout.
Total War: Warhammer 40K announced at the Game Awards 2025 — and it's coming to Xbox and PS5 alongside PC
Total War: Warhammer 40K Game Awards 2025. As previously promised, developer Creative Assembly showed up to the Game Awards 2025 to reveal the next big Total War strategy game the team is working on. As many may have guessed, the developer is staying in the realm of Games Workshop properties, with Total War: Warhammer 40K on the way. Actor David Harbour (Stranger Things) took to the stage to reveal the game, while also announcing that he'll be part of the game's cast.
Crystal Dynamics announces two Tomb Raider games at the Game Awards 2025 — and the first one is coming in 2026
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis Game Awards 2025. If you love the adventures of Lara Croft, boy howdy, you're in luck. Developer Crystal Dynamics made an appearance during the Game Awards 2025, revealing not just one but two Tomb Raider games. The first title, Tomb Raider: Catalyst, is Lara Croft's next big game.
Remedy announces Control Resonant at the Game Awards 2025 — and it's launching on Xbox and PC in 2026
Control Resonant screenshot showing McFadden holding a large constructed weapon in front of enemies. . Developer Remedy Entertainment showed up to the Game Awards 2025 to reveal Control Resonant, sequel to the 2019 adventure title, Control. Control Resonant follows up on the events of Alan Wake 2's DLC, starring Dylan Faden, the previously-imprisoned brother of Control protagonist and Federal Bureau of Control director, Jesse Faden.
Baldur's Gate 3 developer Larian Studios reveals new Divinity game at the Game Awards 2025 — and it's the team's biggest game ever
Divinity reveal at the Game Awards 2025. During the Game Awards 2025, Larian Studios showed up to put an end to the debates and questions around the mysterious statue being teased on social media by the show's host Geoff Keighley. The team is officially working on Divinity, a new game that (obviously) returns to the Divinity series of games the studio worked on before Baldur's Gate 3.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 wins Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2025 — whee whoo whee whoo
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 GOTY 2025 Game Awards. The latest installment in the annual awards show flew by, with a number of massive games nominated across the board while building towards the final reveal for which title is taking Game of the Year. I kept track of all the winners as they were announced, so take a look. Sign up to read this article Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you. Email is required Email is already registered. Please sign in instead. Start reading
Crystal Dynamics announces two Tomb Raider games at the Game Awards 2025 — and the first one is coming in 2026 | Flipboard
Now Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Tomb Raider Catalyst are coming in 2026 and 2027. While Geoff Keighley had already announced that Tomb Raider would be making a Game Awards appearance, the surprise was that instead of one game announcement there’s two. Crystal Dynamics and Amazon Game Studios are …
How to watch the Game Awards 2025: When it starts and everything you need to know
The Game Awards 2025 trophy on blue background. Get ready, because the Game Awards 2025 is on the way, bringing an extravaganza of new reveals, trailers, and more for the gaming industry. Hosted by Geoff Keighley (the host of Summer Game Fest and Opening Night Live at Gamescom), the awards show is a staple of December, closing the year out with one last massive blast of news. All of this is alongside a celebration of the biggest games of the year, as voted on by a jury of outlets and the public.
Xbox's Age of Empires and Age of Mythology: Retold are getting more expansions in 2026 — including these fan-favorite factions
Age of Mythology: Retold key art. If you're a fan of historical strategy games like me, I've got great news. Xbox Game Studios development studio World's Edge shared a roadmap for what players can expect across the Age of Empires franchise next year. Kicking off the most recent entry, Age of Mythology: Retold is getting a new Expansion Pass, which will be available for purchase starting on December 18.
Xbox's Age of Empires and Age of Mythology: Retold are getting more expansions in 2026 — including these fan-favorite factions | Flipboard
19 hours ago Activision has announced a huge change for the Call of Duty series: we'll no longer be seeing consecutive releases in either the Modern Warfare or Black Ops subseries. From 2005 until 2022, each annual Call of Duty release has had a different lead developer, usually alternating between Infinity Ward …
Future Xbox consoles may feature AMD’s FSR ray regeneration, a breakthrough that could supercharge graphics performance and next‑gen visuals, claims Xbox's Matt Booty
Matt Booty speaking with an Xbox sign in the background. As AMD rolls out a new driver for FSR Redstone — a collection of machine learning technologies to improve frame rates and ray tracing performance on PC — Microsoft president of game content and studios Matt Booty shared that part of Microsoft's ongoing collaboration with AMD includes co-developing Ray Regeneration.
Capcom was being dodgy about Leon Kennedy in Resident Evil Requiem — but the PlayStation Store just leaked him
Resident Evil Requiem art with Leon Kennedy. A slightly odd and amusing saga has mostly come to a close, with a new leak confirming what many have been guessing for months, as longtime Resident Evil mainstay Leon Kennedy will be present in Capcom's upcoming Resident Evil Requiem.
Call of Duty will no longer get back-to-back Black Ops and Modern Warfare games — "We will drive innovation that is meaningful, not incremental."
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 promotional images. It's still early days for Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, but the team is already making some eye-catching statements, with a new blog post confirming that, looking ahead for the Call of Duty franchise, there will no longer be any back-to-back game releases for Black Ops and Modern Warfare. "The reasons are many, but the main one is to ensure we provide an absolutely unique experience each and every year," the blog post reads.
Call of Duty will no longer get back-to-back Black Ops and Modern Warfare games — "We will drive innovation that is meaningful, not incremental." | Flipboard
Call of Duty will no longer get back-to-back Black Ops and Modern Warfare games — "We will drive innovation that is meaningful, not incremental." An update from the Call of Duty team notes that moving forward, there won't be any back-to-back Black Ops or Modern Warfare games.
Riot's free-to-play fighter 2XKO comes to Xbox and PlayStation to kick-start 2026 — cross-play and cross-progression in tow
A promotional image for 2XKO by Riot Games. 2026 is set to be filled with big games, and Riot Games is aiming to help kick the year off with the console version of its free-to-play fighting game, 2XKO. Riot Games announced on Friday that the publisher is set to bring 2XKO to Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 consoles at some point in January 2026. There's no exact release date, but players won't be waiting long, and the game is available to wishlist right now.
Netflix is buying Warner Bros. for over $82 billion — including the game studios behind Batman, Hogwarts Legacy, Mortal Kombat, and more
WBD video games heading to Netflix including the game studios behind Batman, Hogwarts Legacy, Mortal Kombat. There's another mega-merger on the way in the entertainment industry, with Netflix agreeing to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery for $87.2 billion. The deal, announced on Friday, will see Netflix take control of Warner Bros' film and TV production and IP, as well as the company's gaming division.
Fallout co‑creator leaves retirement to rejoin Xbox's Obsidian Entertainment, fueling speculation about future games — "Don't bother guessing, you're not gonna guess right"
Tim Cain returns to Obsidian . Game designer Tim Cain is leaving his semi-retirement to rejoin Xbox Game Studios' role-playing game developer Obsidian Entertainment. Cain shared the news on Friday, revealing via his YouTube channel that he's already been back for a short while.
Netflix is buying Warner Bros. for over $82 billion — including the game studios behind Batman, Hogwarts Legacy, Mortal Kombat, and more | Flipboard
Top analyst says Netflix’s $72 billion bet on Warner Bros. isn’t about the ‘death of Hollywood’ at all. It’s really about Google Netflix’s $72 billion play for Warner Bros. is as much a bet on the future of artificial intelligence and chips as it is on movies and shows, …
Fallout co‑creator leaves retirement to rejoin Xbox's Obsidian Entertainment, fueling speculation about future games - "Don't bother guessing, you're not gonna guess right" | Flipboard
Banned PS1 Series is Back After Decade of Silence, Heading to PS5, Xbox, and PC One of the PlayStation 1's most controversial games is getting a new follow-up next year, and it looks sick (in both senses of the word)
Total War: Medieval 3 is finally happening, entering early pre-production — and thanks to an engine upgrade, it might launch on Xbox consoles
A screenshot of a king from the Total War: Medieval III reveal trailer. During Creative Assembly's Total War showcase on Thursday, the studio took time to reveal an entirely new game that the team is working on with the long-requested Total War: Medieval 3. The Total War franchise has spanned numerous settings in history over the years with the Medieval titles in Europe, the Shogun games set in Japan, Three Kingdoms in China, and more.
Total War: Warhammer 3 unleashes Lords of the End Times DLC with its most powerful necromancer — Nagash is coming in 2026
Total War: Warhammer 3 Lords of the End Times DLC announce. Developer Creative Assembly kicked off the Total War showcase on Thursday in a big way, revealing that the next DLC coming to Total War: Warhammer 3 is at last unleashing Nagash. The Lords of the End Times DLC is doing just that, bringing the titular event that tore apart the original Warhammer Fantasy world into the PC strategy series.
Obsidian's Xbox survival game Grounded 2 gets a December update bringing cheerful holiday decorations — and PC gets DLSS, too
Screenshot of Grounded 2 on Xbox Series X. The latest update for Obsidian Entertainment and Xbox Game Studios' Grounded 2 is here, bringing some technical improvements and other features ahead of the larger, previously announced Winter Update that's still to come. As detailed by the developers earlier on Wednesday, this update brings the Coziness System, unlocking perks as players make bases into something more relaxing and homey, alongside the hearth, chimney, and other creature comforts.
Total War: Warhammer 3 unleashes Lords of the End Times DLC with its most powerful necromancer — Nagash is coming in 2026 | Flipboard
Total War: Warhammer 3 unleashes Lords of the End Times DLC with its most powerful necromancer — Nagash is coming in 2026 Creative Assembly kicked off the December 2025 Total War showcase with a look at Lords of the End Times, the next DLC coming to Total War: Warhammer …
Grounded 2 gets holiday cheer and DLSS for PC players
New PC? No need -- these 9 upgrades are all you need! How to get more performance out of your PC in the new year: The best upgrade tips for SSD, RAM, CPU, graphics card and more. Is your PC slow, programs …
From breakout indie hit to global success: Ball X Pit surpasses 1 million sales and teases bold updates in its 2026 roadmap
Ball x Pit image with Itchy Finger. Ball x Pit, the popular roguelike game from Kenny Sun and published Devolver Digital, has reached over one million copies sold. The teams shared the news in an update, revealing that Ball x Pit has a roadmap planned out for 2026 that will see three major updates for the game, all for free.
How would you improve Xbox PC? Falconeer dev Tomas Sala imagines a more community-focused Xbox PC experience, for devs and players — "I would love to see that."
The Falconeer Hunter DLC screenshot. Tomas Sala, developer of aerial shooter The Falconeer (as well as Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles, a city-builder set in the same universe) recently spoke with Windows Central executive editor Jez Corden on the Xbox Two Podcast. Sala has worked with the ID@Xbox program in the past, releasing The Falconeer as an a launch title for the Xbox Series X|S consoles back in November 2020.
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