Banjo-

Wasn't Cloud exclusive to Ultimate until now? At least until last year it was like that. Standard and Premium getting it for the same price is a huge bonus and makes sense if they want casual users using Cloud.

@Scrubchub Okay, I just read this. So basically, PC-Ultimate is the better conversion right now with those prices.

@Scrubchub Isn't the Core-Ultimate conversion better than the EA-Ultimate conversion? I haven't checked recently, though. EDIT: I see you did the maths here:

https://www.purexbox.com/news/2025/10/xbox-reveals-new-conversion-rates-for-game-pass-premium-and-ultimate#comment8846951

@kmtrain83 The third-party codes are legal. They are not random codes nor stolen. I don't know why they are cheaper, though, and I don't know why Microsoft is the only of the three that let third parties sell subscriptions. They are more generous with free credit as well and have this conversion that I didn't expect to only be 10% more expensive now.

Yeah, the monthly subscription price of one of the three tiers is much more expensive now, no doubt about it and 100% of the users agree, but there are more options for everyone that has five minutes. It's true that they added extras, but the added value is more an excuse to make Ultimate more expensive. The Ubisoft deal for older titles must have cost peanuts. The Fortnite subscription is more surprising, as it's relatively expensive on its own ($€10).

Games are very expensive on day one now, on all platforms, including PC. The price is the same: $€70 for the standard editions. Even Nintendo's old ports are not much cheaper. Microsoft has more studios now, so they thought that people that want to play more games at a higher price on day one have to pay the price. Of course, it's not great for us that were paying little for Ultimate until now, and of course it's silly to say that they are giving more options, because that would have been Ultimate and Ultimate Plus. It's as simple as that gaming is getting more expensive for consumers across the board, and playing new games on day one is becoming a luxury.

If anyone is curious, I've been subscribed to Game Pass since it was some kind of beta that did not even have first-party game on day one. The price has increased progressively, the content as well, but I've never paid the full price. I've always used codes for Gold and Core and the conversion to Ultimate, and all the Microsoft credit that I earn even not doing anything but just playing games and using Bing has been used for buying games.

@kmtrain83

It’s even worse when you consider the $30 per month versus a $60 or $70 game

But let's get real, none of the people writing here (or very few) are paying full price for Ultimate. You only pay full price if you have a recurrent monthly subscription and don't redeem any of the Rewards points you inevitably get for Microsoft credit. If you do the Standard-Ultimate conversion, Ultimate is only 10% more expensive now. You can also buy third-party codes for Ultimate and the other tiers.

The best deal is Ultimate: the conversion ratio was 50% until now for Core/Essential whose price has not changed and the conversion ratio is 40% now. Granted, you need your Ultimate subscription to expire and then subscribe to Essential and upgrade, but it's something you just need to do once every three years.

Xbox Game Pass Essential conversion percentage: 40%

It was 50% until now and the price of Core/Essential has not changed, so this is a great deal, right? Granted, you need your Ultimate subscription to expire and then subscribe to Essential and upgrade.

@Cakefish Interesting question. Many think that online will be free next generation, at least on Xbox, because of Play Anywhere and the third-party stores reportedly being part of the same ecosystem. My guess is that it will be free indeed and every Game Pass tier is there for the games and cloud gaming.

@JumpingJackson The biggest market besides the infested-with-microtransactions mobile market is PC. As the gaming version of Windows gets improved, I'd say yes, versatile devices like handheld PCs or gaming handhelds with video output have a bright future ahead that will benefit Xbox Play Anywhere and the PC ports of PS5/6... (and Nintendo emulators?) The newer generations don't want walled gardens nor paying much more for much less.

@fatpunkslim I completely agree, but Microsoft must have stricken a cheap deal for the Ubisoft Classics (not the top tier) and Fortnite subscription, so the increase is not to pay for that. I think that they wouldn't use all the extra money for the new deals because they wouldn't earn extra cash and would potentially lose Ultimate subscribers. The extras are merely an excuse to make the ultimate subscription more expensive. Of course, it would be better to have Ultimate and Ultimate Plus!

The price of Ultimate was too good (fine by me) for a subscription that includes on day one all first-party games by the publisher with the greatest number of studios plus some excellent third-party titles. If this was the only tier, it would be disappointing, but with two cheaper options, well, you have two other options or just buy the games you want. Anyway, you can get a much better deal converting Standard to Ultimate, unless they just changed the conversion ratios, which wouldn't be surprising, but still a better deal than a recurrent Ultimate monthly subscription.

@datamonkey Yes. He gets a lot of requests about Rare's IPs. He has mentioned Banjo-Kazooie as one of them a few times. Now, he's probably being asked about Perfect Dark 3, that should have been outsourced to Crystal Dynamics after the understandable closure of The Initiative... ironic name. That project not being finished by the ones that saved it is a disastrous decision. However, I understand that his power and communication are limited by the higher-ups, unfortunately.

It seems that he consciously avoided mentioning Rare's IPs this time.

I would love Play Anywhere being added to more old and new releases. It's amazing having the console version and getting the PC/gaming handheld for free, with cross saves!

I prefer Series X, but Series S must be the most underrated console ever.

I'm looking forward to Fatal Frame, previously known as Project Zero here. @FraserG There is a mistake in the Dragon Quest link, you wrote Capcom when you wanted to write Square Enix. 😁 Thank you for covering all the Xbox news!

I think that they are trying to make Play Anywhere mandatory for third parties. The new releases of Final Fantasy are Play Anywhere, but not the older, and many releases seem to follow this pattern. Timed exclusivity for their own games like Forza Horizon 6 makes a lot of sense because of Play Anywhere and Game Pass. At the end of the day, the PC market is the biggest besides the casual mobile market and Game Pass is on Xbox consoles, PC, gaming handhelds and mobile devices.

@Rafie I think it's likely because all games are coming to Series X|S and there is even a Windows version (and Mac!) at launch. I read a recent interview and they don't talk about other consoles, but excessively praise Nintendo hardware and make clear that the game runs great on the first Nintendo Switch.

I'm happy about Xbox basically getting everything. I saw the thumbnail on my phone while walking and for a second I thought it was something about Banjo-Kazooie. 😂

Did Nintendo pay the studio for timed console exclusivity, or is it one of those cases of indies prioritising development for Nintendo platforms simply because they sold a lot more copies on Nintendo Switch than on the other consoles?

I played the first one on Series X where it run smoothly and looks great. I'm not a fan of the genre, but I liked and beat this game. If I remember well, it joined Game Pass when the Xbox version released.

@abe_hikura A suggestion. One of the reasons.I stopped buying digital games and DLC on PS is because Sony doesn't issue invoices even when you specifically ask their customer service for them. On Xbox, you can download invoices for every order. So, go to your Xbox order history on a PC and download the invoices clicking on each order. This legally proves you own those games. If there is an issue in the future, you just show them your invoice.

I also recommend you to active the 2-step verification or password-less account. This doesn't affect your authorised Home console, so you can still log in automatically just turning it on. There is a guy who had his account stolen and lost access to all his 1,000+ games. There are bots in some countries that constantly try to steal accounts using random passwords, especially accounts with a big library.

@abe_hikura Could it be that you needed to buy the DLC before the special offer was announced? I remember reading that. I had the DLC since it was available, with a discount precisely because of my Game Pass subscription, and got the free code for the game. I know people that bought the DLC late didn't get the free code, but I don't know when you did.

I got the Check your chat prompt but no message yet.

@Coletrain I don't like The Last of Us, but I think that's another one (well, two) that would do very well on Xbox, with the TV series having 2 seasons so far. The other options make sense as well... and God of War, among others.

@Bmartin001 Friend, I beat Rayman Legends 100% recently. Those 8-bit levels are insane. I enjoy backwards compatible a lot, now I'm playing the third part of Final Fantasy XIII with FPS Boost. I haven't played Rayman Origins yet, but I will. Rayman Legends is one of the best platformers ever.

@BattleMonkey That's right. Xbox Series X – 2 TB Galaxy Black Special Edition is implicitly a special edition of the same console, so its price is not noteworthy, most of all because it's usually out of stock.

@ilyn

You can't just cherry pick only the most expensive PS5 or it clearly highlights your bias to make one seem better value than the other.

Lie. The person I replied to was comparing it to Switch 2 and PS5 Pro.

@Dodoo @carlos82 Not really the same. I like Nintendo as well, but Series S is much better value than Switch 2 for the reasons I explained, while PS5 is better value than PS5 Pro if you like Sony's games, which is what I said (I read on PS that you got a PS5 Pro and will get a PS6 at launch). You did, but I didn't compare Series X and PS5, because that's down to personal preferences and both are solid options. I compared Xbox consoles ("any") with Switch 2 and PS5 Pro because the person I replied to was comparing any Xbox with Switch 2 and PS5 Pro, which are the worst value right now, I already explained why, but of course you are free to dislike Xbox to the point that nothing is worse value and we will never agree, so it's pointless to discuss it.

@Fishmasterflex96 I said the opposite, that we need to accept that these companies are not our friends.

@kmtrain83 Switch 2 is for Mario Kart World and DK Bananza, though. Almost all third-party games are last gen and more expensive and the few that are current-gen are downgraded, like Star Wars Outlaws that has lower resolution, lower frame rate, lower geometry, missing assets and downgraded textures compared to the Series S version. Series S is much better value because it's more powerful, has current-gen and cheaper games plus Game Pass. Yes, Switch 2 is portable, but right now is not great value, just like 3DS wasn't at launch, and certainly PS5 Pro isn't great value either. Recommending Switch 2, with the most expensive and basically last-gen games, and PS5 Pro, the most expensive console with the same CPU, disappointing graphics upgrades and no disc drive compared to PS5 over any Xbox is just the result of you preferring Nintendo and Sony's consoles, and that's fine. 😊

@SeaDaVie @theduckofdeath Yep, with better specs and more storage, the Series X is more expensive to manufacture. We have to accept that the era of subsidised consoles is ending and that includes Sony as well.

I also think that Sonic has better racing games than Mario unless we go back in time, and I'm not a huge fan of 8 either, despite having it on Wii U and Switch with all the DLC since launch. Team Sonic Racing is a great game, but it's.. pure? Some people say bland. I don't think that's the word. Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is awesome, it has amazing water, air and ground controls and physics and I love it at 60fps on Series X, but I also consider that Team Sonic Racing does a couple of things better. I'm very happy to see that Sonic Racing Cross Worlds has met positive reviews and takes things from both. It certainly deserves them because Sega games, unlike Nintendo's, aren't overrated.

@FrenchVaniIIuxe The hardest part of your work is what usually makes you better.

Nice article. I prefer Series X, but Series S is a fantastic machine, the best value in consoles and, like Ben says, there are too many games for it and you don't need to break the bank. It also has Quick Resume, FPS Boost and full backwards compatibility, except Xbox One X enhancements.

On top of the price of Nintendo Switch 2 and pro controller mentioned here, Donkey Kong Bananza costs $70, the DLC which is basically one level $20 and Wii games $40 (they cost $20 on Wii U).

It seems like a semi-automatic mode for enjoying the story. I'd never use it, but I don't mind at all if it exists and people choose to play like that. I would never use it because I'd never learn to play a game like that and I'd never really enjoy it, but if some players want to rush the game or focus on the story, it's absolutely fine. Even playing Donkey Kong Country Returns and other games that have unfair sections that you can only beat after learning the layout of the level by heart, I have never used the assistance! 😂 However, playing some games I have not tried before and are fast-paced, I may start with the easiest difficulty mode, like Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. That case is an exception, because I learnt to play like that.

The two editions are available for pre-order now. They both are limited early purchase editions and include the original game. The only difference is the Square Enix Digital Content Viewer of the Digital Deluxe Edition. The prices are £40/€50/$40 for Standard and £55/€70/$60 for Digital Deluxe. Standard for me.

I almost got it on PS4, but I'm glad I waited until the Series X version because I've heard that the PS4 version looks quite ugly. I remember my conversations with good old NEStalgia and somehow I knew all Final Fantasy games were coming to Xbox eventually, but he couldn't believe it. The funny thing is that I haven't played all the other entries after all these years.

I also want to play the Dragon Quest games. I played both Octopath Travellers games and I loved them. The second one has excellent quality of life additions so I enjoyed beating it 100%.

Excellent! I'm curious about Keeper and I'll definitely play Ninja Gaiden 4. The Outer Worlds 2 is one many were waiting for and it finally came.

@TrollOfWar The two editions are available for pre-order now. They both are limited early purchase editions and include the original game. The only difference is the Square Enix Digital Content Viewer of the Digital Deluxe Edition. The prices are £40/€50/$40 for Standard and £55/€70/$60 for Digital Deluxe.

@TrollOfWar At least it's not fully priced at launch like the port of XVI. $34.79 or the regional equivalent is what I also expect to see on the Xbox sales

@TrollOfWar That Digital Deluxe Edition price that you linked is the same as the Digital Deluxe Edition on PS5 when it released or is it cheaper now?

@masofdas The alternatives are buying and selling physical Nintendo games which is what I usually do, wait for a good deal somewhere... It's not that I can't afford it, but I'm reluctant to spend so much on Nintendo these days, and it's not like everything they make are masterpieces, despite reviewers overrating their games, or that I don't have a backlog like everyone else... Besides, I'd rather play older Nintendo games because I consider them better, with very few exceptions. But yeah, paying a premium subscription to play the same games I already have and paying twice as much to play a Wii game on Switch compared to Wii U is insane... the outrage on NL is not surprising at all.

@masofdas Anything is an excellent deal compared to Nintendo's. They basically rip their fans off.

@masofdas You are not the only one using that number and yes, there are more realistic estimates. Thing is, Microsoft and Sony don't usually reveal sale numbers unless they have something to celebrate, and Microsoft in particular use numbers of players as they also include Game Pass players (that also pay to play the included games) like @themightyant points out.

I think it's fair to say Xbox sales are generally healthy reading clues provided by third-party publishers (financial reports, tweets, platform support...) and just not try to guess the exact number, unless the information comes from the publisher, because estimates differ massively one from another and, in that case, the calculation method is ridiculous. 😁

That said, instead of a fully priced shadow drop like XVI, they should do like they did on PC and offer a 30% discount for pre-orders when they release Rebirth and Remake on Xbox or anything to give it a boost and make up for the late release, as they also did when they released the Pixel Remaster bundle on Xbox.

@Mincey0 What I don't get is why some users on Push say that nobody would want to play it on Xbox now, when I think it's the opposite: when the three games are so close of each other and a bundle is on the horizon, paying and playing makes more sense than paying several times and playing chapters for eight years. But hey, it's the same people that claim that Final Fantasy XVI sold 22,000 copies on Xbox.

@DeadSpace @EvilSilentFrame @Todd_G I think we could continue the conversation here with such great insight. I'm writing there right now.

After beating the remaster of Mask of the Lunar Eclipse (again), I started a new Rayman Legends playthrough. I'm going to get 100% like on Wii U back then. Yes, I'm replaying games despite the backlog...

@VisitingComet1 I mean that it seems their intention after I, II, III, VII... 😉

@EvilSilentFrame Yes, I and III will likely come next. Remember the speculation... 😁

Chronologically, the first game (1986) should come before the third (1988). And then 6?

@VisitingComet1 It seem that they are remaking all the classic Dragon Quest games and that's great!

@EvilSilentFrame I hoped for the enhanced versions of I and II to be backwards compatible on Xbox One and Series X|S because I don't have an Xbox nor Xbox 360. I also replayed II on Wii, each time with more lenses unlocked and in a harder difficulty mode, in order to unlock everything and photograph all the ghosts. At the very least, you're going to get more endings, more ghosts and even access to new areas, if the Wii version is any indication.

@EvilSilentFrame Project Zero 2 Wii Edition, as it was named, was precisely my first experience with the series and I also loved it. I haven't played the original version (Fatal Frame II), but I think that you will also love the remake of that remake, despite the changes.