Kaloudz

@ILIKECARGAME I have zero issue with LGBTQ+, or anyone that it represents. Zero. That said, it's absolutely fine to not have an issue with something, and not be interested in it whatsoever. I have zero issue with professional sports, but I have zero interest in it too - which is why I don't watch it.

I get the point you were trying to make, but not having an issue with something, at the same time as not being interested with that same thing, does not equate to being a bigot. That to the side, my issue with the game is outlined above. I've no interest whatsoever in the whole Telltale-esque formula. It's just not for me.

@Skinny-Pete Thanks my man. I appreciate you saying as much, and big <3 to you buddy. I think you're a stand up guy too. That's exactly it, it's just not for me - for more than just one reason.

@ILIKECARGAME Not sure why not liking this game would be classed as bigotry? Care to elaborate? lol...

My reasoning is ( @AccessibleDaydream ) I don't like Dont Nod's games, nor do I like the theme or premise of this game, nor do I like the look of the gameplay.

@Fiendish-Beaver And so it begins Beaver!!!

Cracks fingers

Asha, as far as I see it, has been installed as new leader because the higher ups know that the brand needs a 180. Most of their plans have hit a dead-end and brand-loyalty was tailing off. I think Asha is here to turn things around, and (as I said a while back) nothing covers up a 180 better than removing a leader and putting in a new one (much like Phil taking over from Don).

She may not have put anything in place yet, but I can see the signs. She's clearly taking on board a heap of feedback and actioning it. I think we will see more of this at the showcase, which as I said above, is as much her showcase as XBOX's.

Now... come at me bro.

It looks "okay" but I would hardly say it will compete with the likes of Forza in terms of scope and visuals. I've been saying for a long time now though, Forza needs a new spin-off.

With Motorsport dead in the water, and with Horizon being a sure-fire hit franchise, it's time they made a new branch in the IP. Something akin to Need for Speed of years gone by.

Personally, I'm quite excited to see how Asha performs. She's gone down very well with the userbase so far and has shown how much she's willing to 180 on several fronts. This is as much her moment as it is XBOX's moment.

@Fishmasterflex96 Not totally no. Close to, though lol.

Good call. I also think this is Asha's time to get up and really make an impact. It's going to be her first real address to the fans, so I expect she will use the space wisely and (given her track record so far) energetically. I am intrigued to hear what she has to say and I do think there will be some surprise announcements. She's been doing a lot of fam Q&A lately and feedback gathering. This showcase will be the platform to address that.

Yeah it's only being delayed by a couple of months, it's not that deep. I'd rather the game gets the shine it deserves, and anything releasing anywhere near GTA is bound to succeed much less than if it didn't.

@Fishmasterflex96 I think it absolutely did some damage, and given that BO7 (much like MW3) tanked because it was more an expansion than a full on game, that it's led MS to ensure that these filler releases do not happen again.

@ILuvGames That's a good point. In fact that would make a lot of sense. It's also a neat way for the devs to showcase what they're capable of.

Great CoD reveal. Not sure North Korea will appreciate it, as per, but that is one solid trailer. I'm intrigued. The Ghost vs Price is clearly there for sales, but it'll be interesting to see where the MW IP goes now that it's free from the shackles of the OG retelling.

@Fishmasterflex96 I think most of that has something to do with the fact that it was a half-baked instalment. The filler instalments never tend to fare well. Full on "years in development" games in the series often do well.

Watching alone myself. I personally Asha will use this space to really show us what she has planned, or at least, show us that she isn't afraid to kick the sand. This is her moment as much as it is Xbox's moment, and given how well she has done so far, I think we will be in for a treat.

@Fiendish-Beaver Personally, I think that really is the only reason to justify an expansion for a game over a decade old. Either way, we can safely say 4 will take place after expansion #3.

Very excited for this. The studio did say this game was make or break for them, so I really hope it does well. Oddly, there's not been a big buzz surrounding this game, which is strange given Shovel Knight's success.

@Fiendish-Beaver Ah man I am so sorry to hear that. Sorry for my late reply. I hope all is well and hope that you heal in time :/

I hope they start with a complete dashboard overhaul. I don't mind the dash, but it's looking a bit dated these days (and has been for a while). If they can come out the gates with a brand new design, I'd be happy. More store options, more customisation, etc...

@themightyant @Fiendish-Beaver I am not too bad my men, what about you?

Yeah I mean you're probably both right, but it seems odd for her to mention affordability. I mean, would XSX be compatible with their Helix vision if it is PC/Xbox hybrid? I just get the sense that we will see either a more affordable single console, or two variants. (Hopefully if that's true, both versions have optional disc drive).

@Millionski I kinda thing Asha spent the first month just gathering the hell out of community info and feedback across the web and is channelling that to move forward. One concern is a £1k+ console, so if she can combat that out the gate, it could be pretty interesting.

@Skinny-Pete Yeah that's what I'm feeling. The idea of a £1k machine puts me off despite the rising costs of the world. If they can mitigate that in any way (optional disc drive, two console variants etc...) it'd make for wise choice imo.

@GuyinPA75 See, I have the Series S and I have never had an issue with it. I do get frustrated by some concessions here and there, but then, I knew that would be the case as a consumer. I hope they either make two variants, or one variant that's cheaper and they accept the steeper losses of each sale.

Interesting. Keen to see where this goes.

One of the greatest games of all time imo.

I don't mind, so long as the acquisitions make sense. Given the state of the market right now, I'd personally make these choices very carefully. I mean, they just shut a few down (studios and deals) in the last 12 or so months. If they M&A, it has to make sense. I personally would not scoff at a JRPG driven studio.

They need to reign in some of their studios and give "some" direction. Both Sony and Nintendo have some solid IP because they make things people want. Xbox needs to get its teams to do the same. Fable is a shining example, SoD 3 too, as is FH, but...

They need more. They need the equivalent of that "Last of Us" "Ghost of" break-through. They need to completely reboot Halo if you ask me and start from scratch. Wouldn't hurt for them to make their own community-driven game, such as Rune Factory / Animal Crossing. Their own Stardew Valley-like game set in the world of Minecraft. Their own kart racer game using their IPs. Some new survival horrors etc... Things to make the world turn their heads.

Not to mention grabbing a JRPG studio to bring back Blue Dragon or Lost Odyssey - or a new JRPG IP.

I found the "affordability" an interesting point in her speech. Could we see a Helix S?

Asha is proving why the minority was wrong for judging her on day one. She's saying all the right things and pulling all the right moves. Next gen just got even more exciting.

Asha is one impressive lady. I like her. She is doing pretty impressive stuff and clearly isnt afraid to dive deep and kick sand.

She is really doing the brand wonders. Really goes to show what some new blood can do.

@Gunonaboat Game Pass Family is a must imo. They need to revisit that.

The tiers should remain the same. The only thing that should be interchangeable is the addition of EA / Ubi / Fortnite Crew. I would absolutely untick them all to bring the price down if I had the option to customize.

@Bob_Tempura I'd be happy with the higher hitters getting case by case but I don't think that will apply. CoD is the unicorn.

I think Xbox has a clear strategy here. They've 180'd under the guise of new leadership (same thing happened with Don / Phil) and they're reshaping the brand. They will be focused now on clawing back lost fans and building up the player base, and with moves like this, they're poised at a chance to succeed in doing so.

@Nakatomi_Uk Totally agree. The amount they would save doing away with Ubi, EA and Fortnite would give them more flexibility.

Fortnite I never understood. It's freebies in a free to play game. That is hardly the target audience for GP lol..

Much, much better. Asha doing all the right things.

@GeminiX53 Have a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious evening <3

@GeminiX53 Telling someone else to rise above your clear and blatant attempts to rage bait is rage baiting in itself?... Uh huh.

All the time and 99% of the time I buy the film on physical once it's released. The cinema is a bad analogy and not comparable to subscription services.

It's not a bad analogy at all. You're enjoying content that you're not paying to own. Subscription or not, it's the same concept.

Nope. Never have, never will.

So I assume anyone that uses Netflix, Disney+ etc... are also entitled wallet dodgers too? Assuming you're going to stick to your own narrative?

You have no high ground here buddy. If you choose to pay to own everything in life, that's up to you. If you're happy to do that then that's your choice. Those of us that see the value in subscription services simply walk a different path, and there's nothing wrong with that. I don't get why you are so invested in trying to find an issue with it O_o

We take nothing we own into the next life...

@Backfor1day Nothing wrong with Game Pass subscribers. Don't let anyone tell you different. The majority of devs say nothing but great things and they get heaps of exposure and a fat pay cheque from MS. GP does contribute regardless to what the haters say. Gem is clearly trying to rage bait you. Rise above it buddy.

In fact it also gives subscribers a chance to play games they may never have played. Case in point Expedition 33 I would not have purchased otherwise. Thanks to GP I tried it at no risk and it is one of my fave games of all time.

On topic of the thread - Xbox's new leadership is doing really well. I said this when it was first announced Phil was leaving. The best way for a company to 180 is to remove leadership and install a new one. I am all for the direction Asha is heading in.

Rebrand Xbox first imo. Make the next gen feel like a clean slate.

Playground - Multiplat.
Acti blizzard - Case by case.
Bethesda - Case by case.
Everything else - Exclusive.

Once they claw back the base, they can revisit Playground, and everything else. It ain't just about exclusivity though - Xbox needs to make a few magical fresh IPs that turn heads and make people want to invest in the ecosystem (historical based stories, shooters, and even go back to RPGs like Blue Dragon and Lost Oddysee).

The addition of Fornite and Ubisoft+ was unnecessary. If you ask me. They need to;

1) remove EA Access
2) remove Fortnite extras
3) remove Ubisoft+.

Saving money there to lower the prices of Xbox GP. Then, they need to simplify the tiers. Two in total. Both including PC Game Pass and online by default (Play Anywhere makes this pretty much a given).

1) Game Pass - some 3rd party and delayed 1st party (£9)
2) Game Pass - more 3rd party and day one first party (£17)

If they need to remove CoD, then so be it. I understand why, it's a money machine. That's just how it makes sense to me. The current pricing for the highest tier is senseless. I mean Fortnite is free to play and takes up a lot of time to max out. The GP demographic is not exclusively playing Fortnite...

The OG plan. That depends on who's plan you're taking about. The tech team's plan, or Bill Gates' plan. There were two very different visions for that console and it ultimately went in the tech teams direction after the Valentine's Day Massacre meeting. I am assuming it's Gates' vision that is pulling through here, based on the article. (Which I always liked). Either way, I'm excited to see how it shapes up no matter what. Didn't the Dreamcast follow the same footprint? PC architecture? That ill fated device was one of my fave ever consoles.

Halo MCC
Expedition 33
FF7 (OG and R)
AC Valhalla
Resident Evil R2/R3/R4

1: Modern dash update.
2: Bring back avatars and avatar games (1v100).
3: Screen share with friends.

OG Xbox achievements would be cool but they are implemented by the devs. The only way this happens is a full 1000G unlocked for rolling the credits. Anything beyond that is too much for one team to do.

@betterthings And my friend, you must be forgetting they couldn't change anything regarding the hardware until the mid-gen refresh years later, which clearly proves my point that it is too late for Asha Sharma to make any changes to the console. The only thing they can change is the marketing or user experience (both of which will still need to adapt to the console whose design was fixed years ago).

No. They announced the Xbox One, they took an absolute lashing for the DRM and other things, they pulled a complete 180 on DRM (and the inability to trade, sell, or gift used games), they launched the Xbox One, and installed a new leader, all within one year.

You bold by wrapping your text in *

Put a star at the beginning and end of your text.

@betterthings If that were even remotely true, then Sony would delist its games from the stores just to ensure Xbox gamers cannot get their hands on the Sony IP. In reality, I believe this is simply a business case of how well their games were selling and what the lack of true exclusives meant for the future PlayStation console sales.

That could well be the case, but if the rumours are true, that doesn't necessarily mean that Sony would delist anything. I mean, countless players have already purchased their games on PC so they'd have access to play them however they see fit, on whatever device supports the storefront they purchased them from.

That is entirely unlikely. Console development takes multiple years, so whatever Xbox does this year or the next will likely have already been decided by the previous leadership and the commitments they made to different partners (e.g. AMD). The only difference they can make at this point is the marketing of the device. We will only see Asha Sharma's decisions taking effect by either the end of next year or the start of the year after.

Nope. You must be forgetting the very public (and very quick) turnaround that Microsoft performed at the dawn of Xbox One. Literally the same thing happened. MS dropped the ball, removed the current leadership, installed a new leadership, and corrected mistakes and altered course... I'm not talking about contractual obligations, I'm talking about a change of tactics and market strategy.

Like I said a few weeks ago. I think the higher ups know that the current format isn't working - and the best way to disguise a 180 is to remove current leadership and install a new one.

I personally think the next console is going to be pretty enticing, especially if they can get the price right. Hell, if rumours are to be believed, it's even scared Sony off wanting to release on PC (removing the ability for folks to play Sony / Xbox / PC on a single device).

I think Xbox Helix will play BC Xbox games (as well as current gen and next), and multiple PC storefronts (Windows, Steam, Epic ect...)

It's also important to take everything we've heard about next gen Xbox with a pinch of salt now, as the new leadership might change course - but that's something we will see in due course. I think they'll also want to get Helix out before the PS6.

@ZeD I agree. Personally, and I've said this for a while, the sort of games that require longterm gamers with little drop rate (Destiny, Fortnite etc...) are hard to keep going. The ground is heavily contested and we see that shining through with all the sunset games that have failed to keep momentum over the years.

Bungie are outstanding when it comes to gunplay and world design but they suck at community feedback.

@ZeD It's a very telling practice. Same thing happened when Crackdown 3 released. Outlets were "encouraged" not to score the game until the "Wrecking" component was tested. Didn't save it from hitting the dumpster lol.

I give Marathon a year before it's sunset.

@Fiendish-Beaver You're right. No guides back then lol, in fact if we wanted help back then we had to fork out an extra £15 for the game guide. I get what you mean about tank controls - they are certainly very dated (bit like classic tomb raider vs modern) but as far as CV goes, it is 100000% worth the grievance.

@Fiendish-Beaver CVX is the better version. It has more cutscenes and more interaction with a much loved character that runs through the franchise.

I'd certainly suggest playing CVX sometime my man. It's an amazing classic. Same with Zero. Zero is up there with 1 for me.

@Fiendish-Beaver Glad to hear it my man.

Yeah I hope they don't pander to the delicate flowers of today's society too. Art, just like you said, is art. It should not be tampered with (or Disney'd to put it another way).

Ah man, I WISH I could be you right now. I'd give anything to play that game for the first time all over again. Which version do you have? Code Veronica or Code Veronica X?

@Globo Outstanding isn't it. It literally sold the game for me when I saw it for the first time (even though I re-watched the trailer a million times). Was never a big fan of what came after Unity. (Though Valhalla is well worth a trip).

@Fiendish-Beaver I'm well my friend. I hope you are too?

Take your pick. There's cross dressing, trans-like themes, and a slight whiff of incest. I'm not sure they could get away with it today given the landscape. That said, it's easily one of the best in the franchise. Taking away from its identity would make it, less.

@themightyant Revelations' trailer is outstanding. I totally agree. Their ads then were top tier. They literally invested you in the game / IP.