I remember at the time saying nothing aboutthe handling of Destiny 2 suggested this was a good idea, I guess they was hoping Marathon was going to be out soon and be a huge hit.
I was watching a Digital Foundry video on YouTube and they were talking about how they are also expecting the current-gen consoles to keep going long after the new generation consoles come out. Pointing to Switch 2, Handheld PC, and the general PC market, with games needing to be very scalable.
I'm struggling to get into it. I enjoyed the prologue mission but for some reason thr second I hit that first town I started to struggle to keep playing.
Now I fully admit I probably haven't given it enough of a chance to get its hooks into me, been on a weird visual novel kick which is distracting me from playing it.
I'm hoping that settling in for a night with no distractions and giving it a real go fixes it.
@Fiendish-Beaver At the very least, you will be able to have it outside the "Xbox experience" as that, based on how it is described here, is "just a PC".
I would expect another Game Pass shake-up before this launches, the console Game Pass options become the "legacy options" with a new tier that replaces PC Game Pass that's basically just PC gamepass + cloud streaming.
@BacklogBrad it's really weird considering hey said this is the last year Infinite is going to be at the championship. im guessing there's going to be some free to play multiplayer thing.
FBC has a decent foundation. Its just isnt structured well and light on content.
It needed some kind of intro narrative getting you through the maps the first time and then dropping you into the ongoing threat, give it a Helldivers 2 map conflict and "meta narrative", with different parts of it coming under attack and players rallying to quell it and earn extra rewards (vs doing what they want)
Granted this would have messed with their anti-fomo ambitions but hey.
I really would like to understand this move, surely existing dev kits is one of the places you'd want to eat the costs, the last thing you want is making it harder for dev ship games for console/gamepass.
@Grumblevolcano @Cakefish it dose seem to be MS's thing. Do something that generates some posertivity and they stand on a rake, and then when trying to deflect from it they stand on another and just keep doing it, over and over.
Now I'm not saying the report was true, but MS "refuting" it... We've been here before.
Xbox was "committed" to Kinect, to VR on One X, to first-party exclusivity, to native handheld, to studios they closed, games they cancelled, and staff they let go.
They are always super committed right until the moment they do a 180.
I really want to play Jump Ship, but the confusion about it being on Game Pass gave me whiplash. It's a lot harder to convince my group to fork over cash.
But it having a trial might mean I'll be able to suucker them.
@AverageJoseph yeah seems like just usual MS speil. I did see someone suggest it might be something to do with epic game store, like Gp users getting access to play anywhere versions of the free games they give out every month.
@AverageJoseph
Acording to the article on here about the fortnite pass being part of GP
Microsoft also says this is "just the beginning of Xbox and Epic’s work together toward an open gaming ecosystem where friends can play and create together, anywhere, across devices"
@Weebleman "im pretty sure somewhere in Sony there is someone sat rubbing their hands, just waiting for the moment to increase there prices as well."
I saw someone yesterday that the "free market" has changed, instead of putting pressure on each to keep prices low, it's flipped and its now clawing as much as it can, trying to find the line where customers break and stop.
Based on what Xb said about Epic, I'm guessing the real meat of its gamepass inclusion isn't just Fortnite pass, that's just the bit they had laying around to add for the price rise but boy "we're jacking up prices for Fortnite" doesn't hit well.
I'd love for an Xbox version of PC Game Pass (remembers that was what GP started as,) but I suspect that would gut the higher tiers.
I really do appreciate that they actually added something with this price rise (adding cloud streaming to the other tiers, Ubisoft classic to ultimate)instead of just jacking up the price (or removing stuff like day 1 titles), but ultimate's sticker price is just too damn high for a monthly sub.
Ultimately I just want the ability to play day one games, cloud streaming was a nice extra, even EA Play was nice but with how much Ultimate is gone by, I'm struggling to justify it.
I do think the total amount of stuff they are giving is somewhere between fair and acceptable, but that sticker price.
It's like the company that makes my mini paints do this huge bundle that represents a massive saving but I can't afford to drop the 200 for it, regardless of just how good a deal iit is.
This is one of those things where I can see the supposed "value" from all the bits they stuck together but the actual number is just too high. I will likely have to treat this like Disney Plus, sign up for a month and run away.
@fatpunkslim I would be very surprised if Phil's had much input on this happening or not, I wouldn't be surprised if he's the reason Ubi is being included, "you have to give them something"
Don't get me wrong, it's insane there's another price rise, and I do think the per-month price may now be unacceptably high considering there is no equivalent to PC gamespass.
But at least this time, there's an actual increase in content for ultimate subscribers, granted it's a bunch of old Ubisoft games, but at least it's something unlike the previous times where it was "erm costs? pay us more?"
@Pichuka97 @EVIL-C I don't think firing either of them would solve anything. This seems to be coming from Papa Microsoft, they started losing the AI race and started nuking Xbox costs (consoles, studios) and maximising profit (selling games everywhere).
Spencer has been getting quieter and quieter ever since that "four games" presentation. No more random check-ins, no more spot the clue in the background interviews, he appears to hype up the next live stream and disappears from view.
If they go, the next two will be selected for "aligning with Microsoft's targets and interests" and not saving the Xbox brand.
@themightyant agreed, when my main game isnt GP, I tend to download something like CoD, some disposable, something I can do a mission a day earn the points and go play something else afterwards
I think horror games are one of the few places where I don't worry so much about short playtimes, horror is all about ratcheting up the tension and releasing it. Over an extended time, that stops working as you adapt.
@Banjo- I bought the premium upgrade when the game released. In the end Xbox said they couldn't see it on my purchase history but I could see it on mine, and by the time they accepted the combination of that, a video of me loading the DLC and my home xbox settings, and my back statement showing the payment, it was "too late".
Lesson learned, don't buy DLC for Gamepass games. Granted I never expected to have access to the DLCs after the games left GP, I saw it as tipiing the developers for games I enjoyed but now, I don't trust Xbox's book keeping.
Comments 1,649
Re: Sony's Purchase Of Former Xbox Studio Bungie Isn't Exactly Going To Plan
I remember at the time saying nothing aboutthe handling of Destiny 2 suggested this was a good idea, I guess they was hoping Marathon was going to be out soon and be a huge hit.
Re: Sony Exec Suggests PS5 Is Far From Finished, And It's Likely The Same For Xbox Series X|S
I was watching a Digital Foundry video on YouTube and they were talking about how they are also expecting the current-gen consoles to keep going long after the new generation consoles come out. Pointing to Switch 2, Handheld PC, and the general PC market, with games needing to be very scalable.
Re: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Is Part Of Xbox Free Play Days This Week (November 6-9)
Well, sorry Outer Worlds 2, but you're going on the back burner for a bit.
Re: Poll: What Are Your Initial Impressions Of The Outer Worlds 2 On Xbox Game Pass?
@Westernwolf4 That's great to hear.
Re: Poll: What Are Your Initial Impressions Of The Outer Worlds 2 On Xbox Game Pass?
I'm struggling to get into it. I enjoyed the prologue mission but for some reason thr second I hit that first town I started to struggle to keep playing.
Now I fully admit I probably haven't given it enough of a chance to get its hooks into me, been on a weird visual novel kick which is distracting me from playing it.
I'm hoping that settling in for a night with no distractions and giving it a real go fixes it.
Re: Epic Details Exactly When Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Players Can Access Fortnite Crew
I wonder how this is going to work in practice, I hope it's through the perks system as then I could give my daughter the code as I won't use it.
Re: Digital Foundry Impressed By Halo: Campaign Evolved, But Worried About Unreal Engine 5
It is a shame that just as UE becomes "the" engine running all the games, it ends up incredibly flawed.
Re: Halo Co-Creator 'Absolutely Loves' What Xbox Is Doing With The Campaign Evolved Remake
The other folks who worked on the original don't seem as impressed.
Re: Huge Xbox Report Details 'Ambitious' Next-Gen Console With Free Online Play
@Fiendish-Beaver At the very least, you will be able to have it outside the "Xbox experience" as that, based on how it is described here, is "just a PC".
I would expect another Game Pass shake-up before this launches, the console Game Pass options become the "legacy options" with a new tier that replaces PC Game Pass that's basically just PC gamepass + cloud streaming.
Re: Halo: Campaign Evolved Officially Announced, Coming To Xbox In 2026
@BacklogBrad it's really weird considering hey said this is the last year Infinite is going to be at the championship. im guessing there's going to be some free to play multiplayer thing.
Re: Phil Spencer Addresses AI & Developer Creativity At Xbox Game Studios
I'm sure Phil himself has intention of mandating AI use, his boss on the otherhand...
Re: Remedy CEO Steps Down, Not Long After Studio Admitted 'Weak Sales' For FBC: Firebreak
FBC has a decent foundation. Its just isnt structured well and light on content.
It needed some kind of intro narrative getting you through the maps the first time and then dropping you into the ongoing threat, give it a Helldivers 2 map conflict and "meta narrative", with different parts of it coming under attack and players rallying to quell it and earn extra rewards (vs doing what they want)
Granted this would have messed with their anti-fomo ambitions but hey.
Re: Microsoft Is Reportedly Increasing The Cost Of Xbox Dev Kits In Latest Price Hike
I really would like to understand this move, surely existing dev kits is one of the places you'd want to eat the costs, the last thing you want is making it harder for dev ship games for console/gamepass.
Re: Poll: Are You More Interested In The ROG Xbox Ally Now That Reviews Are Out?
Reviews are falling exactly where I expected.
1. Amazing handheld PC.
2. Bad Xbox.
And expensive.
Should it get a deep discount then I'll leap at it but I can't afford throwing that kind of money at anything.
Re: Xbox Journalist Says Latest Rumours Are 'A Huge Challenge For The Brand Right Now'
@Cakefish that too can't be a good sign.
Re: Xbox Journalist Says Latest Rumours Are 'A Huge Challenge For The Brand Right Now'
As a lot of us were saying in the other story, regardless of the actual validity of the rumours, people are believing it, and that's a bad sign.
Re: Microsoft Issues Statement Denying Target & Walmart Are Pulling Xbox Products
@Grumblevolcano @Cakefish it dose seem to be MS's thing. Do something that generates some posertivity and they stand on a rake, and then when trying to deflect from it they stand on another and just keep doing it, over and over.
Re: Microsoft Issues Statement Denying Target & Walmart Are Pulling Xbox Products
@Cakefish that's a very good point, regardless of the actual validity of the rumour, people are believing it.
Someone could "leak" Sony or Nintendo was quitting consoles tomorrow and no one would believe it.
Re: Microsoft Issues Statement Denying Target & Walmart Are Pulling Xbox Products
Kinda generic response, particularly since it adds unnamed "other retailers".
Retailers selling PS5 and Switch versions of Xbox games could still count as being "partners"
Not that I'm saying the stores are dropping Xbox or not.
Re: If Your Battlefield 6 Crew Plays On Xbox, It'll Earn Less XP Than On PlayStation
Considering the massive stink Sony made about Xbox possibly putting CoD perks on gamepass as "unfair" that's "fun".
Re: Indiana Jones And The Great Circle Anniversary Update Brings New Game+ To Xbox
If this had dropped along side the "side story" dlc I'd have jumped on it.
I will use this when I inevitably get the dlc
Re: Former ZeniMax Devs Who Were Fired By Xbox Create New Company Called Sackbird Studios
Erm.. the winged bird has a crotch arm
Re: Xbox Journalist Disputes Rumour About AMD Requiring 10M Units For First-Party Handheld
@AverageGamer and they couldn't get the metrics from any of the other Windows handhelds like the previous RoG Ally?
Re: Xbox Journalist Disputes Rumour About AMD Requiring 10M Units For First-Party Handheld
I don't understand why MS would have to partner with a ASUS to make a handheld to fix Windows on handhelds.
Re: Xbox Issues Statement Denying Rumour That Next-Gen Console Could Be Cancelled
Now I'm not saying the report was true, but MS "refuting" it... We've been here before.
Xbox was "committed" to Kinect, to VR on One X, to first-party exclusivity, to native handheld, to studios they closed, games they cancelled, and staff they let go.
They are always super committed right until the moment they do a 180.
Re: Here's What Might Leave Xbox Game Pass In November 2025
Man, I really need to start playing Stalker 2
Re: Jump Space Is Dominating The Xbox Charts Right Now, And There's A Good Reason For It
I really want to play Jump Ship, but the confusion about it being on Game Pass gave me whiplash. It's a lot harder to convince my group to fork over cash.
But it having a trial might mean I'll be able to suucker them.
Re: Xbox Fan Shares Their Concept For A Game Pass 'Select' Plan With Optional Add-Ons
@AverageJoseph yeah seems like just usual MS speil. I did see someone suggest it might be something to do with epic game store, like Gp users getting access to play anywhere versions of the free games they give out every month.
Re: Xbox Fan Shares Their Concept For A Game Pass 'Select' Plan With Optional Add-Ons
@AverageJoseph
Acording to the article on here about the fortnite pass being part of GP
Microsoft also says this is "just the beginning of Xbox and Epic’s work together toward an open gaming ecosystem where friends can play and create together, anywhere, across devices"
Re: Xbox Fan Shares Their Concept For A Game Pass 'Select' Plan With Optional Add-Ons
@Weebleman "im pretty sure somewhere in Sony there is someone sat rubbing their hands, just waiting for the moment to increase there prices as well."
I saw someone yesterday that the "free market" has changed, instead of putting pressure on each to keep prices low, it's flipped and its now clawing as much as it can, trying to find the line where customers break and stop.
Re: Xbox Fan Shares Their Concept For A Game Pass 'Select' Plan With Optional Add-Ons
Based on what Xb said about Epic, I'm guessing the real meat of its gamepass inclusion isn't just Fortnite pass, that's just the bit they had laying around to add for the price rise but boy "we're jacking up prices for Fortnite" doesn't hit well.
Re: 'Price Increases Are Never Fun For Anybody' Says Xbox Exec Defending Game Pass Changes
I'd love for an Xbox version of PC Game Pass (remembers that was what GP started as,) but I suspect that would gut the higher tiers.
I really do appreciate that they actually added something with this price rise (adding cloud streaming to the other tiers, Ubisoft classic to ultimate)instead of just jacking up the price (or removing stuff like day 1 titles), but ultimate's sticker price is just too damn high for a monthly sub.
Re: Poll: What Are Your Plans For Xbox Game Pass After This Week's News?
@Banjo- So for the sake of clarity.
-Let Ultimate run out.
-Join Core
-Load up Core for (up to) 36 months' worth
-Convert to Ultimate.
Re: Poll: What Are Your Plans For Xbox Game Pass After This Week's News?
@Banjo- CD keys rebanded to Loaded for some reason
Re: Poll: What Are Your Plans For Xbox Game Pass After This Week's News?
@Banjo- So codes from the likes of Loaded?
Re: Poll: What Are Your Plans For Xbox Game Pass After This Week's News?
Ultimately I just want the ability to play day one games, cloud streaming was a nice extra, even EA Play was nice but with how much Ultimate is gone by, I'm struggling to justify it.
I do think the total amount of stuff they are giving is somewhere between fair and acceptable, but that sticker price.
It's like the company that makes my mini paints do this huge bundle that represents a massive saving but I can't afford to drop the 200 for it, regardless of just how good a deal iit is.
Re: Four Games Are Leaving Xbox Game Pass In Early October 2025
@Scrubchub @Sindayl Not going to lie, the first thing that came to mind when I saw "What's leaving gamepass..." was "gamers".
Re: Xbox Game Pass Is Getting A Major Overhaul With New Names, Games & Price Changes
This is one of those things where I can see the supposed "value" from all the bits they stuck together but the actual number is just too high. I will likely have to treat this like Disney Plus, sign up for a month and run away.
Re: Fortnite Crew's $11.99 Subscription Is Heading To Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Members
I wonder if this is part of our subs or a code like the perks. My daughter would use the crap out of that if its a code.
Re: Xbox Game Pass Is Getting A Major Overhaul With New Names, Games & Price Changes
@fatpunkslim I would be very surprised if Phil's had much input on this happening or not, I wouldn't be surprised if he's the reason Ubi is being included, "you have to give them something"
Re: Xbox Game Pass Is Getting A Major Overhaul With New Names, Games & Price Changes
Don't get me wrong, it's insane there's another price rise, and I do think the per-month price may now be unacceptably high considering there is no equivalent to PC gamespass.
But at least this time, there's an actual increase in content for ultimate subscribers, granted it's a bunch of old Ubisoft games, but at least it's something unlike the previous times where it was "erm costs? pay us more?"
Re: Hogwarts Legacy Gets Surprise Xbox Play Anywhere Support, Over Two Years Since Release
I hope this is the start of more games getting retroactive play anywhere.
Re: These 20+ Games Are Coming To Xbox Next Week (September 29 - October 3)
I'm really interested to see how Alien works "flat". having played the VR version, I just don't see it working anywhere near as well without it.
Re: Major Retailer Seemingly Clearing Out Xbox Series Stock In Certain Regions Right Now
@Pichuka97 @EVIL-C I don't think firing either of them would solve anything. This seems to be coming from Papa Microsoft, they started losing the AI race and started nuking Xbox costs (consoles, studios) and maximising profit (selling games everywhere).
Spencer has been getting quieter and quieter ever since that "four games" presentation. No more random check-ins, no more spot the clue in the background interviews, he appears to hype up the next live stream and disappears from view.
If they go, the next two will be selected for "aligning with Microsoft's targets and interests" and not saving the Xbox brand.
Re: Dynasty Warriors 3 Gets An Unreal Engine 5 Remaster On Xbox In March 2026
Seems weird to remake a random entry.
Re: Ampere Analysis: Xbox Users Play More Games, But For A Shorter Amount Of Time
Considering the amount of people I know have another console and then the Xbox as a "gamepass" machine it makes sense it has lower total play time.
Re: Ampere Analysis: Xbox Users Play More Games, But For A Shorter Amount Of Time
@themightyant agreed, when my main game isnt GP, I tend to download something like CoD, some disposable, something I can do a mission a day earn the points and go play something else afterwards
Re: Multiple Yakuza Games Announced For Xbox At RGG Summit, Including Yakuza Kiwami 3
It's weird that they are doing these native ports of k1 and k2 alongside the DC of 0 and not doing an English dub like they did on 0 DC.
I am basing this on the fact the upcoming Switch 2 versions of k1 and k2 don't have a dub.
Re: Review: Silent Hill F (Xbox) - A New Front For Konami As Silent Hill Makes Its Return
I think horror games are one of the few places where I don't worry so much about short playtimes, horror is all about ratcheting up the tension and releasing it. Over an extended time, that stops working as you adapt.
Re: Microsoft Store Tells Xbox Fans To 'Check Your Chat' For Free Money
@Banjo- I bought the premium upgrade when the game released. In the end Xbox said they couldn't see it on my purchase history but I could see it on mine, and by the time they accepted the combination of that, a video of me loading the DLC and my home xbox settings, and my back statement showing the payment, it was "too late".
Lesson learned, don't buy DLC for Gamepass games. Granted I never expected to have access to the DLCs after the games left GP, I saw it as tipiing the developers for games I enjoyed but now, I don't trust Xbox's book keeping.