Thank you, @Jenkinss. Definitely interested in that then.
I bought both 40k Rogue Trader and Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous end of last year, but have yet to play them.
Personally, I'm really excited for Osiris Reborn as what they've shown of it thus far looks amazing. Just have to hope that the rumours of a 2028 or 29 release are wrong, though that said, I'd prefer they take their time and get it right...
Why is it whenever I buy a game that it then ends up on Game Pass? Now, in fairness, I buy a lot of games, but it is always annoying to me when I buy a game (because I just love a bargain!) to place in my backlog, and then before I've had chance to play it, it turns up in Game Pass! I think I bought the Star Wars: Outlaws Ultimate Edition at half-price, or something like that, which means I could have saved myself a fair few quid. Will I ever learn? Doubtful... 😂
That was pretty much my thinking, @ILuvGames. I just think the game is so anticipated, that Microsoft would have already mentioned if we were going to see it soon (albeit I don't think they have even confirmed the January showcase yet)...
I'm hoping that Solasta 2 comes out this year too, @Jenkinss. I'm not sure if it's going to do what it did with the first game and come out on PC first or have a simultaneous release across all platforms, but I really enjoyed the first game so am very much looking forward to the sequel.
Is Warhammer 40k: Dark Heresy a turn-based game? I do like my Warhammer games, though I have just fallen off Chaos Gate because I kept hitting annoying bugs...
I'm highly sceptical that Fable will release this year, @ILuvGames, but one thing is for sure, we will know more within the next few months. If we hear nothing once the June Xbox Showcase has been and gone, then I think it safe to say the game is delayed into 2027.
Personally, I'm really looking forward to it, so the sooner it comes the better, albeit, I want it to arrive in good shape...
The thing with the Xbox ROG Ally, is that it's not really an Xbox at all. It has Xbox integration, but is still essentially a ROG Ally with an Xbox logo. To a great extent, it doesn't matter how well it sells because the primary beneficiary of each and every sale is not Microsoft, it is Asus. Microsoft will undoubtedly be getting a cut, but I'd put money on it that most of the money goes to Asus...
I think Fable is looking odds on for releasing next year, @ILuvGames & @Darylb88. The distinct lack of any gameplay, or indeed, any updates, has me seriously doubting that we will see it this year. I think we will see some gameplay in the June Xbox Showcase, but that's about all I'm expecting to see...
But even the 39% versus the 12% doesn't tell the whole story, @PsBoxSwitchOwner. It needs to be remembered that the PS5 has been outselling the Series consoles for a good while now, and if we were to say that in 2024 the Series consoles sold 1,000,000, then 39% takes that down to 610,000. However, if we say that Sony sold 3 times as many consoles in 2024 (3,000,000) then they still managed to sell 2,640,000 consoles last year. That is a whopping difference.
Obviously I am only using illustrative figures, but the point is that the drop in sales for both the Series consoles, and the PS5, are not from the same starting point. The PS5 was already comfortably outselling the Series consoles. Just saying, 'Yeah, well, they sold fewer too', does not tell the whole story...
A fair few games listed here that I am interested in, and that I will definitely be buying each of them for my Xbox day one:
Resident Evil: Requiem Crimson Desert Pragmata 007: First Light Beast Of Reincarnation Halo: Campaign Evolved Prince Of Persia Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy Tomb Raider: Legacy Of Atlantic
When it comes to Gears Of War: E-Day, I have every Collector's Edition in the series, so really hope that they do one for this game too. My only hope is that they do one for the UK too this time, because I had to import the Gears 5 one from the US, due to them not doing one for the UK, which adds a lot to the cost.
I may buy Star Wars: Galactic Racer, but want to see more of it before I decide as racers are not usually my thing. I like them for a short while, but after a while my interest wains.
I will buy Fable should it release, but I highly doubt that it will. I am pretty confident that GTA 6 won't release this year either, but doubt I will buy it anyway, as it holds no interest for me.
Absolutely nothing in the sales, which is most unusual for me. I am trying to be fewer games though. I have noticed that the games that I buy day one, I normally play soon after release, but those games that I buy in a sale just sit in my library. Thus, my goal for 2026, is to only buy a game in a sale if I intend to play it straight away.
I love the feeling of getting a bargain, but is it a bargain if I buy it and don't play it? Surely all it is then is a waste of money...!
I rarely 100% a games achievements, @Balaam_, and it doesn't bother me in the slightest. I never play the multiplayer element of a game, and so never worry about those achievements, but I certainly would not miss out on a game just because I know I would not get them. I'd far rather enjoy the campaign in something like Gears of War or Halo, than opt to miss out on them just because I won't get the multiplayer achievements due to not partaking in the multiplayer.
Honestly, I don't think anyone is interested in anyone else's achievements nor what their gamer score is, so I cannot see a reason to limit myself on what I play. I cannot begin to imagine how many terrific games you have missed out by choosing to play the way you do...
I'm much the same, @theduckofdeath. I don't tend to go back if I missed an achievement. I rarely 100% a game, ever bother with multiplayer achievements, and rarely go back over something just to unlock an achievement. I do get annoyed when an achievement should have unlocked, but didn't, but not so annoyed as to bother trying it multiple times. I simply have way too many games to be playing to worry about such things, and no one ever sees what I have unlocked, nor what my gamer score is. I don't even bother to look at my gamer score myself...
I like to get story achievements where I can, but the achievements that I most like to attempt are for difficulty. I absolutely love the challenge of beating a game on its harder/hardest difficulties, though I rarely do Ironman achievements as I'm not keen on the idea of my game just ending should it all go very wrong...!
Highly, highly doubt that you will see Fable this year, @Master_Cthulhu70. Not sure we'll see Clockwork Revolution either. Have to say that I am excited for both of them, but I think they won't be available until next year at the earliest. A lot of other good games coming from Xbox this year though, and I am personally looking forward to hitting E-Day on day one...
I have 3 gaming resolutions, which are pretty straightforward in saying, but less so in achieving. They are also the same resolutions as I set last year;
1. Buy fewer games than I did in 2025.
I bought 39 games in 2024, and 37 games (plus 2 DLC's) in 2025. So basically 39 in each year. I must buy fewer games as I played fewer than half the games I bought in both 2024 and 2025. One of the games that I bought in 2025, is Code Vein 2, which does not release until later this month, so I guess technically, I bought 38 games in 2025. Technically...! 😉
2. Spend less money on games, and gaming accessories.
In 2024 I spent £1300.44 on games alone.
In 2025 I spent £1566.37 on games alone.
I also bought 3 different Collector's Elite 2 controllers, and one standard Collector's controller.
Basically, I would quite like to spend less on gaming this year!
3. Clear down at least some of my games backlog.
I buy an awful lot of games, and have around 1600 digital games in my Series X library. I know I have probably played fewer than a third of them. Frankly it's pretty ridiculous, and speaks to my impulsive spending behaviour. In 2026, I need to be better...
Happy New Year, @Titntin. As always, I value your input.
I agree with you; I think my maximum outlay would be around £2000, but it would have to be so good as to be pretty ridiculous in order to make me part with the kind of money.
As much as I want Microsoft to continue to give me the Xbox console experience, and as wary as I am about PC gaming, I am totally intrigued by what they might concoct. These are exciting times, that is for sure, and I really hope that Microsoft get it right...
Absolutely, @theduckofdeath, but the concessions I am referring o are things like the GPU being of a lesser standard, or the memory afforded being less, or one or another of the many components being inferior to what we could be getting. Each and every concession that Microsoft make, in search of savings, will inevitably lessen the overall quality of the device. The problem being, of course, the fewer such concessions that Microsoft make, the better the product will be, but also the more expensive the PCBox will be. They are in the insidious position of not wanting to put out a product that will be ridiculed in PC circles, whilst also keeping the costs down. I know I wouldn't want to be the one designing it...!
I know you are correct in what you say, @Grognard66, however, what none of us know is how many the were included in the first batch. If I were to use a silly number, and say they only made 10,000 available at launch, and they all sold out, then you can see that without knowing how many were available them all selling out is meaningless. If they made 10,000,000 available, and they all sold out straight away, then that's an entirely different matter. All we know is that they all sold out, we don't know how many there were. It maybe that stocks were extremely limited from the outset, maybe to gauge public interest, and that once those sold out, manufacturing of a second batch went into production.
From a public perception point of view, it is better, as far as Microsoft are concerned, for the story to be that the product sold out, as opposed to the item is easily available both online and in store following release, as that gives the appearance of the item being particularly desirable rather than something the public are not interested in.
I'm not suggesting that sales were low, nor that the Xbox ROG Ally is not a desirable item, just saying that the fact that it sold out does not tell the whole story. How many were sold is the one significant detail that we are not privy too, and it is exceptionally annoying that Microsoft never tell us this kind of detail. All the term 'sold out' upon release tells us is that an insufficient quantity were made to meet initial demand...
My thought process,@Titntin, was that people would assume the device to be exactly what they want; a feature rich, premium device, and then see what they would they would be prepared to pay for it. Everyone will likely have an upper limit that they would be willing to pay, and that is how I had hoped people would look at the question. Thus, if this was your dream machine, and you would happily drop £1500 on it, then there is your answer. However, even if it were to be your dream machine, but you would not even remotely consider paying more than £600, then that's your answer.
Obviously, once we know exactly what the machine entails, we may adjust that limit one way or another, but I'm just curious what people are thinking in terms of their maximum purchase price...
You got me thinking, @FatGuyInLilCoat, and I guess you could create multiple accounts to vote more than once, but in a poll such as this one, what would be the point?
I guess if you were voting for your favourite game, or some such, then maybe I could understand the temptation to try and skew the poll by voting more than once, but in a poll such as this I think it far more likely that the lurkers are in play. I just cannot see the point in skewing this particular vote.
I've said it a few times now, @OldGamer999, but if the PCBox does come in at £1000 (or north of that!), then it will be a very niche device of which, I imagine, Microsoft would not expect to achieve more than 10 million lifetime sales.
You only need to read peoples expectations of what the PCBox will be, compared to what they expect to pay for it, to realise that the two are simply incompatible.
This PCBox, if as premium as people expect, and as premium as Microsoft are suggesting, will come with a premium price tag too. You only have to look at the ROG Ally to realise that Microsoft are prepared to sell a device for $1000, and yes, I have seen many people defend that price and say it's fairly typical of a gaming handheld, but then gaming PC's sell for well in excess of £1000 too. Indeed, my mate's gaming PC cost £4600, though I really do not expect Microsoft to try and sell the PCBox for anywhere near that. The point being that gaming PCs are not cheap. My own cost me £2700, and I bought that about 5 years ago. Thus it is unrealistic to think that Microsoft can gift us a device that is going to be all singing, and all dancing, but cost not much more than the Series X.
Ultimately, I think it will come down to how Microsoft want to position the product, and how many lifetime sales they are chasing. If they are content to sell as few as 10 million devices over the next decade, then it will likely be a premium product that has an asking price of £1000 or more. If it comes in at close to £800. It will sit above the PS6, but due to the damage that has been done to the Xbox brand, will still likely sell fewer than 20 million, maybe considerable fewer, even if it is actually better than the PS6 by some margin.
Personally, I am prepared to stump up what it takes to remain with Xbox, providing I can still have that console feeling, and it is a premium product. My concern is that Microsoft will cut corners, cut costs, and give us something decent, but not excellent. A product that when compared to the PS6 is better on paper, and maybe in action, but with all the baggage attached to the Xbox brand is unappealing.
What Microsoft need to do is knock it out of the park. Give us a product that even if it costs north of £1000 screams 'MUST HAVE!'. That is what I hope for. I want Microsoft to introduce a product that you absolutely must have, even if it means going without for a few months in order to afford it. Basically, it is not the cost that concerns me so much, but more what concessions Microsoft may make in order to make the PCBox more affordable because every concession means it is slightly less capable than it could have been...
I think the real issue here is that the less the PCBox costs, the less capable it will be, and conversely, the more capable it is, the more it will cost. I know that is stating the blindingly obvious, but I think there are quite a few people that expect a top end PC, but at an unrealistically low price.
To be honest, I'm not sure that Microsoft will subsidise the PCBox at all, particularly not if you take in consideration all the recent hardware price increases they have imposed. Thus, with all the statements that we have seen Microsoft make regarding the PCBox (albeit without any specifics) it does sound like we are looking at a premium device. Now, I don't expect it to be a top-end PC, but the way that Microsoft are talking, I do expect better than a basic PC. With that in mind, and with the rising costs of components, together with the rumours of the PCBox costing $1000-$1200 or more (and those rumours were prior to the increase in RAM costs), I do think there is a strong possibility of the PCBox coming in at north of £1000 / $1300, and as time marches on, and components continue to rise, I think there is a realistic possibility of it costing a fair bit more than that too...
It's not impossible, @ozkrmz. You only need to know what you are prepared to spend on it.
In other words, if the machine is absolutely top notch, does everything you would want, and costs £2000, would you buy it?
If £2000 is too much for you, you can then say how much is your absolute limit. That is the question that is being asked. We all know that we have no details as yet, but the question is what would you be prepared to pay? I'm sure most people would have an answer to that...
Having to mess with settings to get a game to run optimally, and look good, etc., is one of the reasons I'm not keen of PC gaming, @OldGamer999. I used to game with a couple of mates in co-operative games on a regular basis on my PC, and there were many nights that at least one of us could not play due to problems with simply getting a game to start.
Another issue that I used to run into on a regular basis was starting a game up (usually for the first time) and it would open in a resolution so small (I think!) that everything was super enlarged and you just could not find the menu, or the settings to alter it to the correct setting.
Personally, I am not keen on PC gaming, though I believe it is much better these days, so I am hoping that the PCBox will primarily offer a proper console feel, and that there is not too much of a requirement to mess with the settings. I know others are keen to see the PCBox as an entry point into PC gaming, but if it comes complete with everything that can make PC gaming a pain, then I think they will be surprised at how rough the experience can be. That said, it all depends on how competent you are with PCs. If, like me, you are a PC ignoramus, then problems may lie ahead...
I get your point, @Jenkinss. I absolutely do. However, the reason I posed the question was to see what people would spend as their maximum. So, if Microsoft were to release a PC that offers everything that you personally want to see, what would you be prepared to spend on it? None of us know as yet exactly what we might see when the PCBox releases, but we all have an idea of what we would be prepared to spend as a maximum...
I'm hoping that Halo 5 bring added to the Master Chief Collection is not the surprise that Microsoft give us. Most will have already played it anyway through either owning it or via Game Pass. Adding it to the MCC would be pretty pointless for most of us...
I own a decent gaming PC, @carlos82, but I don't really enjoy the experience of gaming on a PC. Thus my big hope is that the PCBox will still feel like a console because that is how I prefer to play my games. It's probably just me, but my lack of knowledge, when it comes to PCs, means I spend a lot of time trying to fix things when I game on a PC, whereas it's literally turn my console on, and play. No hassle, no issues. It just plays. If Microsoft can give me that with the PCBox, then I'm in.
I'm still not certain that Microsoft will make another Xbox, even as a PC. I'm probably 95% certain that the PCBox will become a reality. However, I am probably more like 50% that it will actually be made by Microsoft, and then 50% chance that it will be made by a third-party but in collaboration with Microsoft. Basically, I think there is a possibility that it will be much like the ROG Ally, in that it will be made by another company, working with Microsoft, and wear an Xbox badge. It makes sense for Microsoft to take this approach because if the product falls flat, it is not just Microsoft that takes the hit.
Personally, I'm very invested in Xbox, so I want the PCBox to be a product I want, and also want it to succeed. These are certainly interesting times, that's for sure...
Were the PCBox is indeed at the point of being manufactured right now, @dskatter & @Balaam_, you are absolutely right that Microsoft would not seek to store them for over a year. Indeed, if Microsoft were sitting on a stockpile of PCBoxes, they would likely be looking to put them out as soon as possible in order to get ahead of the RAM situation that companies currently find themselves in. After all, if Microsoft had already manufactured these new consoles, they would have paid for the RAM already at a not so inflated price, and all that storing these consoles would do is cost Microsoft to store them. Thus no, Microsoft have not begun actual production, unless they intend to release the PCBox sooner than 2027.
All that said, I keep seeing people citing the contracts that have already been signed as if contracts cannot be undone. They can, and if Microsoft believe that breaking the contracts will be the cheaper option than producing a product that is too expensive to sell, then break those contracts they will, so this issue with RAM is a real issue that delaying the PCBox alone may not solve...
I totally agree, @AlwaysPlaying. I think there is a lot to be enjoyed during this year. However, I don't think the future for Xbox has ever been less certain. There seem to be many negative things all converging at the wrong time, and it's difficult to see how Microsoft will navigate it all. It will be interesting, that's for certain...
I love these kind of articles, they always make me look forward to the coming year! Personally, I can see a number of games that I will definitely be buying (I tend to buy everything, rather than playing via Game Pass):
Code Vein 2 (I already have this pre-ordered) Resident Evil Requiem Crimson Desert Pragmata 007 First Light Fable (I remain unconvinced that this will release in 2026) Forza Horizon 6 (My son will buy this, and I will game share with him) Gears of War: E-Day (I will be looking to get the Collector's Edition of this game) Halo: Campaign Evolved Lords of the Fallen 2 Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake Star Wars: Galactic Racer (need to see a bit more, but I am sold on what I have seen so far) Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis
There's a good selection of games coming out this year. A lot to look forward too...
Thank you, @FraserG. It's not so much a question of whether people will buy the next console, but how much they would be willing to spend, not how much they think it will cost, if you catch my meaning. I'm sure you'll be better than I at phrasing these things... 😉
If Microsoft do introduce the PCBox, @Hern4ndeZzz, I have said a number of times that Microsoft are likely to sell a slightly better Series X as an alternative. It won't be much better than the current model, but it will probably have no disc drive, and a 2TB hard drive, and some other, inexpensive upgrade. I cannot see Microsoft doing another Series S type console partly down to the perception that many have that the S has held the X back, which Microsoft will most likely want to avoid next time, but also there would be such a gulf between the capabilities of the PCBox and even the current X that it would mean they would effectively need to make two versions of each game, and still people would be wondering whether the PCBox is being held back by the junior console.
If Microsoft do not introduce a Series X Mark 2, then I would imagine that they will still make the Series X, but not the S, however right now it seems that Microsoft are not even making the Series consoles anyway, as sourcing them is not particularly easy.
So who knows what Microsoft will do when and if they release the PCBox because with RAM prices, and the poor sales of the Series consoles, they just might not think it worth the troubles, and definitely not worth the negative press they get for their console sales right now. I highly doubt they want a repeat of much of what has occurred this generation...
I think the reason why I have some doubts, @PressR2, is purely down to the cost and then the number of units they might sell. We are being told that it will be a 'Premium' device, and we are therefore expecting a premium cost. If the rumours of £1000 to £1200 (or maybe more) were true a few months back, and now RAM is so much more expensive, then those rumoured prices will have increased as well.
So it we say that the lowest cost is now £1200, how many of us are actually going to buy the PCBox? Is it actually worth it to Microsoft? Is the developmental costs, and production, etc. going to be worth it for Microsoft? Can they still sell multiple millions of a device that costs that much? How many of us here, who let it be said, are more invested in Xbox than the casual gamer, will actually seek to spend that kind of money on a console, when the PS6 is likely to be half that cost or as near as damn it...?
I'm not 100% certain that we will see another console from Microsoft, and so I think that as time moves on, the prospect any proper announcement of the PCBox diminishes. Just to be clear, I am 95% certain, but not quite 100% sure.
I can foresee Microsoft holding discussions, pretty soon, on whether to cancel the PCBox entirely if the current economic climate persists, and with RAM prices as they are, as the RAM prices may push the cost of the PCBox beyond what people would actually be willing to pay, let alone what they can actually afford . We've already heard rumours of the Microsoft potentially delaying the PCBox out of 2027, but if things persist as they are, I can see Microsoft just calling it quits, as far as a next generation console goes, and instead focussing entirely on building themselves a publishing empire that will stand the test of time.
I know that people will want to say that Microsoft have said there will be a PCBox, so there will be one, but anyone that has been paying any attention at all will know that Microsoft have, time and time again, said one thing, and then done the polar opposite, so I don't think anyone (not in the know) can be 100% certain that the PCBox is not just another decision that they might go back on. I think only a full reveal of the device will settle those nerves, but I'm just not confident that Microsoft will reveal the device this year given the current economic circumstances...
Do you think it possible to run a poll regarding what people would be prepared to spend on the PCBox, per chance, please?
I'm thinking having many options, starting at £500 (which I think most of us would see as wishful thinking), going up in multiples of £100 up to £1500+, and with two other options being, 'I WON'T BE UPGRADING' and 'I'LL BE GETTING A PS6 INSTEAD' as the bottom two options.
I'm just really curious to know just how much too much would be. I know we don't have a huge amount of detail regarding exactly what the PCBox will actually entail, but assuming that it is this feature rich, premium device offering multiple store fronts, etc. I'm left wondering what people would be prepared to spend on it.
Personally, I am so heavily invested in the Xbox ecosystem, that I will probably be prepared to spend what it takes to stay within it, but I'm sure I would be in the minority if it does indeed have an asking price of £1500.
If the poll could be in multiples of £100, I do think that would give a better idea of what people will spend because brackets (of say £500-£700) might see people only willing to spend £600, and so skewing the results to appear as though people are prepared to spend £700, if you see what I mean.
Anyway, just a thought that occurred to me due to the current cost of RAM and the affect that might have on the ultimate price of the PCBox...
I don't think it is nailed on that people already in the Xbox ecosystem will automatically buy the PCBox, @Markatron84. If the PS6 comes in at sub £700, and the PCBox at post £1000, there will be a sizable percentage that may just leave Xbox behind, and start gaming on PlayStation instead. Regardless of everything else, Sony seem to offering stability in their brand, and that will be appealing to many. With Xbox, none of us are entirely sure what the future holds, what direction it might take, and whether it will even last the entirety of another generation.
Ultimately, I can foresee Xbox gamers opting to keep their current Xbox, so as to play those games they have already bought on the Xbox, but then buy the PS6, and begin to build their PlayStation libraries from there.
People like myself, who have over 1600 games on their Series console, will likely choose to buy the PCBox (or at least just not upgrade at all), whereas people will far smaller libraries might just choose to go PlayStation instead, particularly if they don't revisit their older games anyway. I mean, I still have multiple Xbox 360's, but I never bother to hook them up in order to play games I own, and I imagine that most just play the most recent titles...
All we can hope for is that 2026 is a better year on the positive news front, @FraserG. I imagine that is a double-edged sword for a website such as Pure Xbox because it seems to me that articles that convey negative news tend to receive more comments. However, it maybe that yourselves are in a better position to know whether that is the case of not as you can actually see the traffic that each article receives, and it just might be that people are more likely to comment on negative leaning articles, whereas more positive articles might be read more, but be commented on less...
What would be really interesting, @FraserG, (and likely impossible to do!) would be to know how the articles stack up with regard to whether they are positive or negative, because I think an awful lot of what has been written about regarding Xbox / Microsoft this year will have been negative.
We've seen many articles, here and elsewhere, that would likely be considered critical of decisions that Microsoft have made regarding such things as console price increases, game price increases (and then the subsequent climbdown), and of course Game Pass increases. We've also seen many articles covering the porting of one time Xbox exclusives, which could be seen from either perspective. I know that Xbox centric websites do tend to try to put a positive spin on some of these events, but when Microsoft are behaving as they are, even the most ardent of supporters can find difficulty in doing so.
That said, I do think that Sony have had some troubles this year, as have Nintendo, but I think it fair to say that if all the negative articles were to be tallied up, that Microsoft would be leading the way by some considerable margin...
Just Code Vein 2 for me in January, and I have already pre-ordered it. Glad that there is only one game, to be honest, as I have an absolutely enormous backlog, and the fewer games I add to it the better...
I want to wish you a merry festive period, @fatpunkslim, and a happy New Year. I know we nearly always lock horns, and disagree with one another pretty much all the time, but I want you to know that it is never personal. We are all entitled to our opinions, and I fully expect you and I to do it all over again in 2026... 😉👍
The only way that Gears of War: Reloaded should ever be in 22nd place is if there were only 22 games to choose from! Such a poor effort (and I use that word in its loosest possible term!). The friendly AI was completely broken when playing solo, and the graphics were really pretty much (or maybe exactly) the same as the Ultimate Edition.
The only reason that we saw the minimal work done on the game was so that it could be sold on the PlayStation, but I'm sure that many of them wondered why we are so keen on the game, as Xbox fans, when the game they received was pretty shoddy, and honestly, somewhat embarrassing
I'd like to wish both @FraserG and @Kezelpaso a very merry Christmas, and thank you both with putting up with my inane comments. I really do appreciate everything you do for this site.
I'd also like to wish everyone else that frequents these forums, a very merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year, and assure them that they can look forward to me being my usual annoying self throughout 2026. 😂
I'd like to thank you for the heads up with Code Vein 2, @Cakefish. I loved the first game, and was fully intending to pre-order the sequel. I am trying to get into the habit of pre-ordering my games within a month of them releasing (after the Mindseye debacle), and so I had intended to get CV2 closer to its release, and maybe at CDKeys, but thanks to your mentioning of the Deluxe Edition being the same price as the Standard version, I have bought it now. An Christmas Present for myself... 😊
Truth is I buy a lot more games than I get round to playing, @ILuvGames, and The Thaumaturge is one of them, so I cannot tell you what I think. All I can say is that it appealed enough to me to buy it in the first place, sorry... 👍
I can say exactly what I have bought, when it was bought, and how much it cost!
JANUARY:
Euro Fishing: Ultimate Edition
Assassin's Creed: Mirage
FEBRUARY:
Doom: The Dark Ages Collector's Edition
Split Fiction
MARCH:
Cluedo
The First Berserker: Khazan Deluxe Edition
APRIL:
Choo-Choo Charles
The Thaumaturge
The Talos Principle: Reawakened
63 Days
JUNE:
Days Gone: Remastered (PlayStation)
Hidden Shapes Collection
Death Stranding 2 Collector's Edition (PlayStation)
AUGUST:
Hero Defence
Star Trek Prodigy
Hot Wheels Unleashed
SEPTEMBER:
Hell Is Us
Cronos: The New Dawn
Terminator Resistance: Complete Edition
Deadzone Rogue
Borderlands 4
Dying Light: The Beast
Silent Hill f
Outer Worlds 2: Premium Edition
OCTOBER:
Ghost of Yotei: Collector's Edition (PlayStation)
Metal Eden
NOVEMBER:
Satisfactory
Star Wars: Outlaws Ultimate Edition
DECEMBER:
Chains of Freedom
RoboCop: Rogue City: Unfinished Business
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous - Game of the Year Edition
Red Dead Redemption
Judgement
Divinity Original Sin 2 (PlayStation)
Aliens: Rogue Incursion
Code Vein 2
So 35 games in total (4 of which were for the PlayStation, everything else was for the Xbox), plus I bought two DLCs for a game too. Any game that came out this year, I bought by way of pre-order. An Expensive year all told, and I keep telling myself that I am cutting back...! 😂
I remember attempting to play Space Invaders in the arcades when it first came out. At the time it was totally revolutionary, and I was totally hopeless at it. I used to stick my coins in again and again in the hope of progressing just that little bit further next time (but usually didn't!)... 😂
Comments 4,249
Re: Feature: 30 Xbox Series X|S Games To Look Forward To In 2026
Thank you, @Jenkinss. Definitely interested in that then.
I bought both 40k Rogue Trader and Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous end of last year, but have yet to play them.
Personally, I'm really excited for Osiris Reborn as what they've shown of it thus far looks amazing. Just have to hope that the rumours of a 2028 or 29 release are wrong, though that said, I'd prefer they take their time and get it right...
Re: These 11 Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass, Including Two Major Additions (January 6-22)
Why is it whenever I buy a game that it then ends up on Game Pass? Now, in fairness, I buy a lot of games, but it is always annoying to me when I buy a game (because I just love a bargain!) to place in my backlog, and then before I've had chance to play it, it turns up in Game Pass! I think I bought the Star Wars: Outlaws Ultimate Edition at half-price, or something like that, which means I could have saved myself a fair few quid. Will I ever learn? Doubtful... 😂
Re: Feature: 30 Xbox Series X|S Games To Look Forward To In 2026
That was pretty much my thinking, @ILuvGames. I just think the game is so anticipated, that Microsoft would have already mentioned if we were going to see it soon (albeit I don't think they have even confirmed the January showcase yet)...
Re: Feature: 30 Xbox Series X|S Games To Look Forward To In 2026
I'm hoping that Solasta 2 comes out this year too, @Jenkinss. I'm not sure if it's going to do what it did with the first game and come out on PC first or have a simultaneous release across all platforms, but I really enjoyed the first game so am very much looking forward to the sequel.
Is Warhammer 40k: Dark Heresy a turn-based game? I do like my Warhammer games, though I have just fallen off Chaos Gate because I kept hitting annoying bugs...
Re: Feature: 30 Xbox Series X|S Games To Look Forward To In 2026
I'm highly sceptical that Fable will release this year, @ILuvGames, but one thing is for sure, we will know more within the next few months. If we hear nothing once the June Xbox Showcase has been and gone, then I think it safe to say the game is delayed into 2027.
Personally, I'm really looking forward to it, so the sooner it comes the better, albeit, I want it to arrive in good shape...
Re: Xbox Console Sales 'The Worst On Record' In 2025 As Microsoft Shifts Focus (UK)
Agreed, @Weebleman. And Happy New Year to you.
The thing with the Xbox ROG Ally, is that it's not really an Xbox at all. It has Xbox integration, but is still essentially a ROG Ally with an Xbox logo. To a great extent, it doesn't matter how well it sells because the primary beneficiary of each and every sale is not Microsoft, it is Asus. Microsoft will undoubtedly be getting a cut, but I'd put money on it that most of the money goes to Asus...
Re: Feature: 30 Xbox Series X|S Games To Look Forward To In 2026
I think Fable is looking odds on for releasing next year, @ILuvGames & @Darylb88. The distinct lack of any gameplay, or indeed, any updates, has me seriously doubting that we will see it this year. I think we will see some gameplay in the June Xbox Showcase, but that's about all I'm expecting to see...
Re: Xbox Console Sales 'The Worst On Record' In 2025 As Microsoft Shifts Focus (UK)
But even the 39% versus the 12% doesn't tell the whole story, @PsBoxSwitchOwner. It needs to be remembered that the PS5 has been outselling the Series consoles for a good while now, and if we were to say that in 2024 the Series consoles sold 1,000,000, then 39% takes that down to 610,000. However, if we say that Sony sold 3 times as many consoles in 2024 (3,000,000) then they still managed to sell 2,640,000 consoles last year. That is a whopping difference.
Obviously I am only using illustrative figures, but the point is that the drop in sales for both the Series consoles, and the PS5, are not from the same starting point. The PS5 was already comfortably outselling the Series consoles. Just saying, 'Yeah, well, they sold fewer too', does not tell the whole story...
Re: Feature: 30 Xbox Series X|S Games To Look Forward To In 2026
A fair few games listed here that I am interested in, and that I will definitely be buying each of them for my Xbox day one:
Resident Evil: Requiem
Crimson Desert
Pragmata
007: First Light
Beast Of Reincarnation
Halo: Campaign Evolved
Prince Of Persia
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy
Tomb Raider: Legacy Of Atlantic
When it comes to Gears Of War: E-Day, I have every Collector's Edition in the series, so really hope that they do one for this game too. My only hope is that they do one for the UK too this time, because I had to import the Gears 5 one from the US, due to them not doing one for the UK, which adds a lot to the cost.
I may buy Star Wars: Galactic Racer, but want to see more of it before I decide as racers are not usually my thing. I like them for a short while, but after a while my interest wains.
I will buy Fable should it release, but I highly doubt that it will. I am pretty confident that GTA 6 won't release this year either, but doubt I will buy it anyway, as it holds no interest for me.
Re: Talking Point: What Have You Bought In The Xbox Countdown Sale This Year?
Absolutely nothing in the sales, which is most unusual for me. I am trying to be fewer games though. I have noticed that the games that I buy day one, I normally play soon after release, but those games that I buy in a sale just sit in my library. Thus, my goal for 2026, is to only buy a game in a sale if I intend to play it straight away.
I love the feeling of getting a bargain, but is it a bargain if I buy it and don't play it? Surely all it is then is a waste of money...!
Re: Three Casual Xbox Games Arrived For 'Free' Over Christmas, Easy Achievements On Offer
I rarely 100% a games achievements, @Balaam_, and it doesn't bother me in the slightest. I never play the multiplayer element of a game, and so never worry about those achievements, but I certainly would not miss out on a game just because I know I would not get them. I'd far rather enjoy the campaign in something like Gears of War or Halo, than opt to miss out on them just because I won't get the multiplayer achievements due to not partaking in the multiplayer.
Honestly, I don't think anyone is interested in anyone else's achievements nor what their gamer score is, so I cannot see a reason to limit myself on what I play. I cannot begin to imagine how many terrific games you have missed out by choosing to play the way you do...
Re: Three Casual Xbox Games Arrived For 'Free' Over Christmas, Easy Achievements On Offer
I'm much the same, @theduckofdeath. I don't tend to go back if I missed an achievement. I rarely 100% a game, ever bother with multiplayer achievements, and rarely go back over something just to unlock an achievement. I do get annoyed when an achievement should have unlocked, but didn't, but not so annoyed as to bother trying it multiple times. I simply have way too many games to be playing to worry about such things, and no one ever sees what I have unlocked, nor what my gamer score is. I don't even bother to look at my gamer score myself...
Re: Three Casual Xbox Games Arrived For 'Free' Over Christmas, Easy Achievements On Offer
I like to get story achievements where I can, but the achievements that I most like to attempt are for difficulty. I absolutely love the challenge of beating a game on its harder/hardest difficulties, though I rarely do Ironman achievements as I'm not keen on the idea of my game just ending should it all go very wrong...!
Re: Xbox Game Pass: Two Games Announced For January 2026, And Here's When To Expect More
Highly, highly doubt that you will see Fable this year, @Master_Cthulhu70. Not sure we'll see Clockwork Revolution either. Have to say that I am excited for both of them, but I think they won't be available until next year at the earliest. A lot of other good games coming from Xbox this year though, and I am personally looking forward to hitting E-Day on day one...
Re: Talking Point: What Are Your New Year's Resolutions For Gaming In 2026?
I have 3 gaming resolutions, which are pretty straightforward in saying, but less so in achieving. They are also the same resolutions as I set last year;
1. Buy fewer games than I did in 2025.
I bought 39 games in 2024, and 37 games (plus 2 DLC's) in 2025. So basically 39 in each year. I must buy fewer games as I played fewer than half the games I bought in both 2024 and 2025. One of the games that I bought in 2025, is Code Vein 2, which does not release until later this month, so I guess technically, I bought 38 games in 2025. Technically...! 😉
2. Spend less money on games, and gaming accessories.
In 2024 I spent £1300.44 on games alone.
In 2025 I spent £1566.37 on games alone.
I also bought 3 different Collector's Elite 2 controllers, and one standard Collector's controller.
Basically, I would quite like to spend less on gaming this year!
3. Clear down at least some of my games backlog.
I buy an awful lot of games, and have around 1600 digital games in my Series X library. I know I have probably played fewer than a third of them. Frankly it's pretty ridiculous, and speaks to my impulsive spending behaviour. In 2026, I need to be better...
Re: Talking Point: How Much Would You Be Willing To Spend On The Next Xbox Console?
Happy New Year, @Titntin. As always, I value your input.
I agree with you; I think my maximum outlay would be around £2000, but it would have to be so good as to be pretty ridiculous in order to make me part with the kind of money.
As much as I want Microsoft to continue to give me the Xbox console experience, and as wary as I am about PC gaming, I am totally intrigued by what they might concoct. These are exciting times, that is for sure, and I really hope that Microsoft get it right...
Re: Talking Point: How Much Would You Be Willing To Spend On The Next Xbox Console?
Absolutely, @theduckofdeath, but the concessions I am referring o are things like the GPU being of a lesser standard, or the memory afforded being less, or one or another of the many components being inferior to what we could be getting. Each and every concession that Microsoft make, in search of savings, will inevitably lessen the overall quality of the device. The problem being, of course, the fewer such concessions that Microsoft make, the better the product will be, but also the more expensive the PCBox will be. They are in the insidious position of not wanting to put out a product that will be ridiculed in PC circles, whilst also keeping the costs down. I know I wouldn't want to be the one designing it...!
Re: ASUS Sparks Fears Of Potential Price Increase For The ROG Xbox Ally
I know you are correct in what you say, @Grognard66, however, what none of us know is how many the were included in the first batch. If I were to use a silly number, and say they only made 10,000 available at launch, and they all sold out, then you can see that without knowing how many were available them all selling out is meaningless. If they made 10,000,000 available, and they all sold out straight away, then that's an entirely different matter. All we know is that they all sold out, we don't know how many there were. It maybe that stocks were extremely limited from the outset, maybe to gauge public interest, and that once those sold out, manufacturing of a second batch went into production.
From a public perception point of view, it is better, as far as Microsoft are concerned, for the story to be that the product sold out, as opposed to the item is easily available both online and in store following release, as that gives the appearance of the item being particularly desirable rather than something the public are not interested in.
I'm not suggesting that sales were low, nor that the Xbox ROG Ally is not a desirable item, just saying that the fact that it sold out does not tell the whole story. How many were sold is the one significant detail that we are not privy too, and it is exceptionally annoying that Microsoft never tell us this kind of detail. All the term 'sold out' upon release tells us is that an insufficient quantity were made to meet initial demand...
Re: Talking Point: How Much Would You Be Willing To Spend On The Next Xbox Console?
'Pathological liar', @lostinblue? Can you please tell me what lies he has told...?
Re: Talking Point: How Much Would You Be Willing To Spend On The Next Xbox Console?
My thought process,@Titntin, was that people would assume the device to be exactly what they want; a feature rich, premium device, and then see what they would they would be prepared to pay for it. Everyone will likely have an upper limit that they would be willing to pay, and that is how I had hoped people would look at the question. Thus, if this was your dream machine, and you would happily drop £1500 on it, then there is your answer. However, even if it were to be your dream machine, but you would not even remotely consider paying more than £600, then that's your answer.
Obviously, once we know exactly what the machine entails, we may adjust that limit one way or another, but I'm just curious what people are thinking in terms of their maximum purchase price...
Re: Talking Point: How Much Would You Be Willing To Spend On The Next Xbox Console?
You got me thinking, @FatGuyInLilCoat, and I guess you could create multiple accounts to vote more than once, but in a poll such as this one, what would be the point?
I guess if you were voting for your favourite game, or some such, then maybe I could understand the temptation to try and skew the poll by voting more than once, but in a poll such as this I think it far more likely that the lurkers are in play. I just cannot see the point in skewing this particular vote.
Got me thinking though... 😂
Re: Talking Point: How Much Would You Be Willing To Spend On The Next Xbox Console?
I've said it a few times now, @OldGamer999, but if the PCBox does come in at £1000 (or north of that!), then it will be a very niche device of which, I imagine, Microsoft would not expect to achieve more than 10 million lifetime sales.
You only need to read peoples expectations of what the PCBox will be, compared to what they expect to pay for it, to realise that the two are simply incompatible.
This PCBox, if as premium as people expect, and as premium as Microsoft are suggesting, will come with a premium price tag too. You only have to look at the ROG Ally to realise that Microsoft are prepared to sell a device for $1000, and yes, I have seen many people defend that price and say it's fairly typical of a gaming handheld, but then gaming PC's sell for well in excess of £1000 too. Indeed, my mate's gaming PC cost £4600, though I really do not expect Microsoft to try and sell the PCBox for anywhere near that. The point being that gaming PCs are not cheap. My own cost me £2700, and I bought that about 5 years ago. Thus it is unrealistic to think that Microsoft can gift us a device that is going to be all singing, and all dancing, but cost not much more than the Series X.
Ultimately, I think it will come down to how Microsoft want to position the product, and how many lifetime sales they are chasing. If they are content to sell as few as 10 million devices over the next decade, then it will likely be a premium product that has an asking price of £1000 or more. If it comes in at close to £800. It will sit above the PS6, but due to the damage that has been done to the Xbox brand, will still likely sell fewer than 20 million, maybe considerable fewer, even if it is actually better than the PS6 by some margin.
Personally, I am prepared to stump up what it takes to remain with Xbox, providing I can still have that console feeling, and it is a premium product. My concern is that Microsoft will cut corners, cut costs, and give us something decent, but not excellent. A product that when compared to the PS6 is better on paper, and maybe in action, but with all the baggage attached to the Xbox brand is unappealing.
What Microsoft need to do is knock it out of the park. Give us a product that even if it costs north of £1000 screams 'MUST HAVE!'. That is what I hope for. I want Microsoft to introduce a product that you absolutely must have, even if it means going without for a few months in order to afford it. Basically, it is not the cost that concerns me so much, but more what concessions Microsoft may make in order to make the PCBox more affordable because every concession means it is slightly less capable than it could have been...
Re: Talking Point: How Much Would You Be Willing To Spend On The Next Xbox Console?
I think the real issue here is that the less the PCBox costs, the less capable it will be, and conversely, the more capable it is, the more it will cost. I know that is stating the blindingly obvious, but I think there are quite a few people that expect a top end PC, but at an unrealistically low price.
To be honest, I'm not sure that Microsoft will subsidise the PCBox at all, particularly not if you take in consideration all the recent hardware price increases they have imposed. Thus, with all the statements that we have seen Microsoft make regarding the PCBox (albeit without any specifics) it does sound like we are looking at a premium device. Now, I don't expect it to be a top-end PC, but the way that Microsoft are talking, I do expect better than a basic PC. With that in mind, and with the rising costs of components, together with the rumours of the PCBox costing $1000-$1200 or more (and those rumours were prior to the increase in RAM costs), I do think there is a strong possibility of the PCBox coming in at north of £1000 / $1300, and as time marches on, and components continue to rise, I think there is a realistic possibility of it costing a fair bit more than that too...
Re: Talking Point: How Much Would You Be Willing To Spend On The Next Xbox Console?
It's not impossible, @ozkrmz. You only need to know what you are prepared to spend on it.
In other words, if the machine is absolutely top notch, does everything you would want, and costs £2000, would you buy it?
If £2000 is too much for you, you can then say how much is your absolute limit. That is the question that is being asked. We all know that we have no details as yet, but the question is what would you be prepared to pay? I'm sure most people would have an answer to that...
Re: Talking Point: How Much Would You Be Willing To Spend On The Next Xbox Console?
Having to mess with settings to get a game to run optimally, and look good, etc., is one of the reasons I'm not keen of PC gaming, @OldGamer999. I used to game with a couple of mates in co-operative games on a regular basis on my PC, and there were many nights that at least one of us could not play due to problems with simply getting a game to start.
Another issue that I used to run into on a regular basis was starting a game up (usually for the first time) and it would open in a resolution so small (I think!) that everything was super enlarged and you just could not find the menu, or the settings to alter it to the correct setting.
Personally, I am not keen on PC gaming, though I believe it is much better these days, so I am hoping that the PCBox will primarily offer a proper console feel, and that there is not too much of a requirement to mess with the settings. I know others are keen to see the PCBox as an entry point into PC gaming, but if it comes complete with everything that can make PC gaming a pain, then I think they will be surprised at how rough the experience can be. That said, it all depends on how competent you are with PCs. If, like me, you are a PC ignoramus, then problems may lie ahead...
Re: Talking Point: How Much Would You Be Willing To Spend On The Next Xbox Console?
I get your point, @Jenkinss. I absolutely do. However, the reason I posed the question was to see what people would spend as their maximum. So, if Microsoft were to release a PC that offers everything that you personally want to see, what would you be prepared to spend on it? None of us know as yet exactly what we might see when the PCBox releases, but we all have an idea of what we would be prepared to spend as a maximum...
Re: Xbox Developer Direct Has Always Had A Surprise, But What About January 2026's Showcase?
I'm hoping that Halo 5 bring added to the Master Chief Collection is not the surprise that Microsoft give us. Most will have already played it anyway through either owning it or via Game Pass. Adding it to the MCC would be pretty pointless for most of us...
Re: Five Reasons Why 2026 Is One Of The Most Important Years In Xbox History
I own a decent gaming PC, @carlos82, but I don't really enjoy the experience of gaming on a PC. Thus my big hope is that the PCBox will still feel like a console because that is how I prefer to play my games. It's probably just me, but my lack of knowledge, when it comes to PCs, means I spend a lot of time trying to fix things when I game on a PC, whereas it's literally turn my console on, and play. No hassle, no issues. It just plays. If Microsoft can give me that with the PCBox, then I'm in.
I'm still not certain that Microsoft will make another Xbox, even as a PC. I'm probably 95% certain that the PCBox will become a reality. However, I am probably more like 50% that it will actually be made by Microsoft, and then 50% chance that it will be made by a third-party but in collaboration with Microsoft. Basically, I think there is a possibility that it will be much like the ROG Ally, in that it will be made by another company, working with Microsoft, and wear an Xbox badge. It makes sense for Microsoft to take this approach because if the product falls flat, it is not just Microsoft that takes the hit.
Personally, I'm very invested in Xbox, so I want the PCBox to be a product I want, and also want it to succeed. These are certainly interesting times, that's for sure...
Re: Five Reasons Why 2026 Is One Of The Most Important Years In Xbox History
Were the PCBox is indeed at the point of being manufactured right now, @dskatter & @Balaam_, you are absolutely right that Microsoft would not seek to store them for over a year. Indeed, if Microsoft were sitting on a stockpile of PCBoxes, they would likely be looking to put them out as soon as possible in order to get ahead of the RAM situation that companies currently find themselves in. After all, if Microsoft had already manufactured these new consoles, they would have paid for the RAM already at a not so inflated price, and all that storing these consoles would do is cost Microsoft to store them. Thus no, Microsoft have not begun actual production, unless they intend to release the PCBox sooner than 2027.
All that said, I keep seeing people citing the contracts that have already been signed as if contracts cannot be undone. They can, and if Microsoft believe that breaking the contracts will be the cheaper option than producing a product that is too expensive to sell, then break those contracts they will, so this issue with RAM is a real issue that delaying the PCBox alone may not solve...
Re: Five Reasons Why 2026 Is One Of The Most Important Years In Xbox History
I totally agree, @AlwaysPlaying. I think there is a lot to be enjoyed during this year. However, I don't think the future for Xbox has ever been less certain. There seem to be many negative things all converging at the wrong time, and it's difficult to see how Microsoft will navigate it all. It will be interesting, that's for certain...
Re: Xbox Release Dates In 2026: A List Of New Games Coming Out This Year
I love these kind of articles, they always make me look forward to the coming year! Personally, I can see a number of games that I will definitely be buying (I tend to buy everything, rather than playing via Game Pass):
Code Vein 2 (I already have this pre-ordered)
Resident Evil Requiem
Crimson Desert
Pragmata
007 First Light
Fable (I remain unconvinced that this will release in 2026)
Forza Horizon 6 (My son will buy this, and I will game share with him)
Gears of War: E-Day (I will be looking to get the Collector's Edition of this game)
Halo: Campaign Evolved
Lords of the Fallen 2
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake
Star Wars: Galactic Racer (need to see a bit more, but I am sold on what I have seen so far)
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis
There's a good selection of games coming out this year. A lot to look forward too...
Re: A Year Later, Microsoft Remains Highly Committed To Its 'This Is An Xbox' Campaign
Thank you, @FraserG. It's not so much a question of whether people will buy the next console, but how much they would be willing to spend, not how much they think it will cost, if you catch my meaning. I'm sure you'll be better than I at phrasing these things... 😉
Re: Five Reasons Why 2026 Is One Of The Most Important Years In Xbox History
If Microsoft do introduce the PCBox, @Hern4ndeZzz, I have said a number of times that Microsoft are likely to sell a slightly better Series X as an alternative. It won't be much better than the current model, but it will probably have no disc drive, and a 2TB hard drive, and some other, inexpensive upgrade. I cannot see Microsoft doing another Series S type console partly down to the perception that many have that the S has held the X back, which Microsoft will most likely want to avoid next time, but also there would be such a gulf between the capabilities of the PCBox and even the current X that it would mean they would effectively need to make two versions of each game, and still people would be wondering whether the PCBox is being held back by the junior console.
If Microsoft do not introduce a Series X Mark 2, then I would imagine that they will still make the Series X, but not the S, however right now it seems that Microsoft are not even making the Series consoles anyway, as sourcing them is not particularly easy.
So who knows what Microsoft will do when and if they release the PCBox because with RAM prices, and the poor sales of the Series consoles, they just might not think it worth the troubles, and definitely not worth the negative press they get for their console sales right now. I highly doubt they want a repeat of much of what has occurred this generation...
Re: Five Reasons Why 2026 Is One Of The Most Important Years In Xbox History
I think the reason why I have some doubts, @PressR2, is purely down to the cost and then the number of units they might sell. We are being told that it will be a 'Premium' device, and we are therefore expecting a premium cost. If the rumours of £1000 to £1200 (or maybe more) were true a few months back, and now RAM is so much more expensive, then those rumoured prices will have increased as well.
So it we say that the lowest cost is now £1200, how many of us are actually going to buy the PCBox? Is it actually worth it to Microsoft? Is the developmental costs, and production, etc. going to be worth it for Microsoft? Can they still sell multiple millions of a device that costs that much? How many of us here, who let it be said, are more invested in Xbox than the casual gamer, will actually seek to spend that kind of money on a console, when the PS6 is likely to be half that cost or as near as damn it...?
Re: Five Reasons Why 2026 Is One Of The Most Important Years In Xbox History
I'm not 100% certain that we will see another console from Microsoft, and so I think that as time moves on, the prospect any proper announcement of the PCBox diminishes. Just to be clear, I am 95% certain, but not quite 100% sure.
I can foresee Microsoft holding discussions, pretty soon, on whether to cancel the PCBox entirely if the current economic climate persists, and with RAM prices as they are, as the RAM prices may push the cost of the PCBox beyond what people would actually be willing to pay, let alone what they can actually afford . We've already heard rumours of the Microsoft potentially delaying the PCBox out of 2027, but if things persist as they are, I can see Microsoft just calling it quits, as far as a next generation console goes, and instead focussing entirely on building themselves a publishing empire that will stand the test of time.
I know that people will want to say that Microsoft have said there will be a PCBox, so there will be one, but anyone that has been paying any attention at all will know that Microsoft have, time and time again, said one thing, and then done the polar opposite, so I don't think anyone (not in the know) can be 100% certain that the PCBox is not just another decision that they might go back on. I think only a full reveal of the device will settle those nerves, but I'm just not confident that Microsoft will reveal the device this year given the current economic circumstances...
Re: A Year Later, Microsoft Remains Highly Committed To Its 'This Is An Xbox' Campaign
Happy New Year to you, @FraserG.
Do you think it possible to run a poll regarding what people would be prepared to spend on the PCBox, per chance, please?
I'm thinking having many options, starting at £500 (which I think most of us would see as wishful thinking), going up in multiples of £100 up to £1500+, and with two other options being, 'I WON'T BE UPGRADING' and 'I'LL BE GETTING A PS6 INSTEAD' as the bottom two options.
I'm just really curious to know just how much too much would be. I know we don't have a huge amount of detail regarding exactly what the PCBox will actually entail, but assuming that it is this feature rich, premium device offering multiple store fronts, etc. I'm left wondering what people would be prepared to spend on it.
Personally, I am so heavily invested in the Xbox ecosystem, that I will probably be prepared to spend what it takes to stay within it, but I'm sure I would be in the minority if it does indeed have an asking price of £1500.
If the poll could be in multiples of £100, I do think that would give a better idea of what people will spend because brackets (of say £500-£700) might see people only willing to spend £600, and so skewing the results to appear as though people are prepared to spend £700, if you see what I mean.
Anyway, just a thought that occurred to me due to the current cost of RAM and the affect that might have on the ultimate price of the PCBox...
Re: A Year Later, Microsoft Remains Highly Committed To Its 'This Is An Xbox' Campaign
I don't think it is nailed on that people already in the Xbox ecosystem will automatically buy the PCBox, @Markatron84. If the PS6 comes in at sub £700, and the PCBox at post £1000, there will be a sizable percentage that may just leave Xbox behind, and start gaming on PlayStation instead. Regardless of everything else, Sony seem to offering stability in their brand, and that will be appealing to many. With Xbox, none of us are entirely sure what the future holds, what direction it might take, and whether it will even last the entirety of another generation.
Ultimately, I can foresee Xbox gamers opting to keep their current Xbox, so as to play those games they have already bought on the Xbox, but then buy the PS6, and begin to build their PlayStation libraries from there.
People like myself, who have over 1600 games on their Series console, will likely choose to buy the PCBox (or at least just not upgrade at all), whereas people will far smaller libraries might just choose to go PlayStation instead, particularly if they don't revisit their older games anyway. I mean, I still have multiple Xbox 360's, but I never bother to hook them up in order to play games I own, and I imagine that most just play the most recent titles...
Re: Xbox & Microsoft Dominate The List Of 'Most Covered' Gaming Companies In 2025
All we can hope for is that 2026 is a better year on the positive news front, @FraserG. I imagine that is a double-edged sword for a website such as Pure Xbox because it seems to me that articles that convey negative news tend to receive more comments. However, it maybe that yourselves are in a better position to know whether that is the case of not as you can actually see the traffic that each article receives, and it just might be that people are more likely to comment on negative leaning articles, whereas more positive articles might be read more, but be commented on less...
Re: Xbox & Microsoft Dominate The List Of 'Most Covered' Gaming Companies In 2025
What would be really interesting, @FraserG, (and likely impossible to do!) would be to know how the articles stack up with regard to whether they are positive or negative, because I think an awful lot of what has been written about regarding Xbox / Microsoft this year will have been negative.
We've seen many articles, here and elsewhere, that would likely be considered critical of decisions that Microsoft have made regarding such things as console price increases, game price increases (and then the subsequent climbdown), and of course Game Pass increases. We've also seen many articles covering the porting of one time Xbox exclusives, which could be seen from either perspective. I know that Xbox centric websites do tend to try to put a positive spin on some of these events, but when Microsoft are behaving as they are, even the most ardent of supporters can find difficulty in doing so.
That said, I do think that Sony have had some troubles this year, as have Nintendo, but I think it fair to say that if all the negative articles were to be tallied up, that Microsoft would be leading the way by some considerable margin...
Re: All New Games Coming To Xbox In January 2026
Just Code Vein 2 for me in January, and I have already pre-ordered it. Glad that there is only one game, to be honest, as I have an absolutely enormous backlog, and the fewer games I add to it the better...
Re: Poll: What Were The Best Xbox Game Pass Additions In 2025?
My vote went as follows, though I only actually played Expedition 33 on Game Pass. Each of the others I bought, and played, upon initial release.
My vote went as follows:
1. Banishers: Ghost of Eden
2. The Outer Worlds 2
3. Doom: The Dark Ages
4. Expedition 33
5. Dragon Age: Veil Guard
Of the others I played, I would rank them as follows:
6. Star Wars: Jedi Survivor
7. Metaphor: ReFantazio
8. Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 Enhanced
9,999,901. Gears of War: Reloaded*
*Ranked so low based on how poor the remaster was...
Re: Pure Xbox's Game Of The Year 2025: The Results You Didn't See
I want to wish you a merry festive period, @fatpunkslim, and a happy New Year. I know we nearly always lock horns, and disagree with one another pretty much all the time, but I want you to know that it is never personal. We are all entitled to our opinions, and I fully expect you and I to do it all over again in 2026... 😉👍
Re: Pure Xbox's Game Of The Year 2025: The Results You Didn't See
The only way that Gears of War: Reloaded should ever be in 22nd place is if there were only 22 games to choose from! Such a poor effort (and I use that word in its loosest possible term!). The friendly AI was completely broken when playing solo, and the graphics were really pretty much (or maybe exactly) the same as the Ultimate Edition.
The only reason that we saw the minimal work done on the game was so that it could be sold on the PlayStation, but I'm sure that many of them wondered why we are so keen on the game, as Xbox fans, when the game they received was pretty shoddy, and honestly, somewhat embarrassing
Re: Merry Christmas And Happy Holidays From The Pure Xbox Team!
I'd like to wish both @FraserG and @Kezelpaso a very merry Christmas, and thank you both with putting up with my inane comments. I really do appreciate everything you do for this site.
I'd also like to wish everyone else that frequents these forums, a very merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year, and assure them that they can look forward to me being my usual annoying self throughout 2026. 😂
Have a good day, one and all...
Re: Poll: How Many Xbox Games Have You Actually Bought In 2025?
I'd like to thank you for the heads up with Code Vein 2, @Cakefish. I loved the first game, and was fully intending to pre-order the sequel. I am trying to get into the habit of pre-ordering my games within a month of them releasing (after the Mindseye debacle), and so I had intended to get CV2 closer to its release, and maybe at CDKeys, but thanks to your mentioning of the Deluxe Edition being the same price as the Standard version, I have bought it now. An Christmas Present for myself... 😊
Re: Poll: How Many Xbox Games Have You Actually Bought In 2025?
Truth is I buy a lot more games than I get round to playing, @ILuvGames, and The Thaumaturge is one of them, so I cannot tell you what I think. All I can say is that it appealed enough to me to buy it in the first place, sorry... 👍
Re: Poll: How Many Xbox Games Have You Actually Bought In 2025?
I can say exactly what I have bought, when it was bought, and how much it cost!
JANUARY:
Euro Fishing: Ultimate Edition
Assassin's Creed: Mirage
FEBRUARY:
Doom: The Dark Ages Collector's Edition
Split Fiction
MARCH:
Cluedo
The First Berserker: Khazan Deluxe Edition
APRIL:
Choo-Choo Charles
The Thaumaturge
The Talos Principle: Reawakened
63 Days
JUNE:
Days Gone: Remastered (PlayStation)
Hidden Shapes Collection
Death Stranding 2 Collector's Edition (PlayStation)
AUGUST:
Hero Defence
Star Trek Prodigy
Hot Wheels Unleashed
SEPTEMBER:
Hell Is Us
Cronos: The New Dawn
Terminator Resistance: Complete Edition
Deadzone Rogue
Borderlands 4
Dying Light: The Beast
Silent Hill f
Outer Worlds 2: Premium Edition
OCTOBER:
Ghost of Yotei: Collector's Edition (PlayStation)
Metal Eden
NOVEMBER:
Satisfactory
Star Wars: Outlaws Ultimate Edition
DECEMBER:
Chains of Freedom
RoboCop: Rogue City: Unfinished Business
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous - Game of the Year Edition
Red Dead Redemption
Judgement
Divinity Original Sin 2 (PlayStation)
Aliens: Rogue Incursion
Code Vein 2
So 35 games in total (4 of which were for the PlayStation, everything else was for the Xbox), plus I bought two DLCs for a game too. Any game that came out this year, I bought by way of pre-order. An Expensive year all told, and I keep telling myself that I am cutting back...! 😂
Re: Multiple Games Are Releasing For Xbox On Christmas Day, Including An All-Time Classic
I remember attempting to play Space Invaders in the arcades when it first came out. At the time it was totally revolutionary, and I was totally hopeless at it. I used to stick my coins in again and again in the hope of progressing just that little bit further next time (but usually didn't!)... 😂
Re: Here Are The Top 10 Xbox Games Of 2025 According To Metacritic
Merry Christmas to you too, @Brigurugi. Have a good one... 👍
Re: Here Are The Top 10 Xbox Games Of 2025 According To Metacritic
Thank you, @Brigurugi. I've just bought the game based on what you said. It sounds like something that I'd really enjoy...