SMJ

It's amazing considering the original came out 14 years ago and was exclusive to Xbox 360. They've done a great job in reviving interest in the IP with the remaster and sequel.

@eire-shabba I've said this many times before and completely agree. The future is either a hard drive connected to the internet or a streaming device. Xbox will be an app. PlayStation will be an app. Pay the annual fees and you can play those games.

@AlwaysPlaying But Disney/Lucas Arts DID say they were happy for the games to be single platform. They said it made sense.

@Banjo- But if all exclusives are available on other platforms then there's even less reason to buy Xbox hardware. Less Xbox hardware sold means that it's less likely for third parties to release their games for Xbox (including Game Pass). Fewer games available on Xbox hardware means even fewer machines sold and even fewer Game Pass subscriptions. Etc. etc.

Whatever happens it has been handled really poorly. All these rumours have done is damage the Xbox brand in the mind of gamers. People are asking why they've supported the platform if it's all going to be taken away.

I've had time to think about what 'could' happen.

They announce they're going full third party, are dropping Xbox hardware and PS5/Switch will get Game Pass/full price games available depending on the system capabilities. Or they don't drop hardware and release new digital only hardware (handheld included).

They announce that select first party games will be available for PS5/Switch at full price the same day as they're available on Xbox and PC Game Pass. And the current hardware continues as before.

They announce that all Xbox Studio games will be available to play via Game Pass on PS5/Switch with no option to buy the games outright. And the current hardware continues as before. Or doesn't.

They announce that first party games will be available on PS5/Switch and that they're licensing the Xbox hardware to other manufacturers such as Samsung, LG etc. They'll have their own hardware but new hardware is built as a set top box or into TVs.

They announce that the Xbox store will be open to all platforms and people can buy games digitally for PS5/Switch. They'll keep the hardware as before.

It's DEFINITELY either one of the above or some of the above or none of the above.

I'm looking forward to finding out but as an Xbox gamer from the beginning, I can't see how releasing games on other platforms is the right thing to do to reward loyal fans. However, I completely understand that Xbox is just one division of Microsoft and releasing games on every available system makes perfect business sense and will massively increase profits.

I have all 3 systems and have no special allegiance to Xbox, PlayStation or Nintendo's various systems, aside from the memories I have from playing great games on each.

I can only see a negative for Xbox if this is true. If these games are available to buy on PS5 then what incentive is there for anyone to buy an Xbox/Game Pass? In fact, I can see people ditching their Xbox to buy a PlayStation because they'll have the best of both worlds in one system. That in turn gives 3rd party devs less incentive to make games at all for Xbox and even less point in owning one as time goes on.

It's literally a fat tracksuit to becoming a 3rd party publisher.

As much as I love my Switch, it doesn't go after the same customers as PS5/Xbox. Without Xbox as a competitor, Sony can do less, innovate less and charge more. No gamer should be wishing for a one system games industry.

Xbox didn't treat this game the way it deserved to be treated. It's an amazing game that should have received way more love. Hopefully it will get the bigger audience needed for a sequel to be made.

I kind of wish they'd included The Last Revelation, Chronicles and Angel of Darkness too. I know they're not particularly great but for completion sake it would have been nice.

@CharlieChooChoo The lending I can see them having a problem with because, as you mentioned, they would lose money. The trade in thing would technically make them lose money but I think would be a massive win for them PR wise. If you could trade your digital games on Xbox and no other platform holder allowed it, it would be a massive PR win.

Unfortunately, I think the Steam model is the way everything will go. Buy a game. Never own it. F**k off if you don't like it or have completed it because we already have your money.

I've been saying for years that each platform holder should create a digital trade in store. Imagine being able to trade in digital purchases once you've finished a game and get credit towards your next purchase.

I can't remember the last time I saw and advert anywhere for Xbox.

@CharlieChooChoo Activision and Blizzard both have a very long history of making games for Microsoft Windows. Far longer than they ever had making games for PlayStation.

@Kaloudz It really was. I managed to get a boxed, brand new one from Japan last year for my Dreamcast. It's just incredible.

I would welcome gyro in a new Xbox controller. Everything else is fine for me.

I have a PS5 and the DualSense is overrated in my opinion. I find the resistive triggers annoying and crunchy and the haptics a bit of a novelty that doesn't really get used very well. Plus the sharp edges on the prongs just aren't very comfortable for long play sessions. And of course, the left stick is positioned incorrectly. 😂

@Kaloudz I'm glad to see the Dreamcast controller mentioned. That was the pinnacle of comfort for me too. I'd put the Switch pro controller as 2nd though, very closely followed by the current Xbox controller.

@Kaloudz No worries at all. I probably wasn't clear. It's just another sad day for the industry as a whole.

@Kaloudz I absolutely agree. I've worked in HR/recruitment for over 15 years at some major global brands and I've had to deliver these kind of layoffs to employees.

It's never easy but, at well run businesses, a natural occurrence. The timing won't help the perception of what Microsoft is doing is the point I was trying to make.

It really doesn't make good reading when in the same week Microsoft was valued at $3trillion.

@JayJ The only times I've found gyro controls to be a massive improvement have been with the Splatoon games on Wii U and Switch. Nintendo really nailed it in those games to the point where I'd struggle to play without them.

@homme_parametre To be fair, all modern controllers have drift and it's ridiculous considering the Hall Effect tech has been around for so long.

The Sega Saturn and Dreamcast used it.

@rustyduck The day that mainstream gaming becomes streaming only is the day that I check out. I'll happily play my giant backlog of retro games that require no internet/downloads.

Hi-Fi Rush 100%

Give us Quake 4 as BC or remaster it please.

I actually really liked the show. It was a good mix of gameplay and dev insight. And there's so much more to come from Xbox Studios that I think they'll absolutely own this year. But that's just my opinion.

As long as Microsoft keep games like Indiana Jones and Avowed exclusive to Xbox then there will definitely be a spike in subscriptions.

I think there will be plenty of gamers out there that have never owned or wanted an Xbox who will pick up a Series S and Game Pass this year.

I'm glad that this will be a relatively short experience. Too many games demand 100+ hours these days.

The name is awful but this looks incredible.

@Altaria_97 I'm going to email Microsoft and see if I can get it.

I've had a subscription for many, many years. The have the game code ready to download for people who already had it.

Surely it can't be that hard for them to allow me to download it?

I have Forza Horizon 2 on disc but somehow missed out on downloading it for free when it was on Gold. Now that most of my physical collection is backed up by digital versions it's massively frustrating to not have it available to buy.

@Widey85 I bought it too because of the hype but I really struggle to get to grips with games as expansive as this sometimes. So many incidental moments can be missed that you're never able to return to. It's massively frustrating.

It's why the push towards everything being open world and massive frustrates me. I still can't get to grips with Zelda BoTW and ToTK and would much rather play a traditional, linear Zelda over both of them.

@TheCrafter1578 I completely agree. I've bought so many Games digitally or physically because I tried them on Game Pass.

As long as I still have the option to purchase games I love in some way then I'm happy.

@Spider-Kev I'm with you my friend. I use Game Pass as a sample shop to try games that were never on my radar or I think I'll like but have had mixed reviews.

Streaming only via subscription is not how I want to play my games.

Netflix, Disney+ and all the others (apart from Prime) don't even allow you to buy anything digitally.

This console gen will probably be my last and I'll work through some of the games I own forever.

@OldGamer999 I'm old and I can see myself, quite happily, avoiding the next console generation entirely. Subscription only gaming isn't for me.

I have an NES, Game Boy and Master System backlog crying out for attention.

This is a day one purchase for me and I kind of hate myself for it.

That's a really terrible name if true. But it could be worse.

There was a definite missed opportunity to not include Arkham Origins as part of this. I know it was a different dev but it's the same publisher and IP owner.

It would have been great to see all 4 with boosted frame rates, higher res and NG+.

This really needs to be big for Xbox. The franchise is still huge and attention grabbing to this day and I'd love to have an Uncharted rival set in the IJ universe.

I bought the game but am glad I held off after seeing this issue. Hopefully it's fixed properly so that I can start without worrying.

If it gives the game a bigger audience and increases the chance of a sequel happening then I'm all for it.

And the way it was shadow dropped and didn't get a physical release shows me that Microsoft weren't exactly excited about it themselves.

Hi-Fi Rush all day long. I can't believe it has nearly been a year since it launched. I'm hoping for a sequel announcement very soon.

I have this on PS3 but don't remember a single thing about it.

I wish I had that amount of time to play Xbox.

@HonestHick I bought a few cheap PS5 original models to sell on in a few years but had completely forgotten about the Xbox hardware leak. I think it's because the PS5 'slim' has been a real thing, visible in the world for a bit VS the (so far) hypothetical new Xbox, that it slipped my mind.

I've personally think that the Series X|S are two of the most well designed, durable and beautifully constructed pieces of hardware ever. I doubt I'll get rid of my current systems when the new one(s) release, BUT I really hope it doesn't follow the Amazon Echo cylinder approach.

I'd actually like to see Xbox partner with Analogue for the next system design. They always seem to nail the bridge between functionality and beauty.

@HonestHick I forgot about those! Ignore me. My mind went to doom and gloom thinking no more hardware ever again rather than new hardware being released.

A drop this big concerns me.

I haven't played it yet but this is awful for a game of this type. It's not like losing a couple of trophies on Mario Kart. Larian and Xbox need to fix this immediately.

I remember my friend saving over my original Xbox Fable save. The time I lost, I nearly cried about.

Not a great look Microsoft.

I doubt very much that many, if any, were sold after the 360 was released. I worked in games retail at the time and all original Xbox consoles were recalled by Microsoft weeks prior to the 360 launch. I was gutted as I'd planned to buy a few to sell on.

I need this controller.