@GoldenPants Microsoft is a gigantic company that has given Xbox a chance to survive on its own through a new CEO. They use different hardware and components. If the current Xbox team (or Microsoft) didn't want to support consoles, why would they give it more meaningful updates than never before? They really want to reset Xbox, even if that means sacrificing Phil's ambitious plans. The problem that Microsoft had with Xbox was not Xbox itself, but that it was bleeding money despite massive revenue, and that they didn't want to subsidise it. There are finance experts that argue that Xbox gives Microsoft a lot of value that Microsoft on its own doesn't have despite being much more profitable.
The problem with Xbox hardware is that the previous management prioritised other platforms (even phones!) rather than consoles, and now they are trying to make Xbox leaner, more focused and more profitable, but just can't get enough of the components that consoles use. Nintendo and Sony have been focused on their hardware the whole generation, and they had enough stock to keep things going with some price hikes, but with stock almost unaffected by the shortage.
Just remember Sarah Bond's "This is an Xbox" on a smartphone screen...
Positive note: Series X|S will get better thanks to FSR 4.1.
@Shzl Exactly. The layoffs don't affect revenue which has improved. Layoffs would affect accountability margin (3% excluding ABK when Asha joined) that is also better, but probably won't being quantified to avoid controversy.
@Coletrain If the report that says that Asha and Matthew don't want Xbox Mode on Helix like Asus ROG Ally is true, it confirms that they are really focused on their core fans and their feedback right now. I also think that they are in "preservation mode" and "let's go back to what Xbox fans want" more than in "expansion mode" like Phil and Sarah.
@Weebleman Insane, indeed. Fully developed countries not getting more consoles and those that do have stock issues sometimes. Who would have thought this would happen when these consoles launched? Well, that applies to the IA revolution and the ongoing wars
Regarding hardware, sales are 100% down in many countries because they are completely sold out and don't receive more.
It's literally unavailable in most European countries. That's my whole point. Besides, this is a problem related to Phil and Sarah's strategy that didn't prioritise consoles, so Xbox didn't have components stock, unlike Sony and Nintendo.
The greatest challenge is to manufacture more consoles and meet demand in those countries where is usually available and make it available again in those countries that are not getting any stock, not having components stock in the middle of the components crisis.
There is no magic wand to wave and see instant success.
You are absolutely right. If anything, seeing progress and recovering 8% in such a short period of time (she joined Xbox this year) is remarkable. Regarding hardware, sales are 100% down in many countries because they are completely sold out and don't receive more. There has never been a more difficult time to find an Xbox console, despite being more expensive than ever before. I hope that they are able to supply more consoles soon. There is demand, but only Switch 2 and PS5 are available. This is their greatest challenge at the moment.
@Elbow Exactly what you said, and also that they don't even make proper reviews like Pure Xbox do —who probably don't have as many resources and funds, and need the code in advance— but technical comparisons, which is completely fine.
I prefer the older DF rather than the "independent", biased one that whines and makes bad jokes on Xbox along their patreons, which has become a habit and a well-received choice. I find the condescending tone jarring in a technical outlet, especially coming from its owner Richard Leadbetter, who has a very long career.
PS: He plays in the garden and has become a killing machine. Grew up way too quickly😅. I'm proud because he was a tiny stray two months ago.
This looks more comprehensive and an improvement. I like seeing my Xbox history as much as others' even though mine is not as long. Like many here know, I bought Rare Replay and had to wait until I could find an Xbox One available. I only found the Xbox One Elite which was a new model that just released, with a 1TB solid state hybrid drive, and the Elite Series controller before it was available separately. It also has some aesthetic features, e.g., the matte finish. It wasn't cheap, but I fell in love with it.
@Shinato2024 Probably the best decision, just to compensate a little bit Microsoft's platform being ignored by many outlets, and also because Xbox and PS versions are essentially the same. If those outlets just want to add another specific PS5 version review on their own, fair enough, but first-party platforms should be favoured by their owner, and not the opposite.
If I was the Xbox CEO, I wouldn't like Activision skipping Xbox in their launch celebration tweet. I know it's not bad-intentioned and that there aren't enough Xbox scores on Metacritic, but there are tons of other ways of celebrating the scores than making it look like the consoles for playing the biggest first-party game of the year are Nintendo and PS. They could do what tons of third parties do with their celebrated games, the names of the outlets besides their score. You know, those graphics that show artwork of the game and the scores all over it:
Windows Central 10
TechRadar Gaming 10
The Outerhaven 10
Gaming Age 9.5
Destructoid 9
Day One 9
Games Radar 9
This would have been more appropriate than "NINTENDO" and "PLAYSTATION", with "XBOX" nowhere to be found in the graphic.
Can you even imagine any other platform allowing what Activision's marketing team did here?
Are outlets asking for early access to review games or also free codes? Digital Foundry, a channel with 1.5M+ subscribers, Patreon supporters, sponsors and embedded advertisements, often complains about not receiving Xbox codes for reviewing, even after the game is available, while making a bit of fun of Xbox in every video, and it sounds a tad jarring.
I'm just curious about how this works, and I hope that it's solved soon so there are many more Xbox reviews. I'm glad that Pure Xbox has been receiving their review codes except the Activision Blizzard ones, and that Xbox has already reacted to that.
We also should start paying more attention to Open Critic that has a fairer system than Metacritic, especially when the Xbox version has two reviews.
@16BitHero Yep, I will play this on Helix, although FSR4.1 coming to Series X|S soon is excellent news. It has the potential to transform how the most technically demanding games play and look. There are over 400 games supporting it already.
@FuzzieGinge88 We don't know if Helix will acknowledge Xbox discs, but it seems very likely, even if it's through another Xbox console or disc reader add-on. That's why Disc to Digital is not redundant, even if next-gen games are, probably, digital only.
On the other hand, PlayStation is being completely upfront like you said, and also completely anti-consumer. They said in court that people that think they own their digital games are not reasonable, and even if that's technically true, also gives us an idea about what their intentions are.
In just one year and two months, Sony will have a monopolistic gaming ecosystem with no third parties involved, and has also stopped releasing games for other platforms (PC). They will be the first console maker to ditch physical games in order to raise the prices on the store even further, with no possible physical nor digital purchase anywhere else. On Xbox, you can buy physical games so far, and also digital games on Amazon, Shopto and many other stores.
Moreover, on PlayStation it will be impossible to buy a delisted game because there won't be physical games to support, and not only can they delist games on the store, but have previously removed 551 films and TV shows from PlayStation users’ digital libraries with no refunds because, well, reasonable people know they own nothing when it comes to PlayStation's digital world.
@Roxion You make good points, but I think that that forum poster is wrong. Sega has been Xbox-friendly for many years now. Square Enix has distanced themselves from Sony, and refused to show their trailers with only the PS logo in recent Sony events.
That said, like @Sindayl and many others here, I hope that Bandai Namco and Square Enix join the project soon.
PS: What weird reasoning some people have, e.g., selling the disc implies that you would need to buy the disc again (as a con).
@Coletrain As a life-long Nintendo fan and occasional PS player, Xbox puts the other two ecosystems to shame. I have zero regrets since it became my main platform. All third-party games are always purchased for Xbox.
We have barely seen anything, so they game could effectively have several years of development ahead. The trailer showed 1 minute of cutscenes, 3 years ago. That means that there are two possibilities:
a) the development has advanced properly, despite no more footage.
b) the game has been in development hell for three years now.
The most likely option is "b", because Marvel's Blade is the kind of multimedia project that the new team ruling Xbox would actually invest in, whether first or third-party, such as Fallout or Physint.
I would love to see Marvel's Blade survive this process and the studio staff continue their work, whether as a first or third party, but I'm not sure a proper game even exists yet.
I'm not going to compare a pedigreed studio like Arkane Lyon with a new studio that was a mess from the start like The Initiative, but this reminds me of Perfect Dark, that was stuck on development hell until Crystal Dynamics came to their rescue. I still hope that Perfect Dark is revived. Machine Games would be the perfect studio.
There is obviously something grave we don't know. Otherwise, this would have not happened after a very short time in her new role. I have no idea about what exactly, but I think that not discussing individual personnel matters is the best approach, as much as we, not being related to them, are naturally curious about it.
@Glassneedles That's the problem with the Elite Series 1 and 2. Some people say that they are the best and also the worst (for durability) they have ever used, and I have to agree because it was the same dual experience for me. If I had known that the subsequent Xbox controllers would be more compact, I would have kept and repaired the Elite Series 1.
It is a relief to know that Elite Series 3 will have TMR or hall-effect sticks, and hopefully, they found a way to improve the overall quality after seven years: grip glue and bumpers are the failing parts as far as I know, potentiometer sticks aside. My Elite Series 2 also had a problem with one of the buttons for the paddles.
My main gaming platform is Series X. I haven't tried the G7 Pro, but I've heard that the d-pad is bad. I have a G7 HE which is decent enough, but with a very hard d-pad. Like you said, the triggers are Xbox-style and the impulse vibration is refined. Forza games are the best to test the triggers.
I expect the Elite Series 3 to be revealed in November 🤞. Being leaked via Xbox Design Lab, this is my chance to finally have the colour buttons! I am a huge fan of them despite never owning an Xbox nor Xbox 360.
I don't expect the Helix controller to have more advanced features than Elite Series 3, but to be a more basic version of it.
@Sindayl You mean when scrolling down. Pins? The quickest path is selecting My games & apps on the top and then Groups. I don't scroll down in the Home menu unless I'm bored.
I know you don't like the dashboard, I'm just giving you a better alternative.
There are some very good third-party Xbox controllers. It seems to be almost a culture, Xbox controllers. I have tried some, and also read and watch many reviews. The only first/third-party controller that has perfect ergonomics in my hands are the Xbox One and Xbox Elite Series 1.
I'm going to wait for the leaked Series 3, which seems a tad bigger than Series X|S and Elite Series 2 and, most importantly for most people reading this, has TMR or hall-effect sticks. Plus, it will be featured on Xbox Design Lab.
The 8BitDo Ultimate 3E has a few things I like and some others I don't.
Pros:
Micro-switch front buttons, with membrane buttons also included.
TMR sticks.
2 d-pads.
Cons:
Wireless charging: pointless and less efficient (the original dock uses contact pins).
No Xbox Wireless (no third-party controller has this).
No micro-switch trigger locks.
PS-style triggers (Xbox-style triggers are better).
Trigger vibration not as refined as first-party controllers.
Bigger than previous 8BitDo controllers, but still a bit small and straight.
Easily a 9/10 if you don't mind the triggers, less refined vibration and compact design, but also a 6/10 if you do.
There is also Fatal Frame II Crimson Butterfly Remake, Mask of the Lunar Eclipse and Maiden of Black Water, the best horror games besides Resident Evil, Silent Hill and The Evil Within.
Also, it's worth mentioning the Xbox One version of Dead Rising, which still is the best, in my opinion. I didn't expect it, but it became one of my favourites games. Looks and plays great on Series X and replaying it is even better. The current-gen remaster censored certain things and ruined the graphics as if the mall was abandoned 100 years ago. Spoiler: it was never abandoned.
@eduscxbox I played Redfall after the patches, it looks and runs very well on Series X. I thought it was a bit shallow, but the gameplay is excellent and the game is a lot of fun. I really liked it and completed it. I tried Deathloop, but it wasn't my thing.
I have the Gamecube version of Sonic Riders, although I use Dolphin to play in 4K. The game is difficult to grasp and challenging, but a lot of fun when you get better. It has great music and visuals. Sonic Heroes, like Sonic Adventure 1 and 2, should be remade. I hate the camera in those games. I would love to play Jet Set Radio Future and The Simpsons: Hit & Run, and Forza Horizon 1, the only one I missed. Oh, and Project Gotham Racing since all long-time Xbox fans talk about it.
@strzelec Excellent video. It clearly explains that Series X has the edge because of more hardware compute, and dedicated support for the 8-bit math that FSR4.1 uses, compared to PS5. If Rockstar releases a patch for Series X and Series S, it would benefit the Xbox version.
It's not that on Xbox the AI upscaling is "simpler" like somebody said, but that the Xbox hardware is more powerful and natively support the 8-bit math used by FSR4.1, while PS5 loses rendering capabilities when using a by-product of FSR because of the lack of native support.
@Boogaloo_Jenkins Basically, the development time of the studios affected by this disinvestment increased despite growing in size: Compulsion Games, Undead Labs, Ninja Theory, Double Fine... I'm pretty sure it's because of the blank cheques and Phil's hands-off strategy, who openly admitted that he left the studios make whatever projects they wanted to, and on their own terms. South of Midnight and State of Decay 3 are two examples of dragged development, and there were also cancelled projects like Perfect Dark and Everwild, but we have no idea how Blade looks right now. I would love to check it.
Is EA going to keep the IP and outsource a new game? That's another possibility.
@abe_hikura Agreed. They are willing to pay someone for specific projects, like Kojima's company, but not reopen a closed studio, especially if the people that made the iconic titles were no longer working on the IP and the last studio's releases were less favourably received.
I noticed that in the store, the biggest release of the current week is sometimes spread out on a row as a mosaic using the different store sections shortcuts, and I like that.
This time, they brought it to the dashboard as ordinary tiles and introduced "event-themed backgrounds", that can be turned off. Thankfully, the sponsored tile no longer shows McDonald's ads as it did once, but Game Pass titles.
@Sindayl The first row of tiles is always your played games. The second row is dedicated to Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 because it's the biggest first-party release of the year, but in February the row's theme will be Fable!
@Weebleman I'm willing to have a beer with you if you behave from now on 😂. Also, tag me for something positive every now and then, and not only to reprimand me 💚.
@fatpunkslim You need to keep the button pressed, and you should start pressing it before the enemy approaches. The chainsaw is the only melee attack that requires the button to be held. The enemy has to be in front of you, so it's not an attack you can trigger in every situation.
@Jaxx420 Nah, this is just entertainment, and I include the whole gaming thing. Of course, there are problems in all companies, Xbox included, that I cannot solve. I worry about daily problems that I have like everybody else. Like you said, there are bigger things to worry about like climate change and human beings destroying the Earth and thinking that only they matter. The first Matrix film was so right about it.
I love talking to you, thanks for your replies here and elsewhere.
@Jaxx420 My comment was short and blunt, but it was not ill-intentioned. Like you said, it's just my opinion about something and a feeling, and I appreciate you realise and respect that. Of course, I understand and respect your opinion about remote working. Regarding wellbeing, I've never felt bad working at the office when I had an office job, which was also in a huge company, one of the ones that are usually mentioned here. I actually liked it, learnt a lot, and had good colleagues. It was a great workplace. Actually, not being able to share a place during the pandemic made things more difficult. That's my experience, so it's what I can talk about.
@Jaxx420 Internet's anonymity makes people less inclined to respect others, or just show their true colours. I do believe like others here that it does increase productivity and improves the workflow and team work, and I disagree with the others. That's not a problem for me. A constructive discussion (when it happens) is something I'd pay more attention to, and I read carefully, and sometimes reply to users that provide solid arguments, whether I agree or not.
Just a clarification and I hope that I don't have to add anything else because it's my opinion and I never force anyone to agree. In my first comment, I was not exclusively referring to the remote workers, but Xbox workers in general. I think it's clear, though. I also made clear is just a feeling. I was thinking of dragged development, dropped projects, not addressing users' requests and not favouring console features and updates until Asha arrived.
I have read interviews where Xbox workers say that she has a lot of energy and asks what they are doing to see if anything needs attention. So, in a sense, even Xbox workers think that she is invigorating the workflow. Besides, the removal of layers of management and unnecessary infrastructure is something that is going to favour Xbox. She also requested the big platforms like Mojang and King to report to her directly. Whoever stays at Xbox, is going to work on something meaningful.
@HonestHick It's exactly that. Microsoft cannot stop investing in AI unless Google and Apple stop. They are competing in the same race. Even on a gaming site, where it's a controversial topic, some people admit that they heavily use it at work or for personal searches and even to get ideas for things to do in their free time. You are also completely right when you say that it's another kind of memory and that the manufacturers are prioritising it because they earn more money with it. This is a problem with many things in this world. Human beings take things for granted, no matter how important they are. As you and I have mentioned, Sony and Nintendo got stock for the future. The Xbox of Phil and Sarah did not because they didn't prioritise consoles, and it's paradoxical because Microsoft (and the rest of tech leaders) was hoarding another kind of memory at the same time.
I don't know if the memory manufacturers were getting a fair amount of money before this crisis or not, but once another product rises in the economy and is more profitable and required in larger amounts, they are going to favour it. To make things worse, there are just a few manufacturers in the world, despite electronic devices being manufactured and sold to almost everybody in the world. Basically, it's not just one thing or IA, but the result of global economy and every actor making decisions that favour their own interests, just like most people also do what benefits themselves the most, sadly.
@HonestHick Give it a few months, although I don't think that Xbox (or Sony) share the number of copies that their games sell anymore, or number of Game Pass players. I see that most people that have played it, like it, and most of my Xbox friends are playing it. Perhaps outside Xbox, people don't care about it, but on Xbox it seems to be quite popular.👍
@HonestHick I'm happy that Gears of War E-Day topped the Xbox charts. It deserves so. Only Xbox knows the numbers, the rest are speculating. It had to be on Game Pass anyway, because they are honouring all existing announcements, but I guess that both Xbox and The Coalition are delighted to see that it's the most played title on Game Pass, ahead of Fortnite that is also included in the chart. Anyway, $500 million just for Gears of War E-Day? No. That's just more speculation.
Besides, third parties like Capcom and Ubisoft have stated that they are happy because they enjoy never-ending sales of their big games, which is an undeniable advantage of digital distribution, and it must be the same for every big publisher. I don't doubt that initial sales are important, but it's not like when games were on the stores' shelves.
@happy_hands_hamm You are probably confusing me with somebody else. I don't think we have ever interacted. I almost never reply when I'm told things like what you just posted. Here, I got like 20 hostile tags for having an opinion and barely replied.
@HonestHick Agreed. There are no Xbox consoles to sell. There are Switch 2 everywhere I look and also PS5, despite the increased demand and the components crisis.
I think that Asha and Matthew have realised how important consoles are for Xbox, besides PC/Play Anywhere, but they just can't do much about the shortage. In one of the first interviews, she mentioned that the "other platforms" (Nintendo and Sony) had components stock, but that they did not. Phil and Sarah were obviously not prioritising consoles.
Besides, I think they really want to keep current users happy before the next generation and during the cross-gen period. Series X|S have received more worthwhile updates in the last seven months than in the whole generation, and they have also fulfilled some of the Player's Voice requests.
Judging by those interviews, Asha is here to reset and make Xbox more profitable, but that doesn't mean that Xbox is going to be subsidised by its owner Microsoft, despite them being ultra-profitable. I guess that the best they can do is to keep Xbox users happy and try to make Helix readily available.
A huge console exclusive would also help Helix.
EDIT: I understand that there is a lot of speculation about Gears of War E-Day's budget and commercial performance because the not-announced PS5 port was scrapped, so I would like Xbox to give official sales and Game Pass numbers, but they won't.
@IllusiveMan I think that Asha and Matthew have realised how important consoles are for Xbox, besides PC/Play Anywhere, but they just can't do much about the shortage. In one of the first interviews, she mentioned that the "other platforms" (Nintendo and Sony) had components stock, but that they did not. Phil and Sarah were obviously not prioritising consoles.
Besides, I think they really want to keep current users happy before the next generation and during the cross-gen period. Series X|S have received more worthwhile updates in the last seven months than in the whole generation, and they have also fulfilled some of the Player's Voice requests.
Judging by those interviews, Asha is here to reset and make Xbox more profitable, but that doesn't mean that Xbox is going to be subsidised by its owner Microsoft, despite them being ultra-profitable. I guess that the best they can do is to keep Xbox users happy and try to make Helix readily available.
@HonestHick I'm sure that the special edition will sell out and that Ocarina of Time Remake will sell tons of copies.
Comments 9,125
Re: Xbox CEO Reacts To Latest Revenue Figures With Official Statement
@GoldenPants Microsoft is a gigantic company that has given Xbox a chance to survive on its own through a new CEO. They use different hardware and components. If the current Xbox team (or Microsoft) didn't want to support consoles, why would they give it more meaningful updates than never before? They really want to reset Xbox, even if that means sacrificing Phil's ambitious plans. The problem that Microsoft had with Xbox was not Xbox itself, but that it was bleeding money despite massive revenue, and that they didn't want to subsidise it. There are finance experts that argue that Xbox gives Microsoft a lot of value that Microsoft on its own doesn't have despite being much more profitable.
The problem with Xbox hardware is that the previous management prioritised other platforms (even phones!) rather than consoles, and now they are trying to make Xbox leaner, more focused and more profitable, but just can't get enough of the components that consoles use. Nintendo and Sony have been focused on their hardware the whole generation, and they had enough stock to keep things going with some price hikes, but with stock almost unaffected by the shortage.
Just remember Sarah Bond's "This is an Xbox" on a smartphone screen...
Positive note: Series X|S will get better thanks to FSR 4.1.
Re: Xbox CEO Reacts To Latest Revenue Figures With Official Statement
@Shzl Exactly. The layoffs don't affect revenue which has improved. Layoffs would affect accountability margin (3% excluding ABK when Asha joined) that is also better, but probably won't being quantified to avoid controversy.
@Coletrain If the report that says that Asha and Matthew don't want Xbox Mode on Helix like Asus ROG Ally is true, it confirms that they are really focused on their core fans and their feedback right now. I also think that they are in "preservation mode" and "let's go back to what Xbox fans want" more than in "expansion mode" like Phil and Sarah.
Re: Xbox CEO Reacts To Latest Revenue Figures With Official Statement
@Weebleman Insane, indeed. Fully developed countries not getting more consoles and those that do have stock issues sometimes. Who would have thought this would happen when these consoles launched? Well, that applies to the IA revolution and the ongoing wars
Re: Xbox CEO Reacts To Latest Revenue Figures With Official Statement
@Weebleman
I also see "unavailable":
Banjo- wrote:
It's literally unavailable in most European countries. That's my whole point. Besides, this is a problem related to Phil and Sarah's strategy that didn't prioritise consoles, so Xbox didn't have components stock, unlike Sony and Nintendo.
The greatest challenge is to manufacture more consoles and meet demand in those countries where is usually available and make it available again in those countries that are not getting any stock, not having components stock in the middle of the components crisis.
Re: Xbox CEO Reacts To Latest Revenue Figures With Official Statement
@HonestHick
You are absolutely right. If anything, seeing progress and recovering 8% in such a short period of time (she joined Xbox this year) is remarkable. Regarding hardware, sales are 100% down in many countries because they are completely sold out and don't receive more. There has never been a more difficult time to find an Xbox console, despite being more expensive than ever before. I hope that they are able to supply more consoles soon. There is demand, but only Switch 2 and PS5 are available. This is their greatest challenge at the moment.
Re: Xbox Exec Issues Statement In Response To Review Controversy
@TrollOfWar I have also acknowledged that. Not everything is black or white. I was just sharing my quite interesting point of view. 😉
Re: Xbox Exec Issues Statement In Response To Review Controversy
@Elbow Exactly what you said, and also that they don't even make proper reviews like Pure Xbox do —who probably don't have as many resources and funds, and need the code in advance— but technical comparisons, which is completely fine.
I prefer the older DF rather than the "independent", biased one that whines and makes bad jokes on Xbox along their patreons, which has become a habit and a well-received choice. I find the condescending tone jarring in a technical outlet, especially coming from its owner Richard Leadbetter, who has a very long career.
PS: He plays in the garden and has become a killing machine. Grew up way too quickly😅. I'm proud because he was a tiny stray two months ago.
Re: Xbox Year In Review Set To Be Replaced With New Feature For 2026
This looks more comprehensive and an improvement. I like seeing my Xbox history as much as others' even though mine is not as long. Like many here know, I bought Rare Replay and had to wait until I could find an Xbox One available. I only found the Xbox One Elite which was a new model that just released, with a 1TB solid state hybrid drive, and the Elite Series controller before it was available separately. It also has some aesthetic features, e.g., the matte finish. It wasn't cheap, but I fell in love with it.
Re: Xbox Exec Issues Statement In Response To Review Controversy
@Shinato2024 Probably the best decision, just to compensate a little bit Microsoft's platform being ignored by many outlets, and also because Xbox and PS versions are essentially the same. If those outlets just want to add another specific PS5 version review on their own, fair enough, but first-party platforms should be favoured by their owner, and not the opposite.
Re: Xbox Exec Issues Statement In Response To Review Controversy
If I was the Xbox CEO, I wouldn't like Activision skipping Xbox in their launch celebration tweet. I know it's not bad-intentioned and that there aren't enough Xbox scores on Metacritic, but there are tons of other ways of celebrating the scores than making it look like the consoles for playing the biggest first-party game of the year are Nintendo and PS. They could do what tons of third parties do with their celebrated games, the names of the outlets besides their score. You know, those graphics that show artwork of the game and the scores all over it:
Windows Central 10
TechRadar Gaming 10
The Outerhaven 10
Gaming Age 9.5
Destructoid 9
Day One 9
Games Radar 9
This would have been more appropriate than "NINTENDO" and "PLAYSTATION", with "XBOX" nowhere to be found in the graphic.
Can you even imagine any other platform allowing what Activision's marketing team did here?
Re: Xbox Exec Issues Statement In Response To Review Controversy
Are outlets asking for early access to review games or also free codes? Digital Foundry, a channel with 1.5M+ subscribers, Patreon supporters, sponsors and embedded advertisements, often complains about not receiving Xbox codes for reviewing, even after the game is available, while making a bit of fun of Xbox in every video, and it sounds a tad jarring.
I'm just curious about how this works, and I hope that it's solved soon so there are many more Xbox reviews. I'm glad that Pure Xbox has been receiving their review codes except the Activision Blizzard ones, and that Xbox has already reacted to that.
We also should start paying more attention to Open Critic that has a fairer system than Metacritic, especially when the Xbox version has two reviews.
Re: Xbox Racks Up Millions Of Views Teasing GTA 6 On Xbox Series X
@Zenszulu The last time I did that I was a child and managed to skip school somehow to play Super Mario 64. I'm a bit more patient now. 😂
Re: Xbox Racks Up Millions Of Views Teasing GTA 6 On Xbox Series X
They could, and I hope they will. It's up to Rockstar!
There is a video explaining what FSR 4.1 on Xbox really means.
https://youtu.be/nNSRhoMeOqQ
Re: Xbox Racks Up Millions Of Views Teasing GTA 6 On Xbox Series X
@16BitHero Yep, I will play this on Helix, although FSR4.1 coming to Series X|S soon is excellent news. It has the potential to transform how the most technically demanding games play and look. There are over 400 games supporting it already.
Re: Xbox Racks Up Millions Of Views Teasing GTA 6 On Xbox Series X
@RiverGenie I also think that many players will be getting this after launch. GTA V was on the top 10 charts for a decade.
Re: Xbox CEO Celebrates 'Incredible' Milestones For Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
As last year's Call of Duty was rightfully bashed, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 deserves all the praise.
Re: Talking Point: Xbox Disc To Digital Has Changed How I Buy Games
@FuzzieGinge88 We don't know if Helix will acknowledge Xbox discs, but it seems very likely, even if it's through another Xbox console or disc reader add-on. That's why Disc to Digital is not redundant, even if next-gen games are, probably, digital only.
On the other hand, PlayStation is being completely upfront like you said, and also completely anti-consumer. They said in court that people that think they own their digital games are not reasonable, and even if that's technically true, also gives us an idea about what their intentions are.
In just one year and two months, Sony will have a monopolistic gaming ecosystem with no third parties involved, and has also stopped releasing games for other platforms (PC). They will be the first console maker to ditch physical games in order to raise the prices on the store even further, with no possible physical nor digital purchase anywhere else. On Xbox, you can buy physical games so far, and also digital games on Amazon, Shopto and many other stores.
Moreover, on PlayStation it will be impossible to buy a delisted game because there won't be physical games to support, and not only can they delist games on the store, but have previously removed 551 films and TV shows from PlayStation users’ digital libraries with no refunds because, well, reasonable people know they own nothing when it comes to PlayStation's digital world.
@Markatron84 There never is one...
Re: Talking Point: Xbox Disc To Digital Has Changed How I Buy Games
@Roxion You make good points, but I think that that forum poster is wrong. Sega has been Xbox-friendly for many years now. Square Enix has distanced themselves from Sony, and refused to show their trailers with only the PS logo in recent Sony events.
That said, like @Sindayl and many others here, I hope that Bandai Namco and Square Enix join the project soon.
PS: What weird reasoning some people have, e.g., selling the disc implies that you would need to buy the disc again (as a con).
Re: Talking Point: Xbox Disc To Digital Has Changed How I Buy Games
@Coletrain As a life-long Nintendo fan and occasional PS player, Xbox puts the other two ecosystems to shame. I have zero regrets since it became my main platform. All third-party games are always purchased for Xbox.
Re: Xbox's Newly-Announced COO Is Leaving Microsoft After 21 Years
@chesheer ...despite up to thirteen layers of management.
Re: Microsoft Announces Extended Deadline To Find A Solution For Xbox Studio Arkane
We have barely seen anything, so they game could effectively have several years of development ahead. The trailer showed 1 minute of cutscenes, 3 years ago. That means that there are two possibilities:
a) the development has advanced properly, despite no more footage.
b) the game has been in development hell for three years now.
The most likely option is "b", because Marvel's Blade is the kind of multimedia project that the new team ruling Xbox would actually invest in, whether first or third-party, such as Fallout or Physint.
I would love to see Marvel's Blade survive this process and the studio staff continue their work, whether as a first or third party, but I'm not sure a proper game even exists yet.
I'm not going to compare a pedigreed studio like Arkane Lyon with a new studio that was a mess from the start like The Initiative, but this reminds me of Perfect Dark, that was stuck on development hell until Crystal Dynamics came to their rescue. I still hope that Perfect Dark is revived. Machine Games would be the perfect studio.
Re: Xbox's Newly-Announced COO Is Leaving Microsoft After 21 Years
There is obviously something grave we don't know. Otherwise, this would have not happened after a very short time in her new role. I have no idea about what exactly, but I think that not discussing individual personnel matters is the best approach, as much as we, not being related to them, are naturally curious about it.
Re: Review: 8BitDo Ultimate 3E Controller For Xbox - Understated, Premium, And Well Worth Picking Up
@Glassneedles That's the problem with the Elite Series 1 and 2. Some people say that they are the best and also the worst (for durability) they have ever used, and I have to agree because it was the same dual experience for me. If I had known that the subsequent Xbox controllers would be more compact, I would have kept and repaired the Elite Series 1.
It is a relief to know that Elite Series 3 will have TMR or hall-effect sticks, and hopefully, they found a way to improve the overall quality after seven years: grip glue and bumpers are the failing parts as far as I know, potentiometer sticks aside. My Elite Series 2 also had a problem with one of the buttons for the paddles.
My main gaming platform is Series X. I haven't tried the G7 Pro, but I've heard that the d-pad is bad. I have a G7 HE which is decent enough, but with a very hard d-pad. Like you said, the triggers are Xbox-style and the impulse vibration is refined. Forza games are the best to test the triggers.
I expect the Elite Series 3 to be revealed in November 🤞. Being leaked via Xbox Design Lab, this is my chance to finally have the colour buttons! I am a huge fan of them despite never owning an Xbox nor Xbox 360.
I don't expect the Helix controller to have more advanced features than Elite Series 3, but to be a more basic version of it.
Re: Modern Warfare 4 Is Hijacking Xbox Dashboards, Here's How To Turn The Background Off
@Sindayl You mean when scrolling down. Pins? The quickest path is selecting My games & apps on the top and then Groups. I don't scroll down in the Home menu unless I'm bored.
I know you don't like the dashboard, I'm just giving you a better alternative.
Re: Poll: If You're Playing Modern Warfare 4, What Do You Think So Far?
I haven't played it yet, but it's getting very positive reviews. That's a relief, after last year's Black Ops 7 feeling like remixed DLC.
Re: Review: 8BitDo Ultimate 3E Controller For Xbox - Understated, Premium, And Well Worth Picking Up
@Pigrotto Yes. There are many Youtubers that dedicate their channel to reviewing Xbox controllers!
Re: Review: 8BitDo Ultimate 3E Controller For Xbox - Understated, Premium, And Well Worth Picking Up
There are some very good third-party Xbox controllers. It seems to be almost a culture, Xbox controllers. I have tried some, and also read and watch many reviews. The only first/third-party controller that has perfect ergonomics in my hands are the Xbox One and Xbox Elite Series 1.
I'm going to wait for the leaked Series 3, which seems a tad bigger than Series X|S and Elite Series 2 and, most importantly for most people reading this, has TMR or hall-effect sticks. Plus, it will be featured on Xbox Design Lab.
The 8BitDo Ultimate 3E has a few things I like and some others I don't.
Pros:
Cons:
Easily a 9/10 if you don't mind the triggers, less refined vibration and compact design, but also a 6/10 if you do.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (October 24-25)
Horde Siege in Gears of War E-Day and any of my racing games, I think.
Happy weekend!
Re: 25+ Of The Best Discounted Games From Xbox's Shocktober Sale
There is also Fatal Frame II Crimson Butterfly Remake, Mask of the Lunar Eclipse and Maiden of Black Water, the best horror games besides Resident Evil, Silent Hill and The Evil Within.
Also, it's worth mentioning the Xbox One version of Dead Rising, which still is the best, in my opinion. I didn't expect it, but it became one of my favourites games. Looks and plays great on Series X and replaying it is even better. The current-gen remaster censored certain things and ruined the graphics as if the mall was abandoned 100 years ago. Spoiler: it was never abandoned.
Re: Report: Microsoft Is Running Out Of Time To Save Xbox Studio Arkane
@eduscxbox I played Redfall after the patches, it looks and runs very well on Series X. I thought it was a bit shallow, but the gameplay is excellent and the game is a lot of fun. I really liked it and completed it. I tried Deathloop, but it wasn't my thing.
Re: These Are The Top 10 Xbox Backwards Compatibility Requests After 900,000 Votes
I have the Gamecube version of Sonic Riders, although I use Dolphin to play in 4K. The game is difficult to grasp and challenging, but a lot of fun when you get better. It has great music and visuals. Sonic Heroes, like Sonic Adventure 1 and 2, should be remade. I hate the camera in those games. I would love to play Jet Set Radio Future and The Simpsons: Hit & Run, and Forza Horizon 1, the only one I missed. Oh, and Project Gotham Racing since all long-time Xbox fans talk about it.
Re: AMD FSR 4.1 Announced For Xbox Series X|S And ROG Xbox Handhelds
@strzelec Excellent video. It clearly explains that Series X has the edge because of more hardware compute, and dedicated support for the 8-bit math that FSR4.1 uses, compared to PS5. If Rockstar releases a patch for Series X and Series S, it would benefit the Xbox version.
It's not that on Xbox the AI upscaling is "simpler" like somebody said, but that the Xbox hardware is more powerful and natively support the 8-bit math used by FSR4.1, while PS5 loses rendering capabilities when using a by-product of FSR because of the lack of native support.
Re: Report: Microsoft Is Running Out Of Time To Save Xbox Studio Arkane
@Boogaloo_Jenkins Let's hope so. Next month we'll know what happens to the studio.
Re: Report: Microsoft Is Running Out Of Time To Save Xbox Studio Arkane
@Boogaloo_Jenkins Basically, the development time of the studios affected by this disinvestment increased despite growing in size: Compulsion Games, Undead Labs, Ninja Theory, Double Fine... I'm pretty sure it's because of the blank cheques and Phil's hands-off strategy, who openly admitted that he left the studios make whatever projects they wanted to, and on their own terms. South of Midnight and State of Decay 3 are two examples of dragged development, and there were also cancelled projects like Perfect Dark and Everwild, but we have no idea how Blade looks right now. I would love to check it.
Re: Modern Warfare 4 Is Hijacking Xbox Dashboards, Here's How To Turn The Background Off
@GeeEssEff I'd like to know as well. This is the first time I see a Play Anywhere game cheaper on Microsoft Store than on Xbox Store.
Re: The Internet Urges Xbox To Save Mass Effect
Is EA going to keep the IP and outsource a new game? That's another possibility.
@abe_hikura Agreed. They are willing to pay someone for specific projects, like Kojima's company, but not reopen a closed studio, especially if the people that made the iconic titles were no longer working on the IP and the last studio's releases were less favourably received.
Re: New Rumour Says Xbox Spent $500 Million On Gears Of War: E-Day, But Not Everyone Agrees
@HonestHick It's either revenge or greed.
Re: The Internet Urges Xbox To Save Mass Effect
Xbox has more than enough IPs to revive at the moment. I can list over a dozen worthy of revival, starting with Banjo-Kazooie.
Re: Modern Warfare 4 Is Hijacking Xbox Dashboards, Here's How To Turn The Background Off
I noticed that in the store, the biggest release of the current week is sometimes spread out on a row as a mosaic using the different store sections shortcuts, and I like that.
This time, they brought it to the dashboard as ordinary tiles and introduced "event-themed backgrounds", that can be turned off. Thankfully, the sponsored tile no longer shows McDonald's ads as it did once, but Game Pass titles.
@Sindayl The first row of tiles is always your played games. The second row is dedicated to Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 because it's the biggest first-party release of the year, but in February the row's theme will be Fable!
Re: Xbox Mandates Four-Day Office Work For Certain Employees, Said To Affect 'Thousands'
@Weebleman I'm willing to have a beer with you if you behave from now on 😂. Also, tag me for something positive every now and then, and not only to reprimand me 💚.
Re: Gears Of War: E-Day Gets Its Third Update On Xbox & PC, Full Patch Notes Revealed
@fatpunkslim You need to keep the button pressed, and you should start pressing it before the enemy approaches. The chainsaw is the only melee attack that requires the button to be held. The enemy has to be in front of you, so it's not an attack you can trigger in every situation.
Re: Xbox Mandates Four-Day Office Work For Certain Employees, Said To Affect 'Thousands'
@Jaxx420 Nah, this is just entertainment, and I include the whole gaming thing. Of course, there are problems in all companies, Xbox included, that I cannot solve. I worry about daily problems that I have like everybody else. Like you said, there are bigger things to worry about like climate change and human beings destroying the Earth and thinking that only they matter. The first Matrix film was so right about it.
I love talking to you, thanks for your replies here and elsewhere.
Re: Xbox Mandates Four-Day Office Work For Certain Employees, Said To Affect 'Thousands'
@Jaxx420 My comment was short and blunt, but it was not ill-intentioned. Like you said, it's just my opinion about something and a feeling, and I appreciate you realise and respect that. Of course, I understand and respect your opinion about remote working. Regarding wellbeing, I've never felt bad working at the office when I had an office job, which was also in a huge company, one of the ones that are usually mentioned here. I actually liked it, learnt a lot, and had good colleagues. It was a great workplace. Actually, not being able to share a place during the pandemic made things more difficult. That's my experience, so it's what I can talk about.
Re: Xbox Mandates Four-Day Office Work For Certain Employees, Said To Affect 'Thousands'
@Jaxx420 Internet's anonymity makes people less inclined to respect others, or just show their true colours. I do believe like others here that it does increase productivity and improves the workflow and team work, and I disagree with the others. That's not a problem for me. A constructive discussion (when it happens) is something I'd pay more attention to, and I read carefully, and sometimes reply to users that provide solid arguments, whether I agree or not.
Just a clarification and I hope that I don't have to add anything else because it's my opinion and I never force anyone to agree. In my first comment, I was not exclusively referring to the remote workers, but Xbox workers in general. I think it's clear, though. I also made clear is just a feeling. I was thinking of dragged development, dropped projects, not addressing users' requests and not favouring console features and updates until Asha arrived.
I have read interviews where Xbox workers say that she has a lot of energy and asks what they are doing to see if anything needs attention. So, in a sense, even Xbox workers think that she is invigorating the workflow. Besides, the removal of layers of management and unnecessary infrastructure is something that is going to favour Xbox. She also requested the big platforms like Mojang and King to report to her directly. Whoever stays at Xbox, is going to work on something meaningful.
Re: New Rumour Says Xbox Spent $500 Million On Gears Of War: E-Day, But Not Everyone Agrees
@HonestHick It's exactly that. Microsoft cannot stop investing in AI unless Google and Apple stop. They are competing in the same race. Even on a gaming site, where it's a controversial topic, some people admit that they heavily use it at work or for personal searches and even to get ideas for things to do in their free time. You are also completely right when you say that it's another kind of memory and that the manufacturers are prioritising it because they earn more money with it. This is a problem with many things in this world. Human beings take things for granted, no matter how important they are. As you and I have mentioned, Sony and Nintendo got stock for the future. The Xbox of Phil and Sarah did not because they didn't prioritise consoles, and it's paradoxical because Microsoft (and the rest of tech leaders) was hoarding another kind of memory at the same time.
I don't know if the memory manufacturers were getting a fair amount of money before this crisis or not, but once another product rises in the economy and is more profitable and required in larger amounts, they are going to favour it. To make things worse, there are just a few manufacturers in the world, despite electronic devices being manufactured and sold to almost everybody in the world. Basically, it's not just one thing or IA, but the result of global economy and every actor making decisions that favour their own interests, just like most people also do what benefits themselves the most, sadly.
Re: New Rumour Says Xbox Spent $500 Million On Gears Of War: E-Day, But Not Everyone Agrees
@HonestHick Give it a few months, although I don't think that Xbox (or Sony) share the number of copies that their games sell anymore, or number of Game Pass players. I see that most people that have played it, like it, and most of my Xbox friends are playing it. Perhaps outside Xbox, people don't care about it, but on Xbox it seems to be quite popular.👍
Re: New Rumour Says Xbox Spent $500 Million On Gears Of War: E-Day, But Not Everyone Agrees
@HonestHick I'm happy that Gears of War E-Day topped the Xbox charts. It deserves so. Only Xbox knows the numbers, the rest are speculating. It had to be on Game Pass anyway, because they are honouring all existing announcements, but I guess that both Xbox and The Coalition are delighted to see that it's the most played title on Game Pass, ahead of Fortnite that is also included in the chart. Anyway, $500 million just for Gears of War E-Day? No. That's just more speculation.
Besides, third parties like Capcom and Ubisoft have stated that they are happy because they enjoy never-ending sales of their big games, which is an undeniable advantage of digital distribution, and it must be the same for every big publisher. I don't doubt that initial sales are important, but it's not like when games were on the stores' shelves.
Re: Xbox Mandates Four-Day Office Work For Certain Employees, Said To Affect 'Thousands'
@happy_hands_hamm You are probably confusing me with somebody else. I don't think we have ever interacted. I almost never reply when I'm told things like what you just posted. Here, I got like 20 hostile tags for having an opinion and barely replied.
happy_hands_hamm wrote:
Everything clear now.
Re: New Rumour Says Xbox Spent $500 Million On Gears Of War: E-Day, But Not Everyone Agrees
@HonestHick Agreed. There are no Xbox consoles to sell. There are Switch 2 everywhere I look and also PS5, despite the increased demand and the components crisis.
I think that Asha and Matthew have realised how important consoles are for Xbox, besides PC/Play Anywhere, but they just can't do much about the shortage. In one of the first interviews, she mentioned that the "other platforms" (Nintendo and Sony) had components stock, but that they did not. Phil and Sarah were obviously not prioritising consoles.
Besides, I think they really want to keep current users happy before the next generation and during the cross-gen period. Series X|S have received more worthwhile updates in the last seven months than in the whole generation, and they have also fulfilled some of the Player's Voice requests.
Judging by those interviews, Asha is here to reset and make Xbox more profitable, but that doesn't mean that Xbox is going to be subsidised by its owner Microsoft, despite them being ultra-profitable. I guess that the best they can do is to keep Xbox users happy and try to make Helix readily available.
A huge console exclusive would also help Helix.
EDIT: I understand that there is a lot of speculation about Gears of War E-Day's budget and commercial performance because the not-announced PS5 port was scrapped, so I would like Xbox to give official sales and Game Pass numbers, but they won't.
Re: Xbox & Nintendo Console Sales Suffer YoY Decreases In New September 2026 US Report
@IllusiveMan I think that Asha and Matthew have realised how important consoles are for Xbox, besides PC/Play Anywhere, but they just can't do much about the shortage. In one of the first interviews, she mentioned that the "other platforms" (Nintendo and Sony) had components stock, but that they did not. Phil and Sarah were obviously not prioritising consoles.
Besides, I think they really want to keep current users happy before the next generation and during the cross-gen period. Series X|S have received more worthwhile updates in the last seven months than in the whole generation, and they have also fulfilled some of the Player's Voice requests.
Judging by those interviews, Asha is here to reset and make Xbox more profitable, but that doesn't mean that Xbox is going to be subsidised by its owner Microsoft, despite them being ultra-profitable. I guess that the best they can do is to keep Xbox users happy and try to make Helix readily available.
@HonestHick I'm sure that the special edition will sell out and that Ocarina of Time Remake will sell tons of copies.