I firmly believe a lot of folk are going to end up with egg on their face come next the generation when both Sony and Nintendo's respective console/software business is flying (again) and Microsoft's total lack of strategy sees them floundering in the dirt.
Only if it's a PC/console hybrid and it won't be cheap, comparatively speaking.
Of course that seems to be what the Xbox faithful want judging by comments on this site.
However, it'll have zero mass market appeal so will likely sell even less than the Series consoles. Microsoft are all set to hand over the next generation to Sony with a bow on it.
Careful now, the idea that a multi-trillion dollar company could happily bin off a flagging product, like they've done several times before and with no thought to those who invested in it, will bring out the pitchforks.
"You make it sound like literally every gaming company isn't a for profit"
No, I did not. You just imagined that to be the case. We're on an Xbox site so I mentioned Microsoft specifically. I thought it was pretty obvious that all mega-corps are the same when eluding to their general attitude toward their customer base.
Did I really need to mention Sony, Nintendo, Steam etc so you didn't feel like I was "picking on Microsoft" specifically?
Would it have helped if I mentioned the Starbucks or John Lewis corporations as well?
After that erudite opening I decided not to bother reading the rest of your post, but I can imagine it was full of talk about revenues and how Microsoft really do care, or something to that effect.
Because perhaps a Series X2 (if that's what we're calling it) is Microsoft's Dreamcast moment before they move predominantly into 3rd party publishing and handheld gaming partnerships, predominantly on the software side.
But that's a possibility no one here wants to entertain because they think they matter. The idea that they're being played by one of the most successful yet ruthless companies on the planet hasn't even crossed their mind. One last dedicated console to suck a few more dollars out of the Xbox faithful before moving on.
You're kidding yourself if you think Microsoft give a hoot about that back catalogue of games sat on your current console that you've poured all your money into. You're just a commodity to them. They've zero loyalty to any of their "customers".
Microsoft are a mega corporation. They're not your pals. They're only goal is to empty your wallets in their favour and if they have to drop you along the way for reasons x, y & z then so be it, they will. They'll make their half hearted apologies before moving onto the next money spinner.
People need to start remembering this simple fact.
Microsoft giving up a decades long cash cow is just another pipedream in an ever growing list conjured up by the Xbox community.
The next Xbox will just be another standard Xbox powered by AMD. It'll have a handful of new and improved features, a reasonable amount of grunt under the bonnet, but that is all.
All this fantasising about an all singing, all dancing, super computer in a console box that will destroy everything in its path and all for price that has mass market appeal is laughable.
Right up there with "Infinite Power of the Cloud" and Kinect turning your living room into the Bat Cave. 😂
I think at this point it's safe to say that Microsoft don't care about the community. On the surface they might appear to, but give it a scratch and you'll find them cashing in those PlayStation registers.
Anything is possible, but this isn't one of those times. Again, it's a fabrication, a twisting of extremely vague comments by a community desperate to see Xbox come out on top.
If I'm wrong, because I am reasonable, I'll put my hands up. However, I'm 99.9% positive I'm going to have a 'told you so' moment.
It's only one persons opinion and opinions are subjective. I guess in the reviewer's mind they felt it was worthy of a 10/10. That doesn't make E33 any less of a game by any stretch of the imagination.
People put far too much stock in game reviews. They should be used as a helpful guide when deciding on a video game, but at the end of the day the only opinion that matters is your own.
Aside from brilliantly capturing the mood of the movies I wasn't all that taken with Indy I'm afraid. Not played South of Midnight. Haven't seen anything about it to capture my interest.
It's not just Sony, though. Much of the AAA industry keeps churning out rubbish, rubbish that the gaming press and community alike keep going gaga over.
Thankfully there's still many a smaller studio out there, like Warhorse, who can deliver premium products with less than half of the budget. Talent will always outshine greed.
My Series X hasn't been online for several months and I've not switched the console on for a few weeks. I imagine if I do ever reconnect there will be quite a big update.
I deleted it myself as I felt it was unnecessarily rude.
As for the topic at hand regarding sales I don't really care. I'm not a shareholder so who "wins" is of no consequence to me.
I do agree, though, that Microsoft should either continue to be properly involved in the console market or not. All this one foot in one foot out malarkey is a nonsense and, as you suggest, will only lead to disappointment for long term fans and confusion for the mass market.
"it would be superior to the PC you own right now"
🤣
It might have a few more Xbox games, but that is all. Such a system would still be way behind the curve in every other department and it definitely won't have DRM free GoG, or emulation which provides access to almost every single game right back to day dot. So no, your comment is an absolute nonsense take.
Ain't happening anyway. This is all pipedreams cooked up by the community built on the back of vague commentary from Bond.
Game consoles always had a uniqueness to them, that was their appeal, but that is now sadly being eroded it would seem. I've already a more than competent gaming PC at my disposal and money is no object should I need to upgrade. IF the next Xbox is just some hybrid then I've zero interest in it. Microsoft can't sell me an inferior version of something I already own.
Let's assume, just for a moment, that this "all singing all dancing, super-dooper, all powerful" system actually becomes reality, (I don't believe it will and think the Xbox faithful are getting a might carried away), you can guarantee one thing - it won't be cheap and will have limited mass market appeal.
Microsoft will have handed over the next generation to Sony with a bow on it.
MS have certainly been dragging their heels where BC ActiBlizz games are concerned. I'm guessing the lack of CoD titles is down to them being concerned that the new ones won't garner much attention if they release all the classics and I can see their reasoning - the original CoD games, both in campaign and multiplayer, are just better.
Still have my 360 slim, boxed away with around 50 games. I have a few OG Xbox titles that work on it, but unfortunately two excellent ones that don't:
Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus
Def Jam: Fight for NY
My OG Xbox gave up the ghost many a moon ago and I have no desire to find another, they're just too damn bulky and unsightly for the living room. "Xbrick" was a very apt moniker.
Even more amusing is the fact that for years then console community have derided the PC platform, for one reason or another, and yet now they're all desperate to join it through the back door. It all makes sense now - closet PC gamers. 😂
Of the three main PC platforms the one that will absolutely never come to an Xbox console, or any console for that matter, is GOG due to the DRM free nature of the platform.
People are getting more than a little carried away by all this, with equally as many clearly not having one iota how any of these platforms work.
As I see it Xbox gamers are setting themselves for some major disappointment down the line. The very likely outcome is that you're just going to end up with another typical game console with a few extra features, nothing more.
From generation to generation console gamers have never been able to reel in their expectations so it doesn't surprise me at all to see it happening all over again.
The trouble with putting Steam on their main console is that it will immediately undercut their own store front. With that in mind I'm not sure you'll be seeing Steam and Xbox in the same room outside of the Rog Ally.
Maybe something is in the pipeline, but for now I see it as little more than wishful thinking from the Xbox hardcore.
While to the outsider it might seem like madness, but from a business perspective Sony only have to see one of these live service games land it it'll launch them into the stratosphere. I guess that's why they're doubling down on their live service plans.
He's not wrong, though. A large percentage of Xbox only users wait until a title appears on Game Pass and will happily go without if it doesn't. It's one of the reasons you're seeing more and more Microsoft titles that are just codes in boxes, but proper discs of the same game on PlayStation.
Almost every game needs game settings or OS settings or filesystem fiddling/fixing BS and doesn't "work proper on first run". PC gaming is time-wasting garbage
An outright lie. The fact that you're actually trying to gaslight people with this nonsense in 2025 is truly staggering. 🤣
As an obvious PlayStation fanboy you get to swipe at PC gaming and the future of Xbox gaming in one swoop, so I'll give you a B+ for effort.
@Krzzystuff But the new PC console hopefully won't have the online paywall
I see this being said a lot, but are we really to believe that Microsoft are going to ditch their online fee? It's been an assured money spinner for them for decades.
This new hybrid isn't aimed at PC gamers so I'm willing to bet there will still be some sort of online fee.
Comments 102
Re: Forza Motorsport Team Reportedly Loses 'Nearly 50% Of Staff' In Xbox Job Cuts
And commentators here would have everyone believe all is peachy in Xbox land...
Re: Xbox Next-Gen Console Plans 'Not Impacted' By Microsoft Layoffs
@BacklogBrad
You think a PC with an Xbox logo slapped on it qualifies as a game console? You think that's innovative?
Pop news. It's not.
Re: Xbox Next-Gen Console Plans 'Not Impacted' By Microsoft Layoffs
@Gabrie
I firmly believe a lot of folk are going to end up with egg on their face come next the generation when both Sony and Nintendo's respective console/software business is flying (again) and Microsoft's total lack of strategy sees them floundering in the dirt.
Re: Xbox Next-Gen Console Plans 'Not Impacted' By Microsoft Layoffs
@BacklogBrad
If they're discussing traditional Xbox console hardware then yes, they're correct.
Re: Xbox Next-Gen Console Plans 'Not Impacted' By Microsoft Layoffs
"could even possibly include Steam support."
Only if it's a PC/console hybrid and it won't be cheap, comparatively speaking.
Of course that seems to be what the Xbox faithful want judging by comments on this site.
However, it'll have zero mass market appeal so will likely sell even less than the Series consoles. Microsoft are all set to hand over the next generation to Sony with a bow on it.
Re: Xbox Officially Adds Steam Integration Via New PC App Feature
@kmtrain83
Careful now, the idea that a multi-trillion dollar company could happily bin off a flagging product, like they've done several times before and with no thought to those who invested in it, will bring out the pitchforks.
Re: Xbox Officially Adds Steam Integration Via New PC App Feature
@WildConcept6
"You make it sound like literally every gaming company isn't a for profit"
No, I did not. You just imagined that to be the case. We're on an Xbox site so I mentioned Microsoft specifically. I thought it was pretty obvious that all mega-corps are the same when eluding to their general attitude toward their customer base.
Did I really need to mention Sony, Nintendo, Steam etc so you didn't feel like I was "picking on Microsoft" specifically?
Would it have helped if I mentioned the Starbucks or John Lewis corporations as well?
After that erudite opening I decided not to bother reading the rest of your post, but I can imagine it was full of talk about revenues and how Microsoft really do care, or something to that effect.
Re: Xbox Officially Adds Steam Integration Via New PC App Feature
@Cakefish
Because perhaps a Series X2 (if that's what we're calling it) is Microsoft's Dreamcast moment before they move predominantly into 3rd party publishing and handheld gaming partnerships, predominantly on the software side.
But that's a possibility no one here wants to entertain because they think they matter. The idea that they're being played by one of the most successful yet ruthless companies on the planet hasn't even crossed their mind. One last dedicated console to suck a few more dollars out of the Xbox faithful before moving on.
You're kidding yourself if you think Microsoft give a hoot about that back catalogue of games sat on your current console that you've poured all your money into. You're just a commodity to them. They've zero loyalty to any of their "customers".
Microsoft are a mega corporation. They're not your pals. They're only goal is to empty your wallets in their favour and if they have to drop you along the way for reasons x, y & z then so be it, they will. They'll make their half hearted apologies before moving onto the next money spinner.
People need to start remembering this simple fact.
Re: Xbox Officially Adds Steam Integration Via New PC App Feature
@Coletrain
"Unless online becomes free"
Microsoft giving up a decades long cash cow is just another pipedream in an ever growing list conjured up by the Xbox community.
The next Xbox will just be another standard Xbox powered by AMD. It'll have a handful of new and improved features, a reasonable amount of grunt under the bonnet, but that is all.
All this fantasising about an all singing, all dancing, super computer in a console box that will destroy everything in its path and all for price that has mass market appeal is laughable.
Right up there with "Infinite Power of the Cloud" and Kinect turning your living room into the Bat Cave. 😂
Re: With The Summer Showcase Over, Xbox Is Now Focusing On Gamescom 2025
@Fiendish-Beaver
I think at this point it's safe to say that Microsoft don't care about the community. On the surface they might appear to, but give it a scratch and you'll find them cashing in those PlayStation registers.
Re: With The Summer Showcase Over, Xbox Is Now Focusing On Gamescom 2025
@Fiendish-Beaver
Gears of War: E-Day is no doubt going to be top of the bill, agreed.
I've given up hope of seeing State of Decay 3, having resigned myself to the belief it's been shelved indefinitely.
Re: Xbox Officially Adds Steam Integration Via New PC App Feature
@Coletrain
Anything is possible, but this isn't one of those times. Again, it's a fabrication, a twisting of extremely vague comments by a community desperate to see Xbox come out on top.
If I'm wrong, because I am reasonable, I'll put my hands up. However, I'm 99.9% positive I'm going to have a 'told you so' moment.
Re: Death Stranding 2 Debuts To Impressive Reviews Ahead Of Hopeful Xbox Release
@Ricky-Spanish
It's only one persons opinion and opinions are subjective. I guess in the reviewer's mind they felt it was worthy of a 10/10. That doesn't make E33 any less of a game by any stretch of the imagination.
People put far too much stock in game reviews. They should be used as a helpful guide when deciding on a video game, but at the end of the day the only opinion that matters is your own.
Re: Death Stranding 2 Debuts To Impressive Reviews Ahead Of Hopeful Xbox Release
@Ricky-Spanish
What did they score expedition 33
9/10
Re: Xbox Officially Adds Steam Integration Via New PC App Feature
@TheGameThrifter
You can't tell this lot that. Their collective minds are existing in a different reality as of now.
Re: Xbox Data Shows 'Most' Console Owners Are Playing On Other Devices As Well, Says Exec
PC mainly. Occasionally fire up the X and the Switch. Don't game nearly as much as I used to.
Re: Talking Point: Have This Month's Announcements Made You Excited About Xbox Again?
@Coletrain
Aside from brilliantly capturing the mood of the movies I wasn't all that taken with Indy I'm afraid. Not played South of Midnight. Haven't seen anything about it to capture my interest.
33 is in my back catalogue.
Re: Talking Point: Have This Month's Announcements Made You Excited About Xbox Again?
@Coletrain
It's not just Sony, though. Much of the AAA industry keeps churning out rubbish, rubbish that the gaming press and community alike keep going gaga over.
Thankfully there's still many a smaller studio out there, like Warhorse, who can deliver premium products with less than half of the budget. Talent will always outshine greed.
Re: Don't Like The New Xbox Game Hubs? Here's How To Turn Them Off
My Series X hasn't been online for several months and I've not switched the console on for a few weeks. I imagine if I do ever reconnect there will be quite a big update.
Re: Talking Point: Have This Month's Announcements Made You Excited About Xbox Again?
@Coletrain
Even in light of Sony's apparent complacency I think it's safe to say that the glory days of PS1, 2 and to a lesser extent 3, are long behind us.
Re: Talking Point: Have This Month's Announcements Made You Excited About Xbox Again?
@Neither_scene
No skin of my nose, mate. Xbox isn't my primary platform so I couldn't give a monkeys if I'm being honest. Was just making a point.
Re: Talking Point: Have This Month's Announcements Made You Excited About Xbox Again?
@Kaloudz
Oh, I see. Don't know who that is. I did enjoy the movie, Serenity
Re: Talking Point: Have This Month's Announcements Made You Excited About Xbox Again?
@BAMozzy
I deleted it myself as I felt it was unnecessarily rude.
As for the topic at hand regarding sales I don't really care. I'm not a shareholder so who "wins" is of no consequence to me.
I do agree, though, that Microsoft should either continue to be properly involved in the console market or not. All this one foot in one foot out malarkey is a nonsense and, as you suggest, will only lead to disappointment for long term fans and confusion for the mass market.
Re: Talking Point: Have This Month's Announcements Made You Excited About Xbox Again?
@Kaloudz
"Are you a Firefly fan?"
I enjoyed the series when it first launched, before being unceremoniously dropped, but beyond that, not really.
Why do you ask?
Re: Talking Point: Have This Month's Announcements Made You Excited About Xbox Again?
@Questionable_Duck
"it would be superior to the PC you own right now"
🤣
It might have a few more Xbox games, but that is all. Such a system would still be way behind the curve in every other department and it definitely won't have DRM free GoG, or emulation which provides access to almost every single game right back to day dot. So no, your comment is an absolute nonsense take.
Ain't happening anyway. This is all pipedreams cooked up by the community built on the back of vague commentary from Bond.
Re: Talking Point: Have This Month's Announcements Made You Excited About Xbox Again?
@JayJ
Game consoles always had a uniqueness to them, that was their appeal, but that is now sadly being eroded it would seem. I've already a more than competent gaming PC at my disposal and money is no object should I need to upgrade. IF the next Xbox is just some hybrid then I've zero interest in it. Microsoft can't sell me an inferior version of something I already own.
Re: Talking Point: Have This Month's Announcements Made You Excited About Xbox Again?
@Cakefish
And that's fine, but be prepared for a level of disappointment that's all I'm saying.
Re: Talking Point: Have This Month's Announcements Made You Excited About Xbox Again?
@Kaloudz
Let's assume, just for a moment, that this "all singing all dancing, super-dooper, all powerful" system actually becomes reality, (I don't believe it will and think the Xbox faithful are getting a might carried away), you can guarantee one thing - it won't be cheap and will have limited mass market appeal.
Microsoft will have handed over the next generation to Sony with a bow on it.
Re: Talking Point: Have This Month's Announcements Made You Excited About Xbox Again?
@Cakefish
No, it's what you want to happen and have now convinced yourself that it is what's happening.
You're setting yourself up for huge disappointment.
Re: Talking Point: What Do You Want To See From Next Week's 'Capcom Spotlight' Showcase?
Announcement of RE Outbreak 1 & 2 remaster to tie in with RE 9.
Re: Bungie Delays Xbox Shooter Marathon After Mixed Feedback To 2025 Alpha
@Krzzystuff
I'm pretty sure that they are well and truly done with live service games
Not so it would seem, even in light of Marathon being shelved. This from June 13th
https://www.eurogamer.net/sony-remains-committed-to-diverse-and-resilient-live-service-games-including-forthcoming-marathon-and-fairgames-despite-high-profile-failures
Re: 'Blood Message' Looks Like Assassin's Creed Meets Tomb Raider, And It's Coming To Xbox
I'm very intrigued.
Re: Phil Spencer Gives Special Shoutout To Upcoming Xbox Game Pass Indie
I may have to pick this up. My generation.
Re: Opinion: It's Nice To See ActiBlizz Titles Coming To Xbox Game Pass, But We Want More
MS have certainly been dragging their heels where BC ActiBlizz games are concerned. I'm guessing the lack of CoD titles is down to them being concerned that the new ones won't garner much attention if they release all the classics and I can see their reasoning - the original CoD games, both in campaign and multiplayer, are just better.
Re: Reminder: The Xbox 360 Is Surprisingly Decent For Backwards Compatibility
Still have my 360 slim, boxed away with around 50 games. I have a few OG Xbox titles that work on it, but unfortunately two excellent ones that don't:
Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus
Def Jam: Fight for NY
My OG Xbox gave up the ghost many a moon ago and I have no desire to find another, they're just too damn bulky and unsightly for the living room. "Xbrick" was a very apt moniker.
Re: Reaction: Xbox's Next-Gen News Is Exciting, But It Also Leaves More Questions Than Answers
@kmtrain83
Even more amusing is the fact that for years then console community have derided the PC platform, for one reason or another, and yet now they're all desperate to join it through the back door. It all makes sense now - closet PC gamers. 😂
Re: Reaction: Xbox's Next-Gen News Is Exciting, But It Also Leaves More Questions Than Answers
@abe_hikura
Of the three main PC platforms the one that will absolutely never come to an Xbox console, or any console for that matter, is GOG due to the DRM free nature of the platform.
People are getting more than a little carried away by all this, with equally as many clearly not having one iota how any of these platforms work.
As I see it Xbox gamers are setting themselves for some major disappointment down the line. The very likely outcome is that you're just going to end up with another typical game console with a few extra features, nothing more.
From generation to generation console gamers have never been able to reel in their expectations so it doesn't surprise me at all to see it happening all over again.
Re: Reaction: Xbox's Next-Gen News Is Exciting, But It Also Leaves More Questions Than Answers
The trouble with putting Steam on their main console is that it will immediately undercut their own store front. With that in mind I'm not sure you'll be seeing Steam and Xbox in the same room outside of the Rog Ally.
Maybe something is in the pipeline, but for now I see it as little more than wishful thinking from the Xbox hardcore.
Re: Bungie Delays Xbox Shooter Marathon After Mixed Feedback To 2025 Alpha
@CaptainCluck
No, I'm talking Fortnite levels of success. That's what they're betting the farm on.
Re: Bungie Delays Xbox Shooter Marathon After Mixed Feedback To 2025 Alpha
@CaptainCluck
While to the outsider it might seem like madness, but from a business perspective Sony only have to see one of these live service games land it it'll launch them into the stratosphere. I guess that's why they're doubling down on their live service plans.
Re: Review: Rematch (Xbox) - A Highly Addictive Blend Of Rocket League And Real Football
Absolver and Sifu are great. But I don't like football so will pass. (No pun intended)
Re: Rematch Is Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (June 19)
Absolver and Sifu are great. But I don't like football so will pass. (No pun intended)
Re: Poll: When Do You Think Xbox's Next-Gen Console Is Coming Out?
The safe bet is Autumn, 2027.
Re: Black Myth: Wukong Pre-Orders Now Live On Xbox, With A 20% Launch Discount
@Ricky-Spanish
"Next gen will probably be all digital anyway"
There's no question of it.
Re: Black Myth: Wukong Pre-Orders Now Live On Xbox, With A 20% Launch Discount
@Ricky-Spanish
He's not wrong, though. A large percentage of Xbox only users wait until a title appears on Game Pass and will happily go without if it doesn't. It's one of the reasons you're seeing more and more Microsoft titles that are just codes in boxes, but proper discs of the same game on PlayStation.
Re: Opinion: The Best Call Of Duty Of The Xbox One Era Hits Game Pass Later This Month
Campaign wise Call of Duty 2 on the Xbox 360 was and remains my favourite in the series. Was the first game I bought on picking up said console.
Re: Poll: When Do You Think Xbox's Next-Gen Console Is Coming Out?
@TheGiraffe
Almost every game needs game settings or OS settings or filesystem fiddling/fixing BS and doesn't "work proper on first run". PC gaming is time-wasting garbage
An outright lie. The fact that you're actually trying to gaslight people with this nonsense in 2025 is truly staggering. 🤣
As an obvious PlayStation fanboy you get to swipe at PC gaming and the future of Xbox gaming in one swoop, so I'll give you a B+ for effort.
Re: PS5's Stellar Blade Could Move To Switch 2, But What About Xbox?
A very good game on PC. But as it's Sony published I very much doubt it'll come to Xbox.
Re: Bungie Delays Xbox Shooter Marathon After Mixed Feedback To 2025 Alpha
Delayed? This has obviously been sh*tcanned..
Re: Poll: When Do You Think Xbox's Next-Gen Console Is Coming Out?
@Krzzystuff
But the new PC console hopefully won't have the online paywall
I see this being said a lot, but are we really to believe that Microsoft are going to ditch their online fee? It's been an assured money spinner for them for decades.
This new hybrid isn't aimed at PC gamers so I'm willing to bet there will still be some sort of online fee.