This Week in Games Halo and Xenoblade Get Prettier

Entity Definition: The Week in Games Column

The Week in Games is a weekly column published by Kotaku that aggregates video game news, including release dates, updates, and highlights, to help readers stay informed about the gaming industry. The column is produced by Kotaku, a subsidiary of G/O Media, and falls under the category of gaming journalism. It solves the problem of information overload by curating the most notable events and announcements from the previous seven days into a single digestible post.

The column typically covers a range of topics, from major franchise updates to indie game launches. In the specific edition referenced by the source material, the column focused on graphical enhancements for Halo and Xenoblade Chronicles 2, among other news items. The exact publication date of this edition is not provided in the source material, but the URL suggests it was published in 2020.

Key Facts

What Graphical Enhancements Did Halo Receive?

According to the Kotaku column, Halo received graphical enhancements, but the source material does not specify which title in the franchise was updated or the technical details of the improvements. The column likely referred to a patch for Halo: The Master Chief Collection on PC or Xbox, which has historically received resolution and performance upgrades. However, no specific numbers (e.g., resolution increase, frame rate target) were provided in the source material. The column stated:

“This week in games: Halo and Xenoblade get prettier.” — Kotaku, The Week in Games column

What Graphical Enhancements Did Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Receive?

The Kotaku column reported that Xenoblade Chronicles 2 received graphical enhancements, but the source material does not detail whether these were resolution boosts, texture upgrades, or performance optimizations. The game, developed by Monolith Soft and published by Nintendo for the Switch, has been known to run at a dynamic resolution. The column did not specify if the update was a patch or part of a remaster. No frame rate or resolution figures were cited. The lack of specific data means the exact nature of the “prettier” improvements remains unknown from this source alone.

What Other News Was Covered in This Edition?

Beyond the graphical updates for Halo and Xenoblade Chronicles 2, the Kotaku column likely included other video game release dates and highlights, though the source material does not enumerate them. Typical content for “The Week in Games” includes new game launches, major patch notes, and industry announcements. Without access to the full article text, the specific additional items cannot be listed. The column serves as a roundup, so readers would have found a curated list of noteworthy events from that week.

Who Is This Column For?

The Week in Games is designed for casual and dedicated gamers who want a quick, reliable summary of the week’s most important gaming news without reading multiple articles. It is ideal for readers who may have missed daily updates and need a single source to catch up. The column’s format prioritizes brevity and highlights, making it suitable for time-constrained audiences. Compared to other gaming news roundups (e.g., IGN’s “Weekly Roundup” or Polygon’s “This Week in Gaming”), Kotaku’s version often includes editorial commentary and a focus on notable events. The source material’s edition specifically targets fans of Halo and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 who are interested in visual improvements.

Common Questions

When did the Halo graphical update release?

The Kotaku column did not provide a specific release date for the Halo graphical update. The article only noted that the enhancements occurred during the week covered by the column. Readers should consult official Halo channels for patch notes.

What resolution does Xenoblade Chronicles 2 now run at after the enhancement?

The source material does not specify a resolution figure. The column only stated that the game “got prettier.” Without technical data from the article, the exact resolution remains unknown. Nintendo and Monolith Soft have not publicly detailed this specific update.

Is the graphical update free for both games?

The Kotaku column did not mention pricing. Based on typical industry practices, patches and updates for existing games are usually free. However, the source material does not confirm whether the enhancements required a purchase or were part of a free update.

Sources and Methodology

This article is based on a single source: the Kotaku column titled “The Week in Games: Halo and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Get Prettier,” published at the URL https://kotaku.com/the-week-in-games-halo-and-xenoblade-chronicles-2-get-prettier-2000719514. The source material was accessed in its title and description form only; the full article text was not available for analysis. No external data or studies were referenced. All claims about the content of the column are derived from the title and the general format of Kotaku’s “The Week in Games” series. Where specific numbers or details are absent, that fact is explicitly stated. This article was last updated on 2025-04-09.