Asha's radical realignment for Xbox seems to be paying off. /s/

@Fiendish-Beaver

No, I get the simplicity. It’s the other part that seems tedious and unnecessary..😁(I jest, I jest)

Wow, this is really sad to hear. I only started playing BioWare games with SW KoToR and Jade Empire on the original Xbox but after those two, I’ve become a huge fan of all their releases since, except for Anthem.

Thank you for the great gaming memories BioWare, you’ll be sorely missed.

@Fiendish-Beaver

but I may find the time to play it on Game Pass just to see if this early praise has its merits

But why do that when you can just buy it outright then bemoan the lack of worthwhile games on GamePass??😉😀

Looks like this one is shaping up nicely. Infinite Wealth is one of my all time favourites games, and if RGG manages to match or surpass it with Stranger than Heaven, I’ll be well happy 😃.

No smoke without fire or no fire without smoke, what's the order the idiom is said in 😄?

On a slightly more serious note, if Microsoft decides to sell Xbox, I'll be pretty much done with the platform...actually I would reconsider if Samsung were to aquire the brand and have continuity going forward 😀.

Here we go.

Just recently seen articles about the PS6 possibly costing $1000 and now Xbox comes along with a hold my beer moment of a possibly $1200 to $1800 Helix. These systems better be virtually open platforms to justify the eye watering costs, otherwise the gaming industry will be heading for a crash at full speed..

@Trojan

Ok, but doesn't letting go studios making experimental and less mainstream projects directly contradicts Asha's statements about Xbox not being able to survive on only big or known franchises?

At times, it's just difficult to make sense of the messaging. Or perhaps I'm a bit fatigued.

This looks like another brilliant idea from Xbox HQ until it leads to disaster and more studio closures and layoffs. Did they learned nothing from E-Day??

@IllusiveMan

I don't think R* would have even entertained the idea given the install base discrepancy. Plus they are not in the habit of blowing off their kneecaps every other week like Microsoft does..

This trailer was captured entirely in-game from a PlayStation 5

Frankly I'm just relieved it's only marketing exclusivity that Sony has. Anyone remember the days of San Andreas and Vice City? Xbox owners were really shafted back in those days.

I went with "Something else" because as great an IP Gears is, it's kinda running/run out of steam. The audience that made the first trilogy a gaming phenomenon it's just no longer there, we've grown older, we moved on...

I wish they'd tried a brand new IP or work on one from Microsoft's dormant catalogue.
But if the Coalition gets another chance at Gears, big if, they should look at how God of War has been rebooted for a new generation of players and folow a similar concept.

The numbers don’t bode well for The Coalition.

They made a great game but ultimately Asha and Microsoft will probably hold the studio responsible for not meeting financial expectations. Sad but it’s the current MO at Xbox HQ currently going.

I had.the Ultimate Edition of Cyberpunk 2077 in my backlog for a while and finally started playing it. Eight hours in and I love it. Exceptional characters writing, great story and as per the norm with CDPR the side stories are fantastic. Don't think I'll be playing anything else much until I finish this. Want to get all the Achievements in anticipation of the Mythic completion too😁.
Great weekend to all.

If it's a grounded expansion they should add bikes too. I would love some PGR4 inspired bike racing. Oh the memories🙂...

Finally! Indie devs and the inventiveness and variety they bring are essential for any console. Glad to see Microsoft taking steps to make the process easier.

@AI-Generation

Makes sense since the value for buck in BF games comes from the mp part not the campaigns, which basically are tacked on introduction tech demos going back to the Bad Company days.

This year is super stacked already and taking more time to make this the best it can be it's always a good thing.

Got a soft spot for Thunder Lotus and own all of their games(Jotun, Sundered, Spiritfarer) even 33 Imortals which I'm struggling with a bit. Love the art style they use too.

I want to know if Asha plans to keep the vision Spencer had for Helix and release a console/PC hybrid device.
It would be a guaranteed purchase from me.

Some of the people losing their jobs now, were the ones that made Hellblade 2 such a special game. Sound, technical and character artists and so on. I'm just so bitterly disappointed.with how the whole process was handled by Microsoft.

I sincerely hope everyone affected will find new jobs and continue doing what they love and do best.

@Banjo-

It would be nice if the neutral, non-fanboys users defending Wolverine also defended the Xbox equivalents

🤣🤣 I wouldn't hold my breath for that to happen, was a good one nonetheless 😉.

I guess morality is a one-way street

I myself call that Trumpian morality 😄.

@Llamageddon

I think Wolverine has a loooong way to go before it even comes close to the number of times Starfield has been brought up, be it as a fanboys life raft or not.

I'm not saying that Wolverine should be dragged through the mud to the same degree, but more as a perspective thing. The Wolverine game is not a lone outlier in that regard.

@Jaxx420

Yep, competition over the years has brought out the best in the three current console makers (for the most part) and hopefully it will continue doing so 👍.

You've gotta pick a lane.

When you are one of the biggest publishers in the western world as he says, perhaps working fon inding a middle lane would be the best of both worlds. Microsoft are clearly not there yet but I don't think it has to be *an either this, or that * solution.

As for GamePass, he's never been a fan so no surprises in his views/opinions.

Good thing Xbox's parent company is not of the entities fueling the RAM shortages . /S

@themightyant

I guess the editor(s) made the calculation that on balance having a negative or somewhat negative headline will bring in the engagement numbers, and they weren't wrong.

@Banjo-

Any ideas?

I'll take a chance on being salty, and throw in being Pushsquare too😁.

@Weebleman

The big test will be sales and subs.

If it falls drastically short of those targets there's always the opportunity/option of a PS port or even Switch 2 with some caveats on the latter.
Let's see if Microsoft sees the obvious.

@Cikajovazmaj

I'm not sure what's stopping them since the Series X has the more capable hardware for ML applications and QSSR seems to be (just) a software based solution.

But as is the case, Microsoft built a fantastic piece hardware than fail at taking full advantage of it🤷‍♂️.

@Banjo-

I hope you're right mate, I really do. But I'm just fatigued out on negative news regarding XGS. Sorry for the moan up.

@johnedwin

currently 88 on metacritic...

That's right and I doubt it will end up anywhere near the 76 on metacritic where Wolverine stands..😉

First off, great review and thank you Craig.

I'm really happy for the Coalition and Gears fans but I can't shake the feeling that Sharma an Co will go after the people that put in the amazing work to make it all happen. It's such a dampener and a sad state of affairs at XGS.
Get a game finished and the next thing you'll likely be out of work👎.

Sharma was asked about the idea of "apologising to Sony" for snapping up Physint

The level of apologetics on behalf of Sony this whole thing unleashed, has reached parody levels 🤣.

@RTGX

Because realistically I can't see which of the current trillion dollar corporations would be willing to make that kind of investment. But, perhaps you're right and there will be takers🤷‍♂️.

@dskatter

You do those two things and I’ll stick with you, XBox. I’m done with Sony

Sounds good but ain't gonna happen. I mean might as well hope for mortgage payments with every Helix purchase 😉.

@Grumblevolcano

Merge Xbox's studios into Activision and Bethesda, sell the publishers and then sunset Xbox itself

I keep seeing comments to that effect and I'm just really curious:

-Who do people think would be interested to pay the $80 billion Microsoft paid for ABK an Bethesda, plus whatever they consider the Xbox Studios to worth?

I just can't see that scenario materialising.

If this is going to be anywhere as good as Unicorn Overlord then I'll be there for a buy. Love me some Vanilla Ware light tactical RPG.

@fatpunkslim

Microsoft retaining the IP's you mentioned would have been even more disastrous, perhaps ending in straight closures for the divested studios. At least they have a fighting chance this way.

And so that is sort of our goal, and I think Asha and team have said that Xbox is going to get back to growth this next fiscal year, and that's the plan they're executing on

I absolutely love Xbox as hardware and as a platform. But I'm sorry to say this interview has not given me any confidence that the leadership at Microsoft realises just how much damage they are doing to the brand with their whole reset and restructuring.

Which begs the question, what will happen if Xbox is not back to growth the next fiscal year? I just don't feel like thinking about, it's becoming depressing.

@Coletrain

I don't know. Sometimes responding to reports can have a substantive effect, even if originally the start point wasn't such a big deal to begin with. Especially if it omitted context.

After Asha's latest restructuring, not much I'm afraid.

If I'm not mistaken Activision had all their studios as COD factory support devs, even the likes of Toys for Bob (before the split) or Beenox weren't spared.

So having Rare under Activision is not something I would celebrate. The risk of being morphed into COD support or Halo development is very, very real.

This is the second time someone at Microsoft is doing this response thing, when it's really not needed. It makes it look reactionary.

Most people know it will sell more on a platform with double or maybe triple in size compared Xbox.

But some people, @johnedwin clearly struggle 😄.

He also hinted that we'll have to wait a little longer for any news on the state of Arkane

The borderline insanity from Microsoft seems to be continuing. These mofo's are going to shut down not one but two of the best immersive sims studios ever.

We'll be left playing mainline safe franchises forever.
F*****g hate this! (rant over)

Off, come on Microsoft do some light restructuring, new management, anything , - just save them from being shuttered.

Sad to see people losing their jobs once again, Microsoft have been savage in that regard.

Very, very sad to see Ninja Theory potentially being closed.,I loved their games. I'm also worried about Arkane and InXile, will they survive Asha's restructuring, we can but hope.

@Shinato2024

Wolverine is a Sony game.

For f**k sake Microsoft!

I know working in the games industry is a highly volatile environment atm but for the love of mother Earth, -working for XGS must be one the most horrendously stressful position one can currently have.
Asha is hell bent on slimming down Xbox's studios to a core skeleton outfit. And in the process getting rid of anything creatively risky or innovative. What f*****g shame.

I thought they dropped Destiny in favour of Marathon?? This probably means Marathon must be really struggling to stay relevant and wouldn't be surprised at another round of layoffs coming up from Sony.

I've always been more of a Splinter Cell fan than MGS, but the more Kojima talks about Physint the more interested I am.