The real ones that lose out on this are all those rubbish games on gp that offer easy achievements that everybody panic plays to continue their streaks. Sad times indeed.
@Relygon Actually, thinking about it, I found this too… about 2 years back I had the £1 for a month offer offered to me. I was about to, or had just gotten, my series X…so thought, right I’ll do the Gold trick. Soon as I put on the Gold the £1 offer went away and I had to buy a months GP Instead. I must have mentally blocked this memory out due to how traumatic it was.
Maybe they already had something in place to recognise what wheeler dealers like ourselves were up to?
@Wheatly And that’s why it’s becoming more and more important for Xbox to stop seeing their games get delays. They need consistent content to ensure people sub from month to month…rather than drop in and out. And this is why they’ll keep buying devs and publishers after the ABK deal
Genuine question, do people here find Ubisoft games interesting enough to want to sub year round for them?
This to me feels like the Apple TV of subscriptions right now… maybe they’ll have the occasional decent thing on it. But I wouldn’t want to pay a year for it.
@Kaloudz I’m not sure how regular the £1 for a month was used to convert gold to gamepass. These £1 offers were always account specific to my knowledge…targeting those that were either completely new or hadn’t renewed for months/years.
I mean you’d think they’d use something like this more, to get people off Gold and onto Gamepass. Gold has 10’s of millions more subs…these cheap/free trials always rely on the laziness of people not turning off ‘auto renew’ (it’s on by default for a reason)
Very odd they would stop this. It gained Gamepass being in the conversation when they would be having a slow month. And was done so frequently that one would assume it either was helping grow subs…or helping with numbers to show shareholders.
Every popular streaming platform offers free trails (going from 1 week - 3 months) so it’s strange MS would remove charging £1 for it. Maybe they’ll move to ‘free 7 day trail’ instead.
Or, maybe like £70 games, this is also a casualty of Xbox finally having their own games coming out 🤷🏻
I reckon PlayStation version is getting my money. I’m just waiting on what the VR will be. Luckily I’m so busy right now I don’t have time for it anyway.
I will say the ps5 version of the demo felt noticeably better in its quality mode…if not quite as sharp looking. The 3D sound and controller also adding more to the experience. Hopefully a future patch will get the Xbox version feeling on par.
@UltimateOtaku91 True. But I can’t think of an existing IP today that MS has taken from playstation from their acquisitions either. Minecraft is still getting new games placed on playstation since buying Bethesda. Contracted games still came out yes…but still being supported and updated to the standard of the extra year waited xbox releases. And live service games like elder scrolls and fallout keep getting the same support.
What MS do in the future with the likes of Doom etc who knows… but as of today we can’t claim they’ve taken away existing ip, can we? Only that they’ve supported existing ip on all platforms.
Sony hasn’t taken anything away yet with their own acquisitions. We have however seen them take away established franchises with their 3rd party deals with the likes of street fighter, and final fantasy. We’ll see the same with silent hill this year.
What they do with destiny in 10years time who knows. What they do with future acquisitions (as that’s what this will open the flood gates to), who knows.
Looks great. Unreal engine demos always do - I’m still hoping we’ll see a game soon with the same quality visuals as the Unreal 3 Samaritan demo.
Would be lovely though if they could pull off every character having this level of facial animation in games this gen…let’s see just how close they get with the actual game…if it ever comes out.
I don’t get how this blew up on Twitter yesterday like it was a huge shock when MS have been saying this since last year.
Nor do I understand why so many people that are outraged over the insinuation that this means cod will be removed from PlayStation in 10 years don’t take into account that that scenario also means…
A) a huge cut in sales for cod B) 10 years worth of sales of ps5s with cod available on the system - meaning in those 10 years it’s highly unlikely ps5 sales won’t be 10s of millions more than series consoles regardless of cod also being on gamepass.
There’s no reason why then, after 10years, Sony (who’s exclusive games often sell millions more than Xbox’s) can’t have an ip that is capable of competing against a call of duty that no longer has its biggest install base.
Just madness…old news, that in all odds won’t come to anything anyway as ms will likely end up renewing its cod contract with Sony at an increased price .
Had the first one installed on my switch for probably 2 years now - gotten for the bargin price of £7…such a bargin that I’ve never felt need to play it, it just exists…waiting.
Am I right in that this is a completely different story? So there’s nothing missed from not playing the first?
I’m not sure the purpose of these things is to ‘win’ though. I mean I’m sure a few of them had visions of single-handedly saving PlayStation and getting high fives from Jim Ryan… but I think most probably reckoned on it not going much further than the goal these things are supposed to create…
So then what’s the point? Well it brings further negative attention to the ABK deal whilst the ABK deal is trying to get passed by these governing bodies that are taking in feedback from all corners. They may have not have had a hope in winning…but it still adds some fuel to the fire - demonstrated by how widely it’s been reported the last couple of days and last year
One article that seemingly reinforces arguments on both sides in the merits of ‘preserving games’ via buying physical.
Mirrors edge there’s obviously clear value in owning the disc now going forward. Battlefield games…discs may as well be coasters if you ever had hopes of playing them online going forward
@BAMozzy I have no idea what all that waffling is about. MS own Bethesda…yes, but Bethesda are not MS studios…hence why the Bethesda is kept separate during marketing gamepass etc.
I specifically state MS Studios to avoid this confusion.
Ms studios haven’t even shown gameplay yet of games they announce years ago. Let alone any hints of release dates.
There’s no expectations on ‘much less time should equal more ms studio games’ - no other publisher out of the 3 main platforms delays as many games as MS studios do.
If anyone is expecting games of similar quality to God of war, Tsushima etc from MS studios they’re setting themselves up for a fall…👍
Mixed feelings on this ‘melding’ of the series. The first layers of fear and it’s dlc are great…layers of fear 2 was pretty much a chore to get through though. I hope the new gameplay mechanics have removed the chase sequences from 2.
I’m not sure if there was any need for this to exist, but I guess it pretty much confirms silent hill is going to be on Unreal 5.
@themightyant revolution for black ops 2 was also apparently timed exclusive to the 360.
But I know they stupidly gave away the marketing rights - been paying for it ever since
@themightyant tbf to him he has somewhat of a point with ‘Sony pioneered exclusive content’ in that Sony has been buying exclusive additional content for 3rd party games regularly since the ps3 generation…loads of games had additional exclusive content on disc on ps3…more so on ps4, and now has become the norm on ps5/4…to the point I can’t even think of one 3rd party game they’ve had marketing rights for that hasn’t offered additional content for the same purchase price being asked of other platforms. So that’s pretty pioneering to create such a standard.
To my knowledge call of duty was always the same game and contents day 1 on PlayStation when xbox had marketing rights. Xbox benefitted from having timed exclusive maps etc…I can’t recall them ever being as aggressive as Sony is with their timed exclusivity either - locking away gameplay modes for a year etc.
GTA 4 dlc…well dlc in general are additions to the base game at an additional cost. GTA dlc costs MS millions to secure timed exclusivity over…it’s also something that came years after Sony was already setting their standard with 3rd party exclusive content deals. And GTA 4 itself even coming to xbox cost MS aload of money to secure as it was all set to be a PlayStation timed exclusivity deal again.
I think at this point the only thing that could turn Sonys head on this is the promise of cod either not being on GP day 1, or being on their subs also. But I think it’s finally clear to everyone now that this hasn’t really been about cod from the start.
@themightyant I’ll always have a bit of a soft spot for Patcher from the Gametrailers days…but yeah, he’s like the David Haye of gaming (presumably without the 3somes…). Any decisions he tips his hat to…expect the opposite.
@FraserG I wish they’d spend a bit of time looking in to pretty basic stuff like this. I mean it’s probably been about 2 years of broken links from the rewards page… I love clicking on something and having a surprise page open up as much as the next person, and I can’t get enough of being made to reopen bing just to confirm some points…but it does get a bit tiresome after 2+ years, I gotta admit.
Does anybody else keep getting asked to update the store yet the update never completed? The store opens as usual…but then asked again to update the next time I open the store…a never ending cycle for months now
@FenIsMightier There’s a world of difference here. Square games couldn’t have come to generations of nintendos consoles even if they wanted them to due to the formats Nintendo favoured... A problem that is still an issue with their games today when square will gladly release games on switch. And the GameCube was the weakest selling console of that generation.
The PlayStation consoles are not the weakest selling platforms. They’re generating the most money for activision via software by a huge margin. The PlayStation systems are not limited technically to not be able to play those games regardless of activisons desire of putting them on.
And your other example is Steve Jobs almost ‘torpedoing’ the iPhone…well, I’m writing this reply on my iPhone…so? How’s is this proof of point for you and not me?
Given the huge success of the 12 month format I would have liked them to build upon that…but given starfield failed to hit it, Forza, ark2, Silksong, flintlock, and kojimas game…still don’t have release dates…is there really any point not to get those big cgi spectacular surprises mixed in with games that actually have a chance of coming out within 12 months?…so I’m hoping for a mix of the two now.
I really want to see gameplay from games announced 4+ years ago.
@Meehanuk_1987 that’s the end goal for sure…just an app on everything. The only reason that’s not yet a reality is that it depends on them having their own games - other platforms won’t accept gamepass with 3rd party games because they themselves make money off 3rd party games…and gamepass would take from that money. So it requires a steady consistent stream of Xbox content. Getting activision would help a lot in that…but MS as so inept at managing their teams productively that this vision won’t be for a long time yet. But make no mistake, this is why they go after publishers over just studios now.
@FenIsMightier Do you have any idea how many copies of last years cod sold on PlayStation compared to Xbox? You honestly think a grudge or pettiness is going to have SHARE HOLDERS care where they’re making the most money from should the deal not go through? I really don’t understand why you guys think activision will show some sort of moral compass or ‘loyalty’ now to MS over Sony. They’ll go where it makes the most sense for their business…be it with MS or not.
As for Lulu’s increasing contempt for Sony…ask yourself what she has to gain… and then ask yourself what power she has via her ‘grudge’ she’ll potentially hold against Sony if it doesn’t go through.
I’d love to know how you think they’ll justify their decision to what? Leave the PlayStation console and all the billions they’d make from it behind? To the investors after they’ve already lost out on selling the company for huge profits.
Seriously, it’s a nice pipe dream you guys have that the ‘bridge is burned’ and cod will be exclusive, or activision will go favour Xbox no matter what. The only difference all this makes for Sony if the deal doesn’t go through is they’ll have to probably bargin harder for the next marketing rights. If their offer is better than MS do you honestly think activison give the marketing to MS anyway?
@FenIsMightier those people saying ‘it’s business’ are correct. I know we all want to think Sonys behaviour has burnt bridges and this is only good news for Xbox…the reality is Activision is held to the wants of the shareholders. They would have just lost 68billion, yes…but they won’t be willing to give up their biggest market on top of that - that’s the PlayStation fanbase. There is not a chance that cod won’t still come to PlayStation if the deal doesn’t go through like I hear fanboys desperately hoping.
Whether they manage to get the marketing rights again depends on if ms actually go for them and pay more than sony. If Sony offer the better price then expect the next decade to follow the last.
@antstephenson Starfield very publicly got a release date slapped on it 2 years ago for November last year. Then very publicly got a release window of 12 months from June last year. Make no mistake, it’s is an announcement of another delay. But least it’s a date…which is more than Forza has been given so far…which is also supposed to be out by June.
Ms can’t rely on 3rd party to fill their calendar year…they did that last year and we’re left with a few pretty weak months due to 3rd party delays too.
They also, ultimately, want gamepass on every platform…this will Never be a possibility until they can regularly release their own content on the subscription…the other platforms have their own deals and revenue coming from the majority of 3rd party games…the only way gp gets on PlayStation is if it contains just Xbox games…and a subscription needs content to fill out each and every month. So it is something they need to figure out, as for years now it’s been the norm for Xbox to announce games YEARS too early, then delaying them. Far more so than any other platform. Only now they’re also selling subscriptions off the back of these games coming when they say they will. This is why a delay on Xbox is likely, and rightly, seeing more backlash than a delay on PlayStation or Nintendo.
The whole message during the June event last year was a response to starfield and redfall announcing delays. It was a message of confidence that they recognised the problem they have, and are addressing it. That the value of gamepass yearly subs is this is what you’re getting each year going forward. Consistent, solid, yearly support.
They were subsequently congratulated on their ‘bravery’ for not showing their typical smoke and mirrors of cgi trailers of games coming years from now. It resulted in very little in the way of surprises but was a great foundation to build on.
Odds are Forzas going to hit outside of June. Odds are its the only MS studio game coming out this year…when they had no AAA support offered last year.
Phil Spencer himself said they need to do better at releasing games. Buying up publishers will of course be the easiest fix for that. But they really need to figure out a way to manage their own teams more productively. It’s beyond time now.
@Dezzy70 It will be great…I’ve no idea how it can live up to the hype though. And there’s no way it’s not coming quickly followed by reports of bugs and crashes. So my expectations are set there. Can’t wait to play it to be honest…been looking forward to it for so long now
@Dezzy70 ha yeah. I was one of the ones making excuses for them having a slightly lacklustre E3 because I figure last year was one to get ‘out of the way’ and then the 12 month thing pays off each year that follows…as it’s not filled with games that have had delays or we’ve already been waiting for for years
Ah well, it wouldn’t be Xbox if they could release games without delays upon delays
Great news it had finally has a release date. Embarrassing for them it’s outside the year window they made such a fuss of in June. Let’s see if Forza makes it.
If not, I can’t see them doing the whole ‘everything we show here releases in the next 12 months’ again. Which is a shame as it could have been some great messaging/marketing. I just hope we don’t go back to having games announced 5+ years away
@Grippie 1) PlayStation don’t get their branding on every advert for cod for free - it’s part of their marketing deal.
2) If MS buys activision activison isn’t going to be a separate entity that markets call of duty without the use of Microsoft money…meaning the marketing relies on Microsoft going forward. We shall have to wait and see if cod continues to get the same level of marketing or not.
All I can say is that the stores here 100% Xbox has the least presence out of the 3 platforms.
On the billboard, buses, bus stops, and cinemas, here I see adverts for games Sony has the marketing rights to - which has allowed them to get the mindshare of the casual market. As well as ads for their own first party games - hell, did you not see they did a WORLD WIDE promotion? Giant axe in the ground doesn’t ring a bell? All over Twitter for weeks? Didn’t see the adverts that followed that marketing?
Google ‘giant axe London’
Google ‘live from ps5’
Again, name the last ad campaign by MS you can remember seeing promoting any game…1st or 3rd party, in the real world.
Xbox themselves have been telling you how poorly they’re doing console sales. I’m not undermining them, I’m agreeing with them and pointing out obvious reasons why.
@S1ayeR74 ok, you go visit any store in the uk that sells video games. Take a look around. And come back and tell me that xbox doesn’t have the least presence in your chosen store.
Along the way to your chosen store tell me how many ads you see for xbox.
In fact tell me the last ad you saw for an xbox product outside of the internet. Can you even remember the last time you saw xbox promoted during the trailers for the cinema?
Can you remember the last time you saw an advert BY Microsoft promoting xbox and gamepass?
Xbox’s reach in the uk is near nonexistent…so much so you only need to go into one of the major chains like smiths and will leave with the impression this is a dying under-supported product. So yeah, couple limited store space with a self harming desire to not market itself, I don’t see cod driving huge numbers away from PlayStation.
Can we really see THIS Xbox placing ads before big budget movies at the cinema? Placing ads on buses? Placing ads on billboards? They use gp and twitter to market their games - to people they already have.
What will be interesting is how the overall sales of cod look once MS does indeed have the marketing for it. Rather than casuals just jumping to Xbox, they might just not buy it full stop - remember, cod is the biggest selling game each and every year…Sony STILL markets the hell out of it.
@Kaloudz They’re too busy chasing other things to focus on selling the console. And this has ultimately lead to slower gp growth…and conversations about them even being in the competitive console market. I touched on this on my latest video, it’s all in their messaging. And it’s taking them far too long to realise this. They’re too focused on the end game (gp everywhere) without really considering how best to get there.
Gotta admire how we’ve all been hoodwinked into accepting crossplay as a selling point now… when in reality we simple console folk are celebrating playing the same games with PC players whilst being still the only ones out of the two required to pay a paywall in order to play together.
Love guilty gear, so this is a welcomed surprise. Glad to see Xbox is finally getting some 2D beat’em attention lately after going so many years neglected
Forza horizon 6 really does need to be more than the same game with a different reskinned world and more mobile mechanics. As pretty as it is it’s also becoming less engaging for me personally with every addition. I’ve not the patience any more for 1200 wheel spins and travelling for 10mins to start a race I’ve zero chance in winning because the gameplay has never really incorporated the tuning aspect before said race.
What I want is either a move further towards the social aspect of the game - allow us to leave the vehicle…instantly adding more purpose to our ‘hubs’. As well as allowing more variation on gameplay (there could be a Pokémon snap game in their where you have to drive to rumoured spots, get out and take pictures of hidden creature or whatever - they’ll have the fable assets)
Or…go more arcade with it. Offer server’s to instantly find the lap races you want. Options for just standard cars. Basically give FH a needed rest and bring back project Gotham instead.
My latest videos about this guys tweet (and the conversation that followed it).
Personally I’ve always felt it inevitable Xbox will one day get out of the console selling market. But before they can do that they need a steady stream of their own content - which they’re always so far away from delivering right now to warrant a monthly gamepass sub on the other platforms.
Until they’re at that point they’ll stay in the console making market.
As for giving up Xbox completely…no. There’s still plenty of value in the brand. And MS still don’t want to be left behind when it comes to being part of every bodies entertainment devices - they still also desperately want that mobile gaming money. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s potential to just buy king if the deal doesn’t go through.
Comments 1,126
Re: Xbox Making Big Adjustment To Popular Microsoft Rewards Punch Card
The real ones that lose out on this are all those rubbish games on gp that offer easy achievements that everybody panic plays to continue their streaks. Sad times indeed.
Re: Microsoft Confirms $1 Xbox Game Pass Trial Offer Has Been 'Stopped'
@BrilliantBill Halo would have been the perfect opportunity to market both. Halo used to have the best ad campaigns. Shame.
Re: Microsoft Confirms $1 Xbox Game Pass Trial Offer Has Been 'Stopped'
@Kaloudz Yeah they all do it. I used to think to myself who’s stupid enough to not turn auto renew off when signing for free trials…
Month charges of Paramount and Apple TV later…I’ve concluded I’m stupid enough!
Re: Microsoft Confirms $1 Xbox Game Pass Trial Offer Has Been 'Stopped'
@Relygon Actually, thinking about it, I found this too… about 2 years back I had the £1 for a month offer offered to me. I was about to, or had just gotten, my series X…so thought, right I’ll do the Gold trick.
Soon as I put on the Gold the £1 offer went away and I had to buy a months GP Instead.
I must have mentally blocked this memory out due to how traumatic it was.
Maybe they already had something in place to recognise what wheeler dealers like ourselves were up to?
Re: Microsoft Confirms $1 Xbox Game Pass Trial Offer Has Been 'Stopped'
@Wheatly And that’s why it’s becoming more and more important for Xbox to stop seeing their games get delays. They need consistent content to ensure people sub from month to month…rather than drop in and out. And this is why they’ll keep buying devs and publishers after the ABK deal
Re: Rumour: Ubisoft+ Set For April Xbox Launch, Featuring A Massive Lineup
Genuine question, do people here find Ubisoft games interesting enough to want to sub year round for them?
This to me feels like the Apple TV of subscriptions right now… maybe they’ll have the occasional decent thing on it. But I wouldn’t want to pay a year for it.
Re: Microsoft Confirms $1 Xbox Game Pass Trial Offer Has Been 'Stopped'
@BrilliantBill Well games will definitely help. What would help more than anything would be a marketing campaign for it - crazy I know.
I think they may be closer to 30mill now…least that’s the number hunted at during the whole Redfall ‘scandal’ last week
Re: Microsoft Confirms $1 Xbox Game Pass Trial Offer Has Been 'Stopped'
@Kaloudz I’m not sure how regular the £1 for a month was used to convert gold to gamepass. These £1 offers were always account specific to my knowledge…targeting those that were either completely new or hadn’t renewed for months/years.
I mean you’d think they’d use something like this more, to get people off Gold and onto Gamepass. Gold has 10’s of millions more subs…these cheap/free trials always rely on the laziness of people not turning off ‘auto renew’ (it’s on by default for a reason)
Re: Microsoft Confirms $1 Xbox Game Pass Trial Offer Has Been 'Stopped'
Very odd they would stop this. It gained Gamepass being in the conversation when they would be having a slow month. And was done so frequently that one would assume it either was helping grow subs…or helping with numbers to show shareholders.
Every popular streaming platform offers free trails (going from 1 week - 3 months) so it’s strange MS would remove charging £1 for it. Maybe they’ll move to ‘free 7 day trail’ instead.
Or, maybe like £70 games, this is also a casualty of Xbox finally having their own games coming out 🤷🏻
Re: Video: Digital Foundry Takes Initial Look At Resident Evil 4 Remake On Xbox
@Banjo- I personally found the sound better on the PS5 demo. Add to that the use of sound through the controller…just added more for me👍
Re: Video: Digital Foundry Takes Initial Look At Resident Evil 4 Remake On Xbox
I reckon PlayStation version is getting my money. I’m just waiting on what the VR will be. Luckily I’m so busy right now I don’t have time for it anyway.
I will say the ps5 version of the demo felt noticeably better in its quality mode…if not quite as sharp looking.
The 3D sound and controller also adding more to the experience.
Hopefully a future patch will get the Xbox version feeling on par.
Re: Microsoft Issues Statement In Response To 'Redfall On PS5' Reports
@UltimateOtaku91 True. But I can’t think of an existing IP today that MS has taken from playstation from their acquisitions either. Minecraft is still getting new games placed on playstation since buying Bethesda. Contracted games still came out yes…but still being supported and updated to the standard of the extra year waited xbox releases.
And live service games like elder scrolls and fallout keep getting the same support.
What MS do in the future with the likes of Doom etc who knows… but as of today we can’t claim they’ve taken away existing ip, can we? Only that they’ve supported existing ip on all platforms.
Sony hasn’t taken anything away yet with their own acquisitions. We have however seen them take away established franchises with their 3rd party deals with the likes of street fighter, and final fantasy. We’ll see the same with silent hill this year.
What they do with destiny in 10years time who knows.
What they do with future acquisitions (as that’s what this will open the flood gates to), who knows.
Re: Hellblade 2's New Facial Animation Trailer Is Absolutely Jaw-Dropping
Looks great. Unreal engine demos always do - I’m still hoping we’ll see a game soon with the same quality visuals as the Unreal 3 Samaritan demo.
Would be lovely though if they could pull off every character having this level of facial animation in games this gen…let’s see just how close they get with the actual game…if it ever comes out.
Re: Sony Has 'Sufficient' Time To Develop Call Of Duty Alternatives, Says Microsoft
I don’t get how this blew up on Twitter yesterday like it was a huge shock when MS have been saying this since last year.
Nor do I understand why so many people that are outraged over the insinuation that this means cod will be removed from PlayStation in 10 years don’t take into account that that scenario also means…
A) a huge cut in sales for cod
B) 10 years worth of sales of ps5s with cod available on the system - meaning in those 10 years it’s highly unlikely ps5 sales won’t be 10s of millions more than series consoles regardless of cod also being on gamepass.
There’s no reason why then, after 10years, Sony (who’s exclusive games often sell millions more than Xbox’s) can’t have an ip that is capable of competing against a call of duty that no longer has its biggest install base.
Just madness…old news, that in all odds won’t come to anything anyway as ms will likely end up renewing its cod contract with Sony at an increased price .
Re: Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom 'The Prince's Edition' Is Available Today On Xbox Game Pass
Had the first one installed on my switch for probably 2 years now - gotten for the bargin price of £7…such a bargin that I’ve never felt need to play it, it just exists…waiting.
Am I right in that this is a completely different story? So there’s nothing missed from not playing the first?
Re: Group Of 'Gamers' Who Tried To Sue Microsoft Faced With Dismissal In Court
God loves a trier.
I’m not sure the purpose of these things is to ‘win’ though. I mean I’m sure a few of them had visions of single-handedly saving PlayStation and getting high fives from Jim Ryan… but I think most probably reckoned on it not going much further than the goal these things are supposed to create…
So then what’s the point? Well it brings further negative attention to the ABK deal whilst the ABK deal is trying to get passed by these governing bodies that are taking in feedback from all corners. They may have not have had a hope in winning…but it still adds some fuel to the fire - demonstrated by how widely it’s been reported the last couple of days and last year
Re: Four EA Games Are Being Fully Delisted On Xbox This April
One article that seemingly reinforces arguments on both sides in the merits of ‘preserving games’ via buying physical.
Mirrors edge there’s obviously clear value in owning the disc now going forward.
Battlefield games…discs may as well be coasters if you ever had hopes of playing them online going forward
Re: Random: What Happened To This Controller? Xbox Fans Are Trying To Figure It Out
@EvenStephen7 Ha yeah, my first thought was it looks like something out of The Last of us. Definitely a controller for player 2!
Re: New Xbox Games Release Dates In 2023
@BAMozzy 👍
Re: New Xbox Games Release Dates In 2023
@BAMozzy I have no idea what all that waffling is about. MS own Bethesda…yes, but Bethesda are not MS studios…hence why the Bethesda is kept separate during marketing gamepass etc.
I specifically state MS Studios to avoid this confusion.
Ms studios haven’t even shown gameplay yet of games they announce years ago. Let alone any hints of release dates.
There’s no expectations on ‘much less time should equal more ms studio games’ - no other publisher out of the 3 main platforms delays as many games as MS studios do.
If anyone is expecting games of similar quality to God of war, Tsushima etc from MS studios they’re setting themselves up for a fall…👍
Re: Layers Of Fear Remake Looks Super Spooky In Unreal Engine 5 Extended Gameplay
Mixed feelings on this ‘melding’ of the series. The first layers of fear and it’s dlc are great…layers of fear 2 was pretty much a chore to get through though. I hope the new gameplay mechanics have removed the chase sequences from 2.
I’m not sure if there was any need for this to exist, but I guess it pretty much confirms silent hill is going to be on Unreal 5.
Re: Resident Evil 4 Remake Looks Even More Impressive In Side-By-Side Comparison
Actually more impressed with how well the originals aged, after watching that.
Really liked the demo. RE4 is one I’ve never played through before so will no definitely be picking this up at some point
Re: Microsoft Isn't Currently Talking To Sony About The Call Of Duty Deal
@themightyant revolution for black ops 2 was also apparently timed exclusive to the 360.
But I know they stupidly gave away the marketing rights - been paying for it ever since
Re: Microsoft Isn't Currently Talking To Sony About The Call Of Duty Deal
@themightyant tbf to him he has somewhat of a point with ‘Sony pioneered exclusive content’ in that Sony has been buying exclusive additional content for 3rd party games regularly since the ps3 generation…loads of games had additional exclusive content on disc on ps3…more so on ps4, and now has become the norm on ps5/4…to the point I can’t even think of one 3rd party game they’ve had marketing rights for that hasn’t offered additional content for the same purchase price being asked of other platforms. So that’s pretty pioneering to create such a standard.
To my knowledge call of duty was always the same game and contents day 1 on PlayStation when xbox had marketing rights. Xbox benefitted from having timed exclusive maps etc…I can’t recall them ever being as aggressive as Sony is with their timed exclusivity either - locking away gameplay modes for a year etc.
GTA 4 dlc…well dlc in general are additions to the base game at an additional cost. GTA dlc costs MS millions to secure timed exclusivity over…it’s also something that came years after Sony was already setting their standard with 3rd party exclusive content deals. And GTA 4 itself even coming to xbox cost MS aload of money to secure as it was all set to be a PlayStation timed exclusivity deal again.
Re: Microsoft Isn't Currently Talking To Sony About The Call Of Duty Deal
I think at this point the only thing that could turn Sonys head on this is the promise of cod either not being on GP day 1, or being on their subs also.
But I think it’s finally clear to everyone now that this hasn’t really been about cod from the start.
Re: Microsoft Isn't Currently Talking To Sony About The Call Of Duty Deal
@themightyant I’ll always have a bit of a soft spot for Patcher from the Gametrailers days…but yeah, he’s like the David Haye of gaming (presumably without the 3somes…). Any decisions he tips his hat to…expect the opposite.
Re: 'Not Playable On This Device' Message Causes Havoc On The Xbox Store
@FraserG I wish they’d spend a bit of time looking in to pretty basic stuff like this. I mean it’s probably been about 2 years of broken links from the rewards page… I love clicking on something and having a surprise page open up as much as the next person, and I can’t get enough of being made to reopen bing just to confirm some points…but it does get a bit tiresome after 2+ years, I gotta admit.
Re: 'Not Playable On This Device' Message Causes Havoc On The Xbox Store
Does anybody else keep getting asked to update the store yet the update never completed? The store opens as usual…but then asked again to update the next time I open the store…a never ending cycle for months now
Re: PSA: Resident Evil 4's Free Demo Contains Hidden 'Mad Chainsaw Mode'
You should add a ‘help’ guide to even find the demo on Xbox, the Xbox’s search functions so bad.
Re: Sony Just Wants To 'Block' Merger, According To Activision Blizzard CCO
@FenIsMightier There’s a world of difference here. Square games couldn’t have come to generations of nintendos consoles even if they wanted them to due to the formats Nintendo favoured... A problem that is still an issue with their games today when square will gladly release games on switch. And the GameCube was the weakest selling console of that generation.
The PlayStation consoles are not the weakest selling platforms. They’re generating the most money for activision via software by a huge margin.
The PlayStation systems are not limited technically to not be able to play those games regardless of activisons desire of putting them on.
And your other example is Steve Jobs almost ‘torpedoing’ the iPhone…well, I’m writing this reply on my iPhone…so? How’s is this proof of point for you and not me?
Re: Talking Point: What Do You Want To See Most From The Xbox Games Showcase 2023?
Given the huge success of the 12 month format I would have liked them to build upon that…but given starfield failed to hit it, Forza, ark2, Silksong, flintlock, and kojimas game…still don’t have release dates…is there really any point not to get those big cgi spectacular surprises mixed in with games that actually have a chance of coming out within 12 months?…so I’m hoping for a mix of the two now.
I really want to see gameplay from games announced 4+ years ago.
Re: Microsoft Is Running Full-Page Newspaper Ads About Call Of Duty On Xbox
@Meehanuk_1987 that’s the end goal for sure…just an app on everything. The only reason that’s not yet a reality is that it depends on them having their own games - other platforms won’t accept gamepass with 3rd party games because they themselves make money off 3rd party games…and gamepass would take from that money. So it requires a steady consistent stream of Xbox content. Getting activision would help a lot in that…but MS as so inept at managing their teams productively that this vision won’t be for a long time yet. But make no mistake, this is why they go after publishers over just studios now.
Re: Sony Just Wants To 'Block' Merger, According To Activision Blizzard CCO
@FenIsMightier Do you have any idea how many copies of last years cod sold on PlayStation compared to Xbox? You honestly think a grudge or pettiness is going to have SHARE HOLDERS care where they’re making the most money from should the deal not go through? I really don’t understand why you guys think activision will show some sort of moral compass or ‘loyalty’ now to MS over Sony. They’ll go where it makes the most sense for their business…be it with MS or not.
As for Lulu’s increasing contempt for Sony…ask yourself what she has to gain… and then ask yourself what power she has via her ‘grudge’ she’ll potentially hold against Sony if it doesn’t go through.
I’d love to know how you think they’ll justify their decision to what? Leave the PlayStation console and all the billions they’d make from it behind? To the investors after they’ve already lost out on selling the company for huge profits.
Seriously, it’s a nice pipe dream you guys have that the ‘bridge is burned’ and cod will be exclusive, or activision will go favour Xbox no matter what. The only difference all this makes for Sony if the deal doesn’t go through is they’ll have to probably bargin harder for the next marketing rights. If their offer is better than MS do you honestly think activison give the marketing to MS anyway?
Re: Sony Just Wants To 'Block' Merger, According To Activision Blizzard CCO
@FenIsMightier those people saying ‘it’s business’ are correct. I know we all want to think Sonys behaviour has burnt bridges and this is only good news for Xbox…the reality is Activision is held to the wants of the shareholders. They would have just lost 68billion, yes…but they won’t be willing to give up their biggest market on top of that - that’s the PlayStation fanbase. There is not a chance that cod won’t still come to PlayStation if the deal doesn’t go through like I hear fanboys desperately hoping.
Whether they manage to get the marketing rights again depends on if ms actually go for them and pay more than sony. If Sony offer the better price then expect the next decade to follow the last.
Re: Sony Just Wants To 'Block' Merger, According To Activision Blizzard CCO
She best hope this doesn’t come back to bite her should the deal not go through.
Lulu is entertaining though…earning her money
Re: Microsoft Is Running Full-Page Newspaper Ads About Call Of Duty On Xbox
Good. May look like a desperate move, but least they’re finally getting the message out to people outside of their twitter page.
Re: Starfield Is Launching On Xbox This September, Developer Direct Arriving In June
@antstephenson Starfield very publicly got a release date slapped on it 2 years ago for November last year. Then very publicly got a release window of 12 months from June last year. Make no mistake, it’s is an announcement of another delay. But least it’s a date…which is more than Forza has been given so far…which is also supposed to be out by June.
Ms can’t rely on 3rd party to fill their calendar year…they did that last year and we’re left with a few pretty weak months due to 3rd party delays too.
They also, ultimately, want gamepass on every platform…this will Never be a possibility until they can regularly release their own content on the subscription…the other platforms have their own deals and revenue coming from the majority of 3rd party games…the only way gp gets on PlayStation is if it contains just Xbox games…and a subscription needs content to fill out each and every month. So it is something they need to figure out, as for years now it’s been the norm for Xbox to announce games YEARS too early, then delaying them. Far more so than any other platform. Only now they’re also selling subscriptions off the back of these games coming when they say they will. This is why a delay on Xbox is likely, and rightly, seeing more backlash than a delay on PlayStation or Nintendo.
The whole message during the June event last year was a response to starfield and redfall announcing delays. It was a message of confidence that they recognised the problem they have, and are addressing it. That the value of gamepass yearly subs is this is what you’re getting each year going forward. Consistent, solid, yearly support.
They were subsequently congratulated on their ‘bravery’ for not showing their typical smoke and mirrors of cgi trailers of games coming years from now. It resulted in very little in the way of surprises but was a great foundation to build on.
Odds are Forzas going to hit outside of June. Odds are its the only MS studio game coming out this year…when they had no AAA support offered last year.
Phil Spencer himself said they need to do better at releasing games. Buying up publishers will of course be the easiest fix for that. But they really need to figure out a way to manage their own teams more productively. It’s beyond time now.
Re: Starfield's Launch Date Trailer Features Some Sneak Peeks At New Gameplay
@Dezzy70 It will be great…I’ve no idea how it can live up to the hype though. And there’s no way it’s not coming quickly followed by reports of bugs and crashes. So my expectations are set there. Can’t wait to play it to be honest…been looking forward to it for so long now
Re: Starfield's Launch Date Trailer Features Some Sneak Peeks At New Gameplay
@Dezzy70 ha yeah. I was one of the ones making excuses for them having a slightly lacklustre E3 because I figure last year was one to get ‘out of the way’ and then the 12 month thing pays off each year that follows…as it’s not filled with games that have had delays or we’ve already been waiting for for years
Ah well, it wouldn’t be Xbox if they could release games without delays upon delays
Re: Starfield's Launch Date Trailer Features Some Sneak Peeks At New Gameplay
Great news it had finally has a release date. Embarrassing for them it’s outside the year window they made such a fuss of in June.
Let’s see if Forza makes it.
If not, I can’t see them doing the whole ‘everything we show here releases in the next 12 months’ again. Which is a shame as it could have been some great messaging/marketing. I just hope we don’t go back to having games announced 5+ years away
Re: Report: Xbox Feels UK CMA Has 'Significantly' Overestimated The Impact Of COD Exclusivity
@Grippie 1) PlayStation don’t get their branding on every advert for cod for free - it’s part of their marketing deal.
2) If MS buys activision activison isn’t going to be a separate entity that markets call of duty without the use of Microsoft money…meaning the marketing relies on Microsoft going forward. We shall have to wait and see if cod continues to get the same level of marketing or not.
Re: Report: Xbox Feels UK CMA Has 'Significantly' Overestimated The Impact Of COD Exclusivity
@S1ayeR74 what ever brings you comfort at night.
All I can say is that the stores here 100% Xbox has the least presence out of the 3 platforms.
On the billboard, buses, bus stops, and cinemas, here I see adverts for games Sony has the marketing rights to - which has allowed them to get the mindshare of the casual market. As well as ads for their own first party games - hell, did you not see they did a WORLD WIDE promotion? Giant axe in the ground doesn’t ring a bell? All over Twitter for weeks? Didn’t see the adverts that followed that marketing?
Google ‘giant axe London’
Google ‘live from ps5’
Again, name the last ad campaign by MS you can remember seeing promoting any game…1st or 3rd party, in the real world.
Xbox themselves have been telling you how poorly they’re doing console sales. I’m not undermining them, I’m agreeing with them and pointing out obvious reasons why.
Re: Report: Xbox Feels UK CMA Has 'Significantly' Overestimated The Impact Of COD Exclusivity
@S1ayeR74 ok, you go visit any store in the uk that sells video games. Take a look around. And come back and tell me that xbox doesn’t have the least presence in your chosen store.
Along the way to your chosen store tell me how many ads you see for xbox.
In fact tell me the last ad you saw for an xbox product outside of the internet. Can you even remember the last time you saw xbox promoted during the trailers for the cinema?
Can you remember the last time you saw an advert BY Microsoft promoting xbox and gamepass?
Re: Report: Xbox Feels UK CMA Has 'Significantly' Overestimated The Impact Of COD Exclusivity
Xbox’s reach in the uk is near nonexistent…so much so you only need to go into one of the major chains like smiths and will leave with the impression this is a dying under-supported product. So yeah, couple limited store space with a self harming desire to not market itself, I don’t see cod driving huge numbers away from PlayStation.
Can we really see THIS Xbox placing ads before big budget movies at the cinema? Placing ads on buses? Placing ads on billboards? They use gp and twitter to market their games - to people they already have.
What will be interesting is how the overall sales of cod look once MS does indeed have the marketing for it. Rather than casuals just jumping to Xbox, they might just not buy it full stop - remember, cod is the biggest selling game each and every year…Sony STILL markets the hell out of it.
Re: Redfall Xbox Crossplay Details Shared In Arkane Community Q&A
@Kaloudz They’re too busy chasing other things to focus on selling the console. And this has ultimately lead to slower gp growth…and conversations about them even being in the competitive console market.
I touched on this on my latest video, it’s all in their messaging. And it’s taking them far too long to realise this. They’re too focused on the end game (gp everywhere) without really considering how best to get there.
Re: Redfall Xbox Crossplay Details Shared In Arkane Community Q&A
Gotta admire how we’ve all been hoodwinked into accepting crossplay as a selling point now… when in reality we simple console folk are celebrating playing the same games with PC players whilst being still the only ones out of the two required to pay a paywall in order to play together.
Re: 'DOOM 4' Early Gameplay Shows Very Different Take On The Series
Looks more horror focused…basically a mix of doom 3 and what we did end up getting.
I’d love to see a more horror focused suspense driven game in that engine though!
Re: Xbox Game Pass Adds Two Surprise Additions To March 2023's Lineup
Love guilty gear, so this is a welcomed surprise. Glad to see Xbox is finally getting some 2D beat’em attention lately after going so many years neglected
Re: Soapbox: I Hope Forza Horizon 6 Goes In A Different Direction For The Series
Forza horizon 6 really does need to be more than the same game with a different reskinned world and more mobile mechanics. As pretty as it is it’s also becoming less engaging for me personally with every addition. I’ve not the patience any more for 1200 wheel spins and travelling for 10mins to start a race I’ve zero chance in winning because the gameplay has never really incorporated the tuning aspect before said race.
What I want is either a move further towards the social aspect of the game - allow us to leave the vehicle…instantly adding more purpose to our ‘hubs’. As well as allowing more variation on gameplay (there could be a Pokémon snap game in their where you have to drive to rumoured spots, get out and take pictures of hidden creature or whatever - they’ll have the fable assets)
Or…go more arcade with it. Offer server’s to instantly find the lap races you want. Options for just standard cars. Basically give FH a needed rest and bring back project Gotham instead.
Re: Talking Point: Could You Ever See Microsoft Selling The Xbox Brand?
My latest videos about this guys tweet (and the conversation that followed it).
Personally I’ve always felt it inevitable Xbox will one day get out of the console selling market. But before they can do that they need a steady stream of their own content - which they’re always so far away from delivering right now to warrant a monthly gamepass sub on the other platforms.
Until they’re at that point they’ll stay in the console making market.
As for giving up Xbox completely…no. There’s still plenty of value in the brand. And MS still don’t want to be left behind when it comes to being part of every bodies entertainment devices - they still also desperately want that mobile gaming money. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s potential to just buy king if the deal doesn’t go through.