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In 2021, Windows teamed up with Disney+ to bring the fan-favorite app to Windows 11 and Microsoft Store. This popular streaming service includes Disney classics, recent animated and live action movies from its studios, as well as series and films from the Marvel and Star Wars universes. Disney+ was the first app to use a new feature in the Microsoft Store that produced a "Stream on Disney+" button upon searching for content in the store. To celebrate the release of Marvel Studios’ “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law”, an Original series streaming exclusively on Disney+, Microsoft debuted a video showing She-Hulk using Windows 11 in her daily life – both personal and professional…

Rami’s Racing History, the latest Forza Horizon 5 update, is now available. The update invites you to experience Mexico’s rich heritage of automotive manufacture with a new Horizon story, a festival playlist that celebrates different eras of car culture and deals on classic automobiles in the Forzathon Shop. Head over to Forza.net to see some of the cars in the update, find out about new accolades and more. Continue reading...

Another school year is on the horizon – for some, it’s already started – but if you’re still looking for the right PC, Microsoft’s partners offer plenty of choices. These devices all include Windows 11, which makes every task easier, especially when it comes to helping prepare students for the school year. Snap layouts, touch inputs and creator tools make Windows the best option for multi-taskers to get things done. And when students aren't studying or working on their next school project, these laptops can also help entertain them, with screens, speed and sound for streaming films and TV shows, as well as for playing the latest PC games. And with PC Game Pass, there’s e…

Players of Monster Legends can take advantage of a new feature to grow their monster collection and gain other rewards by coming back to the game daily. Look for the new Blooming Tree in the game’s shop, then purchase it to activate the Bloom and get your instant gems reward. Then return the next day to collect your daily dose of gems, and keep coming back until the last day of blooming. Gems Bloom is active for 30 days after the purchase. Also, players can now participate in the last event of the season: the Bounty Hunt. From Aug. 12 to Aug. 19, flip tiles to find the fugitive monster and defeat it. The more points you get in this event, the more leagues you will climb. …

Unity selects Azure as its cloud partner; companies will work together to enable creators to reach their audiences on Xbox and PC At Microsoft, we have a profound commitment to empowering creators. Throughout the history of Windows, we’ve nurtured developers and fostered their creative innovations. We do the same on our Xbox-branded platforms, supporting developers large and small in more than 90 countries around the world. And our Azure cloud assures developers that they can unleash their imaginations and trust that their work is secure and scalable. Our commitment to creators is something we share with our longtime partner, Unity, a global leader in real-time 3D t…

Sea of Thieves fans take note: With the new arrival of Season Seven, it’s time to truly become a captain. “At last you can own and name your ships, decorating them with hand-picked fittings and souvenirs of your seabound exploits, then working towards milestones to unlock more,” according to a post on SeaOfThieves.com. “Enjoy ongoing story-driven adventures and new seasonal rewards too.” Head over to SeaOfThieves.com to watch the trailer and find out about the new suite of features to help fulfill the captain fantasy long awaited by sailors. Continue reading...

In the hands of a gamer, an Xbox Wireless Controller helps navigate unfamiliar worlds. With it, you can jump huge chasms, escape from seemingly impossible situations and explore an endless array of characters and places. And thanks to the recently relaunched Xbox Design Lab, it’s also a canvas players can customize – a way to express who they are and what matters to them. The latest choices for that personalization debuted in June as Microsoft’s Pride 2022 observances commenced: more than 30 LGBTQIA+ interwoven community flags that celebrate intersectionality and unity on the Xbox Pride controller. This design honors the ever expanding and ever evolving diversity of LGBTQ…

Have you always wanted to wander around Bikini Bottom, dropping in at the Krusty Krab and maybe even taking one of the boats at Mrs. Puff’s Boating School out for a spin? Now you can, thanks to new SpongeBob downloadable content now available for Minecraft. “In this immersive DLC, you’ll dive into the world of SpongeBob in a way you’ve never seen it before,” writes Sophie Austin on Minecraft.net. “You’ll be rewarded for your curiosity too, because on your travels you might just find collectibles and items that’ll help you on your very important mission: helping SpongeBob make everyone’s day in Bikini Bottom the best day ever!” Head over to Minecraft.net to find out more a…

https://blogs.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/2022/07/1_Re-Hero-image-July-25-OMB-1024x726.jpg Photo credit: Weiquan Lin/Getty Images Our annual partner conference, Microsoft Inspire, just concluded. The conversations I had with Microsoft’s partner community echo those I have had recently with leaders from both established organizations and earlier-stage enterprises. Leaders across industries share a commitment to innovation as the only path forward through uncertainty in global markets, especially as they continue to strengthen their security posture, reduce their carbon footprint, inject more visibility into their supply chains, and promote more inclusive pros…

Take the battle for galactic supremacy to its ultimate level in Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion – a standalone RT4X game that combines the tactics of real-time strategy with the depth of the 4X genre (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate). Published by Stardock Entertainment, the game pits loyalist members of the Trader Emergency Coalition, who adopt a policy of isolation, against rebels who take on a purely militant view. Continue reading...

From July 21 through Aug. 17, you’re invited to get behind the wheel of the fully-electric Extreme E ODYSSEY 21 e-SUV in Forza Horizon 5 and experience four weeks of racing action. It's all part of the Series 10 Update for Forza Horizon 5, available to download on Windows, Xbox and Steam. The update provides access to the Forza Horizon 5: Hot Wheels expansion, new Extreme E content and numerous changes to improve your gameplay experience. Head over to Forza.net to find out more. Continue reading...

Bewildered. That’s the word Kason Patterson uses to describe her parents, who a few years ago couldn’t quite believe that she was quitting a stable job to pursue a self-employed career as CupAhNoodle, an online content creator focusing on gaming and pop culture. But Patterson, an LA native, had grown up playing video games with both her dad and older brother. “All I used to hear is, ‘there you go, playing them little video games.’ Fast forward to cut off ‘them little video games’ when I played too much. And now, what do I do for a living? Play them little video games,” laughs Patterson, who uses the CupAhNoodle gamertag bestowed on her as a joke by her brother. She had to…

Forza Horizon 5: Hot Wheels is available now in the Forza Horizon 5 Premium Add-ons Bundle, Premium Edition and Expansions Bundle. If you don’t have any of those bundles, you can buy the standalone Forza Horizon 5: Hot Wheels expansion directly for $19.99. “This is our first big expansion for Forza Horizon 5 and features our fastest, most extreme, gravity-defying tracks, new biomes to explore and tons of new cars and features,” writes Mike Brown, creative director of Forza Horizon 5, Playground Games, in a post on Xbox Wire. “Hot Wheels Park features a ton of new and diverse biomes: from the rugged Giant’s Canyon; to the frozen tundra dripping into the molten lava in the…

As Dusk Falls is now available. The game comes with Xbox Game Pass for PC, console and cloud, and is available for purchase on Windows, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles. “As Dusk Falls is an interactive narrative for all levels of players, something meant to be experienced with a group,” writes Kelly Lombardi, product marketing manager for the game, on Xbox Wire. “Inspired by prestige TV shows, the team at INTERIOR/NIGHT has crafted an uncompromising tale of family, resilience and sacrifice. You will learn more about the Walker and Holt families and how their lives were destined to intersect. You’ll make choices within the game to navigate tough scenarios …

Governments and public sector customers around the world are looking to accelerate their digital transformation, creating opportunities for social and economic growth and enhancing citizen services. Today, I am excited to announce Microsoft Cloud for Sovereignty, a new solution that will enable public sector customers to build and digitally transform workloads in the Microsoft Cloud while meeting their compliance, security and policy requirements. Today, public sector customers can harness the full power of Microsoft Cloud, including broad platform capabilities, resiliency, agility and security. With the addition of Microsoft Cloud for Sovereignty, they will have greater …

As we kick off the virtual gathering for Microsoft Inspire 2022, it’s an ideal time to reflect on the importance of our partner ecosystem. Each year we host an event to celebrate the work our partners do, and to recognize the impact they have across business and industry. Microsoft has more than 400,000 partners who employ more than 22 million people around the world. Our programs reflect a commitment to shared success. Together with our partners, we can achieve more. In that spirit, we celebrate the winners and finalists of our 2022 Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards, which recognize outstanding successes and innovations by partners in over 100 countries and in a…

If you’re just starting out with Windows 11 – or looking for refreshers on making the most out of it – there’s a new video series that will help you with staying organized, keyboard shortcuts, personalizing your experience, apps and tools. “Meet Windows 11” recently debuted with three short videos that will get you up and running on Windows 11. The first one goes over basics such as universal search, desktop groups and Microsoft accounts. The second video helps you personalize your Windows experience by suggesting several features, such as creating collections for websites you browse, choosing desktop backgrounds and using widgets. The third video explores new and refresh…

https://blogs.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/2022/07/a532c503-01a5-46e5-9304-de119e586add-1024x278.png We’re thrilled to be named Netflix’s technology and sales partner to help power their first ad-supported subscription offering. At launch, consumers will have more options to access Netflix’s award-winning content. Marketers looking to Microsoft for their advertising needs will have access to the Netflix audience and premium connected TV inventory. All ads served on Netflix will be exclusively available through the Microsoft platform. Today’s announcement also endorses Microsoft’s approach to privacy, which is built on protecting customers’ information. T…

The Age of Empires IV Season Two Update has arrived, bringing new content, additional ways to customize your gameplay and more, all available through Oct. 24. The first round of Season Two kicks off July 12 and runs for two weeks. Head over to AgeOfEmpires.com to find out how to take part in the new challenges and unlock exclusive rewards. Continue reading...

With summer in full swing, students and parents are preparing to kick off back-to-school shopping to get ready for the exciting year ahead. We know parents and students are always on the hunt for a great deal, and this year, as inflation continues to rise, parents’ stress over the shopping season has increased by 7% in recent weeks alone. To help families breeze through shopping with confidence, Microsoft Store is offering back-to-school savings – starting July 11 through Sept. 11 – including discounted laptops, PCs and accessories, all supported by an extended price promise and return window. Microsoft Store’s top back-to-school deals and savings include: Save up to 50…

Dell’s new Windows 11 Inspiron Plus PC laptops are designed for boosting creativity and connection while providing immersive visuals and crisp audio. With Windows 11, they’ll be able to tap into many features that help them connect faster, be creative and/or productive and bring them closer to what (and who) matters most. The Inspiron 16 Plus features the latest 12th Gen Intel Core H-series processors and optional NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics for quick photo and video editing. When configured with a GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, it provides access to a powerful suite of NVIDIA Studio tools including Broadcast and Canvas apps. [caption id=attachment_177451" align="aligncenter"…

Illumination’s Minions mashup just got an update that Minecraft players can access now. "Playing as Gru, your quest is to become the biggest, baddest super-villain, and to do that you’ll need to gather gadgets, Minions and your courage to take on the Vicious 6: a team of supervillains who aren’t thrilled about your attempts to steal their thunder," writes Sophie Austin on Minecraft.net. "As your devious plans take shape, you’ll need to fill up your villain-o-meter by sneaking, racing and directing your Minions in increasingly crafty ways before facing your foes in a fiery final showdown." Also, to celebrate the launch of this update and the new Minions movie, you can get …

Hey Sea of Thieves players: Swap your pirate hat for a detective’s cap as you uncover clues and find out the fate of the missing Merrick in “The Forsaken Hunter,” the game’s latest narrative-driven adventure, from June 30 to July 14. This update is available for free to all Sea of Thieves players who have bought the game on Windows 10/11 PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One or via Steam, or players who have access to it with Xbox Game Pass. Simply download and install the latest Sea of Thieves update to get access. Head over to Xbox Wire to watch the trailer and find out more. Continue reading...

Take advantage of the Minecraft Marketplace 5 Year Celebration Sale going on now through July 12. You'll find more than 200 discounted packs and special doorbuster deals with 75% off selected content. Plus, you can claim 14 free Character Creator Items and a new adventure from Gamemode One: Spellcraft. Head over to Minecraft.net to find out more and watch the trailer. Continue reading...

Summertime has arrived, and with that a chance to hopefully slow down a bit, get outdoors and make memories with our loved ones. During this time of year, some of us are also planning travels or perhaps are tackling projects around the house that we didn’t have time for during the busy school year. This month, we’re introducing upgrades to Collections, with new ways to help you organize your ideas and find inspiration – all with the goal of helping you make the most of your time online so you can focus on what matters most to you. Remember, if you’re running a Windows PC, you already have Microsoft Edge installed, so launch it and check it out and see why Microsoft Edge i…