Grackler

@Kaloudz given the state of Xbox store and Nintendo eShop (no idea if PS store is better); it clear these kind of devs make enough not to stop.

It’s hard to put controls in place that don’t hurt indie devs somewhat, but I think it’s past time to do something to stem the flow of crap.

Delay payments on launch (time for reports to come in), manually review all store uploads, maybe even cap how many they allow per week?

What on Earth is with these comments? I get there seems to be a dislike for Digital Foundry’s technical analysis over general game reviews (that you can just not watch? Feels like several commentators are annoying themselves when there is far more regular game journalism out there?)

But also it’s so out of place in this article? They didn’t read it or comment on the (disgusting, IMO) lack of standards on the Xbox Store. It's all whining that they are “bias and only care about frame rates”; completely at odds with this (illegally resold Retro emulator) article.

Can we moderate this nonsense off? They can go make a forum topic to whine about DF, not do it under unrelated articles adding nothing to the discussion.

I won’t be buying, but it more because I’m planning to divest as much as possible from Xbox after the insane layoffs.

I don’t want to pay for GamePass to play online, so I’ll stick to offline games I already own.

Tragic. I really didn’t like the latest entry, it felt soulless and patchy. But the core technology was always great; and it’s always good for GT to have a rival games series.

https://youtu.be/RKnND2D31eI?si=XWoYCeK5tD_XfxJy

I’d love a new Banjo; but I’ve also wanted a Halo local co-op, a new UI, a new Perfect Dark, more games form Lionhead, Everwild…
It’s so far from happening I really can’t get excited. An Xbox published game feels like it has a very high chance of getting canned and the team getting the boot before it’s done.

Not surprising, the power draw of a series S in gameplay is 6-7 times any portable; it takes some humongous silicon improvements to overcome that.

Shame, lying _____ (https://www.eurogamer.net/yes-rares-everwild-is-still-in-development-and-xbox-is-committed-to-giving-the-team-the-time-it-needs)

@CadErik hasn't it been Matt Booty for years or is that anotehr job (not CEO)?

Besides my general feeling (not an analyst, just as a customer) is that this isn't an isolated case for Rare. This keeps happening to Xbox Studios, and Xbox console market share has plummeted in the meantime too. At some point the man at the top taking the big bucks should take some damn responsibility. I used to like Phil Spencer, but that fat paycheck comes with the weight of ensuring that the units under him aren't constantly failing. Rare, Lionhead, 343, Turn 10, Tango Gameworks, Arkane, Raven, Sledgehammer...After a point it can't all be chalked up to managers under him (and even if it can, he should take some responsibility after the first, second, third, fouth...).
Thousands of job losses in brutal cuts means they overhired and mismanaged. I means they see staff as nowt but numbers. Years of promising games that never come or releasing barely held together games shows their internal development isn't working, it's not just a blip.
I personally feel Microsoft (and Xbox) have become rotten. They lack an artistry or care, it's just greed and corporate waffle. I don't know how or when exactly, but I just hate Xbox now, I can't help but see the ruin of these great firms and the years of broken promises whenever I use it, it has become enough to drown out my Og/360 era nostalgia.

Probably won't sell/bin my Series X (seems like a waste? I've got too many game saves on it that I'd have to restart on PS5 like Elden Ring! And Rare Replay still isn't on PC?) but I won't get an Xbox console ever again.

Yet another classic UK studio bought up, mismanaged and discarded by greedy, uncaring corporate [insert expletive]’s from the US.

Microsoft has done so much damage to games this generation. Where was the oversight? And what’s going to happen to Rare now, job loses and obscurity? Why bother buying them and pumping money in? Can’t even make studios to use the IP looking at Perfect Dark or the lack of Banjo/Jet Force/Viva.

Phil Spencer is a dreadful leader. He should resign immediately in disgrace for leading to such awful job losses. (I’m sure he’ll simply get another fat bonus and leave with a big party and lots of celebration for how great he is!)

That’s over 1000 more people than work at Nintendo in total. Some of those games were announced and trailered over half a decade ago.

This is epic mismanagement. Why on Earth is Phil Spencer still in post? The Xbox division is a travesty.

Xbox DOA and Xbox DOA- Portable

If they can’t get windows/Xbox app to work on existing gaming handhelds after all this time, this will be a disaster.
At the current trajectory of Xbox this will be incredible hardware handicapped by the OS performance and UI. I’d like to hope not, but given the lack of updates to the Series console OS or work on the Xbox app on Windows, I just can’t believe this will work out.

There was a long article on the FT this week about the “genius” of UK Christmas ads, and it was also widely mocked in the comments.

If it makes customers unhappy, if your product is selling poorly, I can’t see how it is secretly genius. Maybe I’m wrong and this will cut through to new markets like the DS/Wii advertising…but I doubt it.

I feel like such a chump for buying into Series X over a PS5.

I’d be less annoyed with these overpaid morons if they did this with a fresh generation; but I feel missold. Look back to the launch and Phil Spencer sold it as a new machine that had a load of great exclusives and a lot of development work put in, after years of game drought for the poor Xbox One.

But it wasn’t true, and after barely half the life cycle they’ve thrown in the can. And unlike Sega with Dreamcast it’s not like their hand is been forced.

I’ve never felt so let down by a console, I deeply regret getting one. And I was a Wii U owner!

@GamingFan4Lyf that’s a good theory, and very savvy from PlayStation if true given how long modern dev times have become!

MachineGames have done some great work of late (their new campaigns for Quake games for example); and I got Indy-meets-Butcher-Bay vibes from the trailer. Don’t want to get my hopes too high, but I think it could be a fun Christmas release. Weirdly Indy doesn’t feel like the blockbuster franchise it used to be; but we’ll see how people take to it!

I can see a handheld Steam Deck alike been something Microsoft might do (position it as a “reference device” for other makers like the Surface Pro/Laptop lines, make some small adjustments to windows 11 and the Xbox app for it, as neither is great on a handheld currently!)

But I don’t think they will do what most would consider a console. And to be honest, I’m so downbeat about their lacklustre efforts on home console these last two gens, I have zero faith they will make something worth buying.

My guess is that word Xbox are making a handheld certainly won’t be what’s giving Nintendo sleepless nights!

Can’t see the point of bringing out Rebirth (part 2) without Remake (part 1). I’d be more interested in Remake or FF16 personally.

Bah, we just finished 100%-ing Syndicate and the Jack the Ripper DLC a few months ago!

Considering the firing they’ve been doing and the nose-diving reputation of Xbox in recent years, I would say “room for improvement”.

GamePass, and Xbox hardware design have remained stellar, games have been so-so, in my opinion.

I’m a bit befuddled about some aspects of how the game plays. I’m getting combat is a more real-time affair, but how is the world navigated? Each Dargon Age has been quite different in that regard. Is it a series of open-world like zone ala Inquisition? A single big world linking out from the hub mentioned? Do you wander to markers Witcher-style? Or is it more focussed and directed like Mass Effect?

It seems like the wrong mitigation for the issue of contractors cycling in and out (use an engine that reduces the learning time/complexity for an ever rotating staff of short-term contractors, rather than say use the massive reserves of cash to hire people for the long run to bed in).
I'm sure it will help a bit, but I'm out after Infinite, so unpolished and frankly unfinished at launch. I won't even believe the hype from journalists this time.

@GamingFan4Lyf They needed killer games earlier in the lifespan I think. That's what sells units. Without the carry over from Xbox One, they needed a reason for people to buy into the new systems.

I agree they did all those things well you mentioned, and GamePass was great. I even think the Series S turned out to be a good idea given the economic hardships, whatever issues it brought. But it needed a bigger launch game that resonated. And the suits at Microsoft just don't seem to have the insight into their customers to tell is a game is that or not, or the steer to make that kind of game.

My Series X was covered in Halo branding...but the game came out without much fanfare half-baked and a bit rubbish nearly a year later. For that year almost nothing "next-gen" arrived, even the menu was just the same as my Xbox One S. On a 1080 telly, I felt like I bought a phone upgrade; and their was no awesome title to get my hyped for the new machine to boot for agggges. And this is from someone who bought into it! The most memorable time I've had on it is Elden Ring, and I could have played that on any hardware, including my old Xbox!

I like all the Horizon's in different ways, (and in some ways the 360 versions are even more impressive given what they are running on!).

For me FH4 is the ultimate, it just hit the sweet spot in tone, location, challenges, polish.

@FraserG The snappily named RTS “Warhammer: Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin” from Frontier has full mouse and keyboard support, can confirm.

Eurogamer are becoming a bit of a snobbish joke tbh; although this review was not one of the typical offenders and was in-depth; the reviewer just seemed to genuinely dislike the game.

But I’ve almost stopped reading the site at all, they’ve started to be contrarian for the sake of it. Reminds me of Guardian film reviews: rarely ever good; but typically just short, snobbish, and stupid.

I skipped through as it’s hard to watch 30mins right now, but wasn’t amazed by what I saw. Looked a bit garish, and otherwise quite Skyrim-ish? Which could be fun; but something isn’t clicking for me right now. Not sure what exactly…maybe the lack of great music in that video, or much understanding of the world (is Pillars of Eternity a pre-requisite for the plot?)

Not amazing tbh. They are nicer, but they are hard to see and don’t move half as much as you’d expect.
Would rather a more throughout redesign of he dash for a new gen machine, over some slight animation.
(I leave the OG Xbox greenball one on)

No Halo after 2 seasons of a show called Halo. It was all over the place sadly.

Urgh, Aspyr. So a low effort re-release rather than a worked on port. Often playable, but even their “good” efforts like Jedi Knight and Racer are very rough around the edges and low effort.
Wish Nightdive could do them all!

Look pretty good in graphics and tone. Would have liked to see more gameplay. I'm very confident Playground can deliver a good game, I'm just terrified it won't hit a big audience or something about it will put players off, and MS will swoop in and shut down Playground.

The showcase was surprisingly good throughout, but I’m still mega cautious about this. Perfect Dark is a big legacy to live up too (look how Zero failed!). I’m a bit concerned this will be a okay game but nowhere near the breadth and brilliance that PD was on launch.

Congrats. Hope they don’t consider hiring anyone new for their next game lest Xbox Execs catch wind insert grim reaper door meme

Ooooo, Horizon Chase is like the spiritual successor to Top Gear on SNES right? Enjoyed that on Evercade, could give it a go…

Weirdly, my OG 360 (60GB, so not the very original model, but not the slim) has never died despite a tough Uni-house life of backpack journeys, kicked over during rock band, running films and 6 peoples gaming been on non-stop…
While my Series X has crashed a few times and the keeled over early on (was replaced on warranty)
I know the X is more robust and the OG 360 is famously not. But opposite for me by chance!

Nothing new, there is so much "on the way". Everwild, Perfect Dark, Avowed, Fable, Gears...I don't want more CGI for never-arriving games.
Also some mention of the future. Right now Xbox feels on very shaky foundations.

Gonna try Rogue Trader and Realms of Ruin; can see how they run/control on console and see if they really need PC to play or not!

Oh hang on, only until Sunday? That’s rubbish, got full-time care giving away from Xbox all weekend. Damn.

Great news for Rare! Hope Philly S doesn’t decide to random close them regardless…

@NEStalgia you are probably right, while those few exclusives are nice (and most of the Xbox ones are there); I had similar distain for Jim Ryan partying with the London studio and getting gifts from them for his leaving do, days before he fired them all.

I do feel really let down my Xbox though. If they hadn’t kept promising so much, and throwing out so much doublespeak it would bother me less. Also the sheer scale of the Big Tech firms like MS make it much easier to dislike them. They trampled over regulators (and Brad Smith publicly attacked the UK over not getting their way) during the Activision take over. They plead over having to fire people, but made nearly as much as the entire worth of Nintendo and Sony in pure profit in just one year. They could afford to be even a tiny bit more moral. And if they won’t, at least like it if Phil S et al would stop pretending with smug self-righteous they exude as they pat themselves on the back over some small thing.

@theduckofdeath again, so? Why do I give a fig about all this nonsense and your Fischer Price jabs at another console?

I’m not happy with how they are behaving; I’m quitting Xbox over it. It’s a fact they haven’t said anything publicly; that’s what it’s based off. If execs are bravely taking a hit behind the scenes and not telling us, too sodding bad. I’m basing my decision on what I can see: Xbox have releases sweet FA, much of it dodgy and unfinished, and have soaked up devs and fired them. So I’m done with their nonsense. Multi-millionaire Spencer doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt from me when thousands are losing their much more tenuous income.

Never should have announced it the way they did. Better to sit on it until the game is at least started.

Not that I care much ofter yesterday's bombshells. I'm so done with my Xbox. Sad they have all the Rare licences they aren't using.

@theduckofdeath
So? It was public when Iwata took a pay cut. Spencer’s performance bonus was made public last year. It’s public that everyone is being fired from these studios effective immediately. I can draw what I want from the information they chose to give out or not give out. I don’t think I’m out of line to expect an iowta of moral behaviour from a organisation that made $146 billion in net profit last year alone. If they can’t do that they can’t have my custom, for what little it’s worth.

I stuck by it as I had hope and an investment in the platform (games since 360). But I’m done. Getting a PS5 next week, gonna cancel GamePass, unsure if I should keep the Series X for MCC and Rare Replay etc; or just give up on the whole ecosystem.
I don’t think a gaming brand has been run this badly before. Misfire after misfire. And now it’s not just an irritation that I lack good games, but they are ruing livelihoods for nothing. No exec pay cuts beforehand, no attempts to sell the studio to the staff. Find it hard to believe Phil Spencer can sleep at night tbh.

If this was a pricing error in a shop, surely they couldn’t demand it back once you got it home? Seems dodgy to me.

Digital rights should match physical rights, particularly if they want the same copyright laws to apply to piracy.

More currency. So glad they got worked on making yet more pointless made up monies to try and extract real cash from an ever shrinking fanbase. 🙄

Maybe some single player mission with different assets? Local co-op? Some effort on polishing local multiplayer? A decent sequel to wash the taste out? Anything like that?

Store more than one wi-fi password. Be still my beating heart.

GAME was turning around a few years ago, aiming to be the “Waterstones” of gaming (comfy, high quality shopping space that can host events etc). Mike Ashley is a plague on good shops; and has been slowing ruining it. Will be gone soon, just a shelf in his hideous Sports Directs, staffed by glum unpaid people and trying to get their customers into huge debt on his credit card schemes to buy bottom of the barrel Chinese crap.
Tragic what damage one greedy dense man has done to the UK high streets. GAME were never the best, but a bastion of physical sales is essential for them to continue.

I was very hopeful with Phil Spencer taking over as he did a great job on 360 indies, and seems very genuine. But personally Microsoft as a larger business body still seems to be able to foul it up with never-ending issues with game development.

This sounds unlikely? I've pretty doom and gloom on my Xbox from a personal point of view (regret not getting a PS5 frankly, very disappointed with Xbox's software polish, and Phil et al over-promising-under-delivering for years). But there is still a healthy enough market, and porting so easy given the similar architectures. You'd probably need a financial incentive not to bother porting any major game.