Jenkinss

@Fiendish-Beaver Same here... huge fan of Mass Effect (but who isn't, right?) and I'm pretty excited because I have high hopes for two games to take us on that journey again, Osiris Reborn and Exodus.

Have you heard the Osiris Reborn theme yet? Music is one of the reasons I love Owlcat games so much, and that song is just TAKING ME THERE. If not:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PqNeoff3NI

FF1, interesting. I wonder if we will see 2-6 added to Game Pass one at a time through the year?

Two weeks until FF7R which will be my first FF game since 15, I'm looking forward to it.

@Fiendish-Beaver Yes it is turn based, it is a CRPG from Owlcat who also made Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader which it should be very similar to. They also made my favorite CRPG of all time Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous (which was a hybrid of turn based and real time with pause).

I would say Owlcat's CRPGs are the least accessible out of the best current CRPG devs (Larian, Obsidian, inXile) but they are more than worth learning because the games are phenomenal. They are also making the new Expanse game Osiris Reborn which is looking like a real Mass Effect successor. They are on almost an identical trajectory to 90s into 00s Bioware.

I bought Chaos Gate a while back and still haven't started it, can never find the time!

Copy paste of my comment from the other 2026 Xbox games article

For me on this list
Definitely:
FF7
GTA6
Gears E Day
FH6

Probably:
Fable

Maybe:
Toxic Commando
Monster Hunter Stories 3

Hopefully come out in 2026 (on Xbox):
Pathologic 3
Solasta 2
Outward 2
Warhammer 40k: Dark Heresy
No Rest for the Wicked
Big Walk
Chrono Odyssey

I don't care for ESO but Blackbird was the only internal MS game that I was interested in that got cancelled. I say internal because some of the 3rd party stuff also sounded interesting, like Contraband.

@Balaam_ THIS is a point a lot of people don't understand. The last time I explained this I think was before the price hikes, and the situation was already beyond abysmal. I think I have a few posts with some numbers like this:

https://www.purexbox.com/news/2025/05/xbox-achieves-record-breaking-results-in-latest-earnings-report#comment8619158

"despite things looking doom and gloom, it's important to remember that Xbox is Sega now"

Oh ok cool that settles that thanks for the pep talk

Warlander was kinda neat, played it for a couple hours.

I didn't like anything about Anthem, including the flying. Typical post doctors Bioware game

If I really like a game, after I beat it achievements can be a reason to play a little more. Otherwise I don't really care.

If hero seekers wasn't anime and I had the time I had 20 years ago that's something I'd definitely play, I used to love blobbers (at least I think it's a blobber from the trailer)

My wife and I are completely hooked on Dome Keeper.

lol @ Flintlock, made for an audience that doesn't buy games. I actually liked Ashen, too.

I had a lot of fun with The Ascent going through it with friends. They nailed the cyberpunk setting.

For me on this list
Definitely:
FF7
GTA6
Gears E Day
FH6

Probably:
Fable

Maybe:
Toxic Commando
Monster Hunter Stories 3

Hopefully come out in 2026 (on Xbox):
Pathologic 3
Solasta 2
Outward 2
Warhammer 40k: Dark Heresy
No Rest for the Wicked
Big Walk
Chrono Odyssey

My thoughts exactly. This is like asking what would you pay for the next vehicle from Mitsubishi. I can throw a number out there not knowing if it's going to be a car or a fighter jet.

It's becoming clear Obsidian isn't what it used to be. I wonder if the issue is as simple as the breakup with Chris Avellone. Would mending that fence give us back KOTOR2, FONV, POE, and Tyranny quality games? My guess is yes but we'll probably never know.

On the bright side at least their slide has just been to "mid" and nothing like Bioware.

People want this just as much as they wanted Kinect bundled with every Xbox. Genius strategists these folks are.

Happy New Year @FraserG and the rest of PXB, thanks for all you do!

Game pass had an incredibly good year in terms of content. I think sentiment would be extremely high but it's more than offset by the 100% price increase.

Every time they add games to this it's a reminder of how much shovelware is on Xbox. I don't know what work needs to be done for a game to be added or who has to do it, but I wish it would happen to better games.

@SeaDaVie Bruh.

@dskatter it's planned obsolescence

@JayJ we're still not certain what the next Xbox even is so I think it's silly to commit to wanting or not wanting one at this point. I could potentially want one of it checks the right boxes.

The doubling of the price of game pass from $15 to $30, and the death of Xbox itself, the gaming press was giddy to cover it this year.

Probably the biggest hype moment in the history of E3, which is saying a lot.

IMO it was a soft year (as usual) for MGS, but a crazy good year for game pass.

E33
Oblivion
Silksong
Metaphor
Balatro

Been doing some MK1, just blasting through the story. It's such goofy fun.

Poor Highguard

Looking forward to finally playing FF7R, LOVED the demo, maximum nostalgia.

Metaphor Refantazio
Doom the Dark Ages
Expedition 33
Oblivion Remastered
For the King Ii
Baldurs Gate 3
Remnant From the Ashes (replay, first time going through it solo)
Mechwarrior 5: Clans

The thing I'm most proud of is my daughter beating her first game ever, this week she finished Little Kitty in the Big City.

@Balaam_

Merry Christmas PXB team and fellow commenters!

No Xbox gifts but did a get a new tool chest for the garage

E33 had no competition as it's one of the greatest games of all time, but the rest of that top 5 is pretty sketchy.

Edit: realized this was voted on, yeah 2-5 makes sense based on some of the people that post here. Microsofts mid lineup this year in the GOTY discussion, only in this place.

Games:
Dave the Diver
Jump Space
Helldivers 2
Nightreign
Age of Wonders 4
Robocop
Marble it Up Ultra
Songs of Conquest
Chronos: Before the Ashes
Remnant 1 complete edition
Risk of Rain 1

DLC:
Vampire Survivors
Darktide
Dredge
Golf with your Friends
Mechwarrior 5 Clans

I liked High on Life but not sure I'm interested in it without Justin Roiland.

You've got a long memory, Rockstar has represented the pinnacle of what consoles have to offer for over 20 years now.

Please be patient, he said to Satya and Amy holding the executioner's axe and itching to swing it again.

We bought Bethesda to bring high quality exclusives to Xbox.

L i a r s

2 of the best games on Xbox this year got zero recognition because they were playstation sloppy seconds, Helldivers 2 and Pacific Drive. Ffxvi could be added to this too.

I also think Battlefield 6 not just being a return to form, but beating CoD for the first time, could be given more attention.

I don't really play the games he made, but he was a titan that imo only the Houser brothers can even be compared. What I find incredible is that he built CoD into the unbeatable juggernaut that it is. Then this year CoD gets beat by Battlefield for the first time ever. OF COURSE it was Vince who had taken over, the only one who could top himself. Incredible loss for the industry.

Yes but not at the dorito pope's advertising extravaganza.

@Fiendish-Beaver I usually don't care about modding games, but I have to say I loved XCOM 2 on PC way more because my squad had the voices of the casts of Mass Effect, Gears, etc. Even my Spark was Optimus Prime.

@dskatter I got my Series S for $150 brand new in March 2023. Switch 2's value is ass if you don't want a game boy, which I don't. You seem upset he's comparing these 2 consoles when that's the whole reason we're here.

I think this is pretty awesome lol

Blizzards best days being ahead is about as likely as Biowares best days being ahead.

@Balaam_ brother how many times are you going to make the same inane point? We get it, the game is available off game pass.

100% Xbox. You might say my play time has been Pure Xbox.

It's subscription ONLY. You can't buy games for it. With this business model of course the hardware is cheap and honestly could be cheaper.

Eyeballing Final Fantasy Tactics and Triangle Strategy pretty hard. Already bought Dave the Diver at full price for my wife, RIP. I have to say though it's pretty great!

We are so cooked. Like, I knew it was completely over at the 4 games announcement, and yet years later these little things still amaze me.

It's like Squeenix went to the race track, saw a horse with a broken leg, Satya Nadella and Amy Hood walking towards the horse with rifles and decided... Now is the time to bet big on this one.

This continues and will continue to be more and more common.