@S1ayeR74 1440p. I generally rotate components every 4-5 years and my GPU is fine. This cycle I upgraded the CPU, but the CPU I wanted was no longer on spec so ended up having to replace the mobo, ram, and cpu, which I snagged up on a combo discount. When Helix launches, games will still be optimized for my current build till 2030/2031. At that time, I will look at a GPU upgrade and consider upgrading to the theoretically last gen AM5. Based on today's prices, that'd be about $700 to equivalent upgrades. However, the upgrade by that point may be nearing $900 due to market conditions.

Regardless, maintaining a rig and repurposing components over the years is becoming the more economical choice. Helix on the low end would be $1200+$640 over the next 4 years.

Unfortunately, my pricing assumes that my SSDs never fail. I'm fortunate to have 6 in various devices, and I'm borderline tempted to pull the one out of my PS5 to repurpose on my PC, but I know that eventually one will fail.

@S1ayeR74 $900 and it runs Monster Hunter Wilds at 180 FPS and I don't need to pay $160 per year to play multiplayer, which equates to $640 savings in the long term. I can opt to upgrade the CPU and GPU in the future depending on what I need without having to buy a whole new console.

Not sure what I'll be doing next generation. Just finished building a PC, and seeing these reported prices reaffirms my opinion that gaming is becoming an unsustainable hobby.

I think it's almost a year since I started believing that Microsoft is positioning Xbox for a sell off. Today's moves only solidify my opinion.

Maybe the reason they're over budget is because Hideo Kojima insists on using Hollywood talent in everything.

Was this study below or after Sony announced the death of physical media?

Wow... I'd been saying this for months. Wouldn't be surprised if it still happened.

@GuyinPA75 Exactly. This plus their emphasis that they are reprioritizing games, dropping prices on subscriptions to stop bleeding customers meanwhile splitting Call of Duty off from Game Pass. Almost sounds like Activision may even be up for sale at that point. I just hope Mojang makes it out unscathed with whatever this chapter is.

The more this story develops, the more it sounds like they're trying to sell off the Xbox brand.

Sounds like they'll eventually try to sell off their gaming segment by building distance between Microsoft and Xbox. "Look! Xbox Gaming is its own thing!" Yup... just ask the unions within their respective studios.

Edit: Sorry, maybe I need to stop checking on Xbox news. I have owned an Xbox since Halo, but I'm pretty disappointed in this generation as a whole... between the impact of tariffs and hardware component prices gaming is simply becoming uneconomical, the latter of which Microsoft has direct involvement in.

Three months from now they announce that first party titles will no longer be day one on Game Pass and a 90 day wait to maximize initial sales.

Yes, let's blame game pass for Call of Duty's shortcomings. Nevermind the fact that they have effectively turned the franchise into the FPS Madden, pivoted multiple times on their approach to live services, and encourages players to drop hundreds of dollars on in-game content only to lock it behind one game because "the skin doesn't fit the vibe" only to turn around a couple months into the next game's launch with a rainbow pony skin packing a pogostick rocket launcher. No that skin doesn't exist, but they have released goofy skins with each game so their argument of "it doesn't fit" is about as solid as OJ Simpson's glove.

Sometimes I miss him being at Xbox. He was their greatest asset in marketing and communication. But even if he were still there, he'd be tasked with the unenviable position of announcing price increases on mid-cycle consoles.

It’s almost as if the production chain were a monopoly dominated by only a few key players with minimal diversification.

The expansion of Xbox Everywhere.

I still think that the best approach for the next generation console is an external dockable handheld with the dock containing a GPU with a mid-gen refresh on the dock to enhance performance allowing the core unit.

Monster Hunter Wilds actually runs on the unit. That’s impressive.

I can’t justify paying for 3 subscription services anymore and am going to spend the money saved on upgrading my PC. I’m not sure where the industry is going anymore, but I’ll join the echo chamber… this isn’t sustainable.

I’m not really sure who the target demographic is on this. It’s significantly more expensive than the original ROG Ally and the performance gains don’t really coincide with the price increase.

I’m going to take a chance on the Switch version. Really want to take this game mobile.

Interesting comparison. Makes me think the Switch 2 port was a rush job and they chose to use the previous gen console as a base to ensure a timely release instead of figuring out how to scale down the current gen. Reason I put it this way is because the console is capable of RTX, which should imply similar lighting effects.

Still doesn’t feel like we are ready for the next generation of gaming. Consoles were too restrained by the limits of the previous generation until last year, and tech improvements do not feel significant enough to warrant a new generation. It feels like we are at a point of diminishing returns with each new console generation.

Yes! Need Forza, Halo and Sea of Thieves on the go.

@themightyant I don’t necessarily think an eGPU is out of the question entirely. They could implement it by having the console sufficiently powerful in handheld for most games, and the dock is the GPU for added horsepower when playing on a big screen. Devs already need to account for the Series S, X, and now Pro so it wouldn’t be that different. Undocked is S, docked is X, and the Pro is a new dock with a more powerful GPU. It’d be nice if in this scenario you could simply buy a pro dock instead of having to buy a whole new console.

I didn’t realize this game has been in development for over 10 years… it’s the same game announced back in 2016. It looks so much more interesting than original trailers, I’m glad the developers had room to work on it to give it a more unique personality.

I already have a ROG Ally. The specs would need to be seriously tantalizing to persuade me to purchase another handheld PC. Specifically, it would need to run Monster Hunter Wilds on medium settings at 30 fps.

Too bad this got pulled from Xcloud. For users on legacy hardware, Xcloud could be an excellent compromise for continuing support.

Looks nice. Been running Java with shaders the past couple years. Looking forward to seeing how this compares in terms of performance.

The pandemic really crippled this generation overall between supply chain issues and scalpers, but that doesn’t stop innovation. I guess if it’s what Microsoft wants to do, but it doesn’t feel like Microsoft nor Sony truly launched the current gen until a year or so ago.

I’ll trade my Series X for this. I love it.

That’s a bummer! I was looking forward to it. I know the KF community on Reddit has been really ripping it for being a zombie survival hero shooter, but I thought it was an interesting new direction for the series.

I’d love that. I used to use it all that time for Picture in Picture.

@darkswabber They’re different IPs, but many of the concepts were redeveloped into it. It’s sort of a spiritual connection to the unreleased game.

I think moving away from Los Angeles may be the best decision since their sales team had gotten a bit jaded in thinking they will always have E3; however, I am hesitant to believe that Las Vegas is the right destination for a replacement. This type of event really needs a city with a burgeoning tech scene, and honestly this feels a little tone deaf.

Of all the Forza Horizon games this one is my least favorite. I found the terrain generally uninspiring. I guess I’m one of the few here to feel that way, but I’m glad so many people enjoyed it.

I could go for some good AA experiences on lesser known titles. Lost Vikings 3 would be amazing.

I was going to get some Rockband DLC, but I changed my mind. The 360 was an amazing console and I have great memories with it, but at this point, it’s just a matter of time before my console shuts down for the final time. So I’ll savor the DLC that I have already. Thanks for the memories. Loved those midnight jam sessions in college on my Matte White Xbox 360.

Microsoft’s best defense is that this is a market adjustment to account for inflation of the US dollar over the past 4 years. Problem solved, moving on, you’re welcome for the pro-bono advice.

I recently busted out the old Xbox 360 for some Rockband Beatles. The 360 was such a great console for just playing with friends. Having that and the Wii were just a match made in heaven for local play. I miss split screen gaming so much.

Wowie-Zowie! This comments section is fire today 🔥 It’s a shame that it’s getting delisted, but I enjoyed my time with it. Now I’m looking forward to the next Horizon.

Omg… I was hoping for a new beat em up Power Rangers game. I loved the original games back in the 90’s and this is just more arcade action for me to look forward to!

Should’ve wrote this off instead of the Batgirl movie.

For me I had to go with Xbox One as most reliable and Xbox 360 (later version) as least reliable. My day one Xbox 360 lasted through almost the entire generation, and I only traded it to get the Kinect. While I don’t regret that decision, I noticed some games like Call of Duty ran better on the original. Upgrading for Kinect was totally worth it… Dance Central, Nike+ Kinect Fitness, and Sonic Riders were amazing experiences. Stuck with Nike+ for a good year before having to box up the Kinect due to space limitations in my new place.

I love the gameplay, but the leveling up system needs a significant rework or at least the matchmaking. A tier 2 racer should not be paired with a tier 5… the skills unlocked ranking up just throw the balance off too much with the races.

Rather than closing it would have been nice to see Microsoft set them loose on their own with a startup budget.

I’ve noticed that the quick resume feature often brings me back to the start screen, instead of working as expected. I wish I could get back into games faster, but maybe I just play the wrong ones.

Following the success of the Switch, I think both Microsoft and Sony missed an opportunity to iterate the docking concept. I could see a game console that runs at 1/4 power on the go by leveraging the unit’s on-board CPU and once docked leverage a docks built in GPU to exceed base spec capabilities.

The price of games is a problem. It’s not necessarily that the developers don’t deserve more, it’s a matter that there is a lack of consistency in 3rd party titles. It’s a Capcom game, there is a good chance of it being marked down by at least 20% in the first three months.

Maybe they’re planning to take on the Switch next? I would love an AMD powered Surface.

This has been a rough couple weeks… They should hire some outside consultants for feedback on how to clear this up. I recommend Larry Hyrb and for fun add Kit and Krysta.