@Millionski for me, Alan Wake 2, Final Fantasy 16, and Tears of the Kingdom were 10s. Dave the Diver, Mario Wonder, RE4, Pikmin 4, and Root Bear were 9s for me. Hogwarts Legacy, I want to give a 9, but there’s some things that make me feel it’s just one of the best 8/10 tier games I’ve experienced. That’s just my opinion, of course. If I listed all 8s, we’d be in for a long list. 2023 was excellent. It’s one of the only years that I really struggled putting together a top 20 list because there were too many good games.
BG3, for me, I can’t rate. I had a bad experience with it due to technical issues at launch. The game would crash, I’d lose data, my saves disappeared, my wife and I tried to play co-op and the game was stuttering and her character just stopped existing at one point, the game just overall ran like junk on PS5 and it clouds my opinion on it. I can tell it’s an excellent game and I can see why a lot of people love it, but I had such a bad experience playing it that I dropped it and don’t want to go back. If I couldn’t tell it was obviously an incredible game and I got unlucky, I’d give the game an incendiary rating, but I just sort of acknowledge it as a game others love rather than myself. It’s not the game that ran the worst for me all generation at least. That honor goes to Atomic Heart on my Series S.
@johnedwin I mean, results may vary for anyone, but 2026 has been the best year for gaming since the incredible 2023, in my opinion. While we’ve not had a 10/10 all year yet, we’ve had far more 9/10 and 8/10 tier games. It’s been a far more consistent year than most years this generation. Might be the second best year of the generation for me and we’re only halfway through. The majority of GotY candidates tend to release in the second half of the year too.
I still own a copy of Kelly Slater on my PS2. It’s an alright game for an hour or so. I think, of the b-tier extreme sports games though, I preferred Shawn Palmer’s Snowboarding. I seriously put hours and hours into that one and I know it wasn’t a great game.
I miss when people played 5/10, 6/10, 7/10 tier games without relying on reviews to tell them what they like and the industry let developers make risks. It was a fun era, OG Xbox and 360.
I doubt Xbox is going to make the pivot to endorse physical media when they’ve been the most digital platform for several generations now. It would be less profit margin, but as I type that… I could see them doing it more. They brought back exclusives for the influencers and I guess they could do the same for a piece of plastic for the sake of “being visionary and seeing the needs of their consumers.” Get ready for that Helix physical copy of Candy Crush!
Left GP after the price hike and I’m not planning on returning since the layoffs. I mean, the studios that made the most GP style games are gone now. Arguably, since the price hike, the value of the service has gone down, even after they lowered the cost again. 2026 has had the worst lineup for the service and I just don’t see Microsoft doing the right things to restore confidence in me or others that have left. GP just ain’t what it used to be and I doubt it ever will be “the best value in gaming” again unless the industry radically changes. Xbox has a huge uphill battle for some of us right now.
Microsoft seems oblivious to the fact that their rhetoric and reputation have alienated a lot of people. You don’t talk about how much you’re going to expand your profit margin immediately after laying off thousands.
@themightyant No kidding. Minecraft honestly sort of plays better on the 360 in some ways than it does on modern consoles because it is just the pure game. I hope the template for Xbox’s future goes beyond what can be most easily monetized.
I wish the teams success going forward. Honestly, especially after Tango got cut, seeing four really solid studios get the axe is even more heartbreaking. It almost feels like the studios and games I directly like are targeted these days. I can honestly say that Xbox has cut the studios responsible for 4 out of my top five Xbox Games Studios games so far this generation (Psychonauts 2, Hi-Fi Rush, Deathloop, South of Midnight). They specifically cut studios that make solid single player experiences that should cater to what Gamepass is. I’m glad the studios are still around, but I suspect that this wasn’t out of kindness, but rather because their independence is cheaper than severance and comes with a tax write off similar to how the layoffs probably equate to a bonus for executives next quarter.
Hopefully Obsidian and Bethesda can return to their former glory. I’m sort of worried about them longterm eventually being reduced to live service studios supporting Grounded and Fallout 76.
@CoolDadTx You’ve got that right. Wouldn’t be surprised if the executives are getting cumulative bonuses right now that exceed the added wages of the terminated employees. The way these layoffs have been announced is incredibly cold and is being spun as a visionary reset of the brand by her. It reads like Satya wrote the memo himself. I don’t know how any of the employees can feel secure in their positions.
Realistically, at least Double Fine still exists and OD is still being funded. It’s still far too soon to know what Asha’s Xbox will be. I can’t say I’m particularly fond of this direction so far.
I think Xbox is legitimately considering physical only now because Sony had such incredible backlash last week. Xbox has been the most digital platform for three generations, so changing their stance on it now would certainly be an interesting choice. They know they can keep the physical card in their back pocket to appease everyone too after the big layoffs are finally announced.
360 for sure. Physical games were super cheap in the 360 era, so it was easy to get a bunch. I used to buy and sell games all the time too, felt like I never really spent a lot to play a lot back in those days because of the resale, trade, and borrow scene.
@Millionski definitely disagree, but I also don’t like Gears. Feels like the last few Gears games have been divisive as well though too. I’d not be surprised if Gears is in the same position as Halo, but I’ll bet too that Gamepass canabalized far more Halo Infinite sales than Gears 5, but that’s more a timeframe thing than anything else.
@Savex Infinite was solid, but incomplete to me. It felt designed to have campaign expansions and it’s sort of weird that didn’t happen, but realistically I really enjoyed Infinite too. This has been a weird generation in gaming where I felt like I was too harsh on earlier gen games, but I didn’t know that the generation would be so front loaded. I hope the Chief can survive this onslaught. I think Forza and CoD might be the only currently viable games to Asha and that’s downright dystopian level to me. 😅
If Halo isn’t the keystone for future Xbox, I frankly have no idea what kind of vision there is for Xbox’s brand future. Master Chief is Xbox’s Mario.
Hearing all these rumors, it’s about time Xbox gives us a game plan for the future. I mean, with Sony slicing off its foot yesterday, what better time to jump on a grenade, especially when we know it’s already there?
Thank god this one is safe. This game is basically the only reason I still own an Xbox Series S. I suspect it may be safe because the game’s nearly complete rather than any other reason (and because Kojima actually knows how to run a functional business that can make high end games while making a profit, even though his games are niche), but I’m glad either way. Hopefully we see an update by the end of the year.
It’s June 30th. Can we just know what’s going on now for sure instead of speculation? It’s bad. Microsoft, just confirm the injury already, so we know whether or not we should grab our torches and pitchforks or not yet.
Realistically, I just hope they keep funding OD at this point. If that gets pulled, I’m actually out on Xbox. Sort of sad that there’s only one game keeping me in at this point. I almost feel like Asha’s coming in to close doors rather than open them. We need clarity for Xbox’s vision, not showcases for projects they’re axing.
I beat Star Fox day one, but now my son is playing it, but he needs help sometimes, so I’m sure there will be some of that. I might play it again too. It’s fantastic.
Outside that, Dave the Diver: In the Jungle is a huge hit for me. Also one of the best games this year, even though it’s a DLC. It seriously feels almost like a sequel. And then there will be a bit of Root Bear too.
@lechugajr No kidding. When I look back on the last 6 years, the economy is just such a steaming pile. 6 years ago, I could say, “What the heck? I want an Xbox because I just want one.” Little thought, little investment.
Half a decade later, my paychecks may be bigger, but they sure ain’t going as far. Nowadays, individual games are a thoughtful purchase. I’m paycheck to paycheck now. I miss blowing money for fun! 😂 It’s not like I’m spending my money on new things. If anything, I’m spending it on less things. Sorry to complain and ramble!
My Series S was $200 in 2020. I don’t recall how much they were retailing for or what the particular deal was that made it so cheap, but I know that’s what I paid. I remember thinking the Series S was a steal and it was easy to convince my wife into us buying one just for me to play Halo, even though we already had a PS5. It was a simpler time.
I don’t feel bad that Xbox is having record low sales though. They’ve alienated their base so much the last generation and kept a steady stream of price hikes going. I can honestly say that this is the lowest I’ve ever felt in wanting to buy an Xbox console again.
At these prices, are they even still selling Xboxes? I’ve said it elsewhere, but I think we’ve entered the era where something like Stadia could succeed as an alternative to overpriced boxes
@Millionski I think if console manufacturers overprice the next generation, they will tank the industry. A lot of what is happening now happened in the 80’s and I suspect there’s either going to be a lesson learned or a repetition of history. Nintendo may come out the victor again by being an affordable alternative to Helix and PS6. Microsoft knows if they push too hard on price, they’ll push people right into mobile gaming. Then again, we may be totally wrong that the next generation is going to specifically be a box connected to a TV.
Realistically, if Google would’ve waited for Stadia until now, they’d actually have an ecosystem that’s ready and willing to have it. I could see Xbox having the tech to do something similar as a more affordable option in contrast to the box and it would play right in to the xCloud format. I think Xbox will choose to innovate.
@Millionski I suspect Xbox has a chance to shake up the market by undercutting an expensive PS6 by potentially hundreds of dollars. Imagine how much the balance of the industry would shift if PS6 launches at $1000 and the Helix launches at $600. It’d be an equalizer. I suppose we’ll see where things go from here.
Honestly, the Steam Machine completely confuses me. It could’ve been a necessary disruption to the console industry, but it releases as a totally niche product for what audience? It’s not for the people looking for a console experience because they’re priced out. It’s not for the PC audience because they’re probably using a more powerful kit for cheaper. It’s literally only for the Valve faithful, which doesn’t make a whole lot of sense as a business proposition. They’ll sell out on the first batch and then sales will stagnate. I mean, as popular as the Steamdeck is in gaming circles, it never really disrupted the handheld market the way it seems to us, given that we’re all dedicated gamers. Sure, there’s competition with the Steamdeck with things like the AllyX, etc, but these are far smaller scale selling items than consoles.
That said, the Steam Machine will do nothing in comparison to consoles. I thought it would, but it won’t. The price guarantees it’s a niche, enthusiast only item. The difference is that I believe the Helix will still attempt collecting a mainstream audience. Very different audiences. Most console gamers won’t care about the Steam Machine. Valve had a chance to make a machine that may have been able to bank on peoples’ dissatisfaction with PlayStation and Xbox, but instead opted to gouge the Steamdeck’s price and alienated their base in the process who, for the longest time, extolled that Valve was a far more ethical company that cares far more for their consumers than other companies in gaming while prepping this release. We’ve been given evidence this is false and then they announce this a month later in a convoluted way about how it’s not a console, but also not really a PC. It doesn’t make much business sense to me to sell to only Gabe’s most faithful, but what do I know? Clearly Valve has made sound business decisions in the past. Just not sure this is one of them.
Everyone keeps talking about how Xbox is just going to make a luxury device because of how trends have been today. Xbox has talked about affordability a lot. They want to win back their ecosystem. That doesn’t happen with a $1000 console. They know that. We should know that too. They don’t want to launch a console that loses money point blank. If the price of consoles is too high as well, that incentivizes people to jump over to mobile gaming as well. Xbox has definitely brought up that the real competition is Tik Tok, Amazon, Facebook, etc in a race to secure time. I suspect Xbox may release Helix with a better price point than people expect. If Helix can undercut PS6 too, that puts them in place to run instead of walking. Microsoft has more tools at their disposal than most companies do and I think that may play in their favor this time. They’ve got to be far smarter with launching the Helix.
@Fishmasterflex96 definitely agree. Honestly, Gamepass could’ve worked far better as something else. I got a Playdate over the weekend and it comes bundled with several games and you get a steady stream of 2 new games a week. This approach probably would’ve been a better thing for the Game Pass service, but of course, then it’s limited with what it could provide. Games With Gold, basically, but on a weekly basis and with expiring titles. That’s probably what I would’ve done if I was making the service. Gamepass has a huge quality issue and that’s because it needs content for the sake of content.
@Fishmasterflex96 Of course it’s not, but it’s still entertainment at the end of the day. If there’s not something that justifies people wanting to use the service month to month, its easy to see it as something to use to play a first party game for cheaper then unsub and rinse and repeat. That’s not sustainable either.
I sort of agree with him. It’s far too easy to unsub to Gamepass, feel like you aren’t missing much and also feel like you’re saving money by buying games instead. Gamepass has had periods of strong quality, but, for the most part, a lot of the games on the service truly have been on the weaker end of the spectrum and the first party games have been inconsistent in terms of quality of Xbox.
But realistically, Netflix is the same these days, so they did succeed in making the Netflix of gaming. The only problem is that money’s tighter, so people are leaving their subs behind for groceries and gas.
Unless they change this, they’ve lost my sale. I wanted to play the game co-op with my son and we share an account. I’m not making another account for him, PS+ or Xbox. Terrible business decision. Greedy.
Sharing an account with a friend is what got me into the Xbox ecosystem in the original Halo 1 days. Crazy how it goes full circle. Red Ring of Death style though.
It’s Father’s Day weekend and… my wife already spoiled what she and the kids got me. I was expecting The Adventures of Elliot sort of, but no… She went and got me a Playdate, so I’ll be exploring the world of my new console this weekend.
And Dave the Diver: In the Jungle too. Definitely that one. Fantastic expansion to start.
@Fiendish-Beaver To put it bluntly, it looked to me like they were calling you a Sony Pony. Lol.
And I agree with you there. If we don’t speak our opinions on the company, they may never be heard. They may never be heard anyway, but at least we’ll all listen to each other rant. 😂
@PennywiZe666 Man, @Fiendish-Beaver is one of the most dedicated Xbox fans on here. I’d argue he may be a candidate for “most actively engaged PureXbox user.” Weird person to call out for “slow day on Pushsquare.” Lol.
On topic, I do not care, but I think it’s a rough precedent that bucks the Day 1 on Gamepass trend and I feel like they need consistent messaging on this. Xbox has been wishy washy for years and I hope Asha’s era starts clear and transparent communication.
@HelloCraigo Glad to see you writing for PureXbox again!
Man, I can’t wait for this one. I hope we start the year with Resident Evil kicking down the door again. I’m still thinking about how great Requiem was several months later. If September/October wasn’t so packed, I’d be thinking about replaying it for Halloween.
@Fiendish-Beaver I too think it’s odd that Gears is leading the charge as an exclusive. Given all the news we’ve learned recently, certainly I don’t believe the Coalition would be on the chopping block, but who knows?
Halo makes the most sense to be an exclusive since it’s the Xbox brand and identity. It’s been with Xbox since Day 1. Also, as big of a deal as another remake is, it’s probably the cheaper game to produce. Gears is certainly a part of the identity and a huge success too, but not quite as much. To toss a $400 million dollar investment as a u-turn suggests either a tremendous amount of faith in the game or that there’s something else calculated here. I suspect we’ll understand more either on June 30th when Operation Bloodbath is in full cycle or within the 100 days of Asha’s restructuring plan, but something’s going on that we don’t know yet.
It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a genuinely risky move from Xbox though. I suppose it could be just that. If that’s the case, watch Xbox make CoD a timed exclusive next year.
Sort of think Xbox should go full on with the exclusives and make them exclusive to the console as well. Give PC players a reason to buy an Xbox too. If they want to make Xbox its own platform, it has to fully commit to the exclusivity plan.
That said, @Fiendish-Beaver and I were discussing the other day that this whole exclusive thing may be a conspiracy to prove to the fanbase it either works or doesn’t based on a few games early on. Even with this, I still think that.
@themightyant This is exactly what makes me concerned about Xbox longterm. I saw them have success, start making more of the games I wanted in the 360 era only to reverse in the Xbox One era to start making more things I’m interested in again to start going backwards again.
Personally, I’m a casual with Forza. I could take it or leave it. I don’t like Gears at all. I don’t particularly like Activision in the modern era. I DO love Halo, but we’re years removed from the golden era with the Chief. 5 was a clear nadir as a campaign, but Infinite’s multiplayer was the worst the series has ever been, even if I liked the uneven, unfinished single player campaign far more than 5. I love Fable, but is it really a pillar if it’s been almost two generations now since we’ve seen the last game? Elder Scrolls and Fallout are two of my favorite series, but, to date, are they really Xbox pillars either, given that they’ve been multiplatform games for over 15 years now and neither series has been present in ages. And, no, I don’t consider Fallout 76 what I’m talking about when I talk about Fallout.
I get concerned with Xbox sticking to their core games, especially when that core is really loose. If anything, that could mean that, like Rare with Sea of Thieves, that Obsidian becomes the Grounded studio. Fallout 76, ESO… I mean, these games got time at the showcase and I thought it was strange to highlight them. For all we know, Asha may just see the steady stream of income and see this as the future of Xbox, which I’d be out if that were the case. Realistically, if you cut a lot of the experiences we all like and focus on what sells instead, Xbox could be radically different in a very concerning way. They’d look like EA.
Uncertainty is the big thing. Will Xbox corporatize into a bigger EA or attempt to be a bigger Nintendo that knows its fanbase and largely caters to them directly? What concerns me most is that I don’t this is over and I think GTA may nuke half the industry when it launches.
At any rate, at least Capcom exists and shows that we can have good things. 😂
@themightyant for me, Fable is probably the only must play on the radar from either Sony or MS. I agree with you that Xbox of today probably would not’ve greenlit it, but we also don’t know who that Xbox is yet either. The truth of the matter is that we haven’t seen a single game greenlit under Asha. It’s impossible to know where she’s going with the brand right now. The next maybe 3 or 4 years, we’ll be seeing what Phil approved while being managed by Asha. It’s a pivotal time for the brand in anticipation for the next generation.
I think it needs to be noted too that gaming was once an industry forged by creatives and ran by creatives and many of us are old enough to have witnessed the corporatization of the industry. I think there’s a legitimate fear right now that games are being made for shareholders more than they are for their audience and we all have a right to be concerned for the industry we enjoy so much
@Gabrie I think the reason for this is because people are concerned about the long term future of Xbox moreso than Sony and they’re concerned with the direction Xbox is taking. That said, I think there’s also far more of that going on with Sony than you may realize as well. I think a lot of dedicated gamers feel that the industry is trying to take advantage of them and that’s where the problem lies. I mean, Sony basically said within the year that it was planning to monetize its existing base rather than expand its audience. This kind of business decision is applicable to us. The last couple of days of studio closures is certainly applicable to us too, especially when we like a studio’s output.
For me, Hi-Fi Rush and Psychonauts 2 were my favorite XGS games this generation, so after Tango being shuttered, hearing that Double Fine may be next makes me really concerned that I’ll even care about the direction Xbox takes. I can honestly say the business decisions Xbox has taken this generation has made it where I went from rushing to get a Series S while playing Halo Infinite that first time to not having used my console for gaming in over a year outside of playing old 360 games. Obviously, that’s not an ideal situation. I haven’t sold my Xbox because I’m basically waiting to see if OD is an actual exclusive or not. That’s sort of a goofy situation to be in for a platform.
And I think Xbox has had even more focus because a lot of people were starting to feel optimistic about the direction things were going, especially in a time where many Sony fans have been disillusioned by their output and saw that maybe Xbox was pivoting the right way rather than the live service route that is shedding interest away from Sony, but now that may not be the case.
I really hope there’s a renaissance for gaming where Xbox and PlayStation seem to be a better place, but it feels like this generation has been a waiting game for that.
@jesse_dylan I’d argue those genres are overdone too! The genre’s just lost novelty for me personally and it feels like Square is ramping up to two of these a year now. Octopath felt special for its art style when it released but now it’s a full on genre. It’s probably just a me thing.
@CaptainCluck maybe check out Double Fine’s production history before making claims like that. Their release cadence is quicker than industry standard. Up through 2019, they released a game every 1-2 years. There was a gap after Psychonauts 2, but that was industry standard due to COVID. Keeper and Kiln were released in relatively quick succession. This is a studio that makes unique experiences and has been a champion for the indie community for decades, far before Xbox acquired them. You’re likely confusing Double Fine with Compulsion, though South of Midnight really wasn’t much an activist game as it was a game that represented Southern gothic magic realism, which realistically is an untapped genre in gaming.
Realistically, it’s been ages since Microsoft has invested in the uniqueness of the first party catalog they’ve created, and this is a problem with the industry at large. Rather than seek to expand the gaming audience with new styles of experiences, they advertise strictly to the established gaming audience and hope things stick. Imagine if movies advertised only to people that watch a lot of movies. That doesn’t work. Of course niche games are going to fail if you advertise them strictly to a crowd that wants Halo and Gears and CoD. However, the industry will shrink if it only caters to one specific style of audience. The industry forgets it grew so much in the PS3/360/Wii era precisely because it advertised to everyone.
I mean, take my wife for example. Before me, she didn’t really like video games much outside the odd party game. She didn’t know what was out there for her. I’m rather knowledgeable, however, so she changed her mind on games because I knew games she’d like and we’d eventually be looking forward to new games together. I mean, her favorites are probably The Forgotten City, Firewatch, Life is Strange, etc. The industry makes those games, but they don’t advertise to her or anyone else. They only advertise to us. And that’s a huge disconnect. Is it really a surprise that gaming is becoming more insular and stagnating as an industry? I hated it at the time, but looking back I wish the industry still cared to grow in audience rather than in monetizing its base.
@FraserG i hope Asha’s version of Xbox PR is more active than Phil’s and they give us answers soon. They’ve squandered all the goodwill Asha’s generated in giving the company a soft reboot less than two weeks after a high point of the Xbox Showcase. In my opinion, this moment feels more tenuous than the removal of Xbox exclusives.
No matter how you spin this, this is Xbox abandoning that “rebellious spirit from Xbox of old” Asha praised just a few weeks ago. Honestly, depending on how this plays out, it could burn the bridge for my enthusiasm for Helix turning things around in any capacity. What doesn’t make sense to me is why do this now? They could’ve painted Phil as the fall guy. Asha’s been rebuilding things in a positive way in the media, but this will hurt that momentum big time. Do they not think ahead? This feels like the biggest disaster yet for Xbox as a brand that wants “everyone to play.”
@FraserG Do you suspect State of Decay may be multiplatform for the same reason?
@Tasuki You’ve encouraged me to research. Man, my interest in Resonance sort of plummeted just now. I’ll see how Elliot reviews. I really liked it, but… Star Fox is coming, so I’m not in a rush.
Comments 2,664
Re: Metacritic Unveils Its Top 20 Games For The First Half Of 2026
@Millionski for me, Alan Wake 2, Final Fantasy 16, and Tears of the Kingdom were 10s. Dave the Diver, Mario Wonder, RE4, Pikmin 4, and Root Bear were 9s for me. Hogwarts Legacy, I want to give a 9, but there’s some things that make me feel it’s just one of the best 8/10 tier games I’ve experienced. That’s just my opinion, of course. If I listed all 8s, we’d be in for a long list. 2023 was excellent. It’s one of the only years that I really struggled putting together a top 20 list because there were too many good games.
BG3, for me, I can’t rate. I had a bad experience with it due to technical issues at launch. The game would crash, I’d lose data, my saves disappeared, my wife and I tried to play co-op and the game was stuttering and her character just stopped existing at one point, the game just overall ran like junk on PS5 and it clouds my opinion on it. I can tell it’s an excellent game and I can see why a lot of people love it, but I had such a bad experience playing it that I dropped it and don’t want to go back. If I couldn’t tell it was obviously an incredible game and I got unlucky, I’d give the game an incendiary rating, but I just sort of acknowledge it as a game others love rather than myself. It’s not the game that ran the worst for me all generation at least. That honor goes to Atomic Heart on my Series S.
Re: Metacritic Unveils Its Top 20 Games For The First Half Of 2026
@johnedwin I mean, results may vary for anyone, but 2026 has been the best year for gaming since the incredible 2023, in my opinion. While we’ve not had a 10/10 all year yet, we’ve had far more 9/10 and 8/10 tier games. It’s been a far more consistent year than most years this generation. Might be the second best year of the generation for me and we’re only halfway through. The majority of GotY candidates tend to release in the second half of the year too.
Re: Multiple Old Xbox Games Are Suddenly Getting Millions Of Views On Social Media
I still own a copy of Kelly Slater on my PS2. It’s an alright game for an hour or so. I think, of the b-tier extreme sports games though, I preferred Shawn Palmer’s Snowboarding. I seriously put hours and hours into that one and I know it wasn’t a great game.
I miss when people played 5/10, 6/10, 7/10 tier games without relying on reviews to tell them what they like and the industry let developers make risks. It was a fun era, OG Xbox and 360.
Re: Video Game Retailer Urges Xbox To 'Stand Behind Consumer Choice' By Supporting Physical
I doubt Xbox is going to make the pivot to endorse physical media when they’ve been the most digital platform for several generations now. It would be less profit margin, but as I type that… I could see them doing it more. They brought back exclusives for the influencers and I guess they could do the same for a piece of plastic for the sake of “being visionary and seeing the needs of their consumers.” Get ready for that Helix physical copy of Candy Crush!
Re: Xbox Game Pass Reportedly Drops To 30M Subscribers, But Has 'Started To Grow Again'
Left GP after the price hike and I’m not planning on returning since the layoffs. I mean, the studios that made the most GP style games are gone now. Arguably, since the price hike, the value of the service has gone down, even after they lowered the cost again. 2026 has had the worst lineup for the service and I just don’t see Microsoft doing the right things to restore confidence in me or others that have left. GP just ain’t what it used to be and I doubt it ever will be “the best value in gaming” again unless the industry radically changes. Xbox has a huge uphill battle for some of us right now.
Re: Xbox CEO Sets Ambitious Goal Of Reaching 'More Than A Billion People Each Day'
Microsoft seems oblivious to the fact that their rhetoric and reputation have alienated a lot of people. You don’t talk about how much you’re going to expand your profit margin immediately after laying off thousands.
Re: 'They Will Report Directly To Me' - Mojang And King Singled Out By Xbox Boss
@themightyant No kidding. Minecraft honestly sort of plays better on the 360 in some ways than it does on modern consoles because it is just the pure game. I hope the template for Xbox’s future goes beyond what can be most easily monetized.
Re: Compulsion Games, Double Fine & Undead Labs Issue Xbox Departure Statements
I wish the teams success going forward. Honestly, especially after Tango got cut, seeing four really solid studios get the axe is even more heartbreaking. It almost feels like the studios and games I directly like are targeted these days. I can honestly say that Xbox has cut the studios responsible for 4 out of my top five Xbox Games Studios games so far this generation (Psychonauts 2, Hi-Fi Rush, Deathloop, South of Midnight). They specifically cut studios that make solid single player experiences that should cater to what Gamepass is. I’m glad the studios are still around, but I suspect that this wasn’t out of kindness, but rather because their independence is cheaper than severance and comes with a tax write off similar to how the layoffs probably equate to a bonus for executives next quarter.
Hopefully Obsidian and Bethesda can return to their former glory. I’m sort of worried about them longterm eventually being reduced to live service studios supporting Grounded and Fallout 76.
Re: Here's The New Lineup Of Xbox Game Studios For July 2026 Onwards
Honestly feels like they cut out half the studios I cared about with Xbox today. Bethesda’s got a lot more responsibility now than before.
Re: Three Aims Detailed By Asha Sharma For The 'Most Significant Restructure In Xbox History'
@CoolDadTx You’ve got that right. Wouldn’t be surprised if the executives are getting cumulative bonuses right now that exceed the added wages of the terminated employees. The way these layoffs have been announced is incredibly cold and is being spun as a visionary reset of the brand by her. It reads like Satya wrote the memo himself. I don’t know how any of the employees can feel secure in their positions.
Re: Xbox Announces 3,200 Job Losses And Four Studio Departures
Realistically, at least Double Fine still exists and OD is still being funded. It’s still far too soon to know what Asha’s Xbox will be. I can’t say I’m particularly fond of this direction so far.
Re: Rumour: Xbox Still Evaluating Whether Project Helix Will Support Physical Discs
I think Xbox is legitimately considering physical only now because Sony had such incredible backlash last week. Xbox has been the most digital platform for three generations, so changing their stance on it now would certainly be an interesting choice. They know they can keep the physical card in their back pocket to appease everyone too after the big layoffs are finally announced.
Re: Pick One: What Was Your Favourite Xbox Game Pass Addition In June 2026?
Voted for FF6 because anytime more people get the chance to play one of the finest games ever made, it’s a win.
Granted, it’s been almost a year now since I’ve been subbed though and I don’t really miss it…
Re: Poll: Which Xbox Console Have You Collected The Most Physical Games For?
360 for sure. Physical games were super cheap in the 360 era, so it was easy to get a bunch. I used to buy and sell games all the time too, felt like I never really spent a lot to play a lot back in those days because of the resale, trade, and borrow scene.
Re: Rumour: Halo Being 'Heavily Evaluated' At Xbox, But Remains Key Part Of Future Plans
@Millionski definitely disagree, but I also don’t like Gears. Feels like the last few Gears games have been divisive as well though too. I’d not be surprised if Gears is in the same position as Halo, but I’ll bet too that Gamepass canabalized far more Halo Infinite sales than Gears 5, but that’s more a timeframe thing than anything else.
@Savex Infinite was solid, but incomplete to me. It felt designed to have campaign expansions and it’s sort of weird that didn’t happen, but realistically I really enjoyed Infinite too. This has been a weird generation in gaming where I felt like I was too harsh on earlier gen games, but I didn’t know that the generation would be so front loaded. I hope the Chief can survive this onslaught. I think Forza and CoD might be the only currently viable games to Asha and that’s downright dystopian level to me. 😅
Re: Rumour: Halo Being 'Heavily Evaluated' At Xbox, But Remains Key Part Of Future Plans
If Halo isn’t the keystone for future Xbox, I frankly have no idea what kind of vision there is for Xbox’s brand future. Master Chief is Xbox’s Mario.
Hearing all these rumors, it’s about time Xbox gives us a game plan for the future. I mean, with Sony slicing off its foot yesterday, what better time to jump on a grenade, especially when we know it’s already there?
Re: Report: Hideo Kojima's Xbox Exclusive 'OD' Is Safe From Cancellation At Microsoft
Thank god this one is safe. This game is basically the only reason I still own an Xbox Series S. I suspect it may be safe because the game’s nearly complete rather than any other reason (and because Kojima actually knows how to run a functional business that can make high end games while making a profit, even though his games are niche), but I’m glad either way. Hopefully we see an update by the end of the year.
Re: Xbox Issues Statement After Pulling Out Of Project Fantasy
Let’s see the actual strategy then. So far, the strategy seems to be “Let’s burn the whole division to the ground.”
Re: Marvel's Blade Reportedly In Danger As Xbox Considers Shutting Arkane Studios
It’s June 30th. Can we just know what’s going on now for sure instead of speculation? It’s bad. Microsoft, just confirm the injury already, so we know whether or not we should grab our torches and pitchforks or not yet.
Re: Report: Xbox Has No 'Blanket Plans' To End Funding For Third-Party Game Pass Titles
Realistically, I just hope they keep funding OD at this point. If that gets pulled, I’m actually out on Xbox. Sort of sad that there’s only one game keeping me in at this point. I almost feel like Asha’s coming in to close doors rather than open them. We need clarity for Xbox’s vision, not showcases for projects they’re axing.
Re: Poll: If You're Buying GTA 6, Are You Getting The Standard Or Ultimate Edition?
Standard edition. Ultimate is basically a bunch of cosmetics.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (June 27-28)
I beat Star Fox day one, but now my son is playing it, but he needs help sometimes, so I’m sure there will be some of that. I might play it again too. It’s fantastic.
Outside that, Dave the Diver: In the Jungle is a huge hit for me. Also one of the best games this year, even though it’s a DLC. It seriously feels almost like a sequel. And then there will be a bit of Root Bear too.
Re: Poll: How Much Did You Pay For Your Xbox Series X|S Console?
@lechugajr No kidding. When I look back on the last 6 years, the economy is just such a steaming pile. 6 years ago, I could say, “What the heck? I want an Xbox because I just want one.” Little thought, little investment.
Half a decade later, my paychecks may be bigger, but they sure ain’t going as far. Nowadays, individual games are a thoughtful purchase. I’m paycheck to paycheck now. I miss blowing money for fun! 😂 It’s not like I’m spending my money on new things. If anything, I’m spending it on less things. Sorry to complain and ramble!
Re: Poll: How Much Did You Pay For Your Xbox Series X|S Console?
My Series S was $200 in 2020. I don’t recall how much they were retailing for or what the particular deal was that made it so cheap, but I know that’s what I paid. I remember thinking the Series S was a steal and it was easy to convince my wife into us buying one just for me to play Halo, even though we already had a PS5. It was a simpler time.
I don’t feel bad that Xbox is having record low sales though. They’ve alienated their base so much the last generation and kept a steady stream of price hikes going. I can honestly say that this is the lowest I’ve ever felt in wanting to buy an Xbox console again.
Re: Xbox Announces Worldwide Price Increases For Series X|S Consoles
At these prices, are they even still selling Xboxes? I’ve said it elsewhere, but I think we’ve entered the era where something like Stadia could succeed as an alternative to overpriced boxes
Re: What Does A $1049 Steam Machine Mean For Xbox's Project Helix?
@Millionski I think if console manufacturers overprice the next generation, they will tank the industry. A lot of what is happening now happened in the 80’s and I suspect there’s either going to be a lesson learned or a repetition of history. Nintendo may come out the victor again by being an affordable alternative to Helix and PS6. Microsoft knows if they push too hard on price, they’ll push people right into mobile gaming. Then again, we may be totally wrong that the next generation is going to specifically be a box connected to a TV.
Realistically, if Google would’ve waited for Stadia until now, they’d actually have an ecosystem that’s ready and willing to have it. I could see Xbox having the tech to do something similar as a more affordable option in contrast to the box and it would play right in to the xCloud format. I think Xbox will choose to innovate.
Re: What Does A $1049 Steam Machine Mean For Xbox's Project Helix?
@Millionski I suspect Xbox has a chance to shake up the market by undercutting an expensive PS6 by potentially hundreds of dollars. Imagine how much the balance of the industry would shift if PS6 launches at $1000 and the Helix launches at $600. It’d be an equalizer. I suppose we’ll see where things go from here.
Re: What Does A $1049 Steam Machine Mean For Xbox's Project Helix?
Honestly, the Steam Machine completely confuses me. It could’ve been a necessary disruption to the console industry, but it releases as a totally niche product for what audience? It’s not for the people looking for a console experience because they’re priced out. It’s not for the PC audience because they’re probably using a more powerful kit for cheaper. It’s literally only for the Valve faithful, which doesn’t make a whole lot of sense as a business proposition. They’ll sell out on the first batch and then sales will stagnate. I mean, as popular as the Steamdeck is in gaming circles, it never really disrupted the handheld market the way it seems to us, given that we’re all dedicated gamers. Sure, there’s competition with the Steamdeck with things like the AllyX, etc, but these are far smaller scale selling items than consoles.
That said, the Steam Machine will do nothing in comparison to consoles. I thought it would, but it won’t. The price guarantees it’s a niche, enthusiast only item. The difference is that I believe the Helix will still attempt collecting a mainstream audience. Very different audiences. Most console gamers won’t care about the Steam Machine. Valve had a chance to make a machine that may have been able to bank on peoples’ dissatisfaction with PlayStation and Xbox, but instead opted to gouge the Steamdeck’s price and alienated their base in the process who, for the longest time, extolled that Valve was a far more ethical company that cares far more for their consumers than other companies in gaming while prepping this release. We’ve been given evidence this is false and then they announce this a month later in a convoluted way about how it’s not a console, but also not really a PC. It doesn’t make much business sense to me to sell to only Gabe’s most faithful, but what do I know? Clearly Valve has made sound business decisions in the past. Just not sure this is one of them.
Everyone keeps talking about how Xbox is just going to make a luxury device because of how trends have been today. Xbox has talked about affordability a lot. They want to win back their ecosystem. That doesn’t happen with a $1000 console. They know that. We should know that too. They don’t want to launch a console that loses money point blank. If the price of consoles is too high as well, that incentivizes people to jump over to mobile gaming as well. Xbox has definitely brought up that the real competition is Tik Tok, Amazon, Facebook, etc in a race to secure time. I suspect Xbox may release Helix with a better price point than people expect. If Helix can undercut PS6 too, that puts them in place to run instead of walking. Microsoft has more tools at their disposal than most companies do and I think that may play in their favor this time. They’ve got to be far smarter with launching the Helix.
Re: "They Said That I'm Crazy" - Hideo Kojima Says Many "Big Companies" Rejected His New Horror Game Before Xbox Snapped It Up
OD is my most anticipated game. Period. I own an Xbox for this one at this point. I hope we get some new info soon on it.
Re: "The Catalogue Was Just Nowhere Near Good Enough" - Ori Creator Likens Xbox Game Pass To A "Slop Factory"
@Fishmasterflex96 definitely agree. Honestly, Gamepass could’ve worked far better as something else. I got a Playdate over the weekend and it comes bundled with several games and you get a steady stream of 2 new games a week. This approach probably would’ve been a better thing for the Game Pass service, but of course, then it’s limited with what it could provide. Games With Gold, basically, but on a weekly basis and with expiring titles. That’s probably what I would’ve done if I was making the service. Gamepass has a huge quality issue and that’s because it needs content for the sake of content.
Re: "The Catalogue Was Just Nowhere Near Good Enough" - Ori Creator Likens Xbox Game Pass To A "Slop Factory"
@Fishmasterflex96 Of course it’s not, but it’s still entertainment at the end of the day. If there’s not something that justifies people wanting to use the service month to month, its easy to see it as something to use to play a first party game for cheaper then unsub and rinse and repeat. That’s not sustainable either.
Re: "The Catalogue Was Just Nowhere Near Good Enough" - Ori Creator Likens Xbox Game Pass To A "Slop Factory"
I sort of agree with him. It’s far too easy to unsub to Gamepass, feel like you aren’t missing much and also feel like you’re saving money by buying games instead. Gamepass has had periods of strong quality, but, for the most part, a lot of the games on the service truly have been on the weaker end of the spectrum and the first party games have been inconsistent in terms of quality of Xbox.
But realistically, Netflix is the same these days, so they did succeed in making the Netflix of gaming. The only problem is that money’s tighter, so people are leaving their subs behind for groceries and gas.
Re: Xbox DLC Price Drop Ahead Of Call Of Duty: Black Ops 1 & 2 PS5 Ports
Vote with your wallet, people. Let them know this is a bad deal.
Re: Resident Evil Veronica Remake Makes Its First Appearance On The Xbox Store
@HelloCraigo Would definitely watch your videos again if any of the Hookshot higher ups are looking at this comment! 😁
Re: Halo: Campaign Evolved Has Some Weird Xbox Account Requirements For Local Co-Op
Unless they change this, they’ve lost my sale. I wanted to play the game co-op with my son and we share an account. I’m not making another account for him, PS+ or Xbox. Terrible business decision. Greedy.
Sharing an account with a friend is what got me into the Xbox ecosystem in the original Halo 1 days. Crazy how it goes full circle. Red Ring of Death style though.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (June 20-21)
It’s Father’s Day weekend and… my wife already spoiled what she and the kids got me. I was expecting The Adventures of Elliot sort of, but no… She went and got me a Playdate, so I’ll be exploring the world of my new console this weekend.
And Dave the Diver: In the Jungle too. Definitely that one. Fantastic expansion to start.
Re: Poll: What Do You Think Of Call Of Duty's Delay To Xbox Game Pass?
@Fiendish-Beaver To put it bluntly, it looked to me like they were calling you a Sony Pony. Lol.
And I agree with you there. If we don’t speak our opinions on the company, they may never be heard. They may never be heard anyway, but at least we’ll all listen to each other rant. 😂
Re: Poll: What Do You Think Of Call Of Duty's Delay To Xbox Game Pass?
@PennywiZe666 Man, @Fiendish-Beaver is one of the most dedicated Xbox fans on here. I’d argue he may be a candidate for “most actively engaged PureXbox user.” Weird person to call out for “slow day on Pushsquare.” Lol.
On topic, I do not care, but I think it’s a rough precedent that bucks the Day 1 on Gamepass trend and I feel like they need consistent messaging on this. Xbox has been wishy washy for years and I hope Asha’s era starts clear and transparent communication.
Re: Resident Evil Veronica Remake Makes Its First Appearance On The Xbox Store
@HelloCraigo Glad to see you writing for PureXbox again!
Man, I can’t wait for this one. I hope we start the year with Resident Evil kicking down the door again. I’m still thinking about how great Requiem was several months later. If September/October wasn’t so packed, I’d be thinking about replaying it for Halloween.
Re: Xbox Creates New 'Exclusive' Label For Eligible Games On Console
@Fiendish-Beaver I too think it’s odd that Gears is leading the charge as an exclusive. Given all the news we’ve learned recently, certainly I don’t believe the Coalition would be on the chopping block, but who knows?
Halo makes the most sense to be an exclusive since it’s the Xbox brand and identity. It’s been with Xbox since Day 1. Also, as big of a deal as another remake is, it’s probably the cheaper game to produce. Gears is certainly a part of the identity and a huge success too, but not quite as much. To toss a $400 million dollar investment as a u-turn suggests either a tremendous amount of faith in the game or that there’s something else calculated here. I suspect we’ll understand more either on June 30th when Operation Bloodbath is in full cycle or within the 100 days of Asha’s restructuring plan, but something’s going on that we don’t know yet.
It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a genuinely risky move from Xbox though. I suppose it could be just that. If that’s the case, watch Xbox make CoD a timed exclusive next year.
Re: Xbox Creates New 'Exclusive' Label For Eligible Games On Console
Sort of think Xbox should go full on with the exclusives and make them exclusive to the console as well. Give PC players a reason to buy an Xbox too. If they want to make Xbox its own platform, it has to fully commit to the exclusivity plan.
That said, @Fiendish-Beaver and I were discussing the other day that this whole exclusive thing may be a conspiracy to prove to the fanbase it either works or doesn’t based on a few games early on. Even with this, I still think that.
Re: Report: Xbox Already Planned To 'Sunset Or Split With' Ninja Theory Before Senua Reveal
@themightyant This is exactly what makes me concerned about Xbox longterm. I saw them have success, start making more of the games I wanted in the 360 era only to reverse in the Xbox One era to start making more things I’m interested in again to start going backwards again.
Personally, I’m a casual with Forza. I could take it or leave it. I don’t like Gears at all. I don’t particularly like Activision in the modern era. I DO love Halo, but we’re years removed from the golden era with the Chief. 5 was a clear nadir as a campaign, but Infinite’s multiplayer was the worst the series has ever been, even if I liked the uneven, unfinished single player campaign far more than 5. I love Fable, but is it really a pillar if it’s been almost two generations now since we’ve seen the last game? Elder Scrolls and Fallout are two of my favorite series, but, to date, are they really Xbox pillars either, given that they’ve been multiplatform games for over 15 years now and neither series has been present in ages. And, no, I don’t consider Fallout 76 what I’m talking about when I talk about Fallout.
I get concerned with Xbox sticking to their core games, especially when that core is really loose. If anything, that could mean that, like Rare with Sea of Thieves, that Obsidian becomes the Grounded studio. Fallout 76, ESO… I mean, these games got time at the showcase and I thought it was strange to highlight them. For all we know, Asha may just see the steady stream of income and see this as the future of Xbox, which I’d be out if that were the case. Realistically, if you cut a lot of the experiences we all like and focus on what sells instead, Xbox could be radically different in a very concerning way. They’d look like EA.
Uncertainty is the big thing. Will Xbox corporatize into a bigger EA or attempt to be a bigger Nintendo that knows its fanbase and largely caters to them directly? What concerns me most is that I don’t this is over and I think GTA may nuke half the industry when it launches.
At any rate, at least Capcom exists and shows that we can have good things. 😂
Re: Report: Xbox Already Planned To 'Sunset Or Split With' Ninja Theory Before Senua Reveal
@themightyant for me, Fable is probably the only must play on the radar from either Sony or MS. I agree with you that Xbox of today probably would not’ve greenlit it, but we also don’t know who that Xbox is yet either. The truth of the matter is that we haven’t seen a single game greenlit under Asha. It’s impossible to know where she’s going with the brand right now. The next maybe 3 or 4 years, we’ll be seeing what Phil approved while being managed by Asha. It’s a pivotal time for the brand in anticipation for the next generation.
I think it needs to be noted too that gaming was once an industry forged by creatives and ran by creatives and many of us are old enough to have witnessed the corporatization of the industry. I think there’s a legitimate fear right now that games are being made for shareholders more than they are for their audience and we all have a right to be concerned for the industry we enjoy so much
Re: Report: Xbox Already Planned To 'Sunset Or Split With' Ninja Theory Before Senua Reveal
@Gabrie I think the reason for this is because people are concerned about the long term future of Xbox moreso than Sony and they’re concerned with the direction Xbox is taking. That said, I think there’s also far more of that going on with Sony than you may realize as well. I think a lot of dedicated gamers feel that the industry is trying to take advantage of them and that’s where the problem lies. I mean, Sony basically said within the year that it was planning to monetize its existing base rather than expand its audience. This kind of business decision is applicable to us. The last couple of days of studio closures is certainly applicable to us too, especially when we like a studio’s output.
For me, Hi-Fi Rush and Psychonauts 2 were my favorite XGS games this generation, so after Tango being shuttered, hearing that Double Fine may be next makes me really concerned that I’ll even care about the direction Xbox takes. I can honestly say the business decisions Xbox has taken this generation has made it where I went from rushing to get a Series S while playing Halo Infinite that first time to not having used my console for gaming in over a year outside of playing old 360 games. Obviously, that’s not an ideal situation. I haven’t sold my Xbox because I’m basically waiting to see if OD is an actual exclusive or not. That’s sort of a goofy situation to be in for a platform.
And I think Xbox has had even more focus because a lot of people were starting to feel optimistic about the direction things were going, especially in a time where many Sony fans have been disillusioned by their output and saw that maybe Xbox was pivoting the right way rather than the live service route that is shedding interest away from Sony, but now that may not be the case.
I really hope there’s a renaissance for gaming where Xbox and PlayStation seem to be a better place, but it feels like this generation has been a waiting game for that.
Re: The First Review Is In For The Adventures Of Elliot: The Millennium Tales
@jesse_dylan I’d argue those genres are overdone too! The genre’s just lost novelty for me personally and it feels like Square is ramping up to two of these a year now. Octopath felt special for its art style when it released but now it’s a full on genre. It’s probably just a me thing.
Re: Double Fine Reacts To Xbox Closure Rumours With Single Emoji
@CaptainCluck maybe check out Double Fine’s production history before making claims like that. Their release cadence is quicker than industry standard. Up through 2019, they released a game every 1-2 years. There was a gap after Psychonauts 2, but that was industry standard due to COVID. Keeper and Kiln were released in relatively quick succession. This is a studio that makes unique experiences and has been a champion for the indie community for decades, far before Xbox acquired them. You’re likely confusing Double Fine with Compulsion, though South of Midnight really wasn’t much an activist game as it was a game that represented Southern gothic magic realism, which realistically is an untapped genre in gaming.
Realistically, it’s been ages since Microsoft has invested in the uniqueness of the first party catalog they’ve created, and this is a problem with the industry at large. Rather than seek to expand the gaming audience with new styles of experiences, they advertise strictly to the established gaming audience and hope things stick. Imagine if movies advertised only to people that watch a lot of movies. That doesn’t work. Of course niche games are going to fail if you advertise them strictly to a crowd that wants Halo and Gears and CoD. However, the industry will shrink if it only caters to one specific style of audience. The industry forgets it grew so much in the PS3/360/Wii era precisely because it advertised to everyone.
I mean, take my wife for example. Before me, she didn’t really like video games much outside the odd party game. She didn’t know what was out there for her. I’m rather knowledgeable, however, so she changed her mind on games because I knew games she’d like and we’d eventually be looking forward to new games together. I mean, her favorites are probably The Forgotten City, Firewatch, Life is Strange, etc. The industry makes those games, but they don’t advertise to her or anyone else. They only advertise to us. And that’s a huge disconnect. Is it really a surprise that gaming is becoming more insular and stagnating as an industry? I hated it at the time, but looking back I wish the industry still cared to grow in audience rather than in monetizing its base.
Re: Report: Multiple Xbox Studios In 'Active Negotiations' With Microsoft To Avoid Closure
@FraserG i hope Asha’s version of Xbox PR is more active than Phil’s and they give us answers soon. They’ve squandered all the goodwill Asha’s generated in giving the company a soft reboot less than two weeks after a high point of the Xbox Showcase. In my opinion, this moment feels more tenuous than the removal of Xbox exclusives.
Re: Report: Multiple Xbox Studios In 'Active Negotiations' With Microsoft To Avoid Closure
No matter how you spin this, this is Xbox abandoning that “rebellious spirit from Xbox of old” Asha praised just a few weeks ago. Honestly, depending on how this plays out, it could burn the bridge for my enthusiasm for Helix turning things around in any capacity. What doesn’t make sense to me is why do this now? They could’ve painted Phil as the fall guy. Asha’s been rebuilding things in a positive way in the media, but this will hurt that momentum big time. Do they not think ahead? This feels like the biggest disaster yet for Xbox as a brand that wants “everyone to play.”
@FraserG Do you suspect State of Decay may be multiplatform for the same reason?
Re: The First Review Is In For The Adventures Of Elliot: The Millennium Tales
@Tasuki You’ve encouraged me to research. Man, my interest in Resonance sort of plummeted just now. I’ll see how Elliot reviews. I really liked it, but… Star Fox is coming, so I’m not in a rush.
Re: The First Review Is In For The Adventures Of Elliot: The Millennium Tales
@Tasuki I could’ve sworn I saw Square confirm it was NOT that, but rather an entirely, from the ground up, new game.