Cronos: The New Dawn was my Game of the Year last year, @ILuvGames. I absolutely loved it and got every achievement in it. I'm really hoping that they make a sequel...
Xbox Series X - King Arthur: Knight's Tale very much enjoying this turn-based fantasy game. It has a lot of replayability too, based on whatever decisions you make.
Xbox Series X - Gears 5 Horde with my mate and my youngest son (22). We are currently undertaking Master Hordes as a trio, which as the event is meant to be extremely difficult, and played by a team of 5, is proving very challenging with just 3 of us. That's said, we have now managed to Master 13 of the 37 maps over the past few months.
PS5 - Has not been switched on since I finished Ghost of Yotei back in October 2025.
Switch - Has not been switched on for about 3 years...!
PC - Not been used for gaming since December 2023...
That Menace trailer is awesome. Such high quality CGi trailer. No gameplay though. However, if the gameplay is up to the standard of the trailer then those that game on a PC are in for a treat. I might even be tempted to play on my PC, which I just never do...
If you read through these ALL of these comments, as I have, I think it is easy to see that Game Pass is in a lot of trouble. Particularly Ultimate.
I said I thought that Game Pass would be a thing of the past three years after the arrival of the PCBox. Microsoft will support it so long as they can use it to support the sales of their newest console, but once sales have peaked and subsided, Game Pass will be reassessed (as will their continued support of consoles!), and then it will be shuttered.
Microsoft only increased the cost of Game Pass the way they did because it was not bringing in the revenue that it once was, and had not reached the heights that they had once estimated. You only increase the price of by 50% for one of two reasons; it is not paying for itself and thus you are losing money on it, or pure greed. I think it was the case of the former. Problem is, that it would seem, if you take these comments as an indication, that more people have been driven away from the product, than have remained to support it at the higher costs.
As an rough example, to highlight what I am saying; if Game Pass cost £100 a year, and was paid for by 100 people then the service would be bringing in £10,000 a year. If you increase it by 50% then everyone would be paying £150, which would then bring in £15,000 a year for Microsoft. However, if then 50% of subscribers quit the service, then Microsoft are only receiving £7,500 a year from those remaining subscribers.
Obviously, I am just using easy numbers to highlight my point, which is that I think Game Pass is in serious trouble, if you read the comments here. I've been saying it for a while, but I don't think it will be here much beyond 2030, and indeed could be gone before then.
Lastly, I would not be shocked if Microsoft somehow bring in a way to block people stacking Game Pass, as having people stacked for 3 years when they want to end the service will be very problematic for them...
My problem is that I like to have the best version of everything, @ILuvGames. Thus rather than have the lowest tier of Game Pass, I opted for the highest, even though I really done need it because I don't really use it. When I got my Ultimate, I did the EA conversation trick, so it wasn't that expensive. I'm just not sure I'd bother now, but I do prefer to game on my Xbox console, so I may still need Game Pass again in 2027, but time will tell.
I will be getting the Collector's Edition of E-Day, and also the one for Fable, assuming they do one. And therein lies my problem, I much prefer to buy my games....
I stacked 3 years of Game Pass that expires in June 2027. When I stacked it, I thought it was a good idea, but I play so few games on it that it really wasn't. I played just one game on the service last year, and bought outright all the games I wanted to play, even those that entered Game Pass. In all honesty, the only reason I need Game Pass is for online access, and if I really wanted to, I could play via my gaming PC so as to do away with the need for Game Pass altogether.
If my Game Pass were not stacked until 2027, I would undoubtedly not have Game Pass at all, and when it does end in 2027 I most likely will not renew it, although by then we will either have the PCBox, or at least have a good idea of what it will be (assuming that it is not either further delayed or cancelled!)...
Just the performance, @VisitingComet1. It has been widely reported that it is very choppy in places, with crashes etc.. I'm not knocking the actual gameplay, but what I am getting at is that I want the performance to be much better in any Fallout remaster...
The game may be very good, and indeed look nice, @Jlesamiz, but do not conflate that with the game's performance, which is truly bad, particularly over on PlayStation...
Unfortunately, some people take this hobby of playing games way too seriously. Good luck to the team behind Japanese Drift Racing, this was clearly just a joke...
I know, @Weebleman. I know! I simply cannot help myself. I don't pretend that I know what is going to happen, thus I always say, 'I think'. I try to use reason and logic, and also attempt to see things in the light of how I personally would do things. Of course I can be wrong, and I'm not afraid to admit when I do get things wrong. When you are not in control of events, and have no inside knowledge, you are bound to be incorrect every now and again.
I just like to explain things as best as I can. Say how I think things will proceed, and be thoughtful in what I say.
What I will say though, is that you cannot look at the way things were being done, and conclude that is how it will always be done. If that were the case, all this talk of when a game will appear on PlayStation would be entirely irrelevant because they would not be going there in the first place due to the fact that they were exclusive to Xbox!
We'll see, @fatpunkslim, and possibly very soon. I'm sure you have seen the rumours that the only reason that FH6 is not releasing day and date on the PlayStation is because they started the port too late in development for them to get it out of the door at the same time.
It absolutely makes sense for them to release the game as soon as possible on the PlayStation because Microsoft would rather people pay for the game than play it on Game Pass.
I'm only saying 6 months because that way it can release in time for Christmas thus boosting sales. Yes, FH5 had a lot of success on the PlayStation despite it taking 5 years to get there, but you have to factor in that there was nothing like it on the PlayStation at the time. So yes, there was a lot of anticipation and excitement for the game when it arrived. You won't quite have the same for FH6, particuarly not if you make them wait as you have just as much chance of annoying gamers and have them decide to retaliate by buying the game in a sale a few months after it releases on the PlayStation, thus costing Microsoft money.
Although I have said November, it could just as easily be sooner than that. It all depends on when the port is ready, because that is the only reason that it is not releasing day and date on PlayStation.
This upcoming Developer Direct will be very interesting because it is possible that some of this discussion between us will be put to bed if Microsoft actually confirm when games will hit PlayStation, and if that coincides with when they arrive on the Xbox...
I agree, @Sakai, the numbers are dubious because you would think that Microsoft or Bethesda would comment on them if they were as high as that on the Xbox alone. The numbers are self-evident on Steam, but that is not the case on Xbox, and therefore much of it is guesswork...
Out of curiosity, @ILuvGames, I have never played State of Decay; do you need to have played the first game to understand and enjoy the second? And which is the better game of the two...?
CoD is undoubtedly a massive game, @ILuvGames. There is no denying that! However, there were reports saying that the last game sold 60% fewer copies than the previous entry, the point being that if you normally sell 10,000,000 copies, and then sell 60% fewer copies, you are still selling 4,000,000 copies, which is still more than most games do. Obviously, I am not using the right numbers, and in fact they are probably higher than I am saying. My point is, that you can still be nigh on the number one selling game, and still sell vastly fewer than normal, and thus cause concern for Microsoft. Enough concern that you would not want to release another game, albeit completely different in nature, in the same timeframe.
At the end of the day, I honestly have no idea, and I'm just trying to look through it with a lens of what I, personally, would do, which probably means Microsoft won't do what I'm thinking, because I would suggest that what I am saying is pretty sensible, which is not something we can always attribute to Microsoft... 😉
Fallout 4 is one of my favourite games of all time. I put a couple of thousand hours into it, and got every single achievement, including for all the DLCs.
Have to admit to being tempted to jump back into it myself, but my time just does not permit me to do so right now, not whilst I have so many more recent releases to be playing. Brilliant game though.
Now we just have to hope that the rumoured Fallout 3 - Remaster is real (and that they do a better job of it than they did with Elder Scrolls: Oblivion)...
I wonder how many people actually play these type of games?
Personally, whilst I was gaming when these games first released, I have absolutely no desire to return to them. They are of their era, and were made within the limitations of that time. There are simply far more superior, readily available games available now that I would much prefer to play.
Choice is always great, and having these games able to be played by those that are interested, is better than them not being available, but they simply are not for me...
I totally agree with you, @Markatron84. I think though that added into this equation is that Microsoft want us, the gamer, to know that the game is still coming, is progressing well, and they have a level of confidence in it. Basically, they don't want us to think this is another Perfect Dark scenario.
However, with all that said, I think the game will get a release window, rather than a specific date. I think that release window will most likely be Fall of this year, from which it will then slip into early next year.
That said, even though I think they will specify Fall, if they do actually give a specific date, then I think it will be in June of this year. I know that might seem a little contradictory, but basically I think if they only give us a release window it is because they are not confident enough to give us a specific date, and therefore the likelihood is that they will want to give Playground Games a decent amount of time to push the game out, albeit I think the game will subsequently slip from that window...
I get your thinking, @Godot25, and you may well be right, though I do think that if Fable is releasing this year, it will be in the first half, because the second half is going to be very congested. As I said above, I think if we are just given a release window (which I think is the most likely scenario) then I think there is a massive chance of the game then being further delayed into early next year.
One reason though, to show the game off now, is to show some confidence in the game, and to prevent speculation that it will go the way of Perfect Dark.
When it comes to E-Day the game is traditionally shown in the Summer Showcase, and then released in the September time period, so there is good reason as to why it won't be at this Developer Direct...
I take you point, @Kezelpaso, but even if 6 were to release on the PS5 in May, 5 will still receive a final bump in sales before then. The rumours are that the only reason for the unintentional period of Xbox exclusivity is because they started work on the PS5 version later in development. Unfortunately, I don't think we will ever know for certain...
I think if we do not see a release date for Fable at this the Developer Direct, @Markatron84, it will pretty much confirm (without actually confirming) that the game will be delayed into 2027. Even if they do give a release window, be it an actual month, or a period (Summer, etc.) I still think the strong likelihood is that it will be delayed, which is a shame as I am very much looking forward to it...
Funny thing is, @Godot25, I think both Fable and GTA 6 will be delayed, which opens up the months nicely for many other games.
If you look at the music industry right now, many big name artists are announcing that they will be releasing their albums this year. Why, and how is that relevant to the games industry? Well, last year, all these artists held off releasing their music so as not to clash with the behemoth that is Taylor Swift, and GTA is the Taylor Swift of the games industry.
Thus, just as we suddenly saw a raft of new games when GTA 6 was delayed last year, we will likely see another splurge of new games when the pretty much inevitable delay of GTA 6 is announced later this year...
The fact that Forza Horizon 5 did so well on the PlayStation is the reason that Microsoft will want to capitalise on that success with Forza Horizon 6.
Thus, FH6 will release on the Xbox this May, and then on the PlayStation this November. That 6 months is not an intentional period of exclusivity, it is simply because Playground Games began work too late on the PS5 version to get it out of the door at the same time.
From here on out you can put money on all Xbox made games to release day and date on the PlayStation...
Yes, that does sound the right way to do it, @PartyMarty. I have never deliberately killed someone (that I don't know!), but I have had plenty of people walk in front of me meaning I have unavoidably shot them. I play a lot of Horde with my son, and my mate, and you often hear our characters telling one of our team not to shoot them. Fortunately friendly-fire is not on in that game, but it does go to show that it happens unintentionally all the time...
I don't think they will release any game that will be in the same month a Call of Duty, @ILuvGames. CoD is already known to be struggling, that's the first reason, but the second is that unless Microsoft are releasing in excess of 12 games, why would they release more than one game in a month? That would make no sense to me at all...
That sounds good, @Weebleman. I seem to remember trying all I could to avoid the combat in the first game because it was pretty challenging. I haven't played the Director's Cut yet, which I know has more combat in it (or at least there are parts with more, I'm not sure which). I do want to go through it again though. It'll be nice to pop those achievements too... 😉
I'll repost my predictions here, but I reckon this will be the months we will see each game:
May: Forza Horizon 6
July: Fable (although I still think it will be delayed until next year). Day and date on the PlayStation too.
August (or June if Fable is delayed): Halo: Combat Evolved
September: Gears Of War: E-day. Day and date on the PlayStation too.
October: Call of Duty as it will want to avoid the November release of GTA 6 (assuming it isn't delayed again, which I think it will be).
November: Forza Horizon 6 on PlayStation.
That still leaves the possibilities of Fallout 3: Remastered and, if we are really lucky, maybe even Gears of War 2: Reloaded that could be released in the quieter months...
I did enjoy the first one, @Weebleman. I spent a long time playing it, trying desperately to deliver all the packages. The combat was pretty tricky at times, has to be said...
I haven't played the Director's Cut, but did play the game when it first released on the PlayStation, and very much enjoyed it.
I did take advantage of the half-price release on the Xbox, and intend to play it pretty soon as I bought the Collector's Edition of the second game last year, and want to refresh my memory before diving in, and playing the Xbox version seems only appropriate...!
Thank you, @Cherip-the-Ripper. What if you have an accidental friendly-fire incident? I used to play Halo (I think it was 2, but it may have been 3) multiplayer, and I remember every now and again I would get kicked from a match for accidentally killing a teammate.
To this day one particular incident still rankles me; I threw a grenade into a room in which there were a couple of enemies, and then one of my teammates ran into the room and was killed by the grenade. He then kicked me! I mean, he wasn't there initially, there is obviously a slight delay before a thrown grenade goes off, and how was I supposed to know that he was going to run into the room?
You can probably tell from the above that it still annoys me...! 😂
In the another Pure article, I said I thought Forza 6 would release on the Xbox in May, and that it would release on the PlayStation late this year in time for the Holiday sales. Thus far it looks as if I am half right.
I made several other predictions:
May: Forza
July: Fable (although I still think it will be delayed until next year)
August (or June if Fable is delayed): Halo: Combat Evolved
September: Gears Of War: E-day
October: Call of Duty as it will want to avoid the November release of GTA 6.
There is still a possibility that we will see Fallout 3: Remastered this year, and maybe even Gears of War 2: Reloaded, if we are really lucky.
It will be interesting to see how right I prove to be... 😉
I also had a discussion with others on these forums in which I said about Forza releasing in time for Christmas, saying that Microsoft will want to capitalise on the success enjoyed by Forza 5.
I have to say, it is fun to make these slightly educated guesses; reading between the lines, and trying to think on these things through the lens of business.
I really enjoyed the first game, and although I bought the edition that came with the DLC, I never went back to it in order to complete them. Now I'm left wondering whether I should play through the first game again in readiness for it's sequel, not least because I don't remember what happened to Jesse Faden as apparently it is her brother that is now the protagonist for the sequel. Regardless, I shall be buying this game just before its release and diving in straight away as I cannot wait...
My first memory is of Xbox is going into Game, here in Plymouth, and collecting my pre-ordered OG Xbox on day one. At the time I was on CID, and the store was just over the road from the Police Station I worked at. I remember putting it on my desk, and the hours just crawling past as I waited to finish work so that I could get home and plug it in.
Obviously I was showing off by putting it on my desk, but only a few of my colleagues had any idea of what it was as most were not gamers, and the few that were owned a PS1/PS2 (both of which I also had), so most weren't really that interested, much to my disappointment! 😂
My only problem was that it was supposed to be a combined birthday and Christmas present bought for me by my wife, but I didn't want to wait until Christmas! My solution was to buy my wife some perfume, and thankfully she relented, and let me set it up, though she took all but one game off of me to put aside for my birthday/Christmas. I seem to recall that it was Project Gotham Racing that she let me start with, but my memory is a little hazy now...
Thanks, @GeeEssEff & @fatpunkslim. I think I'll have to watch my son playing it to try and make an assessment. I do appreciate the comments. I haven't ever played anything like it in recent times, but I used to play Halo 2 and one of the CoDs around the same time. I was not particularly good against real people, but against AI I can usually get by.
I am intrigued by this game (and Helldivers 2) so I may just give it a go. If I can prise the controller out of my son's hands, then maybe he'll let me have a go on his game, rather than me buying it myself... 😂
If I remember rightly, Peter Molyneux has a habit of making claims that don't quite come to fruition. If he says it's a 10, then it's probably an 8. I do like his games though, so I hope this turns out well and arrives on consoles promptly...
I really do not understand how you get the impression that I am defending PlayStation, @fatpunkslim, because I am not. I am simply making a comparison in sales numbers. That's not defending them, it's literally pointing out the facts and figures. The fact that Sony is selling more consoles than Microsoft is beyond question, but my pointing that out is not so that I can praise Sony, it is pointing out how dismally Xbox is doing by comparison.
The point is, if I were to tell someone that Xbox sold 20 million consoles in 2025, they would likely think that is very good, because they do not have all the facts. If I then tell them that the biggest rival to the Xbox sold 60 million consoles in 2025, the fact that Xbox is doing a lot worse becomes apparent. That's not me praising Sony, that's me pointing out that Xbox is floundering by comparison. It cannot be helped that the facts and figures paint Xbox in a worse light. It simply is what it is. I cannot help how that is perceived. What I will say though, is firstly, the figures above are made up and used just for illustrative purposes, but secondly, it also explains why Microsoft stopped providing us with the facts and figures in the first place, because it soon became apparent that they were doing far, far worse than PlayStation, and the easiest way to conceal this from people not in the know is to not provide those details.
If I were to describe what's happening in terms of a football match; it would be like watching your team being resoundingly beaten by another team. If I then say the other team beat mine, I am not praising that team, just pointing out they beat mine. I would be stating a fact. It cannot be helped that it paints my team in a worse light. It simply is what it is!
So no, I am not defending Sony or PlayStation. I have no need or desire to do so...
You get me entirely wrong, @fatpunkslim. I'll put money on it that I spent more on gaming on my Xbox in 2025 than anyone else here. Over £1100 on games, over £600 on Xbox controllers, and a further £170 on an Xbox headset. When it comes to my PS5, I spent just over £400 on games (2 Collector's Editions, and 2 other games for a combined total of £22.49). That's not me boasting, that's me saying that I am heavily, heavily invested in Xbox.
I know you have a handheld, and thus you have access to PlayStation games on it. Doubtless you use Cloud too. And that's great. For you. I on the other hand, do not have a handheld and do not use Cloud, and only have Game Pass so that I can game online with my mates (I don't play games on Game Pass as I prefer to own them), so what good are those to me? It would be like giving a Ferrari to a blind man; you seem to want him to be grateful for something that he has no use for!
As I said above, I am Xbox through and through, however, I am not so blinkered as to not see Xbox as in serious trouble. It's not what I want, it's simply a fact. It's not that I set out to be critical, but I say it as I see it, which is, I'm sure, what you do. You see the sun and blue skies, I see the clouds on the horizon and the impeding downpour. It's just a matter of perspective.
Does PlayStation have problems? Absolutely it does. However, to suggest that Sony are having as many problems as Microsoft, or that the problems are of the same magnitude, is completely erroneous. Sony is not being forced to make changes to the way they do things, because they are not facing the same issues.
Was the PS5 Pro a disappointment to some? Absolutely it was, though there are just as many who are entirely happy with it. Add to that that the PS5 Pro PSSR is going to get a game-changing (literally) update this year, and the Pro will likely get a new lease of life, not that it interests me as I barely play my PS5 now, so I have no desire for a Pro. Indeed, I played just 2 games on my PS5 last year.
What I think you are missing is that yes, consoles in general, are selling fewer devices, but Sony is still taking a huge chunk of the pie when compared to Xbox. Xbox sold 39% fewer consoles in 2025 than it did in 2024 when it sold 29% fewer consoles than it did in 2023. Conversely, Sony sold 15% fewer consoles last year, which was still more than Xbox by a long way. Sony has comfortably outsold Xbox every single year. Even at the start they were selling twice as many consoles, but as time has gone on, that has swollen to three times or more each and every year.
At some point you need to ask yourself why Microsoft keep increasing the cost of their consoles, keep increasing the cost of their subscriptions, why they are porting their games to the PlayStation, why they looking to make the change to a premium priced PCBox next time round rather than another standard console. None of this was the game plan at the start of the generation. This is all in reaction to the troubles that have befallen Xbox during this generation. Rumours of the delay to the PCBox, are, in my opinion, the worst thing that can possibly happen to Xbox because if the delay does happen then it significantly increases the possibility of the PCBox being cancelled altogether, which is the last thing the industry needs, and the last thing that I want...
Yes, I remember reading it at the time, @oopsiezz. The comment has not aged that well really either because 4 of the titles he mentions have already been confirmed as heading over to the PlayStation, and undoubtedly more will follow...
Comments 4,249
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (January 17-18)
Cronos: The New Dawn was my Game of the Year last year, @ILuvGames. I absolutely loved it and got every achievement in it. I'm really hoping that they make a sequel...
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (January 17-18)
Xbox Series X - King Arthur: Knight's Tale very much enjoying this turn-based fantasy game. It has a lot of replayability too, based on whatever decisions you make.
Xbox Series X - Gears 5 Horde with my mate and my youngest son (22). We are currently undertaking Master Hordes as a trio, which as the event is meant to be extremely difficult, and played by a team of 5, is proving very challenging with just 3 of us. That's said, we have now managed to Master 13 of the 37 maps over the past few months.
PS5 - Has not been switched on since I finished Ghost of Yotei back in October 2025.
Switch - Has not been switched on for about 3 years...!
PC - Not been used for gaming since December 2023...
Re: Three Games Are Confirmed For Xbox Game Pass In February 2026 So Far
That Menace trailer is awesome. Such high quality CGi trailer. No gameplay though. However, if the gameplay is up to the standard of the trailer then those that game on a PC are in for a treat. I might even be tempted to play on my PC, which I just never do...
Re: These 20+ Games Are Coming To Xbox Next Week (January 19-23)
What's the asterisk for at the end of Intergrade, @FraserG...? 🤔
Re: Talking Point: How Do You Feel About Xbox Game Pass In 2026?
If you read through these ALL of these comments, as I have, I think it is easy to see that Game Pass is in a lot of trouble. Particularly Ultimate.
I said I thought that Game Pass would be a thing of the past three years after the arrival of the PCBox. Microsoft will support it so long as they can use it to support the sales of their newest console, but once sales have peaked and subsided, Game Pass will be reassessed (as will their continued support of consoles!), and then it will be shuttered.
Microsoft only increased the cost of Game Pass the way they did because it was not bringing in the revenue that it once was, and had not reached the heights that they had once estimated. You only increase the price of by 50% for one of two reasons; it is not paying for itself and thus you are losing money on it, or pure greed. I think it was the case of the former. Problem is, that it would seem, if you take these comments as an indication, that more people have been driven away from the product, than have remained to support it at the higher costs.
As an rough example, to highlight what I am saying; if Game Pass cost £100 a year, and was paid for by 100 people then the service would be bringing in £10,000 a year. If you increase it by 50% then everyone would be paying £150, which would then bring in £15,000 a year for Microsoft. However, if then 50% of subscribers quit the service, then Microsoft are only receiving £7,500 a year from those remaining subscribers.
Obviously, I am just using easy numbers to highlight my point, which is that I think Game Pass is in serious trouble, if you read the comments here. I've been saying it for a while, but I don't think it will be here much beyond 2030, and indeed could be gone before then.
Lastly, I would not be shocked if Microsoft somehow bring in a way to block people stacking Game Pass, as having people stacked for 3 years when they want to end the service will be very problematic for them...
Re: Talking Point: How Do You Feel About Xbox Game Pass In 2026?
My problem is that I like to have the best version of everything, @ILuvGames. Thus rather than have the lowest tier of Game Pass, I opted for the highest, even though I really done need it because I don't really use it. When I got my Ultimate, I did the EA conversation trick, so it wasn't that expensive. I'm just not sure I'd bother now, but I do prefer to game on my Xbox console, so I may still need Game Pass again in 2027, but time will tell.
I will be getting the Collector's Edition of E-Day, and also the one for Fable, assuming they do one. And therein lies my problem, I much prefer to buy my games....
Re: Talking Point: How Do You Feel About Xbox Game Pass In 2026?
I stacked 3 years of Game Pass that expires in June 2027. When I stacked it, I thought it was a good idea, but I play so few games on it that it really wasn't. I played just one game on the service last year, and bought outright all the games I wanted to play, even those that entered Game Pass. In all honesty, the only reason I need Game Pass is for online access, and if I really wanted to, I could play via my gaming PC so as to do away with the need for Game Pass altogether.
If my Game Pass were not stacked until 2027, I would undoubtedly not have Game Pass at all, and when it does end in 2027 I most likely will not renew it, although by then we will either have the PCBox, or at least have a good idea of what it will be (assuming that it is not either further delayed or cancelled!)...
Re: Bethesda's Fallout Resurgence Is In Full Swing As FO4 Hits Almost 100K Daily Players On Xbox
Just the performance, @VisitingComet1. It has been widely reported that it is very choppy in places, with crashes etc.. I'm not knocking the actual gameplay, but what I am getting at is that I want the performance to be much better in any Fallout remaster...
Re: Bethesda's Fallout Resurgence Is In Full Swing As FO4 Hits Almost 100K Daily Players On Xbox
The game may be very good, and indeed look nice, @Jlesamiz, but do not conflate that with the game's performance, which is truly bad, particularly over on PlayStation...
Re: 'This Blew Up Way Out Of Proportion' - JDM Dev Insists Forza Comment Was Just A Joke
Unfortunately, some people take this hobby of playing games way too seriously. Good luck to the team behind Japanese Drift Racing, this was clearly just a joke...
Re: Forza Horizon 5 PS5 Sales Beat Sony's Biggest 2025 Exclusive In Europe, Other Xbox Games Make Top 20
I know, @Weebleman. I know! I simply cannot help myself. I don't pretend that I know what is going to happen, thus I always say, 'I think'. I try to use reason and logic, and also attempt to see things in the light of how I personally would do things. Of course I can be wrong, and I'm not afraid to admit when I do get things wrong. When you are not in control of events, and have no inside knowledge, you are bound to be incorrect every now and again.
I just like to explain things as best as I can. Say how I think things will proceed, and be thoughtful in what I say.
What I will say though, is that you cannot look at the way things were being done, and conclude that is how it will always be done. If that were the case, all this talk of when a game will appear on PlayStation would be entirely irrelevant because they would not be going there in the first place due to the fact that they were exclusive to Xbox!
Anyway, I quite enjoy the back and forth...
Re: Forza Horizon 5 PS5 Sales Beat Sony's Biggest 2025 Exclusive In Europe, Other Xbox Games Make Top 20
We'll see, @fatpunkslim, and possibly very soon. I'm sure you have seen the rumours that the only reason that FH6 is not releasing day and date on the PlayStation is because they started the port too late in development for them to get it out of the door at the same time.
It absolutely makes sense for them to release the game as soon as possible on the PlayStation because Microsoft would rather people pay for the game than play it on Game Pass.
I'm only saying 6 months because that way it can release in time for Christmas thus boosting sales. Yes, FH5 had a lot of success on the PlayStation despite it taking 5 years to get there, but you have to factor in that there was nothing like it on the PlayStation at the time. So yes, there was a lot of anticipation and excitement for the game when it arrived. You won't quite have the same for FH6, particuarly not if you make them wait as you have just as much chance of annoying gamers and have them decide to retaliate by buying the game in a sale a few months after it releases on the PlayStation, thus costing Microsoft money.
Although I have said November, it could just as easily be sooner than that. It all depends on when the port is ready, because that is the only reason that it is not releasing day and date on PlayStation.
This upcoming Developer Direct will be very interesting because it is possible that some of this discussion between us will be put to bed if Microsoft actually confirm when games will hit PlayStation, and if that coincides with when they arrive on the Xbox...
Re: If Forza Horizon 6's Leaked Launch Date Is Real, Xbox's 2026 Schedule Is Shaping Up Very Nicely
Is it a game that can be played entirely solo, @ILuvGames? I don't like people...! 😂
Re: Bethesda's Fallout Resurgence Is In Full Swing As FO4 Hits Almost 100K Daily Players On Xbox
Precisely, @Sakai. It is basically educated guesses at best. May not even be that educated...
Re: Bethesda's Fallout Resurgence Is In Full Swing As FO4 Hits Almost 100K Daily Players On Xbox
I agree, @Sakai, the numbers are dubious because you would think that Microsoft or Bethesda would comment on them if they were as high as that on the Xbox alone. The numbers are self-evident on Steam, but that is not the case on Xbox, and therefore much of it is guesswork...
Re: If Forza Horizon 6's Leaked Launch Date Is Real, Xbox's 2026 Schedule Is Shaping Up Very Nicely
Out of curiosity, @ILuvGames, I have never played State of Decay; do you need to have played the first game to understand and enjoy the second? And which is the better game of the two...?
Re: If Forza Horizon 6's Leaked Launch Date Is Real, Xbox's 2026 Schedule Is Shaping Up Very Nicely
CoD is undoubtedly a massive game, @ILuvGames. There is no denying that! However, there were reports saying that the last game sold 60% fewer copies than the previous entry, the point being that if you normally sell 10,000,000 copies, and then sell 60% fewer copies, you are still selling 4,000,000 copies, which is still more than most games do. Obviously, I am not using the right numbers, and in fact they are probably higher than I am saying. My point is, that you can still be nigh on the number one selling game, and still sell vastly fewer than normal, and thus cause concern for Microsoft. Enough concern that you would not want to release another game, albeit completely different in nature, in the same timeframe.
At the end of the day, I honestly have no idea, and I'm just trying to look through it with a lens of what I, personally, would do, which probably means Microsoft won't do what I'm thinking, because I would suggest that what I am saying is pretty sensible, which is not something we can always attribute to Microsoft... 😉
Re: Two Xbox Game Studios Titles Will Compete For The Same Outstanding Visuals Award At VES 2026
If I were to put money on this, it'll either go to Death Stranding: On The Beach or Ghost of Yotei. Both look very impressive visually...
Re: Bethesda's Fallout Resurgence Is In Full Swing As FO4 Hits Almost 100K Daily Players On Xbox
Fallout 4 is one of my favourite games of all time. I put a couple of thousand hours into it, and got every single achievement, including for all the DLCs.
Have to admit to being tempted to jump back into it myself, but my time just does not permit me to do so right now, not whilst I have so many more recent releases to be playing. Brilliant game though.
Now we just have to hope that the rumoured Fallout 3 - Remaster is real (and that they do a better job of it than they did with Elder Scrolls: Oblivion)...
Re: Four New Games Added To Retro Classics On Xbox Game Pass In January 2026
I wonder how many people actually play these type of games?
Personally, whilst I was gaming when these games first released, I have absolutely no desire to return to them. They are of their era, and were made within the limitations of that time. There are simply far more superior, readily available games available now that I would much prefer to play.
Choice is always great, and having these games able to be played by those that are interested, is better than them not being available, but they simply are not for me...
Re: If Forza Horizon 6's Leaked Launch Date Is Real, Xbox's 2026 Schedule Is Shaping Up Very Nicely
I totally agree with you, @Markatron84. I think though that added into this equation is that Microsoft want us, the gamer, to know that the game is still coming, is progressing well, and they have a level of confidence in it. Basically, they don't want us to think this is another Perfect Dark scenario.
However, with all that said, I think the game will get a release window, rather than a specific date. I think that release window will most likely be Fall of this year, from which it will then slip into early next year.
That said, even though I think they will specify Fall, if they do actually give a specific date, then I think it will be in June of this year. I know that might seem a little contradictory, but basically I think if they only give us a release window it is because they are not confident enough to give us a specific date, and therefore the likelihood is that they will want to give Playground Games a decent amount of time to push the game out, albeit I think the game will subsequently slip from that window...
Re: If Forza Horizon 6's Leaked Launch Date Is Real, Xbox's 2026 Schedule Is Shaping Up Very Nicely
I get your thinking, @Godot25, and you may well be right, though I do think that if Fable is releasing this year, it will be in the first half, because the second half is going to be very congested. As I said above, I think if we are just given a release window (which I think is the most likely scenario) then I think there is a massive chance of the game then being further delayed into early next year.
One reason though, to show the game off now, is to show some confidence in the game, and to prevent speculation that it will go the way of Perfect Dark.
When it comes to E-Day the game is traditionally shown in the Summer Showcase, and then released in the September time period, so there is good reason as to why it won't be at this Developer Direct...
Re: Forza Horizon 5 PS5 Sales Beat Sony's Biggest 2025 Exclusive In Europe, Other Xbox Games Make Top 20
I take you point, @Kezelpaso, but even if 6 were to release on the PS5 in May, 5 will still receive a final bump in sales before then. The rumours are that the only reason for the unintentional period of Xbox exclusivity is because they started work on the PS5 version later in development. Unfortunately, I don't think we will ever know for certain...
Re: If Forza Horizon 6's Leaked Launch Date Is Real, Xbox's 2026 Schedule Is Shaping Up Very Nicely
I think if we do not see a release date for Fable at this the Developer Direct, @Markatron84, it will pretty much confirm (without actually confirming) that the game will be delayed into 2027. Even if they do give a release window, be it an actual month, or a period (Summer, etc.) I still think the strong likelihood is that it will be delayed, which is a shame as I am very much looking forward to it...
Re: If Forza Horizon 6's Leaked Launch Date Is Real, Xbox's 2026 Schedule Is Shaping Up Very Nicely
Funny thing is, @Godot25, I think both Fable and GTA 6 will be delayed, which opens up the months nicely for many other games.
If you look at the music industry right now, many big name artists are announcing that they will be releasing their albums this year. Why, and how is that relevant to the games industry? Well, last year, all these artists held off releasing their music so as not to clash with the behemoth that is Taylor Swift, and GTA is the Taylor Swift of the games industry.
Thus, just as we suddenly saw a raft of new games when GTA 6 was delayed last year, we will likely see another splurge of new games when the pretty much inevitable delay of GTA 6 is announced later this year...
Re: Forza Horizon 5 PS5 Sales Beat Sony's Biggest 2025 Exclusive In Europe, Other Xbox Games Make Top 20
The fact that Forza Horizon 5 did so well on the PlayStation is the reason that Microsoft will want to capitalise on that success with Forza Horizon 6.
Thus, FH6 will release on the Xbox this May, and then on the PlayStation this November. That 6 months is not an intentional period of exclusivity, it is simply because Playground Games began work too late on the PS5 version to get it out of the door at the same time.
From here on out you can put money on all Xbox made games to release day and date on the PlayStation...
Re: ARC Raiders Is Handing Out A Free Gift On Xbox To Celebrate Huge Sales & Player Numbers
Yes, that does sound the right way to do it, @PartyMarty. I have never deliberately killed someone (that I don't know!), but I have had plenty of people walk in front of me meaning I have unavoidably shot them. I play a lot of Horde with my son, and my mate, and you often hear our characters telling one of our team not to shoot them. Fortunately friendly-fire is not on in that game, but it does go to show that it happens unintentionally all the time...
Re: If Forza Horizon 6's Leaked Launch Date Is Real, Xbox's 2026 Schedule Is Shaping Up Very Nicely
I don't think they will release any game that will be in the same month a Call of Duty, @ILuvGames. CoD is already known to be struggling, that's the first reason, but the second is that unless Microsoft are releasing in excess of 12 games, why would they release more than one game in a month? That would make no sense to me at all...
Re: Xbox Partners With Kojima To Fix Major Save Bug In Death Stranding Director's Cut
That sounds good, @Weebleman. I seem to remember trying all I could to avoid the combat in the first game because it was pretty challenging. I haven't played the Director's Cut yet, which I know has more combat in it (or at least there are parts with more, I'm not sure which). I do want to go through it again though. It'll be nice to pop those achievements too... 😉
Re: If Forza Horizon 6's Leaked Launch Date Is Real, Xbox's 2026 Schedule Is Shaping Up Very Nicely
I'll repost my predictions here, but I reckon this will be the months we will see each game:
May: Forza Horizon 6
July: Fable (although I still think it will be delayed until next year). Day and date on the PlayStation too.
August (or June if Fable is delayed): Halo: Combat Evolved
September: Gears Of War: E-day. Day and date on the PlayStation too.
October: Call of Duty as it will want to avoid the November release of GTA 6 (assuming it isn't delayed again, which I think it will be).
November: Forza Horizon 6 on PlayStation.
That still leaves the possibilities of Fallout 3: Remastered and, if we are really lucky, maybe even Gears of War 2: Reloaded that could be released in the quieter months...
Re: Xbox Partners With Kojima To Fix Major Save Bug In Death Stranding Director's Cut
I did enjoy the first one, @Weebleman. I spent a long time playing it, trying desperately to deliver all the packages. The combat was pretty tricky at times, has to be said...
Re: ARC Raiders Is Handing Out A Free Gift On Xbox To Celebrate Huge Sales & Player Numbers
Cool. Thank you, @PartyMarty. That's a pretty neat system. I'm not the sort to do it deliberately, but accidents do happen...!
Re: Xbox Partners With Kojima To Fix Major Save Bug In Death Stranding Director's Cut
I haven't played the Director's Cut, but did play the game when it first released on the PlayStation, and very much enjoyed it.
I did take advantage of the half-price release on the Xbox, and intend to play it pretty soon as I bought the Collector's Edition of the second game last year, and want to refresh my memory before diving in, and playing the Xbox version seems only appropriate...!
Re: ARC Raiders Is Handing Out A Free Gift On Xbox To Celebrate Huge Sales & Player Numbers
Thank you, @Cherip-the-Ripper. What if you have an accidental friendly-fire incident? I used to play Halo (I think it was 2, but it may have been 3) multiplayer, and I remember every now and again I would get kicked from a match for accidentally killing a teammate.
To this day one particular incident still rankles me; I threw a grenade into a room in which there were a couple of enemies, and then one of my teammates ran into the room and was killed by the grenade. He then kicked me! I mean, he wasn't there initially, there is obviously a slight delay before a thrown grenade goes off, and how was I supposed to know that he was going to run into the room?
You can probably tell from the above that it still annoys me...! 😂
Re: Xbox Might Have Just Revealed Forza Horizon 6's Release Date
Maybe I psychic, or maybe I'm an Insider...!
In the another Pure article, I said I thought Forza 6 would release on the Xbox in May, and that it would release on the PlayStation late this year in time for the Holiday sales. Thus far it looks as if I am half right.
I made several other predictions:
May: Forza
July: Fable (although I still think it will be delayed until next year)
August (or June if Fable is delayed): Halo: Combat Evolved
September: Gears Of War: E-day
October: Call of Duty as it will want to avoid the November release of GTA 6.
There is still a possibility that we will see Fallout 3: Remastered this year, and maybe even Gears of War 2: Reloaded, if we are really lucky.
It will be interesting to see how right I prove to be... 😉
I also had a discussion with others on these forums in which I said about Forza releasing in time for Christmas, saying that Microsoft will want to capitalise on the success enjoyed by Forza 5.
https://www.purexbox.com/news/2026/01/forza-horizon-5-hits-huge-sales-milestone-in-its-first-year-on-ps5-according-to-new-estimates
I have to say, it is fun to make these slightly educated guesses; reading between the lines, and trying to think on these things through the lens of business.
Re: Talking Point: As Xbox Celebrates 25 Years, What's Your First Ever Xbox Memory?
Brixham is lovely part of Devon, @Titntin. Small world, isn't it... 👍
Re: Control Resonant 'Isn't A Safe Sequel' And Will Be Remedy's 'Most Ambitious Game' On Xbox
I really enjoyed the first game, and although I bought the edition that came with the DLC, I never went back to it in order to complete them. Now I'm left wondering whether I should play through the first game again in readiness for it's sequel, not least because I don't remember what happened to Jesse Faden as apparently it is her brother that is now the protagonist for the sequel. Regardless, I shall be buying this game just before its release and diving in straight away as I cannot wait...
Re: Talking Point: As Xbox Celebrates 25 Years, What's Your First Ever Xbox Memory?
My first memory is of Xbox is going into Game, here in Plymouth, and collecting my pre-ordered OG Xbox on day one. At the time I was on CID, and the store was just over the road from the Police Station I worked at. I remember putting it on my desk, and the hours just crawling past as I waited to finish work so that I could get home and plug it in.
Obviously I was showing off by putting it on my desk, but only a few of my colleagues had any idea of what it was as most were not gamers, and the few that were owned a PS1/PS2 (both of which I also had), so most weren't really that interested, much to my disappointment! 😂
My only problem was that it was supposed to be a combined birthday and Christmas present bought for me by my wife, but I didn't want to wait until Christmas! My solution was to buy my wife some perfume, and thankfully she relented, and let me set it up, though she took all but one game off of me to put aside for my birthday/Christmas. I seem to recall that it was Project Gotham Racing that she let me start with, but my memory is a little hazy now...
Re: ARC Raiders Is Handing Out A Free Gift On Xbox To Celebrate Huge Sales & Player Numbers
Thanks, @GeeEssEff & @fatpunkslim. I think I'll have to watch my son playing it to try and make an assessment. I do appreciate the comments. I haven't ever played anything like it in recent times, but I used to play Halo 2 and one of the CoDs around the same time. I was not particularly good against real people, but against AI I can usually get by.
I am intrigued by this game (and Helldivers 2) so I may just give it a go. If I can prise the controller out of my son's hands, then maybe he'll let me have a go on his game, rather than me buying it myself... 😂
Re: ARC Raiders Is Handing Out A Free Gift On Xbox To Celebrate Huge Sales & Player Numbers
My son is addicted to the game (I might even suggest a little too addicted!). He absolutely loves it.
Can anyone advise me what it is like to play as an entirely solo gamer (if that is actually possible)...?
Re: Three Games Are Available This Week With Xbox Game Pass (January 12-15)
That's exactly what happens to me, @BattleMonkey, and is precisely what has happened on this occasion... 😂
Re: Fable Creator's 'Masters of Albion' Gets Official Release Date, But It's PC-Only At Launch
I was trying to be politely diplomatic, @Markatron84... 😂
Re: Xbox Drops Multiple Games To Their 'Lowest Price Ever' In New Publisher Spotlight Sale
I like the addition of the Lowest Ever column, @FraserG. I think that's really helpful...
Re: Xbox Drops Multiple Games To Their 'Lowest Price Ever' In New Publisher Spotlight Sale
Steelrising is a steal at that price, as is Hell Is Us. I really enjoyed both of them very much.
I'd also recommend Chaosbane too.
These prices are pretty ridiculous, and the games are well worth it...
Re: Fable Creator's 'Masters of Albion' Gets Official Release Date, But It's PC-Only At Launch
If I remember rightly, Peter Molyneux has a habit of making claims that don't quite come to fruition. If he says it's a 10, then it's probably an 8. I do like his games though, so I hope this turns out well and arrives on consoles promptly...
Re: Xbox Gives Refunds For Red Dead Redemption Following Recent Upgrade Issues
Thank you, @FraserG. Thought as much...
Re: Xbox Gives Refunds For Red Dead Redemption Following Recent Upgrade Issues
I have it on a 360 disc, so bought the new version. I'm guessing this does not apply to me, @FraserG...?
Re: Forza Horizon 5 Hits Huge Sales Milestone In Its First Year On PS5, According To New Estimates
I really do not understand how you get the impression that I am defending PlayStation, @fatpunkslim, because I am not. I am simply making a comparison in sales numbers. That's not defending them, it's literally pointing out the facts and figures. The fact that Sony is selling more consoles than Microsoft is beyond question, but my pointing that out is not so that I can praise Sony, it is pointing out how dismally Xbox is doing by comparison.
The point is, if I were to tell someone that Xbox sold 20 million consoles in 2025, they would likely think that is very good, because they do not have all the facts. If I then tell them that the biggest rival to the Xbox sold 60 million consoles in 2025, the fact that Xbox is doing a lot worse becomes apparent. That's not me praising Sony, that's me pointing out that Xbox is floundering by comparison. It cannot be helped that the facts and figures paint Xbox in a worse light. It simply is what it is. I cannot help how that is perceived. What I will say though, is firstly, the figures above are made up and used just for illustrative purposes, but secondly, it also explains why Microsoft stopped providing us with the facts and figures in the first place, because it soon became apparent that they were doing far, far worse than PlayStation, and the easiest way to conceal this from people not in the know is to not provide those details.
If I were to describe what's happening in terms of a football match; it would be like watching your team being resoundingly beaten by another team. If I then say the other team beat mine, I am not praising that team, just pointing out they beat mine. I would be stating a fact. It cannot be helped that it paints my team in a worse light. It simply is what it is!
So no, I am not defending Sony or PlayStation. I have no need or desire to do so...
Re: Forza Horizon 5 Hits Huge Sales Milestone In Its First Year On PS5, According To New Estimates
You get me entirely wrong, @fatpunkslim. I'll put money on it that I spent more on gaming on my Xbox in 2025 than anyone else here. Over £1100 on games, over £600 on Xbox controllers, and a further £170 on an Xbox headset. When it comes to my PS5, I spent just over £400 on games (2 Collector's Editions, and 2 other games for a combined total of £22.49). That's not me boasting, that's me saying that I am heavily, heavily invested in Xbox.
I know you have a handheld, and thus you have access to PlayStation games on it. Doubtless you use Cloud too. And that's great. For you. I on the other hand, do not have a handheld and do not use Cloud, and only have Game Pass so that I can game online with my mates (I don't play games on Game Pass as I prefer to own them), so what good are those to me? It would be like giving a Ferrari to a blind man; you seem to want him to be grateful for something that he has no use for!
As I said above, I am Xbox through and through, however, I am not so blinkered as to not see Xbox as in serious trouble. It's not what I want, it's simply a fact. It's not that I set out to be critical, but I say it as I see it, which is, I'm sure, what you do. You see the sun and blue skies, I see the clouds on the horizon and the impeding downpour. It's just a matter of perspective.
Does PlayStation have problems? Absolutely it does. However, to suggest that Sony are having as many problems as Microsoft, or that the problems are of the same magnitude, is completely erroneous. Sony is not being forced to make changes to the way they do things, because they are not facing the same issues.
Was the PS5 Pro a disappointment to some? Absolutely it was, though there are just as many who are entirely happy with it. Add to that that the PS5 Pro PSSR is going to get a game-changing (literally) update this year, and the Pro will likely get a new lease of life, not that it interests me as I barely play my PS5 now, so I have no desire for a Pro. Indeed, I played just 2 games on my PS5 last year.
What I think you are missing is that yes, consoles in general, are selling fewer devices, but Sony is still taking a huge chunk of the pie when compared to Xbox. Xbox sold 39% fewer consoles in 2025 than it did in 2024 when it sold 29% fewer consoles than it did in 2023. Conversely, Sony sold 15% fewer consoles last year, which was still more than Xbox by a long way. Sony has comfortably outsold Xbox every single year. Even at the start they were selling twice as many consoles, but as time has gone on, that has swollen to three times or more each and every year.
At some point you need to ask yourself why Microsoft keep increasing the cost of their consoles, keep increasing the cost of their subscriptions, why they are porting their games to the PlayStation, why they looking to make the change to a premium priced PCBox next time round rather than another standard console. None of this was the game plan at the start of the generation. This is all in reaction to the troubles that have befallen Xbox during this generation. Rumours of the delay to the PCBox, are, in my opinion, the worst thing that can possibly happen to Xbox because if the delay does happen then it significantly increases the possibility of the PCBox being cancelled altogether, which is the last thing the industry needs, and the last thing that I want...
Re: Forza Horizon 5 Hits Huge Sales Milestone In Its First Year On PS5, According To New Estimates
Yes, I remember reading it at the time, @oopsiezz. The comment has not aged that well really either because 4 of the titles he mentions have already been confirmed as heading over to the PlayStation, and undoubtedly more will follow...