Likewise, @RiverGenie. I only use Game Pass for access to online when I play Gears 5 (which I own!) Horde each weekend, yet I have Ultimate stacked through to June 2027. I cannot see me renewing it then either, as I do have a decent gaming PC (though I don't really enjoy gaming on a PC), but I am more likely to take out Essential in June 2027 than Ultimate. I initially went with Ultimate because I have a gaming PC, but never used it for that either, so now I just cannot see why I should be paying for something that I simply do not use. So it will be Essential or nothing come June 2027, though what Microsoft do in terms of their next console will factor in then as who knows, we may not even need Game Pass for online if they give us what is essentially a PC...
I 100% know that you are right, @Tomato_Goose. I did download Blue Prince, but just haven't found the time to play it. Maybe one day I'll give it a shot, but it's never this type of game that comes to mind when I'm pondering what to play next...
As someone that definitely gravitates towards AAA games, with the occasional AA game thrown into the mix, the content of this show is unlikely to be for me though I will follow the news as it appears on Pure Xbox. The fact that I so rarely play an indie game is probably why I so rarely utilise Game Pass to its full potential...
I think it is also interesting to see some push back on the increase in Game Pass, @FraserG, and the overall affect that has on whether or not this device is attractive as it seemed prior to that increase...
Does the handheld have a docked mode, @FraserG? In other words can it be linked to a television for a larger picture, and is battery life any different if it can?
Good point, @Kezelpaso. I just wondered if Microsoft would want to placate the Xbox gamer who maybe disgruntled at seeing Halo move over to the PlayStation. A sort of dead cat scenario, where they want us to focus on the freebie, rather than be annoyed that the game is going over to the PlayStation (not that I am, that ship has sailed for me!)...
I'm hoping for a much better remaster than we saw with Gears of War: Reloaded, which was pretty dreadful really.
In all honesty, if they can pull off a proper remaster like Resident Evil 2 & 3 then the game could indeed be pretty special, though as with Reloaded, this remaster is not really for us on the Xbox, it is being made solely to sell it to the PlayStation gamer. It'll have better graphics, better fps, and better performance all round. All the things that the Sony gamer would demand. The question is, after the really poor effort put into Reloaded, will those on the PlayStation be wary of buying a new Halo?
As someone that loves Halo, I'm really looking forward to seeing what they come up with. I'm not a Halo purist, so it they make meaningful changes, I'll be onboard with that. I just really hope we don't get another effort like Reloaded because both Gears of War, and Halo deserve better than that.
I do wonder if those of us that own the original, and the first remaster, will receive a free copy, as we did with Reloaded though? If Microsoft have genuinely put more effort into it, it may have cost more and so may be less inclined to give it away for free...
I have my Premium edition already pre-ordered via Loaded (formerly CDKeys) where it was £34 cheaper than directly on the Xbox Store*, and I cannot wait...! 😊
*Should anyone else want to take advantage of the saving...
Thank you, @Paulbuck28. I'm currently playing Ghost of Yotei on my PS5, and it is not blocking, dodging or parrying that gives me problems, but combos, which largely Yotei does not have, as it basically only has light and heavy attacks, though you do need to be using the correct weapon.
It's when it's X, B, Y, A, left trigger, right bumper, right trigger, pause then B & Y at the same time to pull off some move that causes me to be unable to play this type of game. I'll have forgotten that particular combo after the first B...! 😂
Not sure this game is for me (and I likely won't try it as I have so many games to be getting on with), but it is good to see Xbox diversifying and bringing out these smaller games...
I played Ninja Gaiden 3 back when it first released, and I seem to remember enjoying it. I'd like to play 4, but have a feeling that my memory, which is affected by my ADHD means that I will likely be unable to recall the different combos, meaning that I may not be able to play it. Hopefully, in these days of accessibility, there will be a simplified mode that makes it playable for me...
I see there is an article on Push talking about a rumour that the PS6 will go into production in early 2027, @themightyant. I know that rumour is not a statement from Sony itself, but I have zero reason to doubt that at the moment, whereas statements made directly by Microsoft still see me doubting what they say to at least some extent. It's a truly sad state of affairs...
I'm firmly in the camp of there being no smoke without fire. Microsoft have continually gone back on what they have said, and in all honesty I'd be amazed if backroom discussions have not taken place as to whether to proceed with the next Xbox. Both the expression 'plans are up in air', that was bandied about last week, and Microsoft's assertion that they will still be going ahead with the next console, can be true at the same time. For all we know, the plans may have been under review in recent times, and the decision taken to proceed, or indeed, those plans may still be under review at the moment, but until they choose to cancel it Microsoft will not tell us that it is actually cancelled. Microsoft know full well that if they were to come out and say that they are currently deciding whether or not to proceed with another console, it would do potentially irreparable damage to the next generation even if they then decided to proceed. Far better just to confirm that the next console is still coming, than to throw things into doubt.
None of this is me saying that this is what is happening, but just pointing out that Microsoft have said so many things that they have then done the polar opposite too that anything they now say needs to be viewed with a certain amount of scepticism. In all honesty, for me to be 100% confident that the PCBox is going to see the light of day, I would need to have a release date. I think even a reveal would still leave me with some doubt as to whether it will come out because such is the damage that Microsoft have done in my trust for them, and even after a reveal they could still decide to cancel. It think a firm release date is far harder to walk back from.
As an ardent fan of Xbox who has been with them since the day I pre-ordered the OG Xbox at Game here in the UK when I placed a tenner as a deposit, I absolutely want Xbox to succeed, though some will take what I say and just run with me being down on Xbox all the time because for some Xbox can do no wrong, even when they blatantly have. However, my stance remains the same; I truly want Xbox to succeed because they are my main console, but right now, Microsoft do not have my trust. I would go further and say that if the likes of myself is having trouble believing what Microsoft is saying, then I highly doubt I am alone in this, which means Microsoft need to up their game, and give us fans a reason to trust in them again...
Backlogs are very real, @ButterySmooth30FPS. I have over 1600 digital games in my Xbox library, and I would guess that I have not played half of them!
I used to buy games all the time with the best of intentions of playing them, but then would be captivated by some nice new game, and then never get round to the games that I had bought previously. It is a really bad habit that I am attempting to put an end too by buying far fewer games at a time, and now rarely buy them in sales either. That said, I have bought 27 games thus far this year, and have only played 7 of them! Some of the games I pre-ordered but have not yet got round to include Assassin's Creed Shadows, Death Stranding 2, Silent Hill F, and Borderlands 4. I'd like to think I'll get to some of them this year, but time is marching on, and some of them are looking increasingly unlikely, and so they get added to my very real, and ever increasing, huge, backlog...
I play through the campaign of every single Gears of War game (including Tactics) every 12-18 months, and have played through all the Halo games a few times. I did also replay The Witcher 3.
The games have to be very special to me, so I have replayed Divinity Original Sin 1 & 2, and Baldurs Gate a few times for example, as I have the Dead Space and Mass Effect franchises, which I really enjoy.
I have also replayed each of The Last of Us games, and both of the Horizon Zero Dawn, and also Days Gone a few times now. Plus I re-play each game when it is re-released as a remaster, but also play either the sequel or the first game so that I get the full experience. So, when they remastered The Last of Us Part 2, I played the first game first, and then the new remaster.
So for me, it is where I really, really enjoy the franchise, as with Gears of War, or when a game that I have enjoyed is re-released. Honestly though, I buy new games all the time, and so the time I have to replay older games is very limited.
Honestly, @Coletrain, I think 20-30 million is massively overstating the likely sales of the next console. If this PCBox is indeed as feature rich as many suggest, we are looking at a device that is likely to exceed £800 in price. I know Phil Spencer said they would not be releasing a console that costs $1000, but since he said that, the Xbox consoles have gone up in price at least twice, and they have just the handheld that kept his word by releasing at $999.99. I mean, it does mean either Microsoft could do something similar with the PCBox, or, 3 years after Spencer's comment, and with market conditions such as they are, Microsoft could easily bring out a banging piece of hardware and charge in excess of that $1000.
Honestly, anyone that thinks this PCBox is going to cost less that $800 is likely to be very disappointed, which then leads back to where I started in that I think 10-15 million sales is more likely to be range in which sales are seen. I think Microsoft will have seen what happened this generation, and they will know that a high percentage of people who game on an Xbox, will be happy to remain on a series console, so I think that Microsoft will continue to make them throughout the entirety of the next generation (which is also what Sony will do with the PS5 and PS6)...
That's very much like me, @BAMozzy. I bought Dying Light The Beast, but have not yet played it. My mate has played through it solo, and now wants to go through the game in co-op, but knows I won't play it with him until I have completed the game solo (which is exactly like him too).
I often look on my friends list and see that you are playing Call of Duty, but at over 60, my reactions are just that bit too slow to try competitive multiplayer, so I'll be content with just having a go at the campaign. However, it is the fact that it sounds like you can only complete the last part of the campaign with others, that puts me off trying it at all (and the fact that it looks really trippy too, whereas I prefer my CoDs grounded in reality)...
If those photos are supposed to reassure us that Xbox games and accessories are still in stock, then I would suggest that they are not the most convincing evidence to back that up. Those photos show more empty spaces than they do parts that are stocked. 12 of the security cases on the right are actually empty, with only 6 (in the photo) containing a game. Add to that the green boxes are Xbox fridges, not consoles, and the blue boxes are Halo headsets. It also looks like the white boxes are 360's, but I'm not 100% certain.
Surely better photos could have been selected, or are these simply a very real indictment of the situation in stores around the world...?
Are you going to be playing the campaign, @BAMozzy? I am exactly the opposite of what you think may happen with the campaign, in that I now won't be playing it if I am forced to play with others in order to complete it. However, if the last part can be completed entirely solo, then I may well give it a go. It all depends on how trippy it is, and also whether it is playable solo. Perhaps you could let me know whether you can play it solo if you and when you get there, please? Thanks...
I used to buy Call of Duty every single year just to play the campaign, and because I used to pre-order them, I used to pay top dollar for them. However, I have not played a CoD for the past two years, and this current campaign does not look like something I would enjoy. I like them to be based in reality, and preferably in a war setting, so this years title doesn't seem like something that I would enjoy at all...
On my Series X - Gears 5 Horde on Master with just one mate and my son. It's proving very, very difficult!
On my Switch - Absolutely nothing, as has been the case for approaching 3 years now. The purchase of my Switch was a moment of madness because I have only ever played one game on it...
Do you think the rumoured price part needs to be updated with the figures floating around following the Magnus article, @FraserG? In that article the price was suggested to be between $800 and $1200.
I wasn't aware of the Magnus article until today, and had already said that bearing in mind the price of the Series X, and the suggested capabilities of the PCBox, it will cost at least £800, so I can easily see these quoted figures as being in the right ballpark...
First off, @Joeshmo, I honestly believe that Master Chief, as a protagonist, in a film or television series, portrayed as he is in the games, would be incredibly boring. Incredibly so! The only thing that keeps you engaged with him in the games is the fact that you are physically controlling him. Having a helmeted, emotionless, virtually mute protagonist on screen would so dull that few would want to watch it.
Secondly, yes, I thought it out of character for him to be having sex, though the fact that she was a spy was irrelevant because he did not know that, and he simply fell for her, which is simply a human emotion. Speaking from personal experience, it is possible to fall for someone that is probably no good for you. That is just life!
Lastly, maybe I am lucky in that I am able to detach myself from the different mediums, in that I was able to enjoy the Halo television series for what it was, as well as enjoying the games separately. I simply understand that for Halo, changes needed to be made.
Now The Last of Us television series, however, the lead actress, and the omissions in that series, that's a whole other matter...
It's not a random naysayer, @Titntin. Try looking it up, and you will see the results for yourself. As I said, you need to be seated within 2.5 feet and viewing a 75 inch screen to see the difference between 4k and 8k.
Also, it is a fact that some of us cannot tell the difference between 30fps and 60fps. Some people are more sensitive to it than others.
It also depends on your eyesight. I have pretty poor eyesight, and sometimes cannot read the subtitles on my television from a distance of something around 10 to 12 feet. It very much depends on the background.
I can tell the difference between 1080p and 4k, but as I have a 65 inch television and I sit something in the order of 10 to 12 feet away from it, I highly doubt that I would notice the difference between 4k and 8k.
As for fps, I am not sensitive to it, and as I do not play online, I don't notice input lag either. 30fps is perfectly fine for me, and I honestly cannot tell when a game has a higher framerate than that.
I don't doubt that the PCBox will be close to a £1000, @Gabrielmpf. Time and again I've seen people expect it to be feature rich, and a huge technical leap, and then suggest that Microsoft will look to bring it out at under £600. I mean, you cannot have all they expect, and have it under £600, particularly not when you consider that the Series X is around the same price. People need to start saving now if they really want to be involved in the next generation of Xbox consoles...
Genuine question, @FraserG, do you have any idea why when PlayStation has a sale it has 5 times as many games on sale? When I looked through the sale on Xbox today, I had over 900 games on offer, yet Push Square posted an article yesterday boasting over 5000 games on sale? Why is there such a disparity?
'Almost 5,000 PS5, PS4 Games Discounted in Player's Choice Sale', is what the article says as its headline, but for some reason it changes when you click on it:
!20fps is a smoother experience, @Coletrain, or that I have no doubt, but it is about what you can see, and the point about PC gamers is kind of moot because they tend to be sat within that 2.5 feet or a screen, whereas most console gamers are playing on a television in their living rooms and thus are sat beyond 2.5 feet from their television. Most of us sit at around 10 feet or more from our televisions, meaning that it is unlikely that we would see the difference between 4k and 8k...
This is exactly what I said the other day, @OldGamer999. Xbox has never made a game of the quality, scale and beauty that we see on the PlayStation. Not one. Ever..!
Horizon Zero Dawn, The Last of Us, and Ghost of Tushima to mention just a few. All of them are old games now, but far more breath-taking than anything that Xbox has ever produced...
The increments in performance are such as to be all but unnoticeable now, although you will always get some people that insist they can see these minute differences, the truth is that most of us cannot.
As an example, you apparently need to be seated just 2.5 feet away from a 75 inch screen in order to see 8k, and as most of us are sat 10 feet or more from our televisions, it does mean you won't see the difference between 4k and 8k. Likewise, for most of us, we can only see up to 60fps. That's up to! So for most of us, this generation is pretty much peak performance. All we can hope for next generation is that they target 4k and 60fps as the standard, and hope they can do that with ray-tracing on. Anything more than that will effectively be wasted on us mere mortals, and will probably unnecessarily raise the price of the console...
It's an interesting fact that this cross-generation has been the longest yet. I think this all points to the very likely probability that next generation could see games developed for both the PS5 and the PS6 all generation long...
I think you are 100% correct, @Phil-Spencer-Gate. Most games remain on Game Pass for 12 months or more, so it is just a case of planning when you subscribe around those games you want to play. Obviously it depends on how many games you intend to play, and the amount of time you can play each day, but signing up for a month or three should have you covered most years...
I very much enjoyed the show. I think the whole storm over Master Chief removing his helmet put a slight downer on the series, and may have resulted in a few people turning their nose up at the idea of watching it, which is a shame because the series was very good.
I truly hope that Paramount see these viewing figures (and probably the money it is generating) and revive the show for at least one more season...
I think the only game on that list that is of interest to me maybe The Casting of Frank Stone, but other than that, I don't think anything will be for me, though to be honest, I've bought so many games lately, I probably won't be able to make time for it.
I did play Ninja Gaiden 3 when that released years ago, but these days my memory is not what it was (perks of getting older and having ADHD) and trying to remember combos is a real problem for me. Thus, unless Ninja Gaiden 4 goes easy on the combos, I will probably have to give that a miss.
I will say that Evil West is a very enjoyable game. I played it back when it first released 3 years ago, and had a great time with it. I strongly recommend people at least take a look at it as it is a lot of fun...
You would have thought that if anything was going to knock Microsoft's share value, @FraserG, it would have been the massive hike in Game Pass price, and the reported spike in subscription cancellations...
I'll have a few hours on Forza Horizon 6, though I'll be playing via my son's purchase, as we game share, rather than Game Pass.
I am really looking forward to see some gameplay from Fable as I used to love the games, but we've seen nothing about Playgrounds vision for the game as yet beyond a CGi trailer. Other than Gears of War: E-Day, I think Fable could be the game I am most looking forward to next year...
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Re: Xbox Indie Showcase Announced For October 2025
Likewise, @RiverGenie. I only use Game Pass for access to online when I play Gears 5 (which I own!) Horde each weekend, yet I have Ultimate stacked through to June 2027. I cannot see me renewing it then either, as I do have a decent gaming PC (though I don't really enjoy gaming on a PC), but I am more likely to take out Essential in June 2027 than Ultimate. I initially went with Ultimate because I have a gaming PC, but never used it for that either, so now I just cannot see why I should be paying for something that I simply do not use. So it will be Essential or nothing come June 2027, though what Microsoft do in terms of their next console will factor in then as who knows, we may not even need Game Pass for online if they give us what is essentially a PC...
Re: Xbox Indie Showcase Announced For October 2025
I 100% know that you are right, @Tomato_Goose. I did download Blue Prince, but just haven't found the time to play it. Maybe one day I'll give it a shot, but it's never this type of game that comes to mind when I'm pondering what to play next...
Re: Xbox Indie Showcase Announced For October 2025
As someone that definitely gravitates towards AAA games, with the occasional AA game thrown into the mix, the content of this show is unlikely to be for me though I will follow the news as it appears on Pure Xbox. The fact that I so rarely play an indie game is probably why I so rarely utilise Game Pass to its full potential...
Re: Here's What The Reviews Are Saying About The ROG Xbox Ally
I think it is also interesting to see some push back on the increase in Game Pass, @FraserG, and the overall affect that has on whether or not this device is attractive as it seemed prior to that increase...
Re: ROG Xbox Ally X Battery Life: How Many Hours Do You Get Per-Charge?
Does the handheld have a docked mode, @FraserG? In other words can it be linked to a television for a larger picture, and is battery life any different if it can?
Re: Rumour: Halo Remake To Feature 'Modern Mechanics', Could Be Announced This Month
Good point, @Kezelpaso. I just wondered if Microsoft would want to placate the Xbox gamer who maybe disgruntled at seeing Halo move over to the PlayStation. A sort of dead cat scenario, where they want us to focus on the freebie, rather than be annoyed that the game is going over to the PlayStation (not that I am, that ship has sailed for me!)...
Re: Xbox Reveals First Three Games Included In Big 'Shocktober Sale' Starting This Week
Do you have to start over with a level 1 character each season, @HonestHick...?
Re: Xbox Reveals First Three Games Included In Big 'Shocktober Sale' Starting This Week
It is a superb game, @Kloppo. I got every achievement, and going through it on hard, on New Game Plus, was really good fun. Glad you're enjoying it...
Re: Rumour: Halo Remake To Feature 'Modern Mechanics', Could Be Announced This Month
I'm hoping for a much better remaster than we saw with Gears of War: Reloaded, which was pretty dreadful really.
In all honesty, if they can pull off a proper remaster like Resident Evil 2 & 3 then the game could indeed be pretty special, though as with Reloaded, this remaster is not really for us on the Xbox, it is being made solely to sell it to the PlayStation gamer. It'll have better graphics, better fps, and better performance all round. All the things that the Sony gamer would demand. The question is, after the really poor effort put into Reloaded, will those on the PlayStation be wary of buying a new Halo?
As someone that loves Halo, I'm really looking forward to seeing what they come up with. I'm not a Halo purist, so it they make meaningful changes, I'll be onboard with that. I just really hope we don't get another effort like Reloaded because both Gears of War, and Halo deserve better than that.
I do wonder if those of us that own the original, and the first remaster, will receive a free copy, as we did with Reloaded though? If Microsoft have genuinely put more effort into it, it may have cost more and so may be less inclined to give it away for free...
Re: Xbox Reveals First Three Games Included In Big 'Shocktober Sale' Starting This Week
Hell Is Us is my third favourite game of the year. It's a superb game, which I highly recommend.
Thus far my top 5 games of the year are:
1. Cronos: The New Dawn
2. Ghost of Yotei
3. Hell Is Us
4. Deadzone Rogue
5. Expedition 33
It's been a great year for gaming...
Re: Summer Game Fest 2026 Date Revealed With 'Spectacular Cross-Platform Showcase' Teased
Looking forward to it already. Tis my favourite time of the year by far. We may even get to see the new Xbox around then...
Re: The Outer Worlds 2 Is Bringing 'Big Sequel Energy' To Xbox Game Pass This Month
I have my Premium edition already pre-ordered via Loaded (formerly CDKeys) where it was £34 cheaper than directly on the Xbox Store*, and I cannot wait...! 😊
*Should anyone else want to take advantage of the saving...
Re: Blood West Is A Stealth FPS Inspired By 'Thief' And 'Stalker', And It's Getting An Xbox Release This Week
Initially I thought this was linked to Weird West, a game that I enjoyed, but then realised it wasn't. Still mildly interested in the game though...
Re: Survival FPS 'Beneath' Launches This Month, A 'Throwback To The Golden Era Of Xbox 360 Classics'
Certainly look interesting. I'll be keeping an eye on this one...
Re: Ninja Gaiden 4 Devs Insist Game Needs To Be Challenging But Maintain A 'Sense Of Fairness'
Thank you, @Paulbuck28. I'm currently playing Ghost of Yotei on my PS5, and it is not blocking, dodging or parrying that gives me problems, but combos, which largely Yotei does not have, as it basically only has light and heavy attacks, though you do need to be using the correct weapon.
It's when it's X, B, Y, A, left trigger, right bumper, right trigger, pause then B & Y at the same time to pull off some move that causes me to be unable to play this type of game. I'll have forgotten that particular combo after the first B...! 😂
Re: Keeper: Release Date, Launch Times & What To Expect From Xbox's Next First-Party Release
Not sure this game is for me (and I likely won't try it as I have so many games to be getting on with), but it is good to see Xbox diversifying and bringing out these smaller games...
Re: Ninja Gaiden 4 Devs Insist Game Needs To Be Challenging But Maintain A 'Sense Of Fairness'
I played Ninja Gaiden 3 back when it first released, and I seem to remember enjoying it. I'd like to play 4, but have a feeling that my memory, which is affected by my ADHD means that I will likely be unable to recall the different combos, meaning that I may not be able to play it. Hopefully, in these days of accessibility, there will be a simplified mode that makes it playable for me...
Re: Xbox Journalist Says Latest Rumours Are 'A Huge Challenge For The Brand Right Now'
I see there is an article on Push talking about a rumour that the PS6 will go into production in early 2027, @themightyant. I know that rumour is not a statement from Sony itself, but I have zero reason to doubt that at the moment, whereas statements made directly by Microsoft still see me doubting what they say to at least some extent. It's a truly sad state of affairs...
Re: Xbox Journalist Says Latest Rumours Are 'A Huge Challenge For The Brand Right Now'
I'm firmly in the camp of there being no smoke without fire. Microsoft have continually gone back on what they have said, and in all honesty I'd be amazed if backroom discussions have not taken place as to whether to proceed with the next Xbox. Both the expression 'plans are up in air', that was bandied about last week, and Microsoft's assertion that they will still be going ahead with the next console, can be true at the same time. For all we know, the plans may have been under review in recent times, and the decision taken to proceed, or indeed, those plans may still be under review at the moment, but until they choose to cancel it Microsoft will not tell us that it is actually cancelled. Microsoft know full well that if they were to come out and say that they are currently deciding whether or not to proceed with another console, it would do potentially irreparable damage to the next generation even if they then decided to proceed. Far better just to confirm that the next console is still coming, than to throw things into doubt.
None of this is me saying that this is what is happening, but just pointing out that Microsoft have said so many things that they have then done the polar opposite too that anything they now say needs to be viewed with a certain amount of scepticism. In all honesty, for me to be 100% confident that the PCBox is going to see the light of day, I would need to have a release date. I think even a reveal would still leave me with some doubt as to whether it will come out because such is the damage that Microsoft have done in my trust for them, and even after a reveal they could still decide to cancel. It think a firm release date is far harder to walk back from.
As an ardent fan of Xbox who has been with them since the day I pre-ordered the OG Xbox at Game here in the UK when I placed a tenner as a deposit, I absolutely want Xbox to succeed, though some will take what I say and just run with me being down on Xbox all the time because for some Xbox can do no wrong, even when they blatantly have. However, my stance remains the same; I truly want Xbox to succeed because they are my main console, but right now, Microsoft do not have my trust. I would go further and say that if the likes of myself is having trouble believing what Microsoft is saying, then I highly doubt I am alone in this, which means Microsoft need to up their game, and give us fans a reason to trust in them again...
Re: Talking Point: How Often Do You Replay Games?
Backlogs are very real, @ButterySmooth30FPS. I have over 1600 digital games in my Xbox library, and I would guess that I have not played half of them!
I used to buy games all the time with the best of intentions of playing them, but then would be captivated by some nice new game, and then never get round to the games that I had bought previously. It is a really bad habit that I am attempting to put an end too by buying far fewer games at a time, and now rarely buy them in sales either. That said, I have bought 27 games thus far this year, and have only played 7 of them! Some of the games I pre-ordered but have not yet got round to include Assassin's Creed Shadows, Death Stranding 2, Silent Hill F, and Borderlands 4. I'd like to think I'll get to some of them this year, but time is marching on, and some of them are looking increasingly unlikely, and so they get added to my very real, and ever increasing, huge, backlog...
Re: Talking Point: How Often Do You Replay Games?
I play through the campaign of every single Gears of War game (including Tactics) every 12-18 months, and have played through all the Halo games a few times. I did also replay The Witcher 3.
The games have to be very special to me, so I have replayed Divinity Original Sin 1 & 2, and Baldurs Gate a few times for example, as I have the Dead Space and Mass Effect franchises, which I really enjoy.
I have also replayed each of The Last of Us games, and both of the Horizon Zero Dawn, and also Days Gone a few times now. Plus I re-play each game when it is re-released as a remaster, but also play either the sequel or the first game so that I get the full experience. So, when they remastered The Last of Us Part 2, I played the first game first, and then the new remaster.
So for me, it is where I really, really enjoy the franchise, as with Gears of War, or when a game that I have enjoyed is re-released. Honestly though, I buy new games all the time, and so the time I have to replay older games is very limited.
Re: Microsoft Issues Statement Denying Target & Walmart Are Pulling Xbox Products
Honestly, @Coletrain, I think 20-30 million is massively overstating the likely sales of the next console. If this PCBox is indeed as feature rich as many suggest, we are looking at a device that is likely to exceed £800 in price. I know Phil Spencer said they would not be releasing a console that costs $1000, but since he said that, the Xbox consoles have gone up in price at least twice, and they have just the handheld that kept his word by releasing at $999.99. I mean, it does mean either Microsoft could do something similar with the PCBox, or, 3 years after Spencer's comment, and with market conditions such as they are, Microsoft could easily bring out a banging piece of hardware and charge in excess of that $1000.
Honestly, anyone that thinks this PCBox is going to cost less that $800 is likely to be very disappointed, which then leads back to where I started in that I think 10-15 million sales is more likely to be range in which sales are seen. I think Microsoft will have seen what happened this generation, and they will know that a high percentage of people who game on an Xbox, will be happy to remain on a series console, so I think that Microsoft will continue to make them throughout the entirety of the next generation (which is also what Sony will do with the PS5 and PS6)...
Re: Four Games Are Confirmed For Xbox Game Pass In November 2025 So Far
That's very much like me, @BAMozzy. I bought Dying Light The Beast, but have not yet played it. My mate has played through it solo, and now wants to go through the game in co-op, but knows I won't play it with him until I have completed the game solo (which is exactly like him too).
I often look on my friends list and see that you are playing Call of Duty, but at over 60, my reactions are just that bit too slow to try competitive multiplayer, so I'll be content with just having a go at the campaign. However, it is the fact that it sounds like you can only complete the last part of the campaign with others, that puts me off trying it at all (and the fact that it looks really trippy too, whereas I prefer my CoDs grounded in reality)...
Re: Microsoft Issues Statement Denying Target & Walmart Are Pulling Xbox Products
If those photos are supposed to reassure us that Xbox games and accessories are still in stock, then I would suggest that they are not the most convincing evidence to back that up. Those photos show more empty spaces than they do parts that are stocked. 12 of the security cases on the right are actually empty, with only 6 (in the photo) containing a game. Add to that the green boxes are Xbox fridges, not consoles, and the blue boxes are Halo headsets. It also looks like the white boxes are 360's, but I'm not 100% certain.
Surely better photos could have been selected, or are these simply a very real indictment of the situation in stores around the world...?
Re: Four Games Are Confirmed For Xbox Game Pass In November 2025 So Far
Are you going to be playing the campaign, @BAMozzy? I am exactly the opposite of what you think may happen with the campaign, in that I now won't be playing it if I am forced to play with others in order to complete it. However, if the last part can be completed entirely solo, then I may well give it a go. It all depends on how trippy it is, and also whether it is playable solo. Perhaps you could let me know whether you can play it solo if you and when you get there, please? Thanks...
Re: Four Games Are Confirmed For Xbox Game Pass In November 2025 So Far
The problem is, @OldGamer999, that what I've seen of it looks so trippy, and not at all grounded in reality...
Re: Four Games Are Confirmed For Xbox Game Pass In November 2025 So Far
Are you talking the campaign, or multiplayer, @Kaloudz...?
Re: Four Games Are Confirmed For Xbox Game Pass In November 2025 So Far
I used to buy Call of Duty every single year just to play the campaign, and because I used to pre-order them, I used to pay top dollar for them. However, I have not played a CoD for the past two years, and this current campaign does not look like something I would enjoy. I like them to be based in reality, and preferably in a war setting, so this years title doesn't seem like something that I would enjoy at all...
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (October 11-12)
On my PS5 - Ghost of Yotei
On my Series X - Gears 5 Horde on Master with just one mate and my son. It's proving very, very difficult!
On my Switch - Absolutely nothing, as has been the case for approaching 3 years now. The purchase of my Switch was a moment of madness because I have only ever played one game on it...
Re: Talking Point: As We Approach GOTY Season, What's Your Pick As Things Stand?
Undoubtedly the best game that I have played this year, @DeadSpace. I really enjoyed it...
Re: Talking Point: As We Approach GOTY Season, What's Your Pick As Things Stand?
My top 5 are as follows:
1. Cronos: The New Dawn
2. Hell Is Us
3. Expedition 33
4. Deadzone Rogue
5. Doom: The Dark Ages
It has been a great year for games...
Re: Next Xbox Console: Everything We Know So Far About Microsoft's Next-Gen System
Do you think the rumoured price part needs to be updated with the figures floating around following the Magnus article, @FraserG? In that article the price was suggested to be between $800 and $1200.
I wasn't aware of the Magnus article until today, and had already said that bearing in mind the price of the Series X, and the suggested capabilities of the PCBox, it will cost at least £800, so I can easily see these quoted figures as being in the right ballpark...
Re: Talking Point: After Becoming A Surprise Hit On Netflix, Could The Halo TV Series Return?
First off, @Joeshmo, I honestly believe that Master Chief, as a protagonist, in a film or television series, portrayed as he is in the games, would be incredibly boring. Incredibly so! The only thing that keeps you engaged with him in the games is the fact that you are physically controlling him. Having a helmeted, emotionless, virtually mute protagonist on screen would so dull that few would want to watch it.
Secondly, yes, I thought it out of character for him to be having sex, though the fact that she was a spy was irrelevant because he did not know that, and he simply fell for her, which is simply a human emotion. Speaking from personal experience, it is possible to fall for someone that is probably no good for you. That is just life!
Lastly, maybe I am lucky in that I am able to detach myself from the different mediums, in that I was able to enjoy the Halo television series for what it was, as well as enjoying the games separately. I simply understand that for Halo, changes needed to be made.
Now The Last of Us television series, however, the lead actress, and the omissions in that series, that's a whole other matter...
Re: AMD's Partnership On PS6 Will Benefit 'Every Gaming Platform', Says General Manager
It's not a random naysayer, @Titntin. Try looking it up, and you will see the results for yourself. As I said, you need to be seated within 2.5 feet and viewing a 75 inch screen to see the difference between 4k and 8k.
Also, it is a fact that some of us cannot tell the difference between 30fps and 60fps. Some people are more sensitive to it than others.
It also depends on your eyesight. I have pretty poor eyesight, and sometimes cannot read the subtitles on my television from a distance of something around 10 to 12 feet. It very much depends on the background.
I can tell the difference between 1080p and 4k, but as I have a 65 inch television and I sit something in the order of 10 to 12 feet away from it, I highly doubt that I would notice the difference between 4k and 8k.
As for fps, I am not sensitive to it, and as I do not play online, I don't notice input lag either. 30fps is perfectly fine for me, and I honestly cannot tell when a game has a higher framerate than that.
Have a good day, bud!
Re: Deals: Xbox Seasonal Savings Sale Now Live, 400+ Games Included
Fair enough, @FraserG. I had it in my head that you and Push all worked in the same office...
Re: Battlefield 6 Dev Explains Why It Isn't Following Black Ops 7 With Xbox One Version
I don't doubt that the PCBox will be close to a £1000, @Gabrielmpf. Time and again I've seen people expect it to be feature rich, and a huge technical leap, and then suggest that Microsoft will look to bring it out at under £600. I mean, you cannot have all they expect, and have it under £600, particularly not when you consider that the Series X is around the same price. People need to start saving now if they really want to be involved in the next generation of Xbox consoles...
Re: Deals: Xbox Seasonal Savings Sale Now Live, 400+ Games Included
Genuine question, @FraserG, do you have any idea why when PlayStation has a sale it has 5 times as many games on sale? When I looked through the sale on Xbox today, I had over 900 games on offer, yet Push Square posted an article yesterday boasting over 5000 games on sale? Why is there such a disparity?
'Almost 5,000 PS5, PS4 Games Discounted in Player's Choice Sale', is what the article says as its headline, but for some reason it changes when you click on it:
https://www.pushsquare.com/features/25plus-essential-ps5-ps4-games-you-must-buy-in-players-choice-sale
Maybe you have a bit more inside knowledge, hence the question...?
Re: AMD's Partnership On PS6 Will Benefit 'Every Gaming Platform', Says General Manager
!20fps is a smoother experience, @Coletrain, or that I have no doubt, but it is about what you can see, and the point about PC gamers is kind of moot because they tend to be sat within that 2.5 feet or a screen, whereas most console gamers are playing on a television in their living rooms and thus are sat beyond 2.5 feet from their television. Most of us sit at around 10 feet or more from our televisions, meaning that it is unlikely that we would see the difference between 4k and 8k...
Re: AMD's Partnership On PS6 Will Benefit 'Every Gaming Platform', Says General Manager
And how far are you sat from your screen when using your PC, @Titntin...?
Re: Battlefield 6 Dev Explains Why It Isn't Following Black Ops 7 With Xbox One Version
This is exactly what I said the other day, @OldGamer999. Xbox has never made a game of the quality, scale and beauty that we see on the PlayStation. Not one. Ever..!
Horizon Zero Dawn, The Last of Us, and Ghost of Tushima to mention just a few. All of them are old games now, but far more breath-taking than anything that Xbox has ever produced...
Re: AMD's Partnership On PS6 Will Benefit 'Every Gaming Platform', Says General Manager
The increments in performance are such as to be all but unnoticeable now, although you will always get some people that insist they can see these minute differences, the truth is that most of us cannot.
As an example, you apparently need to be seated just 2.5 feet away from a 75 inch screen in order to see 8k, and as most of us are sat 10 feet or more from our televisions, it does mean you won't see the difference between 4k and 8k. Likewise, for most of us, we can only see up to 60fps. That's up to! So for most of us, this generation is pretty much peak performance. All we can hope for next generation is that they target 4k and 60fps as the standard, and hope they can do that with ray-tracing on. Anything more than that will effectively be wasted on us mere mortals, and will probably unnecessarily raise the price of the console...
Re: Battlefield 6 Dev Explains Why It Isn't Following Black Ops 7 With Xbox One Version
It's an interesting fact that this cross-generation has been the longest yet. I think this all points to the very likely probability that next generation could see games developed for both the PS5 and the PS6 all generation long...
Re: These 12 Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (October 8-21)
I think you are 100% correct, @Phil-Spencer-Gate. Most games remain on Game Pass for 12 months or more, so it is just a case of planning when you subscribe around those games you want to play. Obviously it depends on how many games you intend to play, and the amount of time you can play each day, but signing up for a month or three should have you covered most years...
Re: These 12 Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (October 8-21)
Yep! It is well documented how ADHD affects people's memories, @JoyfulFire. So you are not alone...! 😉
Re: Talking Point: After Becoming A Surprise Hit On Netflix, Could The Halo TV Series Return?
I very much enjoyed the show. I think the whole storm over Master Chief removing his helmet put a slight downer on the series, and may have resulted in a few people turning their nose up at the idea of watching it, which is a shame because the series was very good.
I truly hope that Paramount see these viewing figures (and probably the money it is generating) and revive the show for at least one more season...
Re: These 12 Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (October 8-21)
Thank you, @FraserG. I've just taken a look at the review and I'm pretty sure that I read it! See, I wasn't kidding! My memory is shot... 🤣
Re: These 12 Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (October 8-21)
Will you be doing a review of either The Casting of Frank Stone or Ninja Gaiden 4, @Kezelpaso...?
Re: These 12 Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (October 8-21)
I think the only game on that list that is of interest to me maybe The Casting of Frank Stone, but other than that, I don't think anything will be for me, though to be honest, I've bought so many games lately, I probably won't be able to make time for it.
I did play Ninja Gaiden 3 when that released years ago, but these days my memory is not what it was (perks of getting older and having ADHD) and trying to remember combos is a real problem for me. Thus, unless Ninja Gaiden 4 goes easy on the combos, I will probably have to give that a miss.
I will say that Evil West is a very enjoyable game. I played it back when it first released 3 years ago, and had a great time with it. I strongly recommend people at least take a look at it as it is a lot of fun...
Re: Xbox Journalist Disputes Rumour About AMD Requiring 10M Units For First-Party Handheld
You would have thought that if anything was going to knock Microsoft's share value, @FraserG, it would have been the massive hike in Game Pass price, and the reported spike in subscription cancellations...
Re: Xbox's Playground Games Grew Substantially In 2024 To Prepare For Fable & Forza Horizon 6
I'll have a few hours on Forza Horizon 6, though I'll be playing via my son's purchase, as we game share, rather than Game Pass.
I am really looking forward to see some gameplay from Fable as I used to love the games, but we've seen nothing about Playgrounds vision for the game as yet beyond a CGi trailer. Other than Gears of War: E-Day, I think Fable could be the game I am most looking forward to next year...