Thank you, @Questionable_Duck. I do own the first 2 (I think) having bought them in a sale a long time back, but I have not got round to playing them as yet. I will do one day (probably!)... 😂
I own both the first two games, but have not played them as yet. I was planning on picking up the third game at some point, to add to my collection if nothing else... 😂
It's good that the game is coming here, but surely having the first two is pretty essential story wise as I assume they follow on from one another...
No, @ilyn. I did not realise that was even an option. I simply deleted my profile on my base PS5 (because I am going to give it to my son). I then tried to set up the Pro, but as soon as I got to the point of registering the disc drive, which happens prior to entering your details, it would not allow me to do so. I then skipped that part, and tried to enter my details, where I am then met with an error code: WS-116332-6 Services Access Permanently or Temporarily Suspended.
I'm about to ring Sony, but if need be I'll return the Pro, which I bought on Amazon. Fortunately I still have a little time before Resident Evil: Requiem comes out, and I have another game to finish first anyway, so I probably won't start the game day one anyway. Still annoying that I have to go through this hassle though...
It's going to be the first game I play on my Pro, @OldGamer999. Assuming, that is, that I get one that actually works! I plugged my Pro in on Friday night, and it says that 'Services are permanently or temporarily suspended'. No idea why. All I have done is delete my profile from my PS5, and try and put it on my Pro, and then I am met with a 'computer says no' message...
Is the Horde mode element available via Game Pass, or does the DLC have to purchased? I don't remember whether the Horde component was free DLC or not, but I'd like to play it with my mate, but he would be playing it via GP, whereas I own the Premium Edition (or whatever it was called)...
I thought I might want to play High on Life 2 but when I watched the trailer for it, I was not impressed. I have not played the first one, and don't know whether they play similar, but maybe I need to play the first one first. Other than that, there's nowt for me...
I agree with much that you have written, @NeoRatt, and if Cloud get to the point that it is as good as the performance on a native console, then yes, the days of consoles are very much numbered.
I have said a number of time now that Microsoft may well have already left the console making business, and that the PCBox will quite probably be made by another company altogether. Microsoft will be heavily involved, I would imagine, but it will likely just wear an Xbox logo rather that be a true Xbox like the Series consoles are. One advantage for Microsoft in that scenario is that they are not really the ones carrying the risk. That will mostly fall upon their partner company.
I think until Cloud is on a par with native console gaming, I think there will be a place for consoles, and so I suspect that we may see the PS6 still selling pretty well into the late 2030s. We may even see a PS7 in around 2040, though it's honestly difficult to predict what will happen that far ahead. What I think will be the deciding factors are Cloud performance and also the cost of the PlayStation when compared to PC gaming. If there is still a huge difference between the price of the PS6 and an entry point gaming PC, then I think console gaming will be safe for a good while yet...
I always peruse these sales, but more often that not I already own everything I want having bought it upon release. Still, always worth a look. I mean, I only have 1757 digital games in my Xbox library, so a few more cannot hurt, can it...? 😂
I have said myself that PA may well be where Microsoft are looking to take our libraries, @Millionski, though for many of us, it only covers a small fraction of the games we own. It is indeed entirely possible that if we want to play our games on a native Xbox, we will need to retain possession of our current Xboxes...
Totally agree, @Millionski. I've been saying for a while that Game Pass will be gone 3 years after the arrival of the PCBox (assuming it arrives at all) because I think Microsoft will want to use Game Pass as a selling point for the PCBox. However, once sales of the PCBox falter to a halt, Microsoft will withdraw from the console business, and then change the way Game Pass operates (assuming they don't can it altogether, which I don't think they will). I think what will happen is that Game Pass will have a couple of different models, one will still include those third-party games they can entice on to the service, and will be there for Cloud, and platforms like television sets that don't require a console. And the other will be a first-party services, at which point Sony will likely allow them on to the PlayStation. Honestly, that is the only way I can see Game Pass surviving, though Microsoft will have to price it far more competitively than they currently are.
If I go full-on into conspiratorial mode, I would not be shocked if part of the stupidly high increase in Game Pass in recent times may indeed to be to drive people away from Ultimate, with a view to ending it. I'm not suggesting that is what they are doing, but I would be lying if I said the thought had not crossed my mind...
You should also know that PC player growth is in double digits, while the console market is declining.
Overall you are right to say that the console market is declining, but it does need to be remembered that the PS5 is tracking only just behind the PS4, it is not down by anywhere near the same amount as the Series consoles are when compared to the Xbox One, which itself was down on the 360.
It also needs to be remembered that the PS5 is predicted to surge past sales numbers for the PS4 when GTA 6 releases. I'm sure Xbox will see a surge of sorts too. Whether it is by the same sort of percentage we will never know because Microsoft hides their figures. Sony on the other hand, has something to crow about when it comes to sales numbers, so I'm certain they'll be sure to tell us how the PS5 performs when GTA 6 releases...
Except it is not 12%, @fatpunkslim. Sorry, my man, but you appear to have misunderstood where that 12% comes in.
Now, it is entirely possible that Microsoft only asked 12% or so from Sony in order to entice them to put Helldivers on Xbox, though we will never know. However, the more likely scenario is that because Sony probably charge Microsoft the full 30% for them to release their games on the PlayStation, Microsoft may well have just afforded Sony exactly the same courtesy and charged them 30% too.
The point is that few games qualify for the 12% 'tax' you refer too. Very, very few.
As for the Xbox community migrating to PC (presumably you mean via the PCBox), that will entirely depend on price. If it does indeed come in at the rumoured £1500 price tag that is currently doing the rounds, and if the PS6 comes in at half that then I think you will find far more Xbox gamers either remaining on their current consoles, and thus not entering the world of PCs, or they will gravitating towards PlayStation.
Honestly, the price of the PCBox will mean it will be exceptionally niche, and whilst the PS6 will not as capable as the PCBox, most gamers that want to remain gaming on a console, rather than a PC, or those that are simply priced out of owning a PCBox, will be more than happy with the capabilities of the PS6.
I know you and I will buy the PCBox come what may because we are both Xbox enthusiasts, but I don't think it follows that everyone else will, indeed, I'd be surprised if as many as 20% of Xbox gamers buy the PCBox. Very surprised indeed...
Xbox, meanwhile, has a huge advantage almost nobody talks about: a 12% revenue cut, compared to Steam’s 30%. That alone is a massive incentive for developers.
You make it sound like that is what Microsoft offers everyone that puts their games on Xbox, @fatpunkslim, and that is far, far from the truth!
In order to qualify for that 12% 'tax' developers have to jump through various hoops, including the likes of being part of ID@Xbox, or maybe Game Pass deals. I cannot find how many games released as part of ID@Xbox in 2025, but it is likely to be fewer than 50 games, maybe even only half that. Also, when we talk about games being part of ID@Xbox, we are talking about games that are mostly of a smaller scale, though that is not meant to denigrate their quality.
Steam, because they are such a juggernaut on PC actually charge up to 50%, though more usually it is 30%, which is the industry standard, and that includes the amount that Microsoft charge most of the time. Steam have charged as little as 25% on those rare occasions when games sell stupid quantities.
Basically, how much each Store front can charge is determined by the exposure they give the games that are sold on them. That's why Steam does not have to bend to the will of others because it is by far and away the biggest Store front there is...
I'm an old dude too, @Weebleman & @GuyinPA75. 62 years young!
I only started gaming on a PC in 2010, and at that point it was all new to me, and I understood nowt. Not much has changed with regard to my know how, when it comes to PCs, but it is undoubtedly slightly more straightforward now than it was even back in 2010.
That said, I will always take the console experience over gaming on a PC because I like to keep things simple, and PCs are still far from that.
If the PCBox does actually come out, can you imagine just how chaotic Microsoft Customer Services will be for the first few months after its release? Oh, boy...!
I have been saying for a while that Microsoft themselves may never make another console after the Series consoles, @eduscxbox, and instead they will simply the Xbox logo on consoles/PCs made by other manufactures.
Now, whilst I absolutely agree that competition will drive down the price of these machines, the problem is that these manufacturers will cut costs in order drive down their asking price. In other words, if Dell produce a PCBox that costs £1500 and ASUS make one that costs £1000, the probabilities are that the Dell PCBox will be the more capable machine as the components within are likely to be of higher quality (and thus cost more).
The second issue is whether people will want to buy an Xbox that is not really an Xbox, where all it is is a PC with the Xbox OS and an Xbox logo?
Having the PCBox made by companies other than Microsoft may well be very off-putting to many people, particularly long time Xbox enthusiasts...
Couldn't agree with you more, @GuyinPA75. I wouldn't be so bold as to suggest that things would be vastly better if Spencer was the one calling the shots, but you only have to look at all the games that would have been fully exclusive over the past couple of years to see that things could have been quite different...
This has been my point from the outset, @Naughtyottsel92. The PCBox will be exceptionally niche and Microsoft will lose billions in revenue to people buying games on Steam rather than the Xbox Store. How people think this will save Xbox is beyond me. The best it can do is prolong the agony. I have said multiple times now, should the PCBox actually come out, then Microsoft will stop making them (and withdraw from the console market) within 3 years after its release...
You and I both have been given a hard time for suggesting that Xbox is in a slow death spiral, @IOI. I think I said this exact statement about 2 years ago, and no one can convince me that things have not become worse since then...
You are right in the respect that more games will be available for the PCBox, @eduscxbox, but what I do not think you are taking into account is the cost of the PCBox. If it does indeed come in at £1500, and the PS6 is half that, more Xbox gamers will likely swap to PlayStation than buy the PCBox.
It matters not how many games are available on the PC or the PCBox if you simply cannot afford to buy one, and that is what I think Microsoft will be looking at. If they can only sell between 5 and 10 million PCBoxes, is that going to be enough for them to want to do it...?
Oh, wow, @ilyn! You did much better than I. I paid £610 for the Pro and £60 for the disc drive, so literally £110 more than you. I also got mine on Amazon, meaning I didn't get any cashback. Funny enough, I did look at Very, but the consoles looked much more expensive there. My address is already registered with Very, so I don't think I could have got the discount you got. Regardless, well done you. Enjoy...!
Sorry to say, but this is yet another reason why there is a growing possibility of the PCBox never actually happening. Yes, I know that the PCBox will be a PC in all but name, but the number of people that buy it will likely be pretty small mostly due to its cost, and I have seen speculation now that it will cost in excess of £1500 due to the increase in price of all the components.
So yes, whilst a PC Xbox will have a larger number of games available for it, a lot of Xbox gamers will remain on existing consoles where potentially fewer and fewer developers will be making games for them.
With that in mind, I believe that if the PCBox is internally delay into 2028 or beyond, that as time moves on, and even more games decide to skip Xbox, and the situation for Xbox grows increasingly dire, that Nadella will simply pull the plug on the PCBox before it ever sees the light of day...
You know, if you look at the upcoming games for this year that have definite dates, then the upcoming games list looks pretty barren, truth be told. Just Kiln and Forza Horizon 6.
I'm sure there will be others, but actually with confirmed dates paints a completely different picture...
Fable? Locked in, @Kezelpaso? I think it safe to say that it is planned for this year, but until they actually specify a date I think that 'locked in' is a bit of a stretch. Hopefully it will be here this year, but I certainly would not bet my house on it... 😉
Totally agree, @Millionski. I have pointed out a number of times that everything Microsoft are doing indicates where they see their future, and that includes PC Game Pass, which gets better treatment every month (when compared to console GP), and has done for a year or more now.
There is a clear direction of travel, and I think the evidence tends to suggest that direction is away from the console experience...
I don't drink anyway, @ilyn, due to the amount of medication I take, which is close to 50 tablets a day! This means I have money for my only hobby, which is obviously gaming. A big part of the reason why I opted to get the Pro now is because I think both the PS6 and (if we do get one) the PCBox will be delayed into 2028 at the very earliest, and probably beyond that. So, if you have the funds, I say treat yourself, matey. You only live once and your a long time dead...!
I think if we do see the PCBox, @Millionski, there is a very strong chance that it will be made by someone other than Microsoft.
As for the contracts with AMD, they can be rewritten, amended, cancelled, sold to other entities, and indeed, have clauses written into them that make any or all of the above entirely possible. I think some people get hung up on the idea that just because a contract has been signed, that there is no way out of it, and that simply is not the case. Heck, Microsoft have the financial clout to simply breach it if they wanted too, though that is an unlikely outcome. Point being that these contracts may have clauses wherein if market conditions make the PCBox unviable, that they can be ripped up. We just don't know exactly what the contract entails, so it is not inevitable that the PCBox will be made just because a contract has been signed...
I agree, @ILuvGames. It could either be revealed at the Summer Showcase, or at the Game Awards, but I honestly believe that if they don't show it to us this year, then there is a strong prospect of it not coming at all...
I agree, @Jenkinss. I stopped caring about my actual gamer score along time ago. I still like to pop those achievements that are not overly ridiculous, but if I miss one or two, so be it. However, if there was a Platinum achievement, then I would most likely chase down those missing achievements...
I totally agree about Play Anywhere, and I think you may well be right, @Millionski. I fear that the PCBox will be looking to drive people towards Cloud gaming too, which is not something that interests me. We'll see, though right now I have my doubts as to whether it will ever see the light of day, hence my decision to swap to PlayStation, which is not something that I expected to do even yesterday morning...
Thank you, @Millionski. It's been a while! I do much prefer the console experience, and what I am looking for is a level of certainty, which I just cannot find with Xbox right now. Don't misunderstand me, I will still make some purchases on the Xbox (I think) but only where they make sense. Also, if at any point Microsoft come out and show us the PCBox, and tell us when we will be getting it, then I am happy to pivot back to fully Xbox. Unfortunately though, I really don't expect them to do that any time soon...
I've just bought the first two games on the PS5, @Questionable_Duck. Not sure if you have seen, but I have just bought myself a PS5 Pro, and as both games are currently at the lowest price they have ever been on the PlayStation, and both are also Pro enhanced, it seemed only sensible to get them there. Plus I have had over £200 just sitting in my PlayStation account waiting to be spent, so it all just made sense to get them both there...
I'm with you, @Coletrain. For me consoles are the best place to enjoy gaming, and I say that despite owning a decent gaming PC. I just don't enjoy gaming on PC, unfortunately, mostly because I'm not particularly adept at changing all the setting etc. I basically don't understand computers, and it hinders my enjoyment of gaming on mine. I'm hoping that the PCBox simplifies things to console levels, although I suspect it will be a little more involved that that...
It's all those what if's that I am finding difficult to deal with, @ilyn. My loyalty to Xbox is being tested purely because Microsoft just don't seem to understand our need for certainty...
I keep a complete record of everything I buy, @ilyn. Date, platform and cost. I found that I was buying way too many games (I have 1757 games in my Xbox library, for example), but I also found that I was not playing probably 50% of them (maybe even more, but it hurts to admit that!).
So since 2024, I have tried to cut back, and one way that I have tried to do that is keeping a full record of my purchases. It is quite unbelievable though to think that in 2024, I spent £1300.44 on games, and in 2025 it was £1566.37, and yet that is me supposedly cutting back...! 🤪
That is my thinking, @Feffster. I believe that it will be sensible for me to begin buying my third-party games (and indeed, Xbox first-party titles) on the PlayStation from here on out. As I have said, I genuinely fear that the PCBox could be cancelled, and as you say, there will definitely be a PS6 and probably a PS7 too, so purchasing to game on the PlayStation feels like it has long-term certainty, whereas it is completely the opposite for Xbox whom I have been with since day one.
I have said many, many times on these forums that if Microsoft can get to PCBox out the door a year or two prior to the release of the PS6 that it will give them the greatest possibility of success, @GeeEssEff & @Coletrain.
Now, whilst going up against the PS6 with a far more powerful system might sound appealing to some, I think the price points will then come into sharp focus, with the probabilities being that the PCBox will cost upwards of twice as much as the PS6, which will put most people off, particularly when balanced with Sony actually having some exclusives compared to Xbox having none.
No, in my opinion if Microsoft can get the PCBox out next year, then that puts them in the strongest position possible because for at least a year or two they will undeniably have the best place to play games (outside PCs generally). Many, including myself, will happily pick the PCBox up upon first release for that reason alone...
Thank you, @Questionable_Duck. I'm one of those that likes to all the side-quests and go everywhere. The only thing that I sometimes get bored of is talking to everyone because more often than not the conversations are utterly pointless...
Thanks, @Questionable_Duck. That does make it a little easier to cope with. Is that doing everything, or would that add considerably to the overall time...?
Thank you, @Feffster. I won't be picking up any of the subscription services on the PlayStation. I have Game Pass Ultimate and it is a waste of money for me as I buy all my games, including Xbox first-party games, and only use GP for online access to play Gears 5 Horde with my mate each weekend.
Funny enough, from that entire list you gave, I already own all of them except:
Sword of the Sea
Until Dawn
Wipeout Omega Collection
My neighbour raves on about Astro Bot, and although I have not played Astro’s Playground, which I think came with my original PS5, I think I will pick it up now. As for GT7, I was only talking about the game yesterday telling him that I will probably buy it because my first experience of any racing game was the original GT back when it first released all the way back when it first came out in 1997. Yes, I am that old...! 😂
You make a good point, @themightyant. I may have to think my buying habits, which is absolutely wild to me. Every year I buy just the big exclusives on PlayStation, and everything else on Xbox. Last year I spent £442.49 on PlayStation buying just 4 games, which included 2 Collector's Editions that cost a total of £420. Conversely, I bought 37 games on my Xbox, spending in excess of £1123.88, though that also included one Collector's Edition that cost £200. So, if I am to take advantage of the Pro, I may well have to switch around where I buy my games.
Exactly, @Decoy_Snake. I think the idea that people play on multiple platforms has been slightly misinterpreted. It does not automatically mean that everyone is able to use Play Anywhere.
Undoubtedly it is great for all those that use it, but I truly believe that they are very much in the minority at the moment. Over time it will increase, providing that Microsoft keep doing it, which if they do withdraw from the console space is perhaps doubtful, but regardless, it is of zero benefit to me personally...
Thing is, @Decoy_Snake, I guess I would be counted in these figures that @fatpunkslim mentions because I own multiple platforms, though were they are derived from, I have no idea.
However, and this is the big point that I think is being overlooked; playing on multiple devices is not the same as being in a position to use Play Anywhere. Many of those people in the figures that fatpunkslim mentions will game on:
Xbox and a Switch
or
Xbox and a PlayStation
or
PlayStation and a Switch
or
PC and PlayStation
or
PC and a Switch
And, for all we know, people gaming on a console and a mobile may be counted in these figures.
The point is twofold; firstly without context, the figures are pretty meaningless, and without being able to read the same article that fatpunkslim has read so as to better understand what is being said in order to make sense of the numbers. I'm not for one moment suggesting that these figures are fabricated, just that they do not tell the whole story. Secondly, in every scenario I mentioned above, Play Anywhere is entirely irrelevant. Until the day that you can buy a game on the Xbox and then play it on the PlayStation or Switch, Play Anywhere is basically meaningless to most other platforms...
I totally understand that, @Jenkinss, and I cannot make up my mind how to go about this. I do sometimes get bored in very long games, and I wasn't really thinking about playing through all 3 in one go. However, maybe I should just settle for one game at a time and buy them separately. I just thought having them in a bundle maybe the cheapest way to go about it, but then maybe it's not worth waiting either. My issue is my memory; I often forget what has happened in a game, and so when it comes to the sequel, I feel compelled to replay the previous game just to refresh my memory. Hence I thought buying them in a bundle might be the solution, but if one game is 100 hours, then I may have to rethink this...
Honestly, @themightyant, I am a little shocked at myself too. It really was a sudden dawning that not only might the PCBox not happen, but even if it does, it could potentially be 3 or 4 years away. 2 at best, I think, with the issues RAM is causing. And then I realised that if I continue to buy games like E-Day on the Xbox, then I will not be getting the best version of the game. It genuinely was a sudden realisation.
Now I need to decide whether I want to get a disc drive for the Pro, and also whether the get the PlayStation equivalent of the Elite controller. Any suggestions in that regard...?
Comments 4,610
Re: Nioh 3 Could Mark The Series' Xbox Debut As Sony Confirms 6-Month PS5 Exclusivity
Thank you, @Questionable_Duck. I do own the first 2 (I think) having bought them in a sale a long time back, but I have not got round to playing them as yet. I will do one day (probably!)... 😂
Re: Nioh 3 Could Mark The Series' Xbox Debut As Sony Confirms 6-Month PS5 Exclusivity
I own both the first two games, but have not played them as yet. I was planning on picking up the third game at some point, to add to my collection if nothing else... 😂
It's good that the game is coming here, but surely having the first two is pretty essential story wise as I assume they follow on from one another...
Re: Capcom Is Delivering Another Early-Year Xbox Treat This Month With The Latest Resident Evil
No, @ilyn. I did not realise that was even an option. I simply deleted my profile on my base PS5 (because I am going to give it to my son). I then tried to set up the Pro, but as soon as I got to the point of registering the disc drive, which happens prior to entering your details, it would not allow me to do so. I then skipped that part, and tried to enter my details, where I am then met with an error code: WS-116332-6 Services Access Permanently or Temporarily Suspended.
I'm about to ring Sony, but if need be I'll return the Pro, which I bought on Amazon. Fortunately I still have a little time before Resident Evil: Requiem comes out, and I have another game to finish first anyway, so I probably won't start the game day one anyway. Still annoying that I have to go through this hassle though...
Re: Capcom Is Delivering Another Early-Year Xbox Treat This Month With The Latest Resident Evil
It's going to be the first game I play on my Pro, @OldGamer999. Assuming, that is, that I get one that actually works! I plugged my Pro in on Friday night, and it says that 'Services are permanently or temporarily suspended'. No idea why. All I have done is delete my profile from my PS5, and try and put it on my Pro, and then I am met with a 'computer says no' message...
Re: Xbox Series X|S Ranked 5th In List Of Platforms Developers Are Most Interested In
What lies has Spencer told, @wishmylove...?
Re: Poll: What Are Your First Impressions Of Space Marine 2 On Xbox Game Pass?
Is the Horde mode element available via Game Pass, or does the DLC have to purchased? I don't remember whether the Horde component was free DLC or not, but I'd like to play it with my mate, but he would be playing it via GP, whereas I own the Premium Edition (or whatever it was called)...
Re: Xbox Game Pass: All Games Coming Soon In February 2026
I thought I might want to play High on Life 2 but when I watched the trailer for it, I was not impressed. I have not played the first one, and don't know whether they play similar, but maybe I need to play the first one first. Other than that, there's nowt for me...
Re: These 10+ Games Are Coming To Xbox Next Week (February 2-6)
Carmageddon: Rogue Shift is the only one of interest to me, though I will want to see reviews first...
Re: Xbox Achievements Have Been Visually Redesigned, Showing Up In The New Cloud Gaming UI
I agree with much that you have written, @NeoRatt, and if Cloud get to the point that it is as good as the performance on a native console, then yes, the days of consoles are very much numbered.
I have said a number of time now that Microsoft may well have already left the console making business, and that the PCBox will quite probably be made by another company altogether. Microsoft will be heavily involved, I would imagine, but it will likely just wear an Xbox logo rather that be a true Xbox like the Series consoles are. One advantage for Microsoft in that scenario is that they are not really the ones carrying the risk. That will mostly fall upon their partner company.
I think until Cloud is on a par with native console gaming, I think there will be a place for consoles, and so I suspect that we may see the PS6 still selling pretty well into the late 2030s. We may even see a PS7 in around 2040, though it's honestly difficult to predict what will happen that far ahead. What I think will be the deciding factors are Cloud performance and also the cost of the PlayStation when compared to PC gaming. If there is still a huge difference between the price of the PS6 and an entry point gaming PC, then I think console gaming will be safe for a good while yet...
Re: When Will The Xbox Lunar New Year Sale 2026 Be Revealed?
I always peruse these sales, but more often that not I already own everything I want having bought it upon release. Still, always worth a look. I mean, I only have 1757 digital games in my Xbox library, so a few more cannot hurt, can it...? 😂
Re: Xbox Series X|S Ranked 5th In List Of Platforms Developers Are Most Interested In
I have said myself that PA may well be where Microsoft are looking to take our libraries, @Millionski, though for many of us, it only covers a small fraction of the games we own. It is indeed entirely possible that if we want to play our games on a native Xbox, we will need to retain possession of our current Xboxes...
Re: Xbox Series X|S Ranked 5th In List Of Platforms Developers Are Most Interested In
Totally agree, @Millionski. I've been saying for a while that Game Pass will be gone 3 years after the arrival of the PCBox (assuming it arrives at all) because I think Microsoft will want to use Game Pass as a selling point for the PCBox. However, once sales of the PCBox falter to a halt, Microsoft will withdraw from the console business, and then change the way Game Pass operates (assuming they don't can it altogether, which I don't think they will). I think what will happen is that Game Pass will have a couple of different models, one will still include those third-party games they can entice on to the service, and will be there for Cloud, and platforms like television sets that don't require a console. And the other will be a first-party services, at which point Sony will likely allow them on to the PlayStation. Honestly, that is the only way I can see Game Pass surviving, though Microsoft will have to price it far more competitively than they currently are.
If I go full-on into conspiratorial mode, I would not be shocked if part of the stupidly high increase in Game Pass in recent times may indeed to be to drive people away from Ultimate, with a view to ending it. I'm not suggesting that is what they are doing, but I would be lying if I said the thought had not crossed my mind...
Re: Helldivers 2 Xbox Vs. PS5 Sales Data Shared As Game Reportedly Hits 20 Million Copies Sold
You should also know that PC player growth is in double digits, while the console market is declining.
Overall you are right to say that the console market is declining, but it does need to be remembered that the PS5 is tracking only just behind the PS4, it is not down by anywhere near the same amount as the Series consoles are when compared to the Xbox One, which itself was down on the 360.
It also needs to be remembered that the PS5 is predicted to surge past sales numbers for the PS4 when GTA 6 releases. I'm sure Xbox will see a surge of sorts too. Whether it is by the same sort of percentage we will never know because Microsoft hides their figures. Sony on the other hand, has something to crow about when it comes to sales numbers, so I'm certain they'll be sure to tell us how the PS5 performs when GTA 6 releases...
Re: Helldivers 2 Xbox Vs. PS5 Sales Data Shared As Game Reportedly Hits 20 Million Copies Sold
I could have sworn I saw a comment for @FraserG pop up and then promptly disappear, @Markatron84...! 😂
Re: Helldivers 2 Xbox Vs. PS5 Sales Data Shared As Game Reportedly Hits 20 Million Copies Sold
Except it is not 12%, @fatpunkslim. Sorry, my man, but you appear to have misunderstood where that 12% comes in.
Now, it is entirely possible that Microsoft only asked 12% or so from Sony in order to entice them to put Helldivers on Xbox, though we will never know. However, the more likely scenario is that because Sony probably charge Microsoft the full 30% for them to release their games on the PlayStation, Microsoft may well have just afforded Sony exactly the same courtesy and charged them 30% too.
The point is that few games qualify for the 12% 'tax' you refer too. Very, very few.
As for the Xbox community migrating to PC (presumably you mean via the PCBox), that will entirely depend on price. If it does indeed come in at the rumoured £1500 price tag that is currently doing the rounds, and if the PS6 comes in at half that then I think you will find far more Xbox gamers either remaining on their current consoles, and thus not entering the world of PCs, or they will gravitating towards PlayStation.
Honestly, the price of the PCBox will mean it will be exceptionally niche, and whilst the PS6 will not as capable as the PCBox, most gamers that want to remain gaming on a console, rather than a PC, or those that are simply priced out of owning a PCBox, will be more than happy with the capabilities of the PS6.
I know you and I will buy the PCBox come what may because we are both Xbox enthusiasts, but I don't think it follows that everyone else will, indeed, I'd be surprised if as many as 20% of Xbox gamers buy the PCBox. Very surprised indeed...
Re: Xbox Series X|S Ranked 5th In List Of Platforms Developers Are Most Interested In
Xbox, meanwhile, has a huge advantage almost nobody talks about: a 12% revenue cut, compared to Steam’s 30%. That alone is a massive incentive for developers.
You make it sound like that is what Microsoft offers everyone that puts their games on Xbox, @fatpunkslim, and that is far, far from the truth!
In order to qualify for that 12% 'tax' developers have to jump through various hoops, including the likes of being part of ID@Xbox, or maybe Game Pass deals. I cannot find how many games released as part of ID@Xbox in 2025, but it is likely to be fewer than 50 games, maybe even only half that. Also, when we talk about games being part of ID@Xbox, we are talking about games that are mostly of a smaller scale, though that is not meant to denigrate their quality.
Steam, because they are such a juggernaut on PC actually charge up to 50%, though more usually it is 30%, which is the industry standard, and that includes the amount that Microsoft charge most of the time. Steam have charged as little as 25% on those rare occasions when games sell stupid quantities.
Basically, how much each Store front can charge is determined by the exposure they give the games that are sold on them. That's why Steam does not have to bend to the will of others because it is by far and away the biggest Store front there is...
Re: Xbox Series X|S Ranked 5th In List Of Platforms Developers Are Most Interested In
I'm an old dude too, @Weebleman & @GuyinPA75. 62 years young!
I only started gaming on a PC in 2010, and at that point it was all new to me, and I understood nowt. Not much has changed with regard to my know how, when it comes to PCs, but it is undoubtedly slightly more straightforward now than it was even back in 2010.
That said, I will always take the console experience over gaming on a PC because I like to keep things simple, and PCs are still far from that.
If the PCBox does actually come out, can you imagine just how chaotic Microsoft Customer Services will be for the first few months after its release? Oh, boy...!
Re: Xbox Series X|S Ranked 5th In List Of Platforms Developers Are Most Interested In
I have been saying for a while that Microsoft themselves may never make another console after the Series consoles, @eduscxbox, and instead they will simply the Xbox logo on consoles/PCs made by other manufactures.
Now, whilst I absolutely agree that competition will drive down the price of these machines, the problem is that these manufacturers will cut costs in order drive down their asking price. In other words, if Dell produce a PCBox that costs £1500 and ASUS make one that costs £1000, the probabilities are that the Dell PCBox will be the more capable machine as the components within are likely to be of higher quality (and thus cost more).
The second issue is whether people will want to buy an Xbox that is not really an Xbox, where all it is is a PC with the Xbox OS and an Xbox logo?
Having the PCBox made by companies other than Microsoft may well be very off-putting to many people, particularly long time Xbox enthusiasts...
Re: Xbox Series X|S Ranked 5th In List Of Platforms Developers Are Most Interested In
Couldn't agree with you more, @GuyinPA75. I wouldn't be so bold as to suggest that things would be vastly better if Spencer was the one calling the shots, but you only have to look at all the games that would have been fully exclusive over the past couple of years to see that things could have been quite different...
Re: Xbox Series X|S Ranked 5th In List Of Platforms Developers Are Most Interested In
This has been my point from the outset, @Naughtyottsel92. The PCBox will be exceptionally niche and Microsoft will lose billions in revenue to people buying games on Steam rather than the Xbox Store. How people think this will save Xbox is beyond me. The best it can do is prolong the agony. I have said multiple times now, should the PCBox actually come out, then Microsoft will stop making them (and withdraw from the console market) within 3 years after its release...
Re: Xbox Series X|S Ranked 5th In List Of Platforms Developers Are Most Interested In
You and I both have been given a hard time for suggesting that Xbox is in a slow death spiral, @IOI. I think I said this exact statement about 2 years ago, and no one can convince me that things have not become worse since then...
Re: Xbox Series X|S Ranked 5th In List Of Platforms Developers Are Most Interested In
You are right in the respect that more games will be available for the PCBox, @eduscxbox, but what I do not think you are taking into account is the cost of the PCBox. If it does indeed come in at £1500, and the PS6 is half that, more Xbox gamers will likely swap to PlayStation than buy the PCBox.
It matters not how many games are available on the PC or the PCBox if you simply cannot afford to buy one, and that is what I think Microsoft will be looking at. If they can only sell between 5 and 10 million PCBoxes, is that going to be enough for them to want to do it...?
Re: Talking Point: Will The Next Xbox Console Be Revealed In 2026?
Oh, wow, @ilyn! You did much better than I. I paid £610 for the Pro and £60 for the disc drive, so literally £110 more than you. I also got mine on Amazon, meaning I didn't get any cashback. Funny enough, I did look at Very, but the consoles looked much more expensive there. My address is already registered with Very, so I don't think I could have got the discount you got. Regardless, well done you. Enjoy...!
Re: Xbox Series X|S Ranked 5th In List Of Platforms Developers Are Most Interested In
Sorry to say, but this is yet another reason why there is a growing possibility of the PCBox never actually happening. Yes, I know that the PCBox will be a PC in all but name, but the number of people that buy it will likely be pretty small mostly due to its cost, and I have seen speculation now that it will cost in excess of £1500 due to the increase in price of all the components.
So yes, whilst a PC Xbox will have a larger number of games available for it, a lot of Xbox gamers will remain on existing consoles where potentially fewer and fewer developers will be making games for them.
With that in mind, I believe that if the PCBox is internally delay into 2028 or beyond, that as time moves on, and even more games decide to skip Xbox, and the situation for Xbox grows increasingly dire, that Nadella will simply pull the plug on the PCBox before it ever sees the light of day...
Re: All New Games Coming To Xbox In February 2026
There are a few games of varying interest for me here, though only one game I think I will definitely buy:
Will definitely buy:
Resident Evil Requiem
Will probably buy:
Disciples: Domination as I enjoyed the last game.
May buy, depending on reviews:
Carmageddon: Rogue Shift
Soulslinger: Envoy of Death
High on Life 2
Re: Here's A Look At The Updated Xbox Game Studios Roadmap For 2026 And Beyond
You know, if you look at the upcoming games for this year that have definite dates, then the upcoming games list looks pretty barren, truth be told. Just Kiln and Forza Horizon 6.
I'm sure there will be others, but actually with confirmed dates paints a completely different picture...
Re: Here's A Look At The Updated Xbox Game Studios Roadmap For 2026 And Beyond
Fable? Locked in, @Kezelpaso? I think it safe to say that it is planned for this year, but until they actually specify a date I think that 'locked in' is a bit of a stretch. Hopefully it will be here this year, but I certainly would not bet my house on it... 😉
Re: Microsoft CFO Admits Xbox Revenue Was 'Below Expectations' In FY26 Q2
Sales of the PS5 were down 12% in the UK in 2025, @Godot25, Nowhere near down 40%. In the US, sales of the PS5 were apparently down a13% in 2025.
It was Xbox that was down near 40%. It was actually down 37%. That is probably where you are remembering that number from...
Re: Xbox Achievements Have Been Visually Redesigned, Showing Up In The New Cloud Gaming UI
Totally agree, @Millionski. I have pointed out a number of times that everything Microsoft are doing indicates where they see their future, and that includes PC Game Pass, which gets better treatment every month (when compared to console GP), and has done for a year or more now.
There is a clear direction of travel, and I think the evidence tends to suggest that direction is away from the console experience...
Re: Talking Point: Will The Next Xbox Console Be Revealed In 2026?
I don't drink anyway, @ilyn, due to the amount of medication I take, which is close to 50 tablets a day! This means I have money for my only hobby, which is obviously gaming. A big part of the reason why I opted to get the Pro now is because I think both the PS6 and (if we do get one) the PCBox will be delayed into 2028 at the very earliest, and probably beyond that. So, if you have the funds, I say treat yourself, matey. You only live once and your a long time dead...!
Re: Talking Point: Will The Next Xbox Console Be Revealed In 2026?
I think if we do see the PCBox, @Millionski, there is a very strong chance that it will be made by someone other than Microsoft.
As for the contracts with AMD, they can be rewritten, amended, cancelled, sold to other entities, and indeed, have clauses written into them that make any or all of the above entirely possible. I think some people get hung up on the idea that just because a contract has been signed, that there is no way out of it, and that simply is not the case. Heck, Microsoft have the financial clout to simply breach it if they wanted too, though that is an unlikely outcome. Point being that these contracts may have clauses wherein if market conditions make the PCBox unviable, that they can be ripped up. We just don't know exactly what the contract entails, so it is not inevitable that the PCBox will be made just because a contract has been signed...
Re: Talking Point: Will The Next Xbox Console Be Revealed In 2026?
I agree, @ILuvGames. It could either be revealed at the Summer Showcase, or at the Game Awards, but I honestly believe that if they don't show it to us this year, then there is a strong prospect of it not coming at all...
Re: Xbox Achievements Have Been Visually Redesigned, Showing Up In The New Cloud Gaming UI
I agree, @Jenkinss. I stopped caring about my actual gamer score along time ago. I still like to pop those achievements that are not overly ridiculous, but if I miss one or two, so be it. However, if there was a Platinum achievement, then I would most likely chase down those missing achievements...
Re: Talking Point: Will The Next Xbox Console Be Revealed In 2026?
I totally agree about Play Anywhere, and I think you may well be right, @Millionski. I fear that the PCBox will be looking to drive people towards Cloud gaming too, which is not something that interests me. We'll see, though right now I have my doubts as to whether it will ever see the light of day, hence my decision to swap to PlayStation, which is not something that I expected to do even yesterday morning...
Re: Talking Point: Will The Next Xbox Console Be Revealed In 2026?
Thank you, @Millionski. It's been a while! I do much prefer the console experience, and what I am looking for is a level of certainty, which I just cannot find with Xbox right now. Don't misunderstand me, I will still make some purchases on the Xbox (I think) but only where they make sense. Also, if at any point Microsoft come out and show us the PCBox, and tell us when we will be getting it, then I am happy to pivot back to fully Xbox. Unfortunately though, I really don't expect them to do that any time soon...
Re: Xbox Achievements Have Been Visually Redesigned, Showing Up In The New Cloud Gaming UI
I just wish we could get the equivalent of the Platinum Trophy...
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Remake Off To Impressive Start In The 'Top Paid' Xbox Charts
I've just bought the first two games on the PS5, @Questionable_Duck. Not sure if you have seen, but I have just bought myself a PS5 Pro, and as both games are currently at the lowest price they have ever been on the PlayStation, and both are also Pro enhanced, it seemed only sensible to get them there. Plus I have had over £200 just sitting in my PlayStation account waiting to be spent, so it all just made sense to get them both there...
Re: Talking Point: Will The Next Xbox Console Be Revealed In 2026?
I'm with you, @Coletrain. For me consoles are the best place to enjoy gaming, and I say that despite owning a decent gaming PC. I just don't enjoy gaming on PC, unfortunately, mostly because I'm not particularly adept at changing all the setting etc. I basically don't understand computers, and it hinders my enjoyment of gaming on mine. I'm hoping that the PCBox simplifies things to console levels, although I suspect it will be a little more involved that that...
Re: Talking Point: Will The Next Xbox Console Be Revealed In 2026?
It's all those what if's that I am finding difficult to deal with, @ilyn. My loyalty to Xbox is being tested purely because Microsoft just don't seem to understand our need for certainty...
Re: Talking Point: Will The Next Xbox Console Be Revealed In 2026?
I keep a complete record of everything I buy, @ilyn. Date, platform and cost. I found that I was buying way too many games (I have 1757 games in my Xbox library, for example), but I also found that I was not playing probably 50% of them (maybe even more, but it hurts to admit that!).
So since 2024, I have tried to cut back, and one way that I have tried to do that is keeping a full record of my purchases. It is quite unbelievable though to think that in 2024, I spent £1300.44 on games, and in 2025 it was £1566.37, and yet that is me supposedly cutting back...! 🤪
Re: Talking Point: Will The Next Xbox Console Be Revealed In 2026?
That is my thinking, @Feffster. I believe that it will be sensible for me to begin buying my third-party games (and indeed, Xbox first-party titles) on the PlayStation from here on out. As I have said, I genuinely fear that the PCBox could be cancelled, and as you say, there will definitely be a PS6 and probably a PS7 too, so purchasing to game on the PlayStation feels like it has long-term certainty, whereas it is completely the opposite for Xbox whom I have been with since day one.
Re: Talking Point: Will The Next Xbox Console Be Revealed In 2026?
I have said many, many times on these forums that if Microsoft can get to PCBox out the door a year or two prior to the release of the PS6 that it will give them the greatest possibility of success, @GeeEssEff & @Coletrain.
Now, whilst going up against the PS6 with a far more powerful system might sound appealing to some, I think the price points will then come into sharp focus, with the probabilities being that the PCBox will cost upwards of twice as much as the PS6, which will put most people off, particularly when balanced with Sony actually having some exclusives compared to Xbox having none.
No, in my opinion if Microsoft can get the PCBox out next year, then that puts them in the strongest position possible because for at least a year or two they will undeniably have the best place to play games (outside PCs generally). Many, including myself, will happily pick the PCBox up upon first release for that reason alone...
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Remake Off To Impressive Start In The 'Top Paid' Xbox Charts
Thank you, @Questionable_Duck. I'm one of those that likes to all the side-quests and go everywhere. The only thing that I sometimes get bored of is talking to everyone because more often than not the conversations are utterly pointless...
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Remake Off To Impressive Start In The 'Top Paid' Xbox Charts
Thanks, @Questionable_Duck. That does make it a little easier to cope with. Is that doing everything, or would that add considerably to the overall time...?
Re: Talking Point: Will The Next Xbox Console Be Revealed In 2026?
Thank you, @Feffster. I won't be picking up any of the subscription services on the PlayStation. I have Game Pass Ultimate and it is a waste of money for me as I buy all my games, including Xbox first-party games, and only use GP for online access to play Gears 5 Horde with my mate each weekend.
Funny enough, from that entire list you gave, I already own all of them except:
Sword of the Sea
Until Dawn
Wipeout Omega Collection
My neighbour raves on about Astro Bot, and although I have not played Astro’s Playground, which I think came with my original PS5, I think I will pick it up now. As for GT7, I was only talking about the game yesterday telling him that I will probably buy it because my first experience of any racing game was the original GT back when it first released all the way back when it first came out in 1997. Yes, I am that old...! 😂
Re: Talking Point: Will The Next Xbox Console Be Revealed In 2026?
You make a good point, @themightyant. I may have to think my buying habits, which is absolutely wild to me. Every year I buy just the big exclusives on PlayStation, and everything else on Xbox. Last year I spent £442.49 on PlayStation buying just 4 games, which included 2 Collector's Editions that cost a total of £420. Conversely, I bought 37 games on my Xbox, spending in excess of £1123.88, though that also included one Collector's Edition that cost £200. So, if I am to take advantage of the Pro, I may well have to switch around where I buy my games.
Oddly, I feel really disloyal... 🤪
Re: Fable Likely To Be A Huge Hit On PS5 As Sony-Hosted Trailer Hits 1 Million Views
Exactly, @Decoy_Snake. I think the idea that people play on multiple platforms has been slightly misinterpreted. It does not automatically mean that everyone is able to use Play Anywhere.
Undoubtedly it is great for all those that use it, but I truly believe that they are very much in the minority at the moment. Over time it will increase, providing that Microsoft keep doing it, which if they do withdraw from the console space is perhaps doubtful, but regardless, it is of zero benefit to me personally...
Re: Fable Likely To Be A Huge Hit On PS5 As Sony-Hosted Trailer Hits 1 Million Views
Thing is, @Decoy_Snake, I guess I would be counted in these figures that @fatpunkslim mentions because I own multiple platforms, though were they are derived from, I have no idea.
However, and this is the big point that I think is being overlooked; playing on multiple devices is not the same as being in a position to use Play Anywhere. Many of those people in the figures that fatpunkslim mentions will game on:
or
or
or
or
And, for all we know, people gaming on a console and a mobile may be counted in these figures.
The point is twofold; firstly without context, the figures are pretty meaningless, and without being able to read the same article that fatpunkslim has read so as to better understand what is being said in order to make sense of the numbers. I'm not for one moment suggesting that these figures are fabricated, just that they do not tell the whole story. Secondly, in every scenario I mentioned above, Play Anywhere is entirely irrelevant. Until the day that you can buy a game on the Xbox and then play it on the PlayStation or Switch, Play Anywhere is basically meaningless to most other platforms...
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Remake Off To Impressive Start In The 'Top Paid' Xbox Charts
I totally understand that, @Jenkinss, and I cannot make up my mind how to go about this. I do sometimes get bored in very long games, and I wasn't really thinking about playing through all 3 in one go. However, maybe I should just settle for one game at a time and buy them separately. I just thought having them in a bundle maybe the cheapest way to go about it, but then maybe it's not worth waiting either. My issue is my memory; I often forget what has happened in a game, and so when it comes to the sequel, I feel compelled to replay the previous game just to refresh my memory. Hence I thought buying them in a bundle might be the solution, but if one game is 100 hours, then I may have to rethink this...
Re: Talking Point: Will The Next Xbox Console Be Revealed In 2026?
Honestly, @themightyant, I am a little shocked at myself too. It really was a sudden dawning that not only might the PCBox not happen, but even if it does, it could potentially be 3 or 4 years away. 2 at best, I think, with the issues RAM is causing. And then I realised that if I continue to buy games like E-Day on the Xbox, then I will not be getting the best version of the game. It genuinely was a sudden realisation.
Now I need to decide whether I want to get a disc drive for the Pro, and also whether the get the PlayStation equivalent of the Elite controller. Any suggestions in that regard...?