@RTGX The negativity here is almost at a level you'd think that Series X consoles are not turning on anymore. This is just a way of saying that what really matters is enjoying playing on an Xbox or any other console/platform. I really love Series X, it has everything I ever wanted from a console. That said, my launch PS4 broke before it was about to take off. I considered forgetting about it, but I bought a PS4 Pro so I could still play Wipeout (my favourite Sony exclusive) and Street Fighter V. Of course, I also play on my Switch OLED.

@Mr-Cage @HonestHick Even on Pure Xbox, they attack people for liking Xbox. What does that tell you? I respect all opinions. It's more like I don't mind what every person on the planet might think, although I can find it interesting whether they agree with me or not, depending most of all if it's a sincere, coherent and respectful person. The problem is the lack of respect and coherence.

It's also funny how biased gaming sites (and Wikipedia edit warriors) are, like, "Sony ended their involvement with the game" when talking about the cancellation of Physint, that was cancelled indeed, and then Kojima went out to find someone to pay for it. They also doubted Kojima's statements denying the tweets and reports, exactly as they question Xbox's official statements when they come out and bash Xbox for not talking when they don't.

The sugar-coating on everything Sony, while ripping Xbox apart, is cringe-worthy. I'm not just talking about this external project, and I'm not defending Kojima, as I also have my doubts about him (that I won't post until I'm sure). I'm talking about everything that Sony has done in-house this generation and how it has been portrayed compared to what Xbox has done, good and bad.

For the record, I kind of "enjoy" when someone criticises something about Xbox, as long as it's genuine, makes sense and they would do the same about Sony and Nintendo without changing the narrative and criteria.

@Mr-Cage Besides, you and @HonestHick are two of the sincerest, most coherent people on Hookshot, so when some of them call you trolls is like the world was upside down. Common sense is no longer that common.

@Mr-Cage The problem with Push is that the editor is the first to agitate. Here, the only trolling you see is in the comments section by PS fans that are not interested in Xbox but are "worried" about its future.

@Sindayl @Elbow Not every new idea will be greenlit like when Phil let studios do whatever they wanted, but we'll get more of the existing, better-received IPs. Teams are joining forces to avoid development hell and side projects that don't ever come to life. Asha wants to consolidate a strong first-party portfolio, but newer projects that work, e.g., Grounded, are included. While reliable studios will probably not be watched as much, I expect that others like Bethesda will be, considering their dragged development. For starters, Obsidian will work with Bethesda and make Fallout. We are going to see more and bigger Xbox games from now on, and fewer of the smaller, experimental ones (and failed projects). That potentially means more of the beloved IPs coming back and a stronger first-party lineup, which was already good thanks to Xbox's best studios.

@TheGameThrifter The problem with those games is what they cost to make. I liked Keeper but it's very linear and short. It's hard to justify the development time and budget. Same for Hellblade II and, of course, South of Midnight. Not just the budget and development time, but they underperformed on Game Pass, the Xbox Store and also on PS5 and Switch 2. Xbox can have quirky games, why not, if the development time and budget are proportionate. Obsidian is good at that.

For adding content to Game Pass on top of the first-party lineup, like you said, it makes more sense to sign contracts and get more successful third-party games like Persona, Clair Obscure, Hades, Cyberpunk, Resident Evil, Assassin's Creed, Death Stranding, GTA, etc.

@kanedase7en I like Phil. He had some great ideas that added a lot of value to Xbox, but he also had this hands-off approach I've always criticised and that lead Xbox to 3% profit margin which would have eventually led to red numbers, despite earning billions yearly.

Asha is doing exactly what Nadella asked of her, making Xbox efficient, leaner and more in line with what gamers want in terms of content, as @TheGameThrifter said. Mostly, getting rid of layers of management and redundant infrastructure that delayed development and burnt budgets, merging teams when it makes sense and only getting rid of those studios that were bleeding the money earned by the successful ones after up to seven years of expensive development with middling results.

Asha is exactly the kind of person that Xbox needed. Game development now will be more streamlined, focused and successful.

@AI-Generation I just read Matt's letter

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/09/22/continuing-our-reset/

and it seems that they are still assessing the situation. I would love to see how Blade looks like right now.

@Rimebreaker Craig Duncan was the director of Rare. He was promoted to Head of Xbox Game Studios but that layer of management was one of the removals, indeed. Now, most studios report directly to Matt Booty and Asha. Rare will report to Activision, probably because of their experience with classic IPs and games.

@abe_hikura They are not adding layers of management. Rare will report to Activision and will somehow be directed by them. Actually, a layer of management has been removed here, because Xbox Game Studios will report to Matt Booty directly instead of Rare ex-director Craig Duncan, who assumed a middleman role until a few months ago.

@Wakkawipeout The first Hellblade was made by a small team. It's like Double Fine, they grew a lot under Microsoft's umbrella but didn't achieve the expected results. What I mean is that Ninja Theory should go back to their roots and they'll probably be fine. I find the first Hellblade more interesting to play than the second. They became popular because they were a small team that was very technically capable.

All of those changes make total sense under the current circumstances.

Playground and Turn 10 will come together as one studio: I saw this one coming and I'm happy because Playground used Turn 10's technology and cooperation to build their success with Forza Horizon. Horizon is more my thing, but Turn 10 warrant recognition as developers.

Bethesda will expand its remit to include Obsidian: I have a lot of respect for Obsidian as an efficient studio that makes interesting and fun games, and they were already working with Bethesda. It almost feel like they were deservedly promoted and together will do more ambitious work with great IPs.

Activision will expand its remit to World’s Edge and Rare: I posted on the other thread that I think this is also for the better and that the current Rare needs to be directed properly, not to mention that Rare's IPs and game design ideas should be rescued because they are awesome.

King will expand its remit to include Microsoft Casual Games: I would have never planned this but it also makes total sense.

That aside, I like Undead Labs, so I'm happy to see that they successfully became independent and that they signed a deal for publishing on Game Pass.

I knew they were going to be in trouble. I don't think they needed better leadership as if they didn't know what to do and were lost. They became too ambitious in the wrong ways. They also were the only studio that did not say anything. Compulsion, Double Fine and Undead Labs did. Undead Labs was the one I thought was going to be purchased quickly because they finally built a game with single and multiplayer gameplay, but nobody has bought any of these studios. My favourite among the bunch, yes, is Undead Labs because I love State of Decay 2 (the updated version, obviously). I'm happy that they successfully became independent and signed a Game Pass publishing deal.

World's Edge is in good hands if Blizzard (part of Activision Blizzard King) takes care of them. What can I say about Rare? I's about time they do something besides Sea of Thieves and wild nature sketches that don't Ever become gameplay. Craig Duncan was not the right person for managing Rare. He even said nobody wants to play old IPs! Now that the current Rare reports to Activision, they should start working on the other IPs. I guess that's the idea here, doing something besides updating Sea of Thieves. There is no shortage of memorable and amazing IPs and game design ideas in Rare's legacy.

Improving the development of Halo is one of the things that Xbox needed the most. The development of Halo Evolved Campaign was outsourced. I love Halo Infinite, but the campaign's story was not finished by 343 Industries/Halo Studios but an experience Halo man that was hired with that purpose. I think that this is the right move. The most experienced Halo Studios members will probably take care of the story and lore. They have learnt a lot since Halo 4 and 5, 5 being the worst entry. It wouldn't be surprising if members move from Activision to Halo Studios or vice versa. Now they need to confirm that they are leaving third-party engines behind and moving to their first-party engines, which are the best in the shooter genre. Owning Halo Studios and all the Id Tech and IW forks, what sense did it make to outsource the development of Halo Campaign Evolved using a third-party engine? I and others addressed this and Asha apparently agrees.

@badboidre I'm not even sure his family he speaks of really exists.

I assume that after Sony cancelled Physint and Xbox secured the project, they will use the game as a strategic asset for Xbox (including PC) and Game Pass.

Precisely, the scarcity of first-party games and third-party exclusives on PS5 is the reason why I would have never expected Sony to cancel a high-profile game well covered by the media, and also a single-player campaign like those they want to go back to after the failure of their live/multiplayer games, even if the exclusivity was timed.

@Mr-Cage As long as Xbox games are available on PC, they will be fine. That said, of course, I hope it's a hit across the board! The PS5 mention was because of many users asking for months why Fable, why Gears, etc. The reason is simple.

That said, past circumstances and the change of CEO have led to the first Gears of War (Reloaded), the first Halo (Campaign Evolved) and the first Fable since the Xbox 360 titles to be released on PS5, which is a good way to introduce these iconic IPs to PS fans.

Fable is a wonderful series, one of the most special and memorable gaming experiences in my life. I'm looking forward to the fourth (main) entry!

This is one of those games that Asha would have made exclusive if it had not been announced for PS5 before she joined Xbox.

@Mr-Cage My bad, I mean the Xbox One version. Crisp 1080p graphics and smooth 60fps, with superior art style, graphics and experience compared to the latest remaster. It's a bit too hard in the beginning, but it just gets better and better!

@Coletrain I liked all of them. This series is amazing. How different and great each entry is, old and new! The one I probably like the least (out of the first six) is IV. II is really innovative considering it's the second. The soundtrack and the music player makes this collection a must-have. 😊

@John5alive Yep, I just checked. They also have the physical edition and the digital version of the standard and premium editions, all of them significantly cheaper than on the Xbox store.

@RiverGenie Exactly, the early access is a bonus, it's not the main feature included in a deluxe or premium edition. It's just a little reward for purchasing the complete edition of a game at launch.

I don't understand why some people hate this. I see these premium and deluxe editions as a way to optimise AAA releases without increasing the regular price, which is not anti-consumer, because they only offer a few days of early access and the DLC is also available separately, except for the odd pre-order bonus here and there that is typically a skin. To give you an example, I pre-ordered some digital deluxe editions that I did not even play at launch, just to support specific releases.

Some users say they only get AAA games when they cost <20 and then cry and blame the publisher when a game is cancelled or part of the studio staff is made redundant...

@Mr-Cage Since you asked, play the [EDIT: Xbox One] version of Dead Rising. It's superior to the Deluxe Remaster and plays better than ever!

Happy weekend! As I told my friend @Coletrain, I reached the last entry of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster bundle. There is a The Witcher 3's Botchling waiting for the remaster to come. As usual, so many games to play, so trying to focus on one thing at a time, besides racing and fighting games.

@Coletrain I see that I'm not alone. I read many users that say that The Witcher 3 was not something they loved immediately. I have played most of the Final Fantasy games already. Now I'm finishing the Pixel Remaster collection, specifically VI, all of them 100% with achievements which is kind of easy with the quality of life features. The others I haven't played are the remakes of VII, IX, XIV and XVI. I will play the original VII which I started but not finished on PC when I was still a kid, so I'm excited about playing that soon.

@Xbox-Memory At least, it will run better on Helix. Not even PS5 Pro has the game running smoothly. The studio did a great job updating Maiden of Black Water and Mask of the Lunar Eclipse, so there's still hope they'll update Crimson Butterfly Remake for the next generation. 😊

About the exclusives topic, since Play Anywhere on Xbox One in 2016, 10 years ago, Xbox exclusives are available on Microsoft Store. The problem is when people assume that PC means Steam. Steam is a PC storefront that sells Windows games. It has 74% of the PC market, not 99% like the Steam Hype writer posted in the comments section of the introduction article. Microsoft has 8% of the PC market, which is more than I thought, because the Microsoft Store needs a good boost, and it will get it before Helix is released. It's currently getting the backwards compatible games and more third-party Play Anywhere titles, so it's already happening. Xbox also has 24% of the console market (Series X|S, PS5/Pro and Switch 2). Overall, Xbox has 32% of the gaming market, excluding games published on other storefronts.

All Xbox exclusives will be available on Microsoft Store, this is nothing new. The term "console exclusive" means no Nintendo and Sony ports. It doesn't mean no PC version. Another question is, will Xbox games be sold on Steam? I assume that the biggest ones will be sold on Steam, with Minecraft and Call of Duty also on Sony and Nintendo, but it's unclear if all Xbox games will be available on Steam or if Xbox will use their first-party lineup to increase their PC market share, which is something I can see Asha doing with Helix and Xbox on PC.

There are many console players, multiplatform players and even PC players that don't play everything (or anything) on Steam. Besides, gaming PCs are getting more expensive and consoles achieve better performance with equivalent specifications, not to mention a plug and play experience and better value, even when including the software, thanks to the digital sales and subscriptions like Game Pass. What consoles don't offer is free online, but the Xbox online experience is arguably superior than what you get on PC. I don't expect online to be free on Helix, but it would be wise to release a cheap subscription with online only.

@RTGX That is certain. Asha never sad all storefronts nor all PC games. Those are just old leaks that involved Epic and Steam. Nothing official. What they are going to do is merge the Xbox store and the Microsoft Store because all Xbox games will be Windows games. I assume that there will be fixed settings or several presets for playing on Helix, but no more Xbox ports, which will benefit the platform since all games are made for Windows. Of course, Helix will also play all the console games that Series X|S plays and those will be added to the store.

@BacklogBrad I'm not saying that it won't happen. Discussions about Steam and Epic were leaked some time ago before the new CEO. However, Asha's "your PC games" does not specify if it's just the Microsoft Store or includes Steam, Epic, etc. It could be like Rog Xbox Ally, yes, but it could also be an Xbox-Windows games console if she wants to focus on boosting the Xbox ecosystem as she seems to do. It's not changing the plan, but rather a new era with a new CEO.

Same answer. Current CEO never promised "all PC storefronts" nor "all your PC games".

@Coletrain The shape of the PS4 and PS5 triggers is horrendous and the ergonomics are not for me. I'm not completely sure about the intense haptics either and they drain a lot of battery, like the touch panel and lights of the PS4, but a few games make good use of it, like the "HD" rumble of Switch and Switch 2.

8BitDo for some reason has Xbox controllers with PS triggers and I let them know how terrible the idea is. Regarding motion controls, unless it's Wii Sports or a Wii Remote (not the joy-cons) for playing a shooter, I don't really think they improve the experience, so I really haven't missed them on Xbox, not even for shooters.

However, it would make sense to add them to the next Xbox controller as an option for playing some games, even more since Helix will play PC or Microsoft Store games.

@Coletrain I will play it because I own that and the Alan Wake games. Now I'm busy with the Final Fantasy titles that I haven't played yet.

I started The Witcher 3 on Xbox One, Xbox One X and Series X and now the remaster is coming. 🤣 Last thing I did was dealing with Botchling.

This is not what I usually do. I tend to focus on a single game until I beat it, and try to get all the achievements if I really like it. The Witcher 3 has not hooked me yet, but the remaster probably will.

@Coletrain I fell in love with the Xbox triggers since I played Forza Horizon 3, one of my first Xbox games.

@Coletrain Today was a busy day. I read the comments but not the review yet. 😁

I still have to play the prequel of this and Alan Wake, but I liked Quantum Break.

30fps means that I will play this on Helix, assuming it gets a 60fps update, when it will also cost a fraction of the price. This generation, the only 30fps game I have bought, specifically pre-ordered (Deluxe edition) is Fatal Frame II Crimson Butterfly Remake, which I hope gets a 60fps update on Series X or Helix.

@HonestHick It's going to be awesome! I sense a brilliant badass campaign and ongoing multiplayer with additional content after release.

@RTGX It's not confirmed but I don't see Sony caring about players' choices. They are still selling a lot of hardware, subscriptions and the third-party commissions are their main source of revenue, and those are about to skyrocket with GTA VI. People say that Sony was arrogant when they launched PS3, but I think that the things they're doing now and saying like let's milk our fans even more are worse. I mean, they don't even need first-party games nor third-party exclusives to succeed.

@BacklogBrad Xbox never promised other storefronts. The names of Epic and Steam were leaked and probably discussed, but before the new CEO started her tenure. She has been very careful about it, "PC games" are her words, which could mean Microsoft Store. I really think that would be the best outcome because Steam would cannibalise the Xbox part of the console and probably increase the price and reduce the reach of Xbox exclusives and Game Pass.

@Millionski Hopefully. Those games would improve massively in 60fps. There is one game that I play regularly since it launched that really needs a resolution boost, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed.

Backwards compatibility is the only thing I really care about and it's confirmed. On Xbox, backwards compatibility means the Xbox and Xbox 360 that are already backwards compatible, all Xbox One and Series X|S games with the free enhancements we already enjoy, and more if possible, e.g. Spyro Reignited Trilogy and Crash Team Racing in 60fps.

I also would like the Microsoft Store and Xbox version of games to share save files and achievements. For instance, does anyone knows if that's the case with Doom Eternal (it's not Play Anywhere)?

From a business point of view, a healthy ecosystem with more exclusive content on the console/PC store, to make Xbox more relevant and competitive.

Besides, it's time to rescue Rare's beloved IPs!

@nomither6 And... The Last of Us Remaster Remastered Remaster? 😜

@kuu_nousee Precisely the lack of first-party games this generation on PS5 is the reason why I would have never expected Sony to cancel Physint. Sony still sells a lot of hardware and most of its profits come from third-party commissions on the PS store and PS Plus subscriptions. They have money.

In any case, I'm glad that Xbox saved the project because it could be a flagship IP if it lives up to the expectations of being Metal Gear Solid evolved.

It's kind of a joke that PS discs will be useless eventually, considering that Sony's platform has been more physical-focused than Xbox until now. I'm not denying it, but I still have my doubts about Sony's BD games not having any kind of ID code because there are recorders that copy BDs. It's not like they just started like with PS1. If the PS5 disc codes and metadata are universal, they could be copied and used on any PS5. As far as I know, you can't play games on PS5 using copied discs. I guess we'll have to wait for Sony's explanation to solve the mystery, if it ever comes.

One of my favourite IPs and this entry looks like the real thing!

I just watched bits. I hope that Physint progresses smoothly and that Hideo doesn't waste too much time and resources on the cinematic part of it. Metal Gear Solid is great because of the gameplay.

The rumour was made up and they are not dropping day one in early 2027, but it's no secret that changes are coming because Asha has discussed this topic in the interviews, so the part about prices and tiers is guesswork based on that. Will they remove day one titles from Ultimate in the future? Who knows. Not even Xbox knows. Maybe ABK and Zenimax or all first-party games or the Ultimate tier disappears. Anything is possible but it doesn't really worry me because I can still buy the games I want and/or subscribe to whatever tier I think is best value.

What I think makes the most sense is that Xbox will adjust the tiers and content based on how many subscribers they get, because the price hike including Call of Duty didn't increase the number of subscribers. The best-selling games sell games but not necessarily subscriptions. Beyond Call of Duty, though, I don't expect any more removals (from Ultimate) anytime soon, just cheaper tiers and flexible plans, as teased by Asha.

We should care about things from a consumer's point of view, but Ultimate was created before Zenimax and ABK, and afterwards it was expected to grow exponentially. It was a new thing in gaming that has been adjusted because the number of subscribers didn't justify the investment and they couldn't raise the price and keep subscribers either. It's a great idea and I like it, but we all know it was too generous, which doesn't mean unsustainable. I think it can work long term with the right adjustments, but until they are official, there's no point in guessing and worrying.

So not just Xbox but now Windows Central confirm that the clickbait was made up and that there are no plans to remove day one from Ultimate, which doesn't mean that it won't ever happen, but certainly not in early 2027. The rest of the rumour is what Windows Central and the really "sensible people" here said, guesswork based on what Asha has discussed in the interviews. It's obvious that they didn't expect Xbox to debunk this shaky rumour so quickly.

I'm so disappointed with Street Fighter 6 and I'm a long-time Street Fighter fan.

I don't know what else is there to discuss. The clickbait was made up because all the announced games are still coming on day one and not all are launching before early 2027. Xbox, Nintendo and Sony will never state that they aren't changing subscriptions in the future, let alone concerning future games they haven't even announced, because they don't know. Nobody knows about the future. All of them have made changes and will adjust their subscriptions whenever they think is worth it. The rest of the rumour is based on things discussed by Asha in the interviews, but they added prices and details that are likely made up, just like "will drop day 1 new games releasing on the service in early 2027", which is false.

These are facts. If you want my opinion, as I said above, Essential will change depending on what they decide about the paywall for playing online on Helix. Premium is that safe middle ground that other publishers use. I think it was a great idea to remove day one Call of Duty from Ultimate and lower the price. I'm not worried about further changes in that direction that may benefit the health of their business. Yes, we are consumers and our priority should be what we get for our money, but in the case of Ultimate, getting everything on day one was too generous for that price and the number of subscribers did not rise as expected to sustain the offer. Bear in mind that Microsoft acquired Zenimax and ABK after Game Pass started. Many of these things related to Game Pass and some Xbox studios we were not aware of until Asha became CEO and shared some numbers like the 3% profit margin, despite generating roughly $23 billion in annual revenue.

As Xbox users, we need to be willing to pay as the rest do on Steam, Sony and Nintendo and not assume that we deserve more here than everywhere else. At least, we have Microsoft Rewards and, of course, you can buy any game on Xbox and ignore the subscriptions altogether, even though I think that Game Pass is still the best gaming subscription. On Nintendo, you need a subscription for playing classic games you probably own and on PS you need a subscription for the PS3 games. Game Pass is completely optional unless we're discussing online which is another (interesting) topic.

@Mr-Cage I've never read anything like

I don't want anyone dying just to release an Xbox version.

in all these years visiting gaming sites, but I guess she got what she wanted, the survival of the developers, I mean, some media attention.

@XxEvilAshxX I don't know, the "I used to love the Xbox controller too" sentence is also weird.