2020

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This page summarizes events related to the Xbox franchise that occurred in 2020.

Events

January

January 30: Special Edition Xbox One X console created by Nike, and EA Sports that was given away in a sweepstakes.

• January 8: Sea of Thieves passes 10 million players since the game launched.
• January 15: A content update is released for Sea of Thieves.
• January 16: The Xbox Console Streaming preview expands to all Xbox One supported countries.
• January 22: Ninja Theory announces Project Mara.
• January 28: Games with Gold for February are announced.
• January 30: Xbox, Nike, and EA Sports Team Up to make a custom Xbox One Inspired by Special Edition Air Max 90s.
• January 30: New Xbox One features begin rolling out to Xbox Insiders ahead of the February Dashboard Update.

February

February 21: New Gears of War action figures are announced at the New York Toy Fair.

• February 4: Xbox Game Pass Quests receives a major update.
• February 11: Pre-registering begins for Forza Street on Android.
• February 12: Project xCloud Testflights begin on iOS.
• February 12: Xbox Game Studios and Unity Technologies Partner with Louisiana State to Host Game Development Camp in New Orleans.
• February 14: State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition is announced for Xbox One.
• February 21: Gears of War unveils New Action Figures at New York Toy Fair.
• February 24: More details are revealed about the upcoming Xbox Series X.
• February 25: Games with Gold for March are announced.
• February 25: A new Xbox One Dashboard is released as a part of the February 2020 Xbox One Update.
• February 26: Yazuka 0 is released on Xbox One as well as Xbox Game Pass.

March

March 17: The Phantom Magenta Xbox One controller is released.

• March 2: Phantom Magenta and Arctic Camo Special Edition Xbox One controllers are announced.
• March 3: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is released on PC as a part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
• March 4: Fable Fortune is shutdown
• March 5: Minecraft Festival is postponed.
• March 5: Achievements for Ori and the Will of the Wisps are revealed.
• March 10: Call of Duty: Warzone launches on Xbox One.
• March 11: Ori and the Will of the Wisps is released on Xbox One, Windows 10 and Steam.
• March 11: E3 announces that they have cancelled this years expo over growing concerns about COVID-19. 
• March 16: Specifications for the Xbox Series X are revealed, as well as other features for the next generation console.
• March 16: More details are given about the all new Xbox Wireless controller that would be bundled with the Xbox Series X.
• March 17: The Phantom Magenta Special Edition Xbox One controller is released.
• March 17: The 1TB Xbox One S Roblox bundle is released.
• March 17: The new Xbox Insider Hub is launched.
• March 18: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks are revealed.
• March 20: Doom Eternal is released on Xbox One.
• March 20: Doom 64 is released on Xbox One.
• March 20: Sea of Thieves celebrates its second anniversary.
• March 24: Bleeding Edge is released on Xbox One and Windows 10.
• March 31: Release date for Minecraft Dungeons is revealed.
• March 31: Games with Gold for April are revealed.
   

April

April 20: The Cyberpunk 2077 Limited Edition Xbox One X console and controller are announced.

• April 2: Rare announces that Sea of Thieves will be released on Steam later in the year.
• April 2: Resident Evil 3 is released on Xbox One.
• April 6: Microsoft details new features coming in the April 2020 Xbox One Update.
• April 7: Microsoft announce that Project xCloud will be rolling out to more countries in Western Europe very soon.
• April 7: It is announced that Forza Street will be released on iOS and Android on May 5.
• April 7: Xbox detail future plans for Xbox Game Bar.
• April 7: Achievements for Gears Tactics are revealed.
• April 16: Minecraft with RTX for Windows 10 is put into beta.
• April 16: Xbox begins teasing what looks like a new limited edition console.
• April 16: Microsoft register a new trademark for a new Xbox Series X logo.
• April 17: A Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One X themed console and controller are leaked online.
• April 20: The final limited edition Xbox One X variant, the Cyberpunk 2077 Limited Edition Bundle is announced.
• April 20: The Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One controller is announced and released.
• April 21: The Xbox One April System Update is released, new features include the Surprise me button in My Games & Apps.
• April 22: Sea of Thieves receives a content update.
• April 23: Red Dead Redemption 2 will be made available on Xbox Game Pass soon.
• April 27: The Arctic Camo Special Edition Xbox One controller is released.
• April 28: Games with Gold for May are revealed.
• April 28: Gears Tactics is released on Xbox One and Windows.

May

May 16: The Xbox Series X starts production.

• May 5: Forza Street is released on iOS and Android.
• May 5: Xbox announces the Xbox 20/20 event that will be held each month, starting May 7. Each month will showcase new details on the Xbox Series X, building up to the consoles launch later this year.
• May 6: Xbox reveal the official icon for titles that will be Optimized for Series X.
• May 7: Inside Xbox showcases the first month of Xbox 20/20. A number of new third-party games are announced and revealed to be coming to the Xbox Series X.
• May 7: Red Dead Redemption 2 is released on Xbox Game Pass.
• May 12: Halo 2: Anniversary is released on PC as apart of Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
• May 13: An Xbox One System Update is released, including only a few minor changes.
• May 15: Doom Eternal receives its first major update.
• May 16: The Xbox Series X begins production.
• May 22: Pac-Man DLC is announced and released for Minecraft.
• May 26: Games with Gold for June are announced.
• May 26: Minecraft Dungeons is released on Xbox Game Pass, Xbox One, Windows PC, Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.
• May 27: The Xbox Family Settings App enters begins public testing on Android and iOS.
• May 27: Sea of Thieves receives a content update.
• May 28: More details on backwards compatibility on the Xbox Series X are revealed in a blog post on Xbox Wire.
• May 29: The May Xbox One System Update is released. New features include a customizable Guide.

June

June 11: Phil Spencer celebrates 30 years working at Microsoft, originally starting work at the company in 1990.

• June 9: Microsoft announce that there will be no Xbox 20/20 event for June.
• June 11: Phil Spencer celebrates 30 years working at Microsoft. Originally starting work at the company in 1990.
• June 12: Microsoft registers a trademark for "Xbox Series".
• June 15: Electronic Arts announces Star Wars: Squadrons.
• June 15: More details are revealed about how Smart Delivery will work with games on Xbox One and Xbox Series X in a blogpost on Xbox Wire.
• June 16: The June 2020 Xbox One Dashboard Update is released, it included simplified digital library management.
• June 17: Hitman 3 is announced for Xbox One and Xbox Series X and will release in January 2021.
• June 18: Cyberpunk 2077 is delayed for the second time in 2020.
• June 22: Microsoft announces that Mixer will be shut down on July 22.
• June 22: Xbox announces a partnership with Facebook Gaming.
• June 22: Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is announced.
• June 24: Dirt 5 is given a release date of October 9.
• June 25: Games with Gold for July are revealed.

July

July 24: A screenshot of some of the first gameplay that was shown of Halo Infinite during the Xbox Games Showcase.

• July 6: The date for the July Xbox 20/20 event is announced. The showcase will include various first party games and will be held on July 23.
• July 12: Far Cry 6 is announced and will release on February 18, 2021.
• July 14: Xbox gives more details about Xbox Velocity Architecture.
• July 14: Halo 3 is released on PC as a part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
• July 14: More details are given on Xbox Velocity Architecture in a Xbox Wire blogpost.
• July 16: The Xbox One S All-Digital Edition and Xbox One X are discontinued.
• July 17: The Xbox Insider Subreddit Reaches 100,000 members.
• July 16: Phil Spencer announces that xCloud will launch in September and be included with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for no additional cost.
• July 18: Purchasing 12 Months of Xbox Live Gold is made no longer possible.
• July 20: Sea of Thieves passes 15 million players since launch.
• July 21: Rocket League will go free to play during Summer 2020.
• July 22: Mixer is closed down.
• July 24: The Xbox Games Showcase is held. Key announcements can be seen below.
  • The first gameplay for Halo Infinite is shown.
  • State of Decay 3 is announced.
  • A new Forza Motorsport title for Xbox Series X is announced
  • A new trailer for Everwild is shown.
  • An expansion for The Outer Worlds is announced.
  • Avowed is announced.
  • As Dusk Falls is announced.
  • Destiny 2 and its expansions will be released on Xbox Game Pass later in the year.
  • S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is announced.
  • Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is announced.
  • Tetris Effect: Connected is announced.
  • The Gunk is announced.
  • A new trailer for The Medium is shown.
  • Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis is announced for Xbox Series X.
  • A Fable reboot being developed by Playground Games is announced,
• July 28: Games with Gold for August are announced.
• July 30: Microsoft Flight Simulator is given a release date of August 18.

August

August 18: Microsoft Flight Simulator was released on Windows PCs.

• August 4: xCloud will be made available as a part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on Samsung devices on September 15.
• August 6: Xbox Wire launches in Brazil
• August 7: Microsoft drops the Xbox 20/20 branding to be more flexible with with releasing new info.
• August 11: Halo Infinite is delayed until 2021.
• August 11: The Xbox Series X is given a release month of November.
• August 18: Microsoft Flight Simulator is released on PC.
• August 19: The New Xbox Experience is announced.
• August 25: Xbox Unveils three consoles inspired by Wonder Woman 1984 that can be won in a sweepstakes on the companies Twitter page.
• August 26: Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is announced.
• August 27: Games with Gold for September are revealed.
• August 28: Wasteland 3 is released.
• August 28: Project Cars 3 is released on Xbox One.
• August 31: 343 Industries announce a partnership with Monster Energy.

September

September 7: The Xbox Series S was announced to release along side the Xbox Series X as a more affordable, all digital option.

• September 3: Marvel’s Avengers is released on Xbox One.
• September 4: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 is released on Xbox One
• September 4: NBA 2K21 is released on Xbox One.
• September 7: The Xbox Series S is officially unveiled and will be released along side the Xbox Series X for $299.
• September 7: Release date for Xbox Series X and S is revealed to be November 10.
• September 8: CD Projekt Red and Rockstar Energy Partner for Exclusive Cyberpunk 2077 Rewards.
• September 9: Box art for the Xbox Series X is revealed.
• September 9: The Xbox Series X is given an official price of $499 US.
• September 9: It is announced that EA Play will be included with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at no additional cost.
• September 9: Xbox Series X and S preorders will start on September 22.
• September 10: Taco Bell begin a contest giving fans the chance to win one of many Xbox Series X consoles.
• September 15: Xbox Game Streaming launches as a part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, allowing users to stream games to play on Android devices.
• September 17: It is announced that pre-orders will start on September 22 for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
• September 21: Microsoft announce that they will acquire ZeniMax Media and its game publisher Bethesda Softworks.
• September 21: The new Xbox app made a part of the New Xbox Experience begins beta testing on Android devices.
• September 21: Xbox unveils a range of new accessories for the Xbox Series X|S including a new Play & Charge kit and a Shock Blue Wireless controller.
• September 22: Preorders begin worldwide for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
• September 22: Halo 3: ODST releases on PC as a part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
• September 22: Microsoft announces that Xbox Design Lab production will be paused on October 14.
• September 23: Rocket League goes free to play.
• September 24: A new Microsoft Store app is made available to all Xbox One owners.
• September 25: Mafia: Definitive Edition is released on Xbox One.
• September 28: Xbox announce the Xbox Hall of Fame competition.
• September 29: Games with Gold for October are revealed.
• September 29: Xbox Wire in Russian officially launches.
• September 29: It is announced that EA Play will be available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on November 10.

October

October 28: The Xbox Series X Fridge was revealed, only three were ever made with one being given away in a sweepstakes on the Xbox Twitter page.

• October 2: Star Wars: Squadrons launches on Xbox One.
• October 2: Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time launches on Xbox One.
• October 3: Minecraft Live is held.
• October 7: Gears Tactics goes gold, new achievements are added.
• October 8: Forza Motorsport 7 is released on Xbox Game Pass.
• October 9: Details are revealed for Xbox Fanfest.
• October 13: Cloud saves on the Xbox 360 no longer require Xbox Live Gold.
• October 14: The October Dashboard update is released for Xbox One. New additions include the new Dashboard and profiles a part of the New Xbox Experience.
• October 14: Xbox Design Lab production is paused and will resume some time in 2021.
• October 19: The New Xbox Experience mobile app is released to the public.
• October 28: The Xbox Series X Fridge is officially unveiled by Xbox.
• October 29: Mediatonic announce that Gears Pop! will be closed down on April 26, 2021.
• October 29: Games with Gold for November are revealed.
• October 30: Xbox announce a number of launch events that will be held around the world for the next generation of Xbox.

November

November 10: The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are launched around the world.

• November 2: Apple TV is announced for Xbox Series X|S.
• November 9: Disney+ is announced to be coming as a new perk for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members.
• November 9: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Xbox Surprise Children’s Hospitals Across the Country with Custom Xbox Series X Consoles.
• November 10: The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are released in all available regions.
• November 10: The new Xbox Wireless Controller is released.
• November 10: The Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X and S is released.
• November 10: The new Xbox Play & Charge Kit is released for use with the new Xbox Wireless controllers.
• November 10: Yakuza: Like a Dragon releases on Xbox.
• November 10: Planet Coaster: Console Edition releases on Xbox.
• November 10: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla releases on Xbox.
• November 10: Grounded surpasses 5 million players.
• November 10: Destiny 2: Beyond Light is released on Xbox consoles.
• November 11: It is announced that Xbox Cloud Gaming will release in Australia, Brazil, Japan, and Mexico on November 18.
• November 11: Major Nelson shows off his Xbox Series X launch controller.
• November 11: Xbox posts a tweet reminding users to not blow vape smoke into their Xbox Series X consoles.
• November 13: The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are revealed to have been the biggest launch in Xbox history.
• November 16: Xbox Community Game Club is started.
• November 17: Halo 4 is released on PC as a part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
• November 24: Games with Gold for December are announced.
• November 30: The November 2020 System update is released for Xbox consoles, it included a number of new dynamic backgrounds for Xbox Series X and S consoles.

December

December 10: The Master Chief is added as a character in Fortnite.

• December 8: 343 Industries gives an update on the development of Halo Infinite, as well as a release window of Fall 2021.
• December 8: Forza Horizon 4 receives a content update adding the Horizon Super 7, a feature that allows users to build their own events for other users to play.
• December 10: Cyberpunk 2077 is released for Xbox One and Windows.
• December 10: Master Chief is added as a playable character in Fortnite.
• December 10: Microsoft Flight Simulator is announced to be coming to Xbox Series X|S in Summer 2021.
• December 10: A cinematic trailer for a new Perfect Dark game being developed by the The Initiative is shown.
• December 11: Forza Horizon 4 receives a car from Cyberpunk 2077
• December 14: Ark II is announced as a Xbox Series X|S as a Console Launch Exclusive.
• December 15: The Gears 5: Hivebusters expansion is released.
• December 17: Xbox Unveils two custom controllers inspired by the Disney+ series, The Mandalorian.
• December 18: Among Us is announced to be coming to Xbox consoles and Xbox Game Pass in 2021.
• December 18: 343 Industries announce that all Xbox 360 Halo titles will have parts of their online services shut off in December 2021.
• December 22: Microsoft Flight Simulator Virtual Reality Update is released.
• December 22: Games with Gold for January 2021 are revealed.
• December 31: Xbox uploads a year in review video for 2020 on their YouTube channel.

Unknown

• All Xbox One models are discontinued.
• All ads are removed from the Xbox 360 Dashboard.