October is here and the final preparations for the next generation of consoles have begun, with Microsoft and Sony getting ready for the conflict ahead. Christmas is also on the horizon, as well as the prospect of more lockdowns in the future, and there's still a small chance that the PS5 and Xbox Series X won't be able to hit their promised release dates.

The biggest stories of the past week include a long-awaited return to the Forgotten Realms, a medieval campaign for Fall Guys, new details about the capabilities of the PS5, Microsoft's future plans for its streaming services, and Sega's discussions about a Dreamcast retro console.

Previously: The Biggest Stories Of The Week (September 27-October 4, 2020)

Baldur's Gate 3 Enters Early Access (And Crashes Steam)

After twenty years of waiting, a new Baldur's Gate game is finally available. Baldur's Gate 3 launched in Early Access on Google Stadia and PC. The Early Access version of the game has roughly 20 hours of gameplay and consists of the first of three acts. The previews for Baldur's Gate 3 were positive, with the caveat that the game is full of bugs that still need ironing out.

The most surprising aspect of the Baldur's Gate 3 launch is that it crashed Steam. Larian reported that the sales figures were insane, despite the launch state of the game and the fact that it cost full price. The game has since received a few hotfixes that have addressed some of the most serious bugs. It's clear that there is a lot of enthusiasm for Baldur's Gate 3, but the game has a long way to go before its ready.

Fall Guys Season 2 Launches (And Leaks)

via Sirus Gaming

After months of waiting, Fall Guys Season 2 launched on PC and PlayStation 4. The response from fans has been underwhelming, as only four new minigames were added. The existing stages have some changes, some QoL improvements have been added, and the game runs better than it ever did, but it might not be enough to keep the crowd sticking around, especially in the face of the rising star that is Among Us.

Fans of the PC version of Fall Guys went digging through the files of the game and they uncovered some of the upcoming costume crossovers that will be taking place. Fall Guys Season 2 will include costumes based on Geralt from The Witcher 3 and Sonic the Hedgehog. These are a step up in popularity from the costume crossovers that took place during the first season of the game.

The PS5's Backward Compatibility List Was Revealed

The PS5 is due to be released in a month and Sony has finally decided to clarify the backward compatibility features of the system. The PS5 will be compatible will all but ten of the PS4's games. Those ten games are DWVR, Afro Samurai 2 Revenge of Kuma Volume One, TT Isle of Man - Ride on the Edge 2, Just Deal With It!, Shadow Complex Remastered, Robinson: The Journey, We Sing, Hitman Go: Definitive Edition, Shadwen, and Joe's Diner. There will also be some PS4 games that can benefit from the hardware of the PS5 through its boost features, including Final Fantasy XIV. Those backward compatibility numbers are impressive and the excluded games are hardly worth missing, so the PS5 has even more going for it than it did before.

Microsoft Has Big Plans For Game Pass & Project xCloud

Xbox Game Pass is one of the best deals in gaming and Microsoft has big plans for the service. It's possible for subscribers to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to stream games to their phone through the Project xCloud service, but Microsoft wants to extend that to PC and Xbox systems in the future. This will allow Game Pass to compete with Google Stadia in the streaming gaming market, allowing low-end PCs to run high-end Xbox titles. Project xCloud is currently only available on Android phones, but Xbox boss Phil Spencer has plans to bring it to iOS in the future, through the aid of a web browser, which will allow it to bypass Apple's rules regarding apps. If Microsoft can do this, then the potential audience for Game Pass will grow exponentially.

Sega Is Considering A Dreamcast Mini

via Polygon

Sega has released a retro console for the Genesis/Mega Drive, and it intends to do it with more of its systems in the future. Longtime producer Yosuke Okunari revealed in an interview with Famitsu that Sega is discussing plans for retro consoles based on the SG-1000 and the Dreamcast, though it could take a couple of years before they're ready to be released. A Sega Dreamcast Mini has the potential to be a huge hit for the company, considering the incredible line-up of first-party games that were made for the system, before the company left the console market altogether.

Read Next: The Biggest Stories Of The Week (September 20-26, 2020)