Bloober Team has added a Photo Mode to Cronos: The New Dawn in a free update that is out now on Xbox Series X|S and PC, just in time for Halloween.
The update went live today, 26 October 2026. The game’s official X account confirmed that “Photo Mode just dropped” with “a free update on PC and consoles”, and Bloober Team’s press release via GamesPress says every owner gets it at no extra cost.
What Photo Mode lets you do
You can freeze the action and frame shots of the character and the world around them. Bloober Team lists these options:
- Exposure, contrast and bloom
- Advanced options such as film grain and colour fringing
- Screen filters and effects
- Stickers
The studio is also nudging players to pose as Pumpkin Head for the season. The Pumpkin Head skin can be switched on from the Extras section of the game menu.
And yes, the official account admits the real goal: “Let’s be honest though, we’re all here to take cat pics!”
The rest of the patch
Bloober Team’s patch notes list a few other changes alongside Photo Mode:
- HDR improvements: black and white levels have been rebalanced to make full use of the HDR range.
- Cutscene skipping: choice-based cutscenes can now be skipped.
- Bug fix: the Warden no longer goes missing after the Ascension cutscenes.
Half price on Xbox for Halloween
If you have not picked it up yet, Cronos: The New Dawn is 50% off for Halloween. On the Microsoft Store the standard edition is down to £24.99 (from £49.99) in the UK and $29.99 (from $59.99) in the US. The Store listing shows the offer running until 5 November 2026. It is an Xbox Play Anywhere title, so one purchase covers both Xbox Series X|S and PC through the Xbox app. It is not part of Game Pass.
Bloober Team is also running a “Halloweek” from 26 to 30 October, with streams, surprises and giveaways on its social channels. Its next big thing for Cronos is Cronos: Lazarus, a combat-heavy expansion in which you play as the Warden, due this autumn.
What Xbox players need to know
- Update: free Photo Mode, out now (26 October 2026)
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S and PC via the Xbox app (Xbox Play Anywhere)
- Halloween price: £24.99 / $29.99 until 5 November
- Game Pass: not included
- Developer and publisher: Bloober Team
Everything else on the game lives on our Cronos: The New Dawn hub, and more is on the official Cronos site. Got a spooky snap? Tell us on X or Facebook.
