IllusiveMan

It seems they even celebrated it by using Copilot to make that background 💀

@GeeForce And when did this greed start? Just after closing the near 80 billion ABK acquisition…

@Millionski Lol tell me exactly how being extremely frustrated and distrustful of Microsoft means I’m a ’PS troll’…

If anything I wanted the brand to thrive and compete neck to neck to both Sony and Nintendo, not fall into an spiral of death courtesy of Microsoft themselves.

@GeeForce Then why are they porting all games to every platform in existence? Out of goodwill?

@GeeEssEff Sony has said essentially the same thing, and that quote from Microsoft is hilarious to look back on, launching Halo and Forza on PS5 is surely a weird way to “spend Sony out of business”.

If you expect Sony to have a ‘change of heart’ because Xbox is now porting even Halo to PS5 you’re going to be throughly disappointed time and time again.

Sony themselves have said as much, their goal is to get rid of Xbox as a competitor entirely, and Microsoft for sure is making Sony’s job easier on that, they just don’t need to sell games on Xbox plus it’s widely known it’s the platform that sells less games, thanks to GP, so as a business decision it makes sense, MS is doing it out of necessity to recoup 80 billion dollars they spent and they were incompetent to grow a user base beyond 30 million of both consoles sold and GP subs.

@Fiendish-Beaver Exactly this, thinking that all of the money that MS gets out of selling ports will be reinvested into the Xbox ecosystem and Game Pass is pure delusion.

The moment revenue from ports it’s higher than Game Pass revenue or Xbox itself it will cease to be a priority and launching games on PlayStation will be the main priority for Microsoft as weird as that sounds, it really is Windows Phone all over again, Microsoft became dependent on Apple and Google (iOS and Android) just to sell mobile software when they repeatedly failed to turn WP around, now they’ll be dependent on Sony, Nintendo and Steam just to be able to sell game software.
A pathetic outcome but deserved out of Microsoft’s incompetence.

Y’all really think that if Sony can do it they wouldn’t? Of course they 100% would.

I’d even go as far to say if Steam doesn’t allow Sony to blacklist the Xbox PC device they would come up with their own launcher (not compatible with that device obviously) and even delist their games off Steam to force new players to use Sony’s launcher. Sony is THAT petty.

And what would be Microsoft’s response? To launch Gears of War E-Day day one on PS5 🤡

I was interested… until they removed it.

The idea is very cool, but the fact they quietly removed it shows they don’t even know how to make it a reality.

I’ll just get one month with my Rewards points, basically playing day one for free.

Moving to New Zealand to have 24-hour early access lol

Xbox (2027)
Xbox Portable (2027)

After what we got from the ABK acquisition (Xbox becoming third-party plus barely any ABK games on Game Pass) there’s now people cheering for Microsoft to now acquire Ubisoft? Smh…

As an Xbox console owner I find it very, very hard to be excited about some skin for Windows tbh…

The single only thing I find interesting is the rumored intention of bringing over legacy Xbox games to PC, but I don’t like that no one is elaborating on the how since it actually seems to be quite complicated, not only on the technical side, but with licensing as well, and if they don’t pull that off I wouldn’t see the value on this Xbox-branded Rog Ally nor in the next generation Xbox.

@HonestHick Funny you mention GTA 6 because that could be a perfect example of the brewing problem, if it ain’t Play Anywhere and next Xbox indeed only supports PC games you won’t be able to play it on your new console even if you own it.
Again, there’s too much unknowns and I’m just speculating and choosing not to trust Microsoft, growing Play Anywhere isn’t negative but to come out swinging now with “it’s all fine, look at all these Play Anywhere games”, it’s hypocrite when it ain’t even near a quarter of the Xbox library nor their own first-party games.

What continues to bother me and why I keep venting is how little care they show for the console audience if at all, it’s now very clear they’re pivoting to PC as they feel they lost the console market (by not even stocking Series X|S consoles now) but I don’t have a PC, I own an Xbox console, which is the only Xbox there is as much as Microsoft loves to say otherwise, and we’re being left behind, if you think complaining about that somehow makes me a PlayStation fanboy you may want to rethink who the fanboy is.

Lmao Microsoft can bulk-up figures all they want, doesn’t change the fact that only 7% of all Xbox games released last year support Play Anywhere, plus there’s lots of Microsoft owned games that aren’t supported, Halo MCC, Halo 5, Doom, Doom Eternal, Gears 1 Ultimate, Forza Horizon 3, Sunset Overdrive, Quantum Break, Ori 1, Fallout 4, Skyrim and many others, just to name a few.

All this sudden push for Play Anywhere seems weird since the program exists since 2016, if I had to speculate I’d say they are preparing us to be told that moving forward only Play Anywhere titles will be compatible with the next console as it’ll be a PC in essence, I hope I’m wrong but I have zero confidence in Microsoft at the moment.

The stuff of nightmares is here…

While I’m not interested in a handheld I’m curious about that “Xbox OS”, if they manage to bring over the legacy Xbox library (from OG to Series X|S) plus PC/Steam library I’d be very interested in trying it out.

If AC Shadows isn’t a gigantic hit that somehow digs out Ubisoft from the ground (90% chance that even if successful it won’t be enough) there’s a good chance this ends up happening as no company wants to buy Ubisoft as a whole.

For what is worth I wouldn’t like it either way as both Microsoft and EA have more than enough IPs in their graveyard already…

@Dalamar73 Yeah it’s very hard to imagine that people will flock into buying an Xbox handheld just because it says Xbox or has Game Pass as those devices already exist with the Rog Ally, Legion Go or several other options only without the Xbox branding and they just haven’t lit up the market on fire at all, it seems that even native access to Game Pass ain’t enough for most people to buy one of those options over a Steam Deck.

And speculating even further if Microsoft continues this path of self destruction the Xbox brand itself will become tarnished sooner rather than later, why get the dubious brand that doesn’t even know what to do instead of a Steam Deck where you know you can play your library on any capable PC and they have actual respect for the end user…

@fatpunkslim Being speculated by a grifter isn’t nowhere near a “confirmation” it’s happening.

@Dalamar73 I don’t even think it’d match Steam Deck sales tbh.

Not sure, as I said many times before that type of device would need a fundamental rethink of the console business model.

If it’s at a competitive price and allows me buy and play games easily from Steam and my legacy Xbox library then sure why not, but if they make it cumbersome to do so, or it’s obscenely expensive then I wouldn’t see the value opposed to just building a PC.

One thing I have crystal clear tho, I’m not spending any cent on buying software from the Microsoft Store ever again, if I end up buying that PC/Console I’d buy all my games on Steam, with MS there’s always uncertainty about something.

@cragis0001 I mean they could, but they already failed that ‘Android’ model with Windows Phone, they have everything to pull it off yet they seem to be incredibly incompetent.

Literally the same speculation we've been hearing over and over and it all comes from the same "source", Jez Corden, who just over a year ago was saying it was impossible for Forza or Xbox 'core franchises' to EVER arrive on PS5...

He just keeps repeating the exact same thing without ever explaining how that PC/Console device would even be profitable for Microsoft to sell, the moment they put Steam there they'll lose the vast majority of software sales, will they sell a $999 PC Xbox? Otherwise how could they subsidize it? Where's the value instead of building a PC yourself?

Just too many questions and he never elaborates in neither of his monthly "the future of Xbox" articles, if you believe he's a reliable source just take the time to listen to some podcasts he's in, every single time he reiterates Microsoft is still "all-in" on Xbox hardware but 2 minutes later he questions himself and excuses it with "but it'd all be fine if they didn't have any hardware", he's just speculating the same way we all are, his "sources" appear to be the voices in his head, stop giving him attention every time he comes with the same echo chamber or at least brand it as what it is, speculation, not "reports".

Honestly I’d rather keep my Halo edition Series X as a nice reminder of what Xbox was while I move my game library elsewhere.

But if the console is 2027 (pure speculation as Jez Corden isn’t a credible source at all) it makes even less sense on why they’re not restocking the current console pretty much anywhere outside the MS Store.

@Rog-X Based off my own experiences and having tried it on several devices even with wired internet and Wi-Fi 6, yes, it sucks, it’s blurry and can get laggy specially in online games, that’s when the queue isn’t several minutes long.

Plus it really pales in comparison to both GeForce Now and PS+ Premium in both resolution and ‘lagginess’, haven’t had the chance to try Amazon Luna.

Just imagine the generation we could’ve had with Moore staying instead of Don Mattrick and Phil Spencer, he knew from the beginning what the others still haven’t understood, we want great games, and during his time in Xbox we definitely got them, those were the best times the brand has ever seen and it’s not even close, looking at Xbox now I don’t think they’ll EVER be able to replicate the hype around 2007 and Halo 3.

I get it but development for Xbox Cloud Gaming has been painfully slow, pretty much every other Cloud Gaming service works so much better, Amazon Luna, GeForce Now and PS+ Premium have all been improving remarkably and the 2 latter ones now have a 4K option while the input lag is much lower.

Even Google Stadia (RIP) nailed the technology 5 years ago but Xbox Cloud has been stuck in the same place, or even getting worse since 2020.

@Millionski Yeah I think the main problem is that subs are still tied to console sales, people on PC just avoid the Microsoft Store like a plague and Cloud isn’t feasible to be considered a platform, but of course, Microsoft already gave up on selling consoles which leaves Game Pass in a really weird place because as much as I like the stacked lineup we’re getting, the service doesn’t seem sustainable with “only” 30 million users even with the price hike.

@Weebleman It’s impossible to do on PlayStation, only by creating a new account but it’s not even worth it as they don’t have regional pricing in many countries and just charge in USD, which is noticeably more expensive than platforms that have regional pricing, Xbox, Steam and even the Nintendo eShop.

On Xbox you’d just buy a code, enable VPN and redeem that code in your account, I’d be lying if I said I never did it but I always knew it had some risk, however I haven’t bought anything for Xbox in more than a year and my account is fine.

@Coletrain Yeah there’s definitely some PlayStation bias across many gaming outlets but people refuse to see it.

If all these stacked months don’t pull any more people into Game Pass then nothing will, there’s something for literally everyone only in the first half of this year.

Thank you for the article, the situation is really dire, it’s pretty clear how Microsoft already has scaled hardware back substantially, and they are indeed taking the Surface route, continuing making first-party hardware but being ridiculous hard to get being available only at the MS Store, which itself isn’t available in most regions outside the US, meaning that Xbox hardware is essentially dead for most of the world.

I’d have expected for them to just continue having Series X|S consoles available for the rest of the generation and move slowly towards a Surface Xbox but no, Microsoft is literally in a rush to kill the Xbox we know and love, and the concern we had about that within 5-10 years would be very hard to get an Xbox console is already a reality in 2025!

Every time I think Microsoft can’t do something more baffling they just do, in no good conscience will I ever invest in a Microsoft product or service ever again, interestingly they just announced Skype’s closure, yet another service MS mismanaged to oblivion.

That was expected and understandable, game lineup is still quite solid for this year but being revealed in 2020 and launch in 2026 is just wild lol

@Millionski I genuinely don’t understand either, even with publishing games elsewhere there’s still many people who want an Xbox and they just can’t get it, each new console sold could also entice an additional Game Pass sub but they don’t seem to care. Just baffling.

@donv2135 And that’s exactly why you’re unable to accept it, I don’t “need” to worship any company, I’m a user of all 3 and enjoy all of them, you’re aggressively clinging to a brand, and yes Microsoft will continue to exist, but where’s Windows Phone now? Or Zune? Or Mixr?

And again, if you’re so bothered by it, ignore me or block me, I’m not going to stop sharing my concerns.

@donv2135 Of course I’m afraid of “change”, I’ve invested hundreds into my digital library and now if my console fails for whatever reason it’s near impossible to get another Series X, we’re not talking anymore about a +10 year scenario where MS would stop producing consoles, it’s literally happening as we speak.

And the worst imo is Microsoft’s response for Brazilian retailers and customers: “players in Brazil will be able to play on their current consoles, PCs, with Game Pass and on smartphones, tablets or TVs with Xbox", essentially saying “too bad you want a new console, you can play on the Cloud and PC” which is incredibly disingenuous as the game library isn’t nearly the same between the 3 platforms and they’re just shrugging off their console audience, exactly my fear since all this changes started.

It’s Microsoft who’s doing all this, not me, if you think I’m a hater go ahead and look how I stupidly cheered when MS announced and finalized ABK acquisition, I really thought we’d be getting fierce competition with PlayStation, who I’ve been very critical of as you can tell by my comments on Push Square, but they just gave up, they’re speed running the death of the brand and yes, I’m upset and afraid after being an Xbox customer for more than a decade, sorry if my criticisms bother you, I’ve never insulted anyone here and always keep a civil and argumentative debate, if you’re unable to do that feel free to ignore my comments or ask the staff to block me.

@donv2135 You can read it in private mode or find tons of other articles sourcing that one.

And yes, you can close your eyes, cover your ears and deny to yourself Microsoft is killing its console business faster than anyone could’ve expected, that won’t change the fact that it’s exactly what they’re doing and they don’t care about any backlash, hence Forza on PS5 before many others that wouldn’t have been that huge.

It’s becoming increasingly alarming how Microsoft is abandoning production or distribution of current hardware, it’s not even a conversation about one console selling more than the other, in many markets there just isn’t any Xbox available anymore.

In Brazil Xbox used to be huge, and now retailers are being informed that there’ll be no distribution for the Series X in the entire country and units for Series S are scarce and currently 30% more expensive than a PS5, source at the end of my comment.

Given all this I don’t know how they got the nerve to confirm a next generation Xbox if they literally don’t even care about producing or distributing their current hardware, I’ve seen comments of scarcity on pretty much everywhere except the Microsoft Store, if the next Xbox ends up being distributed as the Surface devices only in select markets and only through the MS Store then it’s as good as dead on arrival.

Source: https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/tec/2025/02/videogame-xbox-series-x-rival-do-ps5-some-das-prateleiras-no-brasil-e-precos-chegam-a-r-10-mil.shtml?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=bskfolha

Lmao, sorry but I’m just gonna say that if you really think the brand is “stronger than it has ever been been” it’s not even coping anymore, that’s just pure delusion.

And Seamus apparently had more vision than Don Mattrick or Phil Spencer ever did, what a different story would be with him or Peter Moore as head of Xbox the last decade.

Would have appreciated that “honesty and transparency” to Xbox core fans last year in the now infamous business update.

We could’ve been told back then “there’s no red lines” as to what it’s going to be ported to competing consoles instead of lying to our faces saying “it’s just 4 games”.

@Fiendish-Beaver Absolutely right, we can’t say all games will take 4 years to be ported because back when FH5 there wasn’t even a concept of plan to bring those games to competing consoles and in fact back then I remember they stated multiple times that all Bethesda games would be exclusive moving forward (just exemplifying further how plans did change).

Indy is good example of how it could work but we’ve seen them change strategy yet again for Doom The Dark Ages which is launching day one everywhere, and I do feel they’re moving eventually to a day one everywhere approach as games do benefit from being as big as they can on launch, but it’s gonna be hard to tell during this transition period, ports are already stacking up for Spring so if they wanted to port something like Avowed it’ll most likely wait a few months or a year.

@fatpunkslim Only for a couple of months actually, since the ‘no red lines’ comment, the Halo MCC leak and the official announcement of FH5 for PS5.

Happy to take on that bet but get it together, you’re already having a breakdown by saying you’re “100% for this multiplatform strategy” while at the same time refusing to accept it, things have changed, it’s not the same porting Ori to Switch than Forza to PlayStation.

@fatpunkslim Lol that’s coping hard. Don’t be shocked whenever Halo, Gears or Forza ends up releasing on competing consoles day one sooner rather that later.

You could just stop at “Phil Spencer says Xbox is done”.

@jesse_dylan I think the report saying that since Microsoft bought Activision many publishers don’t want to get on board with Game Pass had some truth in it, we’re seeing it already, wouldn’t be surprised if EA decided to remove EA Play from GP Ultimate too.

But tbh, I’d be fine if Game Pass ended up with only first-party games, maybe it would be more sustainable that handing out huge payouts to bring games to the service and their 30+ studios in MS gaming is enough to sustain it.

@LogicStrikesAgain Xbox tax or PlayStation bias, wherever you want to call it, the fact is some reviewers are not objective and they scrutinize things they ignore in other games, go read Gamespot 6/10 review and tell me there isn’t a bias of any kind lol

@Kaloudz I remember that Rockstar kept insisting that RDR2 would indeed come out in 2017 until June when they announced it’d come out in Spring 2018 to later further delay it again to October 2018, I’m still hopeful but everything is pointing towards a delay.

Looking really solid tbh, the aggregated score is already taking a hit as this is a heavily Xbox taxed game cause there’s no version for PS5 yet announced, currently sitting at 80 when it probably should be around 85 or even higher.

And for the ones that still claim there’s no such thing go read some “mixed” reviews, the downsides they list are a joke, some reviewer gave it 75/100 because “it’s a product of a subscription service” smh…

Anyways, I already have it installed and ready to go on Tuesday!