£8, @Globo? Are you sure? You would need to have received around 10,000 points for that. Great is right, but I buy loads of games on the Xbox Store for £70-£100 at a time, and I never get close to 10,000 points in return.
Yes, I noticed this earlier today, @FraserG, but was waiting for an article on which to make this comment.
Where the Daily Poll and the Quiz etc. were awarding 10 points each yesterday, today they were 5 points each.
So, if you couple this with Microsoft having increased how many points you need in order to obtain a gift card, etc. then Microsoft appear to really not want us to bother trying to gain the points in the first place.
It really is becoming a case of it not being worth the effort...
I cannot see the Helix selling even close to the Series numbers, @BacklogBrad. I think Microsoft would bite your hand off if it sold even a quarter as many, and I think that will be their target. I think that target will be a maximum of 10 million units sold in its lifetime.
If the Helix costs £1000 or more, and the PS6 comes in at £800 or less, then many casuals that game on an Xbox will just more over to PlayStation. Families buying little Johnny his first ever console will opt for the cheapest one out of the two (though they will probably just get him a Switch, truth be told). Many people that already game on a Series console, when faced with the prospect of paying £1000 or more to upgrade, will probably just stay put on the Series consoles.
If the Helix sells more than 3 million consoles within the first 2 years, Ill be gobsmacked!
Ultimately, I think the Helix will prove very niche, and I have said it many times, but I think this is Microsoft's last throw of the dice in terms of consoles, and that probably around 3 years after launch they will just stop making them. On the other hand, if the Helix sells gangbusters, and is keeping pace with the PS6, then Microsoft will be delighted and we may even see another PCBox beyond the Helix.
My money is on the Helix selling fairly poorly when compared to previous generations. As much as I want Microsoft to succeed, I just don't think they have what it takes to draw people into their ecosystem...
I know what you meant about buying games on the Xbox Store, @Globo, but I would say this; last year when the rumours of Steam on the Helix first began to circulate, I checked something like 5 games that were available to pre-order on the Xbox Store, and then compared their prices to those for games either on Steam or available to buy for Steam via CDKeys (now called Loaded), and with those game 3 or them were available for £10 less each, and one was either £30 or £35 cheaper (I forget which now). Whilst the £35 was probably going to prove an exception, it does demonstrate that there are some fairly significant savings to be found should you want to buy via Steam instead of the Xbox Store. And of course, Steam has a lot more games, and when they have a sale they tend to cut the prices more deeply that Xbox.
Obviously you can make savings even when buying games on the Xbox Store if you buy a gift card from the likes of Loaded you can save £5 on every £50 card you buy, which can then reduce the overall how much you spend on a game.
Then it becomes an issue of how many games you buy in a given year. If you only buy 2 or 3, you might think that saving £20 or £30 is not worth it, and thus stick with the Xbox Store. However, if you are like me, who bought 37 games, all but 3 on the Xbox Store (each of them were Collector's Editions, so not bought via the store), then the potential savings of £100-£200 would probably be worth it...
I entirely agree, @Sheppard. It is a bad idea, but I don't know what else Microsoft can do. If they truly are going to give us a premium device, as they say, then it cannot be cheap. Well, not unless Microsoft swallow around half of the cost of the device and then push it out the door for £750.
I mean, there would be a massive queue for the PCBox if you were getting a device that was costing Microsoft £1500, and they were charging us £750. Plus it needs to be remembered that if it was costing Microsoft £1500, that would be after they had already managed to negotiate cheaper component prices by negotiating with other companies. Effectively we would be getting a PC that would cost us around £2000 to build ourselves!
This is, the reality is that you basically have to pay well north of £1500 to build a decent PC, but even at that price, I don't think you could call it premium.
The net result is that if Microsoft offer us Helix at around £800, I would be very suspicious of its capabilities, and I certainly do not think it would qualify as premium. Indeed, if they do offer it at that sort of price, Helix is likely to be torn apart by the gaming community because you just cannot put out a decent PC for that sort of price, and we know that Microsoft will not be willing to swallow anything like 50% of the costs involved. Indeed, we keep hearing that the days of gaming devices being subsidised is over.
Regardless, it is going to be fascinating to see what Microsoft come up with, and how much they expect to be able to charge for it. I really hope they get it right, though for me, right is more about giving me a premium device than worrying about the cost, but that's just me...
I honestly am not sure that Microsoft intend to stay in the console market anyway, @Globo. I've said it many times, but I reckon they will basically withdraw from the console market (or more likely just slap an Xbox sticker on PC's or consoles made by other manufacturers) around 3 years after the launch of the PCBox.
As for Sony, they won't put out a device as powerful, or as expensive to make as the PCBox, and will likely sell the PS5 for £800 maximum, possibly a little cheaper. Obviously, that won't include the disc drive again.
Ultimately, I think people will look at the PCBox, which will probably cost at least £1000 and the PS6, which will cost £800 at most, then weigh up which company offers the most certainty, and opt for the PS6. I think £800 is pretty much the most the Sony can get away with (although it will be closer to £900 once you have the disc drive and the stand!)...
I think the issue is that they have already signed contracts, already done the designs, already sorted the manufacturing sites, and are rumoured to have already begun to collate the components in readiness for building these machines, meaning that they are too far gone down the path of releasing them to stop now.
However, once they have put 2 or 3 million of the devices into the wild over a 3 year period, I think they will then just stop making them.
Honestly, @Globo, take a look at PC prices. Take some time to put together a decent PC (or even a half-decent PC), then take, I don't know 20% off because of Microsoft's buying power. I think you will be shocked at how much PCs cost.
Honestly, if is costs less than £1500, you will not be getting a decent PC. Anything between £1000 and £1500 will be good to decent. Only when you get to £1500 and above do you actually start to wander into the realms of a premium PC.
It's not negativity. I'd love to be proven wrong because I bought the OG Xbox day one. I've pre-ordered every console they have done since then (except the XS). Every mid-generation refresh too. I have over 1700 games in my digital library and so I have every reason to want Xbox to succeed. However, I am not naïve to the costs of PCs, and I don't think Microsoft will subsidise the PCBox. They are putting up the prices of existing consoles, and the handheld costs £800 now and is rumoured to be going up in price fairly soon. I just cannot see how Microsoft can provide us with a 'premium' gaming PC, and keep the costs down. The two just don't go together...
I think it will be a PC first and foremost, @Ryu_117. What it will probably do is basically open up into a version of the Xbox app that is currently available on PC. Right now, you can set you PC to open the Xbox app or Steam etc. on start up. I imagine that will be exactly what we will get with the PCBox.
Whether you can get the PCBox to boot straight into Steam remains to be seen. I want a console like experience from Xbox, and I guess even if it is just opening up directly into the Xbox app, that will still make it feel like a console, but I don't think that will stop it actually being a PC...
I absolutely agree that it would be a terrible idea for the PCBox to cost so much, @Sheppard. The problem is you cannot have both a premium PC and a cheap one. PC components cost a great deal of money, and even Microsoft would struggle to make a decent PC that is affordable.
If Microsoft bring out a PC and tell us it costs just £800 ($1065) then you are looking at the equivalent of a peanut with a rechargeable battery attached. It would be utterly pointless, and certainly not premium...
In my defence, @Sol4ris, it is looking increasingly like there won't be another console, which I said a long time ago, and to which I have stuck. Instead we will be getting a PC, which I would argue in not a console.
Now, I have, in the past said that I felt there was only as low as an 80% chance of the PCBox being released, and then I changed that to 95% because I saw the rumours that production had already begun (or at least all the components were being accumulated), and I realised that there was every likelihood that basically the process was too far gone to be stopped.
I did say that contracts can be cancelled, and that the PCBox was not a given until it was confirmed. Now we have confirmation, so I would now say that the release of the PCBox is a certainty.
I remain to be convinced of it being a console though... 😉
That's ideal for you then, @FraserG. Honestly, I just want more details because right now we know virtually nothing. Hopefully we will hear more next week because the wait is killing me!
I too bought the Xbox One day one. I used it from day one too, but I never took the Kinect out of the wrapping. Never ever tried it. It's still in its box in the loft! 😂
I think the PCBox will come in close to £1500 - that's pounds sterling! That's around $2000. I know that sounds crazy, but if you sit down and look at mid to decent parts for a brand new PC, you'll be lucky to build a decent one for much less.
My gaming PC cost me £2200 ($2930) new 5 years ago, and I have since upgraded it by a further £1000. My mate bought a PC probably 2 years ago now, and he paid £4600 ($6140).
PCs are not cheap. Not decent ones anyway. If the PCBox really is a premium product, it will come complete with a premium price too...
Nice, @FraserG! Am I to take it that you would buy the PCBox day one (as I am likely to do)? Or does the company you work for buy it for you so you can work from home (which is how my neighbour acquired his new PC!)...?
I still have absolutely no idea how Steam can be available on the PCBox, and Microsoft expect people to buy from the Xbox Store instead. It makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever.
Last year, I did a random check on games that were due to release that month, and to buy a game on Steam instead of the Xbox would save you on average £10 per game. However, there was one game that was £30 cheaper on Steam than it was on the Xbox Store. That was a game that had not yet released, not one that was in a sale. But even then, Steam has massively more games than the Xbox Store, and when they have a sale the game prices are cut more deeply. In other words, you can nearly always buy your games more cheaply on Steam (or at the very least you can shop around for game codes which are cheaper).
Microsoft would literally make no money from any game purchased on Steam, unless, of course, it was a first party game where they would then get their usual return of 70%.
I honestly have no understanding of the rationale behind this thinking...
My gaming PC cost me £2200 when I bought it, @Gemini53. I have since upgraded it to the tune of around £1000.
My mate inherited a lot of money, and decided to treat himself to a new PC at a cost of £4600...!
A decent PC is not cheap, and I don't think the PCBox will be cheap either. I know people keep speculating $1000, but that is just £750 in Sterling, which would buy you a peanut with a rechargeable battery in the world of PCs! No way it'll cost a $1000 if it is in any way a capable machine...
Nice to have some definitive information straight from the horses mouth!
I still need more information though, but for now what I most want to know is WHEN will we getting our hands on it, and HOW MUCH will we be expected to pay?
Provide me with the answers to those two particular questions, and I just might get very excited...!
I much prefer the modern games to RE1, @Kaloudz, and I have a feeling that RE0 is of the same ilk. It's the movement and camera angle that I am not keen on.
I played the very first game back when it was available as Shareware on the PC. It came on a floppy disc attached to a magazine. It was pre-2000, and I remember getting stuck pretty early on. There was no internet to consult. No forums and no help! I don't believe there were any guides, and if there were I didn't have access to them. In fact, as I recall people would write into the games magazines and ask for help that way. It was a very drawn out process, and certainly a lot more difficult back then than it is today. Once you got stuck, that was it!
It was close to 20 years later that I played through the game properly for the first time. With the help of the internet, of course. 😉
Yeah, not sure I want someone else running around in my game. Knowing my luck, they'd heal Leon in Resident Evil: Requiem, and in doing so ruin my no heals run. Life has taught me to trust no one... 🤣
I didn't even know there were two versions of the game, @Kaloudz! 🤪
Anyway, I've just checked, and I have CVX. What is the difference between the two?
I also noticed, whilst checking which version I own, that whilst I do own each entry, including the originals and the remasters, I have not played Zero either. Otherwise I have played through them all..
I only went through the whole lot yesterday, only for them to add a whole load more now! I'm not sure I can summon the enthusiasm to go through the entire lot again. Took me about 40 minutes yesterday, with more added, it'll take an hour now... 😒
I always appreciate your posts, @themightyant. I think you are one of the very few who can be trusted pretty much all the time to be accurate.
I like to think I try to maintain a level of sincerity, although I do know that I am somewhat negative and pessimistic, but that is me. You are the product of your upbringing, environment and life experiences, and if life has treated you pretty shoddily, you are unlikely to be all sunshine and roses, after all. That's a little deep, but I'm sure you understand what I am getting at.
Anyway, keep doing what you do. I'm sure I'm not alone in appreciating the way you speak on these forums...
I'm as good as I ever get, thank you @Kaloudz...! 🤣
I do actually have the game, mate, I've just never got round to playing it. I hope they don't pander to the loud crowd and remove things that make it what it is. If people don't like the themes, don't play it. Simply really. Art is always subjective anyway.
I was actually going to play CV a year or so back, and then the first rumours of a remake started to circle, and so I decided to wait. Might have to find the time to fit it in some time soon...
Thank you for the detailed explanation, @themightyant. As @Coletrain says, I appreciate someone that is abreast of the financials. Plus, I believe you, though I'm not sure everyone here will... 😉
It does surprise me when I see people say exclusives don't matter because so many people only buy a second or third console so that they can access exclusives, @Gemini53. I buy a PlayStation so I can play Uncharted, etc. And I bought a Switch in order to play Zelda. I would not have bought either console if it has no been for the exclusives on offer as my Xbox gets greatly abused and the other consoles are there for only those exclusive occasions.
As you say, anyone that says exclusives are unimportant are kidding themselves, and it is true that anyone that believes Microsoft are being visionary for shedding exclusives is also kidding themselves. They are not being visionary, they are being reactionary. Reacting to the position they find themselves in. If Xbox were in the same position as PlayStation are right now, Xbox would still have exclusives, and indeed, most if not all of the ABK and Zenimax games would be exclusive too...
That's my thinking, @Balaam_. Await the Pro reviews in particular. I hate that they are keeping us waiting with so little time before the game releases. Ever it works well on consoles or it doesn't. We're going to find out soon enough anyway, so they may as well tell us now. DF is what I hope to hear from fairly soon. I seem to remember reading that they already have their hands on the game, but now I cannot recall where I read that...!
I've had my eye on this game since it was first revealed (back when people didn't believe it was actually a game!).
Personally, I cannot wait to play this. Then the question that begs to be asked is where should I play it? Xbox is my home. I have a Pro, and a gaming PC (although I dislike gaming on PC). I want to know where it plays best, then I'll know where to buy it...
Out of curiosity, @fatpunkslim, do you game on a home Xbox console or on a PC, or both? I know you have a handheld, and I obviously know you are an Xbox gamer, but I don't know what you game on.
I am most curious about the PC side of things; have you been playing much in the way of Steam (or whomever) games via the PC capabilities of your ROG Alloy?
Lastly, if you are so keen to get your hands on Steam, and don't already have a gaming PC, is there a reason why you don't just get one? Obviously you can build (or have built) a gaming PC that suits your needs, and which will immediately give you access to Steam etc. as well as still being able to play Xbox games on it. I'm just curious to know whether you either have a gaming PC or, if not, why you don't get one. Saves waiting around for Xbox to produce whatever they produce next, and if it does not have the PC access you want, then you'll have waited for no reason.
It's just a question borne of curosity. I'm not trying to catch you out in any way...
I was wrong about sales being 2% on PC, @fatpunkslim & @TrollOfWar. That 2% comes from software sales everywhere outside the PlayStation console.
In its most recent quarterly report, multiformat game sales accounted for approximately 2% of the division’s overall income, and that includes over a month of Helldivers 2 on Xbox as well.
I have no idea where the 40% notion is coming from. Someone has got there wires crossed somewhere because it was Sony themselves that spoke about the 2%, not some leaker or analyst. Sony...
Sony did give their revenue from PC as being just 2%, @fatpunkslim. That's 2% from which they then have to take the costs of actually making the ports, and then factor in whether they are losing sales of PlayStation consoles as a consequence of people picking up a PC instead of a PS5, which then of course, means that those people will be buying further third-party games on their PC's rather than PlayStation, which again loses Sony money. It is not just about sales, but about the ecosystem as you well know.
You do make a good point about there being far more games available on the next Xbox due to it having PC storefronts, but again, as we have discussed before, the PCBox is likely to be exceptionally niche purely because of its price point. If it comes in a £1000-£1500 or more still, it will have so few lifetime sales as to be almost irrelevant. Even at £1000 it is likely to have the least lifetime sales of any console ever.
I know you and I will probably pick up the PCBox come whatever, but if you are a casual player, or someone wanting to get into gaming for the first time, or a family wanting to buy a console for little Johnny, then you are highly unlikely to drop a £1000 or more on a console, when the PS6 will likely cost a few £100 less than that. Those people are less likely to be interested in the fact that they could access more games, because it will be the price that is the deciding factor.
I absolutely believe that this rumour, which has now been circulating since the end of last year, and which has been repeated by a number of fairly respected industry insiders, is true. I absolutely believe that Sony see the profits as too small, and the risks as too great, and that they will only put Live Service games everywhere in future, and not their single-player games. It always made sense to me that they would do this.
I think the only part of this that has surprised me is the cancelation of Ghost of Yotei, because as I said the other day, development of the port was probably already under way, so I expected it to be ported. If Yotei does not come out on PC by the end of 2027, I think you can take it as read that Sony's position of porting their games has changed...
Fantastic game. Deserves all the success. It is probably my favourite one of all time, and I think the only one I have not played is Code Veronica (which I hope is being remastered, as is rumoured)...
Thing is, @theduckofdeath, we all know that Microsoft make some money (sometimes a little, sometimes a lot) when they port a game to PlayStation, but it is not just about that individual game, it is also about the other games that people buy once they are within your ecosystem. That makes the data much harder to nail down because who's to say what else a person might buy once within your ecosystem? In other words, sales of a particular game on PlayStation do not tell the whole story...
Agreed, @ilyn. I think people look for reasons why exclusives don't matter, rather than accept that they do.
Now, I get the idea that when Forza 5 goes to PlayStation that it sells a boat load, and makes Microsoft happy. That I totally understand. However, what people miss is that if a game is exclusive to Xbox, and someone decides to buy an Xbox console based on that exclusive, they are then highly likely to buy further games on the Xbox. That means that whether or not they are exclusive to Xbox, that person is buying games that then provide Microsoft with money. It is not just that single game that is relevant. It is all the accumulated purchases that matter.
I've said it many times, but when Xbox decided to put their games on PC, it immediately meant that there would be PC gamers that then did not need to buy an Xbox when they otherwise would have done. It needs to be remembered that the reason that Xbox did this was down to the disastrous Xbox One launch, and the need to bring in extra revenue by branching out.
The exact same is true of Microsoft putting their games on PlayStation. And the reason for doing it is the same also. They had too. They were seeking funds that they were not gaining on the Xbox, and indeed PC, following much slower sales of the Series consoles than was needed to keep money flowing in. Same is true of Game Pass, which stalled around 30 million subscribers, when the target was 100 million.
Everything that Xbox / Microsoft have done since the launch of the Xbox One has been reactionary. Had the launch of the Xbox One been done right, we would likely still have exclusives now, and Xbox would possibly still be doing comparatively well when compared to PlayStation.
Ultimately, it's too late now for Xbox both in terms of consoles, and in terms of exclusives. I have no idea what Microsoft could possibly do now in order to save the brand beyond being the worlds biggest game publisher...
if sony rumour is true, it definitely pushing me even more to PS6...
If people still don't see why exclusives are important, @Millionski, then they should read what you wrote here. This is exactly why exclusives are important. It is not about stopping people on other platforms from playing a particular game. It is not about feeling superior regarding your chosen plastic box. It is about drawing people into a particular ecosystem. Plain and simple, and I never understand how people don't understand it.
Sure, there will be some that prefer the look of one console over another, or perhaps the controller, but you can get used to whichever controller, and for most of us, the console is under the TV out of sight, so what it looks like is not that important really.
It is (or should be) all about the games on offer, and maybe where your friends are, though with cross-play and Discord, that is much less important than it used to be.
Honestly, if it were not for exclusives, I would not have bought a PlayStation every generation since the OG Xbox arrived. I probably play only around 10 games total each generation on my PlayStation, whereas I play hundreds on my Xbox. However, the only games I play on my PlayStation are those games I cannot play on Xbox, so if Sony did away with exclusives, I would not buy their console. It really is as simple as that...
So I take it the answer is NEVER EVER, EVER buy a game, @TheKracken. NOT EVER!
That's the logic I take from your comment that buying games is insane. I mean, if you pick a game up in a sale for £50, that's still insane, right? Or maybe £20? Absolute insanity!
Highguard has just shuttered, and that was free, so can you imagine what would happen if a developer puts their game on sale, and absolutely no one buys it? It might end up on Game Pass but probably wouldn't because the studio would struggle to pay its running costs because, you know, they've got not money coming in because no one is buying their game. The probabilities are that the studio would just close shop and then they would be making no games at all.
You call me insane for buying games, but the insanity is actually the opposite. It's people not buying games that cause many of the problems, particularly those that don't buy a game because they hope it will land on Game Pass. What utter insanity...
Absolutely agree, @Grumblevolcano, this says to me that Microsoft were seeking a quick buck because otherwise they would have spaced these games out much better. No matter why they did it, it will undoubtedly harmed sales of the games because even the most avid among us is unlikely to buy all of those games in at full price in such a short period of time. Some of those games would take months to play too, so goodness knows what the thinking at Microsoft was...
I entirely agree, @16BitHero. Game Pass is not really aimed at the likes of me. It is aimed at the less discerning gamer. One that is happy to play what is offered, rather than find a game they actually want to play and buy it. That is not intended as a dig, I just think that is the way Game Pass operates because for the likes of myself, if I see a game that I want to play, I buy it. Usually day one too as I am not one to wait. Thus in case of Cyberpunk, I bought it by way of pre-order, and played it straightaway.
I think Game Pass is more aimed at people who are much less likely to buy their games, and are happy to play whatever happens to land on the service. I'm sure they are usually satisfied with what they get, but for me, being satisfied doesn't hit the mark. I'd rather buy Elden Ring, for example, and be exhilarated than play something that is of less quality than that game, but which is available on Game Pass.
For me, as someone that buys most of the big releases by way of pre-order, Game Pass offers me little in the way of value. I really only have it to access online, which is why I will either scrap the service altogether when my subscription ends, or if I still need it to play Gears with my mates, then I will get Essential.
It's a real shame that Microsoft can get away with charging console users for online access, when they don't do the same for PC gamers. It feels like a rip off, and I'm surprised that no one has attempted a Class Action on this and taken Microsoft to Court...
I will happily buy a Fallout remaster. I don't mind which it is, though I would prefer 3 but only because that was the first in the series I played back when it first released back in 2008.
I actually last played New Vegas in 2013 obtaining every achievement with a score 1655/1655, which, in hindsight, is a really odd way to score achievements...
I know it's not possible to be absolutely specific with the number of games sold, @Millionski, because Microsoft refuse to elaborate.
However, as a completely unscientific way of working things out, it is possible to see the following:
Forza 5 has 50,000 reviews Sea of Thieves has 20,000 reviews Indiana Jones has 11,000 reviews Gears of War: Reloaded has 10,000 reviews Hi-Fi Rush has 6,400 reviews Pentiment has 1,100 reviews
As I say, it is in no way scientific, but it does give some indication (perhaps!) as to which games are more successful than others. That said, I never leave reviews, and I know I'm not alone in that...
The difference between PlayStation and Xbox is... well, pretty much everything, @Millionski!
First off, I know you are not a fanboy, so let's get that out of the way. It would never even have crossed my mind.
However, if you look at the number of games that Sony have released on PC since the beginning of the last generation, and now, you would right say that Sony have just been dabbling in the idea. They have not fully committed to the notion.
On the other hand, Microsoft have put pretty much everything on PC since the beginning of the previous generation, and there is no turning that back. So even if Microsoft were to commit to no longer putting their games on PlayStation, they would still be chucking them on PC with reckless abandon.
The other issue is that Sony are in a position that they do not need to rescue the PS5 or their brand in general, whereas the same is not true of Xbox.
If Sony decide to cease PC ports, they will be reducing their revenue by 2%, but saving the costs of porting their games to PC in the first place. In other words, they will lose less than 2% of their revenue by ceasing PC ports.
Of course, it is impossible to specifically say how much money Microsoft would lose by not putting their games on PlayStation, but we know it would be a significant amount. Indeed, Microsoft likely make more money by selling their games on PlayStation alone than they make from PC and Xbox combined because Game Pass eats hugely into the number of games they sell on both platforms.
Ultimately, Microsoft could agree to bankroll Xbox having exclusives again. They could, but we all know they won't...
but don’t come here ruining it for others who have more open and eclectic tastes, right @Fiendish-Beaver?
Wait! What, @fatpunkslim? I know you like to make some very odd comments at times, it's one of your more endearing traits, and why I enjoy reading your posts, but this particular one is completely bewildering to me.
Can you please explain to me how I am 'ruining it for others' by my comment on the games entering Game Pass?
I mean, if Microsoft were to read my comment, and suddenly decide to pull everything above, then fair enough. However, I can assure you, I do not have that kind of clout. Wish that I did, because we would have a much better Game Pass service if I was in charge (well for me anyway!). 😂
Regardless, I assure you that every game in that list will be available on the specified date for you to enjoy at your leisure. I couldn't ruin it for anyone even if I tried, unless, of course, an image of me naked plagues your mind whilst your playing, in which case, fair enough... 🤣
That's me to a T, @ZeD. I play games I buy, rather than play games on Game Pass, and I stacked it because I thought I was getting a good deal, when in fact I was spending money needlessly. My only reason for needing Game Pass is to access online play because I play Gears 5 (which I own!) each weekend with a mate. As you say, you live and learn, and I too will be unlikely to renew my subscription when it comes to an end in June next year...
We do not know the proper figures for Xbox consoles sold, @fatpunkslim, and that is what I was specifically talking about. What we do know is that Sony have sold over 90 million PS5s now, which is something like 3 times the number of Xboxes sold. The problem is that Microsoft do not give us figures, meaning everything is guesswork and estimates when it comes to them. They are in no way transparent at all, other than in their efforts to be nontransparent, and then of course they roll PC into their numbers, which means you cannot definitively say how Xbox, in terms of consoles, is performing...
I'm signed up until June 2027, @Cakefish, and I signed up when you could do the EA conversion trick (which I assume you can no longer do) at a time when Game Pass had just previously been knocking it out of the park. Honestly, I look at Game Pass, and the very few games I play on it, and cannot help but think it was a waste of money for me, were it not for the need to have online access to play Gears 5 (which I own!) each weekend.
That's the one thing I hope that Microsoft do tell us about in the next few months; free online access for the PCBox. I know I can play via my PC now, but I really much prefer to game on my Series X as life is a lot simpler that way, but Microsoft making online free on consoles would garner them a lot of credit (and then make Sony look the bad guy for once!)... 😉
Another list of games that hold zero interest for me. Why, oh why, did I ever bother to stack Game Pass? What an absolute waste of money that transpired to be. I feel like a gambler that is constantly backing the horse that falls at the first fence in a race...
Agreed, @BAMozzy. I've said it a number of times now, but I can definitely see a future where an Xbox has been made by Dell for example. Problem is, you then end up in a market where you have various models on offer, all of them offering slightly differing things, and where the possibility of there being no set standard is available. Personally, I want my Xbox built by Microsoft as at least then there is a prospect of them having a base standard by which to develop their games too. Microsoft will undoubtedly be looking to make their future games primarily for the PC market, so if Dell (for example) bring out a budget Xbox console will Microsoft bother to optimise their games for it...?
You and me both, @Globo. I'm clearly not clever enough to work through this particular equation. The question is, can the equation be answered at all...?
Comments 4,610
Re: Next Xbox Console: Everything We Know So Far About Microsoft's Next-Gen System
£8, @Globo? Are you sure? You would need to have received around 10,000 points for that. Great is right, but I buy loads of games on the Xbox Store for £70-£100 at a time, and I never get close to 10,000 points in return.
Re: Microsoft Rewards Reduces 'Daily Set' Points Across Multiple Regions
Yes, I noticed this earlier today, @FraserG, but was waiting for an article on which to make this comment.
Where the Daily Poll and the Quiz etc. were awarding 10 points each yesterday, today they were 5 points each.
So, if you couple this with Microsoft having increased how many points you need in order to obtain a gift card, etc. then Microsoft appear to really not want us to bother trying to gain the points in the first place.
It really is becoming a case of it not being worth the effort...
Re: Talking Point: Will 'Project Helix' Be A Niche Device, Or An Xbox Console For The Masses?
I cannot see the Helix selling even close to the Series numbers, @BacklogBrad. I think Microsoft would bite your hand off if it sold even a quarter as many, and I think that will be their target. I think that target will be a maximum of 10 million units sold in its lifetime.
If the Helix costs £1000 or more, and the PS6 comes in at £800 or less, then many casuals that game on an Xbox will just more over to PlayStation. Families buying little Johnny his first ever console will opt for the cheapest one out of the two (though they will probably just get him a Switch, truth be told). Many people that already game on a Series console, when faced with the prospect of paying £1000 or more to upgrade, will probably just stay put on the Series consoles.
If the Helix sells more than 3 million consoles within the first 2 years, Ill be gobsmacked!
Ultimately, I think the Helix will prove very niche, and I have said it many times, but I think this is Microsoft's last throw of the dice in terms of consoles, and that probably around 3 years after launch they will just stop making them. On the other hand, if the Helix sells gangbusters, and is keeping pace with the PS6, then Microsoft will be delighted and we may even see another PCBox beyond the Helix.
My money is on the Helix selling fairly poorly when compared to previous generations. As much as I want Microsoft to succeed, I just don't think they have what it takes to draw people into their ecosystem...
Re: Next Xbox Console: Everything We Know So Far About Microsoft's Next-Gen System
I know what you meant about buying games on the Xbox Store, @Globo, but I would say this; last year when the rumours of Steam on the Helix first began to circulate, I checked something like 5 games that were available to pre-order on the Xbox Store, and then compared their prices to those for games either on Steam or available to buy for Steam via CDKeys (now called Loaded), and with those game 3 or them were available for £10 less each, and one was either £30 or £35 cheaper (I forget which now). Whilst the £35 was probably going to prove an exception, it does demonstrate that there are some fairly significant savings to be found should you want to buy via Steam instead of the Xbox Store. And of course, Steam has a lot more games, and when they have a sale they tend to cut the prices more deeply that Xbox.
Obviously you can make savings even when buying games on the Xbox Store if you buy a gift card from the likes of Loaded you can save £5 on every £50 card you buy, which can then reduce the overall how much you spend on a game.
Then it becomes an issue of how many games you buy in a given year. If you only buy 2 or 3, you might think that saving £20 or £30 is not worth it, and thus stick with the Xbox Store. However, if you are like me, who bought 37 games, all but 3 on the Xbox Store (each of them were Collector's Editions, so not bought via the store), then the potential savings of £100-£200 would probably be worth it...
Re: 'It Will Lead In Performance' - Xbox's Price Tag For Project Helix Could Be Pretty High
I entirely agree, @Sheppard. It is a bad idea, but I don't know what else Microsoft can do. If they truly are going to give us a premium device, as they say, then it cannot be cheap. Well, not unless Microsoft swallow around half of the cost of the device and then push it out the door for £750.
I mean, there would be a massive queue for the PCBox if you were getting a device that was costing Microsoft £1500, and they were charging us £750. Plus it needs to be remembered that if it was costing Microsoft £1500, that would be after they had already managed to negotiate cheaper component prices by negotiating with other companies. Effectively we would be getting a PC that would cost us around £2000 to build ourselves!
This is, the reality is that you basically have to pay well north of £1500 to build a decent PC, but even at that price, I don't think you could call it premium.
The net result is that if Microsoft offer us Helix at around £800, I would be very suspicious of its capabilities, and I certainly do not think it would qualify as premium. Indeed, if they do offer it at that sort of price, Helix is likely to be torn apart by the gaming community because you just cannot put out a decent PC for that sort of price, and we know that Microsoft will not be willing to swallow anything like 50% of the costs involved. Indeed, we keep hearing that the days of gaming devices being subsidised is over.
Regardless, it is going to be fascinating to see what Microsoft come up with, and how much they expect to be able to charge for it. I really hope they get it right, though for me, right is more about giving me a premium device than worrying about the cost, but that's just me...
Re: 'It Will Lead In Performance' - Xbox's Price Tag For Project Helix Could Be Pretty High
I honestly am not sure that Microsoft intend to stay in the console market anyway, @Globo. I've said it many times, but I reckon they will basically withdraw from the console market (or more likely just slap an Xbox sticker on PC's or consoles made by other manufacturers) around 3 years after the launch of the PCBox.
As for Sony, they won't put out a device as powerful, or as expensive to make as the PCBox, and will likely sell the PS5 for £800 maximum, possibly a little cheaper. Obviously, that won't include the disc drive again.
Ultimately, I think people will look at the PCBox, which will probably cost at least £1000 and the PS6, which will cost £800 at most, then weigh up which company offers the most certainty, and opt for the PS6. I think £800 is pretty much the most the Sony can get away with (although it will be closer to £900 once you have the disc drive and the stand!)...
I think the issue is that they have already signed contracts, already done the designs, already sorted the manufacturing sites, and are rumoured to have already begun to collate the components in readiness for building these machines, meaning that they are too far gone down the path of releasing them to stop now.
However, once they have put 2 or 3 million of the devices into the wild over a 3 year period, I think they will then just stop making them.
Re: 'It Will Lead In Performance' - Xbox's Price Tag For Project Helix Could Be Pretty High
Honestly, @Globo, take a look at PC prices. Take some time to put together a decent PC (or even a half-decent PC), then take, I don't know 20% off because of Microsoft's buying power. I think you will be shocked at how much PCs cost.
Honestly, if is costs less than £1500, you will not be getting a decent PC. Anything between £1000 and £1500 will be good to decent. Only when you get to £1500 and above do you actually start to wander into the realms of a premium PC.
It's not negativity. I'd love to be proven wrong because I bought the OG Xbox day one. I've pre-ordered every console they have done since then (except the XS). Every mid-generation refresh too. I have over 1700 games in my digital library and so I have every reason to want Xbox to succeed. However, I am not naïve to the costs of PCs, and I don't think Microsoft will subsidise the PCBox. They are putting up the prices of existing consoles, and the handheld costs £800 now and is rumoured to be going up in price fairly soon. I just cannot see how Microsoft can provide us with a 'premium' gaming PC, and keep the costs down. The two just don't go together...
Re: Xbox Announces New 'Project Helix' Console, Says It Will Play PC Games
I think it will be a PC first and foremost, @Ryu_117. What it will probably do is basically open up into a version of the Xbox app that is currently available on PC. Right now, you can set you PC to open the Xbox app or Steam etc. on start up. I imagine that will be exactly what we will get with the PCBox.
Whether you can get the PCBox to boot straight into Steam remains to be seen. I want a console like experience from Xbox, and I guess even if it is just opening up directly into the Xbox app, that will still make it feel like a console, but I don't think that will stop it actually being a PC...
Re: Next Xbox Console: Everything We Know So Far About Microsoft's Next-Gen System
We know almost nothing for certain, it's mostly all rumour...
What do you mean we know almost nothing for certain, @themightyant? Did you not read all the facts in the comment above yours?
Joking... 🤣
Re: 'It Will Lead In Performance' - Xbox's Price Tag For Project Helix Could Be Pretty High
I absolutely agree that it would be a terrible idea for the PCBox to cost so much, @Sheppard. The problem is you cannot have both a premium PC and a cheap one. PC components cost a great deal of money, and even Microsoft would struggle to make a decent PC that is affordable.
If Microsoft bring out a PC and tell us it costs just £800 ($1065) then you are looking at the equivalent of a peanut with a rechargeable battery attached. It would be utterly pointless, and certainly not premium...
Re: Xbox Announces New 'Project Helix' Console, Says It Will Play PC Games
In my defence, @Sol4ris, it is looking increasingly like there won't be another console, which I said a long time ago, and to which I have stuck. Instead we will be getting a PC, which I would argue in not a console.
Now, I have, in the past said that I felt there was only as low as an 80% chance of the PCBox being released, and then I changed that to 95% because I saw the rumours that production had already begun (or at least all the components were being accumulated), and I realised that there was every likelihood that basically the process was too far gone to be stopped.
I did say that contracts can be cancelled, and that the PCBox was not a given until it was confirmed. Now we have confirmation, so I would now say that the release of the PCBox is a certainty.
I remain to be convinced of it being a console though... 😉
Re: Xbox Announces New 'Project Helix' Console, Says It Will Play PC Games
That's ideal for you then, @FraserG. Honestly, I just want more details because right now we know virtually nothing. Hopefully we will hear more next week because the wait is killing me!
I too bought the Xbox One day one. I used it from day one too, but I never took the Kinect out of the wrapping. Never ever tried it. It's still in its box in the loft! 😂
Re: 'It Will Lead In Performance' - Xbox's Price Tag For Project Helix Could Be Pretty High
I think the PCBox will come in close to £1500 - that's pounds sterling! That's around $2000. I know that sounds crazy, but if you sit down and look at mid to decent parts for a brand new PC, you'll be lucky to build a decent one for much less.
My gaming PC cost me £2200 ($2930) new 5 years ago, and I have since upgraded it by a further £1000. My mate bought a PC probably 2 years ago now, and he paid £4600 ($6140).
PCs are not cheap. Not decent ones anyway. If the PCBox really is a premium product, it will come complete with a premium price too...
Re: Xbox Announces New 'Project Helix' Console, Says It Will Play PC Games
Nice, @FraserG! Am I to take it that you would buy the PCBox day one (as I am likely to do)? Or does the company you work for buy it for you so you can work from home (which is how my neighbour acquired his new PC!)...?
Re: Xbox Announces New 'Project Helix' Console, Says It Will Play PC Games
I still have absolutely no idea how Steam can be available on the PCBox, and Microsoft expect people to buy from the Xbox Store instead. It makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever.
Last year, I did a random check on games that were due to release that month, and to buy a game on Steam instead of the Xbox would save you on average £10 per game. However, there was one game that was £30 cheaper on Steam than it was on the Xbox Store. That was a game that had not yet released, not one that was in a sale. But even then, Steam has massively more games than the Xbox Store, and when they have a sale the game prices are cut more deeply. In other words, you can nearly always buy your games more cheaply on Steam (or at the very least you can shop around for game codes which are cheaper).
Microsoft would literally make no money from any game purchased on Steam, unless, of course, it was a first party game where they would then get their usual return of 70%.
I honestly have no understanding of the rationale behind this thinking...
Re: Xbox Announces New 'Project Helix' Console, Says It Will Play PC Games
What games have you been playing from Steam that you could not otherwise play, @FraserG? Anything of interest...?
Re: Xbox Announces New 'Project Helix' Console, Says It Will Play PC Games
My gaming PC cost me £2200 when I bought it, @Gemini53. I have since upgraded it to the tune of around £1000.
My mate inherited a lot of money, and decided to treat himself to a new PC at a cost of £4600...!
A decent PC is not cheap, and I don't think the PCBox will be cheap either. I know people keep speculating $1000, but that is just £750 in Sterling, which would buy you a peanut with a rechargeable battery in the world of PCs! No way it'll cost a $1000 if it is in any way a capable machine...
Re: Xbox Announces New 'Project Helix' Console, Says It Will Play PC Games
Nice to have some definitive information straight from the horses mouth!
I still need more information though, but for now what I most want to know is WHEN will we getting our hands on it, and HOW MUCH will we be expected to pay?
Provide me with the answers to those two particular questions, and I just might get very excited...!
Re: Free Play Days: Try These Xbox Games For Free (March 5-8)
I wouldn't mind having a look at Black Desert. It looks like something I might enjoy.
Has anyone actually played it? Can it be played entirely solo, and if so what is it like to play that way? Thanks...
Re: Resident Evil Requiem Hits Incredible Sales Milestone In Less Than A Week
I much prefer the modern games to RE1, @Kaloudz, and I have a feeling that RE0 is of the same ilk. It's the movement and camera angle that I am not keen on.
I played the very first game back when it was available as Shareware on the PC. It came on a floppy disc attached to a magazine. It was pre-2000, and I remember getting stuck pretty early on. There was no internet to consult. No forums and no help! I don't believe there were any guides, and if there were I didn't have access to them. In fact, as I recall people would write into the games magazines and ask for help that way. It was a very drawn out process, and certainly a lot more difficult back then than it is today. Once you got stuck, that was it!
It was close to 20 years later that I played through the game properly for the first time. With the help of the internet, of course. 😉
Damn I'm old... 😂
Re: Microsoft Has Explored Allowing AI & Other Xbox Players To Help Control Your Games
Yeah, not sure I want someone else running around in my game. Knowing my luck, they'd heal Leon in Resident Evil: Requiem, and in doing so ruin my no heals run. Life has taught me to trust no one... 🤣
Re: Resident Evil Requiem Hits Incredible Sales Milestone In Less Than A Week
I didn't even know there were two versions of the game, @Kaloudz! 🤪
Anyway, I've just checked, and I have CVX. What is the difference between the two?
I also noticed, whilst checking which version I own, that whilst I do own each entry, including the originals and the remasters, I have not played Zero either. Otherwise I have played through them all..
Re: Xbox Drops Major Games To Their 'Lowest Price Ever' In Today's New Sales (March 5)
I only went through the whole lot yesterday, only for them to add a whole load more now! I'm not sure I can summon the enthusiasm to go through the entire lot again. Took me about 40 minutes yesterday, with more added, it'll take an hour now... 😒
Re: Next Xbox Console Could Be Affected By PlayStation Pulling Back On PC
I always appreciate your posts, @themightyant. I think you are one of the very few who can be trusted pretty much all the time to be accurate.
I like to think I try to maintain a level of sincerity, although I do know that I am somewhat negative and pessimistic, but that is me. You are the product of your upbringing, environment and life experiences, and if life has treated you pretty shoddily, you are unlikely to be all sunshine and roses, after all. That's a little deep, but I'm sure you understand what I am getting at.
Anyway, keep doing what you do. I'm sure I'm not alone in appreciating the way you speak on these forums...
Re: Resident Evil Requiem Hits Incredible Sales Milestone In Less Than A Week
I'm as good as I ever get, thank you @Kaloudz...! 🤣
I do actually have the game, mate, I've just never got round to playing it. I hope they don't pander to the loud crowd and remove things that make it what it is. If people don't like the themes, don't play it. Simply really. Art is always subjective anyway.
I was actually going to play CV a year or so back, and then the first rumours of a remake started to circle, and so I decided to wait. Might have to find the time to fit it in some time soon...
Re: Next Xbox Console Could Be Affected By PlayStation Pulling Back On PC
Thank you for the detailed explanation, @themightyant. As @Coletrain says, I appreciate someone that is abreast of the financials. Plus, I believe you, though I'm not sure everyone here will... 😉
Re: Resident Evil Requiem Hits Incredible Sales Milestone In Less Than A Week
Good to hear from you, @Kaloudz. Hope you are okay, matey.
Interesting about CV, what are the issues with it that might lead to it being boycotted...?
Re: Xbox Head Doubles Down On The Importance Of Console, Says It's A 'Reference Experience'
It does surprise me when I see people say exclusives don't matter because so many people only buy a second or third console so that they can access exclusives, @Gemini53. I buy a PlayStation so I can play Uncharted, etc. And I bought a Switch in order to play Zelda. I would not have bought either console if it has no been for the exclusives on offer as my Xbox gets greatly abused and the other consoles are there for only those exclusive occasions.
As you say, anyone that says exclusives are unimportant are kidding themselves, and it is true that anyone that believes Microsoft are being visionary for shedding exclusives is also kidding themselves. They are not being visionary, they are being reactionary. Reacting to the position they find themselves in. If Xbox were in the same position as PlayStation are right now, Xbox would still have exclusives, and indeed, most if not all of the ABK and Zenimax games would be exclusive too...
Re: Crimson Desert Impresses In Previews As Dev Urges Patience For Xbox & PS5 Footage
That's my thinking, @Balaam_. Await the Pro reviews in particular. I hate that they are keeping us waiting with so little time before the game releases. Ever it works well on consoles or it doesn't. We're going to find out soon enough anyway, so they may as well tell us now. DF is what I hope to hear from fairly soon. I seem to remember reading that they already have their hands on the game, but now I cannot recall where I read that...!
Re: Crimson Desert Impresses In Previews As Dev Urges Patience For Xbox & PS5 Footage
I've had my eye on this game since it was first revealed (back when people didn't believe it was actually a game!).
Personally, I cannot wait to play this. Then the question that begs to be asked is where should I play it? Xbox is my home. I have a Pro, and a gaming PC (although I dislike gaming on PC). I want to know where it plays best, then I'll know where to buy it...
Re: Next Xbox Console Could Be Affected By PlayStation Pulling Back On PC
Out of curiosity, @fatpunkslim, do you game on a home Xbox console or on a PC, or both? I know you have a handheld, and I obviously know you are an Xbox gamer, but I don't know what you game on.
I am most curious about the PC side of things; have you been playing much in the way of Steam (or whomever) games via the PC capabilities of your ROG Alloy?
Lastly, if you are so keen to get your hands on Steam, and don't already have a gaming PC, is there a reason why you don't just get one? Obviously you can build (or have built) a gaming PC that suits your needs, and which will immediately give you access to Steam etc. as well as still being able to play Xbox games on it. I'm just curious to know whether you either have a gaming PC or, if not, why you don't get one. Saves waiting around for Xbox to produce whatever they produce next, and if it does not have the PC access you want, then you'll have waited for no reason.
It's just a question borne of curosity. I'm not trying to catch you out in any way...
Re: Next Xbox Console Could Be Affected By PlayStation Pulling Back On PC
I was wrong about sales being 2% on PC, @fatpunkslim & @TrollOfWar. That 2% comes from software sales everywhere outside the PlayStation console.
In its most recent quarterly report, multiformat game sales accounted for approximately 2% of the division’s overall income, and that includes over a month of Helldivers 2 on Xbox as well.
That is a quote taken from this article:
https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2025/11/very-vague-rumour-claims-sony-may-scale-back-pc-ports-of-ps5-games
I have no idea where the 40% notion is coming from. Someone has got there wires crossed somewhere because it was Sony themselves that spoke about the 2%, not some leaker or analyst. Sony...
Re: Next Xbox Console Could Be Affected By PlayStation Pulling Back On PC
Sony did give their revenue from PC as being just 2%, @fatpunkslim. That's 2% from which they then have to take the costs of actually making the ports, and then factor in whether they are losing sales of PlayStation consoles as a consequence of people picking up a PC instead of a PS5, which then of course, means that those people will be buying further third-party games on their PC's rather than PlayStation, which again loses Sony money. It is not just about sales, but about the ecosystem as you well know.
You do make a good point about there being far more games available on the next Xbox due to it having PC storefronts, but again, as we have discussed before, the PCBox is likely to be exceptionally niche purely because of its price point. If it comes in a £1000-£1500 or more still, it will have so few lifetime sales as to be almost irrelevant. Even at £1000 it is likely to have the least lifetime sales of any console ever.
I know you and I will probably pick up the PCBox come whatever, but if you are a casual player, or someone wanting to get into gaming for the first time, or a family wanting to buy a console for little Johnny, then you are highly unlikely to drop a £1000 or more on a console, when the PS6 will likely cost a few £100 less than that. Those people are less likely to be interested in the fact that they could access more games, because it will be the price that is the deciding factor.
I absolutely believe that this rumour, which has now been circulating since the end of last year, and which has been repeated by a number of fairly respected industry insiders, is true. I absolutely believe that Sony see the profits as too small, and the risks as too great, and that they will only put Live Service games everywhere in future, and not their single-player games. It always made sense to me that they would do this.
I think the only part of this that has surprised me is the cancelation of Ghost of Yotei, because as I said the other day, development of the port was probably already under way, so I expected it to be ported. If Yotei does not come out on PC by the end of 2027, I think you can take it as read that Sony's position of porting their games has changed...
Re: Resident Evil Requiem Hits Incredible Sales Milestone In Less Than A Week
Fantastic game. Deserves all the success. It is probably my favourite one of all time, and I think the only one I have not played is Code Veronica (which I hope is being remastered, as is rumoured)...
Re: Xbox Head Doubles Down On The Importance Of Console, Says It's A 'Reference Experience'
Thing is, @theduckofdeath, we all know that Microsoft make some money (sometimes a little, sometimes a lot) when they port a game to PlayStation, but it is not just about that individual game, it is also about the other games that people buy once they are within your ecosystem. That makes the data much harder to nail down because who's to say what else a person might buy once within your ecosystem? In other words, sales of a particular game on PlayStation do not tell the whole story...
Re: Xbox Head Doubles Down On The Importance Of Console, Says It's A 'Reference Experience'
Agreed, @ilyn. I think people look for reasons why exclusives don't matter, rather than accept that they do.
Now, I get the idea that when Forza 5 goes to PlayStation that it sells a boat load, and makes Microsoft happy. That I totally understand. However, what people miss is that if a game is exclusive to Xbox, and someone decides to buy an Xbox console based on that exclusive, they are then highly likely to buy further games on the Xbox. That means that whether or not they are exclusive to Xbox, that person is buying games that then provide Microsoft with money. It is not just that single game that is relevant. It is all the accumulated purchases that matter.
I've said it many times, but when Xbox decided to put their games on PC, it immediately meant that there would be PC gamers that then did not need to buy an Xbox when they otherwise would have done. It needs to be remembered that the reason that Xbox did this was down to the disastrous Xbox One launch, and the need to bring in extra revenue by branching out.
The exact same is true of Microsoft putting their games on PlayStation. And the reason for doing it is the same also. They had too. They were seeking funds that they were not gaining on the Xbox, and indeed PC, following much slower sales of the Series consoles than was needed to keep money flowing in. Same is true of Game Pass, which stalled around 30 million subscribers, when the target was 100 million.
Everything that Xbox / Microsoft have done since the launch of the Xbox One has been reactionary. Had the launch of the Xbox One been done right, we would likely still have exclusives now, and Xbox would possibly still be doing comparatively well when compared to PlayStation.
Ultimately, it's too late now for Xbox both in terms of consoles, and in terms of exclusives. I have no idea what Microsoft could possibly do now in order to save the brand beyond being the worlds biggest game publisher...
Re: Xbox Head Doubles Down On The Importance Of Console, Says It's A 'Reference Experience'
if sony rumour is true, it definitely pushing me even more to PS6...
If people still don't see why exclusives are important, @Millionski, then they should read what you wrote here. This is exactly why exclusives are important. It is not about stopping people on other platforms from playing a particular game. It is not about feeling superior regarding your chosen plastic box. It is about drawing people into a particular ecosystem. Plain and simple, and I never understand how people don't understand it.
Sure, there will be some that prefer the look of one console over another, or perhaps the controller, but you can get used to whichever controller, and for most of us, the console is under the TV out of sight, so what it looks like is not that important really.
It is (or should be) all about the games on offer, and maybe where your friends are, though with cross-play and Discord, that is much less important than it used to be.
Honestly, if it were not for exclusives, I would not have bought a PlayStation every generation since the OG Xbox arrived. I probably play only around 10 games total each generation on my PlayStation, whereas I play hundreds on my Xbox. However, the only games I play on my PlayStation are those games I cannot play on Xbox, so if Sony did away with exclusives, I would not buy their console. It really is as simple as that...
Re: Three Games Are Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (March 3)
So I take it the answer is NEVER EVER, EVER buy a game, @TheKracken. NOT EVER!
That's the logic I take from your comment that buying games is insane. I mean, if you pick a game up in a sale for £50, that's still insane, right? Or maybe £20? Absolute insanity!
Highguard has just shuttered, and that was free, so can you imagine what would happen if a developer puts their game on sale, and absolutely no one buys it? It might end up on Game Pass but probably wouldn't because the studio would struggle to pay its running costs because, you know, they've got not money coming in because no one is buying their game. The probabilities are that the studio would just close shop and then they would be making no games at all.
You call me insane for buying games, but the insanity is actually the opposite. It's people not buying games that cause many of the problems, particularly those that don't buy a game because they hope it will land on Game Pass. What utter insanity...
Re: Xbox Head Doubles Down On The Importance Of Console, Says It's A 'Reference Experience'
Absolutely agree, @Grumblevolcano, this says to me that Microsoft were seeking a quick buck because otherwise they would have spaced these games out much better. No matter why they did it, it will undoubtedly harmed sales of the games because even the most avid among us is unlikely to buy all of those games in at full price in such a short period of time. Some of those games would take months to play too, so goodness knows what the thinking at Microsoft was...
Re: These Seven Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass, Including Three Big Additions (March 4-17)
I entirely agree, @16BitHero. Game Pass is not really aimed at the likes of me. It is aimed at the less discerning gamer. One that is happy to play what is offered, rather than find a game they actually want to play and buy it. That is not intended as a dig, I just think that is the way Game Pass operates because for the likes of myself, if I see a game that I want to play, I buy it. Usually day one too as I am not one to wait. Thus in case of Cyberpunk, I bought it by way of pre-order, and played it straightaway.
I think Game Pass is more aimed at people who are much less likely to buy their games, and are happy to play whatever happens to land on the service. I'm sure they are usually satisfied with what they get, but for me, being satisfied doesn't hit the mark. I'd rather buy Elden Ring, for example, and be exhilarated than play something that is of less quality than that game, but which is available on Game Pass.
For me, as someone that buys most of the big releases by way of pre-order, Game Pass offers me little in the way of value. I really only have it to access online, which is why I will either scrap the service altogether when my subscription ends, or if I still need it to play Gears with my mates, then I will get Essential.
It's a real shame that Microsoft can get away with charging console users for online access, when they don't do the same for PC gamers. It feels like a rip off, and I'm surprised that no one has attempted a Class Action on this and taken Microsoft to Court...
Re: Support Studio Teases That It's Working With Xbox & Bethesda On Fallout, Potentially Remasters
I will happily buy a Fallout remaster. I don't mind which it is, though I would prefer 3 but only because that was the first in the series I played back when it first released back in 2008.
I actually last played New Vegas in 2013 obtaining every achievement with a score 1655/1655, which, in hindsight, is a really odd way to score achievements...
Re: Xbox Head Doubles Down On The Importance Of Console, Says It's A 'Reference Experience'
I know it's not possible to be absolutely specific with the number of games sold, @Millionski, because Microsoft refuse to elaborate.
However, as a completely unscientific way of working things out, it is possible to see the following:
Forza 5 has 50,000 reviews
Sea of Thieves has 20,000 reviews
Indiana Jones has 11,000 reviews
Gears of War: Reloaded has 10,000 reviews
Hi-Fi Rush has 6,400 reviews
Pentiment has 1,100 reviews
As I say, it is in no way scientific, but it does give some indication (perhaps!) as to which games are more successful than others. That said, I never leave reviews, and I know I'm not alone in that...
Re: Xbox Head Doubles Down On The Importance Of Console, Says It's A 'Reference Experience'
The difference between PlayStation and Xbox is... well, pretty much everything, @Millionski!
First off, I know you are not a fanboy, so let's get that out of the way. It would never even have crossed my mind.
However, if you look at the number of games that Sony have released on PC since the beginning of the last generation, and now, you would right say that Sony have just been dabbling in the idea. They have not fully committed to the notion.
On the other hand, Microsoft have put pretty much everything on PC since the beginning of the previous generation, and there is no turning that back. So even if Microsoft were to commit to no longer putting their games on PlayStation, they would still be chucking them on PC with reckless abandon.
The other issue is that Sony are in a position that they do not need to rescue the PS5 or their brand in general, whereas the same is not true of Xbox.
If Sony decide to cease PC ports, they will be reducing their revenue by 2%, but saving the costs of porting their games to PC in the first place. In other words, they will lose less than 2% of their revenue by ceasing PC ports.
Of course, it is impossible to specifically say how much money Microsoft would lose by not putting their games on PlayStation, but we know it would be a significant amount. Indeed, Microsoft likely make more money by selling their games on PlayStation alone than they make from PC and Xbox combined because Game Pass eats hugely into the number of games they sell on both platforms.
Ultimately, Microsoft could agree to bankroll Xbox having exclusives again. They could, but we all know they won't...
Re: These Seven Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass, Including Three Big Additions (March 4-17)
but don’t come here ruining it for others who have more open and eclectic tastes, right @Fiendish-Beaver?
Wait! What, @fatpunkslim? I know you like to make some very odd comments at times, it's one of your more endearing traits, and why I enjoy reading your posts, but this particular one is completely bewildering to me.
Can you please explain to me how I am 'ruining it for others' by my comment on the games entering Game Pass?
I mean, if Microsoft were to read my comment, and suddenly decide to pull everything above, then fair enough. However, I can assure you, I do not have that kind of clout. Wish that I did, because we would have a much better Game Pass service if I was in charge (well for me anyway!). 😂
Regardless, I assure you that every game in that list will be available on the specified date for you to enjoy at your leisure. I couldn't ruin it for anyone even if I tried, unless, of course, an image of me naked plagues your mind whilst your playing, in which case, fair enough... 🤣
Re: These Seven Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass, Including Three Big Additions (March 4-17)
That's me to a T, @ZeD. I play games I buy, rather than play games on Game Pass, and I stacked it because I thought I was getting a good deal, when in fact I was spending money needlessly. My only reason for needing Game Pass is to access online play because I play Gears 5 (which I own!) each weekend with a mate. As you say, you live and learn, and I too will be unlikely to renew my subscription when it comes to an end in June next year...
Re: Xbox Head Doubles Down On The Importance Of Console, Says It's A 'Reference Experience'
We do not know the proper figures for Xbox consoles sold, @fatpunkslim, and that is what I was specifically talking about. What we do know is that Sony have sold over 90 million PS5s now, which is something like 3 times the number of Xboxes sold. The problem is that Microsoft do not give us figures, meaning everything is guesswork and estimates when it comes to them. They are in no way transparent at all, other than in their efforts to be nontransparent, and then of course they roll PC into their numbers, which means you cannot definitively say how Xbox, in terms of consoles, is performing...
Re: These Seven Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass, Including Three Big Additions (March 4-17)
I'm signed up until June 2027, @Cakefish, and I signed up when you could do the EA conversion trick (which I assume you can no longer do) at a time when Game Pass had just previously been knocking it out of the park. Honestly, I look at Game Pass, and the very few games I play on it, and cannot help but think it was a waste of money for me, were it not for the need to have online access to play Gears 5 (which I own!) each weekend.
That's the one thing I hope that Microsoft do tell us about in the next few months; free online access for the PCBox. I know I can play via my PC now, but I really much prefer to game on my Series X as life is a lot simpler that way, but Microsoft making online free on consoles would garner them a lot of credit (and then make Sony look the bad guy for once!)... 😉
Re: These Seven Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass, Including Three Big Additions (March 4-17)
Another list of games that hold zero interest for me. Why, oh why, did I ever bother to stack Game Pass? What an absolute waste of money that transpired to be. I feel like a gambler that is constantly backing the horse that falls at the first fence in a race...
Re: 'Is Xbox Ending?' - The Official Answer Is No, But A Recent Interview Clearly Caused Panic
Agreed, @BAMozzy. I've said it a number of times now, but I can definitely see a future where an Xbox has been made by Dell for example. Problem is, you then end up in a market where you have various models on offer, all of them offering slightly differing things, and where the possibility of there being no set standard is available. Personally, I want my Xbox built by Microsoft as at least then there is a prospect of them having a base standard by which to develop their games too. Microsoft will undoubtedly be looking to make their future games primarily for the PC market, so if Dell (for example) bring out a budget Xbox console will Microsoft bother to optimise their games for it...?
Re: Xbox Head Doubles Down On The Importance Of Console, Says It's A 'Reference Experience'
All problems far above my pay grade.
You and me both, @Globo. I'm clearly not clever enough to work through this particular equation. The question is, can the equation be answered at all...?