@Millionski Series S should never existed honestly. It just held Series X back. If being honest, probably held this whole generation back since developers, for sake of business decision, develop with lowest common denominator heavily in mind.

Then factor in all bad press Series S brought to Xbox name with basically weekly articles of games not running properly or efficiently.

Series S is disaster Microsoft should absolutely avoided.

@Fiendish-Beaver I firmly believe it was nadella that demanded an over the top price increase.

Nadella is a disaster within Microsoft. His entire approach is deeply flawed. His main goal is to force incredibly unnecessary and expensive subscriptions to everything possible. Then all attention goes to cloud and AI. Nadella has zero interest in encouraging innovation in Microsoft and I firmly believe that's why Panos Panay left...or was forced out.

Nadella is severely weakening Microsoft and pushing it closer to irrelevance and possible bankruptcy. People will say that's crazy talk, Microsoft is doing soooooooooo well and making money like gangbusters.

But the stock swings wildly all the time. And with nadella placing all Microsoft eggs in so very few baskets, if anything collapses, Microsoft will be on way out.

Facebook is excellent example. Once people stop, slow down, or something "cooler" comes along Zuckerberg won't be topping the wealth lists anymore. That is beginning to happen now and Zuckerberg is scared. So worth Microsoft, if companies decide Microsoft cloud, AI, or those unnecessary, overpriced subscriptions aren't worth their money and time, Microsoft has zero to lean into and weather the storm to survive.

Nadella needs to go, via quiting or being forced out. Is complete disaster. Give him the golden parachute he'll absolutely get and move on.

I immediately canceled down to Essential. If it wasn't for needing Scam Pass to play online, I'd completely canceled out.

The constant unnecessary price increases really annoyed me. Then that insane increase to Ultimate was final straw. Zero desire to EVER go back to Ultimate now.

They lost me forever due to greed and stupidity.

@MinervaX76 Console exclusives are VERY important to people like me. I absolutely despise the Playstation controller. So much so, will never buy a Playstation.

If Sony would put games on Xbox (like Xbox does for Sony) I'd not only play more games, I'd buy more games like spider-man, god or war, horizon, last of us, etc.

I'm sorry. Centered sticks like Playstation is uncomfortable and unruly to use.

Have not seen anything on this console.

Needs have at least 3 TBs of SSD to be actively relevant.

@Godot25 If follow The Six Month Rule, hardly anyone would bitch.

Lesson learned Microsoft. Lesson learned.

What's Vegas action with over/under on game being canceled?

Just another example of why The Six Month Rule should be followed EVERY time.

Not following The Six Month Rule results in extremely high chance of looking stupid and incompetent.

Moral of the story. Follow The Six Month Rule. It's not hard. It's smart. It's better for EVERYONE involved.

I'm trying and wanting to be positive.

But this is straight copy paste from any CEO interview. People think CEOs are going say, yea, we're pretty happy just being here. We might even try increase our sales and public awareness. Not sure will ever happen. Be pretty cool if does though.

@Skinny-Pete Appreciate the set piece desire. It is awesome. When played halo 2 on release weekend and jumped on and inside that Scarab thingy. I was absolutely blown away. That was straight up amazing. It was like, dang, this is happening? Wow!

Infinite had set pieces too. But they were more had to go there thru story process. Earlier halos they "sorta" came to you via story being kinda on rails.

Feel lot your unsatisfactory experience with halo is far cry delivery. If not enjoy that style of delivery it would absolutely sour the game. Hard to even approach it with open mind if not like the flavor.

Kinda like going to McDonalds wanting flame broiled flavor of Burger King. Just not going get it. Only disappointment.

@Skinny-Pete Can agree with you on halo infinite being a far cry. But I still enjoyed it immensely.

Also halo needed some sort of shake up. It's was pretty formulaic. I'll give an example. Which halo game is this? Cut scene. Master Chief appears. Cortana is like "Chief, need you to go here." "On it, Cortana." Chief gets there, does what task is. "Chief! Chief! Chief! I need to poop. Need you come all way and completely back track thru the entire level you just traversed to take me to poop." "On it, Cortana." Then Chief traverses all way back thru level. Cut scene. Chief goes into a ship or vehicle. End scene. Music starts, new cut scene. Chief appears. Cortana goes, "Chief, need you to go here." "On it, Cortana."

Wash. Throw in couple vehicles. Repeat.

Halo was stale. It needed modernized.

Infinite attempted that. I am very happy with the change. Games on rails that go from point A, to point B are not what they used to be. It's basically Pong in this era of video games.

Might not feel like "Halo". But really feel something had to be done.

@Fiendish-Beaver I think you hit the nail right on the head about Gears.

I enjoyed and love the original trilogy. But there is more of a story now in the newer games. It's no longer an over the top action bromance. It has much more depth now than before.

This is not really a hot take and I'm sure many will disagree.....

But simply getting rid of game pass solves lot problems for Xbox.

If want salvage game pass. End it. But create a spinoff called Indie Pass and keep all those 8 bit Gameboy Color, jumping over lava side scrolling games on that service and price accordingly. I would suggest $9.99 at most.

This allows games to actually show sales and generate money and allow people that enjoy the 8 bit games to still play on a service.

@Fiendish-Beaver Unless your are into tree puncher games. I'd not worry about this one. If played Arc, Conan, or the like, you played this game.

@Skinny-Pete Exactly! That's why 6 Month Rule is best for all involved.

Farther out something is, far greater chance, get canceled, delayed, major alteration, or just severe disappointment of being outdated.

I'm going to stay off internet all week so avoid all spoilers.

Very excited for this show. Hope they stick to The 6 Month Rule. So much better for all involved when do.

@IOI Absolutely wonder that as well.

What gain is there in Xbox vs XBOX? Honestly not think any that justified change like that.

@Balaam_ Agree with you on the physical media part 110%. Not only because physical media is by far the most superior experience. But it's also most economical sense.

But unfortunately, and not to point fingers, but millennials and younger generation as a whole, again, I'll say as a whole, fail to understand or want to grasp financial awareness or accountability. Very few have any retirement savings, but never blink an eye going to Starbucks for $15 latte every day. Gaming counterpart of that is dropping hundreds of dollars for a skin in first person shooter. It baffles me to no end. Drop $100 for skin, you can't see, for game no longer existing in year or so. Could put that in 401k and be actually useful in 30 or 40 or 50 years from all the compound interest.

And sadly that mindset is in digital marketplace. Why spend money for overpriced subscriptions and own nothing. Why constantly buy digital when in any moment it's gone. I'd be willing bet if did the random interview on street and asked people if they own their digital purchases, 90% probably would say yes. Then when educated they are paying or paid for license to use, they'd be like.... oh my, I didn't know that.

Every day I see the above mindset. And it worries me for future.

Wait? What?

Series S is a subpar, inferior experience compared to Series X?

Say it isn't so.

Really hope Microsoft is smart and follows the 6 Month Rule.

It is safe. It is smart. It is best thing do for all involved.

May not have said or announced Destiny 3. But it's inevitable. Especially if Bungie want remain in existence. Marathon from what I gather is failure. But to be fair, I've not seen any numbers. Might be making crazy money.

Bungie just seems be mostly poison since leaving Microsoft. Couldn't make it on their own. Sony bought, then said please leave. And now probably struggling on their own again.

I will forever say this every chance I get.

Please remaster or remake or make sequel for Shadowrun first person shooter. To this day still most balanced, fun, cerebral, team player shooter ever made. Full stop.

Could sing its praises for long time. Game did soooooooooo many things right.

Bugthesda has always relied on modding community to fix their games.

Physical media is vastly superior. Especially A/V experiences.

Very, very, very, happy and relieved disc based games are still very important to people.

Physical media is the ONLY way to go. Not only to prevent a future of price gouging but for best A/V experiences.

@TrollOfWar Good thought on the wheels.

But if that's their purpose and there is no way turn off functionality, I'm going to hard pass.

Absolutely can see myself playing a game all relaxed with someone and my hand, fingers, or controller slide, and then THE CHAT GOES CRAZY NUCLEAR LOUD IN MY EARS.

That be just enough for me to snap controller in half and quite possibly punch a kitten.

@Sol4ris Absolutely understand your view on the Elites.

But once you own one and use it for even just little while. There is simply just no gong back to regular controller.

Replaceable batteries are a must. Glad see Microsoft come to their senses about something.

I'm surprised the Series S is the inferior experience being that it's such a great and high powere.....

Oh wait. Series S. That mistake Microsoft decided to go thru with. Hopefully next gen Microsoft will have learned and avoid the needless 2 sku approach and just release one console.

My solution?

No disc drive, no purchase. No exceptions. Zero.

So basically it's just same thing we already have. OK. Yea.

Good to know where all that game pass price increase money finally went to.

@Leopold Maybe that hand position is what helped get her the promotion?

Just a thought.

Anytime, anywhere, anyone, eliminates AI that is amazing news to hear.

I am EXTREMELY anti-AI. It will be downfall and destruction of society. From people being lazy, uneducated, high unemployment, to environmental damage beyond repair. AI needs to go. People need start resisting and demanding its removal.

This is another example of why physical media is vastly superior over digital, hundreds times over.

Really wish people would just see how much you are losing embracing digital. The benefits of physical media vastly outweigh digital in every possible way.

@Fiendish-Beaver I say it all the time. Nadella is straight up cancer to Microsoft. He puts too many things, HEAVILY in too few baskets.

If any his decisions fail. Microsoft is all but finished.

@Jenkinss That's because nadella is slowly destroying Microsoft. He's terrible. Needs to resign or be forced out. Nadella only cares about cloud, forcing everything possible to be unnecessary and overpriced subscriptions, and too much AI. Nadella has basically eliminated any innovation within Microsoft.

This coming from a person that's followed Microsoft heavily for decades. I bought zune, band, surface dial, 4 surface tablets, 2 Windows phones, etc.

Nadella has zero desire, mindset, appreciation, or understanding for innovation. He can not leave Microsoft soon enough.

Wait.... Wait.... Wait.... Wait???

Series S not getting this mode? Say it isn't so?

I'm incredibly shocked that a "console" so low powered and constantly a terrible experience that's second even to Switch 1 is not getting this feature.

@Wilforce Thank you! I just commented on that.

As someone who used to work in corporate America, this is NOT really good news at all. Do NOT believe this PR speak.

What this ultimately does is section off a division making it that much easier to spin off in a sale when nadella finally decides cut ties with Xbox.

Will the single player game still be playable after server shuts down?

Did not see that in article. If in there. Sorry.

@BustedUpBiker People do forget that oil is also used to create plastic. Iran issue is more far reaching than people realize.

Translation - this is our last chance before nadella closes Xbox down. We want - - we need - - make sure it is successful. Price is our number one concern. We are going wait long as needed for chip prices to fall to make this expensive console as affordable as possible. Please stay tuned. Must importantly, please pre-order so we can help make FOMO a factor too.

Best way to really, truly, make it first class experience?

Do not ever release Baby's First Xbox (also known as Xbox Series S) ever, ever, ever again. It's cheap, holds the true and legit Xbox (also known as Xbox Series X) back. Just cheapens whole Xbox experience having cheap, low power console on market.

@AccessibleDaydream I did not think of it that way with battle passes and daily challenge garbage.

I detest and stop playing games that have battle passes or that season rubbish. Those types of things DO NOT respect my time. And unless I play 25 hours day, 366 days year, 53 weeks a year I'm not able complete them.

All this does is have me ABSOLUTELY stop playing that game. Fallout 76 was good example for me. Elder Scrolls Online is now seemingly adopting that mentality and is very disenchanting.

If ALL PRIOR content just remained that I could complete at my own pass, I'd stay. But when not respect my time and force me play nonstop, I'm out. I have a job. I have a life. I have responsibilities. If not able respect that. That said game has ZERO place in my life, or in my time.

@Balaam_ We share exactly same wants, wishes for Xbox. We also share same concerns.

Really hope we are not the minority of this thought process and powers that be are 110% with our thoughts.

My take from that PR spiel...and if it is sincere.

Everything Xbox will finally unify under the Xbox umbrella (which is insanely smart and needed move). And Xbox will go forward with identify as the punk rock of gaming. Non conformity. Rebellious. March beat of own drum. Not afraid be something different.

This sounds much like first days of OG Xbox. One that I was part since day one and always was excited be part of.

What is so great and/or necessary about Discord?

What am I missing? Why should anyone care and want pay for it?

***Edit, just saw @FraserG post. Thanks for information.

So breaking it down to bare bones. People want pay for exactly what is free right now to use. No wonder reports of people having zero retirement savings is so incredibly prevalent.

@themightyant Very true. All of us should never forget that Sharma's bread and butter is PR.

So far she's been lot talk. Waiting see real action under her leadership. Not coat tailing off end of previous one.

@Kaloudz Hopefully no Helix S. This gen Xbox already been joke with near weekly articles how Series S falls short and trends to be very subpar experience.

One console. One console SKU to rule them all.

Looks like new regime is smart enough understand Series S is a joke and causes issues in trying keep parity this gen.

Hope and pray just one console next gen.