Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Microsoft’s ‘Countdown’ Xbox game sale is now underway

Add as a preferred source on Google

Last week we reported that Microsoft was teasing a sale starting this week that it was calling its biggest sale ever. Today is the first day of the “Countdown” Xbox game sale, and if you’ve been holding off on picking up a few choice games for the Xbox One or Xbox 360, there is likely no better time than now to get buying.

This first week of deals runs from today until December 28, according to Microsoft’s Major Nelson. The entire “Countdown” sale runs until December 31, with another sale running until January 7 to ring in the New Year. In addition to the weekly deals, daily deals will also be available.

Today’s daily deals are below:

  • Need for Speed (Xbox One) – $24
  • Need for Speed Hot Pursuit (Xbox 360) – $4
  • Popcap bundle (Xbox One) – $15
Recommended Videos

Highlights of the “Countdown” sale include Rise of the Tomb Raider, which was released just last month and can be had for $40, with the Deluxe Edition of the game going for under $70, which puts it $20 lower than its usual price. Halo 5: Guardians is also marked down, but only by 20 percent, with the Digital Deluxe edition marked down by 25 percent.

Other popular Xbox One games on sale include The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for $30, Grand Theft Auto V for $42, and Destiny: The Taken King – Legendary Edition for $40. A number of movies and TV shows are also on sale.

If you happen to be an Xbox Live Gold member, you’ll get an additional 10 percent off any game included in the sale. If you’re not seeing the prices displayed, Major Nelson mentions that you’ll need to be signed into your Xbox Live account to see prices in your local currency.

For the full list of games on sale, head over to Major Nelson’s blog. Do note, however, that the list includes the standard Deals With Gold and Spotlight Sale deals in addition to those from the “Countdown” sale.

Kris Wouk
Former Contributor
Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…
GTA 6 pre-loads begin on November 10, and it’ll eat 212 GB of your console’s storage
On launch day, Rockstar Games will also release an official cover art poster and map, available as a free download or as a double-sided physical print for $0.99 from the official Rockstar Store.
Grand Theft Auto GTA VI 6 gameplay screenshot drinks Ambrosia

Rockstar Games has just announced that preloads for Grand Theft Auto 6, aka GTA 6, will kick off at midnight on November 10 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S. If you’re buying the game from a retailer, code-in-box versions will be available starting November 12, ahead of the game's release on November 19.

"Digital pre-loading on PlayStation 5 will begin on Tuesday, November 10 at midnight local time in your respective time zone. On XBOX Series X|S, pre-loading begins globally on Tuesday, November 10 at 12 a.m. GMT," the studio said in a press statement.

Read more
Anthropic cracks down on video game cloning with new Claude restrictions
Claude can still help develop original games, but copying existing titles is now off the table.
Claude website open on laptop

AI has been making its way into video game development for a while now, but the recent developments have started raising some serious concerns. Popular games are being reverse-engineered with AI assistance, recreated for web browsers, and made playable on platforms they were never released for. Between all that, indie developers have started pulling down their demos over fears of getting copied. Anthropic has now stepped in with new restrictions for Claude Code.

The change was first spotted on X and subsequently confirmed by Anthropic's Addy Osmani. The new instructions prevent Claude from recreating specific existing games, even if they are renamed or presented as original projects. Users can still make original games, work on games within a genre, and use their own designs and assets.

Read more
Ubisoft shares major Assassin’s Creed updates, including disappointing news about remakes
New Game+, a final Black Flag treat, and a 20th birthday on the horizon.
Assassin's Creed, Gaming, Remake

If you have been looking for an excuse to jump back into Assassin’s Creed, Ubisoft just gave you a couple of good ones. Its Fall 2026 update is packed with news, from fresh content to a big birthday celebration next year.

What’s new in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla?

Read more