This is one of Xbox’s first and most successful pivots, namely the acknowledgment that Forza Motorpsort just can’t beat the ambition and lavish attention to detail of the GT games, so they needed to carve out a new path.
While Gran Turismo is definitely the better track racing series now, I think there is room for both Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport and they could learn from one another.
In my opinion the problems with the most recent Forza Motorsport game is that it launched with less content than previous titles, the gameplay changes ("CarPG") didn't click with the playerbase, the visual improvements aren't that big and it still has an identity crisis regarding the target audience (casual players vs. sim-cade fans), as seen with the less optimal support of racing wheels (controller players are oftentimes faster, wheel force feedback is inaccurate), questionable penalty system in online modes and no qualifying in the single-player career mode.
I enjoyed FM3 and FM7 a lot, but after having played Project CARS with a racing wheel for several dozens of hours, I feel like the recent Forza Motorsport should have been much better.
Even if there were a few bumps along the way, overall, it went really well.
I wouldn't call Microsoft Xbox's actions just "a few bumps", with 5 or so closed or spun off studios, several cancelled games (Perfect Dark, Everwild, Contraband, Blackbird), price increases for hardware and subscriptions, and thousands of layed off people since the ABK acquisition.
@dskatter Personally I haven't played the original Marathon games from the 90s, but I guess for fans of the original games, this new multiplayer-only game is a letdown. I actually really like the aesthetic design and the grim sci-fi setting of this new Marathon, but I am not quite sold on the multiplayer-only experience and even as part of the beta feedback I expressed my desire for a single-player campaign.
@dskatter I played the Marathon beta a few weeks ago, I'm of course not allowed to talk about it due to an NDA, but it's not a terrible game. The problem is that it's not what people want Bungie to make, it doesn't have a mainstream appeal and at this point Marathon doesn't seem to have that "genre defining" impact Halo and Destiny had.
It seems like Bungie had no good plan what to do after Destiny 2 ends. Marathon as a PvPvE extraction shooter feels kind of like a filler until the next big game (probably Destiny 3) comes along. But that plan doesn't roll with a publicly traded parent company which expects a steady growth and a return of investment.
Personally I'll switch to Essential, my backlog is way too large to care about new releases on GamePass.
But regarding the GamePass price increase, people should compare the price plans to other subscription services (especially ad-free) like Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max and of course PS Plus and see how GamePass compares. I was shocked to see Netflix Premium costing 20 Euros per month.
@Fiendish-Beaver Thank you for sharing your gaming history. I see your an enthusiastic Xbox gamer. Personally I also prefer playing on Xbox, though I owned some PlayStation and Nintendo devices over the years. But I don't want to worry too much about what is out of my control.
I believe the "next Xbox" might potentially be what you already have as your gaming PC. I can see Microsoft trying to transfer as many Xbox features as possible to Windows, including some form of compatibility to old Xbox console games.
@Dm9982 Maybe Epic can create a more lightweight version of Lumen for gaming handheld devices such as Switch 2. I don't think older games would get ported to a new UE5 version, but at least future releases could benefit from it.
@Fiendish-Beaver We'll see in due time how the Xbox hardware side will evolve. My advice is not to care too much what will be in the future. Enjoy what you currently have, Xbox Series consoles get continued support. And when next generation launches, take your time to decide which platform suits your needs the best. 😉
I agree with Reggie, Xbox is now multi-platform, so they should port more games to Switch 2, especially if they want to increase profitability across all studios. Optimizing games for the Xbox ROG Ally could also help for Switch 2 versions.
Forza Horizon 5, South of Midnight, Sea of Thieves, Grounded 2 would do well on Switch 2. I can imagine though that some games might not be viable from a technical standpoint. Unreal Engine 5 games like the recently announced Halo Remake, Oblivion Remastered and Hellblade 2 could prove to be too difficult to port. Or games which rely on a steady internet connection like MS Flight Simulator.
At least Microsoft should fulfill the promise of bringing Call of Duty to Switch 2.
@Cakefish I can see them advertising a new "1-hand accessibility feature" where you can play Stellar Blade with one hand on your phone, leaving the other hand free for... other things. 😏
@Kramlar Difference is Death Stranding was 5 years old when it came to Xbox. SH2 is only a year old and its still full price on PS5
I guess, those on Xbox who waited over 1 year for the Silent Hill 2 Remake to come to Xbox can wait a few more weeks/months for a discount. The lowest price on PSN for the game was $34.99 in July.
I personally really like Halo 4. It's not as excellent as the Bungie developed Halo games, but it's still a very good Halo game. I liked the story, especially the dynamic between Cortana and the Master Chief. Love the graphics and visuals, hard to believe the Xbox 360 coupd render that. The multiplayer was also quite decent, and spec ops felt like a bonus on top. The Prometheans aren't as interesting as the Flood, that side of Halo felt more like a downgrade.
I loved Halo 5's multiplayer, especially that large-scale Warzone mode, but the story campaign was rather forgettable.
@Markatron84 I understand your point. But the way I see it, at the moment Sony is already giving that treatment to Steam players where they delay PC releases to get players to buy their games on the PlayStation store. They would stop doing that if it hurts their business that much. A proprietary PC launcher would extend the PlayStation platform (including additional active PSN accounts).
Unless, of course, Sony brings out its own PC launcher and makes all of its games exclusive to it. Are the PlayStation higher-ups that stupid? Time will tell. But what I can already tell you is that if they are that stupid, PC players won't stand for it.
@Banjo-
As others have said, this is coming "soon" so it's not related to another PS device. If Sony is considering abandoning Steam and starting its own PC store just to prevent the next Xbox from running Sony's games, an idea worthy of the biggest Sony fanboy's dreams but somehow credible, Sony's going to hit a very thick wall. They would alienate PC players, including those that supported Sony games on Steam.
Abandoning Steam wouldn't be very unwise, based on how many PC gamers reacted when some games became "time exclusive" to the Epic Games Store. But Sony has been already applying a "time exclusivity" to PlayStation published single-player games for 1-2 years on PC like in the case of Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Stellar Blade, Death Stranding 1/2 and God of War Ragnarok. They could continue that practice on Steam and Epic Games Store, and release games day 1 on PC via their own proprietary store/launcher where they earn 100% for 1st party games. Usually the marketing buzz and hype is the highest around the launch of a game, so it makes sense to use that moment to launch on as many devices as possible.
Nexbox can play pc games from steam, gog, epic, etc. So theoretically they're gonna play ps pc ports. Sony is like fcuk that. We'll build our own pc store(..with hookers and slots!) and not allow it to run on the nexbox.
@Sindayl
Console war is over, my butt. The only one saying that is Microsoft, just to shove the fact that their first-party games are going to PS5 down Xbox fans’ throats. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sony pulled another shady move like saying, « This platform is not compatible with the PlayStation PC launcher.» when trying to install it on a future Xbox device.
I don't see how Sony could launch a PC store/launcher which they would block on Windows PC's with an Xbox branding, unless they would restrict their PC launcher to Linux OS.
Also, if Sony releases a PC launcher, why should they block it on an Xbox-branded gaming PC? It's a PC, so blocking the access to the PC launcher would defeat the point of releasing it on PC. Would they block it also on other devices like the Asus Xbox Rog Ally, Lenovo Legion Go and MSI Claw handhelds if they run Windows in the new "Xbox full screen mode"? It just doesn't make sense, especially since Sony earns 100% from their sold 1st party games and 30% from 3rd party games via the launcher and every user would need to create a PSN account to be able to purchase something. They don't profit from selling console hardware, they profit from selling games, so having the launcher on other devices makes a lot of sense business-wise.
Hypothetical question: If Sony could release a storefront on Xbox Series consoles, where they earn 100% from all transactions via that storefront, do you think they would do it or not?
If the label is really meant for PC/console cross-buy releases, then a PC store/launcher might be good if Sony doesn't want Steam and Epic Games Store to get 12-30% per sold game. PC players who buy their games on the PlayStation store would require a PSN account. Such a store might also be available on whatever Microsoft Xbox is creating next.
But of course it would reduce the appeal for PlayStation consoles, as PlayStation games would be available on other devices, maybe even day 1 with the PlayStation console releases.
I bet Sony has several business and data analysts who crunched the numbers, to get to a decision.
Seeing more PlayStation 1st party games published on Xbox would be welcome. Helldivers 2 did quite well apparently. But I wouldn't read to much into this survey, an official statement from the publisher would be better.
@OldGamer999 It's Halloween, it's a weekend (no work). People are looking for horror games and movies. Some Twitch/YouTube streamers will have a Halloween special. Many gaming sites are listing the top horror games for the season. And one of the most successful horror games of the recent years skips the moment. 🤷🏼
If only it where PVE only. I just cannot do extractions shooters with pvp. Had way to many negative experiences in the divisions darkzones. So I won't be experiencing this game.
That's a difficult topic, which also often comes up in games like Sea of Thieves. Some players, who mostly play single player games, might want to play such a game due to its visuals, world, mechanics, but they don't want to engage in PvP.
The problem is (especially in Sea of Thieves), without the PvP part the PvE side becomes fairly predictable and boring. The PvP part is what makes the experience unpredictable and exciting.
The biggest hurdle for new players is to accept that "losing" is part of the intended experience (kind of like in Souls-like games) and each defeat should be an opportunity to learn something new and do better next time.
@TrollOfWar do you really think there is more fans of Dead Space than Silent Hill? Hmm...
Not really honestly. When Dead Space 1 & 2 released, those games had a bigger playerbase than any Silent Hill game, but now thanks to Silent Hill 2 Remake and Silent Hill f the series is more popular than ever. On the other hand the Dead Space franchise seems a bit forgotten, even after the fabulous remake from a few years ago.
My comment was more to deflate the 3rd comment from that troll trying to flame console war debates. 😉
@TheMule1983 True, the Silent Hills fanbase isn't so big compared to Resident Evil or Dead Space, but still it's a good series and one shouldn't downplay it's achievements.
What a huge missed opportunity to not have it release for Halloween on Xbox. Not sure if the Silent Hill 2 Remake can invoke the Christmas spirit when it releases in a month or two.
@themightyant I believe Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond do care about gaming and growing the market and I guess it was Phil's idea to have a cheaper Xbox Series S console to lower the entry price into this generation. But aver since the ABK acquisition they aren't really in charge of making decisions anymore. Those are done on a level above them. I appreciate Phil's "gamer" comments which clearly shows that he cares about gaming, but those comments are often at odds with what the Microsoft corporation is communicating and mandating.
Having some awkward dual boot system where your Xbox library is confined to a deprecated legacy OS that never gets updated whilst all the new games and Steam lives on the Windows side wouldn’t be a very elegant solution at all. One OS, one login (well aside from Steam obviously), all the games seamlessly integrated - that’s the dream!
I think a dual boot OS system would be totally unnecessary, as technically it is already possible to solve it with a translation layer to get Xbox One games running on Windows, and as you mentioned Microsoft would want to avoid that situation where they need to update a legacy OS separately.
Also I wonder what other can of worms they would open with a dual boot system. How much space do they need to reserve on the SSD for both systems? Since a dual boot hybrid system is both a console and a PC, how does licensing of new Xbox Series games work? Are they licensed for a PC or a console? Or will "Play Anywhere" be mandatory for new games going forward and a game license will apply for both the console and PC? What if you bought a "Play Anywhere" game on such a dual boot hybrid devices, can you download it twices (once for the legacy console OS and once for Windows)?
Re: using the XBox One BC solution... I sincerely hope NOT. That only accounts for a small proportion of the Xbox 360 & OG Xbox libraries. From memory this is about 25% for 360 and 6% for OG Xbox. That is not a decent solution. Imagine not being able to play 75% of your series X games on neXtbox... not going to happen.
To be honest, I don't know how Microsoft Xbox is planing to achieve compatibility to Xbox One and Series consoles, but from a technical point of view I think they can achieve it. The hardware and software architecture of Xbox One and Series consoles are closer to modern Windows PCs than the previous Xbox generations, so maybe a translation layer and the compatibility planned with AMD might solve the compatibility of Xbox One and Series games. Some modders already developed a translation layer for Windows, which allows Xbox One games to run on a PC by translating Xbox-specific calls into Windows equivalent, rather than through hardware emulation. If modders can do it then Microsoft developers can also do it. My suggestion for emulation is for the og Xbox and Xbox 360 games. I think those work fine on Xbox One.
But the problematic part is regarding 3rd party licensing, just as it was the case with backward compatibility on Xbor One consoles. 3rd party games where the license owners don't agree with having the game licenses meant for consoles made available to PC for free, might probably not work.
I agree that "Play Anywhere" games is a decent solution going forward, but not good enough for backward compatibility if it doesn't apply to old games.
The other, bigger, challenge for me is that consoles were subsidised as you made the money back through software sales, etc... in the walled garden. MS will be cutting themselves off from a massive revenue stream by opening to steam, epic, gog, etc... that money has to be pulled back from somewhere.
The whole report from Jez the other day felt like they were just saying positive quotes to change the focus. Free online is a brilliant thing, but how many people got merged from gold to GP and only want online play. If that goes free, its more money that will likely be heaped on the cost of the box.
I think the "subsidized console price" business practice only works as long as the people who buy your console also invest in many games, services and licensed peripherals over the years. If, this is just a guess, half of the 30 million Xbox Series console purchases were made by people who only bought 1-2 games and maybe subscribed to GamePass to play games, and maybe bought games they liked on other platforms then Xbox has lost a lot of money on those subsidized consoles. Does the active playerbase spend enough to compensate for the non-active playerbase? Not sure if my thinking is accurate, but I guess Microsoft has the necessary that to see how profitable their Xbox userbase is and it influenced their decision for going multiplatform.
In that sense, if they sell the new hardware at a small profit, then at least they have the hardware and releated licensing costs covered, no matter what the owners plan to do with the device. Microsoft will anyways sell their games on Steam and PlayStation, where more people will buy their games than on Xbox.
But as an avid gamer and consumer this also concerns me, as I don't like how prices are increasing and gaming is becoming less affordable for many people. Gaming should be more accessible for new comers, not harder. This will just push people to mobile and free-to-play games.
@TrollOfWar Emulation is a pretty flawed solution. i.e. Even on the highest-end PCs you can only emulate up to two generations ago (PS3/X360) and even then most games don't work. Xbox One and newer emulation basically doesn't work yet.
I'm thinking more of the solution which is implemented in Xbox One and Series consoles for emulation of Xbox and Xbox 360 games. It uses a combination of emulation and virtual machines to emulate the games. If an Xbox One can run those games, so should more powerful PCs.
Back in June when Xbox and AMD announced their multi-year partnership Sarah Bond mentioned "maintaining compatibility with your existing library of Xbox games". Would be interesting to know what that means for console games compatibility.
As articles on the ROG point out, its absolutely not a console and its frustrating some people who were led to believe it was. Thats a big obstacle to get over and no easy feat once you put PC in the mix as thats part and parcel of it.
True, I think the big problem or challenge for Microsoft is to clearly say what the Xbox is or will be going forward. The "This is an Xbox" ad was an interesting attempt, but didn't quite deliver the message. People still associate "Xbox" with "console".
I think (my opinion) going forward, Microsoft Xbox's gaming future is on Windows PCs. There will be no "hybrid PC console", only gaming PCs with the new Xbox UI trying to emulate the streamlined experience of a gaming console.
The questions are, how much compatibility can they offer to previous console generations, how hassle-free (console-like) will the experience be on those devices and which console features can they migrate to Windows OS (Quick Resume, switching or adding gamer profiles, console peripheries, etc.)? It seems that Windows 11 is the biggest problem at the moment. What will happen if a new Windows (12?) gets released, how will it impact this "Xbox PCs"?
@Smackosynthesis wrong. They compete with other consoles and pcs whether they want to admit it or not
As Microsoft is now releasing all their new games on other consoles and PC store fronts, and deemphasize their own console business, are they still competing with PlayStation, Nintendo and Valve? Or are they business partners now? 😁
Im interested to see how they get a system that plays pc and all xbox games. Windows gaming on the rog couldn't do it. If they use the same line of you get all games because you can stream them then yeah, I dont think thats gonna cut it.
Technically it would be possible to play Xbox console games via emulation. It's already possible to emulate Xbox 360, PS3 and Switch games with unlicensed emulators on the Xbox Rog Ally X.
Microsoft managed to add backward compatibility emulation to the Xbox One after launch. Maybe (or hopefully) they will do the same for these Windows-based gaming handhelds, at least to the same degree as it's the case on Xbox One & Series consoles.
One needs to consider that Microsoft or Xbox isn't just a console platform anymore. This comment doesn't come from the perspective of a platform holder, it's from the perspective of the largest gaming publisher, it's from the perspective of the Call of Duty & World of Warcraft publisher.
Thinking with Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo and in general live-services in mind, these games trained us to expect ongoing fresh content. These games fail without a steady supply of new content (like for example the Halo Infinite multiplayer). But TikTok, YouTube, Instagram are not constrained by the resources of the platform owners, as fresh, new content is being created by the users, which is much more captivating than what a live-service game can offer. Microsoft basically needs their own platform for user-generated-content with a huge social impact, kind of like "Roblox".
One needs to consider that Microsoft or Xbox isn't just a console platform anymore. This comment doesn't come from the perspective of a platform holder, it's from the perspective of the largest gaming publisher, it's from the perspective of the Call of Duty & World of Warcraft publisher.
Thinking Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo and in general live-services, these games trained us to expect ongoing fresh content. These games fail without new content. But TikTok, YouTube, Instagram are not constrained by the resources of the owners, as fresh, new content is being created by the users, which is much more captivating than what a live-service game can offer. Microsoft basically needs their own Roblox experience.
@themightyant There surely must be some incentive for 3rd party publishers to support "Play Anywhere", otherwise noone apart of Microsoft 1st party would support it.
I think the original Halo CE 2001 multiplayer mode wouldn't compare favorably today's standards. 24 years ago it was great, because there was no better alternatives on console. But times have changed and there's plenty of alternatives. It would require a bigger overhaul than this UE5 re-skin of the campaign.
IMO a UE5 remake or simple re-release of the Halo Infinite multiplayer mode would be better.
@Netret0120 In my opinion people should be able to play games on their preferred platform. Not be held hostage on a console via exclusives. Either way Microsoft will earn money, no matter where you play. 😉
I'm good with this "Halo: Campaign Evolved" game releasing on also on PS5, next to Xbox and PC. The 4-player cross-platfrom coop sounds awesome. I actually agree with @BacklogBrad & @Bobarino that Halo Infinite (and maybe MCC) should release on PS5 as well. I have some PS5-only friends (one of them was a big Halo fan during the og Xbox era) and having a Halo multiplayer game to connect again would be great for us. Maybe a PS5 release of Infinite and a good sales numbers might have made some campaign DLC expansion and a satisfying story closure possible.
But what I don't like about this new "Halo 1 remake", based on the released footage, it's that it is again basically a re-skin of Halo 1, even though we already have the Halo Anniversary Edition. It has the exact same level layout, same enemy and item placements, same mechanics as Halo 1, only with the addition of a sprint. For veteran Halo players this isn't a new experience. Also while Unreal Engine 5 looks awesome at a glance, the shown footage was stuttering badly in motion. I hope they can fix the stuttering somehow.
Kind of dumb that the download for the Server Slam beta was only made available as the beta timeframe started, as it didn't give people time to download it before and be ready when it starts. I checked the store earlier today and couldn't find it.
I guess my biggest question is, if I can get the experience of the ROG Xbox Ally X with the older ROG Ally (with the Z1 Extreme chip), some 3rd party handles on a case and manually installing the Xbox full screen experience for around half the price of this new Ally X?
Also it sounds like Polygon were giving their opinion about Microsoft's current gaming practices rather than their subjective opinion on the device.
Just a few questions:
1. How exactly does it feel to navigate Steam or Epic Games Stores? Is it comparable to the Xbox store?
2. How fluent is the experience when switching games? Is there anything like Quick Resume, or do you manually have to close games? Do cloud saves load automatically for "Xbox Anywhere" games?
3. Do games have some default graphic presets for the device and did you have to tinker around a lot to find your preferred settings?
4. Can you see your Xbox friend list, send them messages and have calls?
5. Do you get to see your achievements and how does it work for non-Xbox (Steam & Epic Store) games?
6. Did you connect the device to a TV or an external monitor with a wireless controller or mouse connected? If yes, how was the experience? Is it a good alternative to a Xbox Series S or a low budget PC?
@BAMozzy That's why I like the retro Evecade platform so much. You buy the games on cartridges and you can start playing, once you put them into your device (console or handheld), without needing to download/install anything. Evercade truly has that old-school media experience including a hard case for cartridges and manuals with meaningful content.
Comments 350
Re: Reaction: As Gran Turismo 7 Gets A Major 2025 Expansion, Forza Motorsport Deserved More
@Balaam_
While Gran Turismo is definitely the better track racing series now, I think there is room for both Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport and they could learn from one another.
In my opinion the problems with the most recent Forza Motorsport game is that it launched with less content than previous titles, the gameplay changes ("CarPG") didn't click with the playerbase, the visual improvements aren't that big and it still has an identity crisis regarding the target audience (casual players vs. sim-cade fans), as seen with the less optimal support of racing wheels (controller players are oftentimes faster, wheel force feedback is inaccurate), questionable penalty system in online modes and no qualifying in the single-player career mode.
I enjoyed FM3 and FM7 a lot, but after having played Project CARS with a racing wheel for several dozens of hours, I feel like the recent Forza Motorsport should have been much better.
Re: Sony's Purchase Of Former Xbox Studio Bungie Isn't Exactly Going To Plan
@fatpunkslim
I wouldn't call Microsoft Xbox's actions just "a few bumps", with 5 or so closed or spun off studios, several cancelled games (Perfect Dark, Everwild, Contraband, Blackbird), price increases for hardware and subscriptions, and thousands of layed off people since the ABK acquisition.
Re: Sony's Purchase Of Former Xbox Studio Bungie Isn't Exactly Going To Plan
@dskatter Personally I haven't played the original Marathon games from the 90s, but I guess for fans of the original games, this new multiplayer-only game is a letdown. I actually really like the aesthetic design and the grim sci-fi setting of this new Marathon, but I am not quite sold on the multiplayer-only experience and even as part of the beta feedback I expressed my desire for a single-player campaign.
Re: Sony's Purchase Of Former Xbox Studio Bungie Isn't Exactly Going To Plan
@dskatter I played the Marathon beta a few weeks ago, I'm of course not allowed to talk about it due to an NDA, but it's not a terrible game. The problem is that it's not what people want Bungie to make, it doesn't have a mainstream appeal and at this point Marathon doesn't seem to have that "genre defining" impact Halo and Destiny had.
Re: Sony's Purchase Of Former Xbox Studio Bungie Isn't Exactly Going To Plan
It seems like Bungie had no good plan what to do after Destiny 2 ends. Marathon as a PvPvE extraction shooter feels kind of like a filler until the next big game (probably Destiny 3) comes along. But that plan doesn't roll with a publicly traded parent company which expects a steady growth and a return of investment.
Re: Poll: Now That The Dust Has Settled, Which Xbox Game Pass Tier Are You Subscribed To?
Personally I'll switch to Essential, my backlog is way too large to care about new releases on GamePass.
But regarding the GamePass price increase, people should compare the price plans to other subscription services (especially ad-free) like Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max and of course PS Plus and see how GamePass compares. I was shocked to see Netflix Premium costing 20 Euros per month.
Re: Helldivers 2 Is Doing 'Extremely Well', Thanks In Part To 'Attracting New Users On Xbox'
Hopefully the successful release of Helldivers 2 on Xbox will result in more PlayStation games releasing on Xbox.
Re: Ex-Nintendo Boss: Xbox Isn't 'Directly' Competing Anymore, But There'll Always Be A War
@Fiendish-Beaver Thank you for sharing your gaming history. I see your an enthusiastic Xbox gamer. Personally I also prefer playing on Xbox, though I owned some PlayStation and Nintendo devices over the years. But I don't want to worry too much about what is out of my control.
I believe the "next Xbox" might potentially be what you already have as your gaming PC. I can see Microsoft trying to transfer as many Xbox features as possible to Windows, including some form of compatibility to old Xbox console games.
Re: Former Nintendo President 'Surprised' That Xbox Hasn't 'Fully Embraced' Switch 2
@Dm9982 Maybe Epic can create a more lightweight version of Lumen for gaming handheld devices such as Switch 2. I don't think older games would get ported to a new UE5 version, but at least future releases could benefit from it.
Re: Ex-Nintendo Boss: Xbox Isn't 'Directly' Competing Anymore, But There'll Always Be A War
@Fiendish-Beaver We'll see in due time how the Xbox hardware side will evolve. My advice is not to care too much what will be in the future. Enjoy what you currently have, Xbox Series consoles get continued support. And when next generation launches, take your time to decide which platform suits your needs the best. 😉
Re: Ex-Nintendo Boss: Xbox Isn't 'Directly' Competing Anymore, But There'll Always Be A War
Re: Former Nintendo President 'Surprised' That Xbox Hasn't 'Fully Embraced' Switch 2
I agree with Reggie, Xbox is now multi-platform, so they should port more games to Switch 2, especially if they want to increase profitability across all studios. Optimizing games for the Xbox ROG Ally could also help for Switch 2 versions.
Forza Horizon 5, South of Midnight, Sea of Thieves, Grounded 2 would do well on Switch 2. I can imagine though that some games might not be viable from a technical standpoint. Unreal Engine 5 games like the recently announced Halo Remake, Oblivion Remastered and Hellblade 2 could prove to be too difficult to port. Or games which rely on a steady internet connection like MS Flight Simulator.
At least Microsoft should fulfill the promise of bringing Call of Duty to Switch 2.
Re: Hit PS5 Exclusive Stellar Blade May Be On The Way To Xbox In The Near Future
@Cakefish I can see them advertising a new "1-hand accessibility feature" where you can play Stellar Blade with one hand on your phone, leaving the other hand free for... other things. 😏
Re: Hit PS5 Exclusive Stellar Blade May Be On The Way To Xbox In The Near Future
They are definitely talking about an Apple iOS release. 😁
Jokes aside, it would do well on Xbox. The question is if PlayStation would publish the game like they did on other platforms or someone else?
Re: Xbox Store Accidentally Leaks November Release Date For Silent Hill 2
@DennisReynolds
I guess, those on Xbox who waited over 1 year for the Silent Hill 2 Remake to come to Xbox can wait a few more weeks/months for a discount. The lowest price on PSN for the game was $34.99 in July.
Re: Talking Point: Exactly 13 Years Later, How Are You Feeling About Halo 4 These Days?
I personally really like Halo 4. It's not as excellent as the Bungie developed Halo games, but it's still a very good Halo game. I liked the story, especially the dynamic between Cortana and the Master Chief. Love the graphics and visuals, hard to believe the Xbox 360 coupd render that. The multiplayer was also quite decent, and spec ops felt like a bonus on top. The Prometheans aren't as interesting as the Flood, that side of Halo felt more like a downgrade.
I loved Halo 5's multiplayer, especially that large-scale Warzone mode, but the story campaign was rather forgettable.
Re: Sony May Be Preparing Its Own Version Of Xbox Play Anywhere For PS5 & PC
@Markatron84 I understand your point. But the way I see it, at the moment Sony is already giving that treatment to Steam players where they delay PC releases to get players to buy their games on the PlayStation store. They would stop doing that if it hurts their business that much. A proprietary PC launcher would extend the PlayStation platform (including additional active PSN accounts).
Re: Sony May Be Preparing Its Own Version Of Xbox Play Anywhere For PS5 & PC
@themightyant
I can only imagine what shareholders would say if Sony would intentionally block their own launcher on Xbox branded devices.
😄
Re: Sony May Be Preparing Its Own Version Of Xbox Play Anywhere For PS5 & PC
@Markatron84
@Banjo-
Abandoning Steam wouldn't be very unwise, based on how many PC gamers reacted when some games became "time exclusive" to the Epic Games Store. But Sony has been already applying a "time exclusivity" to PlayStation published single-player games for 1-2 years on PC like in the case of Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Stellar Blade, Death Stranding 1/2 and God of War Ragnarok. They could continue that practice on Steam and Epic Games Store, and release games day 1 on PC via their own proprietary store/launcher where they earn 100% for 1st party games. Usually the marketing buzz and hype is the highest around the launch of a game, so it makes sense to use that moment to launch on as many devices as possible.
Re: Sony May Be Preparing Its Own Version Of Xbox Play Anywhere For PS5 & PC
@VeganH
@Sindayl
I don't see how Sony could launch a PC store/launcher which they would block on Windows PC's with an Xbox branding, unless they would restrict their PC launcher to Linux OS.
Also, if Sony releases a PC launcher, why should they block it on an Xbox-branded gaming PC? It's a PC, so blocking the access to the PC launcher would defeat the point of releasing it on PC. Would they block it also on other devices like the Asus Xbox Rog Ally, Lenovo Legion Go and MSI Claw handhelds if they run Windows in the new "Xbox full screen mode"? It just doesn't make sense, especially since Sony earns 100% from their sold 1st party games and 30% from 3rd party games via the launcher and every user would need to create a PSN account to be able to purchase something. They don't profit from selling console hardware, they profit from selling games, so having the launcher on other devices makes a lot of sense business-wise.
Hypothetical question: If Sony could release a storefront on Xbox Series consoles, where they earn 100% from all transactions via that storefront, do you think they would do it or not?
Re: Sony May Be Preparing Its Own Version Of Xbox Play Anywhere For PS5 & PC
If the label is really meant for PC/console cross-buy releases, then a PC store/launcher might be good if Sony doesn't want Steam and Epic Games Store to get 12-30% per sold game. PC players who buy their games on the PlayStation store would require a PSN account. Such a store might also be available on whatever Microsoft Xbox is creating next.
But of course it would reduce the appeal for PlayStation consoles, as PlayStation games would be available on other devices, maybe even day 1 with the PlayStation console releases.
I bet Sony has several business and data analysts who crunched the numbers, to get to a decision.
Re: Xbox Is Questioning Fans About PS5 Game 'Ghost Of Yotei' In New Survey
Seeing more PlayStation 1st party games published on Xbox would be welcome. Helldivers 2 did quite well apparently. But I wouldn't read to much into this survey, an official statement from the publisher would be better.
Re: Silent Hill 2 Remake Has Been Rated For Xbox Series X|S In The US
@OldGamer999 It's Halloween, it's a weekend (no work). People are looking for horror games and movies. Some Twitch/YouTube streamers will have a Halloween special. Many gaming sites are listing the top horror games for the season. And one of the most successful horror games of the recent years skips the moment. 🤷🏼
Re: Opinion: ARC Raiders Is One Of The Most Visually Impressive Multiplayer Games I've Ever Played
@Simu001
That's a difficult topic, which also often comes up in games like Sea of Thieves. Some players, who mostly play single player games, might want to play such a game due to its visuals, world, mechanics, but they don't want to engage in PvP.
The problem is (especially in Sea of Thieves), without the PvP part the PvE side becomes fairly predictable and boring. The PvP part is what makes the experience unpredictable and exciting.
The biggest hurdle for new players is to accept that "losing" is part of the intended experience (kind of like in Souls-like games) and each defeat should be an opportunity to learn something new and do better next time.
Re: Silent Hill 2 Remake Has Been Rated For Xbox Series X|S In The US
@DeadSpace
Not really honestly. When Dead Space 1 & 2 released, those games had a bigger playerbase than any Silent Hill game, but now thanks to Silent Hill 2 Remake and Silent Hill f the series is more popular than ever. On the other hand the Dead Space franchise seems a bit forgotten, even after the fabulous remake from a few years ago.
My comment was more to deflate the 3rd comment from that troll trying to flame console war debates. 😉
Re: Silent Hill 2 Remake Has Been Rated For Xbox Series X|S In The US
@TheMule1983 True, the Silent Hills fanbase isn't so big compared to Resident Evil or Dead Space, but still it's a good series and one shouldn't downplay it's achievements.
Re: Silent Hill 2 Remake Has Been Rated For Xbox Series X|S In The US
@Lup Lowest price on PSN $34.99
Re: Silent Hill 2 Remake Has Been Rated For Xbox Series X|S In The US
What a huge missed opportunity to not have it release for Halloween on Xbox. Not sure if the Silent Hill 2 Remake can invoke the Christmas spirit when it releases in a month or two.
Re: Opinion: ARC Raiders Is One Of The Most Visually Impressive Multiplayer Games I've Ever Played
@ElPadre666 It ran quite well in the "server slam" beta a week ago. 60fps on Xbox Series X.
Re: Microsoft CEO Says Xbox 'Wants To Innovate' With Its Next-Gen Console
@themightyant I believe Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond do care about gaming and growing the market and I guess it was Phil's idea to have a cheaper Xbox Series S console to lower the entry price into this generation. But aver since the ABK acquisition they aren't really in charge of making decisions anymore. Those are done on a level above them. I appreciate Phil's "gamer" comments which clearly shows that he cares about gaming, but those comments are often at odds with what the Microsoft corporation is communicating and mandating.
Re: Microsoft CEO Says Xbox 'Wants To Innovate' With Its Next-Gen Console
@Cakefish
I think a dual boot OS system would be totally unnecessary, as technically it is already possible to solve it with a translation layer to get Xbox One games running on Windows, and as you mentioned Microsoft would want to avoid that situation where they need to update a legacy OS separately.
Also I wonder what other can of worms they would open with a dual boot system. How much space do they need to reserve on the SSD for both systems? Since a dual boot hybrid system is both a console and a PC, how does licensing of new Xbox Series games work? Are they licensed for a PC or a console? Or will "Play Anywhere" be mandatory for new games going forward and a game license will apply for both the console and PC? What if you bought a "Play Anywhere" game on such a dual boot hybrid devices, can you download it twices (once for the legacy console OS and once for Windows)?
Re: Microsoft CEO Says Xbox 'Wants To Innovate' With Its Next-Gen Console
@themightyant
To be honest, I don't know how Microsoft Xbox is planing to achieve compatibility to Xbox One and Series consoles, but from a technical point of view I think they can achieve it. The hardware and software architecture of Xbox One and Series consoles are closer to modern Windows PCs than the previous Xbox generations, so maybe a translation layer and the compatibility planned with AMD might solve the compatibility of Xbox One and Series games. Some modders already developed a translation layer for Windows, which allows Xbox One games to run on a PC by translating Xbox-specific calls into Windows equivalent, rather than through hardware emulation. If modders can do it then Microsoft developers can also do it. My suggestion for emulation is for the og Xbox and Xbox 360 games. I think those work fine on Xbox One.
But the problematic part is regarding 3rd party licensing, just as it was the case with backward compatibility on Xbor One consoles. 3rd party games where the license owners don't agree with having the game licenses meant for consoles made available to PC for free, might probably not work.
I agree that "Play Anywhere" games is a decent solution going forward, but not good enough for backward compatibility if it doesn't apply to old games.
Re: Microsoft CEO Says Xbox 'Wants To Innovate' With Its Next-Gen Console
@Weebleman
I think the "subsidized console price" business practice only works as long as the people who buy your console also invest in many games, services and licensed peripherals over the years. If, this is just a guess, half of the 30 million Xbox Series console purchases were made by people who only bought 1-2 games and maybe subscribed to GamePass to play games, and maybe bought games they liked on other platforms then Xbox has lost a lot of money on those subsidized consoles. Does the active playerbase spend enough to compensate for the non-active playerbase? Not sure if my thinking is accurate, but I guess Microsoft has the necessary that to see how profitable their Xbox userbase is and it influenced their decision for going multiplatform.
In that sense, if they sell the new hardware at a small profit, then at least they have the hardware and releated licensing costs covered, no matter what the owners plan to do with the device. Microsoft will anyways sell their games on Steam and PlayStation, where more people will buy their games than on Xbox.
But as an avid gamer and consumer this also concerns me, as I don't like how prices are increasing and gaming is becoming less affordable for many people. Gaming should be more accessible for new comers, not harder. This will just push people to mobile and free-to-play games.
Re: Microsoft CEO Says Xbox 'Wants To Innovate' With Its Next-Gen Console
@themightyant
I'm thinking more of the solution which is implemented in Xbox One and Series consoles for emulation of Xbox and Xbox 360 games. It uses a combination of emulation and virtual machines to emulate the games. If an Xbox One can run those games, so should more powerful PCs.
Back in June when Xbox and AMD announced their multi-year partnership Sarah Bond mentioned "maintaining compatibility with your existing library of Xbox games". Would be interesting to know what that means for console games compatibility.
Re: Microsoft CEO Says Xbox 'Wants To Innovate' With Its Next-Gen Console
@Weebleman
True, I think the big problem or challenge for Microsoft is to clearly say what the Xbox is or will be going forward. The "This is an Xbox" ad was an interesting attempt, but didn't quite deliver the message. People still associate "Xbox" with "console".
I think (my opinion) going forward, Microsoft Xbox's gaming future is on Windows PCs. There will be no "hybrid PC console", only gaming PCs with the new Xbox UI trying to emulate the streamlined experience of a gaming console.
The questions are, how much compatibility can they offer to previous console generations, how hassle-free (console-like) will the experience be on those devices and which console features can they migrate to Windows OS (Quick Resume, switching or adding gamer profiles, console peripheries, etc.)? It seems that Windows 11 is the biggest problem at the moment. What will happen if a new Windows (12?) gets released, how will it impact this "Xbox PCs"?
Re: Microsoft CEO Says Xbox 'Wants To Innovate' With Its Next-Gen Console
@TheMule1983
As Microsoft is now releasing all their new games on other consoles and PC store fronts, and deemphasize their own console business, are they still competing with PlayStation, Nintendo and Valve? Or are they business partners now? 😁
Re: Microsoft CEO Says Xbox 'Wants To Innovate' With Its Next-Gen Console
@Weebleman
Technically it would be possible to play Xbox console games via emulation. It's already possible to emulate Xbox 360, PS3 and Switch games with unlicensed emulators on the Xbox Rog Ally X.
Microsoft managed to add backward compatibility emulation to the Xbox One after launch. Maybe (or hopefully) they will do the same for these Windows-based gaming handhelds, at least to the same degree as it's the case on Xbox One & Series consoles.
Re: Microsoft CEO Says Xbox 'Wants To Innovate' With Its Next-Gen Console
One needs to consider that Microsoft or Xbox isn't just a console platform anymore. This comment doesn't come from the perspective of a platform holder, it's from the perspective of the largest gaming publisher, it's from the perspective of the Call of Duty & World of Warcraft publisher.
Thinking with Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo and in general live-services in mind, these games trained us to expect ongoing fresh content. These games fail without a steady supply of new content (like for example the Halo Infinite multiplayer). But TikTok, YouTube, Instagram are not constrained by the resources of the platform owners, as fresh, new content is being created by the users, which is much more captivating than what a live-service game can offer. Microsoft basically needs their own platform for user-generated-content with a huge social impact, kind of like "Roblox".
At least that's how I understand this topic.
Re: Microsoft CEO Says Xbox 'Wants To Innovate' With Its Next-Gen Console
They all want to innovate... But can't because innovation is risky. They have shareholders to appease.
Re: Xbox Has More Competition From TikTok Than PlayStation, Claims Microsoft Exec
One needs to consider that Microsoft or Xbox isn't just a console platform anymore. This comment doesn't come from the perspective of a platform holder, it's from the perspective of the largest gaming publisher, it's from the perspective of the Call of Duty & World of Warcraft publisher.
Thinking Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo and in general live-services, these games trained us to expect ongoing fresh content. These games fail without new content. But TikTok, YouTube, Instagram are not constrained by the resources of the owners, as fresh, new content is being created by the users, which is much more captivating than what a live-service game can offer. Microsoft basically needs their own Roblox experience.
At least that's how I understand this topic.
Re: Xbox Journalist Says Microsoft Has Another Showcase Planned For November 2025
@themightyant There surely must be some incentive for 3rd party publishers to support "Play Anywhere", otherwise noone apart of Microsoft 1st party would support it.
Re: Halo Studios Gives Reason For Dropping PvP Multiplayer In Campaign Evolved
I think the original Halo CE 2001 multiplayer mode wouldn't compare favorably today's standards. 24 years ago it was great, because there was no better alternatives on console. But times have changed and there's plenty of alternatives. It would require a bigger overhaul than this UE5 re-skin of the campaign.
IMO a UE5 remake or simple re-release of the Halo Infinite multiplayer mode would be better.
Re: Talking Point: How Do You Feel About Halo: Campaign Evolved Launching Day One On PS5?
@Netret0120 In my opinion people should be able to play games on their preferred platform. Not be held hostage on a console via exclusives. Either way Microsoft will earn money, no matter where you play. 😉
Re: Talking Point: How Do You Feel About Halo: Campaign Evolved Launching Day One On PS5?
I'm good with this "Halo: Campaign Evolved" game releasing on also on PS5, next to Xbox and PC. The 4-player cross-platfrom coop sounds awesome. I actually agree with @BacklogBrad & @Bobarino that Halo Infinite (and maybe MCC) should release on PS5 as well. I have some PS5-only friends (one of them was a big Halo fan during the og Xbox era) and having a Halo multiplayer game to connect again would be great for us. Maybe a PS5 release of Infinite and a good sales numbers might have made some campaign DLC expansion and a satisfying story closure possible.
But what I don't like about this new "Halo 1 remake", based on the released footage, it's that it is again basically a re-skin of Halo 1, even though we already have the Halo Anniversary Edition. It has the exact same level layout, same enemy and item placements, same mechanics as Halo 1, only with the addition of a sprint. For veteran Halo players this isn't a new experience. Also while Unreal Engine 5 looks awesome at a glance, the shown footage was stuttering badly in motion. I hope they can fix the stuttering somehow.
Re: Xbox President Explains Why Microsoft Ditched Its First-Party Handheld
I guess Sony could also partner with Asus and create a ROG PlayStation Ally Pro. 🤔
Re: ARC Raiders Server Slam: How To Download The Open Beta & What To Expect On Xbox
Kind of dumb that the download for the Server Slam beta was only made available as the beta timeframe started, as it didn't give people time to download it before and be ready when it starts. I checked the store earlier today and couldn't find it.
Re: Here's What The Reviews Are Saying About The ROG Xbox Ally
I guess my biggest question is, if I can get the experience of the ROG Xbox Ally X with the older ROG Ally (with the Z1 Extreme chip), some 3rd party handles on a case and manually installing the Xbox full screen experience for around half the price of this new Ally X?
Also it sounds like Polygon were giving their opinion about Microsoft's current gaming practices rather than their subjective opinion on the device.
Re: Review: ROG Xbox Ally X - An Amazing Handheld PC With Plenty Of Console-Like Potential
@FraserG Thank you for the review.
Just a few questions:
1. How exactly does it feel to navigate Steam or Epic Games Stores? Is it comparable to the Xbox store?
2. How fluent is the experience when switching games? Is there anything like Quick Resume, or do you manually have to close games? Do cloud saves load automatically for "Xbox Anywhere" games?
3. Do games have some default graphic presets for the device and did you have to tinker around a lot to find your preferred settings?
4. Can you see your Xbox friend list, send them messages and have calls?
5. Do you get to see your achievements and how does it work for non-Xbox (Steam & Epic Store) games?
6. Did you connect the device to a TV or an external monitor with a wireless controller or mouse connected? If yes, how was the experience? Is it a good alternative to a Xbox Series S or a low budget PC?
Thanks in advance.
Re: AMD's Partnership On PS6 Will Benefit 'Every Gaming Platform', Says General Manager
"PS6, this is an Xbox" 😄
Re: UK Retailer Tests Oblivion Remastered To See If It Plays Off The Disc (Xbox & PS5)
@BAMozzy That's why I like the retro Evecade platform so much. You buy the games on cartridges and you can start playing, once you put them into your device (console or handheld), without needing to download/install anything. Evercade truly has that old-school media experience including a hard case for cartridges and manuals with meaningful content.