Video game developer Frontier Developments (LON:FDEV) has released the first game to be offered as part of Microsoft's new Xbox One Game Preview Program (GPP).
Microsoft announced the release as part of their keynote presentation at the E3 games industry trade show in Los Angeles.
Released yesterday, the Elite:Dangerous Game preview available for Xbox One gives gamers early access to content before its general release.
The idea behind the scheme is for Xbox fans to preview work-in-progress titles, take part in the development process and help developers create a better game.
GPP players will also be the first to access new content with the forthcoming close quarter championships feature expected to be released in July.
David Braben, chief executive of Frontier said: “We are delighted to be able to work closely with Microsoft in this new way to engage with Xbox One players.”
“The GPP release of Elite: Dangerous for Xbox One is trailblazing "early access" content on consoles. We will be able to leverage our experience in early access to ensure we bring Elite: Dangerous to a new console audience without compromise.”
The official launch of Elite: Dangerous on Xbox One will take place later this year.
Shares gained 3.5p to 221.5p on the news.
Elsewhere, the FTSE 100 was 30 points lower at lunch to 6,681 as Greece remains in stalemate with its creditors.
“The noises now coming out of Germany are inferring that Capital controls could be the next course of action should some compromise not materialise before the weekend” Alastair McCaig at IG said.
Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras, however, is sticking to a hard line of negotiating as he aims to unlock funds, as well as bring an end to austerity in the country.
European markets suffered across the board today with the Cac 40 in Paris losing 24 points to 4,791 while the Frankfurt-based Dax eased 62 points to 10,922.
Back in the UK, consumer price index data showed that the brief flirt with deflation is over as a 0.2% monthly rise in consumer prices in May lifted annual rate back up to 0.1%.
In equities, cigarette-makers are back in fashion as British American Tobacco (LON:BATS) was 3% higher to 3,516p while Imperial Tobacco (LON:IMT) added 53p to 3,228p.
Both were boosted by an upgrade to ‘outperform’ from Credit Suisse. The bank has restarted coverage of the two after the recent merger of Reynolds and Lorillard.
At the other end of the index was Ashtead (LON:AHT) despite the tool hire group racking up record annual profits as the housing and construction recovery in Europe and the US boosted demand for equipment.
Sanlam Securities said the results were good, but noted that a “drag effect” from new openings and acquisitions held back Sunbelt's margin. Shares eased 3% to 1,093p.
In small caps, Iodine producer Iofina (LON:IOF) expects to exceed the upper end of production guidance in the first half of 2015. Share climbed 9.5% to 26p.
Meanwhile, boiler specialist Flowgroup (LON:FLOW) warned it will see a substantial drop in the number of installations this year due to a lower rate of VAT on energy-saving products. Shares plummeted 35% to 15.8p.