Well there's proof that the critics were right: Gamepass was unsustainable. Now it's quickly veering from "the best deal in gaming" to a niche service.

I suspect $30/month is going to be too much for most, and stepping down a tier and losing benefits like day-1 games is going to be bitter for many. No one likes having features taken away.

I think MS has overestimated Gamepass. Services like Netflix or Disney+ get away with it because they have exclusive content.

Gamepass does not.

At this point, unless you're a (very small) minority that also wanted Ubisoft+ and plays Fortnite religiously, the better decision is to hold off for steep sales and/or just pick up the games you want.

@SodaPop6548 It’s all good.

@SodaPop6548 To be fair, Satya Nadella and Microsoft as a company have donated a lot of money to Trump too.

I get the appeal but I’d honestly rather stick with my Steamdeck. I’ll be setting aside cash for the Steamdeck 2 in the meantime.

@cburg I think the comparison is that Steamdecks come with (very nice) cases. But Valve is also pretty pro-consumer.

In the US, they’ve spent the last two weeks giving away a digital Superman film for every 2,500 points — redeemable on Movies Anywhere so it goes into all of your connected accounts. You get to pick which one you want to keep, and it’s been a fantastic deal (everything from the 1970s-80s classics to League of Super Pets, seasons of Peacemaker, and the Super/Man doc about Chris Reeves). You can snatch up several of them for not that many points.

They also have a punch card that gets you the new James Gunn film for $9.99.

Worth checking out, especially for US audiences (not sure if other markets have the offer).

I admit I wasn’t following the previews too closely, but I am VERY surprised by this reaction. Despite enjoying 1 and 2 a lot I kind of fell out of the series; I might have to look into this now.

@themightyant I had the same thought (along with a chuckle and an eye-roll). Feels like the 90s are back.

@fiendish-beaver Resident Evil Revelations was the one entirely set on a boat, though Cold Fear did it first — six years earlier. I remember it being a really novel concept at the time.

@johndoe89 it’s funny you mention movies, both games always reminded me of 90s horror-sci-fi gem, Deep Rising.

@Kaloudz I think you’re 100% on the money here (on all points made, honestly). But the preorders and pre-release market analysis must have signaled this isn’t going to be a big mover so they cut the price.

No doubt they’re going to revisit this pricing again in the near future, just with a game that they know people “must have.” Once they do that, they condition most consumers into seeing $80 as a “normal” price and can charge it consistently on AAA releases.

I’ve been using Movies Anywhere for years. While it’s a shame that a few studios like Lionsgate remain holdouts (and at this point everyone has stopped expecting them to pay the fee to join), it has been a surprisingly great pro-consumer service that was ahead of its time unifying multiple digital lockers like AppleTV, Xbox, Amazon, VUDU/FandangoNow, etc.

Not to be a turd in the punchbowl, because confirming your purchases this gen will carry into next IS important, but man, some of my favorite games were from the OG Xbox and 360 gen. I really wish backwards compatibility could expand on these fronts, though I realize they probably won't. But a guy can dream.

I think the beauty of Horizon is you can basically bake in any spin-off features. Want boat racing? Add it to Horizon. Want to fly planes? Add sky races. Stock car racing? Go for it. So on and so on. Anything that’s racing related can be folded in. But I do think FH6 needs to do something to shake things up.

Not surprised. Like fighting game fans, JRPG fans usually flock to Sony. That’s not to say they don’t have an Xbox as well, or that Xbox doesn’t have great JRPGs (or fighters). But if you’re a big Final Fantasy fan, you’ve likely had access to it on PS5 or even PC before now.

I’d imagine the audience of big FF fans that only have an Xbox is incredibly slim.

@Kaloudz quote here: https://www.gameinformer.com/xbox-games-showcase/2025/06/08/phil-spencer-teases-forza-halo-remake-fable-gears-of-war-e-day-for?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwKyvmFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHtoNrzra1Y4fCuYtd69Hwv1PjKA9bwOQWxcUp30srT7O94AIzgg2YS-iLsdV_aem_nMRRTFhxUc4PRYOTsmM8ww

Gotta agree with the others, a bit underwhelming for me personally. If you’re an Xbox-only player I can see why the FF news was exciting, though most people have the means to play them elsewhere (and most FF/JRPG fans surely have a PS5).

This isn’t me saying it’s bad, just there wasn’t anything here that blew my socks off.

@CaptainCluck This is actually very accurate to the character. The books describe Bond as having a thin scar down his right cheek.

Obviously whether someone likes is subjective, but I was thrilled to see a little touch that makes it more faithful than the films.

@HarmanSmith Yea, I'd definitely wait to buy it on Xbox.

I was kicking myself for buying it for my Series X, but luckily I also didn't get too far before I learned about the problem. I'm speaking vaguely to avoid spoilers but I can't imagine playing the entire game and getting to the very last moment....and not being able to do something as simple as a QTE to beat it.

@SaltySpitoon957 Agreed!

@Ricky-Spanish Even worse, Xbox’s FPS Boost broke the final QTE of the game; it’s next to impossible to finish the game now. There are years worth of posts talking about it and people trying tricks to get around it/begging MS to turn it off but there hasn’t been an update. Me, I just stopped trying with the backwards compat version and rebought the game for like $5 on Steamdeck where you can turn FPS up and down. Served as a reminder why boosting FPS for older games isn’t as easy as flipping a switch though, and can break a lot of things

$400 range for a Series S is rough. That's a 30% increase. I guess in comparison to the SX it's still cheaper but now we're roughly at the same price as a much more powerful PS5. It also undercuts the Series S' value prop for a "foot in the door" console that's supposed to be a lighter investment.

Leisure activities like gaming are going to be harder and harder to justify when groceries/clothes/necessities continue to climb, and that's before you start raising prices. If Xbox sales were looking rough before, we ain't seen nothing yet. And $80 per game is a lot to ask when we're still waiting on many of this gen's big exclusives to arrive.

If I didn't have this generation's Xbox at the halfway point (or later) in its lifecycle, I'd probably look around at the current economic situation, the time left on this generation, and figure I'd just save up and wait for what's next.

@HonestHick Absolutely on the money. Anyone having sticker shock at a PS5 Pro are going to be in for a very rude awakening for the next Xbox/Playstation.

@Kaloudz I’m a terminal optimist haha. That’s a great point about RE6 too — now you have me wanting that!

@Kaloudz While I strongly (but respectfully) disagree, wouldn’t that make 3 the best candidate for a remake? A chance to update and improve?

Good option for those of us who emulate all the old Xbox and 360 games that MS won’t/can’t bring to backwards compatibility.

@Bigmanfan “The Xbox brand is spreading rapidly, infecting every screen in your house!”

“Don't forget that Gears of War: E-Day is probably around a year out from release as well, so timing its launch with a Netflix series could work out extremely well…”

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but there’s no way a Netflix show that hasn’t been greenlit yet would be ready be ready in time.

@LostInBlue0 I appreciate that — I was a little nervous to share my experience. And I totally get why you're holding onto your Xbox too. My digital library was very small (and mostly backwards compat titles) so that was definitely a factor; I'd probably not have left if I had a huge library built up.

I guess this is a great example of what Xbox is aiming for. We have different platforms, and different use cases in our gaming habits, but we're both still enjoying Xbox games.

@Isolte I think Microsoft is going to follow their Windows model.
Sure, they're more than happy to sell you a PC or a tablet. But what matters most to them? That you're using Windows and in their ecosystem.

I think similarly Xbox is going to make hardware, but their games will be everywhere. They don't care where you play, they just want you playing Xbox games. The Xbox hardware is just going to be there for people who want to buy a Microsoft device or get into the ecosystem in the easiest way possible.

Console warriors getting mad that other people get to play their "exclusives" is ridiculous. This goes the same for Sony fanboys that are mad when seemingly PS exclusives get ported over too.

But I do think there's a legitimate grievance for those of us who bought all 3 consoles. I got back into the Xbox fold, thinking that between my Series X, PS5, and Switch, I'd have exclusives on all three that'd keep me busy. Kind of like how it's always been.

I'll be honest: I saw this coming, which is why a few months ago I sold my Series X and picked up a Steamdeck. I figured between that and my PS5, I won't miss anything. I still like Xbox, I still like Xbox games, but I didn't need one more plastic box when it's not doing anything really unique. So in that sense, it was a bummer that I spent money getting into an ecosystem that eventually felt redundant as a multi-console user.

Gran Turismo and Forza on the same platform is going to be wild.

Forza was one of Xbox's three big pillars. While it's not surprising that it's being ported, this feels like a watershed moment for Xbox's cross-platform plans.

The only game I cared about today was Doom, and that’s a bit of a known quantity. So for me? C.

But thinking objectively and for people who are into the games, it’s probably a B. I’d be happy if I was a Ninja Gaiden fan.

@AverageGamer they aren’t obligated to offer it for any game, and plenty of smaller games pre-program are on there. You just said to someone “what Xbox game studio release isn’t play anywhere” without these qualifiers and I listed a few.

I found it pretty surprising that an online Halo collection, especially one that MS spent years updating until recently, wasn’t on there.

@AverageGamer There are a few big ones missing from Play Anywhere.
Off the top of my head:

• Halo: Master Chief Collection
• Rare Replay
• Sunset Overdrive
• Hellblade

I can’t lie, when developers brag about how long their games are my interest dips a little.

FH4 yes. FH5, no. Horizon 5 just feels so bland and stagnant. I appreciate the continued support but there’s nothing about it I’d consider “award-worthy.”

Like Cyberpunk, it had updates and was worth it for a while before the media started paying attention. But yea, the new lighting, even more bug fixes, and — perhaps best of all — running and gunning mechanic cement it’s value.

I’m an Xbox, you’re an Xbox. We’re all an Xbox!

This seems like the inevitable that many of us have been discussing for years now (a theory that used to draw a lot of hate online, including here).

I think it’s fantastic though, and it feels like a sign that MS has finally figured out a direction for the brand and are taking it seriously.

MS sees the writing on the wall: they can’t compete in the console space. And while Sony’s a hardware company and that’s its edge, MS is a software one and they’re finally playing up to their strength. I feel like the future will be like the past: sure, MS will sell you a laptop or tablet if you like, but they mostly want you using windows regardless of the device. Similarly, they’ll still make affordable Xbox consoles, but they really just want you buying their games — on PC, phone, or even PS5 or Switch 2.

Just please Microsoft: now that you’ve seemingly charted a course (the marketing tells me this is serious), please don’t change on a dime again in a month. You’ve got a plan, now just commit and crush it.

This is going to sound so (unintentionally) snarky, but I think the pre-release hype and its promises? I was a hardcore Xbox guy that mostly sat out the One generation, so I remember being really excited. I remember being really impressed with how Forza Horizon 4 looked, which was new to me since I was absent for its launch.

But as the others above me said, this gen has unfortunately been a bit underwhelming.

Microsoft prioritizing profits over people?

I’m shocked!

Not surprised. Their PS5 ports sold like gangbusters. No way they’re going to close off that revenue stream after the experiment worked.

I also don’t believe for a second in the rumors that Halo and Gears of War are “red lines.” Maybe year exclusives. But games like those, especially Halo, live or die based on engaged audiences. Opening them up to a significantly larger install base — even if it’s just the F2P multiplayer of Halo Infinite — means more players, more microtransactions, and more money.

The Xbox user base simply isn’t big enough anymore for MS to make back all the money they’ve invested.

This is standard procedure for brands during times like these. I’m glad Xbox learned their lesson from last time.

MS saw people being briefly more mad at Sony and had to fix that.

Oh cool.

(Reads “Jez Cordon suggested”)

Nevermind.

I have seen far too many of these gaming “anniversaries” come and go without anything worthwhile (I’m still smarting over Mortal Kombat’s worthless 30th anniversary celebration).

I’m not holding my breath.

Some of us were warning that this would be the fallout of the Activison purchase — you don't get to throw that kind of money around as a division and still keep full autonomy. Unlike Nintendo or even Playstation (which keeps Sony in the black), Microsoft is doing just fine without the Xbox brand. They've shuttered bigger divisions for less, and we know they've attempted to shut down Xbox on at least two attempts. This was purely for profit scaling, and as soon as that deal closed corporate wanted to see a return on their investment. I think they gave Phil and co. a few months to crunch the numbers and make a case, but at this point Xbox is a distant third in the hardware competition. And since the Xbox console install base is considerably smaller than the competition, MS decided to look beyond to get their ROI.

I still think you can look to Microsoft's PC model to see where Xbox is heading. They'll probably do one more hardware box, but you won't NEED it as they'll open up the ecosystem. Kind of like how Microsoft is more than willing to sell you a laptop or tablet, but it's more important to them that you just buy Windows and install it on whatever device you use. Does this mean you need an Xbox soon? Probably not, especially if you own multiple consoles. But they'll be willing to sell you a box if you'd prefer it. They're predominantly a software company, after all (it's even in the name — Microsoft). Which will well-position them for gaming’s inevitable hardware-free future.

That's the future of Xbox at this point, which will surely be folded in under Microsoft Gaming Studios. What matters now is that you're buying Call of Duty and Doom and Halo or playing Candy Crush. They don't want exclusives, they want your money and the quarter-over-quarter growth must continue upward.

It kills me when people say “this makes sense to me” and “XYZ is more confusing.” Because to fans of XYZ, that makes perfect sense too.

Part of our job in brand and product marketing is making all of this as easy as possible for the widest audience possible. Xbox could call the console “poop on a stick” it wouldn’t matter for most here; brand loyalists and educated hobbyists would be there day one. But game console success isn’t defined by selling to the hardcore fans — it’s about widening the pool and making new fans/selling to casual audiences.

In that regard, the Xbox Series name was an unforced error.

I miss Xbox Live.

The bigger problem might be that after the "turbulent times" you pointed out — does MS have enough goodwill to ask everyone to turn around and fork over another half-grand for a new system? Especially when they feel the promises of Series S/X haven't been realized?

Ideally, future "generations" are half-steps like phones or PCs (something that the PS4 Pro/One X mid-gen refresh paved the way for). Afterall, even a very small power boost would still make Bond's claim of "the most powerful Xbox yet" accurate. But would smaller, muted launches every 2-3 years draw the same level of interest and excitement?

@TheSimulator Oh I was thinking before YouTube, in the dark, dark days of late 90s/early 00s videogame adaptations.

@theduckofdeath Yea I was probably being generous with TM. I guess I was thinking it was faithful to the tone and feel of the original games (pre-Black), similar to Fallout and Last of Us feeling faithful to their source material. Whereas Halo just felt like a movie exec’s impression of what Halo was after playing it for 15 minutes.