Vaako007

@NeoRatt it’s a joke that MS isn’t using its own IP engine for its flagship brand Halo. Instead they opted for the cheap Toyota Camry engine for the sake of margins. Bespoke engines for a specific game are always better.

@Questionable_Duck nah Sony doesn’t have to do this just because MS decided to make more money because of subsidized gamepass not working as planned. Sony will hold it cards as exclusives still matter. And even more so now as the next Xbox increases its library due to the hybrid PC model. So Sony has to lure people into its hardware which will be weaker. So they have their work cut out for them. And they cannot afford to do what MS has done by being 3rd party due to their market position since Xbox one. It should be interesting next generation between Sony and MS.

@BacklogBrad well they wanted to go all in on the common class Toyota Corolla unreal engine. So I see this as a proof of concept that they can use this common class engine going forward. A shame really.

A console with a lot of overhead sounds good to me. Especially about the rumors of how the next Xbox will be a hybrid. MS could really make things more interesting by making the next Xbox slightly more expensive than the PS6 then raising windows by 0.01$ to make up on the backend. Then actually advertising their offerings for real unlike how they treated the series consoles. Will force Sony and Nintendo to be really innovative. It will be good for all.

@stuie123 even so console gaming is still cheap compared to inflation. People expecting 300$-400$ consoles with 50$ games are mistaken. As people make more money and the industry is more expensive. Gaming has always been a luxury. At least those that opt for the Xbox will get hardware that will have more overhead compared to the PS6. As it won’t be until a PS6 pro comes out that it may be able to get close to the next Xbox assuming rumors are true. Besides the current generation consoles will be available for the foreseeable future.

@SalaciousCrumb as long as the next Xbox is powerful like they say then I’m okay with high prices. As honestly gaming hasn’t kept up with the price of inflation. People still expect 300$ to 400$ consoles and 50$ games. Despite making more money even with inflation. Gaming is a vanity hobby at the end of the day. People that work in the industry need compensation too just like you and I. Even as a young lad consoles were expensive for my parents to buy and it was a big deal to have one. Still the same now.

@themightyant subsidized gamepass is still cheap. I don’t see why people complain about it. One can play nearly any new game on it and doesn’t haven’t to buy new games. I don’t care for the service as I buy real physical when possible. But it’s a great subscription service for consumers. Even if it was 70$ a month it would still be a steal. As some people buy one new game a month. People just want free free free and more free.

@fatpunkslim yes it will be easier for PC game developers. One less game version to specifically develop for is beneficial. Sony and Nintendo will still do what they do. Which is fine in my opinion. More competition is better and MS has added many good contributions to the gaming industry.
It will be interesting how MS will price this. They should price it as near the PS6 as possible. Make up the money over the generation.

Then lastly actually advertise Xbox worldwide!! MS is a rich company. Makes no sense how weak their marketing has been for the series consoles post launch.

@fatpunkslim i hope that it will b allow for a removable disc drive to be added on. Also I hope that they don’t release a new SOC every few years and treat it as a console for several years. That way console game developer have ample time to make optimized games for it.

@AhabSpampurse these are vanity goods at the end of the day. Also semiconductors are almost all made in one of two countries. The west has itself to blame.

@WildConcept6 Sony will keep a tighter LID on its IPs. MS only opened up and created subsidized gamepass as it is due to its position since Xbox one. MS’s investors wanted revenue. Across gaming, studios need to manage their budgets more like previous eras. Exclusives are still profitable. Console hardware is more important to Sony than it is MS. So they will continue to provide a reason for one to get a PS. Like I said MS adapted to their position in the console space and Xbox is a subsidiary of MS. Sony and Nintendo will manage their IPs better.

@Nintendo4Sonic agreed mate. I only buy real physical when possible. Fortunately I still have all of my Xbox 360 discs. But still I have a series X and want first party MS games fully on discs.

@Medic_alert MS just needs to raise the price by windows by one cent for each respective currency and keep Xbox proprietary for another generation. Xbox isn’t a stand alone gaming entity like SEGA whom had to leave the console market nor like Nintendo. I do hope we can get another console generation from Xbox that is an Xbox. With the ethos from the Xbox 360 era. This is what I really want. As competition is what pushes innovation and MS had people whom loved gaming in charge during the X360 era. Which forced Nintendo and Sony to be innovative too. MS can do it they have the leverage and many talented engineers.

@BAMozzy unfortunately the global market isn’t even strong for Xbox outside of the Anglo countries due to Microsoft’s lack of marketing this generation for the series consoles. So in reality we are only talking USA and the commonwealth countries plus maybe Japan for Xbox branded handhelds. So even more of a niche product than a steam deck perhaps. Maybe it will surprise everyone just like the streaming only PS portal did.

I don’t feel that my series X has even been used at all! Whatever they plan for next I still hope that they at least try to convince me to get an Xbox with exclusive experiences plus unique software. Otherwise, I’m stopping at series X.

@fatpunkslim will be tough. As people of the world didn’t want to pay for series consoles which are a great deal for a consumers with subsidized gamepass. It will be a tough sell for a more expensive hybrid PC box console. Families will likely still flock to PS. And Xbox will become more niche even if the hardware is better as it will cost more. And since Xbox is a huge publisher they might not spend as much time optimizing their PC Xbox’s. Instead just relying on the huge power overhead to make up for the time needed to optimize a weaker PS6.

@SMJ and that won’t lure people in to buy more expensive outsourced hardware that isn’t optimized. People did rush out to buy the series consoles which were a great value before the price hikes. I just don’t see how outsourced hardware will be successful outside of a few super fans.

As it stands now whatever Xbox is released next, I don’t feel confident buying one. Seeing as how everything will be available on PlayStation. I don’t know whah they will do to keep those of us on the platform who have been there since the first Xbox.

@Valhura subsidized gamepass could be 70 dollars which is the cost of a new game. It would still be a great deal for consumers IMO.

@fatpunkslim don’t be surprised if E-day goes day 1 on PlayStation. As the suits at MS know that the PS fan base actually buys games. MS tied its hands with its subsidized gamepass service by going day 1 for everything they own. I’m still disappointed that gears 1 is going to PS. It was a staple IP during the great X360/PS3 generation. Gears 1 going to PlayStation is to generate excitement about the IP which seriously leads me to believe E-day will be out the same time as day 1 subsidized gamepass.

@NeoRatt families and young lads worldwide will still covet a PlayStation. The more separation from these mega corporations the better. I support each having their own bespoke hardware. It will be a tough sell for MS worldwide to push its Xbox PC as it was a super struggle to push the good value Series S console. I’m surprised it took MS this long to make a hybrid PC Xbox but they still have their work cut out for them. As the PC base isn’t the console or mobile phone base. PC gamers are mostly folks that are 18+ and have a real job. So there will always be a demand for a console device that goes under one’s TV. If MS kept most of the Xbox games as exclusive this hybrid device would be more alluring to me. As it stands now, I’ll just get a PS6 pro whenever it comes out. And I’ve had an Xbox since the beginning so I’m not a hater. I just appreciate brand identity.

Massive overreach and about controlling the narrative. Meanwhile schools don’t exactly teach what many normal people would agree with in these modern Anglo lands.

I like the Perfect Dark IP! Perfect dark zero was great. I’m Glad this one got canceled as judging by the trailer and character design I wasn’t interested. Hopefully in a few years it will be made when there is a different ethos at Xbox gaming internally. Same for all of Xbox! There is so much potential among the entity.

The Xbox crowd isn’t so into these JRPG SE games as the PlayStation base which made these games famous. So no surprise here. I’m sure if it was on subsidized game pass it would have more engagement. SE should have known it would not be a hit if they did their homework on the base so that their expectations would be kept in check. But it’s SE and they weren’t happy with how much it sold on PS which is ridiculous.

@Fiendish-Beaver first point isn’t true. The Xbox crowd historically isn’t fond of these SE JRPGs. They should remain on PlayStation which cater historically to those whom like East Asian style fantasy. By your logic Microsoft’s “old” forza horizon 5 should have failed on PlayStation which doesn’t have subsidized game pass. But! Horizon sold so well at full price despite being old.

Translation! It will be special for the Xbox subsidiary of MS which is essentially a third party publisher. With a good cash flow from the PlayStation, Nintendo and steam fanbases whom buy games.

@endlessleep yup and we already see how lazy developers are in regard to the series x this generation. Since it’s stronger than the PS5 they just get it running on the console since PS5 is the lead console. No matter how powerful the next Xbox is, developers will still be lazy with it I expect. It’s up the MS to leverage its hardware with all of their 1st party studios.

@Kaloudz it’s a fair price considering how much inflation has gone on the past 2.5 decades.

@OldGamer999 for profit companies don’t have to share their IPs. As from Sony and nintendos perspective they want people using their mediums. Microsoft has decided to adapt as post Xbox one they haven’t been doing well hardware wise outside of the anglosphere. Had they been number one worldwide since Xbox one, subsidized gamepass wouldn’t be as it is today. It would be Sony that would have to innovate. I don’t understand this modern mindset of sharing is caring. Not how businesses work.

No surprise really as MS has gone down the publisher route. It would be the same story if they bought EA or Ubisoft. The story would read the same. As Xbox is essentially a publisher now which just so happens to sell hardware. I don’t know why people are so impressed with these numbers. The PS and steam bases still mostly buy games, in which MS owns now some very popular Established IPs. MS needs the other bases to buy their games so subsidized game pass can continue to be a great value on Xbox hardware. I’m not hating on them. Just saying it’s nothing to really special to see here. It would be similar if the Toyota corporation acquired the Volkswagen automotive group. Then brags about how much more revenue Toyota brings in now due to established brands its would own in this hypothetical situation. But here we are MS adapted their strategy because they had to.

Now with all of these studios just please make a few Xbox only experiences so that I can want an Xbox Prime or whatever it will be called.

@Fiddleroyolanda most publishers still put the full game on a disc. MS’s Xbox studios have been among the first to do this practice. With “smart” delivery. No IMO smart delivery is having a full playable version 1 of a game on a physical disc at launch. That’s all us physical media fans want including myself. As I don’t like this internet of everything world. Always online. I keep my consoles and they won’t always be online once their successor comes out.

@themightyant thank you for saying this mate. I’ve been getting annoyed seeing people melting down on various social media outlets about the price. Last time I checked gaming has gone up with each new generation. Due to inflation, weakening purchasing power etc…. But it can be said that each new generation brought more value in terms of hardware and software even if a little incremental. In the grand scheme gaming is just a vanity hobby. No one is entitled to it. Just like everything else. Also like you and I, blokes that work at these companies need compensation and benefits too. And manufacturing costs are increasing due to semiconductor demand.

Considering all of the publicity surrounding the Xbox brand the past several months, it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. Also worth noting that MS virtually does no advertising outside of the anglosphere. It seems they only “try” and I’m using that loosely in the USA and the commonwealth nations. With that said going forward I hope that they come up with a consistent plan that consumers have confidence in. As people don’t want to waste their money on something that might go away. I want Xbox to succeed also and bring strong competition like the Xbox 360 era.

@nomither6 true PC gaming is more attainable. Yet still a niche. My nephews want consoles and so do their friends. The casual gamer or family is most likely to get a console. As they are easy and relatively cheap. The PC market doesn’t have as much overlap with the console market as people think.

@Cikajovazmaj I don’t think anyone should take a critics review seriously at all. That is unless you know the critic has similar or exact tastes as you. I.e. I’d never take advice about beer from someone whom drinks beer I consider to be low tier. So it’s all relative to one’s tastes. So give the game a shot if you have subsidized gamepass. It won’t hurt to try.

@Fiendish-Beaver just like they bragged about new subsidized gamepass members when they dropped Xbox Live. I was always subscribed to Xbox live but was forced to get GP just to play online. These marketing people love to do clever things as it’s their only job.

Easy for the MS camp to want as MS is rich. Both Sony and Nintendo are mostly hardware companies at their core. So they need people to have a reason to buy their hardware. And software does this. Those two companies cannot afford to be liberal with their IPs like MS.

They would make more money without having almost every new game on subsidized gamepass day 1. Outright purchases for bigger titles like Starfield, COD [entry X], and the new Indiana Jones game to name a few.

@themightyant there is no bad side to exclusivity. IPs is what lure people into a particular brand. For profit companies exist to make money.

I wish they would have an “Xbox live” tier just for online gameplay. I truly don’t care for subsidized gamepass despite it being a great deal no matter how much it cost despite those that complain about the “high” cost.

If only they put the full game on the latest Blu-ray Discs so I can play offline after installing it to the series x. Not all of us have fast reliable internet. Then I’d gladly pay full price.

@bazchillin manufacturing is just more expensive plus demand for semiconductors has increased so much. Doesn’t help that almost all are made in China and Taiwan. So MS and Sony must pay a premium for their production lines just like everyone else.

This is why physical media is needed. I should be able to have version X of a physical game medium at launch. No internet connection needed for me to install it either. I don’t care about the cloud. I just want offline.

@TheEstablishment everyone knows it’s a business and doesn’t deny it will make them money through their acquisitions and counting. The gaming industry has evolved some but people still largely play on specific devices for gaming whether they are consoles, PCs, or steam decks. MS had to evolve or in this case innovate some since they haven’t been competitive outside of the Anglo countries for various reasons. Since every company is jumping on the forced subscription model without ownership, corporate leaders decided to go that route for “Xbox.” It would be a different narrative if MS was well ahead of Sony and Nintendo in hardware worldwide and still acquiring studios to bolster their lineup.

@Tasuki ms entered the console space not because PC was niche yesterday and still is today. But because they thought Sony had bigger ambitions to get into software thus competing directly with windows which is their money maker. Obviously Sony isn’t a software company and didn’t go that route.

@gollumb82 there clearly is a market for different ways to play games. Nothing wrong with companies adapting to this because of technology. I just hope that MS at least has a hardware presence even if the xbox hardware becomes a PC lite. I think there still will be a niche market for physical games. As Sony and others still out version X on discs when they are launched. I’ll be more than willing to pay the premium because I do with 4k UHD Blu-ray’s.

@BacklogBrad there is surely a market for what you describe. Just as there is a market for those that want consoles. Hence Nintendo and Sony doing well with hardware. These types of models can coexist. Just like PC can coexist with consoles. People won’t jump to PC in masse for gaming. My young nephews always mention PlayStation as do their friends. MS will do decent with those whom like their affordable subscriptions.

@gollumb82 cloud gaming has a future for those that subscribe to the internet of everything and those that like the modern non ownership model.

@theduckofdeath I don’t disagree with you mate. Just saying that bespoke game engines made to suit a desired gameplay and direction are better. Perhaps the Camry car comparison is very low. It’s more like UE starts out as a basic 5 series but can be made to be an M5. Which is a good desirable car but will never be better than a bespoke sports car platform as it was compromised from the start as the 5er platform has many roles to fill. I digress, I understand why smaller companies wouldn’t want to invest in their own as it takes time.

This is very very petty but I always like to see team/companies use their own engine. Like in Witcher 3 and 2077 when booted up, They let us know. I enjoy the experience much more knowing that any team used their own. More of a pride thing.

@themightyant money and time is the main reason. As it takes time to retool a bespoke engine. Many companies don’t seem to have an appetite for developing their own. Just as engineering companies like the one I work for don’t always make their own software to design. As it would be very costly for us. So the leadership of those companies decided that it’s more cost effective to go to a common platform made for all. In Microsoft’s case I wish they would have leveraged all the talent within their entity to have their own.