370°

Microsoft Patents Method of Automating DLC Purchases

Broke My Controller Writes:

You're on Xbox LIVE and a friend asks you to join in for some Modern Warfare multiplayer. Unfortunately, you never purchased the new map pack DLC. A recently published patent application by Microsoft shows off an automated system for purchasing DLC through a prompt that comes up as you accept an invite that requires content you don't have.

According to the patent, you will remain partied up, and rather than having to go to the Xbox LIVE Marketplace, you will be given the option to purchase and install the content automatically.

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brokemycontroller.com
PirateThom5575d ago

Aren't there games that do this already?

poindat5575d ago (Edited 5575d ago )

Fred: Dino, do you have General Knoxx's Armory so we can play together?

Dino: No Fred, but I'm downloading it right now using the new automated system! You're just going to have to wait an hour and a half.

Fred: F*ck off.

5575d ago
JasonXE5575d ago (Edited 5575d ago )

Downloading and installing isn't as stupid slow as on the ps3.

WhittO5575d ago (Edited 5575d ago )

lol PS3 isn't slow, I get on average 3 mbps, not bad for a free service.

And installing 100mb worth of data takes under 30 seconds.

The only thing I hate and dont understand is why do we still need to install demos, cant they just upload them in a format that doesnt need to be installed ? Its not like they have been compacted because the download size is the same as the installed size.

BulletToothtony5575d ago (Edited 5575d ago )

spoken like a true fanboy.. neither you have a ps3 nor the ability to come up with something creative to talk about..

my download speeds are 2-3mbps on psn.. find something better to troll about.. oh wait there's nothing that that 360 does better anymore.. not games.. not graphics.. not sound not online service.. so gtfo and get some new material for goodness sakes

heroicjanitor5575d ago

And I download over a MB per second, takes about 15 minutes to download 1GB

JasonXE5575d ago

psn id: jason-xe Add me if you want and im not jason360. Just because we have the same first name doesn't mean we are the same people. I guess that's your attempt to be clever. If you haven't notice i was replying to 1.1. Downloading may not take long but then installing it afterward is a nuisance that I hate and can sometimes take awhile depending on the content.

ARBitrator5575d ago (Edited 5575d ago )

ANd jason is right, the PS3 download "AND" install system is far slower than that of the 360.

And this patent is nor more stupid than apple being able to patent the act of touching a touch screen.

@cliff below, please, enough with the ignorant conspiracy theories. Find something worth worrying about.

Close_Second5575d ago

This probably fits in perfectly with CAPCOM as most of their DLC is already on the disc.

iFLOWLIKEWATER5574d ago

I don't know Pirate Thom are there? Anyway I think its a good idea. Its happened to me on a few occasions...

Ju5574d ago

I don't know. But UC2 prompted me just recently that some people I play with have maps I don't have and offered me - in game - to purchase and download them, which then, again, brought me right into PSN to buy those maps directly from the game. ... So, this must be something different then.

+ Show (8) more repliesLast reply 5574d ago
cliffbo5575d ago

another monopolising patent

Godmars2905575d ago

More like an overly simplified method to drain a wallet. If you have a credit card connected to your XBL account.

darkequitus5575d ago

@OP, so why did you not file it and cream M$ when used it - i.e. patent troll. If you have a problem company filing patents, go to an open source forum a worry about GNU/Linux

JoelR5574d ago

Business Process Patents...
they should be banned... oh wait they are supposed to be banned!

VINNIEPAZ5575d ago

Pretty handy. Saves time searching

VINNIEPAZ5575d ago (Edited 5575d ago )

Yes Godmars290, how dare they make it easier to find stuff to download. We should have to search hard for our stuff.

And yes I payed $600 for a PS3 and have 2 PSPs, but yea I hate Sony right? Stupid fanboy

Godmars2905574d ago

Talking about exploiting the gaming community, impulse buying, to generate money. By making it "easy and convenient" to do something like this during the heat of the moment while playing with other people, this is exactly what MS is doing.

If the general gaming community wasn't so polarized with many seeing comments like this as a stealth troll instead of the observation and warning it is, well, a lot of people would see it as just that.

Blaster_Master5575d ago ShowReplies(1)
ZombieNinjaPanda5575d ago

So you would have to have a credit card tied to your Xbox Live account 24/7? Or you would have to have points on there all the time?

Vespertine5575d ago (Edited 5575d ago )

When you link your credit card to your Xbox Live account, it stays there for future purchases.

As for points, they also stay there until you use them. You have the choice to use Microsoft points or actual money from your credit card.

Although at any time, you can hit the guide button and add money to your account (Microsoft points or dollars).

KwietStorm_BLM5575d ago

Why do you ask like that would be such an odd thing to do?

Show all comments (50)
220°

Phil Spencer Teases 2026 As A "Really Special Year" For Xbox

2026 will mark the 25th anniversary of Xbox, and Phil Spencer has teased it as a "really special year" for the games division.

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twistedvoxel.com
TheEroica6d ago (Edited 6d ago )

You got downvotes by pathetic gamers for feeling hopeful about good games coming out next year. Imagine how small your brain must be to downvote someone excited for future gaming joy? It is pretty neat to see people's world view blow up in front of them as they realize Microsoft has put themselves in a driver's seat that Sony hasn't been able to touch all generation.... What's even more pathetic is the same people downvoting you are the same people wishlisting Microsoft games on their ps5s 😂

P_Bomb6d ago

“Imagine how small your brain must be to downvote someone excited for future gaming joy?”

My dude your post history shits on EVERYTHING. You never have a good thing to say about anything lol! 🤣

PanicMechanic6d ago (Edited 6d ago )

“Getting ready for those GaaS reveals! Sony is a shadow of themselves this gen.”

You literally said this a couple of days ago. Start applying the clown make up, you hypocritical jester

derek6d ago

Yep we'll see, they have alot releasing next year.

RaidenBlack6d ago

NGL, next year might be one of the best years in gaming ... starting off with RE9 and GTA VI ...
and then all the good games that's been cooking
Pragmata, Sands of Time, Saros, Gears E-Day, 007 First Light, Blood of Dawnwalker,
Mortal Shell II, Onimusha, Marvel1943: Rise of Hydra
current-gen only Infinity Ward's CoD, Duskbloods
+ My guess: Wolverine, Exodus, Mudang, Crimson Desert, Clockwork etc ...
~ seems like it might get too stacked

1Victor6d ago

@rokos:”Hopefully “
I downvoted you not for been hopeful but because I have seen the same “NEXT YEAR WILL BE SPECIAL “ comment for the last 10+ and hasn’t seen anything special from Microsoft.
I hope next year will be the one that everyone been waiting for since the last 3 years of the Xbox 360, it have to be after over $80 billions spent on acquisitions.

Lightning776d ago

So the new excuse is they don't count because it's from the ABK now huh. I guess all those 3rd party games count even less because they don't own them. According to your always crappy logic.

InUrFoxHole5d ago

Lol. You haven't seen anything special? Do you even game?

OtterX6d ago

Always with the "next year..."! 😂

neutralgamer19926d ago

I don't know they have delivered this year and even last year. And they have a lot more content in the pipeline right now than anyone else. We can't just keep hating on MS

Indiana Jones
South of midnight
Avowed
Flight simulator
Hell Blade 2
Minecraft update
Gears of war reloaded
Indian Jones:expansion
Gears E day
Clockwork revolution
Fable
Doom the dark ages
The outer worlds 2
Grounded 2
Call of duty

OtterX6d ago

How many of those titles were just buyouts of companies that were going about making their games anyways? *Throws cash - "Oh look what we made!"

dveio6d ago (Edited 6d ago )

This list, that's been posted again, and again, and again in every single topic like this, contains almost nothing, literally almost nothing from Microsoft's own creational thoughtprocess.

It's a bunch of former 3rd party IPs.

Now even slowly returning to Playstation in some cases like Indiana, Hellblade, probably Starfield soon too, after they were made exclusively to Xbox on purpose.

Due to Microsoft's lack for own IP material except Halo & Forza. Which, the lack of, was the sole reason for all of it to happen in the first place anyway. Please don't pretend it wasn't.

And just look at all the games that come from Obsidian alone.

You really think Obsidian wasn't already working on Avowed and South of Midnight even without Microsoft buying Zenimax?

Microsoft delivered nothing but cheques.

OtterX6d ago (Edited 6d ago )

@dveio THIS. Lol, this dude thinks Call of Duty wouldn't exist without Microsoft! smh 😂

neutralgamer19926d ago (Edited 6d ago )

Common narrative I see often — that Microsoft shouldn’t get credit for the games its studios release because they “just bought them.” But this viewpoint ignores key context and sets a double standard that other platform holders aren’t held to

No one is saying these games wouldn't exist at all without Microsoft. But let’s not pretend that having a trillion-dollar company backing a studio doesn’t make a massive difference. Obsidian never had AAA funding before the Xbox acquisition. Pillars of Eternity was crowdfunded, and their resources were always stretched thin. Now they’re working on Avowed, with proper support behind it.

Ninja Theory’s Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was made by around 20 people, using borrowed equipment and doing mocap in a boardroom. It was a passion project held together by tape and willpower. Today, Hellblade II exists because they were given resources, time, and freedom — something many developers don’t get unless they’re owned by a company that believes in their vision.

ZeniMax (Bethesda’s parent company) was in real financial trouble before the Microsoft acquisition. Reports and insider accounts have pointed out how much they needed a cash infusion. And while some people want to write off Xbox’s ownership of Bethesda titles, they forget the alternative could have meant layoffs or even closures.

The same goes for Activision Blizzard. Would you really prefer the company to stay under Bobby Kotick, after all the documented workplace misconduct and toxic leadership issues? Say what you want about Microsoft, but their acquisition brought accountability and change to a company that desperately needed it.

At the same time, Xbox gets hated on for doing what every major company does. Sony bought Housemarque, Bluepoint, Insomniac — but no one says Spider-Man 2 “doesn’t count” because of that. Why does Xbox get treated differently for acquiring struggling or undervalued developers and giving them a chance to thrive?

And the idea that Xbox locks games away is outdated. They're pushing cross-platform releases, cloud gaming, Game Pass, and backward compatibility more than any other platform holder. They're not forcing all studios into live service. If anything, their upcoming lineup is less GAAS-heavy and more focused on narrative and creativity — Avowed, South of Midnight, Clockwork Revolution, Fable, Perfect Dark, Towerborne, and others show real variety.

Whether people like it or not, Xbox is now the biggest publisher in the industry and owns the most gaming IPs. But what matters more is how they treat their studios. Most of these teams were previously stuck making AA games with limited scope — now they’re getting the tools and support to aim higher.

So when people say “Microsoft didn’t make those games,” they’re missing the point. It’s not about who started the studio — it’s about who enabled them to do their best work. You don’t have to love Xbox to admit they’ve helped a lot of developers and are taking a player-first approach.

Instead of writing off everything they do, maybe try recognizing the good they’re doing for both devs and gamers. At the end of the day, we should want more studios to succeed — no matter who owns them

BeHunted6d ago

I'm surprised Clockwork Revolution (BioShock meets Dishonored) isn't getting more media attention. The game looks interesting and reminds me of the old RPG games.

anast6d ago

The only good game on that list is Flight sim. The rest are either average or will be average. It's not a good look for MS.

TheEroica6d ago

My god.... Look how many comments are upset about microsoft's successes... 😂 This may be my new favorite thread. Not one gamer saying thanks for all the goodness coming their way, just bitter anger and downvoting the very games they themselves will purchase throughout 2026.... Sony really worked you guys over this generation.... Condolences.

DivineHand1256d ago

@neutralgamer1992 You said what needed to be said.

I have heard for years from older gamers that fanboys are the biggest issue with any fanbase. They will defend or gloss over negative news as long as the correct logo is on the box and they bash the competing platform no matter how much good they are trying to bring.

Right now their advocacy for PlayStation is elevating that platform so high that Sony no longer believes they need to do anything to satisfy their loyal fanbase like they did in the PS4 days.

I just hope most of them will eventually start advocating for themselves and encourage others to do the same. No one should blindly support one platform because these companies do not care about anything other than profit.

neutralgamer19926d ago

Hunted

And first proper game done by the studio with proper AAA budget and saying it will be released when ready

Anast

I believe we went through this before that you are objectively wrong. Meta critic, user reviews, game sales. In Playstation top 10 best selling games were 5 from Microsoft studios

Otter

No this dude is saying so many other studios wouldn't be thriving without MS money and people would be getting abused physically and mentally with Bobby kotick and his side kicks

Also maybe look up how the original founder of Bethesda and zenimax was kicked out of his own company by his best friend lawyer. So that was always a shady place and had been struggling financially before MS paid a premium of almost 7 billion

Eroica

I use to be a die hard Playstation fan and now I only have a Pc. I see how these fans are so toxic. They just can't handle any positive news regarding Xbox. When the best selling games on playstation are Xbox titles. Look at Forza horizon being best seller and that's years old game by MS. I guess ms don't deserve credit for that success too since they are the only company in gaming making acquisitions

Forget the fact Sony paid 3.6 billion for bungie and MS 6.9 for zenimax. Which investment has turned out better

Destiny and marathon with a lot of controversy

While zenimax output is nothing short of amazing compared to what bungie has released

crazyCoconuts6d ago

Yeah it's tricky. "Xbox" has morphed to mean different things to different people.
Console, now Windows, GamePass, and the cross platform games. There's a mix of attitudes towards all those things individually, and maybe an overarching attitude towards MS. But can't argue that the game companies MS recently bought continue to flourish, and GamePass PC has been a great value over the last year.

InUrFoxHole5d ago

@OtterX
You're the dude mad at your exes new guy. She's with someone else... get over it.

+ Show (8) more repliesLast reply 5d ago
Lightning776d ago (Edited 6d ago )

They've had good output so far. So waiting for those games shouldn't be a problem.

Who cares if they're buy outs of companies or whatever excuse you want to make. They're games that are being distributed to other console. Play the games and enjoy it instead of fanboying or complaining.

ocelot076d ago

They going to be a he best and biggest publisher on Xbox, Playstation and PC next year. They not really said anything about Switch 2 though spite claiming to be big supporters.

quenomamen6d ago

If you call making one last Xbox before going full Sega, as Great. Then yea.

TheEroica6d ago

Doesn't feel like you're paying attention to what's happening.

RhinoGamer886d ago

It will be, his net work will hit 50 million and he plans to buy a new mansion in Cape Cod. Thanks everyone! #failup

Show all comments (40)
250°

Halo: Combat Evolved Remake reportedly planned to release in late 2026

Xbox Game Studios' Halo: Combat Evolved Remake is reportedly planned to release in late 2026 to celebrate 25 years of Xbox.

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videogamer.com
Goodguy019d ago

Dear God it's been 4 years since infinite and no official update on anything lol.

Tacoboto9d ago

No official update on anything?

They replaced studio leadership
They changed the studio name
They announced the change to UE5
... all while supporting Infinite

The support to Infinite isn't what it originally should have been but they've still been providing tons of official updates over the years, and as recently as two months ago added a brand new weapon.

GamerRN8d ago

I think remaking Halo Combat Evolved, and going to 2 and 3 again, will help give the studio an idea of how to make a Halo game feel like Halo again

Tacoboto8d ago

Infinite did feel like Halo, that's not what the complaints were...

The complaints were almost literally everything else. Monetization, netcode and desync, the campaign structure, story, and single biome, the weaker-than-expected post-launch content.

InUrFoxHole8d ago

Gotta agree. Infinite felt like halo.

Profchaos9d ago

Dev times in modern days 4 years of silence isn't unheard of when things are running smoothly.

And around 6 months ago 343 did show a tech demo of ue5 using halo assets so it's not radio silence.

Given all the shake ups i am more surprised we're getting anything next year at all.

RaidenBlack9d ago (Edited 9d ago )

They coulda started with Halo 3 remake ... I know Halo CE remaster was not proper with the art style but still, remaking after a remaster seems dull, when Halo 3 and Reach have started to show some age.

PhillyDonJawn9d ago

Yeah I hate they used Halo reach artstyle. Hope this remake feel authentic yet fresh

--Onilink--9d ago

Probably the simplest to work around with. They are reportedly doing it in UE5, so its just as much an Anniversary thing, as its probably the studio getting familiar and setting up their tools and processes in the engine with an actual game, to facilitate the development of the next Halo

Profchaos9d ago

I'm guessing combat evolved has a smaller scope in general the later half of the game features a ton of backtracking and reused assets making it a easier game to remake on a deadline

Its also a better choice if this is the first game to be multiplatform mind you I think it's pretty much a given that anyone with a passing curiosity has played this by now in some way be it pc or brought a used console for a few bucks

darthv729d ago

This will likely come to PS5 at the same time. 25 years of XB.... shared with PS.

Obscure_Observer9d ago

It´s gonna be among best sellers on PS Store next year regardless.

raWfodog8d ago (Edited 8d ago )

I would love to see Lost Odyssey come over to PS5. I would definitely buy that again. That was the first game that I played on my 360. Loved the story and battle system. One of the best JRPGs of all time in my opinion.

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110°

Why a Bloodborne Sequel Could Never Be a True 'Bloodborne 2'

If FromSoftware's Bloodborne ever gets a sequel—and that's a big if—it won't be able to simply pick up where its predecessor left off.

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gamerant.com
gold_drake16d ago

probably due to some.of the endings true.

but u can still continue it on and subsequently end it for good.

The_Hooligan16d ago (Edited 16d ago )

I wonder if they could do a prequal where you play as part of the first hunt and see the blood research and the downfall of the healing church and the remaining hunters.

zaanan16d ago

That is a super great idea, I would 1000% pay full price for this! Only if Miyazaki directed, obviuosly. Bloodborne hooked me in a way Dark Souls never did.