Benjamin

I would have shuddered at the mention of Arkane but... Arkane Austin made Prey - an all time great - then took six years to make Redfall. Arkane Lyon made Deathloop and have been working on Blade - of which we've seen nothing - for five years now.

Both of the creative leads that Directed the studios' best games have left. Arkane as we knew it is gone I imagine.

I want Project Gotham Racing 1-4, OG Halo 1 and 2, the Original version of Fable 1. Then I could pack away the 360 for good.

I want to see evidence that Xbox studios are healthy and have some bangers on the way - including some original ideas and new franchises.

I was pining for a return to form for Halo (not happening) and something new from Rare but... none of the key people who made the games I love are there now. I've accepted that it's not happening, so my attention is on the active studios who show promise.

Playground and the Initiative have something to prove with Fable and Gears, both having adopted franchises with no original creators there. Obsidian (while not the Obsidian of old) is clearly a talented studio although nothing has clicked for me yet. Arkane Lyon is hopefully doing well with Blade.

Just a very shaky time for the studios and the IP at Xbox.

People want exclusives. The logos not appearing is irrelevant. This is pruning a tree that needs to be pulled out of the ground.

@datamonkey I feel the same. The older games didn't have cameos this on the nose. Replaying Fable 1 was refreshing - it's totally free of this sort of BBC sheen.

There should be no ads on the console at all. When you are in the Store I understand seeing promoted games and offers. Outside of that, zero ads if any kind. No promoted games or offers on the homepage.

@Markatron84 Vexx?

I would like to see something new and single-player from Rare. A new big game from Double Fine. Something with JSRF energy. The revival of the cancelled Perfect Dark. That’s my bingo card wish list.

Really happy to see Halo 3 in the top 10. I didn’t pick up ODST digitally so can’t play it on my Series S. The original versions of Fable and Halo 1 through to 4 should be available. Xbox owned through and through - stick ‘em on the store!

I voted for JSRF and the PGR series. Then the OG Xbox versions of Fable, Halo 1/2 and Yager.

Weird. A visual update with the old sound and arguably not as good as what we have already. I’m a stickler for distinct console generations having their own vibe.

Project Gotham Racing 1-4.
The original versions of each Halo game.
The original version of Fable 1.
Jet Set Radio Future.

Ninja Gaiden 2
Dead Or Alive 2
Destiny 1

Halo 3
Banjo Kazooie Nuts & Bolts
Dead or Alive 2/4
PGR3/4 (360 only)

That’s great news. Further attention to detail like this would be great.

Quite a few for under £5 that I’d like to play but just bought FF7Remake so holding off!

Tempted to buy Lego City Undercover and Jedi Fallen Order though.

Small changes, dynamic themes existing on more than just the home page of the dashboard (like PS manages) and a fresh wave of back compat for classic Xbox games would be great.

But crucially, good games releasing shortly after announcements (12 months max) and capitalising on legacy franchises (Perfect Dark, Banjo!) are the changes I’d like to see.

I but GamePass Essential occasionally play Halo MCC online. I’ve yet to play a single GamePass title included.

I much prefer to buy titles when I’m motivated to play them and then keep them forever, even if that means paying full price occasionally.

Here’s to hoping online play is made free when the Xbox/PC hybrid console arrives.

Add Medals for 1000/1000 achievements points. Make browsing achievements better. Take a bit from PS and a bit from 360.

And while at it, they should take a leaf out of Playstation's book and make the next Xbox's dashboard beautiful. No ads, a theme that remains for the entire console 's life, visuals and sounds that align with the physical console design. What we have for XB1 and X/S is functional but dull as bricks. PSP, 3, 4, and 5 have had increasingly gorgeous user interfaces.

Xbox Helix is already a perfect name for a a hybrid storefront device.

If not, Super Xbox.

@Scrubchub Go for the one you feel most drawn to. Edgy medieval fantasy or upbeat steampunk(ish) adventure.

I bought it a week ago for full price! Have requested a refund or the difference added to my balance. Will let you know how I get on!

FF7 Remake is really fun. Snagged a cheap Series S and looking forward to catching up on a bunch of XB1 and XS games.

I wonder if they’ll keep Xbox Studios games exclusive for it.

This would be a crappy introduction to Halo for new players in my opinion. It plays like a modern shooter and I think people will shrug and wonder why it was ever so beloved.

Porting MCC would have made far more sense.

“We will recommit to our core Xbox fans (…) We will celebrate our roots with a renewed commitment to Xbox starting with console.”

“Gaming now lives across devices, not within the limits of any single piece of hardware. As we expand across PC, mobile, and cloud, Xbox should feel seamless.”

Huh?

Drum Drum Draah Drum Drum Drum
Baaahhm baaahmmm ba-ba baaahm baaahm baaahm,
Doooo doo doo doooo doo, doooo doooo doooooooo,
Duuuuh, duuuuh, duuuuh duuuuuh.

Ubisoft is going the way of Xbox. Soon they’ll just be made up of support studios who help non-Ubisoft studios.

I would add Fable, KOTOR 2, Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath, Jet Set Radio Future, Prince of Persia: Warrior Within and Yager.

Make sure you play it on a 360 with NO title updates if you want to hear the music! 360 classics version and all digital versions (Rare replay included) are bugged!

I'm considering picking up an OG Xbox and a handful of games. Loved the original console and the whole 360 experience. To me the Xbox experience is over. It was those consoles and those exclusive franchises.

Basically a way to get into other platform’s game libraries because Xbox is unable to create and sustain one of its own.

Played Stacking and Psychonauts 2. I have to say Stacking - it's so warm and charming.

Xbox and PS are in a tricky situation: new consoles have stopped offering superior experiences. They hit a plateau with the last generation.

I can't get behind anything that glamourises UK gang culture. I played the Getaway and watched the Guy Richie films in the 00s. Thousands of kids weren't emulating that. But in 2025, they roam in balaclavas, ready to mug strangers and stab each-other before their 15th birthdays. A steady influence of weed, drill and county-lines grooming has ruined so many areas of the UK.

Buying Destiny expansions is like buying new backgrounds for Tetris. It’s the same experience since launch and the usual differentiators of level design and story are so weak they may as well be non-existent.

@fbnaulin It was announced when Xbox was committed to cross-gen releases.

Fable cancellation coming in 3… 2… 1…

@fbnaulin It was announced for Xbox One…

I thought 2 was amazing but its ending was pretty final. It will be interesting to see how they continue the Rapture setting, if that’s what they’re shooting for.

I hope for these things:

Perfect Dark release date
New Rare and Double Fine games
An exciting new IP, we're still being drip fed Gears Halo and Fable....
and as always, signs of life for Banjo-Kazooie.

I'm playing Ocarina of Time, for the first time, in 2025. It has made clear what FromSoft games lack: gameplay variety and fresh new ideas throughout the journey. After six VERY similar gameplay experiences across DS, DS2, BB, DS3, ER, Sk I'd encourage anyone feeling SoulsBorne fatigue to give Ocarina a go.

Looks very UE5. A bit sterile, anachronistic UI. Reminds me of the Demon’s Souls remaster.

Hold me closer tiny Spenceeerrrr

The key creative forces behind Halo and the first Destiny are not involved with this game.

@sp00nard I don’t have a pc!

I would love a way to consolidate my PC and Xbox library. Is it silly to expect the Xbox handheld to play both libraries?

Nintendo's main audience is families and children, that audience doesn't want cutting edge tech.

They should call it Zune 2

10 more amazing games/franchises not listed here:

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts - Still a seriously impressive game in 2025.

Ninja Gaiden Black and 2 - These are considered the best versions of these games and are still unavailable to play anywhere else.

Splinter Cell series - The entire mainline series is playable on Xbox - you'll need discs for 2 and the "old gen" version of 4.

Call of Duty series - The true high points of the series are all available and (I believe) playable online.

Banjo Kazooie, Tooie and Perfect Dark Remasters. Far better than the versions available on Switch.

Elder Scrolls series: Morrowind and Oblivion - The strangest and the most charming worlds in the series.

Rainbow 6 Vegas series - Online is no longer present but the campaign and T Hunt modes still shine.

Halo 3, ODST, Reach - I still like booting these versions up for the menus and loading screens. So much identity in those elements which didn't make it over to the MCC.

Star Wars: Kotor 1/2, Republic Commando, Battlefront 1/2 - still some of the best Star Wars games out there.

Metal Gear Rising Revengence - Possibly Platinum Games' best effort and easily my favourite Metal Gear game (sorry)