@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.
Anyway, only Nintendo and Xbox show first party games in their showcase, not like PlayStation which only shows games from third party publishers and multiplatform for the most part.
"All I want to see is Black Myth: Wukong on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S as soon as possible" No, absolutely not !
No need for a game from a small studio that lied. So many games to play on Xbox and via GamePass, I have to finish Stalker 2, Avowed and Atomfall already then will follow South of Midnight, expedition 33, Doom Dark Ages, I am playing 33 Immortals, and Towerborne at the same time. So much games, much more interessting that this overhyped game
@themightyant You don't know if the battery life will drop; you're basing this on the current version of Windows. The OS will certainly be optimized for better battery management on this portable Xbox.
Regarding compatibility: 17,934 games may sound like a lot, but we're talking about decades of games, from the oldest to the newest. Windows, as the native operating system for the majority of PC games, naturally offers a much broader compatibility than Proton, even though I couldn't find exact numbers.
For instance Destiny 2, Call of Duty: Warzone, Valorant, FIFA 23 don't work on steam OS. You have to play them on windows But you'd agree that switching between Windows and SteamOS isn't practical. We can clearly see the limitations of Steam on certain popular and recent games.
I think some people haven't understood the advantages of a portable Xbox console with native Windows and a gamer-friendly interface inspired by Xbox consoles:
Compatibility: The Steam Deck is still about emulation via Proton, which runs Windows games on Linux. This leads to compatibility issues with certain games.
Performance: Linux can never truly rival native Windows. With native DirectX, the performance on a portable Xbox console would be superior. Additionally, certain DirectX12 features aren't supported by Proton. In terms of both performance and graphical quality, the result would be better.
Dedicated Interface: A simplified and optimized Xbox interface would ensure a smooth user experience. Currently, portable consoles using Windows don't offer an optimized user experience. This is another area where portable Xbox consoles would have an advantage.
Complete Xbox Ecosystem: Easy access to all Xbox ecosystem features: Game Pass, Play Anywhere, cross-save, backward compatibility, maybe even Quick Resume.
Hardware Advantages: This is speculation, but such a console would naturally be more powerful than what's currently available, given that it would be more recent. Beyond that, I think Xbox would also focus on battery life.
In short, the Steam Deck can't compete with a portable Xbox console simply because they've chosen a different path, with a Linux-based OS and a vision that's very focused on Steam and PC. A portable Xbox would blend the worlds of consoles and PCs with a more open and gaming-optimized system in terms of performance, graphics, and user experience.
@Dalamar73 It's just facts, though, and it's part of the topic. It's no worse than those who constantly complain about Xbox for reasons that are also quite questionable, especially on an Xbox-focused site. I simply mentioned PlayStation to highlight that they generate less revenue than Xbox, their PSSR was a complete failure, and they produce very few games aside from remakes, in order to emphasize Xbox's advantages in comparison.
It feels like some people only focus on the negatives (like console sales) and forget everything else.
I'm not saying Xbox shouldn't be criticized, especially when it's deserved, but every now and then, it's important to put things into perspective and set the record straight.
There are already certain points that have been confirmed:
Xbox Series S Comparable Performance (By the way, I think the Series S exists partly because of this future portable console; it’s there to prepare the ground and ensure that games are supported by this portable console.)
A Dedicated Xbox Interface (confirmed by jez corden)
An Xbox Play Anywhere / Backwards Compatibility Focus (confirmed by jez corden)
for battery life and competitve price, we will see
We could add other important and confirmed points as well:
The opening to other stores (confirmed by Jez Corden and other insiders).
Backward compatibility (Of course, your current Xbox game library will be compatible. It's confirmed, and honestly, it's obvious—there's no question about it. Backward compatibility is an integral part of Xbox's very essence.)
And also all the current features of the Xbox ecosystem, such as Play Anywhere, cross-save, "play your own game on cloud," and easy access to Game Pass.
It would be great if Quick Resume was included as well. However, that hasn't been confirmed yet, but it would definitely be a really cool feature! But Phil Spencer had mentioned the possibility of bringing this feature to Windows, so ...
@OldGamer999 loool ! people are not turing turning to PS or even Nintendo. To date, the PS5 has sold 2 million fewer units than the PS4, and their sales dropped by 35% compared to last year, despite releasing a mid-generation update that was supposed to boost sales. Let’s not forget that Xbox hasn’t released a mid-generation console, so the comparison isn’t exactly fair. It’s widely known that the entire console market is declining. If there’s one platform that players are gravitating towards, it’s PC! The only markets currently experiencing growth are PC and cloud gaming, and in that area, Xbox has a strong presence!
For casual gamers who aren’t tied to a particular system and want an affordable option, yes, it makes sense! Besides, the new Xbox consoles are coming soon and will likely coincide with the release of GTA 6.
Absolutely: 1/A portable console with Windows, featuring an Xbox-like interface that is truly optimized for use on a portable console. For now, this doesn't exist—Windows is not optimized for a user-friendly experience on a portable console.
2/A console where you can easily play your Xbox games locally, on the cloud, enjoy Game Pass, AND also access other stores like Steam, Epic, etc.
@LogicStrikesAgain Of course, we're here to give our opinion. We can try to argue to make our point understood and possibly convince those who have reasonable doubts. I'm capable of changing my mind if I see that the arguments are relevant, but in this case, I remain convinced of my opinion, just as you remain convinced of yours, despite my arguments apparently not being sufficient. It remains a cordial discussion, and I respect that. Everything's good, bro!
@LogicStrikesAgain If you're upgrading from the PS4/PS4 Pro, in terms of value for money, it's better to upgrade to a standard PS5 or an Xbox Series X. Considering the price of the PS5 Pro, the flawed technologies like PSSR, and the minor performance gap, it's not worth it in my opinion!
If your budget is unlimited, go for it! But, even in this case, if you have an unlimited budget and really want the best, then go for a PC instead ! For the same price, you can get a better PC, and if you push a bit further, you'll have a real gaming PC
So, given all of this, yes, I firmly believe that this mid-gen upgrade is totally unnecessary.
This Assassin's Creed Shadow looks great. I recently finished Mirage and really enjoyed it, even though, inevitably, the gameplay mechanics repeat a bit (as they do in most games).
It's not a bad thing that the open worlds are smaller and the story more condensed. I loved Assassin's Creed Odyssey, but it was sometimes a bit too long.
I notice that the PS5 Pro doesn't bring much more to the table apart from slightly better ray tracing, which confirms that this mid-gen upgrade is unnecessary.
This confirms the significant increase in the quality of Xbox games, despite the "Xbox tax" that tends to underrate Xbox games. Also, their weighting system is quite strange, as they count PC ports (e.g., God of War) and remasters (e.g., TLOU 2 Remastered) in the same way. I think they should give more weight to original games.
The quality of Xbox games is really up to par, last games like Call of Duty Black Ops 6 to Indiana Jones and Avowed. You can tell they take the time to fine-tune their games and don't hesitate to delay releases if they think the game isn't up to standard, which is a very good thing! I am very confident; the art direction looks really appealing. I'm looking forward to seeing more about the gameplay, but just the story and the art direction already seem great, and I have high hopes for the rest.
Some people didn’t understand, I feel (PureXbox didn't understand either, because they don't mention it in the article). Xbox is talking about the Xbox Play Anywhere program, which aims to encourage developers to launch their games simultaneously on PC, Xbox console, and the cloud, with a single purchase of the game. That’s what it’s about, nothing more, nothing less: "whether they choose to play with Xbox console, PC, Smart TV, or mobile."
The source mentions it, though: Xbox Play Anywhere Developer Roundtable (Presented by Microsoft) Speaker: Chris Charla (Microsoft) Date: Thursday, March 20 Time: 2:00pm - 3:00pm Location: Room 2004, West Hall
@Fiendish-Beaver We’re not going to agree on this. I base my arguments on reality, while you rely on rumors or hypothetical scenarios that may or may not happen in the future—we’ll see. For now, I’m the one who's right until proven otherwise, IF that "otherwise" ever happens!
If we listened to rumors, Starfield, Hellblade 2, and Forza Horizon 5 would have been ported to PS5 a long time ago. But reality is completely different: these are exclusive games. For how long? Based on the average time current games take to be ported, I’d say around 4 to 5 years—IF the game even gets ported at all, because it won’t necessarily happen.
That brings me back to my point: a timed exclusive is still an exclusive. A 4-year exclusive is still an exclusive. If you want to play a game, you don’t wait 4 years. So, in the end, the impact on the player is the same as with a permanent exclusive (a concept that only truly exists with Nintendo nowadays).
Do you really think Xbox needs PlayStation to sell Fable?
Fable isn’t a live-service game, has no history of being multiplatform, and hasn’t even reached its full potential on Xbox—let alone launched yet! People are overestimating its value. Microsoft wants to make as much money as possible, but they certainly don’t need the 1-3% of PlayStation players who might buy a British RPG without prior exposure to its unique brand of humor.
If anything, Fable will generate more revenue through Game Pass alone than it would from sales anywhere outside of PC. There’s a serious misunderstanding of game development economics and how much Game Pass actually brings in. Even if Playground Games spends $200 million on Fable—which is a high estimate for a non-licensed IP—spread over six years, that’s barely $30M per year.
Game Pass has been criticized for spending $1 billion annually on content acquisition (as if that’s a bad thing) while bringing in over $5 billion in gross revenue. Microsoft has committed to funding four exclusives per year, with some being smaller AA titles, meaning the total cost of these exclusives is unlikely to exceed 10% of Game Pass’s content budget.
By the time these exclusives launch, they’re already paid for—before selling a single copy.
@Fiendish-Beaver I don't agree with your comparison with the PC. PC gamers and console gamers are two different types of players. The PC does not compete with consoles, whereas two consoles compete with each other, which is the case between Xbox and PS. Furthermore, Microsoft has always made games on PC, even before making games on the Xbox console. There are even games that were released only on PC and never on the Xbox console. You see? The PC was there before consoles! Your hypothesis does not hold at all; you are only speculating, and the current situation totally contradicts you. That's not at all what Xbox is doing. People think Xbox's expansion strategy concerns PlayStation, but it is the last wheel of the cart. The growth is not there but in the PC and cloud market. For the rest, it's on a case-by-case basis and temporary exclusives. This is the reality. Your speculations don't exist, except in your head. Why wasn't Avowed released day one on PS5? Is it still too early? I bet you in 2 or 3 years you will continue to say the same thing, but it will still not be the case! Xbox has the upper hand; they are the ones who sell games. They have the choice. Nothing obliges them to release their big franchises day one on other consoles. They are largely profitable with Xbox, PC, and the cloud, which are markets with strong growth, unlike the PS5, whose sales have dropped by 35% in a year, and a PS5 Pro that sells less well than a PS4 Pro. Stop swallowing everything you read in clickbait articles.
@Fiendish-Beaver "Lastly, people also say, but I can play Avowed, or Gears of War, or Halo, or whatever on the Game Pass, that is why I choose Xbox"
"But what are you talking about? Aren't Avowed, Gears, and Halo exclusive? Well, yes, they are exclusive to Xbox! The fact is that Xbox continues its case-by-case strategy and temporary exclusives for some. Absolutely no first-party game from Xbox studios has been released day one on other consoles, haven't you noticed? Or do you have another explanation for that too? All the games that were released day one on other platforms are historically multiplatform games and mainly come from Bethesda and Activision acquisitions. As for Xbox studio games, Sea of Thieves (8 years later), Grounded (6 years later), Forza Horizon 5 (not yet released on PS5 but will be more than 4 years later), Age of Empires and Age of Mythology the same, ....
If you think Forza Horizon 6, Fable, Gears E-Day, etc. will be released day one on other consoles, you are joyfully mistaken, you can capture my message. You didn't understand Xbox's strategy, but you're not the only one, don't worry. Xbox knows very well that these franchises create attractiveness to their ecosystem and then a few years later, when the game becomes aging, they make it profitable again, that's exactly what they are doing currently and that's exactly what they will continue to do!
When Xbox talks about 'everywhere,' they mainly mean PC and cloud; growth markets (PS is in decline). They don't need to release their big franchises day one on other consoles; Xbox, PC, and cloud are more than enough initially. No one, except Nintendo, makes permanent exclusives anymore. Even Death Stranding 2 will be released on Xbox, Silent Hill 2 will indeed be released on Xbox, etc. But who wants to play Fable or Forza Horizon 6 four years later? If you love the franchise, it's evident that it will attract players to Game Pass and to the Xbox ecosystem. It's just the beginning, Xbox is sweeping everything, and you don't see it coming.
Another former PS exclusive on Xbox, it seems there are more former exclusives on Xbox than the other way around. Even Death Stranding 2 will be released on Xbox. No one makes permanent exclusives anymore, but the fact is that Xbox has more exclusives than PS, even if some are temporary. Just look at Xbox's lineup with Stalker 2, Avowed, South of Midnight, Mechabreak, etc... And what about PS? Nothing!
Square Enix, Capcom, and many publishers have stopped making exclusives for PS, and Konami will be the same. It was an old contract, but Konami is also stopping exclusives with PS.
And when you know that PS makes very few first-party games + the fact that most of their exclusives are from third party = fewer and fewer PS exclusives.
Meanwhile, Xbox is cooking up exclusives and multiplatform games for Game Pass and for Xbox players first!
That's a good sign, it's an ambitious game. They're taking the time to release a good game and not rushing it. We'll wait.
If I were Xbox, I would wait to release the new console alongside games like Fable, gears e-day, forza horizon 6, etc... . They absolutely need a strong line-up for the next-gen launch, which is what they lacked for the Xbox Series.
I love how it focuses on the essentials with beautiful graphics, great combat, great story, Choices that have consequences and simple gameplay mechanics. That's what we want—to get back to the essence of video games. Not everyone wants super complicated games with a steep learning curve. It's not perfect; it lacks interaction with NPCs and the liveliness of the visited places, but overall, everything else is very positive, and I'm having fun. That means the game is successful, at least for me!
The one who wins is the one who makes games and sells services; that's where profitability lies. And thanks to this funding, everything can follow: marketing campaigns, new games, a well-stocked Game Pass, competitive new consoles, exclusive games, etc. And all of this is to the advantage of Xbox players who enjoy a great Game Pass, new exclusive games, even if some are ported to other consoles a few years later. Xbox's good health is beneficial for Xbox players.
PlayStation players, on the other hand, are relegated to second place regarding Xbox games because they don't have access to Game Pass and can't play them as early (except for historically multi-platform games). As for their own exclusive games, there are not many, and there will be even fewer as third-party publishers turn away from PlayStation. Moreover, they will be forced to do day-one releases on PC quickly to remain profitable because things are going very badly financially for them.
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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.
Re: Windows Might Be Adding A New UI For The ASUS Xbox Handheld
Good news, we really need to make the Windows interface of portable consoles much more gamer friendly.
Xbox = the one who unites them all
Re: Talking Point: Are You Expecting Xbox News At The Switch 2 Direct This Week?
Anyway, only Nintendo and Xbox show first party games in their showcase, not like PlayStation which only shows games from third party publishers and multiplatform for the most part.
Re: Sony Causes A Stir Among Xbox Fans With Black Myth: Wukong Comment
"All I want to see is Black Myth: Wukong on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S as soon as possible" No, absolutely not !
No need for a game from a small studio that lied. So many games to play on Xbox and via GamePass, I have to finish Stalker 2, Avowed and Atomfall already then will follow South of Midnight, expedition 33, Doom Dark Ages, I am playing 33 Immortals, and Towerborne at the same time. So much games, much more interessting that this overhyped game
Re: Five Things An Xbox Handheld Needs To Include When It Releases
@themightyant You don't know if the battery life will drop; you're basing this on the current version of Windows. The OS will certainly be optimized for better battery management on this portable Xbox.
Regarding compatibility: 17,934 games may sound like a lot, but we're talking about decades of games, from the oldest to the newest. Windows, as the native operating system for the majority of PC games, naturally offers a much broader compatibility than Proton, even though I couldn't find exact numbers.
For instance Destiny 2, Call of Duty: Warzone, Valorant, FIFA 23 don't work on steam OS. You have to play them on windows But you'd agree that switching between Windows and SteamOS isn't practical. We can clearly see the limitations of Steam on certain popular and recent games.
Re: Five Things An Xbox Handheld Needs To Include When It Releases
I think some people haven't understood the advantages of a portable Xbox console with native Windows and a gamer-friendly interface inspired by Xbox consoles:
Compatibility: The Steam Deck is still about emulation via Proton, which runs Windows games on Linux. This leads to compatibility issues with certain games.
Performance: Linux can never truly rival native Windows. With native DirectX, the performance on a portable Xbox console would be superior. Additionally, certain DirectX12 features aren't supported by Proton. In terms of both performance and graphical quality, the result would be better.
Dedicated Interface: A simplified and optimized Xbox interface would ensure a smooth user experience. Currently, portable consoles using Windows don't offer an optimized user experience. This is another area where portable Xbox consoles would have an advantage.
Complete Xbox Ecosystem: Easy access to all Xbox ecosystem features: Game Pass, Play Anywhere, cross-save, backward compatibility, maybe even Quick Resume.
Hardware Advantages: This is speculation, but such a console would naturally be more powerful than what's currently available, given that it would be more recent. Beyond that, I think Xbox would also focus on battery life.
In short, the Steam Deck can't compete with a portable Xbox console simply because they've chosen a different path, with a Linux-based OS and a vision that's very focused on Steam and PC. A portable Xbox would blend the worlds of consoles and PCs with a more open and gaming-optimized system in terms of performance, graphics, and user experience.
Re: Xbox Series S Needs A 'Significant' Marketing Push For GTA 6, Insists Analyst
@Dalamar73 It's just facts, though, and it's part of the topic. It's no worse than those who constantly complain about Xbox for reasons that are also quite questionable, especially on an Xbox-focused site. I simply mentioned PlayStation to highlight that they generate less revenue than Xbox, their PSSR was a complete failure, and they produce very few games aside from remakes, in order to emphasize Xbox's advantages in comparison.
It feels like some people only focus on the negatives (like console sales) and forget everything else.
I'm not saying Xbox shouldn't be criticized, especially when it's deserved, but every now and then, it's important to put things into perspective and set the record straight.
Re: Xbox Series S Needs A 'Significant' Marketing Push For GTA 6, Insists Analyst
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Re: Five Things An Xbox Handheld Needs To Include When It Releases
There are already certain points that have been confirmed:
for battery life and competitve price, we will see
We could add other important and confirmed points as well:
Re: Xbox Series S Needs A 'Significant' Marketing Push For GTA 6, Insists Analyst
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Re: Xbox Series S Needs A 'Significant' Marketing Push For GTA 6, Insists Analyst
@OldGamer999 loool ! people are not turing turning to PS or even Nintendo. To date, the PS5 has sold 2 million fewer units than the PS4, and their sales dropped by 35% compared to last year, despite releasing a mid-generation update that was supposed to boost sales. Let’s not forget that Xbox hasn’t released a mid-generation console, so the comparison isn’t exactly fair. It’s widely known that the entire console market is declining. If there’s one platform that players are gravitating towards, it’s PC! The only markets currently experiencing growth are PC and cloud gaming, and in that area, Xbox has a strong presence!
Re: Xbox Series S Needs A 'Significant' Marketing Push For GTA 6, Insists Analyst
For casual gamers who aren’t tied to a particular system and want an affordable option, yes, it makes sense! Besides, the new Xbox consoles are coming soon and will likely coincide with the release of GTA 6.
Re: Xbox Series S Needs A 'Significant' Marketing Push For GTA 6, Insists Analyst
It seems that PlayStation has a marketing exclusivity deal for GTA 6, doesn’t it?
Re: Talking Point: If The Next-Gen Xbox Is More 'PC-Like', Will You Still Buy It?
Absolutely:
1/A portable console with Windows, featuring an Xbox-like interface that is truly optimized for use on a portable console. For now, this doesn't exist—Windows is not optimized for a user-friendly experience on a portable console.
2/A console where you can easily play your Xbox games locally, on the cloud, enjoy Game Pass, AND also access other stores like Steam, Epic, etc.
Wow, I’m sold immediately! 🚀
Re: Ubisoft Reveals Full Console Specs For Assassin's Creed Shadows, Including Xbox Series X And S
@LogicStrikesAgain Of course, we're here to give our opinion. We can try to argue to make our point understood and possibly convince those who have reasonable doubts. I'm capable of changing my mind if I see that the arguments are relevant, but in this case, I remain convinced of my opinion, just as you remain convinced of yours, despite my arguments apparently not being sufficient. It remains a cordial discussion, and I respect that. Everything's good, bro!
Re: Ubisoft Reveals Full Console Specs For Assassin's Creed Shadows, Including Xbox Series X And S
@LogicStrikesAgain If you're upgrading from the PS4/PS4 Pro, in terms of value for money, it's better to upgrade to a standard PS5 or an Xbox Series X. Considering the price of the PS5 Pro, the flawed technologies like PSSR, and the minor performance gap, it's not worth it in my opinion!
If your budget is unlimited, go for it! But, even in this case, if you have an unlimited budget and really want the best, then go for a PC instead ! For the same price, you can get a better PC, and if you push a bit further, you'll have a real gaming PC
So, given all of this, yes, I firmly believe that this mid-gen upgrade is totally unnecessary.
Re: Ubisoft Reveals Full Console Specs For Assassin's Creed Shadows, Including Xbox Series X And S
This Assassin's Creed Shadow looks great. I recently finished Mirage and really enjoyed it, even though, inevitably, the gameplay mechanics repeat a bit (as they do in most games).
It's not a bad thing that the open worlds are smaller and the story more condensed. I loved Assassin's Creed Odyssey, but it was sometimes a bit too long.
I notice that the PS5 Pro doesn't bring much more to the table apart from slightly better ray tracing, which confirms that this mid-gen upgrade is unnecessary.
Re: Xbox Makes Metacritic's Top 10 Highest-Rated Publisher List
This confirms the significant increase in the quality of Xbox games, despite the "Xbox tax" that tends to underrate Xbox games. Also, their weighting system is quite strange, as they count PC ports (e.g., God of War) and remasters (e.g., TLOU 2 Remastered) in the same way. I think they should give more weight to original games.
Re: Talking Point: Are You Excited For Xbox's Next Major First-Party Release In April?
The quality of Xbox games is really up to par, last games like Call of Duty Black Ops 6 to Indiana Jones and Avowed. You can tell they take the time to fine-tune their games and don't hesitate to delay releases if they think the game isn't up to standard, which is a very good thing! I am very confident; the art direction looks really appealing. I'm looking forward to seeing more about the gameplay, but just the story and the art direction already seem great, and I have high hopes for the rest.
Re: Microsoft Announces Major GDC Presence With 'Xbox Expanding To Any Screen' In 2025
Some people didn’t understand, I feel (PureXbox didn't understand either, because they don't mention it in the article). Xbox is talking about the Xbox Play Anywhere program, which aims to encourage developers to launch their games simultaneously on PC, Xbox console, and the cloud, with a single purchase of the game. That’s what it’s about, nothing more, nothing less: "whether they choose to play with Xbox console, PC, Smart TV, or mobile."
The source mentions it, though:
Xbox Play Anywhere Developer Roundtable (Presented by Microsoft)
Speaker: Chris Charla (Microsoft)
Date: Thursday, March 20
Time: 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Location: Room 2004, West Hall
Re: Silent Hill 2 Dev's Next Konami Game Is Coming To Xbox Series X|S
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Re: Here's A Look At The Updated Xbox Studios Roadmap For 2025 & Beyond
@Fiendish-Beaver We’re not going to agree on this. I base my arguments on reality, while you rely on rumors or hypothetical scenarios that may or may not happen in the future—we’ll see. For now, I’m the one who's right until proven otherwise, IF that "otherwise" ever happens!
If we listened to rumors, Starfield, Hellblade 2, and Forza Horizon 5 would have been ported to PS5 a long time ago. But reality is completely different: these are exclusive games. For how long? Based on the average time current games take to be ported, I’d say around 4 to 5 years—IF the game even gets ported at all, because it won’t necessarily happen.
That brings me back to my point: a timed exclusive is still an exclusive. A 4-year exclusive is still an exclusive. If you want to play a game, you don’t wait 4 years. So, in the end, the impact on the player is the same as with a permanent exclusive (a concept that only truly exists with Nintendo nowadays).
Do you really think Xbox needs PlayStation to sell Fable?
Fable isn’t a live-service game, has no history of being multiplatform, and hasn’t even reached its full potential on Xbox—let alone launched yet! People are overestimating its value. Microsoft wants to make as much money as possible, but they certainly don’t need the 1-3% of PlayStation players who might buy a British RPG without prior exposure to its unique brand of humor.
If anything, Fable will generate more revenue through Game Pass alone than it would from sales anywhere outside of PC. There’s a serious misunderstanding of game development economics and how much Game Pass actually brings in. Even if Playground Games spends $200 million on Fable—which is a high estimate for a non-licensed IP—spread over six years, that’s barely $30M per year.
Game Pass has been criticized for spending $1 billion annually on content acquisition (as if that’s a bad thing) while bringing in over $5 billion in gross revenue. Microsoft has committed to funding four exclusives per year, with some being smaller AA titles, meaning the total cost of these exclusives is unlikely to exceed 10% of Game Pass’s content budget.
By the time these exclusives launch, they’re already paid for—before selling a single copy.
Re: Here's A Look At The Updated Xbox Studios Roadmap For 2025 & Beyond
@Fiendish-Beaver I don't agree with your comparison with the PC. PC gamers and console gamers are two different types of players. The PC does not compete with consoles, whereas two consoles compete with each other, which is the case between Xbox and PS. Furthermore, Microsoft has always made games on PC, even before making games on the Xbox console. There are even games that were released only on PC and never on the Xbox console. You see? The PC was there before consoles! Your hypothesis does not hold at all; you are only speculating, and the current situation totally contradicts you. That's not at all what Xbox is doing. People think Xbox's expansion strategy concerns PlayStation, but it is the last wheel of the cart. The growth is not there but in the PC and cloud market. For the rest, it's on a case-by-case basis and temporary exclusives. This is the reality. Your speculations don't exist, except in your head. Why wasn't Avowed released day one on PS5? Is it still too early? I bet you in 2 or 3 years you will continue to say the same thing, but it will still not be the case! Xbox has the upper hand; they are the ones who sell games. They have the choice. Nothing obliges them to release their big franchises day one on other consoles. They are largely profitable with Xbox, PC, and the cloud, which are markets with strong growth, unlike the PS5, whose sales have dropped by 35% in a year, and a PS5 Pro that sells less well than a PS4 Pro. Stop swallowing everything you read in clickbait articles.
Re: Here's A Look At The Updated Xbox Studios Roadmap For 2025 & Beyond
@Fiendish-Beaver "Lastly, people also say, but I can play Avowed, or Gears of War, or Halo, or whatever on the Game Pass, that is why I choose Xbox"
"But what are you talking about? Aren't Avowed, Gears, and Halo exclusive? Well, yes, they are exclusive to Xbox! The fact is that Xbox continues its case-by-case strategy and temporary exclusives for some. Absolutely no first-party game from Xbox studios has been released day one on other consoles, haven't you noticed? Or do you have another explanation for that too? All the games that were released day one on other platforms are historically multiplatform games and mainly come from Bethesda and Activision acquisitions. As for Xbox studio games, Sea of Thieves (8 years later), Grounded (6 years later), Forza Horizon 5 (not yet released on PS5 but will be more than 4 years later), Age of Empires and Age of Mythology the same, ....
If you think Forza Horizon 6, Fable, Gears E-Day, etc. will be released day one on other consoles, you are joyfully mistaken, you can capture my message. You didn't understand Xbox's strategy, but you're not the only one, don't worry. Xbox knows very well that these franchises create attractiveness to their ecosystem and then a few years later, when the game becomes aging, they make it profitable again, that's exactly what they are doing currently and that's exactly what they will continue to do!
When Xbox talks about 'everywhere,' they mainly mean PC and cloud; growth markets (PS is in decline). They don't need to release their big franchises day one on other consoles; Xbox, PC, and cloud are more than enough initially. No one, except Nintendo, makes permanent exclusives anymore. Even Death Stranding 2 will be released on Xbox, Silent Hill 2 will indeed be released on Xbox, etc. But who wants to play Fable or Forza Horizon 6 four years later? If you love the franchise, it's evident that it will attract players to Game Pass and to the Xbox ecosystem. It's just the beginning, Xbox is sweeping everything, and you don't see it coming.
Xbox is coming.. lool
Re: Silent Hill 2 Dev's Next Konami Game Is Coming To Xbox Series X|S
Another former PS exclusive on Xbox, it seems there are more former exclusives on Xbox than the other way around. Even Death Stranding 2 will be released on Xbox. No one makes permanent exclusives anymore, but the fact is that Xbox has more exclusives than PS, even if some are temporary. Just look at Xbox's lineup with Stalker 2, Avowed, South of Midnight, Mechabreak, etc... And what about PS? Nothing!
Square Enix, Capcom, and many publishers have stopped making exclusives for PS, and Konami will be the same. It was an old contract, but Konami is also stopping exclusives with PS.
And when you know that PS makes very few first-party games + the fact that most of their exclusives are from third party = fewer and fewer PS exclusives.
Meanwhile, Xbox is cooking up exclusives and multiplatform games for Game Pass and for Xbox players first!
Re: Xbox Has Officially Delayed Fable Into 2026
That's a good sign, it's an ambitious game. They're taking the time to release a good game and not rushing it. We'll wait.
If I were Xbox, I would wait to release the new console alongside games like Fable, gears e-day, forza horizon 6, etc... . They absolutely need a strong line-up for the next-gen launch, which is what they lacked for the Xbox Series.
Re: Xbox RPG Avowed Seemingly Sold Well Despite Being In Game Pass
I love how it focuses on the essentials with beautiful graphics, great combat, great story, Choices that have consequences and simple gameplay mechanics. That's what we want—to get back to the essence of video games. Not everyone wants super complicated games with a steep learning curve. It's not perfect; it lacks interaction with NPCs and the liveliness of the visited places, but overall, everything else is very positive, and I'm having fun. That means the game is successful, at least for me!
Re: Microsoft CEO Commits To Producing 'Great Quality Games' As Xbox Expands
The one who wins is the one who makes games and sells services; that's where profitability lies. And thanks to this funding, everything can follow: marketing campaigns, new games, a well-stocked Game Pass, competitive new consoles, exclusive games, etc. And all of this is to the advantage of Xbox players who enjoy a great Game Pass, new exclusive games, even if some are ported to other consoles a few years later. Xbox's good health is beneficial for Xbox players.
PlayStation players, on the other hand, are relegated to second place regarding Xbox games because they don't have access to Game Pass and can't play them as early (except for historically multi-platform games). As for their own exclusive games, there are not many, and there will be even fewer as third-party publishers turn away from PlayStation. Moreover, they will be forced to do day-one releases on PC quickly to remain profitable because things are going very badly financially for them.