16BitHero

It's about time we had Xbox 2. But seriously it should probably be called Xbox Swansong.

Potential GOTY 'Esoteric Ebb' for me. If they eventually add full voice acting - as Disco Elysium did - then it's already GOTY (so far) for me.

@BacklogBrad I doubt Xbox will charge for online play in the next generation. That defeats the point of creating a PC hybrid and won't sit well with many. If they want to compete then this seems like a necessary business decision.

Since I finally built a beefy PC (after saving for 15 odd years!) I've spent 95% of my gaming expenditure on the Steam storefront. I still like gaming on PS5 and Xbox so it's not a power or graphics thing necessarily, more so the frequent and steep discounts Steam offers compared to the stingy PS and Microsoft stores. Online has to be PC too so I don't pay to play online anymore. The PC ecosystem is far more console esque and accessible these days so I'm not at all surprised by these statistics.

Hoping for Esoteric Ebb console announcement, could be GOTY contender although it's probably too indie to win.

@Fiendish-Beaver yeah definitely agree with this and with regard to charging for online play - that should be something they look to eliminate with their next console. If they want to stay relevant in hardware circles, I think that decision alone could grab a little more of the pie currently being scoffed by Sony.

@Fiendish-Beaver I think Gamepass is generally excellent and probably as good as it's ever been however, I think it's really aimed at Xbox only or gamers who rarely purchase, erm, games. I'm stacked until December but have barely used the service only because I usually get what I want during the frequent and excellent value Steam Sales. Sometimes there's a month with multiple great games I haven't played and I think I end up getting value out of the service in the long run. Most Xbox studios games are of interest to me and I only purchased Indiana Jones being a big fan of the IP. That's a bit of a ramble but you catch my drift.

Gamers are still willing to pay $70 for a 10 hour game because it's a polished and excellent experience. We don't need so many 30/50/100 hour games.

Of course I'm nostalgic for SSX Tricky but SSX 3 was definitely the best in the series in my opinion. Didn't know about this bc version, what a treat!

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is huge! For all Xbox woes and uncertainty, Gamepass has been incredible value for the last 12-18 months or more perhaps.

It's still the most bombastic game you can play with friends or other folks. Pure unadulterated fun.

Day 1 on Xbox/PC Gamepass for games with large budgets/long development cycles is an insane business practice. Simple as that. Maybe releasing on PS5 will pick up some of those lost sales but it'll rarely be enough outside of titles like Forza.

Is it me or is there a themed sale every month these days?

@Fiendish-Beaver Crikey mate, that's a lot of games!

PC gaming has come a long way in the last decade or so. Games are generally well optimized despite the wealth of hardware variation and settings available. The ecosystem is fluid and easy to use like never before (I'm glad I jumped in when I did) BUT certain components are skyrocketing in price once again and may remain that way for years. It's therefore still a pricey investment for most people which is why I'm curious to see the pricing and eventual popularity of the Steam Machine and a possible PCbox. I think PlayStation will remain a popular affordable choice even if it creeps up to say $600/700 for the base PS6. Nintendo will be fine with their price point and continued focus on family and kids games.

Change is inevitable. I'm honestly surprised these figures are this 'low'. In the US it's difficult to find physical Xbox games. Even with PS5, the selection at shops like Target, Walmart and Best Buy is incredibly limited considering the vast library available digitally.

It would be a fitting announcement for the 25th anniversary, even if they're light on the actual details.

Blood Dragon (Series X) is still 30fps for me. 4.45pm. East Coast time. Primal (PS5) is fantastic at 60 fps though!

I'll definitely give Indika a go on PC. I've already enjoyed the main attractions listed here.

I wonder how big this market actually is at the moment but cloud gaming is going to become more and more prominent - you've got to start somewhere I suppose.

I'm going to enjoy Cyberpunk 2077 VR before I accidentally let it update and the incredible VR mod is removed (CDPR indulging in the same capitalist nonsense as Take 2).

Original plan was to play the Indiana Jones dlc on my friend donated OLED monitor but I'm missing the power supply doh!

I then decided to continue with the engrossing Death Stranding 2 but have instead been going through Baldur's Gate 3 again in co-op - such an incredible game.

@Nintendo4Sonic it depends on whether or not you have any interest in a sort of caveman simulator lite with lots of action/combat, a gorgeous map (overhauled from Farcry 4) and a language created specifically for the game. I'm a long time Farcry fan having played every game in the series to date and Primal is still my favourite.

I've been subscribed on and off since the Series X launched and definitely gotten incredible value for money over the years - from catching up with Xbox One exclusives to all the indie gems and more recent exclusives. I'm stacked until December but I think this will be my last long term commitment. I'll re sub occasionally for new Microsoft Studios games I want to play but I primarily game through Steam nowadays. The backlog across PS5, Xbox and PC is real!

@UltimateKGB good point, I should have mentioned that in my comments yesterday for the Xbox memories article. Ripping CDs and listening to your own music was so great in many games. My best memory for that would be tearing up Rallisport Challenge 1 then 2 with classic drum n bass/jungle tracks!

@Cakefish the US has more major/popular sports which always take up a good quarter/third of this list. I buy every Hazelight game!

Great to see Ready or Not getting some console love on both continents. Best shooter in years for those craving a gritty single player/co-op experience in my opinion. So many tense and hilarious moments.

Anyone else still hear the splinter cell 'bad guys are looking for you' music all these years later?!

The GTA double pack was brilliant value, it made my PS2 mates rather envious too. The crisper graphics and noticable shiny detail on vehicles was a good step up in quality. It was the best way to experience those two legendary games at the time, even with the 'Fisher Price' controller!

I rarely read an entire comment section but this has been proper nostalgic and for an article that doesn't leave any room for strong opinions or bickering. I thoroughly enjoyed reading some of these happy memories! They've made me think even more about moving back to the UK.

One question for my fellow Brits as you mention Game for the og Xbox in 2001 but I don't remember Game, rather it's predecessor Electronics Boutique (bought mine on Camden high street). Just curious to know if indeed Game was already taking over at that time.

First memory is using my student loan to buy the original Xbox with I think Halo, Project Gotham Racing and Tony Hawk 3. It was almost £500 if I recall but months later they cut the price significantly and gave us early adopters a choice of two games to compensate. I picked Rallisport Challenge and Dead or Alive 3 as there weren't many options still. My roommates had PS2 and GameCube so we were covered for that generation! Good times.

If Forza continues the nauseating festival nonsense aimed at teenagers then I'll have to skip this one. Can it just be a good ol' racer with some lovely scenery again?

Looking forward to seeing more of Fable.

@Kramlar they'll absolutely change them again within the next 12-18 months. Xbox are the tech version of Manchester United or Chelsea with their managerial decisions.

@fatpunkslim I wish you'd given me this advice two years ago. Yes it's obvious but game discounts (especially Steam) are as dangerous as gambling for me!

I won't buy a single game this year with my wife expecting. My owned backlog on Xbox, PS5, PC and Quest 3 is utterly insane and I have Gamepass until December. Happy gaming in 2026 everyone, our hobby is escapism of the finest order!

The irony of Microsoft and NVIDIA being part of the problem here (AI infrastructure)....you can't make it up.

I was scouring the internet for an update just yesterday. This is the best possible news. In the meantime, Arc Raiders is basically co-op/multiplayer in a Terminator adjacent universe.

Whatever your thoughts, this is the biggest announcement in gaming for a long long time. Many gamers would switch to PC from console if it was more more affordable - and the form factor was more living room/bedroom friendly. The store fronts are better, have more frequent sales with deeper discounts and everything is in one place (albeit you have to wait for Sony exclusives). Online gaming is free and the community is enormous. This is excellent for competition overall but will definitely have Microsoft and even Sony paying close attention. I know it won't be less than $1000 but that's where consoles are headed anyway with current tech prices, inflation, tariffs etc. Edit: rumoured pricing sounds very good value, maybe as low as $500?!

For reference I have a Series X with Gamepass ultimate (lapses Dec 2026), PS5 and a decent PC but Steam is by far my preferred store and gaming library these days.

Choice is a good thing at the end of the day.

Announcement. Not announce. What happened to literacy in the 21st century?

It's this year's Helldivers 2. Good design choices and a satisfying game play loop. I wish it had been licensed with the Terminator IP because that's basically what it is. Lovely graphics and stellar sound design.

There is definitely a theme here. I think Microsoft will see more short term subs when there are a batch of new games available in the same month or two, but far fewer long term subs. Mine is stacked until December 2026 but I'll let it lapse and probably stick to PC and Steam sales.

Gamepass is still good value when compared to other subscription services but the key thing is time. If you've got lots of time to play games then you're golden. I think most adults who are post college/university, won't find value in the new pricing, especially if they have other subs for their family ie Netflix/Disney etc.

Halo games never had a strong/particularly coherent narrative, they really need to hire good writers going forward. That said, I've played them all since day one, way back in erm, 2001? The gunplay and AI on heroic were, and still are, what sets them apart from most run of the mill shooters. Halo 4 was a decent first effort from 343 all things considered.

Maybe Microsoft are asking if they should make original high quality first party games instead of the medium to high quality they currently put out (see anything by Obsidian for example). For all the studios Microsoft have acquired, they are still lacking in this area in my opinion. Remakes, remasters and lots of 7 or 8/10's.

Timely article: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/kingdom-come-deliverance-lead-says-obsidian-should-use-its-microsoft-fortune-to-make-games-more-like-kingdom-come-deliverance-give-me-something-more-than-level-grinding-in-a-static-scripted-world/

@AlwaysPlaying Same. Leave multiplayer/live service games to the established studios and focus on what you do best - which in Remedy's case are among my favourite IP's in all of gaming.

Five years ago my wife had played a video game. Animal Crossing, Blue Prince and PowerWash Simulator came along and now she has hundreds more hours in gaming than I can possibly find time for!

WHAT A YEAR. I can't pick from Doom The Dark Ages, Expedition 33, Ghost of Yotei, Death Stranding 2, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2... and there are many more releases I haven't gotten to yet.

I didn't love it as much as some folks but I think Expedition 33 will win it based on the conversation it has generated and for being a generally outstanding AA game that released in a finished state (ie respected consumers) - a rarity these days. Any of the above would deserve it imo.

As soon as they released the pricing details, Valve snared me with the $319 Steam Deck. No regrets, it's brilliant. If I win the lottery in the meantime though...

@Beckerjr true and the base Steam Deck, still with the same processing specs albeit a lesser resolution and storage, is currently $319.

@Eejay I don't think Sony will pursue VR after this generation. It's still relatively niche (even though I absolutely love my Quest/PCVR setup). The biggest VR titles thus far have had considerable financial banking from Meta etc. Yes Microsoft can afford it but if they are willingly ceding console numbers to competitors and focusing on software going forward, then there's no reason for them to get involved in VR hardware. They could work on software to allow third party VR headsets to work with Xbox but that ship has likely sailed. Another thing to consider with PSVR2 getting MSFS2024 is how punishing that game is to run despite it being predominately cloud based. I don't think the level of detail is going to be a show stopper, put it that way. Still, I'm happy more people will get to experience what is an incredible product - if you like flight sims/armchair travel/geography.

I personally love the service. I jump in and out based on games I want to play and now have an insane cdkeys deal until the end of 2026. For any newcomers or kids getting GP for the first time, the library is absolutely stacked. If you'd been told you'd have a choice of all those games for less than $20 a month 5 years ago you'd never believe it. I don't care if Microsoft are making or losing money on it. Consumers are winning at the moment.

Back on topic - I'm really enjoying the Veilguard. It's an all round fun rpg and good escapism even if the writing is a bit straightforward. I haven't played previous entries in the series so I came in with no expectations. For reference, Witcher 3 is my favourite rpg of all time.