theduckofdeath

So long, CoDHQ.

@AI-Generation MS could have taken that attitude in 2001. They had 0% of the console market at that point. Yet, the created and launched the Xbox. There has been an Xbox for every generation since.

@Balaam_ No way they go back to "full game on disc." It isn't impractical in most cases. Some people call exclusives a backwards idea.

Makes sense if you spent 25 years building a game division called, "Xbox". LOL

Leave PC releases the same as the past 10 years. Simultaneous release, cross-save/progression, cross-play, and cloud sync. Continue expanding play-your-own-games and improving XCloud. Improve Game Pass with new additions.

Overall game production and shows are doing great. Keep it up. Advertise more across the globe. Make Xbox hardware, games and services more affordable based on the region {e.g. add GP tiers tailored for Brazil, India, etc.}.

Port only multiplayer, established multiplat franchises, and "best fit" games to PS. Add Xbox-exclusive content and perks. Come out announce a few big games are going Xbox ECOSYSTEM exclusive (console, PC, Cloud, Game Pass). Announce defined categories (multiplat-at- launch, 6/12-month delay, never or undetermined). Fan morale will raise and the media will have to pump the brakes and reset.

Don't do any ports to PS or Switch that would stress the dev team or otherwise negatively impact the Xbox ecosystem version {e.g. FH6 is not day one).

Keep communicating and making positive changes, big and small. Grow your own shows (Xbox ON, showcases, dev directs, dev streams, etc.).

Wasteland 3 is great. I need to go back, fight the last kid of the president, then complete the game.

I tried Wasteland 2 also and got stomped right off the bat. LOL

@Elbow Yeah. I think it was created by a young team in MS using XNA libraries.

@BustedUpBiker I played AC1-4 at launch, skipped Brotherhood at first and...was there another spin off? Well, I went back and completed Brotherhood at least. Unity is the one where I fell off, waiting for performance improvements on PC. The rest of the mainline entries I own on console or PC. Like you said, there just isn't the time to go back and complete them all. I'd like to finish Unity and Shadows.

The explanation of why they retired the slogan is about as long as the slogan itself. 😄

@StonyKL This is why I have reservations about Helix just playing PC games as if they are any other game. I am reluctant to believe it will be close to the RoG Xbox experience, just "smoother" and more refined. The user is going to have to opt in, because you can't count on most people to know what they are doing. Not console people. I suppose devs could include a new preset in configs (low, medium, high, Helix, Ultra, custom).

@Banjo- I agree with you. MS has real world data on the effects from two years of producing more games and increased porting. The good and the bad of it. The benefits and the unfortunate side effects. Now they can adjust the ads, the "messaging", the policies, and the announcements going forward.

@Balaam_ Five hundred dollars is a lot of friction to overcome before seeing actual profit from a game sale or subscription. Hell, that was the old price (the current price is $650 for the Series X). Xbox is a better ecosystem, but it hasn't been around as long or available in as many countries as PS. Then it has to contend with inherent and deliberate bias.

The execs saw fit to offer Xbox games and services in more ways (PC for a decade, Cloud streaming services, mobile, TV apps). Some games are ported, which was inevitable after buying two large publishers. I suspect now Xbox will tweak advertising, services, and porting efforts to raise the perception of the Xbox console/hardware along with the games and services.

@Th3_Highlander Traditional rendering cannot keep up. For the same square millimeters of silicon, the old way cannot compete. DLSS is a solution for this, and every version of DLSS utilizes AI (machine learning). If the experts tried to hit 4k@x FPS with the chip die of same dimensions and the same wattage, they could not.

DLSS5.0 must have other features besides to effect demoed. I'm certain that feature can be configured to look cartoony or "videogamey" per title.

@Balaam_ That's because people lowlifes and feel brave from anonymity online. They were sending DF death threats over a video game AI technique.

@Nakatomi_Uk Imagine how many 5090s it would take to render the scenes through traditional means.

@Th3_Highlander What do you mean? It will only run Nvidia hardware, likely 50xx series and up. We don't know how performant it will be with other settings considered. That is a small subset of people who can enable the tech. NTM, the computations are dependent from the native artwork. The devs/artists will still build the traditionally rendered models and scenes as a basis and for everyone with lesser hardware.

@FuzzieGinge88 Do you mean after the last performance increase? There was one a while back that was significant. Much smoother and higher framerate on Series X than at launch. That has to be more than 12 months ago, though.

Xbox Helix
Xbox Chimera
Xbox Cerberus
Xbox Griffon
Xbox Nexus
Xbox Eminence

Xbox Armada (All devices that can run Xbox games and/or services)

Freshman year, we played straight through 11th Hour (the sequel to The 7th Guest).

What is this race to the bottom of problem-solving skills Sony and Microsoft are competing in?

@Fiendish-Beaver I would like to see a breakdown of sales in dollars and units of the games that were ported to PS5 versus the same data on Xbox. Now, it has only been a couple years, still, it would be interesting to see.

A game like CoD would have a much bigger sales impact on PS5, especially with its inclusion in Game Pass on Xbox. Most games I'd imagine far closer in sales. Game Pass blows up player count, so not quite a fair comparison.

Regardless of difference in installed base counts of each console, how many of those consoles have owners that buy games regularly? The number may be similar across both consoles. The "extra" users become more relevant for sales of games like CoD and GTA.

I already bought it on PC. Enjoy the game, the rest of you.

Capcom's roll continues. RE and Tekken were the reasons I bought a PS back in '96. I've got my Steam key for Requiem and preloaded last night.

"Failing internally?" 🤔

If you pressure the Xbox team "internally" to make unrealistic quarterly profits, then their will be cuts to projects and teams. The expansion to more devices is totally Satya-backed or spawned.

Yes, day one, regardless of $60-100 pricing. Stop asking. 😄 Let's go silent about it until release.

@StylesT Sony fans always have to time travel back to RotTR for an example of Xbox paying for exclusivity. Whereas when arguing against Sony, anyone could start in the present and cite 3-5 examples per year. Without RotTR, they would have to go back GTA 4 DLC (if they are old enough to remember).

Regarding STALKER 2, yes, the studio is a foreign indie dev that lost parts of their team to war and were working under duress (bombing). Half the team and members of their families had to flee the country. MS aiding them during the development. Additionally, the STALKER series had remained a PC series all these years, and this was the first time it was coming to console.

The documentary chronicling the war and STALKER 2 development is something I think people should watch.

@OldGamer999 I agree with you there. There is little use I find in a separate Sony (or whomever) show today that does not showcase their own games. Nor should it be judged as if these games are Sony-produced. PS and Xbox third-party libraries have become virtually identical, save for a handful of games Sony continues to pay for exclusivity or interject themselves in the publishing. These are practices that should be admonished, as they cut of players from games and are often predatory. Sony's internal development efforts have been cut back.

Mafia III, Avowed, High on Life 2, and the Replaced demo. I tried an hour of 100 X Resist. The game is slow going at the start and I'm not sure if it stays that way.

@fabio1 Fortnite crew may not be something that you or I use, but it offers a significant savings to many people. Xbox has the data — they know EXACTLY how many people on Game Pass were paying for Fortnite crew, and I think it safe to say we may be outnumbered. Anyway, prices go up over time, and you need to take advantage of any break MS or a retailer offers. No one interested in videogames should be caught off guard.

There's also the reality that MS/Xbox is releasing more and more games into Game Pass each year. They're piling up.

@Kloppo They didn't post this for Xbox fans. They are trying to catch the PS traffic. Same reason "Xbox" channels speculate and pontificate on when Xbox games will be ported to PS5.

@fabio1 How is it "worse"? More expensive for Ultimate, yes. They've added more services/features and more games. Every service goes up in price over time.

You don't feel it if you stacked for years ahead of time. Which anyone who is actually price-sensitive would think to do beforehand. On top of that I get $10/month back from Xbox and sometimes redeem for $25.

Who supposedly "left" the platform? Who in their right mind would go to PS5? Better to go PC. Reality is that you can be on multiple platforms at once.

@Savex Well, everyone has been assuming and trivializing the effort to make an Xbox console that runs PC games. They want PC capabilities while somehow the device not being a PC. The simplest route would be for the device to run Windows 11/12 or a variant. The console-only folks act like their heads would explode if that were the case.

MS stripped down Windows to fashion the OG Xbox OS. We can assume they started over and did it again for 360 and Xbox One. This time, they would have to leave far more functionality intact. So, the question(s) remain if the next Xbox will optionally dual boot. We know it will run legacy games.

Windows will get some tweaking for games, regardless of if it is the sole OS for the new box(es).

@mac_da_man How was Avowed lacking in physics? The explosions effects to bodies and debris were very well done. Compact had weight and impact. The stuff that comes to mind to complain about is in most action/adventure games (e.g. laser-accurate projectiles, screened from your vision by enemies, passing harmlessly through enemy bodies to hit your character).

I completed the Mafia II remaster this morning. Back to Avowed and maybe Space Marine II. The plan is to get some time in BF6 and Arc Raiders, too.

This game is challenging and good change of pace. I would not have tried it if it wasn't on Game Pass. I had not heard much buzz about the Steam version.

In 1348, is the character supposed to be a boy, or a girl masquerading as a boy? Anyway, I've already completed two Plague Tale games, and 1348 does not look as impressive.

Not a concern. These companies can sell an external drive and cut costs. I have a functioning One X and Series X that can play movie & game discs. One PC that still has a DVD R/W, with more drives in storage.

My physical games just take up space and the handful I bought this gen, swiftly emerged on Game Pass. I can't remember the last game I bought physically for PC. Maybe the original STALKER or FEAR.

@Questionable_Duck The issue is that Xbox fans won't stop dwelling on the PS ports, PS fanboys sadly taunt them over it, and the media/YTbers uses it for traffic. The media refuses to acknowledge how well Xbox is doing nor how anemic PS production is. Even Xbox YTbers will yack for 10 minutes per video speculating on what will be ported to PS, day one, timed-exclusive, and so on. Xbox fans want to hear Xbox news & game discussion, not be reminded and antagonized by that nonsense.

Xbox and PS players have their minds in a console-focused vice. A console/system was always just a conduit to our homes/wallets. Spencer said, "it's just four games; it's only a test." Well, the test passed! The idea that MS should forego additional sales in the hopes that MS would eek out a few more million Series sales is irrational. Yes, I wanted to see Xbox hold back games, maybe 6 months to a year (or indefinitely), as much as any Xbox fan.

If you had a product to sell in stores, would you only transport it over roads & bridges you built and sell it in stores you own? Maybe to start out, but if production expands and the product catalog grows, you are going to have to look for additional avenues. Your company is not going to wait for new roadways and stores to be built, when zoning/permits land & construction costs and time are an issue. You will use existing ones.

I don't think people realize Microsoft is looking to dominate the game industry. They are looking to take over a large segment. Once they acquired ABK, it forced the question, "Why NOT sell more games on PS?" Even if exactly the same amount of people over there are likely to play/buy an Xbox game (ignoring Game Pass), that is double the audience. You pay a toll to use their roads & shelves, and the rest is profit. Five years in, with all the factors affecting the console & PC market (e.g. component costs, tariffs), there was no winning that argument in favor of exclusivity. No gradual increase to Series consoles was going to compete with the entire addressable console market right NOW and going forward.

Then there's Game Pass. Fantastic service. Some sales will be lost to the service, yes. Examine people's attitudes about it. They almost relish in weaseling out of a purchase by manipulating rewards and $1 deals and subbing for a month to rifle through a new 1st party game. If that's your attitude, you lose credibility complaining about PS ports at that point.

Oh...Before I forget, the FH6 Premium upgrade is $59.99. The Premium edition is $119.00. Up $20 for the first time since FH3. Looks like they threw in two car packs, though.

Fable, Forza, Beast. I have no idea what the "surprise" will be, so no cause to be excited.

The title "Beast of Reincarnation" makes wonder whatever happened to "Whore of the Orient"...

@ThatFilbo I'm not sure if a significant amount of people care about achievements. The game itself the attraction. If Xbox games had some sort of achievement for getting all the achievements, that wouldn't spur me to any greater degree to pursue them. I guess it couldn't hurt.

People chasing achievements or trophies are likely using guides to pull it off, and that way of playing is of no interest to me. There's not much point to me if I'm enlisting help simply to check all the boxes off a list.

@Fiendish-Beaver I like those, too. Well, I play every game on the highest difficulty, so completing it once means you get the achievements for all difficulties. Guessing what will be an achievement or otherwise hidden item (I don't look them up) and trying to pull it off blind can be fun.

I don't usually go back if I missed something, though. No need to get 100% of the achievements.

@Fiendish-Beaver Well, being a videogame console, it is full of concessions by definition, no? Every generation they trail far behind PC and the gap widens as soon as the console launches. Building an actual PC is always the path to the state of the art tech & performance.

Are we really going to speculate on this every day until an announcement with official details? On every YT channel and website? It gets old. We don't know much and the rest is made up.

@Lup The industry has exalted a string of cinematic titles that don't do anything new. Ones that take directly from existing popular media and games.

@Fiendish-Beaver A more detailed breakdown would be welcome. Sentiment, origin/outlet (website, country), frequency, author, number of articles per event, source report/rumor factual or debunked/misleading.

Sony PS had more than "some" negative events in 2025 — they're just downplayed or ignored.

@Sketcz Yeah, Frame City Killer was previewed (in magazines) for OG Xbox, and was cancelled. I was looking forward to it.

@gamma64 The team failed. They spent millions (perhaps $100 - $200 million or more), 6+ years, and did not complete even a viable product. Crystal Dynamics wanted more time and a $100 million additional funding. No doubt confidence was low that the game would be delivered in 1-2 years on that budget. They were several competing projects and MS cut their losses.

I confused this with Body Cam.

Frame City Killer

@datamonkey If your annual salary went down even 5-10%, you wouldn't be happy about it. They want to move in the opposite direction.