fatpunkslim

I played final fantasy vii remake intergrade thanks to a good discount on xbox, and even though i didn’t find the gameplay exceptional, i loved the story. i’ll probably pick up this sequel as well

Thank you Asha — her arrival at Xbox really feels like a masterclass. She clearly listens to what fans are saying, that’s undeniable. We still want more concrete proof, but the direction she’s taking so far is very good.

As for COD coming a year later, that works perfectly for me. In the meantime there are already so many day‑one games and others that it won’t make any difference. And with the money saved, those who want it can still buy it, and those who aren’t big COD fans end up saving money.

Shawn Layden is honestly the last person anyone should listen to, in my opinion. He has never said anything constructive and has always shown deep bad faith toward Xbox and Game Pass. He was already claiming a year ago that Game Pass wasn’t good for developers, even though the opposite has been proven many times. Many developers have expressed their enthusiasm for Game Pass, especially for the visibility it gives them and ultimately for the boost in sales it brings across all platforms. And strangely, he never says a word about PS+, even though the model is exactly the same — except with a smaller catalog and no day-one releases.

He is neither impartial nor objective on this topic, probably paid by PlayStation to fuel the console war. He’s basically one of the gurus for PlayStation haters anyway

But faced with this cynicism and bad faith, Asha once again shows intelligence: instead of playing his unpleasant game, she turns it around by being open and willing to listen. That’s the best possible response to someone bitter like him.

Exclusive? Usually they mention at the end of the trailer if it’s multiplatform, but here they don’t. Interesting! Maybe timed exclusive ...

And yeah, it looks gorgeous !

Wow, there’s definitely a love story going on between Xbox and Ukraine — the game looks stunning! Ukrainian studios really have a special touch when it comes to making games.

@Fiendish-Beaver As far as I know, PlayStation doesn’t have a subscription that includes only first‑party games.
And regarding a Game Pass with old Xbox titles: yes, they already have a bunch of them, and honestly, why not do what EA and Ubisoft do with their older catalogs — maybe even offer it on PlayStation. As long as it’s not day‑one releases and doesn’t include games that are too recent, it wouldn’t really hurt the Xbox ecosystem.

But if they do that, it’s yet another subscription on top of everything else. We’re already at four plans (Essential, Premium, PC, Ultimate). If they add a customizable plan, that makes six. So I don’t know… they really need to rethink their whole offering, otherwise it’s going to be a mess.

It’s great to see that since Asha took over, things are finally moving in the right direction. And given how things are going, and the signals she’s sending, it’s pretty clear that with this new leadership, Asha is going to make more games exclusive and/or extend the exclusivity periods.

She just needs to be clear about which games are concerned and for how long, because it’s the lack of communication that creates confusion.

Replaced, hades 2 , vampire crawlers, and I’m going to try Kiln as well — curious to see how it turns out. I might even be pleasantly surprised.

It’s not really my thing, but games like Football Manager, NHL 2026, or Modern Warfare (already played it, excellent) are big titles that will definitely interest a lot of players.

@Banjo- "I still have to play the Alan Wake and Control games, that I also own"

Seriously? What are you waiting for? They’re not even that long to finish!

Yeah, I know… your backlog is huge... But still — we’re talking about Remedy cult classics here, and they’re pretty short!

A cult game that definitely deserves a sequel. And honestly, if Remedy is putting out this kind of message, I can’t help wondering if something might already be in the works.

And When you look at the technical quality of the game, it really doesn’t feel like it’s 10 years old.

@FraserG State of Decay 3 | Official Alpha Playtest Announce https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iBYOVNC9Uw

You can really feel a surge of positivity around Xbox, but the fundamentals still need to be proven.
For now it’s mostly smoke — we need to see the fire behind it and make sure it’s not just a flash in the pan.
What’s missing are real, strong decisions, especially regarding Game Pass and their exclusivity policy.

@Sol4ris Yeah, exactly — I’ve always bought the Xbox mid‑gen upgrades. And since there wasn’t one this time, I went for the PS5 Pro… but I really didn’t feel the same technical jump I got with the Xbox One X.
And yeah, it’s mainly for third‑party games anyway!

I get that what I’m saying might bother some people, but the PS5 Pro was never unanimously praised — I’m far from the only one who feels this way.
If some people think it’s good value for money, good for them. It’s just not the case for me, that’s all.

@FraserG So I checked as well, and apparently it’s inconsistent for backward‑compatible games.
In theory it’s supposed to work, but it doesn’t on every title, and when it does, the results vary from game to game.
Basically, from what I understand, VRR on PlayStation just isn’t as solid as on Xbox.

"VRR works for backwards compatible games on Xbox, whereas it doesn't on the PS5 Pro."

What a joke, seriously! I’m glad I sold my PS5 Pro — what a scam.
(Yeah, I actually had it in my hands for a few weeks before getting rid of it.)

Of course, this isn’t the case for every game, but the number of titles where the PS5 is noticeably more powerful than the Series X is tiny. Most of the time, the differences are barely noticeable, identical, or even better on the Series X — like in this example.

Basically, for this game, the Series X is more powerful, and on top of that, cheaper.

As for backward compatibility, PlayStation has always been behind anyway. They clearly have no real intention of improving in that area — there’s just no financial incentive for them.

@Fiendish-Beaver @Shinato2024 I actually agree with both of you — we’re not talking about just any company here.
But since this is for the 25th anniversary, Xbox had probably planned things on a large scale well in advance.
That said, a company like Microsoft definitely has the resources to speed things up much more than most others.

That’s really cool! Once again, it shows a real intention to reconnect more deeply with the Xbox community.

That said, there are still other decisions that need to be made regarding the structure of the Game Pass offering and the exclusivity policy.

Physical events alone won’t be enough — but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.

@FraserG Yeah, it’s quite possible that they’ll unify it at some point

I’m seeing the same thing on the Microsoft Store, and it’s actually pretty nice.
That said, honestly, I don’t find the difference with xbox pc app that striking either — it’s mostly the Game Pass section that really stands out on the Microsoft Store

Great news — it’s one of the most iconic games and one of the most anticipated by PC players. And to think that the next Xbox console will give access to this kind of game, knowing that 30–40% of all game releases are PC‑only.
That’s when you realize Xbox’s strategy is the right one: players will have access to far more games than any traditional console catalog could ever offer

@themightyant Honestly, if it’s free, there’s no reason to complain, i agree with @Globo . Watching ads in exchange for a free version of Game Pass would be totally fair.

But if something like that ever existed, let’s be realistic: even with ads, it wouldn’t give full access to the entire game catalog. That’s just not possible — ad revenue alone wouldn’t be enough to cover the costs.

@Shinato2024 Yes, definitely — it’s still worrying though. It’s not that I dislike Chinese games, but there’s a real risk of seeing more games pushed toward a certain kind of standardized format.

It just doesn’t stop these past few months: Eidos Montréal, the studio behind Highguard, Epic Games with over 1,000 layoffs, Bluepoint Games (PlayStation) shut down in February 2026, and Dark Outlaw Games (PlayStation) closed in March 2026.

Meanwhile, it feels like Chinese and correan studios are the ones really gaining momentum, while Western studios keep shutting down or laying off

I was hoping for better scores, but whatever — I’ll still try it on Game Pass. It’s a niche game anyway, made for controller masochists.

The BG3 director should really stop saying nonsense, seriously. On one hand, players complain that Game Pass Ultimate is too expensive, and then he shows up acting all delicate saying the opposite. How exactly would cheaper pricing ‘hurt the industry’?

If a subscription tier is cheaper, its value is lower too — that’s all.

He also shouldn’t forget that Xbox games launch on Game Pass as well, so Microsoft has zero interest in hurting their own studios.

Honestly, he should stick to what he actually knows how to do and stop giving advice in areas he clearly doesn’t understand.

@Fiendish-Beaver $1500 is really the most pessimistic price I’ve heard based on the rumors. I really don’t think it will reach that level. And don’t forget there will be cheaper OEM versions.

Also, don’t forget that launching a new console with a strong lineup of games — especially if they’re exclusives — is a strategy that works. It has been proven time and time again across generations and across all console manufacturers.

Releasing Gears E-Day along with other games alongside the new console makes total sense from a business and marketing standpoint — that’s undeniable. For instance, PlayStation always keep their system sellers for the launch of new consoles (and then, not much followed).

Even back when the Xbox 360 launched, there was a strong lineup of exclusive games, and Gears of War came out less than a year later, which also helped boost the console.

But as usual, between You and me, it’s always pessimism versus optimism

Honestly, they should release Gears E-Day at the same time as the next console, and make it a timed exclusive (PC and Xbox consoles) for at least two years. They’d sell a ton of consoles that way

Super Meat Boy 3D looks like so much fun and probably a bit rage‑inducing too

@fraserG I’d add two points that, for me, should be top priority.

> First, they need to rethink how the entire Game Pass offering is structured.

> And second, they need to rethink their exclusivity strategy. I’m not talking about reversing course on permanent exclusives, but about finding a balance — for example, using two‑year timed exclusives for the big franchises (not for already‑multiplayer games like COD or Doom)

> As for the other points in the article, I completely agree about the need for clear communication — something that leaves no room for interpretation and shuts down rumors before they even start

Otherwise, for now the early days of the Asha + Matt Booty duo are very encouraging, but we still need more confirmation — especially on the two points mentioned above.

@shiny-enzo @IOI Yes, I agree with both of you, but I lean a bit more toward Shiny‑Enzo’s position on the question of exclusive games.

@Fiendish-Beaver I’ve always said the same thing on this topic. And yes, without that little spark between us, it’s less fun , you need a bit of showmanship from time to time, it makes the conversation more lively.

In any case, since the short time she’s been in charge, she’s been sending positive and encouraging signals. She does seem open‑minded, and she doesn’t appear to have any preconceived ideas about Xbox’s strategy. She also seems ready to rethink things in depth, whether it’s Game Pass or the exclusivity policy.

Now I’m waiting to see how she adjusts Game Pass — that will be the real test to see whether she truly understands what players want and what’s best for Xbox overall.

Basically, they need to add a customizable subscription, and remember that Game Pass is above all a game catalog, not a bundle of services most people won’t use but will still end up paying for.

Same thing for the exclusivity strategy: they need to clearly return to timed exclusives (2 years for major first‑party franchises, 1 year for smaller first‑party titles, and keep things as they are for games that were already multiplatform before acquisitions, like COD, Doom, etc.).

@Coletrain Xbox had already increased the price of its consoles before Sony. I’d be surprised if they did it again.

In any case, the PS5 Pro at $899 is huge, especially for gains that are often minimal — when there are any at all. It’s €300 more expensive than a Series X…

I don’t even want to imagine the price of the next consoles.

Solid additions — the ones that stand out to me are Alien, Hades 2, The Expanse, Moosa, Stranger Than Heaven, Super Meat Boy 3D, and The Eternal Life of Goldman.

And all games are play anywhere ! I love it as I switch from pc to consoles et vice versa

the expanse, super meat boy 3d (It feels good to have games like this.), alien , artficial: detective, stalker 2. A solid 8/10 Almost everything is on Game Pass, and everything is Play Anywhere

love you Asha, great Move ! Since she came in, everything has been positive so far

@Kezelpaso Alright, thanks, I understand.

@TheGameThrifter Please, don’t make excuses for the haters who say ‘Xbox is dead’ every week or every month. We both know we’re not talking about ‘people’ in general, as you put it — we’re talking about haters. And we also know very well that they use console sales as an excuse to claim that ‘nobody’ likes Xbox. Except that it’s simply not true. The lower Xbox console sales (relatively lower — we’re still close to 40 million consoles sold vs. 82 million for PlayStation) have nothing to do with whether people love Xbox or not. It’s a mix of many factors:

The ‘This is an Xbox’ marketing campaign, even though the decline actually started before that

The fact that Xbox didn’t release a mid‑gen refresh — yes, people don’t mention it often, but it does make a difference in the final numbers

Xbox releasing all its games on PC and some on PlayStation

Pricing

Weak marketing and communication mistakes around the consoles

The overall decline of the console market — PlayStation sales are also down, not as much as Xbox, sure, but still below PS4 levels

Despite all that, despite these handicaps, I actually think Xbox’s sales are doing pretty well. And we’re seeing a very strong engagement rate from console players (on games like Helldivers 2, Arc Raiders, Clair Obscur, etc.), even with a smaller install base. That shows a dynamic community, probably with fewer casual gamers than PlayStation. Console sales don’t automatically equal active players, and out of PS5’s numbers, at least 20 million consoles are probably collecting dust (that part is pure speculation, just an extrapolation based on what I’m seeing).

Anyway, console sales mean absolutely nothing on their own, and they’re definitely not a reliable indicator of whether a platform holder is healthy or not — whether it’s Xbox or PlayStation.

@Kezelpaso Yes, but you posted something about Epic… so… PureXbox mainly focuses on Xbox, but it also covers major news from the gaming industry. So it doesn’t seem strange at all to talk about a big story like this. And clearly there’s interest — the article got 151 comments on PushSquare, which shows there’s definitely potential.

Wait, I know what you’re going to say — that I should just go on PushSquare lol

Can’t wait for tomorrow.

@Kezelpaso Aren’t you going to talk about Sony’s studio closures? Dark Outlaw Games and Pixomondo? In just two years that makes eight studios shut down (Bluepoint Games, Pixomondo, Dark Outlaw Games, Firewalk Studios, Guerrilla Cambridge, London Studio, Neon Koi, Pixelopus), not to mention the job cuts at still existing studios like Naughty Dog, Insomniac, etc.

What’s great about these numbers is how they completely shut down the weekly “Xbox is dead” narrative. The data speaks for itself: Xbox isn’t just the biggest publisher in terms of output — it’s also outperforming the other console makers in overall quality.

Landing 5th place on Metacritic for 2025, ahead of Nintendo and PlayStation, proves that Xbox’s lineup isn’t just large, it’s consistently strong. With an average Metascore of 80 and a string of well‑received releases, Xbox has clearly found its stride this year .

And let’s be honest: the idea that “nobody likes Xbox” has never matched reality. Most players genuinely enjoy Xbox games, and the sales charts back that up. Xbox titles regularly show up in the top sellers on Steam, and even on the PlayStation Store — Starfield being the latest example — they perform extremely well.

So yes, these rankings are more than just numbers. They’re a reminder that despite the noise, Xbox is thriving in both volume and quality, and players across all platforms are proving it with their wallets.

With the next Xbox console, as explained during GDC, porting is supposed to become much reliable, easier and faster, and compatible across all platforms (cloud, console, PC, handheld console). We’re talking about a massive reduction in friction for developers: faster onboarding, a unified GDK, convergent PC/console tools, and improved performance on Windows 11.

What used to take a month or more to port is now going to take just a single day. That’s the real breakthrough here: one unified build that runs on PC, next‑gen console, old‑gen console, the cloud, and even handheld devices. In the end, that’s a massive hardware ecosystem for almost no extra effort.

For developers, the effort‑to‑reach ratio becomes incredible. It’ll cost them practically nothing to reach the maximum number of players. And when you combine that with the fact that Xbox is already the publisher releasing the most games, you can clearly see the strategy: make the ecosystem so simple and coherent that targeting Xbox becomes the obvious choice.

If Helix delivers on this vision, Xbox could genuinely become the easiest and most flexible platform to develop for — and that benefits everyone, devs and xbox gamers

@Banjo- Yes, absolutely! And honestly, the numbers don’t lie — Xbox is the publisher that has released the most games.

And for months now Game Pass has been delivering a ton of great titles. There’s really nothing comparable in other subscriptions, and saying otherwise is just bad faith.

If someone says Game Pass Ultimate is too expensive, I can understand that (because of paying for extra perks that not everybody use). But if you look at PC Game Pass, which has the same game catalog as Ultimate (or almost), it’s an amazing value for the price. Even the Premium tier has become very appealing for what it offers.

@shiny-enzo I really like the marketing hook: “Build your own Game Pass.”

It’s not complicated: we need a subscription that gives access to the full game catalog with day‑one releases, but at a lower price — meaning without all the extras like Fortnite Crew, Ubisoft Classics, and so on.

Basically, it’s the PC Game Pass. The only issue is that right now it only works on PC and not on consoles. And I really hope the PC Game Pass will be compatible with the next Xbox console, which logically should be the case, since it already works on the Xbox ROG Ally.

It’s fine for Game Pass Ultimate to be the all‑in‑one subscription that includes everything and sits at the highest price point — it’s called “Ultimate” for a reason. But we shouldn’t forget that Game Pass is, above all, a game catalog, not a bundle of extra services that many players won’t use, either because they’re not interested or simply don’t have the time.

I bought it as an Xbox Play Anywhere title and I was having some crash issues, so I hope this patch fixes them. And it should, if I go by one of the patch notes:

“Fixed several stability, performance optimization, and crash issues across PC and console platforms.”

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.