I have to say I do like them, but £70...!

I wonder if they come in 4XL? Before anyone thinks I'm fat, I'm not, I'm broad shouldered, 6' 4" tall, and only 12 stone 8 pounds (81 kilos). I just prefer my tops loose fitting.

I am tempted, have to say...

I am very accepting too, @VisitingComet1, however, I do think that Bethesda should be able to do better than they do. Their character models are usually terrible...

E-Day is definitely in trouble on Steam, @AI-Generation. Its peak high on Steam for the past 24 hours is just 7,565, which for a game of its scale that only came out a couple of weeks ago is truly terrible.

Obviously Game Pass could well be a factor on both PC and Xbox, but I imagine that even with that, the drop off will be similar to that seen on Steam where it started with a peak high of about 31,500. In other words, Steam has seen something like 75% fewer people playing the game now than occurred when the game first released, and I imagine that it will be much the same among those that bought the game on Xbox, and also Game Pass on PC and Xbox.

Losing 75% of your gamers in the space of 2 weeks is not good...

I seem to remember that Battlefront 2 was online multiplayer only (or mostly so), in which case I will treat 3 just as I did 2 and completely ignore it.

I would put major money on it that if it had been announced that Battlefront 3 was being cancelled, that the gaming community would simply have shrugged their shoulders and said, 'Oh, well!' There would not have been the outcry that Mass Effect's cancellation has seen because we have numerous Star Wars games, and no new Mass Effect in approaching a decade...

I have to say I didn't really notice, @AI-Generation. What I will say though is that I absolutely loved the E-Day Campaign, and completed it solo on both Hardcore and then Insane. I'm just waiting for my mate to finish his Hardcore run so that I can go through it once more (probably on Insane) in co-op. I think, as far as I am concerned, it is the best Campaign in the Gears of War franchise, but then I really enjoyed 4 and 5 too (5 more than 4), and I go through each Campaign once each year.

I'm just hoping that The Coalition survive the impending cuts, and that we get either a sequel to E-Day or a conclusion to 5. I fear the worst for them, but that's probably (hopefully!) me being pessimistic..

Thank you, @VisitingComet1. It just seems that some people cannot accept that criticism can be borne of concern, and seemingly automatically think you are a Pony or hate Xbox. I want Xbox to succeed because although I am primarily gaming on PlayStation this year (because I bought a Pro) I will be switching back to Helix as soon as it releases because I want to game on the most powerful system.

Xbox is really my home, I have just moved out temporarily whilst renovation work is underway... 😂

I pre-ordered the game, but haven't yet played it because I have been busy with other games. I feel I will need to dedicate an extended period to this game to get the most out of it, and as they keep adding to it, it is becoming more daunting to start (something that happened with Assassin's Creed: Valhalla)...

Agreed, @AI-Generation. I don't really know about these things, but you'd think that scaling down would be easier than scaling up.

Has to be said, the number of games capable of 120fps is somewhat limited, but it is a good capability to have. I have to say that I have not encountered any problems at all with any games this generation, albeit I am going blind so I'm not sure I'd notice anyway...! 🤪🤣

Looking forward to going through these games once again when I have chance (which means not this year, that's for sure!). I have played each of them multiple times, and as I have the good fortune to own a television* that is capable of 120htz, it looks like I'll be getting the best versions possible.

*I actually bought by LG television right before the Series X came out. When Microsoft said that games could reach 120fps on the Series X I invested in a capable television straight away. Even though it is 6 years old now, it was a perfect accompaniment to my gaming pastime...

Fair enough, @Vordus. I am not well versed on these things. I just know that the current engine is not good enough, and have my doubts as to how much of an upgrade the next version will be (based on previous upgrades to where we currently are). When you look at what The Coalition achieved with Unreal and E-Day, you have to wonder what a game such as Elder Scrolls would look like built in that engine rather than Creation...

For me, the best outcome would be if Motorsport and Horizon alternated. If Horizon is the only one of the two that comes out every few years, then the games risk becoming stale. Of course, I might be a little biased because I actually prefer Motorsport, though having said that I played a lot of FH6 (even unlocking the last wristband) so it's not like I don't like Horizon, I would just like to see both franchises continue.

Of course the spanner in the works is Fable. If it is successful then there will be a clamour for another game, which could impact Horizon at the very least. If Fable flops, then the studio will just return to making racing games (although we have to hope they don't get hit with layoffs once Fable and the PlayStation version of FH6 release)...

You and I both know that uptake for Helix will be very limited, @HonestHick. Maybe as few as 10% of people will move from a Series console to Helix (indeed it could be fewer than that if the price is really high).

Something that needs to be remembered is that something like two thirds of Series consoles out in the wild are the Series S. So if someone bought the Series S at £250 (quite probably as a Games Pass machine), do we really expect them to upgrade to Helix if it costs 4 or 5 (or maybe more) times as much as when they bought their Series S?

So it's all well and good saying Elder Scrolls will look great on Helix, but if 90% of people don't upgrade to it, then it has to look and run great on current generation consoles too because that is where the majority will be playing it (and we both know that current generation consoles are likely to be supported for the entirety of the next generation).

I know I get accused of hating Xbox by some on here, but that could not be further from the truth. It is my huge sadness at seeing the way things are unfolding at Xbox that means I express my views here. I cannot help that I see things through what I believe to be a more realist view point. I was saying that Xbox was having problems and spiralling downwards 3 years ago, and if anyone can convince me that Xbox is in a better state right now than it was 3 years ago, then please attempt to do so. You can love something, and be exceptionally disappointed with it at the same time. Being disillusioned with Xbox is not the same as hating it. I truly love Xbox, and I will be getting Helix (even it costs £2000), so again, if anyone is able to explain why I would fork out so much money on something I hate, then pleases feel free to enlighten me. Even though I am very disillusioned, I still want the best for Xbox. Just because I am critical, it does not mean that I hate Xbox...

Problem is, @HonestHick, if you look at the faces of the NPCs in Starfield, and then look at the faces in E-Day, can you not see why Bethesda should change engines? I really cannot see how an upgrade to their current engine will be suffice to rectify the faces we get, and general graphics in Starfield. Yes, they were perfectly serviceable but is that what we should settle for? Serviceable? Serviceable when we could be having amazing with Unreal? I mean, both The Coalition and Bethesda work for the same boss, she should be telling Todd what to do, not just letting him try and improve the engine they use when there is a fantastic engine over at The Coalition...

Agreed, @FraserG. I would have thought they had something planned, and you would have thought that they would have told us about it by now, or at least there would be some rumours in circulation...

The engine that Bethesda are using now needs updating or changing (preferably changing), @ItsAlwaysSunnyyy, @AI-Generation & @Millionski, indeed I think it is in desperate need of updating. Whilst Unreal might inflate costs, the two good things about it are that most developers know how to use it because it so common and been around for so long, and secondly, the results are usually very impressive.

And to the point about The Coalition, The Coalition and Bethesda both work for Xbox, so I fail to understand why expertise in The Coalition could not be shared with Bethesda. Also, The Coalition will doubtless have assets that could be shared too.

Either way, something needs to change at Bethesda. Not only do they still release games riddled with bugs, but they take an eternity to make their games, and often they are middling quality games. Elder Scrolls 6 should be a dead cert when it comes to sales, but Bethesda still need to get it right first time because they have lost a lot of trust within the gaming community...

Are they making it on the same engine, @AI-Generation? They really should be looking at switching to something like Unreal by now. Heck, when you see what the developers of Crimson Desert managed with their BlackSpace engine, it makes you realise just how far behind the curve Bethesda are. It's all well and good having a distinctive look, but things have moved on now...

Any rumours as to an event to mark the 25th Anniversary, @FraserG? With Sharma being a PR whizz, you'd think she would be all over it...

I think that's the problem with Game Pass, @oopsiezz. I often get some push back when I say the games are poor, and for me they are. They are not the type of games I play, and as I always say, I'm sure there are some people that will enjoy them. Problem is, we are simply not getting any big AAA third-party games. I know some will counter that with we are getting big AAA first-party games, but I am specifically talking about third-party. That is what I want to see every now and again. I want something like Expedition 33 (which was arguably AA really) or something bigger still, that I would not otherwise have played.

My usual gaming fare is AAA games, with just a smattering of smaller games (usually puzzle or strategy), but it would be good if (I felt that) Game Pass was also giving us big games to go along with all the small ones. I don't expect to see 50/50 big games/small games, but maybe one a month would be great. Heck, I'd take one once a quarter, as right now we are starved of that kind of content...

Cronos is the pick of the bunch for me. Truly a really good game. So good that not only did I go for (and obtain!) every single Achievement, but also then bought it for my Pro too. Worth noting that there is some DLC coming for it in December too.

Anyway, do not sit on the fence! The game is worth its full price, and so it is a steal whenever it on sale...

Obviously Sharma will want to put a positive spin on the figures, @Weebleman & @HonestHick, as to do otherwise would spook gamers and (worse still) investors.

The next quarter will be interesting because it will be the one that covers the period in which E-Day went on sale (unless revenue for pre-orders is counted in the quarter ending in September).

Looking at the peak player count for E-Day on Steam for the past 24 hours it stands at just 8074, which is pretty gloomy reading, and I would suggest is not good for right now let alone for the long-term prospects of the game (or potentially future games).

You have to wonder how much hope for the next quarter has been pinned on E-Day, and how much Xbox will instead be rescued by GTA 6. I think E-Day will see a small increase in overall revenue for Xbox, Call of Duty more still, but it is GTA 6 that will save their blushes...

I have played through all the games a few times now on my Xbox, and absolutely love them. Indeed, when I saw them on sale on PlayStation, I bought them for my Pro too. I'm glad I did now as the price will likely go up for a while with these upgrades.

I have a 120htz television, so look forward to seeing each of these games at their very best. Doubtless I'll be playing them towards the end of this year (if I can get through some of my recent purchases!)...

Thank you, @FraserG. Much appreciated...

Are the upgrades to Metro free for those of us that own the originals, @HelloCraigo? Thanks...

Still a lot of games, @themightyant. It's clear we get a lot of pleasure from the pastime. There are a couple of games in my list that I literally started up, got to the menus, and decided I'd rather play something else instead, but of course just starting them up make True count them. It would be good if True discounted any game that you had not earned a single Achievement or Trophy in, but unfortunately they do not do that. It's still a fantastic resource though...

Wow, @themightyant, that is a heck of a lot of games! As I say, I mainly play AAA games, with just a smattering of smaller games (mostly strategy or puzzle) games.

To see how many games you have played, I start by clicking on my name up in the top right of the TrueAchievements/Trophies page, then where you can see your name, GAMES and STATS on the same page, click on GAMES and then scroll down to the bottom of the list and click on SHOW ALL. Again, scroll right down to the bottom of the list, and at the bottom on the left is the total amount of games....

I was just looking at TrueAchievements and TrueTrophies, @themightyant, and it goes to show the stark difference between the two platforms for me. Apparently I have played just 42 games on PlayStation since July 2013 (when I started a new account on PlayStation), whereas I have played 549 games on my Xbox since May 2012 (where I again created a new account).

Looking into the stats, I have played 26 games on my different PlayStations over the 12 years ending in 2025 (so an average of just over 2 games a year, all of which were PlayStation exclusives!), and then 16 games in 2026 on my Pro. However, up until the end of last year, I had played 537 games on my various Xboxes, which equates to an average of me playing 41 games each year. This year though, when I have switched to mostly my Pro, that average has dropped to 12 games played on my Series X.

I suppose that goes to show how deep my concern for Xbox has become, which is kind of sad to realise...

I have 54 Mythic Achievements, mostly in big games, which I am pretty surprised by...

Yes, @SodaPop6548...

Wow, those are some crazy stats, @themightyant. I have about half your game score, as mine is 271,329. I do predominantly play AAA games though, with just a smattering of smaller games.

Apparently I have played my Xboxes for 2 years, 75 days, 11 hours and 36 minutes, which is just insane amount of game time.

As you say, we play a lot...

Have we had any third-party day one AAA games since the announcement, @Millionski? Yes, we have had a handful of first-party games (not that many though), but have we had many AAA third-party games? Even AA third-party games have been exceptionally limited...

I've done very much the same this past year, @AI-Generation. I bought a Pro when it became clear that the best place to play Resident Evil: Requiem would be on the Pro, and I have bought most of my third-party games on PlayStation ever since. It's one of the reasons I am very much looking forward to the end of year Wraps for both PlayStation and Xbox, because this will be the first year ever (excluding the PS1) where PlayStation will be my most played console. The certainty provided by PlayStation, as opposed to Xbox, was the deciding factor in my decision to do this...

Exactly, @Millionski, but some would have you believe otherwise... 😉

Not going to lie, when it was announced that Game Pass would be getting 75 day one games I was pretty sceptical about the quality that we would see. I'm sure that some among us will enjoy these offerings, but they certainly don't do it for me...

I just logged into TrueAchievements to view my stats, @themightyant, and apparently I have unlocked 12,951 Achievements out of a possible 25,520 (so just over half). Like you, I only pursue Achievements in games I am really enjoying. I don't bother with any Multiplayer Achievements, which in the early days meant I missed out on a lot because every game tried to shoehorn Multiplayer into their games, and I was just not interested.

Apparently, according the TrueAchievements, I will have 54 Mythic Achievements, which honestly surprises me...

Totally agree, @RTGX. I think both Fable and Helix are pivotal moments for Xbox; both could have lasting consequence for the Xbox brand (both positively or negatively).

I think some people have seen all these very minor changes that Sharma has implemented (colour changes / new Achievements etc.), together with the positive statements that the new boss has made, and taken it as read that the future for Xbox is all sunshine and rainbows. However, the truth is, Xbox is in the business of making money, and standing front and centre and saying things are pretty dire will massively (and negatively) impact both gamers and investors, so they are just not going to be brutally honest with us. Telling us the future for Xbox is all sunshine and rainbows is one thing, but making it so is another matter entirely, and unfortunately, there are some that seem almost incapable of differentiating the two. I want Xbox to succeed, but that is not the same as it actually doing so.

The truth is I have been pessimistic about the future of Xbox on these very forums for the past 3 or 4 years, and right now, Xbox is probably at its lowest point, which means, you could argue, that I was right when I was voicing my concern 3 or 4 years ago.

Some people seem to believe that because I am pessimistic about the future of Xbox, that I want it to fail, but that could not be further from the truth because my pessimism is borne of sadness at seeing something I have loved being part of struggling for its continued existence.

I want Xbox to have a successful future as its a huge part of my life, but I'd be lying if I said I was confident that will be the case...

I entirely agree with your assessment, @RTGX, it's why I usually qualify what I am saying with the word 'in terms of consoles' when I speak about the demise of the company. I think Xbox will remain in the game development business for years to come, but I think that will end up being mostly concentrated around some known successful games and franchises that have annual releases, rather than making games based on new IP. So, Call of Duty and Minecraft, most definitely. Gears of War and Halo? Maybe not.

Also, you cannot go round suggesting that Helix won't see the light of day. I've been publicly shamed for saying as much... 😂

I do have some pretty rare Achievements, @themightyant, but the two I am most proud of are completing Divinity Original Sin 2 on the hardest difficulty without dying (0.30%) and reaching Re-Up 60 in Gears 5 (0.12%). Whether the one for Gears 5 is my rarest though, I am not sure...

I have been with Xbox since day one, @somnambulance. I collected my OG Xbox from the store the day it released. However, during the 360 era, I started a new account when I first began playing online. I think I might have done it because I didn't want people to see the silly name I had on my Xbox, and I think I would have had to pay to change it, whereas it was free to start a new account, which is what I then did. So now my Xbox account shows a 17 years badge rather than a 25 years one...

I need someone to teach me how to include a photograph, or screenshot, to my comments. I know how to put things in bold or italics on here, but that's the sum total of my knowledge.

I remember when we had the last Year In Review, I wanted to add mine but couldn't work out how to do it, so some advice would be much appreciated...

I agree with you, @RTGX. I have consistently said that 3 years after the release of Helix will be when Xbox moves aways from the console side of its business. I used to say that would be around 2030, but that was when I thought Helix would release this year, and then that it would release next year. Now it seems that Helix is going to release in 2028, so I guess I have to move my timeline up to 2031.

I know there were rumours of Sharma having been put in place to sunset Xbox when she first took the top job, and I honestly believe that is still the case. She is basically in the process of putting all the most successful (last roll of the dice!) games and developers in one of two different boxes, and effectively getting rid of Xbox Studios in the process.

I think it highly likely that one of those boxes will be sold off when Microsoft withdraw from the console business, and the other will be kept as a money making machine.

The last hail mary will be Fable; if that game does not succeed, then that will basically be it as far as Nadella and Sharma will be concerned. They may not tell us that at that time, but behind closed doors, that is when the decision will likely be made. The odd thing about Fable is I cannot work out how releasing the game on PlayStation will really help Xbox. If it fails, then everyone will know, and if it succeeds it wasn't even an Xbox console exclusive so how does that help?

It's a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of a studio that has never made an RPG, using an engine that has never been used to make an RPG, and is also having to work on Forza Horizon at the same time. I mean, what could go wrong...?

I'm with you, @AI-Generation. You only have to look at E-Day to know that even big exclusives will not save Xbox now. The peak high for E-Day on Steam for the past 24 hours is under 9000. The game has sold terribly, and only has a rating of 71% on Steam. How can one of the biggest titles that Xbox has do so poorly and yet save Xbox at the same time? It simply is not possible, and The Coalition are going to be hit with massive layoffs very soon, which is a huge shame. It would be a tremendous loss (to me) if E-Day is the last Gears of War game we get.

Something has to give if Sharma is going to do anything to help, and I imagine it will start with her using E-Day's sales, and its performance on Game Pass, to put an end to day one first-party games on Game Pass. Clockwork Revolution might be on the service day one, but I'm not so sure about Fable, and for me that would be the right decision.

I'm not sure that the removal of day one games on Game Pass will save Xbox, but it will certainly help. Once that happens, it is on us Xbox gamers to show up and support first-party games by actually buying them, because if we don't, then Xbox is surely doomed.

If Microsoft are not happy with the performance of Xbox over the next 4 or 5 years, I can see them selling off pretty much every studio they own except those that are actually making them money (so Call of Duty, Minecraft, and King for example).

Helix will be a make or break moment for Xbox, and unfortunately, I don't think enough people will buy Helix (due to its price, and possibly uncertainty over the future of Xbox) to ensure its continued existence.

It truly is a sad time to be an Xbox gamer...

I have bought every Call of Duty since the second ever game (not sure what happened with the first!), and I still own every one of them. I have always bought CoD by way of pre-order but only ever played the Campaign, which is kind of crazy when you think about it. The last game that I bought was (I believe) Modern Warfare 2, which was the game that released in 2022 before the first game that released day one on Game Pass in 2023. For whatever reason, I did not end up playing the Campaign that released with the 2022 CoD, and I have not played any of them since either, even when it was available for me to do so via Game Pass, which makes all those years of paying premium price just to play the Campaign even more ironic.

Now I find myself really interested in playing the Campaign in Modern Warfare 4, and typically it is not available for me to do so unless I buy the game!

Anyway, I won't be buying it just yet, and indeed, I may well wait to see when it lands on Game Pass because in fairness, the makers of Call of Duty have done well out of me in the past. Only problem is, I will be dropping to Essential when my Ultimate runs out next June, which means I probably won't get the chance to play it via Game Pass either.

Oh well, I'll figure it out...

Ahh, okay, then the game is not for me, @Deformedpye. Thank you...

Can the game be played solo, or will you always be playing with other people...?

From the list, my top 3 (and the order in which I voted for them) were:

1. Resident Evil Requiem
2. Forza Horizon 6
3. Pragmata

I also have also played 007 First Light, and thought it was very good too.

I have bought Control Resonant, Crimson Desert, Phantom Blade Zero, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, and The Blood of Dawnwalker. I just have not had chance to play them yet.

It really is an unbeatable time to be a gamer. I honestly don't think there has been a better year, and there have been a few in the not too distant past...

I pre-ordered the game, I've just been too busy playing other games to get round to this one.

There wasn't an option to say I own the game but have not had chance to play it yet, @HelloCraigo...! 😉😂

I am interested in playing the Campaign, it has to be said, but whereas I used to buy every Call of Duty day one just to play the Campaign, I no longer do that. Indeed, I stopped buying the games when they started to go on Game Pass, but the reason I won't do it now is because I bought the last game prior to them first going on Game Pass by way of pre-order, and still to this day I have not played it. £70 spent on a game I never played (and only had the intention of playing the Campaign anyway). I just cannot seem to justify buying the games anymore, although I might buy this latest one if it becomes cheap enough in a sale at some point...

Likewise, @RTGX. I think the very first time I played Mass Effect on the day it released, I created a male character that approximated me. When I replayed the Campaign straight after, I created a female character that looked a lot like my (sadly now deceased wife, and made some different choices in the Campaign), and I have stuck with being a redhead female in every game ever since where I am afforded that choice. Even in Gears of War, I will choose a female character when playing Horde (unless I play as Gary because he has some funny lines!)...

Nudge! Nudge! Wink! Wink! Say no more, @HelloCraigo! Mum's the word... 😉😂

Yes, @Grumblevolcano, you are probably right. It's very unfortunate that all of this is happening in the first place, and I can see how Xbox celebrating all things Xbox could be seen as extremely tone-deaf.

Hopefully we still get at least the Elite 3 controller though...