Two and a half years later on PlayStation, it confirms the strategy of timed exclusivity when it comes to new franchises and games that have historically been Xbox exclusives, because so far absolutely no game has launched day one on other consoles, except those that were already multiplatform. A gew years later is enough to maintain the ecosystem’s appeal and prioritize Xbox players, while making the franchise profitable again in order to fund future Xbox games.
@Millionski : As usual, the review scores will be better, and strangely even the media outlets that are usually critical of Xbox will find that, in the end, the game is actually very good. That said, the game has genuinely improved, and like millions of players, I’ve spent hundreds of hours on it, which is generally a sign of a good game, although there are always things that could be improved.
$5 billion is pretty impressive, definitely due to the rise of Game Pass, but also the increase in subscribers—I'd love to know how many there are. Either way, Xbox’s strategy is a win for Microsoft, for Xbox, and especially for the players. I've never enjoyed Xbox games and Game Pass this much. I just finished Still Wakes The Deep (which has been on Game Pass for a while), and I loved the atmosphere.
Funny how the article’s author seems surprised that 40 games are in development—it was already announced before, and it's no surprise given Xbox studios' production pace and the sheer number of them. The ecosystem offers multiple ways to play: on console, PC, cloud, Game Pass—plus the ability to play across platforms with a single purchase thanks to Xbox Play Anywhere. They’re the only ones doing that. It’s truly a game-changer, especially as more and more players switch between devices, like from console to PC or portable console to Xbox.
@Simu001: it's the entire industry, and Xbox is far from the worst—on the contrary. EA, Ubisoft, Epic have laid off far more people. Even PlayStation cut 10% of its workforce, which is proportionally more than Xbox. At the same time, Xbox hired and even created studios. It’s just the current state of the industry, nothing specific to Xbox.
With AI, it's the same story. You could mention the Aloy leak animated via AI. It’s obvious that to deal with production cost constraints across the video game industry, AI has become one of the solutions.
@Coletrain You clearly haven’t been following the news closely—PlayStation recently posted a job listing for a head of multiplatform strategy, explicitly mentioning Steam, Xbox, and the Switch. And this isn’t actually new: Sony’s CEO had already expressed a desire to pursue a more multiplatform approach. We can already see that shift with games like Death Stranding and Helldivers 2. Sony’s shareholders have made their choice, and it’s the multiplatform path—even if the hardcore blue-brand fans aren’t too happy about it.
@Vaako007 I both agree and disagree! Why be disappointed that Gears 1 is coming to PlayStation? It’ll definitely create desire among PS players — and that’s precisely why it won’t launch day one on PS, just like every former Xbox exclusive. This desire will push that player base to dive in on day one by joining the Xbox ecosystem: whether through Game Pass, buying it on Steam or Xbox, or playing via the cloud. Xbox offers multiple entry points, and that’s what makes it awesome.
It’s either going to be games that are already multiplatform, or older titles that have already launched. But I don't believe it’ll be State of Decay 3 or Gears E-Day, which would completely contradict their strategy so far. Not a single game has launched day one on other platforms, except for titles that have historically been multiplatform. That’s just a fact. If it happens, it would mark a major shift in their strategy, contrary to what the article’s author claims.
But to me, it would make no logical sense. Until now, their historically exclusive titles have never released day one elsewhere; they benefit from temporary exclusivity, then cash in again a few years later on other platforms.
What’s funny is that this fake rumor came out at the exact same time as PlayStation’s official multiplatform pivot, which clearly shows that some media outlets are really in PlayStation’s pocket and trying to put out the fire.
What’s funny is that there’s absolutely no source or screenshot of this job description.
"We'd like to add that we are still thinking about the thousands of jobs that have just been cut over at Xbox" ???
There's a major error in the article — the CEO is speaking about Microsoft as a whole. We have absolutely no figures specific to Xbox, and we're definitely not talking about thousands of job cuts. Where are these numbers coming from? Based on cross-referencing multiple sources, the layoffs on the Xbox side are more likely to be in the hundreds.
There are currently more games to play on Xbox than on any other platform. Xbox is the number one game publisher. PlayStation doesn't make games—what games are even worth playing on PlayStation that aren't already on Xbox? All the former PlayStation exclusives are coming to Xbox, even Black Myth: Wukong, and soon Silent Hill and Death Stranding 2. What’s honestly left on PlayStation? Don’t talk to me about old games you’ve already played ten times on PC.
Meanwhile, we get tons of day-one releases on Game Pass, and objectively even more exclusives on Xbox: Avowed, South of Midnight, MechaBreak, Grounded 2.
Some people still don’t get it—a timed exclusive is still an exclusive. If some want to be second-class players and play games years later, good for them. I’ve spent hundreds of hours on Starfield and moved on—great if others get to enjoy it years after, but they’re catching up late. And let’s be real: if you want to enjoy Gears E-Day, Fable, Forza Horizon 6, and a ton of other day-one titles, it won’t happen elsewhere. Not a single historically exclusive game has ever launched day one outside the Xbox ecosystem—go ahead, look it up, good luck! 99% of games released day one on multiple platforms were already multiplatform titles. Just facts !
@Millionski Lol, why — to exclude other players from certain games? To keep practicing an absurd pricing policy? To continue its remastering policy without innovating? Your answer makes no sense!
@Elbow On the contrary, these past few months, PlayStation has shut down 4 studios, cancel 11 games and laid off 10% of its workforce. LOL.
Compared to that, Xbox is on a whole different level — they’ve got over 40 games in development, plus they’ve even created new studios and hired fresh developers.
Who cares ? If it means more focus on what really matters — that is, games — then it's a go for me. Considering Xbox has 40 games currently in development and is already the biggest game publisher — which is way more profitable than renting a few movies to three cowboys in the middle of nowhere in Texas.
The standardization between PC and console will allow cloud gaming to overcome one of its biggest limitations— up until now, cloud servers were based on Xbox hardware with their limits. That won’t be the case going forward, and this shift will truly allow Xcloud to take off, leave its beta phase behind, and compete effectively with players like GeForce Now, with 4K 60 FPS
@Kaloudz: A PC architecture is far more scalable than console hardware—both in terms of performance and cost. One of the key reasons Xcloud has struggled to stay competitive against services like GeForce Now is because its servers have been built around Xbox consoles.
With PC-based machines, everything becomes more efficient. Hardware between PC and console gets standardized, which not only boosts overall performance but also creates economies of scale that reduce costs. This shift could truly unlock the full potential of Xcloud.
As usual, people are making assumptions based on nothing concrete, even though the article is well written and clearly cautious about potential hypotheses. On the other hand, the comments are full of the usual overreactions from the same familiar people. It reminds me of the fake rumor about Xbox pulling out of the Middle East, which turned out to be completely false. And even in Europe, it’s not the first time we’ve seen similar unfounded rumors. > > That said, it’s true that Xbox has very little retail presence compared to PlayStation or Nintendo. But beyond staffing, it mostly comes down to the financial investment and marketing Xbox is willing to make in physical distribution.
"a portfolio of devices" ... did she just confirm a true xbox handheld ? In addition to a home console. Anyway, I feel like Xbox is preparing the ultimate console that everyone will want to get their hands on.
The main issue is that there are so many games to play on Xbox, especially thanks to Game Pass, that it's hard to find time to play FF16. It's not like Xbox is lacking in games. I also think the communication and marketing around the release of FF16 on Xbox weren't up to par. There are probably other reasons, like the fact that some Xbox owners also have a PC and could have played it there, or the price for a game that was released two years ago. All these factors contribute to the poor sales."
Absolutely agree: performance and price are more important than OLED, which only provides deeper blacks and differences that are barely noticeable in gaming.
That said, if it works well, it’s possible that a version with OLED and VRR may be released later, but for now, I fully support this choice.
Beyond that, we can see that Xbox and Microsoft have implemented data mining processes to truly consider consumer feedback and use it to optimize both software and hardware, which is excellent. Not sure that Nintendo or Sony take player feedback as seriously, given the decisions they make.
After watching a few gameplay videos, I can say that it doesn't look appealing at all. They put everything into the cinematics, but the game itself feels outdated—the technology is old, the gameplay is very weak, with even some absurd sequences like cardiac resuscitation, which has no real purpose. Tracking enemies from a drone is dull, and so on. They hid the game's weaknesses behind beautiful cinematics, but cinematics alone do not make a great game.
Those who enjoy the game are really not very demanding, and it's often the same people who criticize Ubisoft games. Say what you want, but Ubisoft knows how to create open worlds with solid technical execution. In MindsEye, you can't even get out of the car during a mission—it's a linear and heavily scripted game.
after checking comments here and there on YouTube and social media, I see a huge hype for this ROG Xbox Ally. Many people say they're happy to skip the Switch 2 in favor of the Xbox handheld. And honestly, I feel the same way. It's the only console offering a unified game library, where you can access on the same place all your Game Pass titles, Xbox games, Steam, Epic, and Battle.net. Xbox Play Anywhere is a major selling point, making it more appealing to keep buying games on the Xbox store. Add to that better performance, longer battery life, and an interface that kill all non-gaming processes, it’s a brilliant idea. Plus, with the ergonomics of Xbox controllers and haptic feedback, this really feels like the ultimate console.
It's pretty crazy that even without showcasing big AAA titles like Fable, Gears E-Day, Forza Horizon, Blade, Perfect Dark, state of decay 3, and others, Xbox still managed to deliver the best conference of the Summer Game Fest. There were huge announcements, like the Indiana Jones DLC, Black Ops 7, Plague Tale Resonance, Final Fantasy, Clockwork Revolution, Ninja Gaiden 4, Outer Worlds 2, and High on Life 2.
Everything is Xbox Play Anywhere, proving that third-party publishers are willingly embracing the ecosystem—great news for Xbox players. Almost everything is coming to Game Pass, and there were even some exclusives: Clockwork Revolution, Grounded 2, There Are No Ghosts at the Grand, Solo Leveling Arise, Animo, and Keeper.
So, yes, it could have been better—not quite as amazing as last year, which was exceptional—but it's impressive to see how much Xbox still has up its sleeve. A very solid conference. And It's pretty normal that they're saving some of the really big games for Xbox's 25th anniversary.
@Dimey Or maybe it’s a date that suits them well and allows them to blur the lines—and you fell for it. A port takes time to prepare, and exactly one year? That’s no coincidence. I think Game Science is more concerned with business, money, and the contract signed with Sony than with a symbolic date.
You're free to believe in this anniversary date theory to mislead people, but we all know the truth.
Of course, it was only a temporary exclusivity—who seriously doubted that? The real question is why they hid it and why even the studio lied about it. I feel like it was meant to cast doubt on the idea that publishers are abandoning Xbox, and that's exactly what some media outlets implied. I think it was a strategy orchestrated by Sony to tarnish Xbox's reputation—that's the only logical explanation I see.
What’s certain is that PlayStation has fewer and fewer exclusives because it heavily relies on third-party publishers and almost no third-party publisher wants to make exclusives for a single console anymore. Just look at their latest State of Play, which had practically no exclusives and 11 games coming to Xbox. Even Xbox currently has more exclusives than PlayStation, even if some are temporary. And the next Xbox Showcase will once again prove it.
Never take rumors at face value—especially those from Jez Corden, who tends to stir up buzz with statements like these. That Xbox is prioritizing Windows 11 optimization for portable consoles? Certainly! But one doesn't necessarily rule out the other.
We'll see how things unfold, and we'll know more at the next Xbox Showcase.
PS+ is so "healthy" that they keep losing subscribers and are miles away from Game Pass. And let's talk about how difficult and expensive it is for third-party developers to get visibility on the PlayStation store.
Xbox, on the other hand, supports the gaming industry by injecting billions into third-party studios to foster creativity and innovation. You certainly can't say PlayStation is doing the same...
This is just the statement of a bitter guy who probably got a little check from PS to say this kind of nonsense.
@Sindayl 90% of Sony's exclusives are third-party games, so they can't lock anything down except by spending colossal amounts of money to maintain exclusivity.
And it's clear—many former PlayStation exclusives are already on Xbox, like several Final Fantasy titles, with more to come. Square Enix has stopped making exclusives for Sony like most third-party publishers for whom it is no longer profitable, and other games like Death Stranding—the franchise now owned by Kojima—have followed suit. The first game DS is available on Xbox, and DS 2 will make its way on Xbox after its temporary exclusivity ends. Silent Hill 2 Remake is also set to release on Xbox this fall.
There are plenty of other PlayStation exclusives that have landed on Xbox, including Sifu, Kena, Forspoken, Genshin Impact, Predator: Hunting Grounds, the Persona series, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, MLB The Show, Tchia, Solar Ash, Nioh, Kingdom Hearts, Tales of Arise, Octopath Traveler, and more.
Looking at it closely, PlayStation has lost a significant number of exclusives because it relies heavily on third-party publishers for whom it is no longer profitable making exclusivities for PS. By comparison, there are very few PS first-party exclusive games in the end.
In fact, if we consider third-party titles, there are even more former PlayStation exclusives now available on Xbox than the reverse.
And right now, Xbox has released more exclusive games than PlayStation, like Stalker 2, Avowed, South of Midnight, etc... What has PlayStation released recently? Nothing.
No, seriously, lol, of course there are differences between the Series S and the Series X! Thankfully, I have to say, given the price gap between the two consoles.
What's most surprising is that the Series X performs better than the PS5 Pro, even though the PS5 Pro is significantly more expensive.
@Fiendish-Beaver We won’t have to wait too long—at the next Xbox Showcase, if Gears E-Day is not announced for PlayStation, then it simply means you were wrong from the start and I was right from the beginning.
It’s not a matter of years for exclusivity—a timed exclusive is still an exclusive, and even a two-year exclusivity has the same impact as a permanent one, if that concept even exists anymore. (Even PlayStation cannot really claim "permanent exclusivity" anymore—only Nintendo still has true exclusives.)
That said, regarding Forza Horizon 5, I’m simply basing my assumption on the current gap between the Xbox release and its arrival on PlayStation, as well as the development time of the sequel. It seems that Xbox is waiting for a new version to be released before porting older games, as seen with Gears.
We’ll see in a few months whether I’m right or not. And I expect your public apology on this site—just as I will apologize if I turn out to be wrong.
For those who haven't played it yet, I highly recommend Dungeons of Hinterberg—I absolutely loved it!
I also really enjoyed Journey to the Savage Planet for its humor and gameplay. It was on Game Pass (I think it still is), and I’m really looking forward to Revenge of the Savage Planet.
And of course, Doom: Dark Ages is going to be insane! I'm tempted to get the controller that comes with it because it looks stunning.
@Fiendish-Beaver "Neither of us have been to the future," yes, so why don't you apply that to yourself? The difference is that I base myself on facts and reality, as well as Xbox's statements, which have never said they were abandoning consoles or that this would be the last console generation, or the end of exclusives. The only one making predictions that go against facts and reality is you.
As far as I know, Xbox continues to make exclusive games, just as they offer exclusive services within their ecosystem—it’s the same thing! Are Avowed, South of Midnight, Starfield, Stalker 2, Towerborne, 33 Immortals, etc., available on PS? Why do they keep signing exclusive game contracts with third parties like Stalker 2 or Ark 2? Is gears e-day announced multiplatfom ? Is Game Pass available on other consoles? Is Play Anywhere, cross-save, stream-your-own-game, etc., available on other consoles? Whether it's maintaining a portfolio of exclusive games (even if temporary for some) or keeping exclusive features like the ones I mentioned above, all of this reinforces the continuation of consoles in the future because all of these maintain the interest of consoles—it’s just common sense based on facts.
Meanwhile, your predictions are based on nothing factual. But as you say, what was true before won’t necessarily be true later. However, given Xbox’s long-term strategy on this subject, I’m confident in my strong probability of continuing to be right in the future, because until proven otherwise, at this very moment, I am right.
@Fiendish-Beaver lool ! We'll see who has the last laugh! I hope you'll have the decency to apologize, just as I will if I'm wrong.
And no, I know how to read a financial report, and hardware revenue has increased from one quarter to the next. I know it's not intuitive to understand, but read it again carefully. And it's false—the revenue increases mainly come from PC, clearly! I now better understand why you have these false beliefs, given such a lack of information.
@Fiendish-Beaver This isn't the first time you've been wrong, and you're going to lose money, my friend, if you want to bet—I guarantee it. Gears E-Day will be exclusive, for at least many years. Absolutely no Xbox Studios game has ever launched day one on other consoles (except for already multiplatform games), and they won't start with Gears.
You haven't understood that this remaster of the 2006 Gears is just an advertisement for Gears E-Day , which will be released exclusively on PC and Xbox, to attract players to the Xbox ecosystem. It will draw players towards Game Pass and even towards Xbox consoles. According to the latest financial report, hardware sales have increased by 23 points, going from -29% YoY to -6% YoY, which is a significant improvement (if you understand even the basics of mathematics).
But well, coming from you, it's not surprising that you say that. All your claims about Xbox going fully multiplatform or Xbox abandoning consoles for years have never been proven true, but you can keep preaching the good word. Maybe in 2040, it will happen—when no one makes consoles or exclusive games anymore.....
It's logical, just like Forza Horizon 5, which was released on other consoles four years later. This strategy helps expand the franchise’s recognition, and when Forza Horizon 6 launches exclusively on PC and Xbox, it will draw players into the Xbox ecosystem, whether through PC Game Pass or Xbox consoles, it doesn’t matter. Then, Forza Horizon 6 will arrive on PlayStation four years later, which is more than enough time to maintain the exclusivity’s appeal while profitably extending the franchise’s lifespan.
Here, it’s the same situation—we’re talking about a remastered version of a 2006 game. This is a great move by Xbox, serving as strong marketing for Gears E-Day, which will, of course, launch exclusively on Xbox and PC. This remaster exists solely as advertising for the Gears E-Day exclusive, nothing more and it confirm Xbox strategy to use old games as an advertising for new exclusives games.
Anyone doubting this clearly hasn’t understood Xbox’s strategy at all.
@banjo- and @OldGamer999
Totally agree, that's exactly what I'm saying. Many people stubbornly keep repeating the same nonsense for years, but they don’t seem to get discouraged from constantly claiming that Xbox will be fully multiplatform—which is still not the case and won’t happen, unless consoles disappear entirely and exclusive games cease to exist from all publishers.
Xbox isn’t doing this just to avoid upsetting overly sensitive fanboys but simply for business reasons. It makes sense to maintain a portfolio of exclusive games, at least for several years. They know very well that exclusivity is one of the factors that help attract players to their ecosystem—just like other exclusive features such as Game Pass, Play Anywhere, 'Stream Your Own Game,' and other functionalities that will never appear on other consoles.
Another reason is that not all games benefit from being ported to other consoles. We saw this with recent sales—titles like Grounded or Hi-Fi Rush haven’t been particularly successful on other platforms.
If absolutely no Xbox Studios games have launched day one on other consoles, there’s a reason for that.
If Xbox keeps signing exclusivity contracts with third-party games like Stalker 2, Ark 2, 33 Immortals, etc., there’s a reason for that.
If titles like South of Midnight, Starfield, Avowed, and others remain exclusive, there’s a reason for that.
And that reason is simply that exclusive games are a core part of their strategy, just as bringing certain titles to multiple platforms on a case-by-case basis is also part of their approach.
It’s not an all-or-nothing scenario—it’s about maintaining a balanced long-term strategy. Aside from historically multiplatform franchises that are already thriving on other consoles, such as Doom or Call of Duty, Xbox doesn’t primarily rely on other consoles. The only growing markets are PC, cloud gaming, and handled consoles which remains their priority —not to mention their own Xbox hardware. This has been reiterated by Xbox multiple times, and it’s exactly what we observe in practice.
Other consoles serve as a backup to further monetize older franchises on a case-by-case basis, while already multiplatform titles continue to be available across multiple systems—that’s all there is to it.
@Jaxx420: Yes, thanks, I’m well aware that Bethesda and Activision are part of Xbox, but I specifically referred to Xbox Studios—important distinction. You should know, or at least be aware, that within Xbox, the Activision and Bethesda brands haven’t disappeared—they remain distinct entities. So I confirm that Doom and Oblivion are not Xbox Studios games AND they were already multiplatform. And I also confirm that absolutely no Xbox Studios games have launched day one on other consoles—except for those that were already multiplatform. It’s not that complicated to understand.
I'm going to play the fortune teller like some others, but I can guarantee you that Forza Horizon 6 will not release day one on other consoles, only four years later. Similarly, the Gears Collection will be multiplatform, but not Gears E-Day, etc...
@FatGuyInLilCoat Another one! Firstly, Doom and Oblivion are not games from Xbox Studios; secondly, those are games that were already multiplatform like outer worlds 2! It's exhausting! And on top of that, he claims he's right—on what basis? Clearly on your obviously very limited knowledge of the subject.
You can search and you'll find no Xbox Studios game that wasn't already multiplatform and was released on day one on other consoles.
People prefer to repeat certain clickbait articles rather than simply acknowledging the reality of things. The reality is there; you just have to look.
Why, then, are Avowed and South of Midnight exclusive? I'm sure some will still find excuses to justify their speculations.
I think that major tentpole releases like Gears-Eday will come out for the next Xbox console, and definitely as exclusive games—at least for several years. Absolutely no game from Xbox studios has ever launched on other consoles on day one, none! I really don't see Xbox starting out with a major franchise like Gears or even Fable.
I don't think that's at all Xbox's strategy, and those who continue with this kind of speculation have absolutely missed the point. Last year, they said next year .... and this year, they continue, next year ....How long does it take you to understand that you're wrong?
However, the fact that the Gears Collection is multiplatform does make sense, it's a compilation of old games as it will encourage other players to get to know the franchise and drive them toward the Xbox ecosystem when they want to play the latest installment. That's the spirit!
@PsBoxSwitchOwner Sorry to break it to you, but mathematically speaking, it is indeed a progression—a 23-point improvement, which is quite remarkable in such a short time. I get that it might not be very intuitive for some, but it is a progression.
Moreover, at this stage of the console generation, declining sales are normal for all manufacturers. PlayStation and Nintendo are also seeing a drop. Not to mention, the console market as a whole is shrinking, giving way to PC gaming, cloud gaming, and portable consoles, which are the only segments currently growing.
So, making progress in a declining market is worth highlighting. It confirms Xbox's strong position, benefiting across all its acquisition channels—especially on PC. It also reinforces the idea that the next Xbox console will resemble a PC, bringing advantages for players, such as access to multiple storefronts
A 45% increase in Game Pass subscribers in one year is absolutely huge! Game Pass has had some major releases, and with the upcoming lineup, it's not slowing down anytime soon.
Game Pass and the few multiplatform games serve as a major advertisement for the Xbox ecosystem—not just for Game Pass itself, but for the entire Xbox experience that players eventually discover, including features like Play Anywhere and Stream Your Own Game.
Even Xbox consoles are benefiting from this Game Pass boost, as going from -29% to -6% is an improvement—especially considering Xbox hasn’t released a mid-gen console and continues to offer players choices through PC and cloud gaming.
Xbox's strategy of balancing multiplatform games like Call of Duty and Doom with exclusive titles such as Avowed, South of Midnight, Starfield, the next Gears, and Fable (even if some are only temporarily exclusive) has proven highly effective.
They generate more revenue than anyone else, which in turn helps finance services within the Xbox ecosystem, including Game Pass and cloud gaming. At the same time, this approach serves as a powerful showcase for everything Xbox offers, including its hardware.
Of course, Game Pass has an impact on sales, and in a positive way.
What many people don’t understand is that Xbox and Game Pass also act as massive publicity for a game. If a game wasn’t released day one on Game Pass, it wouldn’t get nearly as much exposure, despite its intrinsic qualities. And how many high-quality games never sell as well as they deserve?
What I mean is that if the game weren’t on Game Pass, it wouldn’t sell as well across all platforms. And if the game is what it is today, it's also thanks to Xbox and its funding, which helped develop it.
So in the end, thank you Xbox and thank you Game Pass—nothing else really matters!
@Valhura Atomfall and Other developers have expressed their satisfaction with Game Pass, like Stalker 2, Towerborne, etc... and these games aren't on PS5 ....
And what you're saying is wrong—the main sales for Game Pass games happen on PC, especially on Steam. Sales on PS5 are significantly lower in all cases.
Moreover, Game Pass players can also purchase the game—I’m one of them—and they can buy DLCs and other content as well, which they wouldn’t have done if they hadn’t discovered the game through Game Pass. It's far more complex than you think.
Studies have shown that Game Pass subscribers buy more games than non-subscribers. It makes sense—they spend more time playing, discover more games, and are therefore more likely to purchase games and content.
@Millionski "They could, but it's not what they want; it wouldn't make sense business-wise, because as he says, Game Pass isn't made for everyone. They would lose players if they bet exclusively on Game Pass.
For the industry, I also think it wouldn't be a good idea to bet everything on Game Pass.
Game Pass is one option among others, knowing their objective is to offer multiple choices to their players while prioritizing their own ecosystem. It's a matter of balance and diversification, and the numbers show it's the right direction.
As a player, I think we're living through a fantastic time as Xbox gamers.
It contradicts many people who didn't understand Xbox's strategy, which has always been to diversify their touchpoints with consumers. It has never been about betting everything on Game Pass or to stop consoles, even though it remains a central point of their strategy.
That's why Xbox diversifies its strategy with home consoles, portable consoles, cloud gaming, PC gaming, by porting some games to competing consoles, keeping some games exclusive, etc.
All of this contributes to reaching different types of players while prioritizing the Xbox ecosystem, which is the only one offering Game Pass, exclusive games, and certain features like Play Anywhere, Stream Your Own Game on Cloud, cross-save, backward compatibility, Quick Resume, and more.
After finishing Avowed, on which I spent over 120 hours, I'm now enjoying the refreshing South of Midnight. I take little breaks with Immortals now and then.
Okay, okay, no notable difference. Once again, it's confirmed that the PS5 Pro is a big scam. In any case, it's money for Xbox, which will finance other Indiana Jones games and other day-one games in Game Pass.
Let's wait to see real, unbiased opinions, not influenced by Sony's sponsorship. In any case, judging by the trailer, it doesn't look appealing at all. The art direction is so dull and synthetic—I just can't get into it! As for the gameplay, we'll have to see, but the business model already puts me off. Count me out—there are too many good games to play to waste time and money on this thing!
@Fiendish-Beaver I play it in normal too, No need to crank up the difficulty for me or artificially stretch out the game's duration, but if you enjoy intense and spicy challenges, that's cool too!
@Fiendish-Beaver I love exploring, and in Avowed, it's truly satisfying because there are so many hidden places, secret passages, mysteries to uncover, treasures, etc... So yes, I take my time, I take the time to read, etc... Maybe I'm slower than average, but that's just my playstyle.
Same with Avowed, I've spent over 100 hours on it (not finished yet) and I just can't put it down. The narration, The side quests are very well done, and I love Obsidian's humor, especially during the dialogues between companions. You have the option to change your combat style whenever you want, which is really fun. Once again, a very good Xbox game underrated for obscure reasons.
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Re: Report: Starfield PS5 Port Planned For Spring 2026 Alongside New Expansion
Two and a half years later on PlayStation, it confirms the strategy of timed exclusivity when it comes to new franchises and games that have historically been Xbox exclusives, because so far absolutely no game has launched day one on other consoles, except those that were already multiplatform. A gew years later is enough to maintain the ecosystem’s appeal and prioritize Xbox players, while making the franchise profitable again in order to fund future Xbox games.
@Millionski : As usual, the review scores will be better, and strangely even the media outlets that are usually critical of Xbox will find that, in the end, the game is actually very good. That said, the game has genuinely improved, and like millions of players, I’ve spent hundreds of hours on it, which is generally a sign of a good game, although there are always things that could be improved.
Re: Xbox Game Pass Annual Revenue Nears $5 Billion For First Time, Says Microsoft CEO
$5 billion is pretty impressive, definitely due to the rise of Game Pass, but also the increase in subscribers—I'd love to know how many there are. Either way, Xbox’s strategy is a win for Microsoft, for Xbox, and especially for the players. I've never enjoyed Xbox games and Game Pass this much. I just finished Still Wakes The Deep (which has been on Game Pass for a while), and I loved the atmosphere.
Funny how the article’s author seems surprised that 40 games are in development—it was already announced before, and it's no surprise given Xbox studios' production pace and the sheer number of them. The ecosystem offers multiple ways to play: on console, PC, cloud, Game Pass—plus the ability to play across platforms with a single purchase thanks to Xbox Play Anywhere. They’re the only ones doing that. It’s truly a game-changer, especially as more and more players switch between devices, like from console to PC or portable console to Xbox.
@Simu001: it's the entire industry, and Xbox is far from the worst—on the contrary. EA, Ubisoft, Epic have laid off far more people. Even PlayStation cut 10% of its workforce, which is proportionally more than Xbox. At the same time, Xbox hired and even created studios. It’s just the current state of the industry, nothing specific to Xbox.
With AI, it's the same story. You could mention the Aloy leak animated via AI. It’s obvious that to deal with production cost constraints across the video game industry, AI has become one of the solutions.
Re: PlayStation's Q2 2025 Sales Charts Are In, And Xbox Is Dominating The List (US)
@Coletrain You clearly haven’t been following the news closely—PlayStation recently posted a job listing for a head of multiplatform strategy, explicitly mentioning Steam, Xbox, and the Switch. And this isn’t actually new: Sony’s CEO had already expressed a desire to pursue a more multiplatform approach. We can already see that shift with games like Death Stranding and Helldivers 2. Sony’s shareholders have made their choice, and it’s the multiplatform path—even if the hardcore blue-brand fans aren’t too happy about it.
Re: Report: Two Of Xbox's Upcoming First-Party Titles Are In Development For PS5
@Vaako007 I both agree and disagree! Why be disappointed that Gears 1 is coming to PlayStation? It’ll definitely create desire among PS players — and that’s precisely why it won’t launch day one on PS, just like every former Xbox exclusive. This desire will push that player base to dive in on day one by joining the Xbox ecosystem: whether through Game Pass, buying it on Steam or Xbox, or playing via the cloud. Xbox offers multiple entry points, and that’s what makes it awesome.
Re: Report: Two Of Xbox's Upcoming First-Party Titles Are In Development For PS5
It’s either going to be games that are already multiplatform, or older titles that have already launched. But I don't believe it’ll be State of Decay 3 or Gears E-Day, which would completely contradict their strategy so far. Not a single game has launched day one on other platforms, except for titles that have historically been multiplatform. That’s just a fact. If it happens, it would mark a major shift in their strategy, contrary to what the article’s author claims.
But to me, it would make no logical sense. Until now, their historically exclusive titles have never released day one elsewhere; they benefit from temporary exclusivity, then cash in again a few years later on other platforms.
What’s funny is that this fake rumor came out at the exact same time as PlayStation’s official multiplatform pivot, which clearly shows that some media outlets are really in PlayStation’s pocket and trying to put out the fire.
What’s funny is that there’s absolutely no source or screenshot of this job description.
Re: Microsoft CEO Comments On Recent Xbox Layoffs, Doubles Down On AI
"We'd like to add that we are still thinking about the thousands of jobs that have just been cut over at Xbox" ???
There's a major error in the article — the CEO is speaking about Microsoft as a whole. We have absolutely no figures specific to Xbox, and we're definitely not talking about thousands of job cuts. Where are these numbers coming from? Based on cross-referencing multiple sources, the layoffs on the Xbox side are more likely to be in the hundreds.
Re: Xbox Game Pass Contributed To 'An All-Time High' For Subscription Spending Last Month (US)
There are currently more games to play on Xbox than on any other platform. Xbox is the number one game publisher. PlayStation doesn't make games—what games are even worth playing on PlayStation that aren't already on Xbox? All the former PlayStation exclusives are coming to Xbox, even Black Myth: Wukong, and soon Silent Hill and Death Stranding 2. What’s honestly left on PlayStation? Don’t talk to me about old games you’ve already played ten times on PC.
Meanwhile, we get tons of day-one releases on Game Pass, and objectively even more exclusives on Xbox: Avowed, South of Midnight, MechaBreak, Grounded 2.
Some people still don’t get it—a timed exclusive is still an exclusive. If some want to be second-class players and play games years later, good for them. I’ve spent hundreds of hours on Starfield and moved on—great if others get to enjoy it years after, but they’re catching up late. And let’s be real: if you want to enjoy Gears E-Day, Fable, Forza Horizon 6, and a ton of other day-one titles, it won’t happen elsewhere. Not a single historically exclusive game has ever launched day one outside the Xbox ecosystem—go ahead, look it up, good luck! 99% of games released day one on multiple platforms were already multiplatform titles. Just facts !
Re: Sony Invests $460 Million In Bandai Namco, But Xbox Fans Shouldn't Be Worried
@Millionski ok, 0 arguments and still makes no sense
Re: Sony Invests $460 Million In Bandai Namco, But Xbox Fans Shouldn't Be Worried
@Millionski Lol, why — to exclude other players from certain games? To keep practicing an absurd pricing policy? To continue its remastering policy without innovating? Your answer makes no sense!
Re: Microsoft Movies & TV Is Officially Ending, Which Will Have A Big Impact On Xbox
@Elbow On the contrary, these past few months, PlayStation has shut down 4 studios, cancel 11 games and laid off 10% of its workforce. LOL.
Compared to that, Xbox is on a whole different level — they’ve got over 40 games in development, plus they’ve even created new studios and hired fresh developers.
Re: Microsoft Movies & TV Is Officially Ending, Which Will Have A Big Impact On Xbox
Who cares ? If it means more focus on what really matters — that is, games — then it's a go for me. Considering Xbox has 40 games currently in development and is already the biggest game publisher — which is way more profitable than renting a few movies to three cowboys in the middle of nowhere in Texas.
Re: Two Games Are Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (July 17)
Already played, simple and efficient gameplay, a return to the essence of video games: having fun without the headache.
Re: Rumour: Xbox Is Working On Next-Gen Cloud Gaming, Including PC-Based Streaming
The standardization between PC and console will allow cloud gaming to overcome one of its biggest limitations— up until now, cloud servers were based on Xbox hardware with their limits. That won’t be the case going forward, and this shift will truly allow Xcloud to take off, leave its beta phase behind, and compete effectively with players like GeForce Now, with 4K 60 FPS
@Kaloudz: A PC architecture is far more scalable than console hardware—both in terms of performance and cost. One of the key reasons Xcloud has struggled to stay competitive against services like GeForce Now is because its servers have been built around Xbox consoles.
With PC-based machines, everything becomes more efficient. Hardware between PC and console gets standardized, which not only boosts overall performance but also creates economies of scale that reduce costs. This shift could truly unlock the full potential of Xcloud.
Re: Microsoft Planning To 'Restructure' Xbox Distribution In Central Europe, Says Report
As usual, people are making assumptions based on nothing concrete, even though the article is well written and clearly cautious about potential hypotheses. On the other hand, the comments are full of the usual overreactions from the same familiar people. It reminds me of the fake rumor about Xbox pulling out of the Middle East, which turned out to be completely false. And even in Europe, it’s not the first time we’ve seen similar unfounded rumors. > > That said, it’s true that Xbox has very little retail presence compared to PlayStation or Nintendo. But beyond staffing, it mostly comes down to the financial investment and marketing Xbox is willing to make in physical distribution.
Re: Xbox Announces Next-Gen Console Strategy, Promises 'Deeper Visuals' & Backwards Compatibility
"a portfolio of devices" ... did she just confirm a true xbox handheld ? In addition to a home console. Anyway, I feel like Xbox is preparing the ultimate console that everyone will want to get their hands on.
Re: According To Sales Estimates, Final Fantasy 16 Had A Rough First Week On Xbox
The main issue is that there are so many games to play on Xbox, especially thanks to Game Pass, that it's hard to find time to play FF16. It's not like Xbox is lacking in games. I also think the communication and marketing around the release of FF16 on Xbox weren't up to par. There are probably other reasons, like the fact that some Xbox owners also have a PC and could have played it there, or the price for a game that was released two years ago. All these factors contribute to the poor sales."
Re: ASUS Explains Why The ROG Xbox Ally Doesn't Have An OLED Screen
Absolutely agree: performance and price are more important than OLED, which only provides deeper blacks and differences that are barely noticeable in gaming.
That said, if it works well, it’s possible that a version with OLED and VRR may be released later, but for now, I fully support this choice.
Beyond that, we can see that Xbox and Microsoft have implemented data mining processes to truly consider consumer feedback and use it to optimize both software and hardware, which is excellent. Not sure that Nintendo or Sony take player feedback as seriously, given the decisions they make.
Re: MindsEye Releases To Zero Reviews, But Here's What The Players Are Saying
After watching a few gameplay videos, I can say that it doesn't look appealing at all. They put everything into the cinematics, but the game itself feels outdated—the technology is old, the gameplay is very weak, with even some absurd sequences like cardiac resuscitation, which has no real purpose. Tracking enemies from a drone is dull, and so on. They hid the game's weaknesses behind beautiful cinematics, but cinematics alone do not make a great game.
Those who enjoy the game are really not very demanding, and it's often the same people who criticize Ubisoft games. Say what you want, but Ubisoft knows how to create open worlds with solid technical execution. In MindsEye, you can't even get out of the car during a mission—it's a linear and heavily scripted game.
Re: Five Reasons Why I'm Incredibly Excited For The ROG Xbox Ally Handheld
after checking comments here and there on YouTube and social media, I see a huge hype for this ROG Xbox Ally. Many people say they're happy to skip the Switch 2 in favor of the Xbox handheld. And honestly, I feel the same way. It's the only console offering a unified game library, where you can access on the same place all your Game Pass titles, Xbox games, Steam, Epic, and Battle.net. Xbox Play Anywhere is a major selling point, making it more appealing to keep buying games on the Xbox store. Add to that better performance, longer battery life, and an interface that kill all non-gaming processes, it’s a brilliant idea. Plus, with the ergonomics of Xbox controllers and haptic feedback, this really feels like the ultimate console.
Re: Here's Everything That Was Revealed At The Xbox Games Showcase 2025
It's pretty crazy that even without showcasing big AAA titles like Fable, Gears E-Day, Forza Horizon, Blade, Perfect Dark, state of decay 3, and others, Xbox still managed to deliver the best conference of the Summer Game Fest. There were huge announcements, like the Indiana Jones DLC, Black Ops 7, Plague Tale Resonance, Final Fantasy, Clockwork Revolution, Ninja Gaiden 4, Outer Worlds 2, and High on Life 2.
Everything is Xbox Play Anywhere, proving that third-party publishers are willingly embracing the ecosystem—great news for Xbox players. Almost everything is coming to Game Pass, and there were even some exclusives: Clockwork Revolution, Grounded 2, There Are No Ghosts at the Grand, Solo Leveling Arise, Animo, and Keeper.
So, yes, it could have been better—not quite as amazing as last year, which was exceptional—but it's impressive to see how much Xbox still has up its sleeve. A very solid conference. And It's pretty normal that they're saving some of the really big games for Xbox's 25th anniversary.
Re: Surprise! Black Myth: Wukong Finally Has A Release Date For Xbox
@Dimey Or maybe it’s a date that suits them well and allows them to blur the lines—and you fell for it. A port takes time to prepare, and exactly one year? That’s no coincidence. I think Game Science is more concerned with business, money, and the contract signed with Sony than with a symbolic date.
You're free to believe in this anniversary date theory to mislead people, but we all know the truth.
Re: Surprise! Black Myth: Wukong Finally Has A Release Date For Xbox
Of course, it was only a temporary exclusivity—who seriously doubted that? The real question is why they hid it and why even the studio lied about it. I feel like it was meant to cast doubt on the idea that publishers are abandoning Xbox, and that's exactly what some media outlets implied. I think it was a strategy orchestrated by Sony to tarnish Xbox's reputation—that's the only logical explanation I see.
What’s certain is that PlayStation has fewer and fewer exclusives because it heavily relies on third-party publishers and almost no third-party publisher wants to make exclusives for a single console anymore. Just look at their latest State of Play, which had practically no exclusives and 11 games coming to Xbox. Even Xbox currently has more exclusives than PlayStation, even if some are temporary. And the next Xbox Showcase will once again prove it.
Re: Xbox Has Reportedly 'Sidelined' Plans For A 2027 First-Party Handheld
Never take rumors at face value—especially those from Jez Corden, who tends to stir up buzz with statements like these. That Xbox is prioritizing Windows 11 optimization for portable consoles? Certainly! But one doesn't necessarily rule out the other.
We'll see how things unfold, and we'll know more at the next Xbox Showcase.
Re: Sony Has Approached Subscriptions 'Healthier' Than Xbox, Says Former PlayStation Boss
PS+ is so "healthy" that they keep losing subscribers and are miles away from Game Pass. And let's talk about how difficult and expensive it is for third-party developers to get visibility on the PlayStation store.
Xbox, on the other hand, supports the gaming industry by injecting billions into third-party studios to foster creativity and innovation. You certainly can't say PlayStation is doing the same...
This is just the statement of a bitter guy who probably got a little check from PS to say this kind of nonsense.
Re: How To Unlock Forza Horizon 5's New Xbox / PS5 Lamborghini For Free
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Re: How To Unlock Forza Horizon 5's New Xbox / PS5 Lamborghini For Free
@Sindayl 90% of Sony's exclusives are third-party games, so they can't lock anything down except by spending colossal amounts of money to maintain exclusivity.
And it's clear—many former PlayStation exclusives are already on Xbox, like several Final Fantasy titles, with more to come. Square Enix has stopped making exclusives for Sony like most third-party publishers for whom it is no longer profitable, and other games like Death Stranding—the franchise now owned by Kojima—have followed suit. The first game DS is available on Xbox, and DS 2 will make its way on Xbox after its temporary exclusivity ends. Silent Hill 2 Remake is also set to release on Xbox this fall.
There are plenty of other PlayStation exclusives that have landed on Xbox, including Sifu, Kena, Forspoken, Genshin Impact, Predator: Hunting Grounds, the Persona series, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, MLB The Show, Tchia, Solar Ash, Nioh, Kingdom Hearts, Tales of Arise, Octopath Traveler, and more.
Looking at it closely, PlayStation has lost a significant number of exclusives because it relies heavily on third-party publishers for whom it is no longer profitable making exclusivities for PS. By comparison, there are very few PS first-party exclusive games in the end.
In fact, if we consider third-party titles, there are even more former PlayStation exclusives now available on Xbox than the reverse.
And right now, Xbox has released more exclusive games than PlayStation, like Stalker 2, Avowed, South of Midnight, etc... What has PlayStation released recently? Nothing.
Re: DOOM: The Dark Ages Comparison Shows Difference Between Xbox Series X And Series S
No, seriously, lol, of course there are differences between the Series S and the Series X! Thankfully, I have to say, given the price gap between the two consoles.
What's most surprising is that the Series X performs better than the PS5 Pro, even though the PS5 Pro is significantly more expensive.
Re: Reaction: Gears Of War: Reloaded Makes Perfect Sense For Microsoft, But Not For Xbox Fans
@Fiendish-Beaver We won’t have to wait too long—at the next Xbox Showcase, if Gears E-Day is not announced for PlayStation, then it simply means you were wrong from the start and I was right from the beginning.
It’s not a matter of years for exclusivity—a timed exclusive is still an exclusive, and even a two-year exclusivity has the same impact as a permanent one, if that concept even exists anymore. (Even PlayStation cannot really claim "permanent exclusivity" anymore—only Nintendo still has true exclusives.)
That said, regarding Forza Horizon 5, I’m simply basing my assumption on the current gap between the Xbox release and its arrival on PlayStation, as well as the development time of the sequel. It seems that Xbox is waiting for a new version to be released before porting older games, as seen with Gears.
We’ll see in a few months whether I’m right or not. And I expect your public apology on this site—just as I will apologize if I turn out to be wrong.
Re: These 11 Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (May 7-20)
For those who haven't played it yet, I highly recommend Dungeons of Hinterberg—I absolutely loved it!
I also really enjoyed Journey to the Savage Planet for its humor and gameplay. It was on Game Pass (I think it still is), and I’m really looking forward to Revenge of the Savage Planet.
And of course, Doom: Dark Ages is going to be insane! I'm tempted to get the controller that comes with it because it looks stunning.
Re: Reaction: Gears Of War: Reloaded Makes Perfect Sense For Microsoft, But Not For Xbox Fans
@Fiendish-Beaver "Neither of us have been to the future," yes, so why don't you apply that to yourself? The difference is that I base myself on facts and reality, as well as Xbox's statements, which have never said they were abandoning consoles or that this would be the last console generation, or the end of exclusives. The only one making predictions that go against facts and reality is you.
As far as I know, Xbox continues to make exclusive games, just as they offer exclusive services within their ecosystem—it’s the same thing! Are Avowed, South of Midnight, Starfield, Stalker 2, Towerborne, 33 Immortals, etc., available on PS? Why do they keep signing exclusive game contracts with third parties like Stalker 2 or Ark 2? Is gears e-day announced multiplatfom ? Is Game Pass available on other consoles? Is Play Anywhere, cross-save, stream-your-own-game, etc., available on other consoles? Whether it's maintaining a portfolio of exclusive games (even if temporary for some) or keeping exclusive features like the ones I mentioned above, all of this reinforces the continuation of consoles in the future because all of these maintain the interest of consoles—it’s just common sense based on facts.
Meanwhile, your predictions are based on nothing factual. But as you say, what was true before won’t necessarily be true later. However, given Xbox’s long-term strategy on this subject, I’m confident in my strong probability of continuing to be right in the future, because until proven otherwise, at this very moment, I am right.
Re: Reaction: Gears Of War: Reloaded Makes Perfect Sense For Microsoft, But Not For Xbox Fans
@Fiendish-Beaver lool ! We'll see who has the last laugh! I hope you'll have the decency to apologize, just as I will if I'm wrong.
And no, I know how to read a financial report, and hardware revenue has increased from one quarter to the next. I know it's not intuitive to understand, but read it again carefully. And it's false—the revenue increases mainly come from PC, clearly! I now better understand why you have these false beliefs, given such a lack of information.
Re: Reaction: Gears Of War: Reloaded Makes Perfect Sense For Microsoft, But Not For Xbox Fans
@Fiendish-Beaver This isn't the first time you've been wrong, and you're going to lose money, my friend, if you want to bet—I guarantee it. Gears E-Day will be exclusive, for at least many years. Absolutely no Xbox Studios game has ever launched day one on other consoles (except for already multiplatform games), and they won't start with Gears.
You haven't understood that this remaster of the 2006 Gears is just an advertisement for Gears E-Day , which will be released exclusively on PC and Xbox, to attract players to the Xbox ecosystem. It will draw players towards Game Pass and even towards Xbox consoles. According to the latest financial report, hardware sales have increased by 23 points, going from -29% YoY to -6% YoY, which is a significant improvement (if you understand even the basics of mathematics).
But well, coming from you, it's not surprising that you say that. All your claims about Xbox going fully multiplatform or Xbox abandoning consoles for years have never been proven true, but you can keep preaching the good word. Maybe in 2040, it will happen—when no one makes consoles or exclusive games anymore.....
Re: Reaction: Gears Of War: Reloaded Makes Perfect Sense For Microsoft, But Not For Xbox Fans
It's logical, just like Forza Horizon 5, which was released on other consoles four years later. This strategy helps expand the franchise’s recognition, and when Forza Horizon 6 launches exclusively on PC and Xbox, it will draw players into the Xbox ecosystem, whether through PC Game Pass or Xbox consoles, it doesn’t matter. Then, Forza Horizon 6 will arrive on PlayStation four years later, which is more than enough time to maintain the exclusivity’s appeal while profitably extending the franchise’s lifespan.
Here, it’s the same situation—we’re talking about a remastered version of a 2006 game. This is a great move by Xbox, serving as strong marketing for Gears E-Day, which will, of course, launch exclusively on Xbox and PC. This remaster exists solely as advertising for the Gears E-Day exclusive, nothing more and it confirm Xbox strategy to use old games as an advertising for new exclusives games.
Anyone doubting this clearly hasn’t understood Xbox’s strategy at all.
Re: Reaction: GTA 6's Delay Could Be Great News For Xbox And Its Fall 2025 Lineup
@banjo- and @OldGamer999
Totally agree, that's exactly what I'm saying. Many people stubbornly keep repeating the same nonsense for years, but they don’t seem to get discouraged from constantly claiming that Xbox will be fully multiplatform—which is still not the case and won’t happen, unless consoles disappear entirely and exclusive games cease to exist from all publishers.
Xbox isn’t doing this just to avoid upsetting overly sensitive fanboys but simply for business reasons. It makes sense to maintain a portfolio of exclusive games, at least for several years. They know very well that exclusivity is one of the factors that help attract players to their ecosystem—just like other exclusive features such as Game Pass, Play Anywhere, 'Stream Your Own Game,' and other functionalities that will never appear on other consoles.
Another reason is that not all games benefit from being ported to other consoles. We saw this with recent sales—titles like Grounded or Hi-Fi Rush haven’t been particularly successful on other platforms.
If absolutely no Xbox Studios games have launched day one on other consoles, there’s a reason for that.
If Xbox keeps signing exclusivity contracts with third-party games like Stalker 2, Ark 2, 33 Immortals, etc., there’s a reason for that.
If titles like South of Midnight, Starfield, Avowed, and others remain exclusive, there’s a reason for that.
And that reason is simply that exclusive games are a core part of their strategy, just as bringing certain titles to multiple platforms on a case-by-case basis is also part of their approach.
It’s not an all-or-nothing scenario—it’s about maintaining a balanced long-term strategy. Aside from historically multiplatform franchises that are already thriving on other consoles, such as Doom or Call of Duty, Xbox doesn’t primarily rely on other consoles. The only growing markets are PC, cloud gaming, and handled consoles which remains their priority —not to mention their own Xbox hardware. This has been reiterated by Xbox multiple times, and it’s exactly what we observe in practice.
Other consoles serve as a backup to further monetize older franchises on a case-by-case basis, while already multiplatform titles continue to be available across multiple systems—that’s all there is to it.
@Jaxx420: Yes, thanks, I’m well aware that Bethesda and Activision are part of Xbox, but I specifically referred to Xbox Studios—important distinction. You should know, or at least be aware, that within Xbox, the Activision and Bethesda brands haven’t disappeared—they remain distinct entities. So I confirm that Doom and Oblivion are not Xbox Studios games AND they were already multiplatform. And I also confirm that absolutely no Xbox Studios games have launched day one on other consoles—except for those that were already multiplatform. It’s not that complicated to understand.
I'm going to play the fortune teller like some others, but I can guarantee you that Forza Horizon 6 will not release day one on other consoles, only four years later. Similarly, the Gears Collection will be multiplatform, but not Gears E-Day, etc...
Balance and long-term strategy.
Re: Reaction: GTA 6's Delay Could Be Great News For Xbox And Its Fall 2025 Lineup
@FatGuyInLilCoat Another one! Firstly, Doom and Oblivion are not games from Xbox Studios; secondly, those are games that were already multiplatform like outer worlds 2! It's exhausting! And on top of that, he claims he's right—on what basis? Clearly on your obviously very limited knowledge of the subject.
You can search and you'll find no Xbox Studios game that wasn't already multiplatform and was released on day one on other consoles.
People prefer to repeat certain clickbait articles rather than simply acknowledging the reality of things. The reality is there; you just have to look.
Why, then, are Avowed and South of Midnight exclusive? I'm sure some will still find excuses to justify their speculations.
Re: Reaction: GTA 6's Delay Could Be Great News For Xbox And Its Fall 2025 Lineup
I think that major tentpole releases like Gears-Eday will come out for the next Xbox console, and definitely as exclusive games—at least for several years. Absolutely no game from Xbox studios has ever launched on other consoles on day one, none! I really don't see Xbox starting out with a major franchise like Gears or even Fable.
I don't think that's at all Xbox's strategy, and those who continue with this kind of speculation have absolutely missed the point. Last year, they said next year .... and this year, they continue, next year ....How long does it take you to understand that you're wrong?
However, the fact that the Gears Collection is multiplatform does make sense, it's a compilation of old games as it will encourage other players to get to know the franchise and drive them toward the Xbox ecosystem when they want to play the latest installment. That's the spirit!
Re: Xbox Achieves Record-Breaking Results In Latest Earnings Report
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Re: Xbox Achieves Record-Breaking Results In Latest Earnings Report
@PsBoxSwitchOwner Sorry to break it to you, but mathematically speaking, it is indeed a progression—a 23-point improvement, which is quite remarkable in such a short time. I get that it might not be very intuitive for some, but it is a progression.
Moreover, at this stage of the console generation, declining sales are normal for all manufacturers. PlayStation and Nintendo are also seeing a drop. Not to mention, the console market as a whole is shrinking, giving way to PC gaming, cloud gaming, and portable consoles, which are the only segments currently growing.
So, making progress in a declining market is worth highlighting. It confirms Xbox's strong position, benefiting across all its acquisition channels—especially on PC. It also reinforces the idea that the next Xbox console will resemble a PC, bringing advantages for players, such as access to multiple storefronts
Re: Xbox Achieves Record-Breaking Results In Latest Earnings Report
A 45% increase in Game Pass subscribers in one year is absolutely huge! Game Pass has had some major releases, and with the upcoming lineup, it's not slowing down anytime soon.
Game Pass and the few multiplatform games serve as a major advertisement for the Xbox ecosystem—not just for Game Pass itself, but for the entire Xbox experience that players eventually discover, including features like Play Anywhere and Stream Your Own Game.
Even Xbox consoles are benefiting from this Game Pass boost, as going from -29% to -6% is an improvement—especially considering Xbox hasn’t released a mid-gen console and continues to offer players choices through PC and cloud gaming.
Xbox's strategy of balancing multiplatform games like Call of Duty and Doom with exclusive titles such as Avowed, South of Midnight, Starfield, the next Gears, and Fable (even if some are only temporarily exclusive) has proven highly effective.
They generate more revenue than anyone else, which in turn helps finance services within the Xbox ecosystem, including Game Pass and cloud gaming. At the same time, this approach serves as a powerful showcase for everything Xbox offers, including its hardware.
Re: Indie Dev Defends Xbox Game Pass As Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Sells Most On PS5
Of course, Game Pass has an impact on sales, and in a positive way.
What many people don’t understand is that Xbox and Game Pass also act as massive publicity for a game. If a game wasn’t released day one on Game Pass, it wouldn’t get nearly as much exposure, despite its intrinsic qualities. And how many high-quality games never sell as well as they deserve?
What I mean is that if the game weren’t on Game Pass, it wouldn’t sell as well across all platforms. And if the game is what it is today, it's also thanks to Xbox and its funding, which helped develop it.
So in the end, thank you Xbox and thank you Game Pass—nothing else really matters!
Re: Bethesda Details Oblivion Remastered Tech Specs & Gameplay Changes On Xbox
They are humble; at this level, it's not a remaster, it's a remake with all these changes and 123 GB—wow, it's already downloading!
Re: Atomfall's Xbox Game Pass Launch Has Done 'Really, Really Well' For Microsoft
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Re: Atomfall's Xbox Game Pass Launch Has Done 'Really, Really Well' For Microsoft
@Valhura Atomfall and Other developers have expressed their satisfaction with Game Pass, like Stalker 2, Towerborne, etc... and these games aren't on PS5 ....
And what you're saying is wrong—the main sales for Game Pass games happen on PC, especially on Steam. Sales on PS5 are significantly lower in all cases.
Moreover, Game Pass players can also purchase the game—I’m one of them—and they can buy DLCs and other content as well, which they wouldn’t have done if they hadn’t discovered the game through Game Pass. It's far more complex than you think.
Studies have shown that Game Pass subscribers buy more games than non-subscribers. It makes sense—they spend more time playing, discover more games, and are therefore more likely to purchase games and content.
Re: Phil Spencer Discusses Why Xbox Game Pass Isn't For Everyone These Days
@Millionski "They could, but it's not what they want; it wouldn't make sense business-wise, because as he says, Game Pass isn't made for everyone. They would lose players if they bet exclusively on Game Pass.
For the industry, I also think it wouldn't be a good idea to bet everything on Game Pass.
Game Pass is one option among others, knowing their objective is to offer multiple choices to their players while prioritizing their own ecosystem. It's a matter of balance and diversification, and the numbers show it's the right direction.
As a player, I think we're living through a fantastic time as Xbox gamers.
Re: Phil Spencer Discusses Why Xbox Game Pass Isn't For Everyone These Days
It contradicts many people who didn't understand Xbox's strategy, which has always been to diversify their touchpoints with consumers. It has never been about betting everything on Game Pass or to stop consoles, even though it remains a central point of their strategy.
That's why Xbox diversifies its strategy with home consoles, portable consoles, cloud gaming, PC gaming, by porting some games to competing consoles, keeping some games exclusive, etc.
All of this contributes to reaching different types of players while prioritizing the Xbox ecosystem, which is the only one offering Game Pass, exclusive games, and certain features like Play Anywhere, Stream Your Own Game on Cloud, cross-save, backward compatibility, Quick Resume, and more.
After finishing Avowed, on which I spent over 120 hours, I'm now enjoying the refreshing South of Midnight. I take little breaks with Immortals now and then.
I Love Xbox and gamepass
Re: Indiana Jones And The Great Circle Comparison Showcases Xbox Series X Vs. PS5 Pro
Okay, okay, no notable difference. Once again, it's confirmed that the PS5 Pro is a big scam. In any case, it's money for Xbox, which will finance other Indiana Jones games and other day-one games in Game Pass.
Re: Roundup: The First Impressions Of Marathon Are In
Let's wait to see real, unbiased opinions, not influenced by Sony's sponsorship. In any case, judging by the trailer, it doesn't look appealing at all. The art direction is so dull and synthetic—I just can't get into it! As for the gameplay, we'll have to see, but the business model already puts me off. Count me out—there are too many good games to play to waste time and money on this thing!
Re: After Three Months, These Are The Top 10 Xbox Games Of 2025
@Fiendish-Beaver I play it in normal too, No need to crank up the difficulty for me or artificially stretch out the game's duration, but if you enjoy intense and spicy challenges, that's cool too!
Re: After Three Months, These Are The Top 10 Xbox Games Of 2025
@Fiendish-Beaver I love exploring, and in Avowed, it's truly satisfying because there are so many hidden places, secret passages, mysteries to uncover, treasures, etc... So yes, I take my time, I take the time to read, etc... Maybe I'm slower than average, but that's just my playstyle.
Re: After Three Months, These Are The Top 10 Xbox Games Of 2025
Same with Avowed, I've spent over 100 hours on it (not finished yet) and I just can't put it down. The narration, The side quests are very well done, and I love Obsidian's humor, especially during the dialogues between companions. You have the option to change your combat style whenever you want, which is really fun. Once again, a very good Xbox game underrated for obscure reasons.