“Nevertheless, Corden warns that $500 million is a ‘lot of money to invest without a specific structure in place to explain why some of these costs were worthwhile to Microsoft auditors,’ and that there have even been ‘some internal disagreements over how exactly attribution should be distributed.”
This is what worries me about Coalition.
It’s a very, very bad time for any team at Xbox to be costing lots of money and unable to point to direct attribution.
I have to imagine some of this budget (however big or small) was going to the PS5 port, with the plan to recoup more of the cost there. I really hope that Xbox leadership has taken that into account, since it was enough of a last-minute decision that the trailer went out with the PS5 logo.
Equal parts surprised and not at all on Goldeneye; that game is a licensing nightmare between multiple parties (and now Amazon). Hope it can make its way back to the Xbox storefront and/or Gamepass. I appreciated the extra work that went into it, including updating controls.
If anyone has a decent PC, I highly recommend checking out the canceled Xbox 360 remaster. It was fully finished before everything fell apart between Microsoft and Nintendo. Looks and plays great.
Also the recent Project Midas recomp for Goldeneye is worth looking at. Features everything from the Xbox version getting pulled, plus more (QoL upgrades, 120FPS — and most notably, online deathmatch).
@Kaloudz Check out The World is Not Enough (N64 version, not PS1). Many consider this to be a worthy successor, and in some circles, it’s considered superior. A recent recomp on PC also gave it twin stick controls and all the modern QoL features you’d want. Fantastic game; I’m replaying it right now and it holds up wonderfully.
People are kidding themselves if they don’t think selling or spinning off the brand is completely off the table.
Nadella (and even Sharma’s) public, carefully crafted statements have been about the brand never being profitable and how that has to end now.
I’ve been saying this since Sharma started: they are running a glide path that builds towards two different outcomes. The first is that the ship is righted, the brand is profitable, and Xbox continues under Microsoft. This is the best case scenario for them, all of us, and video games as a whole.
The other is that fortunes are not turned around, the mistakes of the past few gens have been too deep to heal, and Xbox is either spun off or stripped of certain divisions like Activision (likely in this second path), found a co-owner (possible), or outright sold (least likely, the “break glass in case of emergency” scenario).
They’re hoping for the first: to restore the brand. But they’re not fools, and as Nadella said publicly, Microsoft is not going to tolerate losses anymore. Privately, they surely have a deadline date on a calendar where they will assess and make a decision. They’ve already sunk enough into R&D for next gen; cutting the cord now to save money will only lose more. This bought time. But they’re not going to continue forever if things don’t turn around. I think the reorg between XGS/Activision/Bethesda is a sign they’re thinking of contingency plans.
The good news is that the investment into next gen is giving them time to make one last stand. The bad news is that next gen is going to be shockingly expensive. But their strategy right now will play out in either direction so that Microsoft ultimately comes out ahead, with or without Xbox in its current form.
@8th_Observer Ha, good points. I was trying to be a little charitable in my comment, but you’re right, I shouldn’t be surprised either. I think most people outside of internet gaming circles would have understood the context and not taken this so seriously/defensively, though.
@TheSimulator I’d imagine it’s because Xbox is still porting games over and has recently re-committed to continuing to publish PS5 games on a case by case basis. It’s the same model under the Spencer admin. They’re competing but there’s still a level of cooperation.
That said, Sony and Xbox have also partnered in recent years behind the scenes. Xbox let Sony use their Azure technology to strengthen cloud gaming on PS+, and Sony shared their Kraken technology to help reduce file sizes.
People liked to lay the blame for everything at Mattrick's feet (well until Sharma, now they blame Spencer...until Sharma's replaced, and she'll be blamed...).
And Mattrick owns a lot of that. But for better or worse, he was also ahead of the curve. Much of the Xbox One's reveal controversies wouldn't make anyone blink today; an always-online, digital ownership, all-in-one media box is where the industry eventually headed anyway. He just made the bad call of looking a little too far ahead and trying to be an innovator by pushing for it first.
It's funny how one of these ill-timed decisions has now become a potential boon for Xbox.
What’s sad is last week I would have been over the moon this announcement. On Monday I was looking up Gamepass prices to upgrade since I play through xcloud, and was thinking how I should buy from the Xbox store more because of that freedom. Feels like a bitter pill to finally see TCL get the feature the day after the bomb dropped.
I sincerely think these prices are going to force the industry to hard pivot to cloud gaming, whether we like it or not. I just can’t see how gaming can continue to exist if a massive chunk of the audience can’t afford it (or simply won’t want to pay, even if they can). Payment plans are also a complete scam and will keep savvy consumers away.
If anyone thought Microsoft was fully ditching the cloud focus or the “this is an Xbox” approach, they were kidding themselves. They’re just realigning. And ultimately, this is good. Microsoft is a software company more than a hardware company (hence the name); they are uniquely positioned better than anyone for the future of the space.
Personally I’d love for this to expand so I can get Gamepass on my Google OS TV. Cloud gaming has been great for me, and the more places I can access it, the more likely I am to upgrade from my Starter tier (from Meta Horizon+).
Not trying to undercut the news but I saw yesterday that it’s also on Amazon Luna. So if you have Prime, you can test it out/play it as basically a “play anywhere title” without spending more money. Just FWIW.
@BAMozzy I just want to say I really liked this comment; hearting it isn’t enough. You’re right that there’s been a wild rubber-band effect with Xbox “having no games” to diversifying their offerings to (now) falling back to established IPs again. I always picture big operations like this as a giant old ship; you can change its direction but it takes time between when you move the wheel and when the action occurs. That they’ve rotated the wheel in different directions during one generation (and a generation that has been plagued by difficulties, from COVID to RAM shortages) means they never stay the course long enough to see it play out. Now Helix is going to potentially launch to a barren slate, with major games like Elder Scrolls rumored to be delayed even further out due to the layoffs. Which could result in less sales, and a return to the “Xbox is only know for 3 IPs” argument they fought years to shed.
This is going to be make someone angry, but I sincerely think this is why the exclusivity model is going to change again (as Sharma says, “the plan’s the plan until it’s not the plan”). While PS5 ports have been underwhelming, they have also been indies or older titles. When Xbox sees the returns on Forza 6, Halo, or Fable — especially in comparison to the Xbox’s which has both a smaller install base and Gamepass — will the plan evolve again? I’d prefer it over gutting Coalition, because at this point I’m worried for them; some of that team was tasked with making a (clearly finished) PS5 port and the overall team was banking on larger sales figures. But I’d take the end of exclusives to keep these studios open.
Nadella gets to call shots that start up and stop products. People lose their jobs, healthcare, and more, and he’ll continue swapping out Xbox leadership and collecting obscene wealth with no repercussions for his errors. Sometimes I wonder if Xbox would be healthier, happier and more successful if they were spun off and able to operate without their oversight or as a third-party publisher.
Agreed in principle. One thing I don’t see discussed a lot: who would ever come to work at Xbox at this point, and how are existing teams going to be productive with more layoffs looming? There’s a trickle-down effect that’s going to come to gamers.
Unfortunately, the truth is more complex too. I think Sharma and Nadella’s comments about Xbox being unhealthy and MS no longer willing to lose money on them is very telling — these are public-facing comments, vetted by lawyers and PR reps. And they are wild to hear a company say, which makes it obvious they’re sending a very clear message if they’re choosing to be this blunt (and makes you wonder what’s being said behind closed doors). They want more profit, and they’re threatening spinning of Xbox or walking away if they can’t achieve it. Fan concerns on Xbox forums (including here) aren’t even a consideration.
Sharma comes from the startup tech world, and that surely played a factor in her hiring; layoffs are just an everyday way of life. They’re not going anywhere, I’m afraid.
“If you're not familiar with id Software's work, their focus has mainly been on the DOOM franchise in recent years, although they're also well-known for the Quake series.”
Really feels like it’s underselling the historical legacy of a studio that has literally changed gaming. Without id, there is no Halo.
But may I also suggest for brevity:
“ If you're not familiar with id Software's work, what the hell are you doing here?”
“Started to grow again” is a meaningless metric without data, and typically just shareholder speak.
The new CEO isn’t going to say that it’s continuing to decline under their leadership; they want to point to the previous admin and look like they fixed it (a certain politician does this often and speaks in vague generalities).
I wouldn’t be surprised if a price cut grew the user base a little though.
Heartbreaking. Doom helped spread Windows and get MS to where it is today.
A legacy studio and the Xbox dev that has crushed it in recent years. I don’t feel that Dark Ages being the one game that was both on Gamepass and sold less-than-hoped should make it an automatic target (side note, this only makes me more worried for Coalition). Programmers, artists, senior staff, gone. They even fired SyncError and Sponge.
Now there’s rumors that idtech will be retired. Quake running on Unreal Engine 6 powered by AI slop would be crushing.
This whole news story just bums me out beyond belief. Doom came back from the brink and reinvented the modern FPS again. Wolfenstein (which uses idtech) is under great care at Machine Games. And we were finally looking to get a new Quake.
…And we still have another half year of layoffs and firings to go.
If they stay the course and make a PC hybrid? It’ll cost a lot more.
I’m a broken record on this but I don’t think Helix is a PC hybrid anymore.
Asha has said they’re rethinking Helix plans
Xbox is focused on a exclusive ecosystem
They’re hyper-fixated on being profitable, and a PC hybrid would kill that by letting users to buy from other (much cheaper than Xbox) storefronts
They’re talking a lot about affordability again (including new statements today). Helix as a PC would be too expensive to sell much, which would also tank their renewed focus on consoles.
I think all the signs are pointing to Helix not being a PC hybrid anymore, or at least a much more closed one (cutting out Steam, Epic, even emulation).
@McKeownPlayz Many of us have been here for years, and a lot of us have been fans since the DirectX and OG Xbox days. One thing I’ve always liked about Pure Xbox has been that it’s one of the rare places where we can have open dialogue as fans. There’s no brand loyalty litmus test, and there’s a healthy debate about the things we do and don’t like that Xbox is doing. Even the editorial staff has been open about disliking certain Xbox moves (Ben, I miss your weekend thought piece editorials!).
I don’t agree with your perspective that having different opinions means you can’t be a fan and should go somewhere else. I know you’re new here, but in my view, that’s an opinion that’s historically at odds with what makes the Pure Xbox community so great.
This focus on profitability, exclusives, and getting people back into the ecosystem, along with Sharma’s comments about rethinking their next gen plans, has me convinced that Project Helix won’t be a PC hybrid anymore, or at least not a full one in the way we expected.
Why would Xbox want people buying their console games off Steam — and they would, because they’re significantly cheaper there (or on grey-market keyshops for even less than that)? From a business perspective it makes sense to lock it down; opening up your console to other storefronts and losing profits never seemed like an economically viable strategy for MS, even if it benefited us. Only caveat I can see to this is licensing out Xbox brand to some third-party PC makers for “Xbox PCs” but they’d sit outside the the hero product line.
@MrStark To be fair, coming in to strengthen the brand, make fiscal cuts, and improve the console is precisely what you’d be tasked to do if you were looking to spin the company off or sell it. Not saying that’s what’s going to happen, but still.
@IllusiveMan Agreed. This could totally derail the Xbox comeback if it comes true. While having some control away from MS would be good, Xbox has only survived this far because of their parent company’s deep pockets keeping them afloat. When that’s gone, they’re going to have to get aggressively lean to survive — as in selling off many of their studios outside of a handful. I get why people want to make the PlayStation comparison but it’s a different situation.
I stopped Gamepass long ago, but honestly if this was priced right, I’d be interested. I game across multiple consoles and PC so third-party titles never interested me as much.
Also, as others have noted, this would brilliantly open the door to bringing the service to PlayStation and Nintendo, which Microsoft would surely be interested in.
I think we’re reading too much into Sharma’s tweet. “I hear you” isn’t signaling any business motivations; it’s a polite way to acknowledge someone’s frustrations.
Last year, Xbox drove a staggering $23.45B in revenue — a record for them and closely approaching PlayStation-levels of revenue.
They were also the top publisher on PlayStation, effectively driving 10-15% of that revenue on PS5 alone, despite hardware sales crashing by 32% in just Q4 alone (the largest hardware sales quarter historically).
There is simply no putting the toothpaste back in the tube.
Xbox makes money on other hardware, and I think it’s likely that Halo outsells Xbox on PS5.
But more importantly: with how ruthelsss MS has been with cutting studios, bailing out of a Halo port now — after all the work, marketing, etc — would be a massive financial loss and just put Halo Studios on the chopping block next quarter.
I’d rather they stay alive and Xbox stays healthy.
@Balaam_ You're going to catch hell for the "no steam or alternative storefronts," but I'm with you. Honestly, I'm not convinced it's ever been in the cards. I can grab Steam keys for mere dollars from keysites, and even reputable dealers like Humble/Steam/etc offer crazy low prices. Sure, it's good for gamers, but Xbox is going to crater if they offer you the ability to buy titles that run on their hardware for $3, where they don't get a cut of the profits, vs the $10-30 they offer on their storefront. Who would ever buy from the Xbox store again? It'd also mean they can't subsidize the cost of the system ever again, which prices out hardware for most. If they're serious about staying in the game, I don't think this is the answer.
1. Define what Xbox is.
The last few years have shown that Xbox has an identity crisis (it's probably its biggest issue). Are they a console hardware business? A third-party publisher? A subscription service? They can have fingers in all of course, but there's a bit of a "jack of all trades, master of none" going on. They need to help define what the business north star is for the coming years. It's hard for people to invest in your platform if they have no idea what your business model will look like by 2027. Marketing and messaging have been muddy AF. This needs to be fixed, fast.
2. Fix Gamepass's value problem. It's no secret that GPU is becoming less and less enticing. Even Pure Xbox comments and polls show many dropping off, as the price is getting too high. Adding more services like WoW (as rumored) isn't going to help. Additionally, the first-party day-and-date promises never really came to fruition between cancelled titles, closed studios, and new GP tiers blocking day-1 releases. Stop releasing half-finished games, ruthlessly prioritize first-party titles on the platform, and cut the fat to drive down the price again. Get rid of Fortnite, etc. This isn't adding value; it's adding bloat and cost.
3. Hot take: I'd introduce an ad-supported streaming service. Many Xbox fans have turned their backs on the hardware this gen. Many have sold their consoles. MS can work to get these people back, but asking for $1K for a new console — or $30/month for GPU — isn't going to do it. Introduce a free or heavily-discounted streaming service that lets them play limited GP games (I'm talking 10-ish rotated every few months) and potentially stream their library. This will remind fans of their dormant Xbox libraries waiting for them, remind them of the great titles Xbox has, and build goodwill from a brand that has tarnished it a bit. At the very least, MS makes mad ad dollars. They have the architecture. This is actually a pretty easy win from a risk/reward ratio.
4. Start leading your teams. Matt Booty's biggest sin (and thus, Spencer's) was giving studios too long a leash. They didn't want to interfere at all — which is admirable, but we creatives NEED guardrails. Get more involved, for crying out loud. Check in. Don't wait until a project is 7 years later and billions in debt before deciding what to do; everyone would prefer you step in sooner, make hard decisions, and let the teams keep their doors open. Gamers would appreciate it too. Xbox needs great games. The OG Xbox team was super involved with their teams and third-party partners creatively; they just knew when to step back and when to lean in.
5. Xbox third-party isn't going anywhere. They make too much money on PS5, and the expectation has been set. Game Pass isn't enough of a lure for people to buy hardware either, especially with it being available everywhere. But Xbox needs a value prop. Make hardware tiers that are affordable — if the next one is basically a PC, as rumored, the only model can't be north of $1K. Then make timed exclusives again. Give your first-party titles specific features exclusive to your hardware. Make cross-buy a thing again between PC and Xbox. Either commit to making genuinely great hardware that's available for all, or go all in on multiplatform. But you have to pick a lane again. The last 3 years have been exhausting with Xbox straddling options and being unable to pick a direction.
Look, I believe in giving her the benefit of the doubt (even if I admit I'm skeptical).
I also don't fault PureXbox for covering this.
But I'm a little burnt out on Sharma until she says something tangible. All of her statements so far are SO vanilla. And of course they are — it's day 1, and her PR and legal teams have written this with/for her. But there's nothing of substance here; these statements could go a million different ways, and we're all trying to read the tea leaves to hear what we want.
I guess I don't believe in getting the pitchforks out, but also don't think we can breathe a sigh of relief yet either. Her background is questionable, Phil's exit was a surprise, Sarah Bond's is even more mysterious, and Microsoft leadership hasn't shown good judgment from the top in recent years.
Sharma has a lot to prove, and statements that read like a "greatest hits" for brand rehab don't mean much yet; this is exactly the kind of statements I've coached CEOs on giving. Sometimes the ship rights itself. Sometimes it doesn't.
Time will tell. I'm cautious but want to be optimistic.
Either way, this feels like Xbox's most pivotal moment since the early days — one we'll be looking back on years from now.
@IOI Exactly. I was stunned by all the news; but especially stunned that Matt Booty of all people got promoted. I feel like that’s fallen through the cracks with the gravity of Spencer and Bond leaving. Booty should have been given the boot years ago; if he had, maybe Spencer would still be around and the Xbox brand would be doing better.
Not to be a Debbie Downer, but it feels like he's not really teasing anything exciting, especially with BC. Anything's possible, but that sounds like the bog standard avoid-the-question-directly and say "we have exciting things to come" (which could be anything; exciting is in the eye of the beholder).
Two big things I’m surprised to not see mentioned:
1) Wireless controllers becoming the standard. The 360 shipping with a wireless controller was WILD at the time; the previous gen you had to rely on a third-party Logitech controller (which was incredibly solid, but still). Microsoft packing a console with wireless-capable controllers was a monumental deal at the time and changed the game for consoles.
2) Face plates. They were short-lived but they made EVERY console into multiple custom consoles. Early on you even get them as preorder bonuses for games; I held onto my Halo and Gears of War plates for ages. The fact that the new Steam Machine is launching with swappable face plates proves to me that Microsoft was ahead of the game (similar to the Steam Machine, I even had a wood grain one for my 360).
I can see Sony wanting to hang around for a while, considering how successful the PS5 has been. Microsoft, on the other hand, has much more of an incentive to move on.
The question is whether that will force Sony’s hand, and I don’t know if it will (I could see another Xbox rushing to market a year or two before a PS6).
Look, I know he rustled some feathers and has overpromised on everything from Fable to Black and White.
But the guy is a legend and I grew up with him being a titan of the industry; his creativity has always been larger than our technology. Reading this broke my heart a little.
I hope he finds his redemption and peace with this title and goes out on a high note.
This ties into the rumors of this thing being very expensive, as Microsoft won't be able to subsidize the cost of the console thanks to the loss of a guaranteed store.
It could be an interesting conflict if the rumored Steam Box/ Steam Machine successor comes out around this time, especially since Valve would be able to subsidize the cost of their device. MS could theoretically see itself pivoting away from a head-to-head with PlayStation only to enter one with Valve (albeit on a smaller scale).
Maybe with this evolution, a third "console wars" is about to kick off.
I'm sorry, but I'm still kind of fuming about this.
Microsoft raises the price of consoles (with the 2TB Series X the most expensive on the market) but we all thought they were looking to pivot out of hardware-only anyway.
Now they've done another giant price hike on Gamepass and crossed the threshold of the cost/value analysis for many.
Soo...they're pivoting out of being strictly hardware, but driving fans away from their online services too.
All while canceling games and releasing them elsewhere.
How's this setting Xbox up for any future success?
Not to be alarmist, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them sell off some studios and IP at this point.
Comments 498
Re: Former Xbox Manager Explains Why $500M Cost For Gears: E-Day Doesn't Tell The Whole Story
“Nevertheless, Corden warns that $500 million is a ‘lot of money to invest without a specific structure in place to explain why some of these costs were worthwhile to Microsoft auditors,’ and that there have even been ‘some internal disagreements over how exactly attribution should be distributed.”
This is what worries me about Coalition.
It’s a very, very bad time for any team at Xbox to be costing lots of money and unable to point to direct attribution.
I have to imagine some of this budget (however big or small) was going to the PS5 port, with the plan to recoup more of the cost there. I really hope that Xbox leadership has taken that into account, since it was enough of a last-minute decision that the trailer went out with the PS5 logo.
Re: 14 Games Are Leaving Xbox Game Pass In Early November 2026
Equal parts surprised and not at all on Goldeneye; that game is a licensing nightmare between multiple parties (and now Amazon). Hope it can make its way back to the Xbox storefront and/or Gamepass. I appreciated the extra work that went into it, including updating controls.
If anyone has a decent PC, I highly recommend checking out the canceled Xbox 360 remaster. It was fully finished before everything fell apart between Microsoft and Nintendo. Looks and plays great.
Also the recent Project Midas recomp for Goldeneye is worth looking at. Features everything from the Xbox version getting pulled, plus more (QoL upgrades, 120FPS — and most notably, online deathmatch).
Re: 14 Games Are Leaving Xbox Game Pass In Early November 2026
@Kaloudz Check out The World is Not Enough (N64 version, not PS1). Many consider this to be a worthy successor, and in some circles, it’s considered superior. A recent recomp on PC also gave it twin stick controls and all the modern QoL features you’d want. Fantastic game; I’m replaying it right now and it holds up wonderfully.
Re: Report: Xbox Valued At Over $100 Billion By Private Equity Firms In 'Short-Lived' Discussions
People are kidding themselves if they don’t think selling or spinning off the brand is completely off the table.
Nadella (and even Sharma’s) public, carefully crafted statements have been about the brand never being profitable and how that has to end now.
I’ve been saying this since Sharma started: they are running a glide path that builds towards two different outcomes. The first is that the ship is righted, the brand is profitable, and Xbox continues under Microsoft. This is the best case scenario for them, all of us, and video games as a whole.
The other is that fortunes are not turned around, the mistakes of the past few gens have been too deep to heal, and Xbox is either spun off or stripped of certain divisions like Activision (likely in this second path), found a co-owner (possible), or outright sold (least likely, the “break glass in case of emergency” scenario).
They’re hoping for the first: to restore the brand. But they’re not fools, and as Nadella said publicly, Microsoft is not going to tolerate losses anymore. Privately, they surely have a deadline date on a calendar where they will assess and make a decision. They’ve already sunk enough into R&D for next gen; cutting the cord now to save money will only lose more. This bought time. But they’re not going to continue forever if things don’t turn around. I think the reorg between XGS/Activision/Bethesda is a sign they’re thinking of contingency plans.
The good news is that the investment into next gen is giving them time to make one last stand. The bad news is that next gen is going to be shockingly expensive. But their strategy right now will play out in either direction so that Microsoft ultimately comes out ahead, with or without Xbox in its current form.
Re: Despite How Amazing Xbox Disc To Digital Is, There's Some Sadness Around Forza Horizon
This is why emulation will always be essential for game preservation.
Re: Xbox Boss Acknowledges Competition With Sony, But Says Collaboration Can Exist As Well
@8th_Observer Ha, good points. I was trying to be a little charitable in my comment, but you’re right, I shouldn’t be surprised either. I think most people outside of internet gaming circles would have understood the context and not taken this so seriously/defensively, though.
Re: Xbox Boss Acknowledges Competition With Sony, But Says Collaboration Can Exist As Well
@TheSimulator I’d imagine it’s because Xbox is still porting games over and has recently re-committed to continuing to publish PS5 games on a case by case basis. It’s the same model under the Spencer admin. They’re competing but there’s still a level of cooperation.
That said, Sony and Xbox have also partnered in recent years behind the scenes. Xbox let Sony use their Azure technology to strengthen cloud gaming on PS+, and Sony shared their Kraken technology to help reduce file sizes.
Re: Xbox Boss Acknowledges Competition With Sony, But Says Collaboration Can Exist As Well
It’s a little surprising how many people are taking the NYT question seriously and not as a playful tounge-in-cheek question….
Re: 'Xbox Is Not For Sale' - Asha Sharma Issues Confident Statement On The Future Of The Brand
That’s great that Asha says this, but it isn’t really up to her, is it?
Re: New Report Delves Into The History Of Xbox Disc To Digital, And Why PlayStation Can't Copy It
People liked to lay the blame for everything at Mattrick's feet (well until Sharma, now they blame Spencer...until Sharma's replaced, and she'll be blamed...).
And Mattrick owns a lot of that. But for better or worse, he was also ahead of the curve. Much of the Xbox One's reveal controversies wouldn't make anyone blink today; an always-online, digital ownership, all-in-one media box is where the industry eventually headed anyway. He just made the bad call of looking a little too far ahead and trying to be an innovator by pushing for it first.
It's funny how one of these ill-timed decisions has now become a potential boon for Xbox.
Re: Metal Gear Solid 4's Disc Swap Scene Is Slightly Different On Xbox, And Here's How It Plays Out
“Oh, wait. We're on Game Pass Ultimate’s cloud streaming and you’ve already played for 15 hours this month.”
"Yeah, what an age we live in, huh, Snake? Wonder what they'll think of next!"
(sorry, low-hanging fruit)
Re: Xbox's Latest Cloud Gaming TV Announcement Is Happening At The Most Awkward Time
What’s sad is last week I would have been over the moon this announcement. On Monday I was looking up Gamepass prices to upgrade since I play through xcloud, and was thinking how I should buy from the Xbox store more because of that freedom. Feels like a bitter pill to finally see TCL get the feature the day after the bomb dropped.
Re: Xbox's Latest Cloud Gaming TV Announcement Is Happening At The Most Awkward Time
New leadership, same story: the left hand doesn’t seem to know what the right hand is doing at Xbox.
Re: Here's What The Reviews Are Saying About Star Fox 64 Successor 'Wild Blue Skies'
@Sindayl Uh, I never said it was perfect. And of course there’s room for something better (like a new game, which I would preferred).
Though judging by OpenCritic, MetaCritic, and user scores, a lot more people liked it (or loved it) than not.
Not sure where this bold text claim came from or why you came in so hot, but I genuinely hope all is okay and wishing you well.
Re: Here's What The Reviews Are Saying About Star Fox 64 Successor 'Wild Blue Skies'
Game never stood a chance, coming in the wake of the excellent StarFox 64 remake.
Re: Here's A Breakdown Of The New Prices For Xbox Series X|S Consoles As Of August 2026
I sincerely think these prices are going to force the industry to hard pivot to cloud gaming, whether we like it or not. I just can’t see how gaming can continue to exist if a massive chunk of the audience can’t afford it (or simply won’t want to pay, even if they can). Payment plans are also a complete scam and will keep savvy consumers away.
Re: Xbox Cloud Gaming Arrives On Hisense & VIDAA TVs With Dedicated App
If anyone thought Microsoft was fully ditching the cloud focus or the “this is an Xbox” approach, they were kidding themselves. They’re just realigning. And ultimately, this is good. Microsoft is a software company more than a hardware company (hence the name); they are uniquely positioned better than anyone for the future of the space.
Personally I’d love for this to expand so I can get Gamepass on my Google OS TV. Cloud gaming has been great for me, and the more places I can access it, the more likely I am to upgrade from my Starter tier (from Meta Horizon+).
Re: Dispatch Is Finally Available On Xbox, With Play Anywhere Support
Not trying to undercut the news but I saw yesterday that it’s also on Amazon Luna. So if you have Prime, you can test it out/play it as basically a “play anywhere title” without spending more money. Just FWIW.
Re: Fan Demand For Xbox To 'Stop The Cycle Of Layoffs' Trends On Player Voice Portal
@BAMozzy I just want to say I really liked this comment; hearting it isn’t enough. You’re right that there’s been a wild rubber-band effect with Xbox “having no games” to diversifying their offerings to (now) falling back to established IPs again. I always picture big operations like this as a giant old ship; you can change its direction but it takes time between when you move the wheel and when the action occurs. That they’ve rotated the wheel in different directions during one generation (and a generation that has been plagued by difficulties, from COVID to RAM shortages) means they never stay the course long enough to see it play out. Now Helix is going to potentially launch to a barren slate, with major games like Elder Scrolls rumored to be delayed even further out due to the layoffs. Which could result in less sales, and a return to the “Xbox is only know for 3 IPs” argument they fought years to shed.
This is going to be make someone angry, but I sincerely think this is why the exclusivity model is going to change again (as Sharma says, “the plan’s the plan until it’s not the plan”). While PS5 ports have been underwhelming, they have also been indies or older titles. When Xbox sees the returns on Forza 6, Halo, or Fable — especially in comparison to the Xbox’s which has both a smaller install base and Gamepass — will the plan evolve again? I’d prefer it over gutting Coalition, because at this point I’m worried for them; some of that team was tasked with making a (clearly finished) PS5 port and the overall team was banking on larger sales figures. But I’d take the end of exclusives to keep these studios open.
Nadella gets to call shots that start up and stop products. People lose their jobs, healthcare, and more, and he’ll continue swapping out Xbox leadership and collecting obscene wealth with no repercussions for his errors. Sometimes I wonder if Xbox would be healthier, happier and more successful if they were spun off and able to operate without their oversight or as a third-party publisher.
Re: Fan Demand For Xbox To 'Stop The Cycle Of Layoffs' Trends On Player Voice Portal
Agreed in principle. One thing I don’t see discussed a lot: who would ever come to work at Xbox at this point, and how are existing teams going to be productive with more layoffs looming? There’s a trickle-down effect that’s going to come to gamers.
Unfortunately, the truth is more complex too. I think Sharma and Nadella’s comments about Xbox being unhealthy and MS no longer willing to lose money on them is very telling — these are public-facing comments, vetted by lawyers and PR reps. And they are wild to hear a company say, which makes it obvious they’re sending a very clear message if they’re choosing to be this blunt (and makes you wonder what’s being said behind closed doors). They want more profit, and they’re threatening spinning of Xbox or walking away if they can’t achieve it. Fan concerns on Xbox forums (including here) aren’t even a consideration.
Sharma comes from the startup tech world, and that surely played a factor in her hiring; layoffs are just an everyday way of life. They’re not going anywhere, I’m afraid.
Re: DOOM Developer Addresses Concerned Fans With Message About Xbox Layoffs
“If you're not familiar with id Software's work, their focus has mainly been on the DOOM franchise in recent years, although they're also well-known for the Quake series.”
Really feels like it’s underselling the historical legacy of a studio that has literally changed gaming. Without id, there is no Halo.
But may I also suggest for brevity:
“ If you're not familiar with id Software's work, what the hell are you doing here?”
Re: Xbox Game Pass Reportedly Drops To 30M Subscribers, But Has 'Started To Grow Again'
“Started to grow again” is a meaningless metric without data, and typically just shareholder speak.
The new CEO isn’t going to say that it’s continuing to decline under their leadership; they want to point to the previous admin and look like they fixed it (a certain politician does this often and speaks in vague generalities).
I wouldn’t be surprised if a price cut grew the user base a little though.
Re: Here's What DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations DLC Looks Like On Xbox Series X|S
Great job, id! I hope you’re all celebrating the success of all your hard work.
Re: Compulsion Games, Double Fine & Undead Labs Issue Xbox Departure Statements
While this isn’t a positive situation for the studios, this is the best possible outcome from it all.
Better this than what Xbox just did to id; I really wish they could have been spun off, even if they lost the IP (which Xbox would not have given up).
Re: Xbox Layoffs Cut id Software In Half As DOOM: The Dark Ages DLC Launches
Heartbreaking. Doom helped spread Windows and get MS to where it is today.
A legacy studio and the Xbox dev that has crushed it in recent years. I don’t feel that Dark Ages being the one game that was both on Gamepass and sold less-than-hoped should make it an automatic target (side note, this only makes me more worried for Coalition). Programmers, artists, senior staff, gone. They even fired SyncError and Sponge.
Now there’s rumors that idtech will be retired. Quake running on Unreal Engine 6 powered by AI slop would be crushing.
This whole news story just bums me out beyond belief. Doom came back from the brink and reinvented the modern FPS again. Wolfenstein (which uses idtech) is under great care at Machine Games. And we were finally looking to get a new Quake.
…And we still have another half year of layoffs and firings to go.
Re: What Does A $1049 Steam Machine Mean For Xbox's Project Helix?
If they stay the course and make a PC hybrid? It’ll cost a lot more.
I’m a broken record on this but I don’t think Helix is a PC hybrid anymore.
I think all the signs are pointing to Helix not being a PC hybrid anymore, or at least a much more closed one (cutting out Steam, Epic, even emulation).
Re: Xbox CSO Shuts Down Rumour About Exclusives, Insists They'll Happen Every Year
@McKeownPlayz Many of us have been here for years, and a lot of us have been fans since the DirectX and OG Xbox days. One thing I’ve always liked about Pure Xbox has been that it’s one of the rare places where we can have open dialogue as fans. There’s no brand loyalty litmus test, and there’s a healthy debate about the things we do and don’t like that Xbox is doing. Even the editorial staff has been open about disliking certain Xbox moves (Ben, I miss your weekend thought piece editorials!).
I don’t agree with your perspective that having different opinions means you can’t be a fan and should go somewhere else. I know you’re new here, but in my view, that’s an opinion that’s historically at odds with what makes the Pure Xbox community so great.
Re: Xbox CSO Shuts Down Rumour About Exclusives, Insists They'll Happen Every Year
This focus on profitability, exclusives, and getting people back into the ecosystem, along with Sharma’s comments about rethinking their next gen plans, has me convinced that Project Helix won’t be a PC hybrid anymore, or at least not a full one in the way we expected.
Why would Xbox want people buying their console games off Steam — and they would, because they’re significantly cheaper there (or on grey-market keyshops for even less than that)? From a business perspective it makes sense to lock it down; opening up your console to other storefronts and losing profits never seemed like an economically viable strategy for MS, even if it benefited us. Only caveat I can see to this is licensing out Xbox brand to some third-party PC makers for “Xbox PCs” but they’d sit outside the the hero product line.
Re: Report: Multiple Xbox Studios In 'Active Negotiations' With Microsoft To Avoid Closure
@IronMan30 I think that’s just it based on this week’s news: this is their last resort.
(Absolutely agree this is horrible though. My heart’s going out to all those affected)
Re: Microsoft Has Considered 'Spinning Out Or Restructuring' Xbox, Claims Report
@MrStark To be fair, coming in to strengthen the brand, make fiscal cuts, and improve the console is precisely what you’d be tasked to do if you were looking to spin the company off or sell it. Not saying that’s what’s going to happen, but still.
Re: Microsoft Has Considered 'Spinning Out Or Restructuring' Xbox, Claims Report
@IllusiveMan Agreed. This could totally derail the Xbox comeback if it comes true. While having some control away from MS would be good, Xbox has only survived this far because of their parent company’s deep pockets keeping them afloat. When that’s gone, they’re going to have to get aggressively lean to survive — as in selling off many of their studios outside of a handful. I get why people want to make the PlayStation comparison but it’s a different situation.
Re: Report: New Game Pass Tier Exclusive To First-Party Games 'Under Consideration' At Xbox
I stopped Gamepass long ago, but honestly if this was priced right, I’d be interested. I game across multiple consoles and PC so third-party titles never interested me as much.
Also, as others have noted, this would brilliantly open the door to bringing the service to PlayStation and Nintendo, which Microsoft would surely be interested in.
Re: Opinion: Xbox Should Consider Cancelling Halo: Campaign Evolved For PS5
I think we’re reading too much into Sharma’s tweet. “I hear you” isn’t signaling any business motivations; it’s a polite way to acknowledge someone’s frustrations.
Last year, Xbox drove a staggering $23.45B in revenue — a record for them and closely approaching PlayStation-levels of revenue.
They were also the top publisher on PlayStation, effectively driving 10-15% of that revenue on PS5 alone, despite hardware sales crashing by 32% in just Q4 alone (the largest hardware sales quarter historically).
There is simply no putting the toothpaste back in the tube.
Xbox makes money on other hardware, and I think it’s likely that Halo outsells Xbox on PS5.
But more importantly: with how ruthelsss MS has been with cutting studios, bailing out of a Halo port now — after all the work, marketing, etc — would be a massive financial loss and just put Halo Studios on the chopping block next quarter.
I’d rather they stay alive and Xbox stays healthy.
Re: Talking Point: You're The New Head Of Xbox, What Do You Do Now?
@Balaam_ You're going to catch hell for the "no steam or alternative storefronts," but I'm with you. Honestly, I'm not convinced it's ever been in the cards. I can grab Steam keys for mere dollars from keysites, and even reputable dealers like Humble/Steam/etc offer crazy low prices. Sure, it's good for gamers, but Xbox is going to crater if they offer you the ability to buy titles that run on their hardware for $3, where they don't get a cut of the profits, vs the $10-30 they offer on their storefront. Who would ever buy from the Xbox store again? It'd also mean they can't subsidize the cost of the system ever again, which prices out hardware for most. If they're serious about staying in the game, I don't think this is the answer.
Re: Talking Point: You're The New Head Of Xbox, What Do You Do Now?
1. Define what Xbox is.
The last few years have shown that Xbox has an identity crisis (it's probably its biggest issue). Are they a console hardware business? A third-party publisher? A subscription service? They can have fingers in all of course, but there's a bit of a "jack of all trades, master of none" going on. They need to help define what the business north star is for the coming years. It's hard for people to invest in your platform if they have no idea what your business model will look like by 2027. Marketing and messaging have been muddy AF. This needs to be fixed, fast.
2. Fix Gamepass's value problem. It's no secret that GPU is becoming less and less enticing. Even Pure Xbox comments and polls show many dropping off, as the price is getting too high. Adding more services like WoW (as rumored) isn't going to help. Additionally, the first-party day-and-date promises never really came to fruition between cancelled titles, closed studios, and new GP tiers blocking day-1 releases. Stop releasing half-finished games, ruthlessly prioritize first-party titles on the platform, and cut the fat to drive down the price again. Get rid of Fortnite, etc. This isn't adding value; it's adding bloat and cost.
3. Hot take: I'd introduce an ad-supported streaming service. Many Xbox fans have turned their backs on the hardware this gen. Many have sold their consoles. MS can work to get these people back, but asking for $1K for a new console — or $30/month for GPU — isn't going to do it. Introduce a free or heavily-discounted streaming service that lets them play limited GP games (I'm talking 10-ish rotated every few months) and potentially stream their library. This will remind fans of their dormant Xbox libraries waiting for them, remind them of the great titles Xbox has, and build goodwill from a brand that has tarnished it a bit. At the very least, MS makes mad ad dollars. They have the architecture. This is actually a pretty easy win from a risk/reward ratio.
4. Start leading your teams. Matt Booty's biggest sin (and thus, Spencer's) was giving studios too long a leash. They didn't want to interfere at all — which is admirable, but we creatives NEED guardrails. Get more involved, for crying out loud. Check in. Don't wait until a project is 7 years later and billions in debt before deciding what to do; everyone would prefer you step in sooner, make hard decisions, and let the teams keep their doors open. Gamers would appreciate it too. Xbox needs great games. The OG Xbox team was super involved with their teams and third-party partners creatively; they just knew when to step back and when to lean in.
5. Xbox third-party isn't going anywhere. They make too much money on PS5, and the expectation has been set. Game Pass isn't enough of a lure for people to buy hardware either, especially with it being available everywhere. But Xbox needs a value prop. Make hardware tiers that are affordable — if the next one is basically a PC, as rumored, the only model can't be north of $1K. Then make timed exclusives again. Give your first-party titles specific features exclusive to your hardware. Make cross-buy a thing again between PC and Xbox. Either commit to making genuinely great hardware that's available for all, or go all in on multiplatform. But you have to pick a lane again. The last 3 years have been exhausting with Xbox straddling options and being unable to pick a direction.
Re: 'Return To Our Roots' - Xbox CEO Reiterates Her Goals For The Future
Look, I believe in giving her the benefit of the doubt (even if I admit I'm skeptical).
I also don't fault PureXbox for covering this.
But I'm a little burnt out on Sharma until she says something tangible. All of her statements so far are SO vanilla. And of course they are — it's day 1, and her PR and legal teams have written this with/for her. But there's nothing of substance here; these statements could go a million different ways, and we're all trying to read the tea leaves to hear what we want.
I guess I don't believe in getting the pitchforks out, but also don't think we can breathe a sigh of relief yet either. Her background is questionable, Phil's exit was a surprise, Sarah Bond's is even more mysterious, and Microsoft leadership hasn't shown good judgment from the top in recent years.
Sharma has a lot to prove, and statements that read like a "greatest hits" for brand rehab don't mean much yet; this is exactly the kind of statements I've coached CEOs on giving. Sometimes the ship rights itself. Sometimes it doesn't.
Time will tell. I'm cautious but want to be optimistic.
Either way, this feels like Xbox's most pivotal moment since the early days — one we'll be looking back on years from now.
Re: 'No Tolerance For Bad AI' - New Xbox Boss Says Games Need 'Great Stories Created By Humans'
Uh-oh! Satya has already begged for us to stop calling it “slop!”
https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2026/01/microsoft-ceo-really-wants-you-to-stop-calling-generative-ai-slop
Well it was a great run, Sharma. I look forward to next week’s new Xbox CEO announcement.
Re: 'We Have Good Reasons To Believe In What's Ahead', Insists New Xbox Chief Content Officer
@IOI Exactly. I was stunned by all the news; but especially stunned that Matt Booty of all people got promoted. I feel like that’s fallen through the cracks with the gravity of Spencer and Bond leaving. Booty should have been given the boot years ago; if he had, maybe Spencer would still be around and the Xbox brand would be doing better.
Re: Three Games Are Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (February 19)
With so many credible leaks, it’s all but guaranteed now that there’s a new Witcher 3 DLC coming in a few months (supposedly tying into Witcher 4).
Putting the game on Gamepass ahead of that is a smart move.
Re: Xbox Exec Teases 'Exciting' Plans For 2026 When Asked About OG Xbox Titles & Game Pass
Not to be a Debbie Downer, but it feels like he's not really teasing anything exciting, especially with BC. Anything's possible, but that sounds like the bog standard avoid-the-question-directly and say "we have exciting things to come" (which could be anything; exciting is in the eye of the beholder).
Re: Seven Things We Miss About The Xbox 360 Era In 2025
Two big things I’m surprised to not see mentioned:
1) Wireless controllers becoming the standard. The 360 shipping with a wireless controller was WILD at the time; the previous gen you had to rely on a third-party Logitech controller (which was incredibly solid, but still). Microsoft packing a console with wireless-capable controllers was a monumental deal at the time and changed the game for consoles.
2) Face plates. They were short-lived but they made EVERY console into multiple custom consoles. Early on you even get them as preorder bonuses for games; I held onto my Halo and Gears of War plates for ages. The fact that the new Steam Machine is launching with swappable face plates proves to me that Microsoft was ahead of the game (similar to the Steam Machine, I even had a wood grain one for my 360).
Re: Sony Exec Suggests PS5 Is Far From Finished, And It's Likely The Same For Xbox Series X|S
I can see Sony wanting to hang around for a while, considering how successful the PS5 has been. Microsoft, on the other hand, has much more of an incentive to move on.
The question is whether that will force Sony’s hand, and I don’t know if it will (I could see another Xbox rushing to market a year or two before a PS6).
Re: Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition Isn't Getting The Best Reception From Fans Right Now
It’s a shockingly overpriced, underwhelming, anti-consumer cash grab. I own the game and DLC and they want to sell me broken mods for $20? Forget it.
Re: Masters Of Albion Will Be Peter Molyneux's Final Game, And A Chance At 'Redemption' For The Creator Of Fable
Look, I know he rustled some feathers and has overpromised on everything from Fable to Black and White.
But the guy is a legend and I grew up with him being a titan of the industry; his creativity has always been larger than our technology. Reading this broke my heart a little.
I hope he finds his redemption and peace with this title and goes out on a high note.
Re: Huge Xbox Report Details 'Ambitious' Next-Gen Console With Free Online Play
This ties into the rumors of this thing being very expensive, as Microsoft won't be able to subsidize the cost of the console thanks to the loss of a guaranteed store.
It could be an interesting conflict if the rumored Steam Box/ Steam Machine successor comes out around this time, especially since Valve would be able to subsidize the cost of their device. MS could theoretically see itself pivoting away from a head-to-head with PlayStation only to enter one with Valve (albeit on a smaller scale).
Maybe with this evolution, a third "console wars" is about to kick off.
Re: Halo Studios Gives Reason For Dropping PvP Multiplayer In Campaign Evolved
It’s so they can sell you that half at a later time. Then repeat the process for 2, 3, etc.
Those 30% profit margins for Xbox studios aren’t going to achieve themselves.
Re: Halo: Campaign Evolved Officially Announced, Coming To Xbox In 2026
This looks so soulless and unnecessary. Like a UE5 asset tech demo.
I'll stick with my Master Chief Collection and keep dreaming of a new game instead.
Re: Strange Xbox Email Suggests Game Pass Price Increase Doesn't Apply To Certain Members
They’re monitoring your Pure Xbox comment history and rewarding loyalty.
Re: Xbox Game Pass Is Getting A Major Overhaul With New Names, Games & Price Changes
I'm sorry, but I'm still kind of fuming about this.
Microsoft raises the price of consoles (with the 2TB Series X the most expensive on the market) but we all thought they were looking to pivot out of hardware-only anyway.
Now they've done another giant price hike on Gamepass and crossed the threshold of the cost/value analysis for many.
Soo...they're pivoting out of being strictly hardware, but driving fans away from their online services too.
All while canceling games and releasing them elsewhere.
How's this setting Xbox up for any future success?
Not to be alarmist, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them sell off some studios and IP at this point.
Re: 'Ubisoft+ Classics' Joins Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Hugely Expanding The Library
Ubisoft games go from "new release" to "steep discount" probably faster than any other publisher. You can wait 1-2 months and get 30-50% off.
All of these games here have frequently been a few bucks each for many, many, many years. Some for over a decade now.
This pads out the number of games on the service but it doesn't raise the value.