"The days of players being locked to a closed-off console ecosystem are starting to feel antiquated."
That's right and players will benefit the most of it. Next generation, Xbox ports won't be necessary. All games are made for Windows and Xbox Magnus will just play those with no specific build or Windows version like on Xbox One and Series X|S.
@acmiguens Yeah, I realised. I'd like the next console to be called Xbox Magnus like the code name, but knowing Microsoft, it might be called Xbox X-Cloud Win or something like that.
I don't think Rockstar, Microsoft and Sony are worried. People will play on the console they own as they have been doing since 2013 when GTA V was released, with this game still on the top 10 on the Xbox and PS charts, believe it or not. Overshadowing other software seems more logical, but now that most sales are digital, I don't think it's as important. The "This game will fail because of GTA" is an old statement from a physical era of boxes on the shops' shelves. One thing that could happen is that people that have an Xbox One will upgrade to Series S or X to play the game, same for PS4 players upgrading to PS5, because the game is current-gen only.
@FraserG Does the Xbox 360 version grant the extra content mentioned in the article without owning the DLC of the Xbox 360 version? Because then we can just get that in the next sale. If not, I'll just get the new version.
I know it sounds like unnecessary doubt, but in the past there were some games that only granted a free upgrade if you had the game of the year or deluxe edition.
I like that Square Enix is focusing on its home teams. This is the opposite of Sony that is more focused on the American teams. Square Enix as the owner or publisher of Western studios hasn't worked as well, although I believe most of the redundancies that have happened in the industry are related to customer service, distribution, marketing and such things, since most of the studios were oversized and they needed to scale down. That's why all the big publishers have done this, unfortunately.
I'll get it on Xbox because I loved I and II and they looked and played better than on Switch where I started the first game. I'm delighted to finally see all Square Enix on Xbox!
This generation is the most atypical that I've lived, but it looks like everything is getting better in terms of options and competition. It's great to see Valve releasing a home console after the handheld market no longer being a Nintendo monopoly thanks to Steam Deck and the multiple gaming handhelds that came later, such as the brand new Asus Rog Xbox Ally X, and now the home console market is going to look similar in a few years, which will make PS the awkward proposition as a walled garden with no exclusives, not even first-party. Solid choice for those Sony fans with huge PS libraries, obviously, but I guess being an Xbox site, most users here have the biggest library on Xbox, and so I'm also happy to see Microsoft pioneering this hybrid concept of console-PC that allows more freedom (free online?) and – according to rumours but not confirmed – third-party stores. This would mean that the next Xbox would be the most powerful console and support the Xbox and the PC libraries, on top of Game Pass and having frequent digital sales that cover first and third-party games. In any case, the best thing that could happen to Xbox is merging the Xbox and Windows PC development, no longer requiring Xbox ports. Play Anywhere was the first step on Xbox One, but I'm sure that next generation there will be one Windows version for all gaming PCs and Xbox consoles. Being the best at supporting backwards compatibility, this is the ideal outcome that Xbox fans could hope for.
Great article. I agree with the comments above. Series X is the best console of the generation, regardless of sales. Its hardware and software capabilities are unparalleled: design, quality, performance, Quick Resume, enhanced and free backwards compatibility, FPS Boost, free cloud saves and the fastest and most responsive digital store.
Nice to read what Xbox users think for once. Most Pure Xbox articles are full of comments from people reminding the world that they don't like Xbox and, for some weird reason, they write on a daily basis about it.
As others have said, this is coming "soon" so it's not related to another PS device. If Sony is considering abandoning Steam and starting its own PC store just to prevent the next Xbox from running Sony's games, an idea worthy of the biggest Sony fanboy's dreams, but somehow credible, Sony's going to hit a very thick wall. They would alienate PC players, including those that supported Sony games on Steam.
@fatpunkslim It absolute seems so. They will probably swallow their pride and use Steam and other third-party stores on day one, as the money, infrastructure and security for their own PC store might not be worth it, considering their limited software output and that third parties would likely favour Steam and Epic.
The future of Xbox and PC is the same version of Windows for gaming, regardless of how many Asus units are manufactured or sold. There's no doubt that this Windows for gaming will be one of Microsoft's legs from now on and that it will get better as it's tested and updated.
Xbox consoles run a version of Windows since Xbox One. From now on, it's going to be the same software and game builds on all devices: consoles, PC and gaming handhelds, with backwards compatibility added to Xbox consoles. This is why the future of Xbox is brighter than ever before. Asus Rog Xbox Ally X is for Microsoft a software test, a premium (and successful) beta of the future of Xbox on all devices.
@HonestHick With so many devices that can be used for casual gaming, it's not as players are priced out. Consoles, handhelds, phones, tablets, TVs... Xbox Cloud has been improved significantly and it's included in all tiers, with the specific PC tier currently hidden under an arrow on the official site. You can tell that Cloud is fully supported and a bigger part of the Xbox business going forward, with PC and console being merged for traditional gamers and for staying competitive.
The news are excellent indeed and while not all of it has been confirmed by Microsoft, the different rumours point at the same direction. A console is always more efficient than a PC, so we can expect to see top-end performance on the next Xbox for one quarter of what a top-of-the-line PC costs. The gaming handhelds will obviously be more power-aware, but I'm impressed with the performance of Asus Rog Xbox Ally X. There will be different options for playing Xbox, PC and even Sony games. I know we both are looking forward to the premium and backwards compatible Xbox!
@ILuvGames Yeah, games are the important thing and it doesn't matter what games we play and on what system(s). Gaming is supposed to be for fun. Some people here gives those tragic vibes, though.
@ILuvGames Great comments, #79 👌. I love Halo Infinite, it's my favourite Halo, but the first one is also very special. It has some of the best level design in the series. Yes, I know some levels are empty and repetitive, but I mean the design of the battles, enemies and battlefields, some of the best I've seen in my life. I'm looking forward to its remake. The only one I disliked is 5 and 4 is so-so. Something got better at 343 Industries/Halo Studios, fortunately.
@HonestHick Yes, I'm with you, I think that their handheld will be dockable. No reason not to, it's literally sending video and audio data through a USB-C port that it needs anyway. I also love what has been leaked today, if true. I mean, nothing that has been leaked today is surprising and goes along every other rumour: a powerful console that you can leave as an Xbox experience and that runs the same game builds as a PC, but with settings and hardware optimised for gaming, plus third-party stores for PC gamers. Free online is the only thing that seems new. I suggested it as a possibility and someone here got mad.
The Rog Xbox Ally X was of course the first step of that light Windows for gaming, a necessary step to achieve better performance while being the most compatible OS. The other bit I love and that was confirmed by Microsoft so I had no doubt about it, is the backwards compatibility, my favourite Xbox One and Series X|S feature. That aside, I think it's great for most of us that it will be a powerful console and not somewhere in between like the rumoured Steam Home and Switch 2. The difference here is that players can still choose to play on cheaper devices or platforms that they own via Cloud.
Back to the handheld business, if they want to do what Asus did, could be the cheaper model versus Steam Deck and Switch 2 and the high-end model versus premium handheld PCs.
@Coletrain I like handhelds, but I definitely prefer playing on a console connected to a big OLED TV and with an Xbox controller in my hands. The Series X in that regard has been perfect for me during the last 5 years. At least, they nailed the hardware!
@Coletrain Exactly, the only thing that the next Xbox won't play are Switch games. Besides, unless PS6 sports last-gen tech, unlikely after watching AMD's presentation, it won't be cheap because it won't be subsidised. Rumours say it won't be as powerful as the next Xbox, but that doesn't mean that it will be much cheaper, and then you have to consider paying for online, on top of what you mentioned.
This is what I explained to other users that insisted on Microsoft dropping their own hardware, that Microsoft had not cancelled their own handheld and that Rog Xbox Ally X was a different thing, with Microsoft more focused on optimising the software because without it, the Xbox experience wouldn't exist outside consoles.
I noticed that the official Xbox lineup has changed to: Xbox consoles, Xbox on PC, Xbox on handhelds, Xbox on mobile and Xbox on TVs. I think that we are going to see a home console and a gaming handheld next generation. With Xbox Full Screen Experience coming to all Windows and Cloud devices, the concept of a hybrid is no longer needed, although the handheld could be dockable, it's just sending audio and video through a port that it needs, anyway.
@Coletrain @OldGamer999 I think that the three of them are no longer competing with each other directly. Nintendo is probably more worried about mobile devices that were not as popular for gaming in 2017, including phones, tablets and now gaming handhelds that play more games and are less limited. Early sales are always strong, but will Nintendo repeat the Switch success? Sony is not worried about Xbox, but is probably worried about the console market being limited and hardware sales not translating to software sales with few exceptions, and typically third-party titles, so they are ready to become multiplatform and sell their so-called pedigree games to more players. Microsoft just realised the console market is even more limited for them and have been supporting PC since Xbox One and now are ready to merge both markets. What makes their proposition more interesting to me is that they are bringing the best of both worlds and, literally, the only thing that players will miss on the next Xbox are Nintendo exclusives.
@Oldgamer999 The next Xbox needs to be announced properly and closer to launch, not earlier than one year. Who knows when it will launch! 2027? 2028?
@OldGamer999 Sony will release a PS6 that won't be subsidised either and Nintendo will probably release a Switch 3 that won't be either. They still will be (popular) walled gardens, the only difference is that Sony games will be available on PC and, according to their job listings, some on the Xbox store as well.
@OldGamer999 All PC games run on Windows, Steam included. The problem with Windows is that until now, it was not optimised for gaming, which is what they're doing now, and thus third-party stores beat Microsoft's own OS store. The other problem with PC games in general is that every PC is different and there are several brands making different CPUs and GPUs, but games running on the same Xbox will know exactly the optimal settings.
@ElkinFencer10 Like others said, online will very likely be paid on Xbox One and Series X|S, same as phased-out Game Pass tiers still exist. Free online will be free on the next Xbox. It will be digital, although a disc driver might be available separately. They are going to get rid of PC Game Pass, currently hidden under an arrow on their website. They want all tiers to support console, PC and Cloud.
This is the dream of console and PC gamers: a console-like experience with optional PC freedom and free online. Hardware optimised for gaming like your typical Xbox, surpassing PCs with similar specifications. Turn on and play. The best of both worlds. Moreover, no more walled gardens and no more specific ports, with the Windows version of games running on the next Xbox.
@Coletrain Forza Horizon 6 will definitely push Xbox hardware and Game Pass on console and on PC, because it won't be on Steam either. Maybe it will push Cloud in Asia.
@OldGamer999 I think that there is not one reason but it's a complex situation. Some people say that Phil Spencer lied about the four games, but he just didn't know beyond those. Like I said some days ago, the communication between Microsoft's bigwigs and the Xbox bosses does not seem fluent and it's like they don't work as a team, but receive regular emails with already made decisions. If you look at Phil's face lately, he seems more frustrated than when he was pioneering the Xbox One S and Xbox One X. He now accepted that the big decisions are made by people like Satya "Scrooge McDuck" Nadella.
Some Xbox games performed quite well on PS5, others not so much. Microsoft obviously prioritise Xbox and now PC with Play Anywhere. It was reported that the studios (Bethesda) also decide what platforms they want to publish on, although I think it's probably the big bosses that really green-light or propose what games should be ported. Port this game, don't port this game, port this game after the Xbox version, etc. This is not consistent for PS fans, but they are not Microsoft's priority.
Next generation the big business of Xbox will be Xbox and PC, and probably mobile and Cloud. PC is the biggest market (outside the mobile casual market) and PS5 is extra money but a different OS and a smaller market. Nintendo Switch is old technology and people don't buy as many third-party as first-party games on there, but we will probably see some Xbox ports on Switch, too.
And yes, there were droughts in the past, but 2024 was great on Xbox, 2025 is great too and 2026 is looking as good so far. Despite the doom and gloom, that it's more an online bubble than a real thing, numbers say that the Xbox business is growing and next generation will probably be bigger with a more focused strategy, at full throttle on Xbox, Xbox on PC, Game Pass and Cloud. That will ultimately benefit their studios and gamers on all platforms, because of the bigger Xbox ecosystem.
@ElectricWizard That's right. The price of the software has a bigger impact on the current account of customers than the price of a piece of hardware per generation, which is also why I don't believe Xbox fans will switch, unless they go to PC and keep their libraries, achievements and save clouds. Moreover, they'd lose access to Game Pass as it's not available on PS and Game Pass is a money saver if they like playing new releases.
@Sol4ris I agree. Unless Sony does a Nintendo and PS6 sports last-gen technology, PS6 won't be cheap.
@Llamageddon There are several reasons and evidences:
1) Sony hiring a team for PC and Xbox ports, naming Xbox specifically.
2) The new CEOs of Sony being the opposite of Jim Ryan, which means no console warriors and not emotionally attached to the concept of PS "pedigree" games being exclusive.
3) If Sony makes Windows ports of PS games, they are making Xbox ports in the process, because Xbox runs on a custom version of Windows with DirectX included, and supposedly the next Xbox will run the same gaming version of Windows as PC games.
Remember that Sony's games will be available on PC and maybe on Xbox. I can't see people switching because of Xbox games being available on PS. It doesn't make any sense. They'd lose their whole library, save files, achievements... People that say so are already PS fans. You can see this when Helldivers was a big success on Xbox a year and a half later and when Forza Horizon 5 was a big success on PS5 4 years later. Console exclusives are over except on Nintendo systems.
If I'm excited about this remake and even feel nostalgia for The Master Chief Collection, I can't imagine the people that played the game on the original Xbox.
There's something really special about Halo that you can't find elsewhere. Actually, the only one I don't like is 5 because of the mediocre gameplay and awful level design. I love the others, Infinite included. I'm looking forward to trying the new version of the first game.
@fatpunkslim Yeah, I was comparing in my mind Nintendo charging £60 for two Wii emulated ports that I paid £20 (£10/each) for on the Wii U eShop, while Microsoft is selling a little new gem like Keeper for $30. Sony has not published a lot of new games for PS5, but they are re-selling re-remasters. I really think that this generation has been great for Xbox, whose library is the best, all things considered, but the internet tends to focus too much on the negative news, especially when they are related to Xbox.
Poor Phil, I mean, he's rich and the actors are funny, but it's unfair. The margin is 30% for the whole Xbox business, not for each game, so there's room for smaller and bigger projects, and subscriptions revenue needs to be considered. "Keeper" won't earn as much money as other games, but it also didn't cost as much to develop. It's clever to make smaller games that you can buy for less and that some people will enjoy more.
These goals are established by Satya and Amy, who seem to think that they should set some kind of supermarket economy, when the video game industry is very complex and the bigger the publisher, Xbox, the more they should look at all the metrics and the long term.
I understand shutting The Initiative down after years of chaos and unproductiveness. I was critical of them years ago. I strongly disapprove shutting Perfect Dark down, right when it was being fixed by Crystal Dynamics, a third-party studio that could have finished it. Cancelling Perfect Dark is long-term damage. This is just an example of applying short-sighted economy views.
TL;DR, Satya is Scrooge McDuck and Amy is the supermarket manager that sets the 30% margins for your daily products as if video games were manufactured in one hour.
@Stocksy LOL I know you for so long and I like you. I was just reflecting on others' opinions. For me backwards compatibility is super important and the thing that made me an Xbox fan. I bought Rare Replay physically before getting the Xbox One, the first Xbox I bought. I haven't bought the Rog Xbox Ally X. I love Series X and I will get the next-gen Xbox because it will support backwards compatibility. It's essential because I play old and new games equally.
I love that Xbox upgrades games you own for free, assuming they're doing a free upgrade like God of War Reloaded. I still haven't played a Fallout game. I only played that Xbox One demo before Game Pass started. What I have played and loved is Starfield and Skyrim on Series X. I played Starfield when it was almost 60fps (or with VRR on it looked so), and that is an invaluable improvement for the kind of games Bethesda makes. Last generation almost everything was a rough sub-30fps and it dizzied me, especially games like that Fallout demo and Dishonoured 2, was it? The best things of the current generation are Quick Resume, FPS Boost and that most new games are 60fps, or at least 40fps with VRR.
@DaPrince Yeah, the problem as explained by me and many others is that they mark down Xbox games for nonsensical reasons regardless of what they really think (written in the review text) in order to submit a mixed review to Metacritic and bring the game score down while, at the same time and therefore having double standards, overstate Sony's games with the opposite goal, but I don't think they care about their credibility, judging by Sammy's articles.
That's a very good point. Playstation Portal wouldn't be a Playstation either. Steam Deck wouldn't be a Steam either.
At the end of the day, Rog Xbox Ally X is an Xbox that runs Xbox games via Cloud and plays PC games, including Xbox Play Anywhere games that are cross-buy, so you don't need to buy the PC version separately like with PS games. What Rog Xbox Ally X is not is a backwards compatible Xbox, but the next-gen Xbox will be. Maybe this device or it's successor will be as well, if they add backwards compatibility via software like they did on Xbox One.
I believe Phil Spencer had a completely different vision for the future of Xbox, but Nadella and the Microsoft leadership prioritized short-term profits over a long-term plan. A long-term strategy could involve reinvesting all the gaming division's profits back into Xbox for the next decade to develop high-quality games and enhance services, driving growth for the division. Xbox needs a growth-focused CEO, like Jeff Bezos, whose approach would be to reinvest all profits back into the business to expand the Xbox division.
This exactly is the truth and what would be best for Xbox in the long term. Remember how short terms worked for Sony and their Fortnite wannabes.
@Markatron84 It's 30% for the whole Xbox business, not for each game, so there's room for smaller and bigger projects, and you need to consider the subscriptions, etc. It's a number set by our beloved Satya and Amy, who seem to think that they should set some kind of supermarket economy when the video game industry is very complex and the bigger the publisher, Xbox, the more they should look at all the metrics and the long term.
I understand shutting down The Initiative after years of chaos and unproductiveness. I don't understand shutting down Perfect Dark when it was being fixed by Crystal Dynamics, a third-party studio that could have finished it. Cancelling Perfect Dark is long-term damage. This is just an example. Satya is Scrooge McDuck and Amy is the supermarket manager that sets the 30% margins for your daily products.
AGAIN! Here's the actual facts and figures. But who is counting eh??? Please do just a LITTLE research before posting false news solely based on emotions.
Why did you leave some out like Oblivion Remastered? You did the maths although you forgot data at the lower end. Still, I wasn't wrong and I didn't lie: most are 7s and 7 is their average (rounded off). Why did you choose a small difference (+-0.21/10) to state so forcefully that everything I said is wrong? I guess that your logic is that after 7.50 (7.71) I should have rounded up and not doing so equals spreading false news solely based on emotions, which I consider an unfortunate conclusion because, as you can see, I even posted the link to their scores, so everyone could see them. My whole reasoning is not based on a 0.21/10 difference. As you can see, all their Xbox scores are significantly below the average on the same platform, a rule that is the opposite for Sony-published games. To this and the rest of my comment, you did not reply, unfortunately.
So let's go to facts then. Best scores they have ever given Xbox games are two 8s and one 9, but most of their Xbox scores are 7s or lower. The average score they give to Xbox games is 7, rounded off. It doesn't matter if the games are old or new. They gave Quake II a 7, even though they think, "It’s a stunning package, filled to the brim with content both new and old, barring the handful of small issues..." They submit their scores to Metacritic, where 7 is not considered a "positive" but a "mixed" review, even though the content of their reviews doesn't match that criterion. Thus, the Xbox tax, on PS at least, is real. Or you could simply say that their Xbox scores are always significantly below the average on the same platform, but it's the same thing with other words, because this rule does not apply to games published by Sony.
Comments 7,827
Re: Developing For Xbox Can Be Difficult, So Microsoft Is Taking Major Steps To 'Remove Barriers'
"The days of players being locked to a closed-off console ecosystem are starting to feel antiquated."
That's right and players will benefit the most of it. Next generation, Xbox ports won't be necessary. All games are made for Windows and Xbox Magnus will just play those with no specific build or Windows version like on Xbox One and Series X|S.
Re: ROG Xbox Ally X Demand Has 'Exceeded Expectations' And ASUS Is Ramping Up Production
Nice. I suspect that Microsoft has their own handheld in the works to go with the next home console Magnus.
Re: Analyst Questions Whether Next Xbox & PS6 Could Slip To 2028 Following GTA Delay
@acmiguens Yeah, I realised. I'd like the next console to be called Xbox Magnus like the code name, but knowing Microsoft, it might be called Xbox X-Cloud Win or something like that.
Re: Analyst Questions Whether Next Xbox & PS6 Could Slip To 2028 Following GTA Delay
@acmiguens What kind of question is that? On Xbox, of course! 🤣
Re: Red Dead Redemption To Receive Free Xbox Series X|S Upgrade This December
You can check the price history here, changing the country and currency on the top side of the page:
https://xbdeals.net/us-store/search?search_query=red+dead+redemption
You can check any game and see how cheap it is on sales, and filter by Xbox One and Series X|S
Re: Analyst Questions Whether Next Xbox & PS6 Could Slip To 2028 Following GTA Delay
I don't think Rockstar, Microsoft and Sony are worried. People will play on the console they own as they have been doing since 2013 when GTA V was released, with this game still on the top 10 on the Xbox and PS charts, believe it or not. Overshadowing other software seems more logical, but now that most sales are digital, I don't think it's as important. The "This game will fail because of GTA" is an old statement from a physical era of boxes on the shops' shelves. One thing that could happen is that people that have an Xbox One will upgrade to Series S or X to play the game, same for PS4 players upgrading to PS5, because the game is current-gen only.
Re: Red Dead Redemption To Receive Free Xbox Series X|S Upgrade This December
@FraserG Does the Xbox 360 version grant the extra content mentioned in the article without owning the DLC of the Xbox 360 version? Because then we can just get that in the next sale. If not, I'll just get the new version.
I know it sounds like unnecessary doubt, but in the past there were some games that only granted a free upgrade if you had the game of the year or deluxe edition.
Re: Red Dead Redemption To Receive Free Xbox Series X|S Upgrade This December
Finally! @HonestHick I was waiting for 60fps before playing the first and second games. Now they need to patch the sequel.
Re: Square Enix Is Cutting Down Its Western Workforce, Focusing On Japanese Development
I like that Square Enix is focusing on its home teams. This is the opposite of Sony that is more focused on the American teams. Square Enix as the owner or publisher of Western studios hasn't worked as well, although I believe most of the redundancies that have happened in the industry are related to customer service, distribution, marketing and such things, since most of the studios were oversized and they needed to scale down. That's why all the big publishers have done this, unfortunately.
Re: Square Enix Drops Free Octopath Traveler 0 Demo Ahead Of December Xbox Launch
I'll get it on Xbox because I loved I and II and they looked and played better than on Switch where I started the first game. I'm delighted to finally see all Square Enix on Xbox!
Re: Valve Announces New Hardware, Including A Steam Machine That'll Compete With Xbox
This generation is the most atypical that I've lived, but it looks like everything is getting better in terms of options and competition. It's great to see Valve releasing a home console after the handheld market no longer being a Nintendo monopoly thanks to Steam Deck and the multiple gaming handhelds that came later, such as the brand new Asus Rog Xbox Ally X, and now the home console market is going to look similar in a few years, which will make PS the awkward proposition as a walled garden with no exclusives, not even first-party. Solid choice for those Sony fans with huge PS libraries, obviously, but I guess being an Xbox site, most users here have the biggest library on Xbox, and so I'm also happy to see Microsoft pioneering this hybrid concept of console-PC that allows more freedom (free online?) and – according to rumours but not confirmed – third-party stores. This would mean that the next Xbox would be the most powerful console and support the Xbox and the PC libraries, on top of Game Pass and having frequent digital sales that cover first and third-party games. In any case, the best thing that could happen to Xbox is merging the Xbox and Windows PC development, no longer requiring Xbox ports. Play Anywhere was the first step on Xbox One, but I'm sure that next generation there will be one Windows version for all gaming PCs and Xbox consoles. Being the best at supporting backwards compatibility, this is the ideal outcome that Xbox fans could hope for.
Re: It's A Big Birthday For The Xbox Series X, So Let's Look Back At Our Review From 2020
Great article. I agree with the comments above. Series X is the best console of the generation, regardless of sales. Its hardware and software capabilities are unparalleled: design, quality, performance, Quick Resume, enhanced and free backwards compatibility, FPS Boost, free cloud saves and the fastest and most responsive digital store.
Nice to read what Xbox users think for once. Most Pure Xbox articles are full of comments from people reminding the world that they don't like Xbox and, for some weird reason, they write on a daily basis about it.
Re: Sony May Be Preparing Its Own Version Of Xbox Play Anywhere For PS5 & PC
As others have said, this is coming "soon" so it's not related to another PS device. If Sony is considering abandoning Steam and starting its own PC store just to prevent the next Xbox from running Sony's games, an idea worthy of the biggest Sony fanboy's dreams, but somehow credible, Sony's going to hit a very thick wall. They would alienate PC players, including those that supported Sony games on Steam.
Re: Sony May Be Preparing Its Own Version Of Xbox Play Anywhere For PS5 & PC
@fatpunkslim It absolute seems so. They will probably swallow their pride and use Steam and other third-party stores on day one, as the money, infrastructure and security for their own PC store might not be worth it, considering their limited software output and that third parties would likely favour Steam and Epic.
Re: ROG Xbox Ally X Continues To Prove Popular As Stock Issues Persist In Some Countries
The future of Xbox and PC is the same version of Windows for gaming, regardless of how many Asus units are manufactured or sold. There's no doubt that this Windows for gaming will be one of Microsoft's legs from now on and that it will get better as it's tested and updated.
Xbox consoles run a version of Windows since Xbox One. From now on, it's going to be the same software and game builds on all devices: consoles, PC and gaming handhelds, with backwards compatibility added to Xbox consoles. This is why the future of Xbox is brighter than ever before. Asus Rog Xbox Ally X is for Microsoft a software test, a premium (and successful) beta of the future of Xbox on all devices.
Re: Fortnite's Simpsons Crossover Is A Success, So Isn't It Time For A Hit & Run Remake?
@Cakefish Somehow it's sad that by good we mean uncensored, these days.
Re: Microsoft Reportedly Still Has Plans To Make Its Own Xbox Handheld
@HonestHick With so many devices that can be used for casual gaming, it's not as players are priced out. Consoles, handhelds, phones, tablets, TVs... Xbox Cloud has been improved significantly and it's included in all tiers, with the specific PC tier currently hidden under an arrow on the official site. You can tell that Cloud is fully supported and a bigger part of the Xbox business going forward, with PC and console being merged for traditional gamers and for staying competitive.
The news are excellent indeed and while not all of it has been confirmed by Microsoft, the different rumours point at the same direction. A console is always more efficient than a PC, so we can expect to see top-end performance on the next Xbox for one quarter of what a top-of-the-line PC costs. The gaming handhelds will obviously be more power-aware, but I'm impressed with the performance of Asus Rog Xbox Ally X. There will be different options for playing Xbox, PC and even Sony games. I know we both are looking forward to the premium and backwards compatible Xbox!
Re: Huge Xbox Report Details 'Ambitious' Next-Gen Console With Free Online Play
@ILuvGames Yeah, games are the important thing and it doesn't matter what games we play and on what system(s). Gaming is supposed to be for fun. Some people here gives those tragic vibes, though.
Re: Huge Xbox Report Details 'Ambitious' Next-Gen Console With Free Online Play
@ILuvGames Well, there are more Sony fans than Xbox fans on Pure Xbox, as you can see. 😂
Re: Huge Xbox Report Details 'Ambitious' Next-Gen Console With Free Online Play
@ILuvGames Great comments, #79 👌. I love Halo Infinite, it's my favourite Halo, but the first one is also very special. It has some of the best level design in the series. Yes, I know some levels are empty and repetitive, but I mean the design of the battles, enemies and battlefields, some of the best I've seen in my life. I'm looking forward to its remake. The only one I disliked is 5 and 4 is so-so. Something got better at 343 Industries/Halo Studios, fortunately.
Re: Microsoft Reportedly Still Has Plans To Make Its Own Xbox Handheld
@HonestHick Yes, I'm with you, I think that their handheld will be dockable. No reason not to, it's literally sending video and audio data through a USB-C port that it needs anyway. I also love what has been leaked today, if true. I mean, nothing that has been leaked today is surprising and goes along every other rumour: a powerful console that you can leave as an Xbox experience and that runs the same game builds as a PC, but with settings and hardware optimised for gaming, plus third-party stores for PC gamers. Free online is the only thing that seems new. I suggested it as a possibility and someone here got mad.
The Rog Xbox Ally X was of course the first step of that light Windows for gaming, a necessary step to achieve better performance while being the most compatible OS. The other bit I love and that was confirmed by Microsoft so I had no doubt about it, is the backwards compatibility, my favourite Xbox One and Series X|S feature. That aside, I think it's great for most of us that it will be a powerful console and not somewhere in between like the rumoured Steam Home and Switch 2. The difference here is that players can still choose to play on cheaper devices or platforms that they own via Cloud.
Back to the handheld business, if they want to do what Asus did, could be the cheaper model versus Steam Deck and Switch 2 and the high-end model versus premium handheld PCs.
Re: Huge Xbox Report Details 'Ambitious' Next-Gen Console With Free Online Play
@Coletrain I like handhelds, but I definitely prefer playing on a console connected to a big OLED TV and with an Xbox controller in my hands. The Series X in that regard has been perfect for me during the last 5 years. At least, they nailed the hardware!
Re: Huge Xbox Report Details 'Ambitious' Next-Gen Console With Free Online Play
@Coletrain Exactly, the only thing that the next Xbox won't play are Switch games. Besides, unless PS6 sports last-gen tech, unlikely after watching AMD's presentation, it won't be cheap because it won't be subsidised. Rumours say it won't be as powerful as the next Xbox, but that doesn't mean that it will be much cheaper, and then you have to consider paying for online, on top of what you mentioned.
Re: Microsoft Reportedly Still Has Plans To Make Its Own Xbox Handheld
This is what I explained to other users that insisted on Microsoft dropping their own hardware, that Microsoft had not cancelled their own handheld and that Rog Xbox Ally X was a different thing, with Microsoft more focused on optimising the software because without it, the Xbox experience wouldn't exist outside consoles.
I noticed that the official Xbox lineup has changed to: Xbox consoles, Xbox on PC, Xbox on handhelds, Xbox on mobile and Xbox on TVs. I think that we are going to see a home console and a gaming handheld next generation. With Xbox Full Screen Experience coming to all Windows and Cloud devices, the concept of a hybrid is no longer needed, although the handheld could be dockable, it's just sending audio and video through a port that it needs, anyway.
Re: Huge Xbox Report Details 'Ambitious' Next-Gen Console With Free Online Play
@Coletrain @OldGamer999 I think that the three of them are no longer competing with each other directly. Nintendo is probably more worried about mobile devices that were not as popular for gaming in 2017, including phones, tablets and now gaming handhelds that play more games and are less limited. Early sales are always strong, but will Nintendo repeat the Switch success? Sony is not worried about Xbox, but is probably worried about the console market being limited and hardware sales not translating to software sales with few exceptions, and typically third-party titles, so they are ready to become multiplatform and sell their so-called pedigree games to more players. Microsoft just realised the console market is even more limited for them and have been supporting PC since Xbox One and now are ready to merge both markets. What makes their proposition more interesting to me is that they are bringing the best of both worlds and, literally, the only thing that players will miss on the next Xbox are Nintendo exclusives.
@Oldgamer999 The next Xbox needs to be announced properly and closer to launch, not earlier than one year. Who knows when it will launch! 2027? 2028?
Re: Huge Xbox Report Details 'Ambitious' Next-Gen Console With Free Online Play
@OldGamer999 Sony will release a PS6 that won't be subsidised either and Nintendo will probably release a Switch 3 that won't be either. They still will be (popular) walled gardens, the only difference is that Sony games will be available on PC and, according to their job listings, some on the Xbox store as well.
Re: Huge Xbox Report Details 'Ambitious' Next-Gen Console With Free Online Play
@OldGamer999 All PC games run on Windows, Steam included. The problem with Windows is that until now, it was not optimised for gaming, which is what they're doing now, and thus third-party stores beat Microsoft's own OS store. The other problem with PC games in general is that every PC is different and there are several brands making different CPUs and GPUs, but games running on the same Xbox will know exactly the optimal settings.
Re: Huge Xbox Report Details 'Ambitious' Next-Gen Console With Free Online Play
@ElkinFencer10 Like others said, online will very likely be paid on Xbox One and Series X|S, same as phased-out Game Pass tiers still exist. Free online will be free on the next Xbox. It will be digital, although a disc driver might be available separately. They are going to get rid of PC Game Pass, currently hidden under an arrow on their website. They want all tiers to support console, PC and Cloud.
Re: Huge Xbox Report Details 'Ambitious' Next-Gen Console With Free Online Play
This is the dream of console and PC gamers: a console-like experience with optional PC freedom and free online. Hardware optimised for gaming like your typical Xbox, surpassing PCs with similar specifications. Turn on and play. The best of both worlds. Moreover, no more walled gardens and no more specific ports, with the Windows version of games running on the next Xbox.
Re: Halo: Campaign Evolved Officially Announced, Coming To Xbox In 2026
@Coletrain Actually, I was thinking about GTA VI also pushing some Series S units, if that version ends up playing well.
Re: Halo: Campaign Evolved Officially Announced, Coming To Xbox In 2026
@Coletrain Forza Horizon 6 will definitely push Xbox hardware and Game Pass on console and on PC, because it won't be on Steam either. Maybe it will push Cloud in Asia.
Re: Halo: Campaign Evolved Officially Announced, Coming To Xbox In 2026
@OldGamer999 I think that there is not one reason but it's a complex situation. Some people say that Phil Spencer lied about the four games, but he just didn't know beyond those. Like I said some days ago, the communication between Microsoft's bigwigs and the Xbox bosses does not seem fluent and it's like they don't work as a team, but receive regular emails with already made decisions. If you look at Phil's face lately, he seems more frustrated than when he was pioneering the Xbox One S and Xbox One X. He now accepted that the big decisions are made by people like Satya "Scrooge McDuck" Nadella.
Some Xbox games performed quite well on PS5, others not so much. Microsoft obviously prioritise Xbox and now PC with Play Anywhere. It was reported that the studios (Bethesda) also decide what platforms they want to publish on, although I think it's probably the big bosses that really green-light or propose what games should be ported. Port this game, don't port this game, port this game after the Xbox version, etc. This is not consistent for PS fans, but they are not Microsoft's priority.
Next generation the big business of Xbox will be Xbox and PC, and probably mobile and Cloud. PC is the biggest market (outside the mobile casual market) and PS5 is extra money but a different OS and a smaller market. Nintendo Switch is old technology and people don't buy as many third-party as first-party games on there, but we will probably see some Xbox ports on Switch, too.
And yes, there were droughts in the past, but 2024 was great on Xbox, 2025 is great too and 2026 is looking as good so far. Despite the doom and gloom, that it's more an online bubble than a real thing, numbers say that the Xbox business is growing and next generation will probably be bigger with a more focused strategy, at full throttle on Xbox, Xbox on PC, Game Pass and Cloud. That will ultimately benefit their studios and gamers on all platforms, because of the bigger Xbox ecosystem.
Re: These 40+ Games Are Coming To Xbox Next Week (October 27-31)
There are some heavy first and third party hitters here.
Re: Halo: Campaign Evolved Officially Announced, Coming To Xbox In 2026
@ElectricWizard That's right. The price of the software has a bigger impact on the current account of customers than the price of a piece of hardware per generation, which is also why I don't believe Xbox fans will switch, unless they go to PC and keep their libraries, achievements and save clouds. Moreover, they'd lose access to Game Pass as it's not available on PS and Game Pass is a money saver if they like playing new releases.
@Sol4ris I agree. Unless Sony does a Nintendo and PS6 sports last-gen technology, PS6 won't be cheap.
@Llamageddon There are several reasons and evidences:
1) Sony hiring a team for PC and Xbox ports, naming Xbox specifically.
2) The new CEOs of Sony being the opposite of Jim Ryan, which means no console warriors and not emotionally attached to the concept of PS "pedigree" games being exclusive.
3) If Sony makes Windows ports of PS games, they are making Xbox ports in the process, because Xbox runs on a custom version of Windows with DirectX included, and supposedly the next Xbox will run the same gaming version of Windows as PC games.
4) Easy money.
Re: Halo: Campaign Evolved Officially Announced, Coming To Xbox In 2026
@ElectricWizard Please, fasten your seat belts. We are getting ready for takeoff. 🤪😂
Re: Halo: Campaign Evolved Officially Announced, Coming To Xbox In 2026
Remember that Sony's games will be available on PC and maybe on Xbox. I can't see people switching because of Xbox games being available on PS. It doesn't make any sense. They'd lose their whole library, save files, achievements... People that say so are already PS fans. You can see this when Helldivers was a big success on Xbox a year and a half later and when Forza Horizon 5 was a big success on PS5 4 years later. Console exclusives are over except on Nintendo systems.
Re: Xbox Details All Of The New Content Packed Into Its Halo: Campaign Evolved Remake
If I'm excited about this remake and even feel nostalgia for The Master Chief Collection, I can't imagine the people that played the game on the original Xbox.
Re: Halo: Campaign Evolved Officially Announced, Coming To Xbox In 2026
@ElectricWizard
Maybe it's his nod to games crossing platforms combined with PS games literally melting your face off on the Pro.
Re: Halo: Campaign Evolved Officially Announced, Coming To Xbox In 2026
There's something really special about Halo that you can't find elsewhere. Actually, the only one I don't like is 5 because of the mediocre gameplay and awful level design. I love the others, Infinite included. I'm looking forward to trying the new version of the first game.
Re: Phil Spencer Addresses AI & Developer Creativity At Xbox Game Studios
@fatpunkslim Yeah, I was comparing in my mind Nintendo charging £60 for two Wii emulated ports that I paid £20 (£10/each) for on the Wii U eShop, while Microsoft is selling a little new gem like Keeper for $30. Sony has not published a lot of new games for PS5, but they are re-selling re-remasters. I really think that this generation has been great for Xbox, whose library is the best, all things considered, but the internet tends to focus too much on the negative news, especially when they are related to Xbox.
Re: Phil Spencer Addresses AI & Developer Creativity At Xbox Game Studios
Poor Phil, I mean, he's rich and the actors are funny, but it's unfair. The margin is 30% for the whole Xbox business, not for each game, so there's room for smaller and bigger projects, and subscriptions revenue needs to be considered. "Keeper" won't earn as much money as other games, but it also didn't cost as much to develop. It's clever to make smaller games that you can buy for less and that some people will enjoy more.
These goals are established by Satya and Amy, who seem to think that they should set some kind of supermarket economy, when the video game industry is very complex and the bigger the publisher, Xbox, the more they should look at all the metrics and the long term.
I understand shutting The Initiative down after years of chaos and unproductiveness. I was critical of them years ago. I strongly disapprove shutting Perfect Dark down, right when it was being fixed by Crystal Dynamics, a third-party studio that could have finished it. Cancelling Perfect Dark is long-term damage. This is just an example of applying short-sighted economy views.
TL;DR, Satya is Scrooge McDuck and Amy is the supermarket manager that sets the 30% margins for your daily products as if video games were manufactured in one hour.
Re: Microsoft's 'This Is An Xbox' Ad Evolves As Holiday Marketing Ramps Up
@Stocksy LOL I know you for so long and I like you. I was just reflecting on others' opinions. For me backwards compatibility is super important and the thing that made me an Xbox fan. I bought Rare Replay physically before getting the Xbox One, the first Xbox I bought. I haven't bought the Rog Xbox Ally X. I love Series X and I will get the next-gen Xbox because it will support backwards compatibility. It's essential because I play old and new games equally.
Re: Microsoft's 'This Is An Xbox' Ad Evolves As Holiday Marketing Ramps Up
@Stocksy
According to the official Playstation website, it's called PlayStation Portalâ„¢.
Steam Deck was mentioned as another example because of the lack of full support of the Steam library.
Re: Fallout 76 Is Officially Getting A Native Xbox Series X|S Version In Early 2026
I love that Xbox upgrades games you own for free, assuming they're doing a free upgrade like God of War Reloaded. I still haven't played a Fallout game. I only played that Xbox One demo before Game Pass started. What I have played and loved is Starfield and Skyrim on Series X. I played Starfield when it was almost 60fps (or with VRR on it looked so), and that is an invaluable improvement for the kind of games Bethesda makes. Last generation almost everything was a rough sub-30fps and it dizzied me, especially games like that Fallout demo and Dishonoured 2, was it? The best things of the current generation are Quick Resume, FPS Boost and that most new games are 60fps, or at least 40fps with VRR.
Re: Roundup: Here's What The Reviews Are Saying About Xbox's The Outer Worlds 2
The exception that proves the rule.
Re: Roundup: Here's What The Reviews Are Saying About Xbox's The Outer Worlds 2
@DaPrince Yeah, the problem as explained by me and many others is that they mark down Xbox games for nonsensical reasons regardless of what they really think (written in the review text) in order to submit a mixed review to Metacritic and bring the game score down while, at the same time and therefore having double standards, overstate Sony's games with the opposite goal, but I don't think they care about their credibility, judging by Sammy's articles.
Re: Microsoft's 'This Is An Xbox' Ad Evolves As Holiday Marketing Ramps Up
That's a very good point. Playstation Portal wouldn't be a Playstation either. Steam Deck wouldn't be a Steam either.
At the end of the day, Rog Xbox Ally X is an Xbox that runs Xbox games via Cloud and plays PC games, including Xbox Play Anywhere games that are cross-buy, so you don't need to buy the PC version separately like with PS games. What Rog Xbox Ally X is not is a backwards compatible Xbox, but the next-gen Xbox will be. Maybe this device or it's successor will be as well, if they add backwards compatibility via software like they did on Xbox One.
Re: Report: Xbox Has Been Asking Its Studios To Hit 'Higher Profit Margins' Since 2023
@Phil-Spencer-Gate
This exactly is the truth and what would be best for Xbox in the long term. Remember how short terms worked for Sony and their Fortnite wannabes.
Re: Report: Xbox Has Been Asking Its Studios To Hit 'Higher Profit Margins' Since 2023
@Markatron84 It's 30% for the whole Xbox business, not for each game, so there's room for smaller and bigger projects, and you need to consider the subscriptions, etc. It's a number set by our beloved Satya and Amy, who seem to think that they should set some kind of supermarket economy when the video game industry is very complex and the bigger the publisher, Xbox, the more they should look at all the metrics and the long term.
I understand shutting down The Initiative after years of chaos and unproductiveness. I don't understand shutting down Perfect Dark when it was being fixed by Crystal Dynamics, a third-party studio that could have finished it. Cancelling Perfect Dark is long-term damage. This is just an example. Satya is Scrooge McDuck and Amy is the supermarket manager that sets the 30% margins for your daily products.
Re: Roundup: Here's What The Reviews Are Saying About Xbox's The Outer Worlds 2
@themightyant
Why did you leave some out like Oblivion Remastered? You did the maths although you forgot data at the lower end. Still, I wasn't wrong and I didn't lie: most are 7s and 7 is their average (rounded off). Why did you choose a small difference (+-0.21/10) to state so forcefully that everything I said is wrong? I guess that your logic is that after 7.50 (7.71) I should have rounded up and not doing so equals spreading false news solely based on emotions, which I consider an unfortunate conclusion because, as you can see, I even posted the link to their scores, so everyone could see them. My whole reasoning is not based on a 0.21/10 difference. As you can see, all their Xbox scores are significantly below the average on the same platform, a rule that is the opposite for Sony-published games. To this and the rest of my comment, you did not reply, unfortunately.
Banjo- wrote: