@Jaxx420 Right, you could only compare storefronts. Comparing the whole PC universe with a console storefront is unfair. As I said, it doesn't mean that PC hasn't drawbacks, like configuring, incompatibility issues, cheaters, piracy and some big games launching on consoles first.

@HonestHick Solid, straightforward arguments, as usual.

@Kakun You have a point. First-party staples are already on Xbox users' radar while third-party deals like Persona on day one is what attracts multiplatform users to Game Pass and thus Xbox while making loyal subscribers feel rewarded with extras.

@abe_hikura We agree for once! Doom Eternal is like the evolution of Doom and Metroid Prime combined, and I enjoyed the acrobatic gameplay and strategic approach. I didn't find that strategy, that also reminded me of Halo, in The Dark Ages, and I know some people just don't like acrobatics so they prefer the other Doom games. Well, yeah, The Dark Ages has some strategy, I guess, but it's basically match the colours on the same plane. You could also say that mindless shooters are fun, but it wasn't that either. The classics are also great for other reasons, but haven't played 3 yet. I would put Doom 2016 and The Dark Ages at the same level.

@belmont There are announced games that are going to release way later than early 2027, so the clickbait was clearly made up.

The rest of the rumour is based on things that Asha has already discussed in the interviews. She has teased lower-priced tiers, ad-supported plans and flexible offerings, not to mention that she removed day one Call of Duty and reduced the price of Ultimate.

Xbox (and Nintendo and Sony) can't state that they won't ever change a subscription because they don't know. "Subject to change" is probably part of the legal terms.

@belmont This is the statement that denies the striking part of the rumour, "There are no changes to previously announced games coming to Game Pass Ultimate on day one."

The clickbait is precisely, "Xbox Game Pass will drop day 1 new games releasing on the service in early 2027."

@ZombiesEveryWhere They definitely must improve the PC store, which will basically be the same as the Helix store. At least, all first-party games should be Play Anywhere including ABK and Zenimax. More third parties are supporting Play Anywhere and that's promising. They won't have this problem next generation because the games will be the same on PC and console. Xbox games that are not Play Anywhere would still be available via backwards compatibility, but no reason to not include all first-party games now for PC and Rog Ally X.

Besides, Xbox on PC should be as smooth as Xbox consoles are, because Helix will likely run Xbox on PC and because they want to improve their PC market share (currently 8%).

I'm intrigued about what Game Pass tiers will be added and if any of the existing ones are going to be changed, but I guess we'll have to wait and see. Probably a cheaper one, a free tier with ads (tailored to TV apps and mobile), one for Cloud... Essential might change next generation depending on what they decide about the online paywall. Premium seems to be safe middle ground. Ultimate? That could change again.

@ZombiesEveryWhere I guess she wants to focus on the ecosystem itself rather than Game Pass. Besides making Xbox more efficient, satisfying console players has been her priority so far, but PC is increasingly more important. That will funnily benefit Xbox because all games are made for Windows and Helix will run Windows games with fixed settings. She won't get rid of Game Pass, but won't expect it to be the main revenue source as Spencer and Bond did. I think that Xbox is looking at the numbers: we have these subscribers, this is the money we're making with Game Pass and this is what we can give them in return.

@FraserG She doesn't want to rely on Game Pass and Cloud as much as Spencer and Bond, that's for sure, and why you might have these thoughts.

@FraserG I'm intrigued because she already teased upcoming changes while talking about affordability and flexibility. I'm sure that the new tiers won't have day one games. Getting rid of Ultimate/day one in the future while honouring recurrent subscribers is something that wouldn't really surprise us and aligns with the console exclusive strategy: more value and more software sales.

I know more Game Pass changes are coming because Asha teased them in the interviews, but who knows what changes. Certainly, Xbox is not dropping day one in early 2027 as that rumour says because the official statement denies it.

She seems to want to make Xbox more accessible, so if more tiers are introduced, they are going to be more basic and cheaper.

Will Ultimate drop day one or disappear in the future while honouring recurrent subscribers like Game Pass for Console, that still includes Call of Duty on day one? It might happen some day. Before that, I expect those cheaper and budget-friendly tiers, with content removed, obviously. One thing I assure you, the new tiers won't have day one games.

So exactly what @fatpunkslim said, making stuff up to create buzz and get clicks with semi-confirmed future changes like additional tiers and more flexible plans (addressed by Asha in an interview) as garnish to claim that they were half-right. This is how this rumour-based "journalism" works. The rumour/lie said "Xbox Game Pass will drop day 1 new games releasing on the service in early 2027." I didn't expect Xbox to say anything, but I think they did the right thing in this case.

Actually, Xbox games don't require subscription to play online on PC, so it's not because of Steam that I think that the online paywall will be removed from Helix, but because Helix will play backwards compatible games and all new Xbox games will literally be Windows games with fixed settings. The store and games will be the same on Helix and PCs. I guess they could still require a subscription for playing online on Helix but it would be weird once console and PC are fully merged. We'll see.

@RTGX I also bought a Switch OLED but skipped Sony this time.

I had a little problem with Loaded that I posted here:

https://www.purexbox.com/forums/xbox-game-pass/loaded_com_formerly_cdkeys_warning

I contacted Microsoft and they were very clear about it: only the sellers that appear on our website are authorised to sell codes. I checked and the authorised sellers are what you expect: Amazon, Game, Argos, etc. Loaded, Eneba and all the other websites that don't appear on your regional Xbox site are not authorised according to Microsoft.

@RTGX I agree, they should favour their own store over Steam. It's not impossible for a PC user to get an Xbox game outside Steam. Microsoft already has 8% of the PC market. Considering that their store needs improvements and has no exclusives because of Steam getting everything, it wouldn't surprise me seeing some games being exclusive on the Xbox console/PC store next generation. It would make even more sense if Helix doesn't feature other PC storefronts as a way to boost their ecosystem on different platforms.

@RTGX This is why I think Xbox and to be fair Steam are better than Sony and Nintendo. Sure, they have DRM, but Xbox and Steam haven't taken games away from their customers, while both Sony and Nintendo have removed access to older digital games/stores and just re-sell the same games to the same customers on the newer platform. Digital has some limitations, but I trust Xbox and Steam in that regard.

@RTGX To be clear, and I came back to add it now, I wasn't doubting Gog but Sony being sneaky because they are not used to relinquishing anything, and they didn't publish many games on Gog. There are more Sony games on Steam. Sony also stated recently that "you can’t own a digital game, and any reasonable consumer understands that", so basically they don't agree with Gog, after all.

@RTGX Yeah, thanks for that. If Gog says so, I believe them.

@RTGX Me too, if only because Sony and Nintendo not sharing their games with Xbox and Xbox sharing with competing storefronts only makes Xbox be in disadvantage, and they already face fierce competition in the console (PS5) and PC space (Steam).

@RTGX Prior to her taking over Xbox, I wouldn't have blamed you for thinking that Xbox was prioritising other storefronts and cloud gaming over their own storefront and consoles. That was always funny to me because the only Game Pass tier that included Cloud was the most expensive one.

Xbox had not stored much RAM for manufacturing consoles, their consoles have been sold out in many European countries for a year now, and they believed that the future of Xbox would be in "This is an Xbox" and "You can play Halo and Gears of War on PS5". Asha said right from the start that every platform needs exclusives and is mandating constant updates for console, although the scarcity has not been solved yet. She is exactly the kind of person that Xbox needed and is constantly monitoring what the majority of Xbox fans want.

The biggest challenge Xbox and the other hardware manufacturers face now is the memory crisis.

@Jaxx420 Right, PC is basically Windows and Microsoft owns the OS. All PC games are made for Windows. Microsoft haven't done a great work with their PC store so far, so fixing that and making Windows provide a smooth gaming mode is something they needed to address anyway. So yep, they are doing what needed to be done to make Xbox a gaming platform on console and PC and they are privileged in that sense. Next generation, Xbox on console and PC will become the same.

@RTGX I would have never believed that but you can Bing/Google it. There are Gog users saying some games like Horizon Zero Dawn have hidden DRM and forced data collection on Gog. I don't care because the only Sony games I have are on PS4, but it's worth at least mentioning.

@RTGX (replying to your comments on both threads) I agree with @FraserG. Even though nothing's official yet, I suspect that Helix will be a hybrid console in terms of console and PC as Xbox platforms and, most of all, Xbox games being PC games and not requiring console ports. However, this hybrid concept does not necessarily feature other stores as Steam. It makes total sense to not include competing storefronts. Since Asha is the CEO, she has never named other storefronts but just "PC games", which could mean the Microsoft store, that will become the Xbox store next generation once Xbox on console and Xbox on PC become the same thing. They really don't need to sell Helix as if it was an uncertain Dreamcast, but their ecosystem on console, PC, Cloud and gaming handhelds. Helix is the premium console choice, but not the only way to play Xbox.

Your question about paying for online is very good because Xbox games on PC don't require a paid subscription for online play. I expect Microsoft to remove the paywall for online play on Helix, including the console games it will be backwards compatible with, and keep the paywall on the older consoles.

@RTGX I mean the big new games and yes, DRM is the reason why they don't like Gog, although I read on the Gog forum that some games (including Sony's) have hidden DRM.

@Jaxx420 Absolutely, PC goes beyond gaming and the level of customisation and freedom is unparalleled, which doesn't mean that it doesn't have drawbacks. The only PC that is limited is an Apple computer.

@RTGX You didn't offend me at all, but I still think that Xbox (console and PC) is better than Steam for the many reasons I said here and elsewhere. PC is not Steam. Gog is great but unfortunately most if not all the big publishers have abandoned it when it comes to the big games. I'm sure that Microsoft is working hard on Xbox on PC (also known as Xbox app) because of Helix and their hybrid future, which started on Xbox One but will finally be completed next generation.

@HonestHick Right. At this point, Xbox should keep their games on Xbox, mobile and PC and do their thing.

@HonestHick Sony is having their worst generation ever, with barely any new games and not that well received, losing third-party exclusivity, doubling down on awful and restrictive anti-consumer policies and higher prices. Fans and "journalists" are constantly putting the focus on whatever Xbox is doing using false information and biased rumours. However, they don't need to bother. Sony will keep selling hardware and getting their third-party commissions on the store whatever they do, even more now than ever before, with them no longer supporting physical games, so there is no need to protect them as if they were a defenceless and innocent little creature.

Remember those articles, "Ubisoft says no to Disc to Digital and we want to know why", when Xbox just started the closed beta test? People are crazy, even those that supposedly are part of this business.

That said, Asha said in the interviews that they will change Game Pass beyond removing Call of Duty on day one and lowering the price, so expect more changes. Just don't assume anything is true until it's official.

@Jaxx420 Some of them were made five minutes earlier. I can't keep up. 😂

@RTGX You are right. PC is fascinating and has no limits and therefore no competition, but as I said on Steam Hype, Xbox as a PC storefront is better that Steam because of Play Anywhere and other consumer benefits that, at least in my eyes, surpass it, even though Steam gets up to 2,200 games per month, which I doubt anyone would be willing to play, anyway. But PC is not just Steam, but a whole universe where you can do anything — unless it's Apple. 😉

@Jaxx420 Exactly that. I was talking about Xbox as a platform on console and PC compared to the other storefronts on console or PC, but not Xbox versus the PC universe, although that would still be my opinion. You are sensible and intelligent. 😊

That aside, I'm not going to add "in my opinion" to everything I say. It's just ridiculous.

Regarding asdfghjklz, I get that kind of replies from sock accounts all the time.

Asha is making the right calls. She's exactly the kind of person that Xbox needed. A new generation is coming, and the fact that PC is increasingly more relevant will benefit their hybrid approach and consumer-friendly strategy, with purchases available across generations and platforms. Not just digital purchases, but even physical. Crazy. That's what makes Xbox the best gaming platform.

I was incredibly excited about my first Xbox, the Xbox One Elite bundle, and Rare Replay. Xbox One was sold out almost everywhere at that time, so I bought it on the Microsoft store and had to wait for delivery.

I will probably choose that one and then switch to Xbox One X that I also had before the Series X. Sounds off, likely. 😁

Phil Spencer followed a hands-off approach to studios, so yep, they could do whatever they wanted to do.

@dkxcalibur They just want money in exchange for a game that they don't know in what state nor when it will see the light. They were in trouble before the acquisition, and it was thanks to Microsoft that they could finish Psychonauts 2. Then they started creating experimental games like Keeper and Kiln, and now that they're alone again, they are using the nostalgia token.

@HelloCraigo @FraserG Do you know if the save file of the current Series X version labelled Complete Edition is compatible with the upcoming remaster? I don't want to continue my playthrough not knowing this. 😅

@Kang81 I'm sure that the "digital licence unlocked" won't trigger because that account already has a digital licence.

@RiverGenie I have the Complete Edition for Series X. Does anybody know if the new version will support existing save files? This is one of those games that I was not really enjoying during the first hours. Thanks for your reply!

@MrMoses Very good question. I think that the Xbox One S and Xbox One X should be able to detect that it's a Series X disc what you're inserting, since they have been updated many times via firmware and both use UHD BDs like Series X. So, I don't know for sure, but I'm going to say that it will be possible to do what you want because of the disc drives supporting the same kind of discs and the firmware being updated constantly, with Xbox One being confirmed to receive support. Besides, all first-party and most third-party games support Smart Delivery.

My question is whether Disc to Digital will support delisted games because that would be my chance to finally complete my Forza Horizon collection (only the first one is missing), but we'll need to wait to know more about these licencing issues and how they affect this programme, assuming Xbox 360 discs are eligible for redemption which is unclear due to their older technology.

I don't like saying bad things but we all should say f*** *** scalpers. Don't buy anything from them. I hope that the loyal ones that got the email have their order secured.

I read the article but still don't get it. The Witcher 3 already got a free update for Series X which I started playing recently. Can somebody explain what this new remaster/patch is? Most importantly, does it use the same save file?

The price unfortunately reflects the memory crisis and adds just 100 on top of that, as a limited edition that also includes a game. I'm not usually into special editions, but precisely this one looks pure Xbox and I love it.

@CallMeDuraSouka No way, are you getting the bundle? I need to get at least that controller.

This is why I love Xbox: consumer-friendly, flexible and future-proof ecosystem that would only be surpassed by Gog if the latter received the AAA games (it doesn't).

Tons of great stuff and features. I'm particularly excited about Fable running at 60fps on Series X as it's suggested it will. I'm looking forward to Gears of War E-Day, too.

It's nice to have more reviews here. The third part of the series seems to be quite the improvement. Another excellent day one addition to Game Pass!

@Dodoo You have to consider also the specs differences between Steam Deck and Asus Rog Ally X.

Nine items. Not shown here but there are also controller display boxes, controller stands and my favourite, a D-pad platter which looks exactly like the circle D-pad of the Elite controller.

I have enjoyed all Gears of War games except 5 — DLC is great, though. Judgement by People Can Fly is also meh. Anyway, the rest of them are glorious and fun. I'm even getting the second remaster of the first one now that it's 75% off. The gameplay is what really shines, but the camaraderie, the epic moments and the brutal monsters are also part of its magic. It's one of the games where gore is justified and not jarring. The Coalition is one of Xbox best studios and I'm looking forward to this new entry which is a reboot of sorts.

The price of high-end gaming handhelds that double as dockable computer is not something you compare with a Switch 2 or Steam Deck (or Steam Machine), but I consider the X20 the way to go compared to the X, or the base model as a casual and limited but budget-friendly handheld. The upgrades of the X20 are exactly what I wanted from X. In any case, it's a very interesting lineup for Game Pass and Play Anywhere.

I don't doubt that. 😅