Weebleman

@RTGX said it before and will say it again, folks like us on here are a drop in the ocean for console sales. The majority neither know or care about half the things we shout about. They are already buying digital only and they will simply go with what they know and where their library of games will be accessible next gen. Its as simple as that.

The big difference is the xbox one moment as people put it, happened at the start of a gen when digital took off. Digital libraries started being built on PS'4s more than on xbox's. Then this gen, surprise surprise, everyone bought a PS5 because thats where their games were available and their mates played because they did the same thing.

Folks seem to think a kojima game will start a revolution. It absolutely will not.

@Millionski I wouldnt be surprised if it went on gamepass. Kojima games of late aren't massive sellers.

I dont care about gatekeeping. I think consoles should have exclusives. Be they first or third party games. Its been a practice used by All companies for years and creates competition, which we all need to keep these companies improving for us. Plus I game on all systems so its irrelevant for me personally.

@Millionski he did but I doubt that caused Sony to walk away. It was always gonna be money related

@RTGX a person of culture i see.

Sounds like it will be on all platforms anyway if exclusivity was an issue.

Could this be the first ever game on PS and Xbox that was funded by both PS and Xbox.

Cats and dogs living together...

@Fiendish-Beaver I have no idea what you mean... 😂

@Fiendish-Beaver I agree with you. I suppose the only way they could keep it fair was offer the same 'unlimited unless you cancel and renew' stance for everyone. Unfortunately they want to monetise us users where they can and we dont have the law on our side to offer the same protections. I also highly doubt it's high on the government's agenda.

We could get a certain user on here to contact them and say no, they were getting to much in the first place. So they aren't actually getting less now, which means this law doesnt apply here 😂

@Fiendish-Beaver its more they legally cant do anything about it there. The catch being of they ever unsub they instantly lose that right. So the win for MS is they have more chance those folks are trapped in the loop. Same reason they didnt get the price rises in Australia.

I dont doubt that MS will milk the rest of us to cover it though.

Some countries just have better rights for people. Same as the Arkane situation. They couldn't just be sold off as there is a whole process they have to follow in regard to employees in the country they are based in.

Australia has strict laws around reducing or removing features customers have paid for while they have an ongoing active sub.

@Fatpunkslim

From Windows Central:

'I was recently told by Microsoft figures that, given compute demands for AI, Xbox Cloud Gaming is effectively losing money when used beyond 15 hours per month. When you have Azure server rack space being used for anything other than AI, it seems Microsoft isn't particularly sentimental towards the idea anymore.'

I think that puts to bed the hope of a cloud only tier or extending those hours. Even if they did do a cloud tier, its probably gonna be more expensive than ultimate. The article also states they are struggling to get stock to get xbox's in the world.

The mental thing is that its MS causing this to happen to xbox. It feels like xbox is becoming a bigger thorn in its side every day as they chase that AI pipe dream.

@abe_hikura to top it off they then announce a TV with xcloud. You honestly couldn't make it up.

@fatpunkslim Sony offer a comparable service. They provide cloud streaming in the top tier of their sub. Before you say they dont have day ones, its irrelevant as quality of the content available is subjective to an individuals taste.

They do not include usage limits on that streaming, which includes an instant library to access and also streaming access of any game that has been purchased.

You say there are no comparisons but there is. Both are included in a sub. Both offered unlimited game streaming for the price of the sub. Now one doesnt. The price has not been lowered. Consumers get less.

You could argue that gamepass still offers good value for the price you pay. But it is again still less value for that payment than it was.

I again agree with you (twice in a day eh) that a cloud tier will likely be on the books. But it doesnt detract from the fact existing consumers get less than they did.

I would also add that nowhere in the terms and conditions does is state that you only get it free while in beta format. It does say services can be changed, amended or withdrawn as all terms and conditions state. MS sold folks a sub that says you get x, y and z includes. It took z away and charged the same.

People are getting less for their money and less value for their money than they did.

@fatpunkslim but they wasn't getting more than they paid for. They got and paid exactly what they were sold. Now they get less.

I agree with you (shocker) that gamepass was to good for the price, but thats what they sold it as. Folks got exactly what they said they would. They took part of it away. They absolutely, factualy without doubt now have less.

Its like you selling me a box of 6 eggs. I get home and discover the box has 7 in. I now have more than I paid for. If instead you come round my house and take one of the 6 back, I now have less than I paid for.

Its absolute fact folks now have less and previously received the exact product that was sold to them.

@fatpunkslim how can you have something, part of that something be taken away, but not be left with less.

Even if you had to much as you say, you paid for something, lost some of it and still have less. The product sold included everything in the description. They took something away. It wasn't given in error. It was part of the package. Folks have less.

No matter how you spin it, your math does not math.

@Titntin I would imagine Sony has a bundle on its way

@Markatron84 it does kinda go against the whole 'cloud is such a huge bonus' idea when you see a small section is using it, doesnt it.

Cloud is not for me personally but its an absolute bummer for folks who do. To see someone in here saying they already think 15 hours is a good deal is absolutely wild. Though expected to be honest.

@Llamageddon it wouldn't really need multiple developments as with all things known, Helix will essentially be a PC that boots into the xbox full screen app. Each model will just be able to be set to run the game at the settings it can manage effectively.

Its always a little ironic that the majority of the more faithful xbox folks (not all) asking for a disc drive, are the same folks saying helix must support Steam, which will only further the push away from physical.

@Fiendish-Beaver Just use your ps5 pro for blu rays if needed my man.

If they told everyone it was PS5 and it turned out to be a pro there would be uproar, so I do think it was a base console.

Then again, wouldn't be the first time 'clarification' was needed at a later point.

@RadioHedgeFund I've read its account. If some else links it to theirs, its removed from yours. Which is fair as it will stop the obvious from happening.

Excellent work.

Nope, and nope again to meet character requirements.

Id sell you mine @FraserG, the resale value on consoles at the minute is insane 😂

@Markatron84 I imagine a meeting was scheduled 😂

@somnambulance it always reminds me of Hot Fuzz, when the locals all just chant 'For the greater good'.

Has Sharma said anything about the current ID employee that did the interview about the cuts? I am surprised Xbox hasnt addressed what was said, especially as they are from someone still working there.

Absolute common sense is both great to see and rare these days.

@Millionski Im fortunate enough to be in a position where I normally pick up all of the consoles when they come out; However, I detest windows when it comes to gaming.

I will pick up a PS6 but im holding out to see what Helix actually is before I commit. If it is just a glorified PC running the full screen app then I will be skipping it unfortunately and will use my Series X or my steamdeck to play any MS games that catch my eye (let's be honest, cross gen games are here to stay for the foreseeable).

I know Windows is better than it was for gaming but im also well aware that it remains a constant pain in the backside for it as well.

How about yourself?

@Cikajovazmaj I paid 120 for a 2TB WD Black sn850x for my PS5 before the world went mental.

My main gripe is that there is just no weight to it. Gears always felt heavy and brutal. This has none of that. Its just skimming around piling bullets into sponges.

@SMJ https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2026/08/quake-adds-free-30th-anniversary-campaign-for-all-ps5-players-developed-by-machinegames

@shoeses one of them was the producer. You tend to find folks in that role are not temps.

@AI-Generation I've tried explaining this to my mrs and kids and they think im mental 😂

There is nothing like the smell of a freshly unsealed instruction booklet and I will die on that hill 🤣

@Millionski @Fiendish-Beaver I honestly dont think adding a disk drive will matter. As the stats said recently, 90 odd percent of sales are digital. Folks on PS won't jump to helix as it wont play the PS games they are trying to keep active. Those who do because it does physical, its such a tiny minority that it wont change the outcome.

The digital and casual crowd massively out weighs folks like us who remember the smell of a good instruction booklet or the excitement of holding a box on a journey home. They will just buy whatever plays the digital library they already own. It really is that simple.

It sucks but folks like us on sites like this are such a tiny drop in the ocean of console sales, there is zero chance of turning the tide. Of the 90 million odd PS5 sales, the vast majority neither know or care about any of this.

It sucks but its where we are.

@Fiendish-Beaver im with you. I think committing to the future of xbox is very different to committing to the future of a console. I still believe that the future of xbox will be the full screen app available on the ally. Helix will be nothing more than a pre built PC with branding on the case and the app installed to launch on boot up. The recent developments with back compat on pc only cements this more for me.

Pre built pc for the hardcore that will sell low numbers at a high price, full screen experience available to all on other pc hardware. Xbox lives on and MS are happy as it will be profitable again as they can avoid selling helix at a loss while software sales do the rest. I also believe that they will go full multiplatform again and use low sales of gears to justify why its happening.

All just my opinion of course and as always, happy to be wrong as we need xbox firing on all it has. The latest financials dont fill me with confidence though as its drops across everything from consoles to gamepass revenue.

@Fiendish-Beaver there was an article on Eurogamer (i think) the other day that went into detail about sony using standard 8 core chips (xbox use a custom 10 core) and the storage methods mightyant mentions, which are cheaper to produce.

The main issue is xbox do not have any long term parts agreements in place so are more vulnerable to the price increases than others. The fact the article the other day said that even after these increases they are still sold at a loss tells you everything. Wheres as EG reported the other day that Sony put PS up by a 100 dollars/pounds and is still profitable.

@Fiendish-Beaver @Pigrotto is referring to the way the memory is split and the chip. PS5 went with a more standard industry approach which means the chips are cheaper to manufacture/purchase. Series S/X split their memory differently and use a more expensive/custom chip.

Theres also news that as MS is not a hardware maker at heart, it didnt use the same arrangements and pipelines as Sony/Nintendo to secure long term agreements for parts that now cost more. Sony just recently announced they have secured enough memory to see them through to April 2027, crucially meaning its likely it won't need to increase its price over the period GTA 6 releases.

Where as Asha announced in her initial statement that xbox was in a worse position to others due to the lack of these agreements from past leadership. It seems as though that is coming back to bite.

Edit: damn you @themightyant for putting it far more elegant 😂

After seeing the UK console price increase, it would be good to have a basic tier like this again.

World is absolutely wild at the minute.

@MrStark no need to be rude when someone is having a conversation chief. Just because someone takes the time to compose a thought out answer doesnt mean he is lecturing you.

@fatpunkslim dont the figures just released clearly show gamepass numbers declining and console sales dropping?

Literally the opposite of everything you just said.

@MrStark you honestly think they will release a machine that uses parts costing more than a series x, for less than a series x?

I cant work out if you are being sarcastic or insane here mr stark 😂

Im sat on a plane half way to Orlando so not really to bothered, but I hope it gets sorted for those it is affecting.

My series x is due a clean as it is sounding like Henry hoovers long lost brother at the minute. The good news its easy to do and will be silent again when done

@Odium @Fiendish-Beaver Thanks folks. It was the lack of hand holding that caught my eye and I believe the world building is brilliant because of it. Really looking forward to playing it. Will be after my holidays now as theres no point starting it before I fly but hopefully it can shift those holiday blues when im back!

Appreciate you both for the thoughts.

I recently bought hell is us in a sale but haven't had chance to play it. Im looking forward to it but im away on holiday from Monday so will be a few weeks. Anybody played it, have any thoughts?

Edit: just saw @Fiendish-Beaver's post above

The sad inevitability is theres no going back. As cost of parts increase, disc drives were always gonna be the first, and easiest, cost to cut.

Do i like it, no. Will it change, sadly not.

At least I can still buy a cheaper code in a box from other places. Yey. I suppose.

@MrStark The day one thing was always gonna be a gamble. Like you say, it simply isnt growing. They cant put the price up as folks will cancel. If they pull day one folks will cancel, but at least you will get sales and quite possibly better games.

@carlos82 evercades are awesome little devices. Cannot recommend enough

@oopsiezz Its all a bit silly to just call people names because they have a differing opinion.