Second price hike was expected. Probably means they are going to put the ABK titles soon?
I got stacked GPU/ 3 years for almost -50% of the "official" price so I'm good. Although it's still a good value, I wouldn't pay the "normal" price every month.
Still wakes the deep was a nice surprise. And played the Euro 2024 update in FC 2024. Already own TCP + DLC on PS5 but started it up and before and I knew, I lost a few hours …
I enjoy the Xbox brand and they are certainly trying their best. At the moment they also seem ahead of PS in creating new games however, PS as brand can afford making a lot more mistakes than Xbox. PS brand loyalty is top-notch! Since the PS5 is far away from the brand it used to be, they keep selling a lot of consoles still. Price hikes (sub), remasters, remakes, etc. doesn't seem to bother those sales.
I hope we get to see some change in numbers after COD's release and what Xbox has shown. As a publisher they will definitely succeed! Very interested to see GPU numbers after releasing COD. Could be a lot more or people don't care of switching and/or paying full price for that game.
Not alone for Xbox but also for a better competitive PlayStation who should feel the need to improve some things on their side. I can not imagine that PS will keep their spot in this industry while doing nothing compared to Xbox. That freewheeling must have an expiration date? (although Astro Bot 2024 will be a hit, I'm sure)
A lot will depend on how Xbox will choose the right exclusives and keep them off PS (current PS tactic). Still do multiplat because they need the funds, but keep the best new exclusives for themselves (not an easy task but they have a lot of studios so Xbox can start playing some darts 😋)
A lot of new partnerships can potentially happen in the future. The industry keeps changing and if the Fire Sick can become a thing, maybe there will be something like Apple + Sony, Steam + MS, ...
In all seriousness, I hope that the Xbox brand keeps existing ..
"They don't own the James Bond, Marvel or Transformers Licences!!!"
Don't know what your point is but there are many many more they don't own!! Assassin's Creed to name another big one! (all BC). They seem to have a good relationship hence the cloud gaming deal. That's how things work!
It doesn't need to be all about money either, but to keep their customers (or win) were their game library is. For me a reason why I like BC on console (to be able to put the old one back in the box to save space). There are so many other games where people would think, why bother, but they are there anyway. Not every BC title is a big seller. We don't get to choose individually...
A bit steep. If KITT would change into pursuit mode with an animation and sound after going a certain speed, or with a push on a button like the Mercedes AMG One. They could've done something "more" special with it, like a transforming car. They must have thought about it, no doubt!
I expected the cabrio's to be more like GTA too but PGG seem to have some troubles doing that for every cabrio vehicle in the game so animations were too big of challenge I bet.
@BAMozzy
They could preserve games that are liked in the community and renew licences of some of them, hence why I stated that, if so, it could be a slow and careful process, as in, technical and licence challenges.
We don't know what their exact plans are and how big the scale can be but maybe you know more than me?
What I do know is that I can play many other 360 games/X1 games on my series X, and, that MS has formed a new team dedicated to game preservation (April 2024) to add more titles to the catalogue. They don't need to own every game to make that happen ... If copyright owners are willing to agree (how good the relationship is) and it doesn't cost millions to do so, these things are possible. Not easy peasy, but possible in time. All depends on how far that new team is willing to go to build that bigger catalogue of Xbox games history.
@BAMozzy I own the Transformer games so I’m hoping it gets treated with some BC, at least. Good games imo. Still, I expect them to do some effort since they keep talking about preservation! But … it probably will be a slow and careful process.
I bought all the Crash Bandicoot games on -50% more than a year ago, so the most wanted games for me are already in the collection.
Although I'm not the biggest COD fan anymore (was during the 360 days), there are few SP COD's I need to play. I don't know what the holdup is, but it's time to put some ABK games ASAP, instead of drip feeding them.
They are not on the top of my list but with Game Pass, I "expect" them to be there!
I'm almost sure, if the costs aren't too crazy, they will 1) remaster some of them or 2) maybe even make a new title in one of the series (Prototype, older COD's, Singularity & Transformers, and even a small Indie title based on OG Pitfall)
I couldn't stay invested in TCM tbh. I paid a premium price for it, so the "free" map update is nice to see and I'm going to give it another go. FH is my go-to franchise.
TCM beta didn't change much in the final version of the game, so I fear that TDUSC, after watching a lot of gamers playing the demo lately, will not change much either. Those framerate issues need to be solved on launch, and I really hope they succeed in delivering a good experience!
@FraserG Yeah, actually looking forward to it. In the FTC papers it was mentioned as a May release but with a June showcase it seems like it could be mentioned there, logically.
Was hoping you already heard something about it, but I’ll wait patiently 😉
It's impossible for Xbox to make every game they own, exclusive, because of so many reasons. The biggest sponsor for Game Pass will be the PS only crowd.
Too many possible scenarios...
MS will keep their newer flagships plus some other new IP's also on Xbox. They can adapt that strategy when things, hopefully, get better.
Also, I'm very curious what will happen with the new COD. Will people who are still on last gen, jump ship, or will it remain status quo?
And/Or maybe ...
They can go for a cheaper Xbox solution for now (+GP) and wait for a PS6. Or, will the PS5 Pro be a succes?
What will that group of people do since it contains a lot of gamers (casual)?
It's interesting if MS wants to keep making hardware, there must be some kind of competition. I don't think they want to erase the Xbox brand.
Fact: If Sony & MS would go all-in on multi platform tomorrow, PlayStation would still be the more popular brand.
For now I can't see them as 3rd party dev & publisher only. Surely, they must have some aces up their sleeves?
To me, MS is still giving mixed signals on how they want to proceed in the console (although PC is already part of it) business!
Maybe they will explain more about their current vision on the Xbox Showcase?
They want to keep GP, but those numbers need to grow so if they can't work that out in the next couple of years, will it cease to exist?
it’s been a long time but I think I did get it to download to the XSX via the Xbox website or via the app (really can’t remember). There normally is an option “ to buy” but mine said “owned” and got the option to download, and then could choose the device, XSX.
Note: All my devices are put in the dashboard of my MS & Xbox account. So all consoles are linked with each other in order to do it that way iirc. I hope this can help you in some way.
The first one took me by surprise and the experience was a nine for me!
Almost completed part 2 and it looks & sounds fantastic.
I agree with some things that lack a bit. Combat misses finesse and the puzzles were underwhelming.
Overall to me, it's been a good experience and would give it an eight. I got an hour left and so far I enjoyed it.
Some people seem to think that it's only 5 hours? At least 7-8 hours when playing normal and trying to enjoy the game. Even people complaining about the voices ... (Edit: not knowing what the game is about)
@antstephenson For a while I got the full boxset of GTA Vice City on there. It felt like I had all those radio stations of that game in every other game. On the PS3 you could watch ripped movies.
All too good to be true in the long run to keep those features in every new game box. They take away all the good stuff 😔
OG Xbox. They only thing I didn’t like was the big controller (Duke) but I managed. The S controller was a big step up. Sega games! Being able to put your own CD’s on the box and listen to your favorite music in whatever game you played was awesome! Fond memories!
Played every single one but not hyped though. The multiple GTA5 release were off putting imo. I do hope to see some new gameplay mechanics if possible.
I agree that Spencer lost his fight to let his vision go forward inside MS. But tbf, I think his window to make GP the biggest gaming service has passed and didn’t fully succeed. GP is stagnating and then the numbers/profits come in. Nadella is the Jim Ryan of MS/Xbox (I’m not so big on MS but I liked Xbox without corporate meddling too much), and Xbox is doing very bad in comparison with PS! Instead of waiting to see how COD would/could play a difference, they chose the pragmatic route (Nadella & Hood vetoed against Spencer). Also, Cloud, AI & Mobile (biggest reason they bought ABK) are factors where MS is all in.
MS is really doing a 180 and seem to want turning things around fast instead of doing the waiting game. No heart involved in closing awarded studio’s, bringing their games to other platforms, … but I think they will keep GP alive! MS is greedy like the rest of them but after seeing the 5 to 1 hardware sales, something has to be done about it and a certain changes are needed.
As a consumer it’s easy to think they just should use their war chest but I think they don’t have a lot of choices if they want to keep that trillion dollar company the success it is. MS had a major win with the Xbox 360 and kind of gave up with the Xbox One in comparison. I do think Spencer did turn it around a bit but he’s no magician either.
I also think they are going to keep their best games on Xbox for now. Like older Halo, Gears, … titles yes, but no to newer versions. To not alienate their fans (people with a huge library for instance) they have to keep making some games exclusive! If not, the brand is gone, I fear … I hope they know what they are doing because I like the Xbox platform. It’s a numbers game now!
Weird stuff. Where more customers can enjoy our games ... Phil Spencer is that you?
If Sea of Thieves & others are going to be successful on PS, I wonder, how long before we see Halo, Gears, Forza, ... on PS.
I see Xbox, well MS, doing these bigger titles as well!
T10 has lost a lot of goodwill with 2023. They fumbled so much at the beginning that I wonder if it's even possible to turn this ship around. I guess giving up isn't allowed because the outrage would be beyond what Xbox as a brand is going through at this moment. The gameplay is good in FM2023 but the amount of content (tracks/drag/drift-FD cars) is lacking. I go in every update but tbh, I'm a bit disappointed.
Very excited actually. Others times and lesser games. Finished both & enjoyed them several times (on PC & Xbox), but it's been awhile now. Looking forward what they did with the remake for another playthrough. Classic games imo!
After 100% completing the season in FH5, I go to FM to play/complete each Series to obtain the car at the end (a few hours every week). I got all cars, but the levelling needs to be a bit quicker (level 25 should be the new level 50 for instance).
I enjoy trying out the new cars, but overall this title has too many things not going for it. Sure, it will get better, but they should've kept it in the oven for at least a year or two (in hindsight).
Not cool to let people pay full price when releasing a (so obvious) unfinished product!
A few 100 OG Xbox and Xbox 360 games but also about a 100 XBLA games. I hope we still get to have a choice! I don’t mind putting a disc in and I like a real box in the collection. But pricing is the most important one tbh. The thing I’m afraid of is the fact games stop working or devs can easily remove your game from existence. I do enjoy playing on older consoles where games keep existing. I’m certainly not sold on buying a digital only box … but it will happen, I’m sure!
I feel bad for the people losing their jobs but I was kind of expecting it after everything was sorted (and not in the Sony/Bungie way). They waited after the holidays and got MS benefits (hopefully for all of them). Redundancies is big thing here!
Note: MS is laying off the entire internal ABK customer support and the physical games department is also on their list. Outsourcing could be the solution here.
So a lot is still going on … Jez Cordon is reporting on it!
@ValentineMeikin Even more surprised about a SA @ Naughty Dog said the dev was “cheating”. There is a lot of controversy about this game and this will make it only bigger!
I like the features on the Dual Sense but ergonomically, I too prefer the Xbox controller. Dual Shock was even worse for me after a few hours.
I wonder what the pricing will be on this one since base first party controllers aren’t cheap. Xbox has the better pricing but included with these features it will certainly go up! Sony Dual Sense costs €80 and I experienced my first ever stick drift with it.
I’m not ready to digital only on console, unless prices are going below physical release MSRP (new games). When I see prices like €80 for a base game (and if I can believe some media, prices are gonna go up), I feel some nausea …
Sony or MS controlling prices can never be good for consumers! Give them choice! I wouldn’t rule out physical yet (but I’m a dinosaur, so what do I know).
I’ve done some good deals with digital games but that’s years after launch (and 3rd party).
Looking forward to HB2 and Indy (Nazi’s and eighties vibe), although I’m not sold on the release dates. FPS view on Indy seems to look/feel better than my first impression. That whip got some special love. Can’t wait to play! Enjoyed the first Hellblade a lot myself. The audio on that game was so immersive (played it with 5.1 surround speakers) and that seems to be on point again! The Xbox Developer Direct was a great watch = line up & gameplay 👍
I’m always amazed how it’s possible to announce and shadow drop a game with all those leaks we get. Nobody spilling the beans nowadays is rather exceptional. Fingers crossed!
Proper release dates? I don’t know if they will do that tbh. Their latest track record isn’t very good! Unless they are very close to gold status ofc. I would go for release windows (better to be safe than sorry and all that).
I’m also expecting something HeXen related. Phil Spencer has been teasing that for too long, although, he has been insisting his t-shirt was because of nostalgia. Maybe he was just testing the waters? There was a lot of buzz back then and I doubt he isn’t aware of his influence. We will see if people were reading too much into it or not. We did have some Quake nostalgia on Game Pass and some of us wouldn’t mind seeing HeXen on there!
Hopefully not, although I sometimes feel they are shifting their focus on things. In my area some shops are taking PlayStation games as their primary priority. Everything will depend on what the consumer wants from them and/or the area’s that print them money (multiple strategies). From the moment all the MS studios are up to speed with the overall developing process (and some of the technologies) we might see what the future brings. A lot can change in 5 years!
The games isn’t bad but glad they are very aware of the issues and are listening to the community!
The issues are real and annoying but addressing these things under pressure mustn’t be easy either (avoidable or not, due to a too early release imo)
Aiming for 2024 is good but if necessary, keep that thing in the oven! I expect it to be good tbh, but after many, too early launched games, I hope they will address those “mistakes” in 2024 and going forward. Wolfenstein Youngblood wasn’t really on the level of New Order and previous others.
But it’s a new year so hopefully they can surprise us in a good way! Actually looking forward to that Dev Direct next week!
I did enjoy the first two on OG Xbox (Far Cry Instincts & Far Cry Instincts: Evolution - played the 1st one on PC too) and bought numbers 2 & 3 but didn’t enjoy them as much. Started FC6 because I like the actor Giancarlo Esposito but already fell off. Planning on another try though!
IIRC, a guide is really needed when starting this game for the first time! Looking at the PC guide, everything is quite complicated since most is involved around teamwork and not run and gun.
Comments 411
Re: Xbox Game Pass Gets Price Increases And New 'Standard' Subscription Tier
Second price hike was expected. Probably means they are going to put the ABK titles soon?
I got stacked GPU/ 3 years for almost -50% of the "official" price so I'm good. Although it's still a good value, I wouldn't pay the "normal" price every month.
Re: Crazy Taxi Reboot Will Feature 'Large-Scale, Open World Multiplayer', Says SEGA
On the radar, for sure!
Re: Pick One: What Was Your Favourite Xbox Game Pass Game In June 2024?
Still wakes the deep was a nice surprise. And played the Euro 2024 update in FC 2024. Already own TCP + DLC on PS5 but started it up and before and I knew, I lost a few hours …
Re: Talking Point: Xbox Fans, How Do You Feel About The Future Of The Brand In 2024?
I enjoy the Xbox brand and they are certainly trying their best. At the moment they also seem ahead of PS in creating new games however, PS as brand can afford making a lot more mistakes than Xbox. PS brand loyalty is top-notch! Since the PS5 is far away from the brand it used to be, they keep selling a lot of consoles still. Price hikes (sub), remasters, remakes, etc. doesn't seem to bother those sales.
I hope we get to see some change in numbers after COD's release and what Xbox has shown. As a publisher they will definitely succeed!
Very interested to see GPU numbers after releasing COD. Could be a lot more or people don't care of switching and/or paying full price for that game.
Not alone for Xbox but also for a better competitive PlayStation who should feel the need to improve some things on their side. I can not imagine that PS will keep their spot in this industry while doing nothing compared to Xbox. That freewheeling must have an expiration date? (although Astro Bot 2024 will be a hit, I'm sure)
A lot will depend on how Xbox will choose the right exclusives and keep them off PS (current PS tactic). Still do multiplat because they need the funds, but keep the best new exclusives for themselves (not an easy task but they have a lot of studios so Xbox can start playing some darts 😋)
A lot of new partnerships can potentially happen in the future. The industry keeps changing and if the Fire Sick can become a thing, maybe there will be something like Apple + Sony, Steam + MS, ...
In all seriousness, I hope that the Xbox brand keeps existing ..
Re: Reaction: Xbox & Nintendo Continue To Deliver With Major Summer Showcases
@Banjo- MP4 definitely but I'm also waiting for a new Wave Race! Let's hope it will happen!
Re: Xbox's 2024 Showcase Was Great, But It Was Missing A Big ActiBlizz Announcement
"They don't own the James Bond, Marvel or Transformers Licences!!!"
Don't know what your point is but there are many many more they don't own!! Assassin's Creed to name another big one! (all BC). They seem to have a good relationship hence the cloud gaming deal. That's how things work!
It doesn't need to be all about money either, but to keep their customers (or win) were their game library is. For me a reason why I like BC on console (to be able to put the old one back in the box to save space).
There are so many other games where people would think, why bother, but they are there anyway. Not every BC title is a big seller. We don't get to choose individually...
Re: Review: Still Wakes The Deep (Xbox) - Nautical Narrative Adventure Perfect For Xbox Game Pass
Nice to see it's good. A title I was very interested to play!
Re: Forza Horizon 5 'Universal Icons' Car Pack Brings Star-Studded Lineup To Xbox
A bit steep. If KITT would change into pursuit mode with an animation and sound after going a certain speed, or with a push on a button like the Mercedes AMG One. They could've done something "more" special with it, like a transforming car. They must have thought about it, no doubt!
I expected the cabrio's to be more like GTA too but PGG seem to have some troubles doing that for every cabrio vehicle in the game so animations were too big of challenge I bet.
Re: Xbox's 2024 Showcase Was Great, But It Was Missing A Big ActiBlizz Announcement
@BAMozzy
They could preserve games that are liked in the community and renew licences of some of them, hence why I stated that, if so, it could be a slow and careful process, as in, technical and licence challenges.
We don't know what their exact plans are and how big the scale can be but maybe you know more than me?
What I do know is that I can play many other 360 games/X1 games on my series X, and, that MS has formed a new team dedicated to game preservation (April 2024) to add more titles to the catalogue. They don't need to own every game to make that happen ... If copyright owners are willing to agree (how good the relationship is) and it doesn't cost millions to do so, these things are possible. Not easy peasy, but possible in time. All depends on how far that new team is willing to go to build that bigger catalogue of Xbox games history.
Re: Xbox's 2024 Showcase Was Great, But It Was Missing A Big ActiBlizz Announcement
@BAMozzy I own the Transformer games so I’m hoping it gets treated with some BC, at least. Good games imo. Still, I expect them to do some effort since they keep talking about preservation! But … it probably will be a slow and careful process.
Re: Xbox's 2024 Showcase Was Great, But It Was Missing A Big ActiBlizz Announcement
I bought all the Crash Bandicoot games on -50% more than a year ago, so the most wanted games for me are already in the collection.
Although I'm not the biggest COD fan anymore (was during the 360 days), there are few SP COD's I need to play. I don't know what the holdup is, but it's time to put some ABK games ASAP, instead of drip feeding them.
They are not on the top of my list but with Game Pass, I "expect" them to be there!
I'm almost sure, if the costs aren't too crazy, they will 1) remaster some of them or 2) maybe even make a new title in one of the series (Prototype, older COD's, Singularity & Transformers, and even a small Indie title based on OG Pitfall)
Re: Forza Horizon Fans, The Crew Motorfest Could Be Well Worth Checking Out Later This Year
I couldn't stay invested in TCM tbh. I paid a premium price for it, so the "free" map update is nice to see and I'm going to give it another go. FH is my go-to franchise.
TCM beta didn't change much in the final version of the game, so I fear that TDUSC, after watching a lot of gamers playing the demo lately, will not change much either. Those framerate issues need to be solved on launch, and I really hope they succeed in delivering a good experience!
Re: Poll: How Would You Grade The Xbox Games Showcase 2024?
Definitively A on how it was put together! Pace & music were on point, from start to finish imo.
Another reason was because I completely forgot to watch my F1 race …
Even the COD SP could be something good too.
I think the ABK stuff will be added on the normal pace. This show was S Tier, not all for me but I see the potential is there!
I wanted some FH6 & Sebile controller (was a May announcement so I wonder what happened)
Re: Here's Everything That Was Revealed At The Xbox Games Showcase 2024
It was quite a show! Top quality! Most interesting stuff in 2025 though.
They announced new consoles but nothing about the Sebile controller?
Re: All New Xbox Games Coming Out In June 2024
@FraserG Yeah, actually looking forward to it. In the FTC papers it was mentioned as a May release but with a June showcase it seems like it could be mentioned there, logically.
Was hoping you already heard something about it, but I’ll wait patiently 😉
Re: All New Xbox Games Coming Out In June 2024
@FraserG
A bit off topic maybe:
Did you already hear anything about the new codename controller Sebile? (release)
Or could it be a showcase announcement?
Re: DOOM: The Dark Ages To Be Announced At Xbox's Showcase, Claims New 'Exclusive'
It's impossible for Xbox to make every game they own, exclusive, because of so many reasons. The biggest sponsor for Game Pass will be the PS only crowd.
Too many possible scenarios...
MS will keep their newer flagships plus some other new IP's also on Xbox. They can adapt that strategy when things, hopefully, get better.
Also, I'm very curious what will happen with the new COD. Will people who are still on last gen, jump ship, or will it remain status quo?
And/Or maybe ...
They can go for a cheaper Xbox solution for now (+GP) and wait for a PS6. Or, will the PS5 Pro be a succes?
What will that group of people do since it contains a lot of gamers (casual)?
It's interesting if MS wants to keep making hardware, there must be some kind of competition. I don't think they want to erase the Xbox brand.
Fact: If Sony & MS would go all-in on multi platform tomorrow, PlayStation would still be the more popular brand.
For now I can't see them as 3rd party dev & publisher only. Surely, they must have some aces up their sleeves?
To me, MS is still giving mixed signals on how they want to proceed in the console (although PC is already part of it) business!
Maybe they will explain more about their current vision on the Xbox Showcase?
They want to keep GP, but those numbers need to grow so if they can't work that out in the next couple of years, will it cease to exist?
Re: Talking Point: What Convinced You To Pick Xbox In The First Place?
@Dimey
About Daytona:
it’s been a long time but I think I did get it to download to the XSX via the Xbox website or via the app (really can’t remember). There normally is an option “ to buy” but mine said “owned” and got the option to download, and then could choose the device, XSX.
Note: All my devices are put in the dashboard of my MS & Xbox account. So all consoles are linked with each other in order to do it that way iirc. I hope this can help you in some way.
Re: Review: Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 (Xbox): An Incredible Spectacle That Lacks An Essential Hook
The first one took me by surprise and the experience was a nine for me!
Almost completed part 2 and it looks & sounds fantastic.
I agree with some things that lack a bit. Combat misses finesse and the puzzles were underwhelming.
Overall to me, it's been a good experience and would give it an eight. I got an hour left and so far I enjoyed it.
Some people seem to think that it's only 5 hours? At least 7-8 hours when playing normal and trying to enjoy the game. Even people complaining about the voices ... (Edit: not knowing what the game is about)
Re: Talking Point: What Convinced You To Pick Xbox In The First Place?
@antstephenson For a while I got the full boxset of GTA Vice City on there. It felt like I had all those radio stations of that game in every other game.
On the PS3 you could watch ripped movies.
All too good to be true in the long run to keep those features in every new game box. They take away all the good stuff 😔
Re: Talking Point: What Convinced You To Pick Xbox In The First Place?
OG Xbox. They only thing I didn’t like was the big controller (Duke) but I managed. The S controller was a big step up. Sega games! Being able to put your own CD’s on the box and listen to your favorite music in whatever game you played was awesome! Fond memories!
Re: Activision Is Opening A New Studio To Build 'Genre-Defining' Games At Microsoft
Too much talk imo. Show us the games!
Re: Talking Point: Rockstar Fans, How Hyped Are You For GTA 6?
Played every single one but not hyped though. The multiple GTA5 release were off putting imo. I do hope to see some new gameplay mechanics if possible.
Re: Report: Call Of Duty 2024 Will Launch Day One On Xbox Game Pass
There will be some sort of DLC/Season Pass/X Pack/ … on GP!
FH5 is also on GP but the Premium DLC, VIP & Car Packs are doing very well!
I used to buy COD for the SP experience first, MP later if I had time left. COD’s main focus is MP. I wonder when the older COD’s come to GP though?
Re: Rumour: Xbox Planning To Bring More Games To PS5, Despite Some 'Unease' At Microsoft
I agree that Spencer lost his fight to let his vision go forward inside MS. But tbf, I think his window to make GP the biggest gaming service has passed and didn’t fully succeed. GP is stagnating and then the numbers/profits come in. Nadella is the Jim Ryan of MS/Xbox (I’m not so big on MS but I liked Xbox without corporate meddling too much), and Xbox is doing very bad in comparison with PS! Instead of waiting to see how COD would/could play a difference, they chose the pragmatic route (Nadella & Hood vetoed against Spencer). Also, Cloud, AI & Mobile (biggest reason they bought ABK) are factors where MS is all in.
MS is really doing a 180 and seem to want turning things around fast instead of doing the waiting game. No heart involved in closing awarded studio’s, bringing their games to other platforms, … but I think they will keep GP alive! MS is greedy like the rest of them but after seeing the 5 to 1 hardware sales, something has to be done about it and a certain changes are needed.
As a consumer it’s easy to think they just should use their war chest but I think they don’t have a lot of choices if they want to keep that trillion dollar company the success it is. MS had a major win with the Xbox 360 and kind of gave up with the Xbox One in comparison. I do think Spencer did turn it around a bit but he’s no magician either.
I also think they are going to keep their best games on Xbox for now. Like older Halo, Gears, … titles yes, but no to newer versions. To not alienate their fans (people with a huge library for instance) they have to keep making some games exclusive! If not, the brand is gone, I fear … I hope they know what they are doing because I like the Xbox platform. It’s a numbers game now!
Re: Square Enix To Include Xbox As Part Of 'Aggressive' New Multiplatform Strategy
Weird stuff. Where more customers can enjoy our games ... Phil Spencer is that you?
If Sea of Thieves & others are going to be successful on PS, I wonder, how long before we see Halo, Gears, Forza, ... on PS.
I see Xbox, well MS, doing these bigger titles as well!
Re: Review: Braid, Anniversary Edition (Xbox) - XBLA And Indie History Remastered
Ah the 360 XBLA games... Very good game but not a walk in the park. Still recommended!
Re: Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons Is Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (May 14)
Enjoyable co-op title if you missed it on PS!
Re: Forza Motorsport 'Update 8' Arrives Today, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
T10 has lost a lot of goodwill with 2023. They fumbled so much at the beginning that I wonder if it's even possible to turn this ship around. I guess giving up isn't allowed because the outrage would be beyond what Xbox as a brand is going through at this moment.
The gameplay is good in FM2023 but the amount of content (tracks/drag/drift-FD cars) is lacking. I go in every update but tbh, I'm a bit disappointed.
Re: Talking Point: Are You Excited For Remedy's Max Payne 1+2 Remake?
Very excited actually. Others times and lesser games. Finished both & enjoyed them several times (on PC & Xbox), but it's been awhile now. Looking forward what they did with the remake for another playthrough. Classic games imo!
Re: Pick One: Which 2024 First-Party Game Are You Most Looking Forward To From Xbox?
1. Indy
2. Hellblade 2
3 MS FS
By the end of the year something Forza Horizon 6 related
Re: Talking Point: Are You Still Playing Forza Motorsport On Xbox Game Pass?
After 100% completing the season in FH5, I go to FM to play/complete each Series to obtain the car at the end (a few hours every week). I got all cars, but the levelling needs to be a bit quicker (level 25 should be the new level 50 for instance).
I enjoy trying out the new cars, but overall this title has too many things not going for it. Sure, it will get better, but they should've kept it in the oven for at least a year or two (in hindsight).
Not cool to let people pay full price when releasing a (so obvious) unfinished product!
Re: Odyssey Was 'Fantastic' Says Blizzard Dev, Despite Reports Of Development Troubles
If it is fantastic there must be a way to let gamers have a little taste and see if it can go somewhere?
I mean, that’s a lot of dev time!
Re: Poll: How Many Physical Xbox Games Do You Have In Your Collection?
A few 100 OG Xbox and Xbox 360 games but also about a 100 XBLA games. I hope we still get to have a choice! I don’t mind putting a disc in and I like a real box in the collection. But pricing is the most important one tbh. The thing I’m afraid of is the fact games stop working or devs can easily remove your game from existence. I do enjoy playing on older consoles where games keep existing. I’m certainly not sold on buying a digital only box … but it will happen, I’m sure!
Re: Microsoft Cuts 1,900 Jobs Across Xbox, Bethesda And Activision Blizzard Teams
I feel bad for the people losing their jobs but I was kind of expecting it after everything was sorted (and not in the Sony/Bungie way). They waited after the holidays and got MS benefits (hopefully for all of them). Redundancies is big thing here!
Note: MS is laying off the entire internal ABK customer support and the physical games department is also on their list. Outsourcing could be the solution here.
So a lot is still going on … Jez Cordon is reporting on it!
Re: Palworld 'Roadmap' Reveals Eight Major Features Coming To Xbox & PC
@ValentineMeikin Even more surprised about a SA @ Naughty Dog said the dev was “cheating”. There is a lot of controversy about this game and this will make it only bigger!
Re: Rumour: Major Xbox Series X|S Controller Revision Still To Be Revealed This Year
I like the features on the Dual Sense but ergonomically, I too prefer the Xbox controller. Dual Shock was even worse for me after a few hours.
I wonder what the pricing will be on this one since base first party controllers aren’t cheap. Xbox has the better pricing but included with these features it will certainly go up! Sony Dual Sense costs €80 and I experienced my first ever stick drift with it.
Re: Talking Point: Do You Think Xbox Will Release Another Disc-Based Console?
I’m not ready to digital only on console, unless prices are going below physical release MSRP (new games). When I see prices like €80 for a base game (and if I can believe some media, prices are gonna go up), I feel some nausea …
Sony or MS controlling prices can never be good for consumers! Give them choice! I wouldn’t rule out physical yet (but I’m a dinosaur, so what do I know).
I’ve done some good deals with digital games but that’s years after launch (and 3rd party).
Re: Roundup: Here's What Was Revealed At The Xbox Developer Direct 2024
Looking forward to HB2 and Indy (Nazi’s and eighties vibe), although I’m not sold on the release dates. FPS view on Indy seems to look/feel better than my first impression. That whip got some special love. Can’t wait to play!
Enjoyed the first Hellblade a lot myself. The audio on that game was so immersive (played it with 5.1 surround speakers) and that seems to be on point again!
The Xbox Developer Direct was a great watch = line up & gameplay 👍
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (January 13-14)
Restarted FH1 on Xbox One
Re: Soapbox: Microsoft, We'd Love Another Surprise Xbox Game Pass Release At 'Developer Direct'
I’m always amazed how it’s possible to announce and shadow drop a game with all those leaks we get. Nobody spilling the beans nowadays is rather exceptional. Fingers crossed!
Re: Poll: Which Games Will Get Release Dates At Xbox Developer Direct?
Proper release dates? I don’t know if they will do that tbh. Their latest track record isn’t very good! Unless they are very close to gold status ofc. I would go for release windows (better to be safe than sorry and all that).
Edit: maybe Hellblade 2
Re: Xbox Announces New 'Developer Direct' Event For Next Week
I’m also expecting something HeXen related. Phil Spencer has been teasing that for too long, although, he has been insisting his t-shirt was because of nostalgia. Maybe he was just testing the waters? There was a lot of buzz back then and I doubt he isn’t aware of his influence.
We will see if people were reading too much into it or not. We did have some Quake nostalgia on Game Pass and some of us wouldn’t mind seeing HeXen on there!
Re: Talking Point: Do You Think Xbox Will Ever Stop Making Consoles?
Hopefully not, although I sometimes feel they are shifting their focus on things. In my area some shops are taking PlayStation games as their primary priority. Everything will depend on what the consumer wants from them and/or the area’s that print them money (multiple strategies).
From the moment all the MS studios are up to speed with the overall developing process (and some of the technologies) we might see what the future brings. A lot can change in 5 years!
Re: Forza Motorsport Team Shares Three Areas Of Feedback Being Worked On In 2024
The games isn’t bad but glad they are very aware of the issues and are listening to the community!
The issues are real and annoying but addressing these things under pressure mustn’t be easy either (avoidable or not, due to a too early release imo)
Re: Bethesda's Indiana Jones Game Reportedly Set To Launch This Year
Aiming for 2024 is good but if necessary, keep that thing in the oven! I expect it to be good tbh, but after many, too early launched games, I hope they will address those “mistakes” in 2024 and going forward. Wolfenstein Youngblood wasn’t really on the level of New Order and previous others.
But it’s a new year so hopefully they can surprise us in a good way! Actually looking forward to that Dev Direct next week!
Re: Don't Forget, It's Almost Time For Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered On Xbox
Played them all so probably not. These games need more like a remake so controls are at current level. I do remember how big these games were.
Re: Poll: How Are You Getting On With Far Cry 6 On Xbox Game Pass?
I did enjoy the first two on OG Xbox (Far Cry Instincts & Far Cry Instincts: Evolution - played the 1st one on PC too) and bought numbers 2 & 3 but didn’t enjoy them as much.
Started FC6 because I like the actor Giancarlo Esposito but already fell off. Planning on another try though!
Re: Talking Point: What Are Your Gaming Resolutions For 2024?
Buy less games on release (especially UbiSoft & EA games) and (try) to wait patiently for discounts overall.
Re: Hell Let Loose Has A Crucial 'Beginner's Guide' For Xbox Game Pass Players
IIRC, a guide is really needed when starting this game for the first time! Looking at the PC guide, everything is quite complicated since most is involved around teamwork and not run and gun.