Microsoft before and after the Xbox (Shannon Loftis) (Patreon)

This week on Post Games: how did Xbox get here?

Former VP of Xbox Game Studios Shannon Loftis takes us on a guided tour of Microsoft's gaming ambitions, from the days before Windows 95 to Xbox's ambitious bet on the future of entertainment.

Patreon bonus prologue: The case for having fun

Act 1: Microsoft’s first tiny team of game makers

Act 2: Xbox before the acquisitions

Act 3: News of the week

Act 1: Microsoft’s first tiny team of game makers

Microsoft completes Activision Blizzard acquisition, Call of Duty now part of Xbox (The Verge)

Microsoft employees occupy headquarters in protest of Israel contracts (The Verge)

The past, present, and future of Xbox, according to its head of publishing (The Verge)

Midtown Madness (1999) Gameplay (FirstPlaysHD on YouTube)

The History of Windows 95 (AbortRetryFail)

Age of Empires Review, 1997 (Gamespot)

Act 2: Xbox before the acquisitions

The story of the Duke, the Xbox pad that existed because it had to (Engadget)

Fable II UK Review (IGN)

E3 2009: Project Natal - Reveal Trailer 720p HD (AlphaProtocol360 on YouTube)

Kinect isn’t dead: Microsoft has unannounced Kinect games in development (The Verge)

E3 2015 signals the beginning of overdue change for big-budget games (The Verge)

Microsoft to close Xbox Entertainment Studios, ending original programming plans (Polygon)

Age of Empires: Definitive Edition review, 2018 (Destructoid)

Act 3: News of the week

Steam, Discord, and Twitch execs called to testify before Congress over 'radicalization' of users (Polygon)

Florida Suing Porn Game Websites Over Alleged Age-Verification Violations (Aftermath)

Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor review (PCGamer)

This week in video game links

It’s 20 Years Since The Release Of One Of The Weirdest Games Of All Time (Kotaku)

“New Gods, Old Enigmas” - Luis Aguasvivas on Mafia: The Old Country (Bullet Points)

The Expressionist Games Manifesto (Jay Dragon)

In the 16 years I've played this series, Borderlands 4 is the first entry that's made me want to do post-game grinding—Gearbox just needs to fix its dang Wildcard Missions first (PCGamer)

Steam Shooter Keeps Dropping The Price The More People Wishlist It (Kotaku)

The Garfield Kart 2 review (Werner Herzog's version) (Polygon)

Round and Round, Like a Carousel – The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- Review (Gamesline)

Mario Kart World's NPCs are secretly stealing cars in their own game of miniature GTA (Eurogamer)

What's The Point Of Hard Games, Anyway? (Game Maker's Toolkit)

The Dead Matrix MMO Makes No Sense (eurothug4000)

Free game of the week: Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Demo

I feel like my decade-long love for the Sonic kart racing games is about to be rewarded. The Steam summary: "In the Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – Demo, try out 4 characters, 8 courses (3 main courses + 5 CrossWorlds), 12 different Machines, and customize playstyle with 20 Gadgets. Test out Grand Prix and Time Trial modes, and explore the Garage to personalize your vehicle."

What else I’m enjoying

CyberWorld (2000) IMAX Trailer (4K Restoration) (Julia scans IMAX)

Digital De-Aging Is Changing Movies (For The Worse) (Patrick H Willems)

30 years later, Hackers is still the perfect hit of ‘90s nostalgia (Polygon)