Microsoft announces Independence Pack DLC for ‘State of Decay 2’

With State of Decay 2 hitting an important milestone, Microsoft announced that Undead Labs has released a new Independence Pack DLC for US$4.99 or free if you get the State of Decay 2: Ultimate Edition for US$49.99. Xbox Game Pass members get a 10 percent discount on the Independence Pack. The DLC introduces new weapons, vehicles, supplies, and fireworks and is available for both Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs. You can see the full list of new items under the cut:

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Summer Fun: 6 Xbox Games For Kids

By Sonya Davidson

Summer is here and even with the best laid plans – camps, playdates, excursions and of course plenty of fresh air outdoors – there will be times when we just need some quiet time. Of course, we all want to balance their screen time. Take your pick - movie? video games? favourite TV show? 

We’ve always been interested in understanding what games they were interested in and vetted them before jumping in. I can tell you the most fun for them were games that were traditional challenge games of skill and adventure games. Navigating through mazes, exploring different environments, uncovering hidden treasures earning rewards were always a hit. There are a number of games that are suitable for kids and can be played through the Xbox One console that is perfect for families.

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Nintendo and Microsoft play nice in new ‘Minecraft’ cross-play trailer, leaves Sony out of it

The words “Survive Together” appear alongside the logos of Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo Switch in a new trailer promoting cross-platform play for Minecraft on the two consoles. It seems jarring at first but a rather fitting image of how playing nice works not just for the manufacturers and developers but for the gamers, too. The trailer shows two players using their respective consoles to play Minecraft. And Sony’s refusal to be part of this collaboration is highlighted even more. 

Sony continues to keep everything close to its own chest. According to Polygon, one former Sony executive said the company’s refusal to allow cross-platform gaming comes down to not wanting items bought on other platforms to be used on the PlayStation 4. And if they continue down this path, they run the risk of being left behind by competition. Here’s to hoping they change their minds in the future.

Microsoft Xbox One will soon reportedly support Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant

It seems there will be more assistant options coming to the Microsoft Xbox One soon, if rumours are to be believed. Windows Central reports that upcoming versions of Xbox One dashboard will add support for both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. This’ll be available through a skill on both platforms. At the moment, Cortana is the only supported digital assistant on the Xbox One through the Kinect accessory or a headset. This rumoured addition could mean that you might be able to control your console through them. But it isn’t clear what features will be supported or if you’ll still need the aforementioned accessories for it to work. We’re banking on the idea that you wouldn’t need it.

Amazon recently brought on board Microsoft Xbox veteran Albert Penello to “help figure out how to grow Alexa/Echo presence in gaming.” If this integration is true, then that means the platform is a step closer to making that happen. Microsoft and Amazon are already working to integrate Alexa and Cortana on all Windows 10 PCs.

Source: The Verge