@HonestHick Right. This is not Xbox hardware-wise, but it's Xbox software-wise, because Microsoft is optimising Windows for gaming and that will benefit all devices, eventually making that version of Windows power their own consoles. This is the best strategy that Microsoft could follow. The duplicity of Windows and Xbox games and no gaming version of Windows while Xbox runs another version of Windows is not. Everything together and optimised is what they are doing and what will make Xbox easiest to develop for and future-proof across devices. Same environment, same software builds and older games being "translated" like on Xbox One or streamed, although I still think that both Microsoft and Sony will build their next consoles backwards compatible. Cloud and code translation will be used on mobile, PCs and handheld PCs.
@RBRTMNZ They aren't dismissing Sony games because they're Sony games, they're referring to the interactive film template that Sony started using heavily since PS4, while praising other Sony games they find more interesting. Nintendo and Xbox games are more "gamey" than the typical PS4-5 Sony game. It's just a preference related to the gameplay that I completely agree with.
Answering the big question, my favourite Sony game is one few would guess. The studio was shut down years ago. I have it on PS4, but I would buy it again on Xbox.
@Questionable_Duck Besides, getting rid of the middleman benefits Sony. Examples: MLB The Show was developed by Sony and published by MLB on Xbox, Death Stranding was exclusive on PS and published by 505 games on Xbox (Kojima bought the IP back), but now Helldivers 2 is published by Sony on Xbox. From now on, Sony's games will be published by Sony on Xbox and not by other publishers.
Most importantly, hiring two senior managers for Xbox & PC means that Sony is going to do the same with Xbox & PC. They're not going to say, "Oh, port this to PC, but don't port it to Xbox because someone's feelings might get hurt." Their goal is clearly described as optimising profits. The strategy is already defined by the new roles that target Xbox & PC specifically.
@NeoRatt That's where Microsoft has an advantage, if they are going to turn their next console into a Windows (gaming version) machine. Xbox has been supported more than I expected by third parties, starting with Xbox One X and now Series X|S. If they finally make Windows and Xbox games the same thing, the easy porting won't even need to be made. They can always handle older games translating the code like they did on Xbox One.
Everyone knew that this would be "clarified" and "debunked" by fans while moving the goalposts indefinitely, but you only have to read the jobs descriptions on Windows Central to know that Sony is going to optimise the profits of Playstation Studios games on Xbox and PC after having cancelled many of the service games, which means porting their traditional and renowned portfolio.
It's smart following Microsoft's steps, because they are going to sell more, not less. PS fans aren't going to abandon PS5 because of the Xbox ports. While some say that PC is not Sony's competitor, I'd argue it's their biggest competitor.
State of Decay 2 started glitchy, but it slowly became an excellent game. I expect great things from the third title.
@OldGamer999 You probably know, but after having cancelled many mobile and service games, Sony will be following Microsoft's multiplatform strategy. They are hiring two senior managers for Xbox & PC ports. They want to optimise the profits of PlayStation Studios games.
Reporting to the Vice President, Commercial Management as Senior Director of Multiplatform & Account Management, you will play a critical leadership role in shaping and executing the global commercial strategy for PlayStation Studios software titles across all digital platforms beyond PlayStation hardware, including Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox, Nintendo, and mobile. This role is accountable for optimizing title profitability, ensuring cross-functional alignment, and leading a high-performing team focused on multiplatform expansion, mid-range commercial planning, and platform partner management.
oversee the out-of-year (mid-range) commercial strategy for PlayStation Studios titles across all non-PlayStation platforms, driving long-term revenue growth and audience reach.
@Jaxx420 Right and more often than they think, that greed is short-sighted. I think it's better for us to focus on the games we like and just play them. These companies are ever-changing and it's impossible to approve everything they do, when the steps they make are driven by profitability.
The way that the jobs are described (by Sony themselves) tells that Sony will actually rely on the new managers to optimise the release of PlayStation Studios games on Xbox and PC, reporting to the bigwigs, obviously. That's why they are hiring senior managers, to begin with. They wouldn't need these experts to port Helldivers 2 to Xbox, whose release is imminent. The other service games were cancelled. These are big plans, indeed.
@BattleMonkey The level of repetitiveness in Assassin's Creed Unity is comical, but playing the game at 60fps is luxury. I enjoyed it, but rushed it and I'm glad I ignored most of the filler.
Syndicate starts a bit less interesting, in my opinion, but it develops nicely, with a lot of credible and immersive details. Syndicate is the first one that adds significant variety and tones quantity down. All the missions were worth playing and the traversal is the best so far. So give Syndicate another go, it's also 60fps now 😁. Other Ubisoft games I can't recommend enough are Immortals Fenyx Rising and Rayman Legends.
I took a break from gaming this weekend, but the last game I beat was Assassin's Creed Syndicate, that you might unknowingly have because it was a Game with Gold. It is my favourite in the series so far (playing in release order and skipped Black Flag because of remake rumours).
@awp69 It's a new era for both Sony and Square Enix...
The strategy refers to "PS Studios software titles", it does not specify "mobile" and "service games" like the last time in that corporate presentation years ago, likely because mobile and service games didn't work for Sony as they expected. Moreover, Sony wouldn't open two job positions specifically for Xbox and PC if this was just a few games: Senior Manager, Platform Sales – Xbox & PC and Manager, Platform Planning & Performance – PC & Xbox.
@NeoRatt Xbox is the most friendly gaming platform: Play Anywhere, cross-save, free cloud saves, free and enhanced backwards compatibility, including FPS Boost, higher resolution, improved assets, plus the best feature of the generation, Quick Resume.
Play Anywhere started on Xbox One, that's when exclusives started disappearing. Actually, I thought it was a good thing to have that option, playing games on a laptop (no extra charge). If the next console is as good as Series X, but plays Steam games (that I don't have) or Xbox games are available everywhere (as they are), that only makes Xbox the most future-proof platform, because it's not a walled garden, that only Nintendo can sustain (so far) because of their limited developments costs. Many would play Nintendo exclusives on PC/Xbox/PS.
I think MS has been very clear. They are shipping another console and they want to tap into PC gamers with that console because they are including non-XB PC stores. They want every device to play XB games (Either streamed or natively). They want as many gamers as possible playing their games. There is nothing unsaid and unclear about what is happening. You may not like the message but I see it as very clear and I feel they have been building to this for at least a decade.
All your points are clear and true, but this one is particularly important, because it is as evident as it is ignored for unknown reasons. Microsoft has been going that way since Xbox One.
I buy Xbox products because of their quality, value, support and, obviously, available software, but it doesn't mean that I love everything that Microsoft does. However, I don't see their platform expansion as a negative, but the way forward considering the development costs and limitated appeal of consoles these days.
I care about the great games I play on Xbox, not about the objectives of the richest, which are the same across the board, with a few exceptions.
I understand that there are times when their predictable greed affects players, like cancelling Perfect Dark (Nadella's and not Phil's decision), especially when Crystal Dynamics was turning it into something playable and being one of those special IPs that Xbox could use. These decisions are short-sighted, not as intelligent as they think they are. If Xbox is all about games, why shoot a legendary IP?
Anyway, Nintendo and Sony don't care about their fandom either. Maybe they did, in the 90s. Now, they milk their most profitable IPs, even re-selling games with minor upgrades to the same buyers. They shut services and games down, allow bad practices, etc.
There is so much hypocrisy. There are bad things the three of.them do these days, but it's up to us to focus on all the negatives exclusively, pretending they are hurting us deeply or just play and complain about the game side of things. Also, support those games that maybe are not as profitable before complaining about those games no longer being made. Because some people complain a lot, but then don't support anything. If you care, you care, and you also care about every other developer and human being in this cruel world.
AI might replace some human beings like, you know, intercoms since 1950. In between, I don't think video games will be handled by AI to the extent that some pretend, but copying and pasting is the same or worse. AI is just another tool of the many computing tools that have been used for decades, but it's not going as fast as predicted. In the 25th century AI will be different (perhaps), but the future that was envisioned for the present century was not real.
@BattleMonkey Weirdly, the most active users on Pure Xbox don't turn their Xbox on anymore. I guess that the millions that turn it on aren't attracted to the disproportionate negativity here.
@Coletrain I think that bringing Xbox and Windows games together (including the different stores) is the way forward and what the next Xbox console will be. It's not what the console fans are used to, but it's the most consumer-friendly and future-proof environment. Not that console exclusives are a thing anymore outside Nintendo's bubble, which may be the only traditional console in the near future, or at least the only one with exclusives. That said, with most Switch 2 games being digital keys, the traditional console is already a thing from the past.
@Coletrain Same here. I still have a lot to play on Switch 1 (just upgraded to Switch OLED) and, most of all, Series X, where we have access not just to all the great first-party but third-party games that have been released this generation and earlier, with superb quality of life features like Quick Resume and better frame rates than ever before. The build quality of Series X is excellent and I don't have a single reason to be disappointed with it. A different story is my opinion about the cancellation of Perfect Dark 3 instead of giving it to Crystal Dynamics, that was already working on it after the mess that The Initiative was doing since 2018.
There are a lot of good things that can be said about Xbox this generation. That's why I don't know where all the doom and gloom regarding Xbox in the comment sections on Pure Xbox come from.
This is one of the best sales in the last years and I still haven't checked all of it!
@Kraven @Coletrain I loved XV. It was also one of the first games I played on Xbox One X and on my first OLED TV. 😁 It was almost 60fps on that console choosing the right video mode, looked great and had a lot of good times. I even enjoyed the combat and mapped the magic spells to each button colour accordingly: red B for fire, blue X for ice, etc. I'll get XVI as I have all the Final Fantasy games on Xbox, along other games on this sale that I still haven't bought.
I played XIII and XIII-2 last year for the first time. I still have to play the third part. The best console for Final Fantasy and for retro gaming in general is Series X, which is funny because of Sony paying for excluding Xbox last and this generation, and the original Xbox 360 versions being crippled because of the lack of Blu-ray, and then restored and remastered for Xbox backwards compatibility. Even the Xbox One S versions were enhanced!
I was excited about it when it was revealed because of the flying mechanics but, when I played it (Game Pass Ultimate), I found it extremely boring, technical issues aside.
I haven't played all, but I was disappointed with Blue Prince and Avowed should be higher! Not that reviews are a good reference these days, though. Currently playing Doom The Dark Ages. Good, but Doom Eternal is in my book one of the best shooters ever made and I'm not enjoying The Dark Ages as much.
@HarmanSmith Yes, that's correct and the main producers had also left, so the studio kind of stopped making sense after the major departures. That said, I loved The Evil Within and Ghostwire Tokyo more than Hi-Fi Rush. I'll always check out whatever Mikami does. I still wish he stayed at Capcom and kept working on Resident Evil.
@Ricky-Spanish As I said earlier, The Initiative was a mess, but shelving the game doesn't make any sense when Crystal Dynamics is the one that fixed it. They should just give the game to Crystal Dynamics. I was looking forward to Perfect Dark. It's a radical decision and I'm sure that this comes from someone not emotionally attached to video games like Nadella. Obviously, like I said before, the people that did a good job should still work on their project, whether they were part of Crystal Dynamics or The Initiative. Cancelling Perfect Dark is a very bad decision, even for the higher-ups that think it doesn't matter, because it was a long-awaited reboot and its own thing.
So many projects have been cancelled and so many studios have been closed by the big publishers this generation. The closure of The Initiative, I can understand, and this is the first time I say something like this, because they have been arguing with each other and rebooting the game since 2018, plus they had nothing to show until, like I have said one hundred times, Crystal Dynamics came to their rescue, a team that funnily Square Enix got rid of and Microsoft did not acquire then. The Initiative was a mess, but they also missed a chance back then.
However, I can't believe that the game has been cancelled, because it looked - not just graphics but gameplay - and sounded great and at least part of the development staff (Crystal Dynamics and part of The Initiative) did a great job, so those deserve to keep their jobs, finish the project and we long-time fans that have been waiting so long deserve to play what is/was one of our most anticipated games.
It did make sense to reorganise the Xbox teams that were not doing fine, replacing staff if needed, but the completely hands-off approach and freedom that Microsoft grants only works with studios that are virtually flawless. You can see it when those were helping other teams and making their own great games, while others were roaming aimlessly, with one of them not even making a single game on their own.
@Halucigens @Coletrain I only find Sea of Thieves enjoyable with friends. It's a sin that there is no more Banjo-Kazooie, not even remakes, nor Viva Piñata, one of the most wonderful games I've ever played on any platform. There are more Rare IPs that I think have a lot of potential because they are a lot of fun and need some updates, like Jet Force Gemini, that I had a hard time with in the beginning, but then really enjoyed it.
Moreover, this kind of games is the only thing that Xbox is missing and it's been a while. We all love our Forza, Doom, Halo or Gears, along the recent and excellent single-player additions like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, but something is missing when the other side of Microsoft, the creative and not so serious side and the very thing that started Xbox backwards compatibility in 2015, is missing.
@fbnaulin @HarmanSmith Perfect Dark 3 looked great the last time they showed it, but I know it was thanks to Crystal Dynamics, which is telling. Maybe they should have acquire that studio when Square Enix got rid of it. The Initiative was created in 2018, rebooted the project several times and it wasn't until Crystal Dynamics arrived that the game had something to show.
They had two choices, to bully teams and allow crunch culture like Sony and Naughty Dog or let the teams do whatever they want until finally losing patience and numbers stop making sense. I think that something in between would be ideal. in the meantime, awesome IPs that would complement Xbox portfolio are abandoned, and other Xbox studios seem to do perfectly fine and even help others.
I just want Resident Evil back, which means no more VII nor VIII. VII was a good game, but not a Resident Evil game. VIII was not like 4, but a parody about 4. There are many classic characters I like, e g., Chris and Jill, but mostly the story and gameplay were better before VII and VIII and that includes segments of 6, even! This is my favourite horror franchise along Project Zero/Fatal Frame.
It was nice when they fixed the loading times on Xbox, but the 60fps update should have been released already, and fix the online lobbies while you're at it.
From the last I've read the data is false, they are estimates made based on the number of reviews on the Xbox Store, which is absolutely irrelevant to even estimate sales.
It is not known if it will have sold well or badly, but surely it will have nothing to do with that number. We must be careful with the fantasies of many users on twitter...
It was a PS5 exclusive for over a year before it was released for PC and the PS version had a huge marketing campaign. There seems to be many Xbox players that are also PC players, on top of Xbox owners that are PS5 owners. As a supporter of Final Fantasy on Xbox, I hope that VII Remake Intergrade and Rebirth sell better than XVI, considering that those are also more popular and beloved. Good news is that Square Enix won't be signing any more exclusivity deals, so everyone will enjoy Final Fantasy on PC and Xbox, on top of PS5 and Switch 2 if technically possible.
That said, unofficial estimated figures are completely useless!
So, there we go! I've been holding off on buying a handheld PC for years now, but the ROG Xbox Ally looks like it'll finally tempt me into purchasing one.
Same here. I almost bought the first handheld PC, Steam Deck, but Asus ROG Ally X is the one I was waiting for all these years. It will also be my first Non-Nintendo handheld.
I wasn't excited about any Persona game, but I loved all the Persona titles available on Xbox. I didn't mind them being long, as opposed to other RPGs like Bravely Default and the first Xenoblade Chronicles. Metaphor: ReFantazio is next, and you'll get your Persona 6 very soon @ScalenePowers 😊
@XboxNumberOne Not to mention that Microsoft makes and sells computers, laptops and tablets that are compared to Apple's in terms of quality, no way they stop making consoles. It's not like they are not involved in the hardware and software business more than any other.
The only official information is that the next Xbox will be the largest technical leap in a hardware generation. It's also true that Microsoft is working on Xbox OS for handheld PCs and optimising Windows for gaming on different devices. It's likely that the first Xbox PC will be released this year by Asus. Everything regarding future Xbox hardware, home console, hybrid, handheld or a combination of them is unknown, but I'm sure that they are merging the console and PC environment and development, because PC is huge right now and console is a relatively small market. Moreover, they started doing this with Xbox One and now it makes more sense than ever before.
@themightyant The original leak didn't mention next-gen games. The current rumour is 2027 for a home and handheld console, but it could also be a hybrid console. The latest rumour is that the handheld won't come in 2027. The only official information is that the next Xbox will be the largest technical leap in a hardware generation.
Nobody knows, but I'm pretty sure that the next generation will merge the PC and console environments definitely, with backwards compatibility added, so no more limitations other than the hardware when playing new games. You'll get a PC, console, handheld or hybrid and you will be playing the backwards compatible games and also the new games with different settings.
@themightyant The original leak that I referred to (posted years ago on Pure Xbox and elsewhere) and which comment you replied to talked about existing Xbox games. Future Xbox games, including next-gen console games, will be built differently, because Microsoft is very likely merging the console and PC environments next generation. What they want to do is play the backwards compatible (Xbox and Xbox 360), Xbox One and Series games on future Xbox hardware. The next-gen games will basically be PC games and of course you won't be playing the newest PC games at the same resolution and frame rate on mobile and PC/home console, but you'll be able to play them on those different platforms.
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Re: PSA: Expect To See Lots Of ROG Xbox Ally Impressions Next Month
@HonestHick Right. This is not Xbox hardware-wise, but it's Xbox software-wise, because Microsoft is optimising Windows for gaming and that will benefit all devices, eventually making that version of Windows power their own consoles. This is the best strategy that Microsoft could follow. The duplicity of Windows and Xbox games and no gaming version of Windows while Xbox runs another version of Windows is not. Everything together and optimised is what they are doing and what will make Xbox easiest to develop for and future-proof across devices. Same environment, same software builds and older games being "translated" like on Xbox One or streamed, although I still think that both Microsoft and Sony will build their next consoles backwards compatible. Cloud and code translation will be used on mobile, PCs and handheld PCs.
Re: Talking Point: So, What Other PS5 Games Do You Want To See Come To Xbox?
@Coletrain Exactly!
Re: Talking Point: So, What Other PS5 Games Do You Want To See Come To Xbox?
@RBRTMNZ They aren't dismissing Sony games because they're Sony games, they're referring to the interactive film template that Sony started using heavily since PS4, while praising other Sony games they find more interesting. Nintendo and Xbox games are more "gamey" than the typical PS4-5 Sony game. It's just a preference related to the gameplay that I completely agree with.
Re: Talking Point: So, What Other PS5 Games Do You Want To See Come To Xbox?
@Millionski Wipeout Omega Collection, a remastered compilation of games originally developed by Studio Liverpool.
Re: Talking Point: So, What Other PS5 Games Do You Want To See Come To Xbox?
Answering the big question, my favourite Sony game is one few would guess. The studio was shut down years ago. I have it on PS4, but I would buy it again on Xbox.
Re: Talking Point: So, What Other PS5 Games Do You Want To See Come To Xbox?
@Questionable_Duck Besides, getting rid of the middleman benefits Sony. Examples: MLB The Show was developed by Sony and published by MLB on Xbox, Death Stranding was exclusive on PS and published by 505 games on Xbox (Kojima bought the IP back), but now Helldivers 2 is published by Sony on Xbox. From now on, Sony's games will be published by Sony on Xbox and not by other publishers.
Most importantly, hiring two senior managers for Xbox & PC means that Sony is going to do the same with Xbox & PC. They're not going to say, "Oh, port this to PC, but don't port it to Xbox because someone's feelings might get hurt." Their goal is clearly described as optimising profits. The strategy is already defined by the new roles that target Xbox & PC specifically.
Re: Talking Point: So, What Other PS5 Games Do You Want To See Come To Xbox?
@NeoRatt That's where Microsoft has an advantage, if they are going to turn their next console into a Windows (gaming version) machine. Xbox has been supported more than I expected by third parties, starting with Xbox One X and now Series X|S. If they finally make Windows and Xbox games the same thing, the easy porting won't even need to be made. They can always handle older games translating the code like they did on Xbox One.
Re: Talking Point: So, What Other PS5 Games Do You Want To See Come To Xbox?
Everyone knew that this would be "clarified" and "debunked" by fans while moving the goalposts indefinitely, but you only have to read the jobs descriptions on Windows Central to know that Sony is going to optimise the profits of Playstation Studios games on Xbox and PC after having cancelled many of the service games, which means porting their traditional and renowned portfolio.
It's smart following Microsoft's steps, because they are going to sell more, not less. PS fans aren't going to abandon PS5 because of the Xbox ports. While some say that PC is not Sony's competitor, I'd argue it's their biggest competitor.
Re: Report: Two Of Xbox's Upcoming First-Party Titles Are In Development For PS5
State of Decay 2 started glitchy, but it slowly became an excellent game. I expect great things from the third title.
@OldGamer999 You probably know, but after having cancelled many mobile and service games, Sony will be following Microsoft's multiplatform strategy. They are hiring two senior managers for Xbox & PC ports. They want to optimise the profits of PlayStation Studios games.
https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/sony-is-hiring-to-expand-playstation-studios-games-beyond-playstation-hardware-including-xbox-steam-nintendo-switch-and-more
Re: Microsoft CEO Comments On Recent Xbox Layoffs, Doubles Down On AI
@Jaxx420 Right and more often than they think, that greed is short-sighted. I think it's better for us to focus on the games we like and just play them. These companies are ever-changing and it's impossible to approve everything they do, when the steps they make are driven by profitability.
Re: Xbox Game Pass: All Games Coming Soon In August 2025
There is much more information about it on Windows Central:
https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/sony-is-hiring-to-expand-playstation-studios-games-beyond-playstation-hardware-including-xbox-steam-nintendo-switch-and-more
The way that the jobs are described (by Sony themselves) tells that Sony will actually rely on the new managers to optimise the release of PlayStation Studios games on Xbox and PC, reporting to the bigwigs, obviously. That's why they are hiring senior managers, to begin with. They wouldn't need these experts to port Helldivers 2 to Xbox, whose release is imminent. The other service games were cancelled. These are big plans, indeed.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (July 26-27)
@BattleMonkey The level of repetitiveness in Assassin's Creed Unity is comical, but playing the game at 60fps is luxury. I enjoyed it, but rushed it and I'm glad I ignored most of the filler.
Syndicate starts a bit less interesting, in my opinion, but it develops nicely, with a lot of credible and immersive details. Syndicate is the first one that adds significant variety and tones quantity down. All the missions were worth playing and the traversal is the best so far. So give Syndicate another go, it's also 60fps now 😁. Other Ubisoft games I can't recommend enough are Immortals Fenyx Rising and Rayman Legends.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (July 26-27)
I took a break from gaming this weekend, but the last game I beat was Assassin's Creed Syndicate, that you might unknowingly have because it was a Game with Gold. It is my favourite in the series so far (playing in release order and skipped Black Flag because of remake rumours).
@awp69 It's a new era for both Sony and Square Enix...
Re: Xbox Game Pass: All Games Coming Soon In August 2025
@Boogaloo_Jenkins
The strategy refers to "PS Studios software titles", it does not specify "mobile" and "service games" like the last time in that corporate presentation years ago, likely because mobile and service games didn't work for Sony as they expected. Moreover, Sony wouldn't open two job positions specifically for Xbox and PC if this was just a few games: Senior Manager, Platform Sales – Xbox & PC and Manager, Platform Planning & Performance – PC & Xbox.
Re: Xbox Game Pass: All Games Coming Soon In August 2025
If you haven't yet, Gears of War is one of the best games you could choose to play.
Re: Microsoft CEO Comments On Recent Xbox Layoffs, Doubles Down On AI
@NeoRatt Xbox is the most friendly gaming platform: Play Anywhere, cross-save, free cloud saves, free and enhanced backwards compatibility, including FPS Boost, higher resolution, improved assets, plus the best feature of the generation, Quick Resume.
Play Anywhere started on Xbox One, that's when exclusives started disappearing. Actually, I thought it was a good thing to have that option, playing games on a laptop (no extra charge). If the next console is as good as Series X, but plays Steam games (that I don't have) or Xbox games are available everywhere (as they are), that only makes Xbox the most future-proof platform, because it's not a walled garden, that only Nintendo can sustain (so far) because of their limited developments costs. Many would play Nintendo exclusives on PC/Xbox/PS.
Re: Microsoft CEO Comments On Recent Xbox Layoffs, Doubles Down On AI
@NeoRatt
All your points are clear and true, but this one is particularly important, because it is as evident as it is ignored for unknown reasons. Microsoft has been going that way since Xbox One.
I buy Xbox products because of their quality, value, support and, obviously, available software, but it doesn't mean that I love everything that Microsoft does. However, I don't see their platform expansion as a negative, but the way forward considering the development costs and limitated appeal of consoles these days.
Re: Microsoft CEO Comments On Recent Xbox Layoffs, Doubles Down On AI
I care about the great games I play on Xbox, not about the objectives of the richest, which are the same across the board, with a few exceptions.
I understand that there are times when their predictable greed affects players, like cancelling Perfect Dark (Nadella's and not Phil's decision), especially when Crystal Dynamics was turning it into something playable and being one of those special IPs that Xbox could use. These decisions are short-sighted, not as intelligent as they think they are. If Xbox is all about games, why shoot a legendary IP?
Anyway, Nintendo and Sony don't care about their fandom either. Maybe they did, in the 90s. Now, they milk their most profitable IPs, even re-selling games with minor upgrades to the same buyers. They shut services and games down, allow bad practices, etc.
There is so much hypocrisy. There are bad things the three of.them do these days, but it's up to us to focus on all the negatives exclusively, pretending they are hurting us deeply or just play and complain about the game side of things. Also, support those games that maybe are not as profitable before complaining about those games no longer being made. Because some people complain a lot, but then don't support anything. If you care, you care, and you also care about every other developer and human being in this cruel world.
AI might replace some human beings like, you know, intercoms since 1950. In between, I don't think video games will be handled by AI to the extent that some pretend, but copying and pasting is the same or worse. AI is just another tool of the many computing tools that have been used for decades, but it's not going as fast as predicted. In the 25th century AI will be different (perhaps), but the future that was envisioned for the present century was not real.
Re: Xbox Will Apparently Announce More PS5 & Switch 2 Ports 'In The Coming Weeks'
@BattleMonkey Weirdly, the most active users on Pure Xbox don't turn their Xbox on anymore. I guess that the millions that turn it on aren't attracted to the disproportionate negativity here.
Re: Deals: Xbox Summer Sale Gets Even Bigger With 100+ New Discounts
@acmiguens You can enable the email notification and that will come weekly only with wish list games currently on sale.
Re: Opinion: Xbox Series X Still Hasn't Been Fully Utilised Yet, But 2026 Could Be The Year
@Coletrain I think that bringing Xbox and Windows games together (including the different stores) is the way forward and what the next Xbox console will be. It's not what the console fans are used to, but it's the most consumer-friendly and future-proof environment. Not that console exclusives are a thing anymore outside Nintendo's bubble, which may be the only traditional console in the near future, or at least the only one with exclusives. That said, with most Switch 2 games being digital keys, the traditional console is already a thing from the past.
Re: Opinion: Xbox Series X Still Hasn't Been Fully Utilised Yet, But 2026 Could Be The Year
@Coletrain Same here. I still have a lot to play on Switch 1 (just upgraded to Switch OLED) and, most of all, Series X, where we have access not just to all the great first-party but third-party games that have been released this generation and earlier, with superb quality of life features like Quick Resume and better frame rates than ever before. The build quality of Series X is excellent and I don't have a single reason to be disappointed with it. A different story is my opinion about the cancellation of Perfect Dark 3 instead of giving it to Crystal Dynamics, that was already working on it after the mess that The Initiative was doing since 2018.
There are a lot of good things that can be said about Xbox this generation. That's why I don't know where all the doom and gloom regarding Xbox in the comment sections on Pure Xbox come from.
Re: Xbox Summer Sale 2025 Now Live, 1000+ Games Discounted
@Coletrain I did, with all the DLC. There are bits that are annoying, like in most FF games: Adamantoise, Pitioss Ruins... 😅
Re: Xbox Summer Sale 2025 Now Live, 1000+ Games Discounted
This is one of the best sales in the last years and I still haven't checked all of it!
@Kraven @Coletrain I loved XV. It was also one of the first games I played on Xbox One X and on my first OLED TV. 😁 It was almost 60fps on that console choosing the right video mode, looked great and had a lot of good times. I even enjoyed the combat and mapped the magic spells to each button colour accordingly: red B for fire, blue X for ice, etc. I'll get XVI as I have all the Final Fantasy games on Xbox, along other games on this sale that I still haven't bought.
Re: Final Fantasy Dev Suggests PS5 Exclusives Are A Thing Of The Past For The Series
I played XIII and XIII-2 last year for the first time. I still have to play the third part. The best console for Final Fantasy and for retro gaming in general is Series X, which is funny because of Sony paying for excluding Xbox last and this generation, and the original Xbox 360 versions being crippled because of the lack of Blu-ray, and then restored and remastered for Xbox backwards compatibility. Even the Xbox One S versions were enhanced!
Re: Rare Is Completely Re-Evaluating Its Development Process After Everwild Cancellation
@Scribedby Faithful remakes, of course! No change of script nor censorship.
Re: Rare Is Completely Re-Evaluating Its Development Process After Everwild Cancellation
It would be so easy to (faithfully) remake the Banjo-Kazooie games and Viva Piñata, some of the best masterpieces they own.
Re: EA Is Shutting Down Anthem, And It Won't Be Playable Offline Either
I was excited about it when it was revealed because of the flying mechanics but, when I played it (Game Pass Ultimate), I found it extremely boring, technical issues aside.
Re: Xbox's Everwild Gets Cancelled As Layoffs Hit Sea Of Thieves Developer
@Millionski It looks like you replied before reading properly. Again. Always picking up a few words and twisting the whole meaning...
You are free to use your own arguments, in between, and I can use my own. No need for mutual approval.
Have a good day/evening/night.
Re: After Half A Year, These Are The 10 Highest-Rated Xbox Games Of 2025
I haven't played all, but I was disappointed with Blue Prince and Avowed should be higher! Not that reviews are a good reference these days, though. Currently playing Doom The Dark Ages. Good, but Doom Eternal is in my book one of the best shooters ever made and I'm not enjoying The Dark Ages as much.
Re: Two More Xbox Games Are Being Cancelled, Including Perfect Dark
@HarmanSmith Yes, that's correct and the main producers had also left, so the studio kind of stopped making sense after the major departures. That said, I loved The Evil Within and Ghostwire Tokyo more than Hi-Fi Rush. I'll always check out whatever Mikami does. I still wish he stayed at Capcom and kept working on Resident Evil.
Re: Two More Xbox Games Are Being Cancelled, Including Perfect Dark
@Ricky-Spanish As I said earlier, The Initiative was a mess, but shelving the game doesn't make any sense when Crystal Dynamics is the one that fixed it. They should just give the game to Crystal Dynamics. I was looking forward to Perfect Dark. It's a radical decision and I'm sure that this comes from someone not emotionally attached to video games like Nadella. Obviously, like I said before, the people that did a good job should still work on their project, whether they were part of Crystal Dynamics or The Initiative. Cancelling Perfect Dark is a very bad decision, even for the higher-ups that think it doesn't matter, because it was a long-awaited reboot and its own thing.
Re: Two More Xbox Games Are Being Cancelled, Including Perfect Dark
So many projects have been cancelled and so many studios have been closed by the big publishers this generation. The closure of The Initiative, I can understand, and this is the first time I say something like this, because they have been arguing with each other and rebooting the game since 2018, plus they had nothing to show until, like I have said one hundred times, Crystal Dynamics came to their rescue, a team that funnily Square Enix got rid of and Microsoft did not acquire then. The Initiative was a mess, but they also missed a chance back then.
However, I can't believe that the game has been cancelled, because it looked - not just graphics but gameplay - and sounded great and at least part of the development staff (Crystal Dynamics and part of The Initiative) did a great job, so those deserve to keep their jobs, finish the project and we long-time fans that have been waiting so long deserve to play what is/was one of our most anticipated games.
It did make sense to reorganise the Xbox teams that were not doing fine, replacing staff if needed, but the completely hands-off approach and freedom that Microsoft grants only works with studios that are virtually flawless. You can see it when those were helping other teams and making their own great games, while others were roaming aimlessly, with one of them not even making a single game on their own.
Re: Xbox's Everwild Reportedly Cancelled As Layoffs Hit Sea Of Thieves Developer
@Halucigens @Coletrain I only find Sea of Thieves enjoyable with friends. It's a sin that there is no more Banjo-Kazooie, not even remakes, nor Viva Piñata, one of the most wonderful games I've ever played on any platform. There are more Rare IPs that I think have a lot of potential because they are a lot of fun and need some updates, like Jet Force Gemini, that I had a hard time with in the beginning, but then really enjoyed it.
Moreover, this kind of games is the only thing that Xbox is missing and it's been a while. We all love our Forza, Doom, Halo or Gears, along the recent and excellent single-player additions like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, but something is missing when the other side of Microsoft, the creative and not so serious side and the very thing that started Xbox backwards compatibility in 2015, is missing.
Re: Xbox's Everwild Reportedly Cancelled As Layoffs Hit Sea Of Thieves Developer
@fbnaulin @HarmanSmith Perfect Dark 3 looked great the last time they showed it, but I know it was thanks to Crystal Dynamics, which is telling. Maybe they should have acquire that studio when Square Enix got rid of it. The Initiative was created in 2018, rebooted the project several times and it wasn't until Crystal Dynamics arrived that the game had something to show.
Re: Xbox's Everwild Reportedly Cancelled As Layoffs Hit Sea Of Thieves Developer
They had two choices, to bully teams and allow crunch culture like Sony and Naughty Dog or let the teams do whatever they want until finally losing patience and numbers stop making sense. I think that something in between would be ideal. in the meantime, awesome IPs that would complement Xbox portfolio are abandoned, and other Xbox studios seem to do perfectly fine and even help others.
Re: Capcom Explains Why Leon Isn't The Protagonist In Resident Evil Requiem
I just want Resident Evil back, which means no more VII nor VIII. VII was a good game, but not a Resident Evil game. VIII was not like 4, but a parody about 4. There are many classic characters I like, e g., Chris and Jill, but mostly the story and gameplay were better before VII and VIII and that includes segments of 6, even! This is my favourite horror franchise along Project Zero/Fatal Frame.
Re: Xbox Announces Next-Gen Console Strategy, Promises 'Deeper Visuals' & Backwards Compatibility
No wonder they need to repeat every year that the next generation is coming when websites and PS fans try to wipe Xbox off the map daily.
AMD is good news for pure backwards compatibility.
Re: Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled Hits Huge Sales Milestone As Crash 4 Joins Xbox Game Pass
It was nice when they fixed the loading times on Xbox, but the 60fps update should have been released already, and fix the online lobbies while you're at it.
Re: According To Sales Estimates, Final Fantasy 16 Had A Rough First Week On Xbox
@Gabrie
...and with those of PS writers. 😂
Re: According To Sales Estimates, Final Fantasy 16 Had A Rough First Week On Xbox
It was a PS5 exclusive for over a year before it was released for PC and the PS version had a huge marketing campaign. There seems to be many Xbox players that are also PC players, on top of Xbox owners that are PS5 owners. As a supporter of Final Fantasy on Xbox, I hope that VII Remake Intergrade and Rebirth sell better than XVI, considering that those are also more popular and beloved. Good news is that Square Enix won't be signing any more exclusivity deals, so everyone will enjoy Final Fantasy on PC and Xbox, on top of PS5 and Switch 2 if technically possible.
That said, unofficial estimated figures are completely useless!
Re: Here's Everything That Was Revealed At The Xbox Games Showcase 2025
@Coletrain Same. That was the only thing I was missing on Xbox!
@Altaria_97 Most of that will come. I think it's time to remake the first Banjo-Kazooie games, though.
Re: Multiple Final Fantasy Games Confirmed For Xbox, Including A Shadow Drop Today
I knew they would come and it took a while! Loving the news, this is basically what I was missing on Xbox.
Re: Five Reasons Why I'm Incredibly Excited For The ROG Xbox Ally Handheld
@FraserG
Same here. I almost bought the first handheld PC, Steam Deck, but Asus ROG Ally X is the one I was waiting for all these years. It will also be my first Non-Nintendo handheld.
Re: Poll: What Do You Think Of Metaphor: ReFantazio On Xbox Game Pass?
I wasn't excited about any Persona game, but I loved all the Persona titles available on Xbox. I didn't mind them being long, as opposed to other RPGs like Bravely Default and the first Xenoblade Chronicles. Metaphor: ReFantazio is next, and you'll get your Persona 6 very soon @ScalenePowers 😊
Re: Xbox Has Reportedly 'Sidelined' Plans For A 2027 First-Party Handheld
@XboxNumberOne Not to mention that Microsoft makes and sells computers, laptops and tablets that are compared to Apple's in terms of quality, no way they stop making consoles. It's not like they are not involved in the hardware and software business more than any other.
Re: Xbox Has Reportedly 'Sidelined' Plans For A 2027 First-Party Handheld
The only official information is that the next Xbox will be the largest technical leap in a hardware generation. It's also true that Microsoft is working on Xbox OS for handheld PCs and optimising Windows for gaming on different devices. It's likely that the first Xbox PC will be released this year by Asus. Everything regarding future Xbox hardware, home console, hybrid, handheld or a combination of them is unknown, but I'm sure that they are merging the console and PC environment and development, because PC is huge right now and console is a relatively small market. Moreover, they started doing this with Xbox One and now it makes more sense than ever before.
Re: Xbox Has Reportedly 'Sidelined' Plans For A 2027 First-Party Handheld
@themightyant The original leak didn't mention next-gen games. The current rumour is 2027 for a home and handheld console, but it could also be a hybrid console. The latest rumour is that the handheld won't come in 2027. The only official information is that the next Xbox will be the largest technical leap in a hardware generation.
Nobody knows, but I'm pretty sure that the next generation will merge the PC and console environments definitely, with backwards compatibility added, so no more limitations other than the hardware when playing new games. You'll get a PC, console, handheld or hybrid and you will be playing the backwards compatible games and also the new games with different settings.
Re: Sony Has Approached Subscriptions 'Healthier' Than Xbox, Says Former PlayStation Boss
Looking at the charts and how most games fail to sell enough on Xbox and PS, I think that subscriptions like Game Pass are the future.
Re: Xbox Has Reportedly 'Sidelined' Plans For A 2027 First-Party Handheld
@themightyant The original leak that I referred to (posted years ago on Pure Xbox and elsewhere) and which comment you replied to talked about existing Xbox games. Future Xbox games, including next-gen console games, will be built differently, because Microsoft is very likely merging the console and PC environments next generation. What they want to do is play the backwards compatible (Xbox and Xbox 360), Xbox One and Series games on future Xbox hardware. The next-gen games will basically be PC games and of course you won't be playing the newest PC games at the same resolution and frame rate on mobile and PC/home console, but you'll be able to play them on those different platforms.