The Thaumaturge is a really interesting rpg. I have not gotten far in it, but it shows promise. If you like choice based RPG with interesting story and setting, give it a chance
I like the modern strategy of focusing first party showcases on imminent games with maybe 1 or 2 longer term to just say there's more after that.
I never saw the original trailer for State of Decay 3. It's not my genre, so I am not very excited for it, although I did enjoy 2 via gamepass for a few hours
Two of my favorite recent games! Played both on Switch 2. Still playing Hades 2 after rolling credits, similar to the first game, there is more to do. Great fun!
Aphelion looks interesting but I am awful at stealth. Checking it out on GP would be great over buying outright and confirming it isn't for me.
I bought GP ultimate codes before the price increase, waiting on pulling the trigger. I think that won't be until Fable, but there is some tempting stuff on now or coming soon
I still don't understand what is meant by being able to build once and ship everywhere. This implies there is no porting. So you build once, assumably on xbox because they say it ensures gamea come to xbox quicker, and your build works on other systems? How? Does xbox AI do your port for you? If the statement is not literal, then what does it mean, what is leading to getting games on xbox faster?
@Balaam_ I feel pretty much the same way about what I want from Sony, but there is no denying that other gamers exist. They bought Bungie at the height of Destiny's games as service reign to do GaaS work for them and speak to that audience, so Marathon makes sense from that perspective. Where Sony really messed up is in asking most of their other studios, who did make PS signature games and didn't already work in the space, to convert to GaaS.
I don't think it helps anything to keep this exclusive. Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think a single player only remake of a game that already has a remaster is going to sell systems. Especially when the prices on those systems, depending on SKU, are creeping up to compare with Switch 2 and PS5 pro.
For any help to brand identity, canceling the port is a hit to brand credibility.
Not to be too spicy, but the brand identity part is kind of sad in my mind. A once great franchise as the last exclusive for a brand in trouble (on the hardware side). "At least we have Halo" seems tragic. I'm pinning my hopes on Fable to reignite excitement for Xbox
Also, he is proud they got Gears running great on xbox hardware, and this is an example of commitment to first party? This seems like the bare minimum for first party or third party - the game runs on the intended platform. Not sure why of all the recent corporate nothing speak, this person's blurbs bother me, but it seems particularly vapid. maybe just fatigue
What does commitment to first party mean when you are a multiplatform publisher? Are the games they publish exclusive to a platform or not? Otherwise, does EA consider Madden a first party title? It seems like the terminology doesn't make sense.
Whoever earned that gamerscore, my takeaway is I need to up my game. I got a few bronze trophies and no GS this month. I did play through And Roger and a lot of Hades 2 on Switch, but they don't give points. Challenge accepted!
Ok, I will be buying this. Played a fair amount on gamepass but dropped off. Will pick this up and get back into it, try to get to the dlc content. Thanks for the tip!
I grabbed Rogue Lords yesterday for $2. Totally different style game, similar steal of a price.
I don't usually find much of interest in the sales, but this one is a hit for me
@HonestHick right? I bet they would be amazing at Switch 2 ports and updates. I know it is not their current specialty, but I bet they could do great things if given the opportunity
@Banjo- I see your sarcasm but the irony here is that Blue Point is exactly the resource they could/should have been using to do all their remasters and remakes.
I see the argument that maybe Blue Point wanted to be more than the remaster studio but if this is the case, it is a huge failure of both PS and studio leadership not to come to terms. I guess, whatever the story in the background, it is a huge failure of leadership. I cannot imagine 70 people would rather be laid off than do some remakes.
On original topic, I think it would be fantastic if xbox or anyone could step in and save this studio, or that they find a way to go back to independence, but doubt it is going to happen
So disappointing for me as a gamer, and so awful for the 70 impacted staff. What bungled management by Sony. Sad. Good opinion piece over on PushSquare
I am kind of surprised they can keep spending resources on this game when there seems to be much more appetite for new releases or re-leases in their other franchises. Does not seem like a typical corporate decision (not that I am complaining) . Or maybe these updates generate revenue somehow, like improving future sales
@stefan771 I think people of course buy later, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the big example of this, with games like Alan Wake 2 being a more normal but still publicized example. However, shareholders and MS execs are not patient, so if their releases are not big splashes, I think it hurts the studios even if there is a long tail.
That said, I think I have read that most of a game's sales come around launch window. I have no reference for this, so, take it for what it's worth
@Fiendish-Beaver thanks for the reveal! I have not played any Zelda games, it's a blind spot for me. I have my son's copies, but I have so much backlog, and I hear they are quite a commitment
@Fiendish-Beaver what was the one switch game? I know it's off topic, but I'm really curious now.
On topic, I like that the feature exists. I primarily game via console while my son has a new gaming pc as his go to. A couple of times now, he has checked out a game via my GP ultimate sub (either on console or GP PC), then purchased to play on pc going foward, continuing the existing save
I played A Game About Digging a Hole over the break. I did not contribute to the numbers for the other games.
Took advantage of the dollar for a month of gamepass offer to play that game, Keeper, Ball x Pit and try a bunch of others. I think this coming weekend is the end of the dollar month, sadly
@ILuvGames it would be great if we heard that there was something else in full development. I always hear they are a small studio, so wasn't sure if anything was truly ongoing during Keeper development. Thanks for keeping my dream afloat!
I know it is extremely unlikely with Keeper having just released, but I would love to hear that a subteam at double fine has already started a new small project. For me, that would be a great surprise. Again, I know it is not likely. It's just my hope
@Titntin if you already have gamepass, lost in ransom the eternal die is a fun rogue lite, a lot like Hades in its progression systems and game play, but different enough to be interesting. I never finished it but I enjoyed my time with it
@Coletrain it looks like Outlaws is not in premium, unfortunately, unless there was a typo/omission. Looks like the only one that is not on premium in this announcement
I have been interested in Little Nightmares, but I don't like stealth games. Maybe I am wrong, but it reminds me of Bramble, which I liked for vibes but not mechanics.
I'll probably check out Brews and *****, if it can pull me away from sinking all my gaming time into Halls of Torment and Ball x Pit
This year, I think there are already some big releases in March. If I had only 1 game to launch, and it wasn't a huge IP, I'd probably be looking at May or June. Maybe try to time after summer game fest?
If you're in a position like xbox, launching Gears, Halo and CoD this year, spacing these shooters out will be interesting. I would not want to bunch them up, and then you want to avoid GTA - assuming it is not delayed again. So I would be going for one in Feb/March, one in June/July, COD in its usual spot in Q4. Then they have RPGs to space around those (Fable, I'm assuming a Fallout remaster, probably forgetting something), which don't overlap with the shooters, but I would still want to space out for gamepass and other reasons.... doing their launch planning would be a fun Sim!
For me, across all platforms: Mario and Rabbids, Sparks of Hope [Redacted] Steamworld Heist 2 Shady Part of Me Dave the Diver Avowed South of Midnight To a T Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3 Tactical Breach Wizards Neva Paranormasight Revenge of the Savage Planet Herdling Donkey Kong Bananza Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion, Reraptored Yet Another Zombie Survivor Game, early access version (finished all available modes) Dead Take Inkshade Promise Mascot Agency Keeper
@White_oyster I recently took the 1 dollar offer. I have about 5 or 10 games I want to check out in that time. I'll cancel in a week or 2 and I believe it just runs out as normal (suppose I should double check, but there was no time commitment I saw) Might be a good way to stretch your gaming dollar and dip into a few games, see if they are worth a purchase, or complete a shorter game or 2 (Keeper is on my list). I suppose I am not helping them make their not-30% though...
Tempted by RE4 remake and Original Sin 2. I played OS but never finished. I held off 2 figuring it was just too long a commitment. But 15 dollars, I kinda want to check it out
@rhyno_888 if Sony were to start porting beyond PC, my thought is they would go to Switch first, due to the large install base. Xbox Ally and future iterations - if the rumors are true - will already be able to play PS games via their PC ports. But we will all just wait and see what happens
I have only played a handful of new games, and am not one for ranking things, but would like to shout out a few indies/smaller games I liked: Promise Mascot Agency Inkshade Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3 (and Reraptored) Dead Take
None of these things address a problem. Gamerscore and achievements are already on a dashboard I can see on my machine or my phone. Why waste resources to do the same thing slightly differently? (Assuming they actually use AI and don't just rename the existing functionality) There are legit uses for AI, but stuff like this is pretty much The Emperor's New Clothes - this is so great, you must see how great it is, right?!?
@Fiendish-Beaver I like the game, but bounced off because I don't like stealth mechanics in general. I will go back, as what I played was fun. The Star Wars of it is excellent!
Much has been written on gaming trends showing free to play games like Fortnite and Roblox dominate time played, you have the multi player and live service stuff people are committed to, subscriptions, and many other alternatives to traditional full price games (sales, great indies at lower prices). So these comments by Ubi are no surprise
I wonder if Devolver is still committed to a day and date counter release? As someone who could not care less about GTA, seeing whether Devolver was serious and curiosity about what they might drop are the only things that impact me about the delay
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Re: Xbox's Next First-Party Game Arrives This Week, And Preloads Have Already Begun
This one is not for me, but I hope its intended audience enjoys it
Re: Nine Games Are Leaving Xbox Game Pass In Late April 2026
Reminds me I meant to purchase Citizen Sleeper for the backlog. I played a bit of CS2, and liked it, but not enough time for either right now
Re: Three Games Are Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (April 14)
I love Hades 2, have put many hours into into it on Switch 2 (I think I am around night 115 last I checked).
Picked up Thaumaturge on an Xbox sale a while back. It is really interesting but I have not put much time in yet - I will go back at some point!
I am interested in Replaced. I will probably check it out at some point once I renew gamepass, or may buy it if reviews are really good
Re: Talking Point: If Someone Was Buying Their First Xbox Today, What Games Would You Recommend?
Psychonauts 2
Hades 2
Diablo 4
Coffee Talk
Katamari Damaci Rerolled
Portal 1 and 2
Doom the Dark Ages
Gears Tactics
Re: 'Graveyard Keeper' Is Available To Claim For Free On Xbox For A Limited Time
Thanks for the tip! I saw on push square it is also available on PS. I added it to my library on a few platforms, options on where to play!
Re: These 19 Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (April 7-23)
The Thaumaturge is a really interesting rpg. I have not gotten far in it, but it shows promise. If you like choice based RPG with interesting story and setting, give it a chance
Re: State Of Decay 3 Dev Explains Why It's Been So Long Since The First 2020 Xbox Trailer
I like the modern strategy of focusing first party showcases on imminent games with maybe 1 or 2 longer term to just say there's more after that.
I never saw the original trailer for State of Decay 3. It's not my genre, so I am not very excited for it, although I did enjoy 2 via gamepass for a few hours
Re: Sony Announces Major PS5 Price Hikes, Here's How They Compare To Xbox Series X|S
If xbox could lower their prices, even for a short term sale, they could be heroes...
Otherwise, this makes Switch (1 and 2) more and more the easiest choice of the big 3.
Interested to see what price point Steam machine hits, if it releases at all
Re: Two Of 2025's Best Games Are Finally Getting Xbox Versions Soon
Two of my favorite recent games! Played both on Switch 2. Still playing Hades 2 after rolling credits, similar to the first game, there is more to do. Great fun!
Re: These 40+ Games Are Coming To Xbox Next Week (March 23-27)
Shardpunk looks like something I would play. Added to my wishlist
Re: Talking Point: What Should Xbox Call Its 'Project Helix' Console?
NeXus is my vote. Because it is a meeting point with PC, it is the nex(t) box, and it has an X in it : )
Re: Two Games Are Confirmed For Xbox Game Pass In April 2026 So Far
Aphelion looks interesting but I am awful at stealth. Checking it out on GP would be great over buying outright and confirming it isn't for me.
I bought GP ultimate codes before the price increase, waiting on pulling the trigger. I think that won't be until Fable, but there is some tempting stuff on now or coming soon
Re: 'We Will See More Games Come To Xbox Quicker' - Microsoft Exec Talks Plans For The Future
I still don't understand what is meant by being able to build once and ship everywhere. This implies there is no porting. So you build once, assumably on xbox because they say it ensures gamea come to xbox quicker, and your build works on other systems? How? Does xbox AI do your port for you? If the statement is not literal, then what does it mean, what is leading to getting games on xbox faster?
Re: Microsoft CEO On Xbox's Future: 'We'll Always Invest In Gaming'
Couple that with "the plan is the plan until it isn't the plan" and you have a clear path forward
Re: Marathon's Final Reviews Are Mostly Being Held Back, So Here's What Xbox Players Are Saying
@Balaam_ I feel pretty much the same way about what I want from Sony, but there is no denying that other gamers exist. They bought Bungie at the height of Destiny's games as service reign to do GaaS work for them and speak to that audience, so Marathon makes sense from that perspective. Where Sony really messed up is in asking most of their other studios, who did make PS signature games and didn't already work in the space, to convert to GaaS.
Re: Microsoft Has Explored Allowing AI & Other Xbox Players To Help Control Your Games
AI trained by Letmesoloher
Re: Opinion: Xbox Should Consider Cancelling Halo: Campaign Evolved For PS5
I don't think it helps anything to keep this exclusive. Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think a single player only remake of a game that already has a remaster is going to sell systems. Especially when the prices on those systems, depending on SKU, are creeping up to compare with Switch 2 and PS5 pro.
For any help to brand identity, canceling the port is a hit to brand credibility.
Not to be too spicy, but the brand identity part is kind of sad in my mind. A once great franchise as the last exclusive for a brand in trouble (on the hardware side). "At least we have Halo" seems tragic. I'm pinning my hopes on Fable to reignite excitement for Xbox
Re: Roundup: All The Biggest Xbox Reveals From IGN Fan Fest 2026
@Jenkinss are these games couch co-op or online only? If online, I assume I would need some level of GP for online access?
Are they kind of escape room type games, or more action?
I've seen them in sales and such and was intrigued but was never sure
Re: Xbox Won't Back Away From First-Party And Become 'Just A Publisher', Insists EVP Matt Booty
Also, he is proud they got Gears running great on xbox hardware, and this is an example of commitment to first party? This seems like the bare minimum for first party or third party - the game runs on the intended platform. Not sure why of all the recent corporate nothing speak, this person's blurbs bother me, but it seems particularly vapid. maybe just fatigue
Re: Xbox Won't Back Away From First-Party And Become 'Just A Publisher', Insists EVP Matt Booty
What does commitment to first party mean when you are a multiplatform publisher? Are the games they publish exclusive to a platform or not? Otherwise, does EA consider Madden a first party title? It seems like the terminology doesn't make sense.
Re: Xbox Boss Explains Her Gamertag Activity, Says 'Faking Would Be A Terrible Idea'
Whoever earned that gamerscore, my takeaway is I need to up my game. I got a few bronze trophies and no GS this month. I did play through And Roger and a lot of Hades 2 on Switch, but they don't give points. Challenge accepted!
Re: Deals: Dead Island 2 + All DLC Is Less Than $7 On Xbox Right Now
Ok, I will be buying this. Played a fair amount on gamepass but dropped off. Will pick this up and get back into it, try to get to the dlc content. Thanks for the tip!
I grabbed Rogue Lords yesterday for $2. Totally different style game, similar steal of a price.
I don't usually find much of interest in the sales, but this one is a hit for me
Re: Xbox CEO Shares Her Three Favourite Games Of All Time, Along With Her Gamertag
Looks like this person also got the dollar gamepass deal and binged like crazy for a month. I can relate to that
Re: God Of War Creator Suggests Xbox Should Get Involved In Bluepoint Games Situation
@HonestHick right? I bet they would be amazing at Switch 2 ports and updates. I know it is not their current specialty, but I bet they could do great things if given the opportunity
Re: God Of War Creator Suggests Xbox Should Get Involved In Bluepoint Games Situation
@Banjo- I see your sarcasm but the irony here is that Blue Point is exactly the resource they could/should have been using to do all their remasters and remakes.
I see the argument that maybe Blue Point wanted to be more than the remaster studio but if this is the case, it is a huge failure of both PS and studio leadership not to come to terms. I guess, whatever the story in the background, it is a huge failure of leadership. I cannot imagine 70 people would rather be laid off than do some remakes.
On original topic, I think it would be fantastic if xbox or anyone could step in and save this studio, or that they find a way to go back to independence, but doubt it is going to happen
Re: Sony's Bluepoint Games Might Be Gone, But We'll Never Forget Their 'Impossible Port' For Xbox 360
So disappointing for me as a gamer, and so awful for the 70 impacted staff. What bungled management by Sony. Sad. Good opinion piece over on PushSquare
Re: Bethesda Says Starfield's Next Update Will 'Change The Game' But 'It's Not Starfield 2.0'
I am kind of surprised they can keep spending resources on this game when there seems to be much more appetite for new releases or re-leases in their other franchises. Does not seem like a typical corporate decision (not that I am complaining) . Or maybe these updates generate revenue somehow, like improving future sales
Re: Xbox Release Windows Teased For Halo, Gears, Kiln & New Starfield Content In 2026
@stefan771 I think people of course buy later, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the big example of this, with games like Alan Wake 2 being a more normal but still publicized example. However, shareholders and MS execs are not patient, so if their releases are not big splashes, I think it hurts the studios even if there is a long tail.
That said, I think I have read that most of a game's sales come around launch window. I have no reference for this, so, take it for what it's worth
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (January 31 - February 1)
Started Dispatch this morning, I've been looking forward to it for a while, and now have some time
Re: Xbox Play Anywhere Is Convincing People To Buy Their Multiplatform Games On Xbox
@Fiendish-Beaver thanks for the reveal! I have not played any Zelda games, it's a blind spot for me. I have my son's copies, but I have so much backlog, and I hear they are quite a commitment
Re: Xbox Play Anywhere Is Convincing People To Buy Their Multiplatform Games On Xbox
@Fiendish-Beaver what was the one switch game? I know it's off topic, but I'm really curious now.
On topic, I like that the feature exists. I primarily game via console while my son has a new gaming pc as his go to. A couple of times now, he has checked out a game via my GP ultimate sub (either on console or GP PC), then purchased to play on pc going foward, continuing the existing save
Re: Based On New Players, These Were The Top 5 Xbox Games Of Christmas And New Year
I played A Game About Digging a Hole over the break. I did not contribute to the numbers for the other games.
Took advantage of the dollar for a month of gamepass offer to play that game, Keeper, Ball x Pit and try a bunch of others. I think this coming weekend is the end of the dollar month, sadly
Re: Xbox Reporter Teases What Might Be Shown At Developer Direct, Including A Potential Surprise
@ILuvGames it would be great if we heard that there was something else in full development. I always hear they are a small studio, so wasn't sure if anything was truly ongoing during Keeper development. Thanks for keeping my dream afloat!
Re: Xbox Reporter Teases What Might Be Shown At Developer Direct, Including A Potential Surprise
More realistically, I'm interested in updates on Clockwork Revolution
Re: Xbox Reporter Teases What Might Be Shown At Developer Direct, Including A Potential Surprise
I know it is extremely unlikely with Keeper having just released, but I would love to hear that a subteam at double fine has already started a new small project. For me, that would be a great surprise. Again, I know it is not likely. It's just my hope
Re: These 11 Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass, Including Two Major Additions (January 6-22)
@Titntin if you already have gamepass, lost in ransom the eternal die is a fun rogue lite, a lot like Hades in its progression systems and game play, but different enough to be interesting. I never finished it but I enjoyed my time with it
Re: These 11 Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass, Including Two Major Additions (January 6-22)
@Coletrain it looks like Outlaws is not in premium, unfortunately, unless there was a typo/omission. Looks like the only one that is not on premium in this announcement
Re: Two Games Are Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (January 6)
I have been interested in Little Nightmares, but I don't like stealth games. Maybe I am wrong, but it reminds me of Bramble, which I liked for vibes but not mechanics.
I'll probably check out Brews and *****, if it can pull me away from sinking all my gaming time into Halls of Torment and Ball x Pit
Re: Talking Point: What Have You Bought In The Xbox Countdown Sale This Year?
I have picked up Nier Automata and Griftlands. I think that's it for me. Maybe one last check before it ends....
Re: Talking Point: If You Were Releasing A Game, Which Month Of The Year Would You Pick?
This year, I think there are already some big releases in March. If I had only 1 game to launch, and it wasn't a huge IP, I'd probably be looking at May or June. Maybe try to time after summer game fest?
If you're in a position like xbox, launching Gears, Halo and CoD this year, spacing these shooters out will be interesting. I would not want to bunch them up, and then you want to avoid GTA - assuming it is not delayed again. So I would be going for one in Feb/March, one in June/July, COD in its usual spot in Q4. Then they have RPGs to space around those (Fable, I'm assuming a Fallout remaster, probably forgetting something), which don't overlap with the shooters, but I would still want to space out for gamepass and other reasons.... doing their launch planning would be a fun Sim!
Re: Talking Point: Which Xbox Games Have You Managed To Finish In 2025?
For me, across all platforms:
Mario and Rabbids, Sparks of Hope
[Redacted]
Steamworld Heist 2
Shady Part of Me
Dave the Diver
Avowed
South of Midnight
To a T
Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3
Tactical Breach Wizards
Neva
Paranormasight
Revenge of the Savage Planet
Herdling
Donkey Kong Bananza
Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion, Reraptored
Yet Another Zombie Survivor Game, early access version (finished all available modes)
Dead Take
Inkshade
Promise Mascot Agency
Keeper
Re: Microsoft Says It's 'Incorrect' That Xbox Division Is Now Targeting 30% Profit Margins
@White_oyster I recently took the 1 dollar offer. I have about 5 or 10 games I want to check out in that time. I'll cancel in a week or 2 and I believe it just runs out as normal (suppose I should double check, but there was no time commitment I saw) Might be a good way to stretch your gaming dollar and dip into a few games, see if they are worth a purchase, or complete a shorter game or 2 (Keeper is on my list). I suppose I am not helping them make their not-30% though...
Re: These Are The Top-Selling Games In The Xbox Countdown Sale 2025
Tempted by RE4 remake and Original Sin 2. I played OS but never finished. I held off 2 figuring it was just too long a commitment. But 15 dollars, I kinda want to check it out
Re: PlayStation Highlights Halo: Campaign Evolved As One Of Its 'Must-Play' Games For 2026
@rhyno_888 if Sony were to start porting beyond PC, my thought is they would go to Switch first, due to the large install base. Xbox Ally and future iterations - if the rumors are true - will already be able to play PS games via their PC ports. But we will all just wait and see what happens
Re: Four Xbox First-Party Releases Mentioned In GamesRadar's Top 25 Games Of 2025
I have only played a handful of new games, and am not one for ranking things, but would like to shout out a few indies/smaller games I liked:
Promise Mascot Agency
Inkshade
Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3 (and Reraptored)
Dead Take
Re: New Microsoft Survey Suggests Five AI Features That Could Be Added To Xbox Game Pass
None of these things address a problem. Gamerscore and achievements are already on a dashboard I can see on my machine or my phone. Why waste resources to do the same thing slightly differently? (Assuming they actually use AI and don't just rename the existing functionality) There are legit uses for AI, but stuff like this is pretty much The Emperor's New Clothes - this is so great, you must see how great it is, right?!?
Re: Deals: All 70+ Backwards Compatible Games In The Xbox Black Friday Sale 2025
@Fiendish-Beaver I like the game, but bounced off because I don't like stealth mechanics in general. I will go back, as what I played was fun. The Star Wars of it is excellent!
Re: Ubisoft UK Warns That Folks Just Aren't Buying As Many £50-£60 Games Anymore
Much has been written on gaming trends showing free to play games like Fortnite and Roblox dominate time played, you have the multi player and live service stuff people are committed to, subscriptions, and many other alternatives to traditional full price games (sales, great indies at lower prices). So these comments by Ubi are no surprise
Re: Valve Announces New Hardware, Including A Steam Machine That'll Compete With Xbox
The real question is, will there be a new hardware fandom sister site to PureXbox, PushSquare and NintendoLife?
Re: It's Official, Rockstar Games Has Delayed GTA 6 To November 2026
I wonder if Devolver is still committed to a day and date counter release? As someone who could not care less about GTA, seeing whether Devolver was serious and curiosity about what they might drop are the only things that impact me about the delay