Turn 10 remains an exceptional studio: even after the end of Forza Motorsport, their technical expertise continues to make a real difference. They’ve always managed to push physics, graphics, and precision further than Gran Turismo, and that mastery is still something Playground can rely on.
@FraserG Already used it, and it has helped me several times. That said, depending on the game’s popularity and the complexity of the question, the answers can vary, and sometimes I still have to go directly to Google. But overall, I think it’s a feature that’s heading in the right direction, useful, and something that can only get better over time.
It’s been a long time since I last played Sea of Thieves, but I admit that at the beginning I was completely lost, and Copilot probably would have helped me.
@themightyant To be fair and objective, you know very well that these are minor differences that don’t fundamentally change the game and don’t justify real differences in review scores. And that’s just one example among many — we could list dozens of them.
@shiny-enzo @Sindayl Thanks ! Yes, we shouldn’t fall into the opposite extreme either, but it’s real — and sometimes that’s enough to keep a game from reaching the 90 Metacritic mark.
Anyway, back to Starfield: the game was a success in terms of player numbers — 15 million players with an average of 40 hours played per person. It performed much better than plenty of games that are rated higher. At some point, all of this is very relative. What matters is that the game appeals to some people, even if it doesn’t please everyone.
And as for those who attack me, I’d rather just ignore them.
@ilyn @GeminiX53 That’s your opinion, and I don’t share it . Many others think the same way I do. I respect your opinion, so respect mine and theirs as well.. I’m trying to stay objective. I easily admit that the game didn’t launch in the state it should have, and that this probably contributed to the lower review scores. But at the same time, we have to acknowledge that it was unfairly attacked by some influencers and certain well‑known media outlets that tend to be harsh on Xbox — and that’s a real thing.
And it’s the same for other Xbox games, which generally get an average of two points less just for being Xbox titles. We even have proof with Hellblade 2: it got an 81 on PC and Xbox, and conveniently a 84 on PS5, even though it’s the exact same game.
I’m not the one bringing up the console war — it’s certain media that use it for clickbait and to attract an audience of haters. That’s the reality. I’m just trying to stay clear‑headed about it.
@VisitingComet1 I don’t like all Ubisoft games, but you have to admit they know how to make their games accessible and enjoyable — at least most of the time. I don’t like all their titles: I loved Assassin’s Creed Origins but hated Valhalla, and right now I’m having a lot of fun with Star Wars Outlaws.
I think Bethesda — and even other publishers — could sometimes take inspiration from certain Ubisoft mechanics that make games more accessible, more fun, and less needlessly complicated. For example, there are a few things in Star Wars Outlaws that I really wish we had in Starfield, especially for space exploration or ship landing/takeoff. I think that overall, the comments are sometimes unfair toward Ubisoft games.
@themightyant Honestly, the game is much better now. It still has its strengths and weaknesses, but they’ve fixed quite a lot of things. So objectively, it should get better scores now — and removing the whole ‘Xbox tax’ label helps as well.
That was kind of the fear I had with Crimson Desert. It really feels like the definition of the saying ‘perfect is the enemy of good’. By trying to do too much, they spread themselves across too many features, making the game unnecessarily complex and not fully polished — at least that’s what I gather from some of the comments
And honestly, I don’t have the time anymore to stress over games like this. I’m starting to ‘Ubisoft‑ify’ myself.
Cool, that’s great for Bethesda and it fills the coffers — more budget for Elder Scrolls VI.
Timed exclusives are good for Xbox and Xbox players: more budget to create quality games, more day‑one titles in Game Pass, whether first‑party or third‑party.
After that, as you already know, like many people I’m not in favor of day‑one exclusives on other platforms (which, in practice, never actually happens right now — at least for the moment - except gameas aleready multiplatform before acqusitions and Fable which is not yet released ).
With timed exclusive games, you get all the advantages: you prioritize the Xbox ecosystem while also making your game more profitable.
@IOI Yeah, I’ve had issues too, especially with multiplayer games or titles that rely heavily on online features, but those are still exceptions. Most of the time, it works perfectly.
After that, I guess it depends on the kinds of games each person plays.
@Balaam_ : It’s honestly the first time I’ve heard someone say they don’t use Quick Resume. It’s so convenient — between the moment I turn on the console and the moment I sit down on my couch, maybe 3–4 seconds pass (console waking from standby + game starting). It’s just so pleasant
I really hope they’ll implement it on the next Xbox console, or even on the Xbox ROG Ally
I feel the same way as Todd Howard: both sad and grateful for everything Phil Spencer has accomplished. He’s undoubtedly one of the most iconic leaders in the video game industry, someone who truly pushed it forward.
At the same time, I’m excited about the future and this new direction, with Matt Booty handling the creative side — games and content — and Asha Sharma overseeing the business, communication, and marketing aspects.
It’s really astonishing what it can do — I’m especially blown away by the realistic lighting it brings and the textures. On faces, it’s actually almost too good: you go from a face that looks totally unrealistic to a truly realistic face, which makes some people say the face is completely different. They don’t understand what’s really happening: we’re moving from a dead, expressionless face to a living, realistic one — that’s the big difference. On starfield, Faces that looked pretty bad with dlss off become more realistic with dlss on. In any case, when you see what AI can do for graphical optimizations, it promises incredible things for video games in the future. And Nvidia’s DLSS is really far ahead of FSR or PSSR.
In any case, don’t forget that this is a technical demo. I think I read that they needed two of Nvidia’s latest‑generation GPUs to achieve this result, so even on PC, it’s not something the average user will have access to anytime soon.
Another new feature that goes in the right direction and helps you stay within the Xbox ecosystem without needing to leave it, even when launching external games or apps (Steam, software, etc.).
Yesterday, while using the Xbox app on PC, I noticed that the Library function has improved a lot, with several sorting and filtering options — all clean, simple, and without any clutter or ads. Or maybe it’s just me — I don’t go there often enough. Not sure if it’s actually that new, but anyway, I like it.
The new Xbox Mode looks like a solid step toward making Windows feel more consistent for gaming. It’s great to see Microsoft simplifying the experience and moving closer to a console‑style interface. Still, the real test will be how smooth and reliable it is in everyday use. If they can keep it stable and avoid the usual Windows interruptions, this could genuinely improve gaming on PC
From what I understand, the idea is really to turn it into a "full OS" (kind of) and make the traditional Windows background experience completely optional, at least for normal gaming use.
Another advantage of having a hybrid SoC and dedicated gaming hardware is that everything can be specifically optimized for that device. That means automated, dedicated, and hardware‑specific driver management. I think, following that logic, Xbox consoles will get their own dedicated updates, instead of receiving all the patches and fixes that a regular Windows machine gets. That’s already what Microsoft does with ARM‑based Windows devices: there’s a shared core, but also parallel update branches tailored to ARM machines. I expect the same here, since the CPU/GPU SoC of the next Xbox will be unique and not available in any PC.
This is definitely great news for the video game industry, for studios, for players, and for the Xbox ecosystem as a whole. In the end, it will encourage more studios to develop for Xbox.
I tried Minishoot’ Adventures, which is on Game Pass, and I immediately got hooked. There’s a real sense of progression, with your arsenal improving as you go. It’s a really good little game — careful, it’s addictive.
And of course Planet of Lana 2 , a beautiful evolution compared to the first one.
@themightyant ok thanks ! The big advantage of this PC‑based infrastructure is how easy and inexpensive porting becomes — it’s now very simple and almost cost‑free. The next Xbox will already have a huge game catalog, with PC games and Xbox console games, but on top of that, third‑party publishers will no longer have the excuse of cost to avoid bringing their games to the Xbox Store
Honestly, this GDC booth feels like a real turning point for Xbox. Instead of repeating the old ‘This is an Xbox’ messaging, Microsoft is finally embracing its history while showing it’s ready to move forward. The focus on the legacy of the brand — from the OG prototype to the iconic hardware moments — gives the impression of a company reconnecting with what made Xbox special in the first place. It’s a refreshing shift, and it really feels like the start of a new chapter.
We'll see tomorrow if there are any interesting announcements to sink our teeth into.
@IOI Most consoles are sold at a loss at launch. Then they make up for it with first‑party games, third‑party royalties, subscriptions (like Game Pass), accessories, and so on. And over time, as production costs drop, they can eventually break even.
So considering they have major partnerships and that consoles are typically sold at a loss (at least at launch), I think a price around $1000 — something like $990 — wouldn’t be unrealistic. It also lines up with what the insider in the article said, with Microsoft aiming for an aggressive strategy to stay competitive.
You mentioned the RAM crisis, but keep in mind that it doesn’t affect manufacturers the same way it affects consumers. Microsoft buys RAM in massive quantities for its datacenters and already has a partnership with SK Hynix to supply memory.
We’ll see how it goes — no need to get carried away, I’m just giving my opinion. But we also have to consider that this machine will be more powerful than a PS6, will have access to more games than a PS6, and will be capable of more things (like modding). So it makes sense that it would be more expensive — it’s not even a fair comparison.
Okay, so between $900 and $1500 — that’s a pretty safe prediction ! He is not taking much of a risk there
They really shouldn’t go over $1000, otherwise they’ll hit a psychological barrier. Logically, it should be cheaper than an equivalent gaming PC, because Microsoft can negotiate volume deals and partnerships — AMD for the SoC, SK Hynix for the RAM, etc. — something a regular consumer simply can’t do. And like with any console, the goal isn’t to make a big profit on the hardware, just to stay within reasonable margins.
We’ll see how it turns out, but it’s obviously a key point.
These are the right WORDS for Xbox fans and for the Xbox teams within MS, but they're cheap and we need to see actions that prove intent. I guess Nadella has seen the damage dropping exclusivity has done to hardware sales. In any case, we can already feel there’s a strategic shift happening, different from the Sarah Bond era, different from the "this is an xbox " message which implicitly suggested that Xbox consoles were not the priority.
Whether it’s Asha or Nadella, they’ve both mentioned the Xbox community, Xbox consoles, Xbox hardware several times, and the fact that “everything is being relitigated.”
Now we need actions, but that shouldn’t take long — with the upcoming GDC, we should learn more soon.
yeah ! So cool ! Of course, you can’t build the entire menu like that, but it could work as a kind of quick-access menu highlighting the main features: Home, Game Pass, My Games, Store. I really like that idea
@BacklogBrad With these people, Xbox has already died and been resurrected a hundred times. I don’t know if you know DreamcastGuy, but this guy announces the death of Xbox every single week. Meanwhile, even if Xbox is behind in terms of hardware, that’s absolutely not the case for everything else — games, services, cloud, etc. They’re actually ahead in many areas. But let them talk. Even on this site, we’ve got some disciples ...
It’s becoming clearer and clearer. After Asha’s statements about being open to exclusive games, now we have Nadella saying:
“For those fans who have counted on us, I just want to make sure that we live up to what they expect of us. We have to really make sure, whether it's console, whether it's PC, whether it's the lover of Forza, Halo, we really want to make sure they love us for what they expect us to do.”
And Asha saying that “everything is being relitigated.”
Well, after all these nice words, we’re still waiting for concrete actions, but you can already feel there’s a strategic shift happening, different from the Sarah Bond era: More focused on Xbox fans, more focused on Xbox consoles, more focused on the brand’s DNA and especially its iconic franchises.
And it’s definitely not impossible that they roll back their exclusivity policy, finding a better balance between a multiplatform strategy and console exclusives, even if only temporary (for example, two years of exclusivity for major franchises).
@Kramlar ok fine, My bad — the time games stay on Game Pass varies a lot, and it’s true that Xbox could communicate a bit more early about when a game is going to leave
Sorry, but I’m not sure articles like this are useful. We already have enough speculation, no need to add more — especially when the accuracy is anywhere between 30% and 80%.
That said, I understand the point: it’s basically about hurrying to play these games before they leave Game Pass.
@betterthings I understand what you’re saying, but in my view, they’re actually expanding the pool of potential buyers, not shrinking it — assuming the final price is reasonable, of course.
Regarding the AMD vs. Nvidia debate, I don’t think players are particularly attached to one or the other. What they want is the best price‑to‑performance ratio. If AMD delivers the same performance or even better — which is likely, since this will be a machine specialized for gaming, unlike a PC — then it doesn’t matter if AMD is behind it.
Your comparison with the Steam Deck doesn’t apply here. We’re talking about a handheld console running Linux with its own limitations, and it’s not even the same audience.
As for Game Pass, I actually agree with you. It’s a crucial factor for the future success of this console, and they really need to rethink how the subscription tiers are structured
@GuyinPA75 The fact that they’re planning to release several OEM versions is actually a very good thing. You can’t compare this to the Series S. Developers won’t have any development or porting issues, in the same way that PC games already release across tons of different configurations. In this kind of setup, it’s the game that adapts to the machine — developers don’t need to create specific versions or design games around the lowest‑end hardware.
You have to understand that we’re moving into a new paradigm. It’s not comparable to what you know today, and most of the limitations that exist when making different console versions simply won’t apply, because it will all be based on a homogeneous PC‑like infrastructure.
@fraserG The question is poorly framed — niche device or mass‑market? Honestly, it will probably be somewhere in between. PlayStation still has a very strong aura, despite a disastrous generation in terms of first party games. For many people and casual gamers, it’s the default console, especially for those who don’t really follow gaming news. That’s why strong marketing will be essential to highlight the unique possibilities of the new console compared to the competition. They need to be disruptive in their communication and put Xbox players and the Xbox console at the center — basically the opposite of what Sarah Bond did.
@betterthings I'm obviously not talking about PC — they won’t go back on day‑one releases on PC, that wouldn’t make any sense. The new Xbox will already have enough differentiating factors, starting with native compatibility with all previous Xbox console games, as well as a true console experience. A PC player who mainly uses their machine for gaming could definitely be interested in the next Xbox — even more so if they want something simpler on the side.
People don’t always realize it, but the potential PC player base is ten times larger than the console market, and the next Xbox is a small revolution. It’s something completely new that has never been done before, so it’s hard to compare it to anything we currently know
I see a lot of pessimism from some people, as usual on this site. Yet the Xbox Series X has sold over 35 million units, compared to 84 million for the PS5 — and that’s without a mid‑gen refresh. So beyond the usual dramatization, and considering the fact that Xbox releases all its games on PC day one, and some on other consoles as well, I actually think they’re doing well.
I believe there’s a real desire — from Xbox players and even from many PC players — for the next Xbox to surprise us in a good way. The next Xbox will offer a much larger game library (30–40% more games) than the current Series consoles, and even more than PlayStation consoles. It will offer many new possibilities, and if Asha Sharma adjusts the exclusivity strategy with a better balance and timed exclusives, that’s another set of differentiating factors and improvements over the current consoles — and even over the competition — that suggest the next Xbox has everything it needs to be a major success.
There are still many open questions: price, marketing, exclusives, etc. But if these conditions are met, it can only perform better than the current generation, which suffered from a lot of bad press regarding marketing, communication, and exclusivity strategy.
So if these points are corrected, logically, success should follow — and personally, I believe in it.
PC players who want to keep the openness of the PC ecosystem while enjoying a console‑like experience,
and console players who want access to a much larger game library, knowing that 30–40% of games release exclusively on PC.
So there’s a very large potential player base.
The remaining question is the price, which will be decisive. But what we can say is that a gaming PC costs more than a console, and yet it’s the only market that’s actually growing, along with cloud gaming.
We still don’t know whether Xbox will offer a cheaper version, but we can be fairly sure that OEM versions will exist at lower prices.
Marketing will also play a key role.
And if they manage to launch exclusive games alongside the new console, that would be a huge purchase trigger. Imagine games like Gears E‑Day, Blade, Clockwork Revolution, etc., released exclusively on the next Xbox. If they do that, it will prove they fully understand what’s needed to revive the hardware. Temporary exclusives of two years for major franchises are enough — when you want to play a game, you’re not going to wait two years, or even a full year. PlayStation understands this very well. With every generation, they concentrate their exclusive games around the launch of their consoles, and after that there’s not much left
@fraserG Unless I'm mistaken, here’s what you forgot to mention — things that are either confirmed or come from Jez Corden’s statements:
Regarding the logo, you could say it looks a bit like a strand of DNA, which echoes Asha Sharma’s comments about returning to the brand’s roots — returning to the brand’s DNA.
The system boots directly into a full Xbox console interface, with the Windows mode being completely optional.
Automatic game optimization (default game profiles, currently on the XFE roadmap).
A premium first‑party version, and cheaper OEM versions.
Regarding price, we could also say that an equivalent gaming PC would cost much more. Microsoft can subsidize the hardware, negotiate prices with AMD, and optimize production costs, knowing they’ve already secured a major RAM supply deal with SK Hynix. A comparable PC simply can’t match the performance‑per‑dollar ratio.
We can also mention the upcoming Sebile controller.
The next Xbox will have upgradeable modules, specifically for the SSD and the RAM, maybe other components
Going further, we could also say that:
The next Xbox will use a hybrid SoC with dedicated gaming hardware blocks, including an NPU, enabling things like native hardware‑level backward compatibility and a gaming‑optimized memory architecture (not possible on a PC). With the next Xbox, the configuration will be fully controlled, with direct access to the hardware, everything calibrated for a single SoC, and games optimized directly at the hardware level. A standard PC cannot have these specialized hardware blocks because Windows has to run on thousands of different configurations.
The advantage of standardized hardware is fewer bugs, no drivers to manage yourself, and a closed, reliable environment.
@Titntin For the cars, I’m not too worried, Even just real players on the roads will already make things feel more alive.. But for the pedestrians, I think it’s mainly to avoid players running into them — this isn’t GTA. Besides, since FH3, NPCs have been heavily reduced.
As for Mexico, it wasn’t really urban, so it was fine. But in Tokyo, it’s true that it becomes an immersion problem. At the very least, they could add NPCs you can simply pass through if you drive onto the sidewalk
Then again, it’s been this way in Forza Horizon for a while now.
I hope it's because it's a pre‑release, because the city looks pretty dead. At the same time, I guess the avatars of real players will bring some life to the roads.
@PsBoxSwitchOwner your article mixes everything together by counting third‑party games. The TechSpot article that says 30% of PlayStation’s revenue comes from PC only includes first‑party games, which is a much more accurate way to calculate it.
In any case, the potential is huge, and it would be even bigger if PlayStation really committed to PC — including day‑one releases. So the ‘2%’ excuse doesn’t hold up. Every third‑party publisher is rushing to PC, but somehow for PlayStation it’s supposedly not interesting? Seriously? When the PC player base is ten times larger than any console and the market is still growing? 120 million monthly active players on Steam alone... Sorry, but there is no business logic behind all of this.
Maybe Schreier heard some internal rumors, but shareholders would never approve a decision like that, because it would mean less budget for the entire PlayStation division — and inevitably lower‑quality games for players
@PsBoxSwitchOwner "just 2%" More numbers pulled out of nowhere — it’s like the whole ‘100 million consoles sold’ story, which is completely false. But even if it were true, what shareholders look at isn’t the current percentage of revenue, it’s the potential revenue. And the potential is huge, and PlayStation has barely scratched the surface of it. That’s why it doesn’t represent much today — and I don’t believe the 2% figure at all, since Helldivers 2 alone, plus games like Spider‑Man or God of War, already push it way beyond that. The reality is simply that their PC strategy is still very timid. That’s the main reason I don’t believe this rumor.
I don’t care about PlayStation games anyway, for reasons I already mentioned. They don’t have much in terms of single‑player games honestly, and overall their games don’t interest me. But above all, the Steam catalog completely dwarfs PlayStation’s tiny library — around 30–40% of all games are PC‑only. People don’t realize how many games release exclusively on PC, it’s massive.
It’s still strange that every third‑party publisher succeeds on PC, but supposedly not PlayStation according to some people. Why? Are their games low quality? Or is it simply because they haven’t really committed to PC yet? It has to be one or the other — you can’t have it both ways.
@Jaxx420 Maybe the sales are lower, but we’re still talking about several million copies sold. And another way to look at it is that the delay between the PlayStation release and the PC release is exactly what causes the lower sales. So the conclusion could actually be the opposite: they should speed up the PC release to take advantage of the game’s marketing hype.
The other explanation that would support your point would be to say that PC players have less appetite for cinematic single‑player games than PlayStation players — but there’s nothing that really proves that.
@DennisReynolds Sony announced in December 2025 that it had shipped 92 million consoles to retailers (not necessarily sold to consumers). Sony never shares the actual sell‑through numbers.
If we apply the usual 5–8% gap between shipped and sold during the PS4 era, that puts real sales at around 86 million units. In both cases, it’s still far from 100 million, and the PS5 remains behind the PS4’s trajectory.”
Schreier is a journalist — he doesn’t work at Sony as far as I know. So how can you claim he’s automatically right? He talked about GTA 6 being delayed to 2027, yet nothing has been confirmed so far.
@Jaxx420 do you have any sources? For example, God of War has 174,000 reviews on Steam, and with a sales‑to‑review ratio on Steam that usually ranges from 20:1 to 60:1 depending on the game, that suggests several million potential sales on PC. Same for Spider‑Man — several million copies sold on PC.
All the numbers show the opposite. Games that release on PC often sell even more than on consoles. Take the latest Resident Evil Requiem, for example
I think the shareholders wouldn’t be happy if they actually pulled their games from PC. That’s why I don’t believe this rumor at all.
First of all, these are just rumors. Nothing has been confirmed by PlayStation, especially since it completely contradicts what they are doing and the statements from Sony’s CEO, who has been talking about becoming more open to PC.
Another thing is that pulling their single‑player first‑party games from Steam would mean a huge loss of revenue for PlayStation. Less revenue means smaller budgets, which ultimately means lower‑quality games. But who knows — it’s possible. It would actually be consistent with the small number of original single‑player games they’ve released this generation and with their shift toward live‑service titles. They’re clearly trying to make more money while investing less (live‑service games, remakes, fewer AAA single‑player titles, etc.).
And even if it happened, it wouldn’t remove that many games from Xbox’s ecosystem. If they really do pull their single‑player games from PC (which I doubt), the PS6 still wouldn’t have access to the 30–40% of games that are PC‑only, unlike the next Xbox. So Xbox would still come out far ahead in terms of available catalog.
In any case, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top: a closed ecosystem that locks itself in (PlayStation), or an open ecosystem that allows players to access a vast game catalog without restrictions.
Comments 608
Re: Forza Horizon 6 Dev Explains How Turn 10 Has Helped Since Dropping 2023's Forza Motorsport
Turn 10 remains an exceptional studio: even after the end of Forza Motorsport, their technical expertise continues to make a real difference. They’ve always managed to push physics, graphics, and precision further than Gran Turismo, and that mastery is still something Playground can rely on.
Re: Xbox 'Copilot' Demonstration Hints At How It'll Work On Your Series X|S
@FraserG Already used it, and it has helped me several times. That said, depending on the game’s popularity and the complexity of the question, the answers can vary, and sometimes I still have to go directly to Google. But overall, I think it’s a feature that’s heading in the right direction, useful, and something that can only get better over time.
It’s been a long time since I last played Sea of Thieves, but I admit that at the beginning I was completely lost, and Copilot probably would have helped me.
Re: Xbox's Starfield Is Already One Of The Top Three Pre-Orders On PS5
@themightyant To be fair and objective, you know very well that these are minor differences that don’t fundamentally change the game and don’t justify real differences in review scores. And that’s just one example among many — we could list dozens of them.
Re: Xbox's Starfield Is Already One Of The Top Three Pre-Orders On PS5
@shiny-enzo @Sindayl Thanks ! Yes, we shouldn’t fall into the opposite extreme either, but it’s real — and sometimes that’s enough to keep a game from reaching the 90 Metacritic mark.
Anyway, back to Starfield: the game was a success in terms of player numbers — 15 million players with an average of 40 hours played per person. It performed much better than plenty of games that are rated higher. At some point, all of this is very relative. What matters is that the game appeals to some people, even if it doesn’t please everyone.
And as for those who attack me, I’d rather just ignore them.
Re: Xbox's Starfield Is Already One Of The Top Three Pre-Orders On PS5
@ilyn @GeminiX53 That’s your opinion, and I don’t share it . Many others think the same way I do. I respect your opinion, so respect mine and theirs as well.. I’m trying to stay objective. I easily admit that the game didn’t launch in the state it should have, and that this probably contributed to the lower review scores. But at the same time, we have to acknowledge that it was unfairly attacked by some influencers and certain well‑known media outlets that tend to be harsh on Xbox — and that’s a real thing.
And it’s the same for other Xbox games, which generally get an average of two points less just for being Xbox titles. We even have proof with Hellblade 2: it got an 81 on PC and Xbox, and conveniently a 84 on PS5, even though it’s the exact same game.
I’m not the one bringing up the console war — it’s certain media that use it for clickbait and to attract an audience of haters. That’s the reality. I’m just trying to stay clear‑headed about it.
Re: No Crimson Desert Xbox Reviews Until Launch, But Here's How The PC Version Is Faring
@VisitingComet1 I don’t like all Ubisoft games, but you have to admit they know how to make their games accessible and enjoyable — at least most of the time. I don’t like all their titles: I loved Assassin’s Creed Origins but hated Valhalla, and right now I’m having a lot of fun with Star Wars Outlaws.
I think Bethesda — and even other publishers — could sometimes take inspiration from certain Ubisoft mechanics that make games more accessible, more fun, and less needlessly complicated. For example, there are a few things in Star Wars Outlaws that I really wish we had in Starfield, especially for space exploration or ship landing/takeoff. I think that overall, the comments are sometimes unfair toward Ubisoft games.
Re: 'Keep The Feedback Coming' - Xbox Boss Says New Console Features Were Built Two Weeks Ago
Asha: Cute and smart !
Re: Xbox's Starfield Is Already One Of The Top Three Pre-Orders On PS5
@themightyant Honestly, the game is much better now. It still has its strengths and weaknesses, but they’ve fixed quite a lot of things. So objectively, it should get better scores now — and removing the whole ‘Xbox tax’ label helps as well.
Re: No Crimson Desert Xbox Reviews Until Launch, But Here's How The PC Version Is Faring
That was kind of the fear I had with Crimson Desert. It really feels like the definition of the saying ‘perfect is the enemy of good’. By trying to do too much, they spread themselves across too many features, making the game unnecessarily complex and not fully polished — at least that’s what I gather from some of the comments
And honestly, I don’t have the time anymore to stress over games like this. I’m starting to ‘Ubisoft‑ify’ myself.
Re: Xbox's Starfield Is Already One Of The Top Three Pre-Orders On PS5
Cool, that’s great for Bethesda and it fills the coffers — more budget for Elder Scrolls VI.
Timed exclusives are good for Xbox and Xbox players: more budget to create quality games, more day‑one titles in Game Pass, whether first‑party or third‑party.
After that, as you already know, like many people I’m not in favor of day‑one exclusives on other platforms (which, in practice, never actually happens right now — at least for the moment - except gameas aleready multiplatform before acqusitions and Fable which is not yet released ).
With timed exclusive games, you get all the advantages: you prioritize the Xbox ecosystem while also making your game more profitable.
@GeminiX53 popcorn for you
Re: Xbox Series X|S Is Getting Its First Dashboard Update In Ages, Quick Resume Upgrade Included
@IOI Yeah, definitely — they had that bug in the first game too before the studio fixed it.
Re: Xbox Series X|S Is Getting Its First Dashboard Update In Ages, Quick Resume Upgrade Included
@IOI Yeah, I’ve had issues too, especially with multiplayer games or titles that rely heavily on online features, but those are still exceptions. Most of the time, it works perfectly.
After that, I guess it depends on the kinds of games each person plays.
Re: Microsoft's Next First-Party Release Officially Launches On Xbox Game Pass This April
Very curious to try this quirky little game — it could turn out to be a great surprise
Re: Xbox Series X|S Is Getting Its First Dashboard Update In Ages, Quick Resume Upgrade Included
Some really useful additions, thanks!
@Balaam_ : It’s honestly the first time I’ve heard someone say they don’t use Quick Resume. It’s so convenient — between the moment I turn on the console and the moment I sit down on my couch, maybe 3–4 seconds pass (console waking from standby + game starting). It’s just so pleasant
I really hope they’ll implement it on the next Xbox console, or even on the Xbox ROG Ally
Re: 'I'm Of Two Minds' - Todd Howard Gives His Thoughts On Xbox's Leadership Changes
I feel the same way as Todd Howard: both sad and grateful for everything Phil Spencer has accomplished. He’s undoubtedly one of the most iconic leaders in the video game industry, someone who truly pushed it forward.
At the same time, I’m excited about the future and this new direction, with Matt Booty handling the creative side — games and content — and Asha Sharma overseeing the business, communication, and marketing aspects.
Re: Bethesda Says Starfield Looks 'Amazing' With Nvidia's DLSS 5, But Don't Expect It On Xbox
It’s really astonishing what it can do — I’m especially blown away by the realistic lighting it brings and the textures. On faces, it’s actually almost too good: you go from a face that looks totally unrealistic to a truly realistic face, which makes some people say the face is completely different. They don’t understand what’s really happening: we’re moving from a dead, expressionless face to a living, realistic one — that’s the big difference. On starfield, Faces that looked pretty bad with dlss off become more realistic with dlss on. In any case, when you see what AI can do for graphical optimizations, it promises incredible things for video games in the future. And Nvidia’s DLSS is really far ahead of FSR or PSSR.
In any case, don’t forget that this is a technical demo. I think I read that they needed two of Nvidia’s latest‑generation GPUs to achieve this result, so even on PC, it’s not something the average user will have access to anytime soon.
Re: With Project Helix On The Horizon, Xbox Is Now Letting You Add Games Manually On PC
Another new feature that goes in the right direction and helps you stay within the Xbox ecosystem without needing to leave it, even when launching external games or apps (Steam, software, etc.).
Yesterday, while using the Xbox app on PC, I noticed that the Library function has improved a lot, with several sorting and filtering options — all clean, simple, and without any clutter or ads. Or maybe it’s just me — I don’t go there often enough. Not sure if it’s actually that new, but anyway, I like it.
Re: Talking Point: What Should Xbox Call Its 'Project Helix' Console?
Xbox 720: To remind people of the roots of Xbox and the Xbox 360. Besides, back then there were rumors that the Xbox One could have been called that
@Fiendish-Beaver: Honestly, don’t pretend you’re not trolling after your last comment. Your remarks are getting ridiculous at this point
Re: 'Xbox Mode' For Windows 11 Is Progress, And It Could Shape Microsoft's Project Helix Console
The new Xbox Mode looks like a solid step toward making Windows feel more consistent for gaming. It’s great to see Microsoft simplifying the experience and moving closer to a console‑style interface. Still, the real test will be how smooth and reliable it is in everyday use. If they can keep it stable and avoid the usual Windows interruptions, this could genuinely improve gaming on PC
From what I understand, the idea is really to turn it into a "full OS" (kind of) and make the traditional Windows background experience completely optional, at least for normal gaming use.
Another advantage of having a hybrid SoC and dedicated gaming hardware is that everything can be specifically optimized for that device. That means automated, dedicated, and hardware‑specific driver management. I think, following that logic, Xbox consoles will get their own dedicated updates, instead of receiving all the patches and fixes that a regular Windows machine gets. That’s already what Microsoft does with ARM‑based Windows devices: there’s a shared core, but also parallel update branches tailored to ARM machines. I expect the same here, since the CPU/GPU SoC of the next Xbox will be unique and not available in any PC.
Re: 'Every Xbox Game Gets To Use This' - Microsoft Announces Free Cross-Platform Tools For Developers
This is definitely great news for the video game industry, for studios, for players, and for the Xbox ecosystem as a whole. In the end, it will encourage more studios to develop for Xbox.
Re: 10 New Xbox Indie Games That Should Be On Your Radar In March 2026
I tried Minishoot’ Adventures, which is on Game Pass, and I immediately got hooked. There’s a real sense of progression, with your arsenal improving as you go. It’s a really good little game — careful, it’s addictive.
And of course Planet of Lana 2 , a beautiful evolution compared to the first one.
Re: Microsoft's 2026 GDC Booth Showcases An Impressive Look At The History Of Xbox Consoles
@themightyant ok thanks ! The big advantage of this PC‑based infrastructure is how easy and inexpensive porting becomes — it’s now very simple and almost cost‑free. The next Xbox will already have a huge game catalog, with PC games and Xbox console games, but on top of that, third‑party publishers will no longer have the excuse of cost to avoid bringing their games to the Xbox Store
Re: Microsoft's 2026 GDC Booth Showcases An Impressive Look At The History Of Xbox Consoles
@Kezelpaso “Another interesting conference is this one: ‘Press Start: Get Your PC Game Ready for Xbox in One Day (Presented by Microsoft Xbox)’: https://schedule.gdconf.com/session/press-start-get-your-pc-game-ready-for-xbox-in-one-day-presented-by-microsoft-xbox/917901
It shows how easy it will be to bring games to Xbox: ‘in one day’.
Re: Microsoft's 2026 GDC Booth Showcases An Impressive Look At The History Of Xbox Consoles
@Kezelpaso @themightyant Can we watch Jason Ronald talk live?
Re: Microsoft's 2026 GDC Booth Showcases An Impressive Look At The History Of Xbox Consoles
Honestly, this GDC booth feels like a real turning point for Xbox. Instead of repeating the old ‘This is an Xbox’ messaging, Microsoft is finally embracing its history while showing it’s ready to move forward. The focus on the legacy of the brand — from the OG prototype to the iconic hardware moments — gives the impression of a company reconnecting with what made Xbox special in the first place. It’s a refreshing shift, and it really feels like the start of a new chapter.
We'll see tomorrow if there are any interesting announcements to sink our teeth into.
Re: Crimson Desert Has Three Different Performance Modes On Xbox Series X
@darylb24 Yeah me too ! And Xbox play anywhere ...
Re: Tech Journalist Predicts A Price Of 'At Least $1,000' For Xbox Project Helix
@IOI Most consoles are sold at a loss at launch. Then they make up for it with first‑party games, third‑party royalties, subscriptions (like Game Pass), accessories, and so on. And over time, as production costs drop, they can eventually break even.
So considering they have major partnerships and that consoles are typically sold at a loss (at least at launch), I think a price around $1000 — something like $990 — wouldn’t be unrealistic. It also lines up with what the insider in the article said, with Microsoft aiming for an aggressive strategy to stay competitive.
You mentioned the RAM crisis, but keep in mind that it doesn’t affect manufacturers the same way it affects consumers. Microsoft buys RAM in massive quantities for its datacenters and already has a partnership with SK Hynix to supply memory.
We’ll see how it goes — no need to get carried away, I’m just giving my opinion. But we also have to consider that this machine will be more powerful than a PS6, will have access to more games than a PS6, and will be capable of more things (like modding). So it makes sense that it would be more expensive — it’s not even a fair comparison.
Re: Tech Journalist Predicts A Price Of 'At Least $1,000' For Xbox Project Helix
Okay, so between $900 and $1500 — that’s a pretty safe prediction ! He is not taking much of a risk there
They really shouldn’t go over $1000, otherwise they’ll hit a psychological barrier. Logically, it should be cheaper than an equivalent gaming PC, because Microsoft can negotiate volume deals and partnerships — AMD for the SoC, SK Hynix for the RAM, etc. — something a regular consumer simply can’t do. And like with any console, the goal isn’t to make a big profit on the hardware, just to stay within reasonable margins.
We’ll see how it turns out, but it’s obviously a key point.
Re: Xbox Must Live Up To Expectations Of Fans Who Have 'Counted On Us', Says Microsoft Boss
These are the right WORDS for Xbox fans and for the Xbox teams within MS, but they're cheap and we need to see actions that prove intent. I guess Nadella has seen the damage dropping exclusivity has done to hardware sales. In any case, we can already feel there’s a strategic shift happening, different from the Sarah Bond era, different from the "this is an xbox " message which implicitly suggested that Xbox consoles were not the priority.
Whether it’s Asha or Nadella, they’ve both mentioned the Xbox community, Xbox consoles, Xbox hardware several times, and the fact that “everything is being relitigated.”
Now we need actions, but that shouldn’t take long — with the upcoming GDC, we should learn more soon.
Re: Xbox Superfan Shares Blades Dashboard Concept For 'Project Helix' Console
yeah ! So cool ! Of course, you can’t build the entire menu like that, but it could work as a kind of quick-access menu highlighting the main features: Home, Game Pass, My Games, Store. I really like that idea
Re: Microsoft CEO On Xbox's Future: 'We'll Always Invest In Gaming'
@BacklogBrad With these people, Xbox has already died and been resurrected a hundred times. I don’t know if you know DreamcastGuy, but this guy announces the death of Xbox every single week. Meanwhile, even if Xbox is behind in terms of hardware, that’s absolutely not the case for everything else — games, services, cloud, etc. They’re actually ahead in many areas. But let them talk. Even on this site, we’ve got some disciples ...
Re: Microsoft CEO On Xbox's Future: 'We'll Always Invest In Gaming'
It’s becoming clearer and clearer. After Asha’s statements about being open to exclusive games, now we have Nadella saying:
“For those fans who have counted on us, I just want to make sure that we live up to what they expect of us. We have to really make sure, whether it's console, whether it's PC, whether it's the lover of Forza, Halo, we really want to make sure they love us for what they expect us to do.”
And Asha saying that “everything is being relitigated.”
Well, after all these nice words, we’re still waiting for concrete actions, but you can already feel there’s a strategic shift happening, different from the Sarah Bond era: More focused on Xbox fans, more focused on Xbox consoles, more focused on the brand’s DNA and especially its iconic franchises.
And it’s definitely not impossible that they roll back their exclusivity policy, finding a better balance between a multiplatform strategy and console exclusives, even if only temporary (for example, two years of exclusivity for major franchises).
Re: Here's What Might Leave Xbox Game Pass In April 2026
@Kramlar ok fine, My bad — the time games stay on Game Pass varies a lot, and it’s true that Xbox could communicate a bit more early about when a game is going to leave
Re: Here's What Might Leave Xbox Game Pass In April 2026
Sorry, but I’m not sure articles like this are useful. We already have enough speculation, no need to add more — especially when the accuracy is anywhere between 30% and 80%.
That said, I understand the point: it’s basically about hurrying to play these games before they leave Game Pass.
Re: Talking Point: Will 'Project Helix' Be A Niche Device, Or An Xbox Console For The Masses?
@betterthings I understand what you’re saying, but in my view, they’re actually expanding the pool of potential buyers, not shrinking it — assuming the final price is reasonable, of course.
Regarding the AMD vs. Nvidia debate, I don’t think players are particularly attached to one or the other. What they want is the best price‑to‑performance ratio. If AMD delivers the same performance or even better — which is likely, since this will be a machine specialized for gaming, unlike a PC — then it doesn’t matter if AMD is behind it.
Your comparison with the Steam Deck doesn’t apply here. We’re talking about a handheld console running Linux with its own limitations, and it’s not even the same audience.
As for Game Pass, I actually agree with you. It’s a crucial factor for the future success of this console, and they really need to rethink how the subscription tiers are structured
Re: Talking Point: Will 'Project Helix' Be A Niche Device, Or An Xbox Console For The Masses?
@GuyinPA75 The fact that they’re planning to release several OEM versions is actually a very good thing. You can’t compare this to the Series S. Developers won’t have any development or porting issues, in the same way that PC games already release across tons of different configurations. In this kind of setup, it’s the game that adapts to the machine — developers don’t need to create specific versions or design games around the lowest‑end hardware.
You have to understand that we’re moving into a new paradigm. It’s not comparable to what you know today, and most of the limitations that exist when making different console versions simply won’t apply, because it will all be based on a homogeneous PC‑like infrastructure.
Re: Talking Point: Will 'Project Helix' Be A Niche Device, Or An Xbox Console For The Masses?
@fraserG The question is poorly framed — niche device or mass‑market? Honestly, it will probably be somewhere in between. PlayStation still has a very strong aura, despite a disastrous generation in terms of first party games. For many people and casual gamers, it’s the default console, especially for those who don’t really follow gaming news. That’s why strong marketing will be essential to highlight the unique possibilities of the new console compared to the competition. They need to be disruptive in their communication and put Xbox players and the Xbox console at the center — basically the opposite of what Sarah Bond did.
@betterthings I'm obviously not talking about PC — they won’t go back on day‑one releases on PC, that wouldn’t make any sense. The new Xbox will already have enough differentiating factors, starting with native compatibility with all previous Xbox console games, as well as a true console experience. A PC player who mainly uses their machine for gaming could definitely be interested in the next Xbox — even more so if they want something simpler on the side.
People don’t always realize it, but the potential PC player base is ten times larger than the console market, and the next Xbox is a small revolution. It’s something completely new that has never been done before, so it’s hard to compare it to anything we currently know
Re: Talking Point: Will 'Project Helix' Be A Niche Device, Or An Xbox Console For The Masses?
I see a lot of pessimism from some people, as usual on this site. Yet the Xbox Series X has sold over 35 million units, compared to 84 million for the PS5 — and that’s without a mid‑gen refresh. So beyond the usual dramatization, and considering the fact that Xbox releases all its games on PC day one, and some on other consoles as well, I actually think they’re doing well.
I believe there’s a real desire — from Xbox players and even from many PC players — for the next Xbox to surprise us in a good way. The next Xbox will offer a much larger game library (30–40% more games) than the current Series consoles, and even more than PlayStation consoles. It will offer many new possibilities, and if Asha Sharma adjusts the exclusivity strategy with a better balance and timed exclusives, that’s another set of differentiating factors and improvements over the current consoles — and even over the competition — that suggest the next Xbox has everything it needs to be a major success.
There are still many open questions: price, marketing, exclusives, etc. But if these conditions are met, it can only perform better than the current generation, which suffered from a lot of bad press regarding marketing, communication, and exclusivity strategy.
So if these points are corrected, logically, success should follow — and personally, I believe in it.
Re: Talking Point: Will 'Project Helix' Be A Niche Device, Or An Xbox Console For The Masses?
On paper:
It appeals to both type of players:
PC players who want to keep the openness of the PC ecosystem while enjoying a console‑like experience,
and console players who want access to a much larger game library, knowing that 30–40% of games release exclusively on PC.
So there’s a very large potential player base.
Re: Next Xbox Console: Everything We Know So Far About Microsoft's Next-Gen System
@fraserG Unless I'm mistaken, here’s what you forgot to mention — things that are either confirmed or come from Jez Corden’s statements:
Going further, we could also say that:
The next Xbox will use a hybrid SoC with dedicated gaming hardware blocks, including an NPU, enabling things like native hardware‑level backward compatibility and a gaming‑optimized memory architecture (not possible on a PC). With the next Xbox, the configuration will be fully controlled, with direct access to the hardware, everything calibrated for a single SoC, and games optimized directly at the hardware level. A standard PC cannot have these specialized hardware blocks because Windows has to run on thousands of different configurations.
The advantage of standardized hardware is fewer bugs, no drivers to manage yourself, and a closed, reliable environment.
Re: Here's Almost 10 Minutes Of Uncut Gameplay Footage From Forza Horizon 6
@Titntin For the cars, I’m not too worried, Even just real players on the roads will already make things feel more alive.. But for the pedestrians, I think it’s mainly to avoid players running into them — this isn’t GTA. Besides, since FH3, NPCs have been heavily reduced.
As for Mexico, it wasn’t really urban, so it was fine. But in Tokyo, it’s true that it becomes an immersion problem. At the very least, they could add NPCs you can simply pass through if you drive onto the sidewalk
Then again, it’s been this way in Forza Horizon for a while now.
Re: Here's Almost 10 Minutes Of Uncut Gameplay Footage From Forza Horizon 6
I hope it's because it's a pre‑release, because the city looks pretty dead. At the same time, I guess the avatars of real players will bring some life to the roads.
Re: Next Xbox Console Could Be Affected By PlayStation Pulling Back On PC
@PsBoxSwitchOwner your article mixes everything together by counting third‑party games. The TechSpot article that says 30% of PlayStation’s revenue comes from PC only includes first‑party games, which is a much more accurate way to calculate it.
In any case, the potential is huge, and it would be even bigger if PlayStation really committed to PC — including day‑one releases. So the ‘2%’ excuse doesn’t hold up. Every third‑party publisher is rushing to PC, but somehow for PlayStation it’s supposedly not interesting? Seriously? When the PC player base is ten times larger than any console and the market is still growing? 120 million monthly active players on Steam alone... Sorry, but there is no business logic behind all of this.
Maybe Schreier heard some internal rumors, but shareholders would never approve a decision like that, because it would mean less budget for the entire PlayStation division — and inevitably lower‑quality games for players
Re: Next Xbox Console Could Be Affected By PlayStation Pulling Back On PC
@PsBoxSwitchOwner look at this https://www.techspot.com/news/109514-pc-sales-now-account-nearly-third-sony-first.html
Where is your source ?
Re: Next Xbox Console Could Be Affected By PlayStation Pulling Back On PC
@PsBoxSwitchOwner "just 2%" More numbers pulled out of nowhere — it’s like the whole ‘100 million consoles sold’ story, which is completely false. But even if it were true, what shareholders look at isn’t the current percentage of revenue, it’s the potential revenue. And the potential is huge, and PlayStation has barely scratched the surface of it. That’s why it doesn’t represent much today — and I don’t believe the 2% figure at all, since Helldivers 2 alone, plus games like Spider‑Man or God of War, already push it way beyond that. The reality is simply that their PC strategy is still very timid. That’s the main reason I don’t believe this rumor.
I don’t care about PlayStation games anyway, for reasons I already mentioned. They don’t have much in terms of single‑player games honestly, and overall their games don’t interest me. But above all, the Steam catalog completely dwarfs PlayStation’s tiny library — around 30–40% of all games are PC‑only. People don’t realize how many games release exclusively on PC, it’s massive.
It’s still strange that every third‑party publisher succeeds on PC, but supposedly not PlayStation according to some people. Why? Are their games low quality? Or is it simply because they haven’t really committed to PC yet? It has to be one or the other — you can’t have it both ways.
thanks @TrollOfWar It's 30% - 40% of PlayStation's first party sales. Link: https://www.techspot.com/news/109514-pc-sales-now-account-nearly-third-sony-first.html
Re: Next Xbox Console Could Be Affected By PlayStation Pulling Back On PC
@Jaxx420 Maybe the sales are lower, but we’re still talking about several million copies sold. And another way to look at it is that the delay between the PlayStation release and the PC release is exactly what causes the lower sales. So the conclusion could actually be the opposite: they should speed up the PC release to take advantage of the game’s marketing hype.
The other explanation that would support your point would be to say that PC players have less appetite for cinematic single‑player games than PlayStation players — but there’s nothing that really proves that.
Re: Roundup: Here's What The Reviews Say About Planet Of Lana 2 On Xbox Game Pass
Can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Re: Next Xbox Console Could Be Affected By PlayStation Pulling Back On PC
@DennisReynolds Sony announced in December 2025 that it had shipped 92 million consoles to retailers (not necessarily sold to consumers). Sony never shares the actual sell‑through numbers.
If we apply the usual 5–8% gap between shipped and sold during the PS4 era, that puts real sales at around 86 million units. In both cases, it’s still far from 100 million, and the PS5 remains behind the PS4’s trajectory.”
Schreier is a journalist — he doesn’t work at Sony as far as I know. So how can you claim he’s automatically right? He talked about GTA 6 being delayed to 2027, yet nothing has been confirmed so far.
Re: Next Xbox Console Could Be Affected By PlayStation Pulling Back On PC
@Jaxx420 do you have any sources? For example, God of War has 174,000 reviews on Steam, and with a sales‑to‑review ratio on Steam that usually ranges from 20:1 to 60:1 depending on the game, that suggests several million potential sales on PC. Same for Spider‑Man — several million copies sold on PC.
All the numbers show the opposite. Games that release on PC often sell even more than on consoles. Take the latest Resident Evil Requiem, for example
I think the shareholders wouldn’t be happy if they actually pulled their games from PC. That’s why I don’t believe this rumor at all.
Re: Next Xbox Console Could Be Affected By PlayStation Pulling Back On PC
First of all, these are just rumors. Nothing has been confirmed by PlayStation, especially since it completely contradicts what they are doing and the statements from Sony’s CEO, who has been talking about becoming more open to PC.
Another thing is that pulling their single‑player first‑party games from Steam would mean a huge loss of revenue for PlayStation. Less revenue means smaller budgets, which ultimately means lower‑quality games. But who knows — it’s possible. It would actually be consistent with the small number of original single‑player games they’ve released this generation and with their shift toward live‑service titles. They’re clearly trying to make more money while investing less (live‑service games, remakes, fewer AAA single‑player titles, etc.).
And even if it happened, it wouldn’t remove that many games from Xbox’s ecosystem. If they really do pull their single‑player games from PC (which I doubt), the PS6 still wouldn’t have access to the 30–40% of games that are PC‑only, unlike the next Xbox. So Xbox would still come out far ahead in terms of available catalog.
In any case, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top: a closed ecosystem that locks itself in (PlayStation), or an open ecosystem that allows players to access a vast game catalog without restrictions.