@betterthings No worries. You're post was factually correct and wasn't distracted by all the marketing bluster like "you can port a game to Xbox in a day now".
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19 games I was interested in at least 6 of them, and plenty of Game Pass. That's enough.
But they really shouldn't have announced this was a deep dive into Stranger than Heaven and then given us a date in May for a proper deep dive. That's not right. Set expectations correctly.
I went in with low expectations and it slightly exceeded them. C+
Was super-weird that they announced this was a deep dive into Stranger Than Heaven and then it was little more than a teaser for a proper deep dive in May. Don't do that.
But there were enough games and enough Game Pass games to keep me happy, it was good enough.
That seemed pretty obvious considering both the timing and the fact it was forcibly removed from almost everywhere on the Microsoft website.
I look forward to seeing what other changes she makes. But a lot of the other things we are seeing now, and will continue to see, will have been plans laid years ago. It will take time.
@Fiendish-Beaver As I said take it all with a pinch of salt until it's confirmed. There's a small chance i'm wrong on SOME of it. The truth is no one in the public quite knows 100% what Helix will do in terms of "Xbox" / PC games, but reading between the lines of what they are saying i'm confident i'm right and not wilfully misleading you. We just don't have the full picture yet.
Reading the article, it gives the impression that building the game for the Helix will then mean less work
Yes. (probably)
...which I take to mean that is because you are effectively making a PC version of the game that will then automatically run on the Helix.
Not quite that simple. Yes the Steam/PC version will (probably) run on Helix, but that isn't the same as a native version that is optimised for the hardware. Microsoft would really like developers to make a Helix version for their store, and this will be a benefit to gamers with a more console like experience and, if I am right, noticeably better performance on Helix hardware than the Steam version.
The new Microsoft Game Development Kit (GDK) will mean that devs can develop for PC and using that same overall build can then make native version for other platforms like Xbox Series Consoles. In that sense it should makes things EASIER and is probably less work at least initially.
But the games still need to be optimised and tested for fixed hardware, this still takes time. They still have to optimise for it Helix and Series consoles individually for each SKU.
But where does that leave the Series consoles?
One of the points of the new GDK is to be able to port games to Xbox Series consoles from the same GDK as above.
That is the bit I don't understand; if you are building two versions of the game, then how is there less work...?
Because while you have to still OPTIMISE the game for different platforms and SKUs you can do that from one build. On paper it should be more efficient, and that is their intent. But I don't believe some of their statements like "port to Xbox in a day" unless you are doing the bare minimum.
What strikes me more than anything is how as a cross platform player there was no shortage of good games to play.
But I always find their methodology a bit weird. Microsoft scored a higher average (80) than Thunderful (78) above them, published more games, and also had one 'great' 90% game (FH5 on PS5) whereas no Thunderful game scored more than an 83, yet they were ranked higher. That doesn't quite sit right for me, but it's just a bit of fun.
@Fiendish-Beaver On top of Concord's 62, Lost Soul Aside (62) and Midnight Murder Club (68) would have also dragged down Sony's score. Meanwhile Nintendo's is boosted by Switch 2 ports of games like Zelda TotK (95), BotW (94), etc.
Maybe I'm being a little dense here, but if Helix is a PC, then making PC games will surely mean that it will play on the Helix, yes?
Yes and no. We assume the Steam version will automatically play on Helix. But Helix is more than just a PC, it is fixed hardware - in that regard more like a console than a typical PC - and will need to be optimised for specifically to get the most out of it. That's where the Xbox version of Helix games will come in (effectively an optimised PC version).
As players we should see a benefit to this, games should perform better when optimised by devs for fixed hardware. I also suspect (it's just a hunch) that devs will also be able to tap into some additional power / custom silicon (perhaps the NPU) to give the Xbox Helix version of the game an added advantage over the generic PC version beyond simple convenience. That would also entice players to buy from the Xbox Store not Steam.
I wouldn't get too sucked into this specific marketing beat though. It's mostly aimed at developers and as @betterthings rightly said this is more about the current gen Series consoles than anything.
I'd also advise taking it all with a generous pinch of salt until we have things confirmed.
@Kezelpaso @Rowleyfan2001 I partly agree. But were there other jobs for these developers if they weren't working on live services? Or would they have just been unemployed or looking at different industries and leaving gaming all together?
It's also not just live services. When single player games fail to make back their money, or a reasonable return, then staff get laid off or studios close. That's a wider industry problem mostly based around the MASSIVE upfront costs of most projects that may, or may not, see a return in 5+ years.
Hopefully we can do better then True Crime NYC. The game was decidedly mid to bad when it came out in 2005. Aggregated scores aren't everything but it got 60 on Xbox and PS2, 54 on PC, I don't think age has improved it.
Regardless I suspect Xbox's backwards compatibility revival is more about neural processing via the NPU in Xbox Helix to improve visuals and framerates. If the DLSS 5s reveal hasn't scared everyone off neural rendering.
At least the Sea of Thieves and Towerborne ones understand what area of the image will be visible on the Xbox interface. The important part of the Crimson Desert one will be hidden behind game tiles.
Not a bad game, but I hope they are less aggressive with the DLC/monetisation this time. The first game is only about 5-6 hours and they sell around 9 hours of DLC separately.
I think it HAS to or it will alienate far too many enthusiast Xbox gamers. Would be a massive PR disaster if they don't, what's the point of backwards compatible all the way back to OG Xbox if we can't actually play our games? No problem if it's a reasonably priced optional extra that bolts on elegantly.
While it's true I have barely bought a disc on Xbox this gen, that is because also owning a PS5 Pro that has been my main machine and I buy plenty of discs over there. But crucially if Xbox is noticeably the more powerful system next gen (not just on paper) then it will probably be my main machine next gen, and I will want to buy discs where the price is cheaper. CHOICE is good
@datamonkey It's a fair question. But in 2021 under oath in court during the Epic v Apple case Xbox vice president at the time Lori Wright said they had never made a profit on the sale of ANY Xbox console ever. So unless something has changed in the last few years to dramatically make hardware cheaper then they will still be selling at or near a loss at full price. (In fact the opposite has happened and hardware has got much more expensive to produce.)
The difference with food retailers is that they are making money on the food itself (although food stores do sometimes sell individual products at a loss as a loss leader) whereas with consoles you typically sell the console at a loss and make your money back in your ecosystem which crucially you've just locked players to, that's not the same as retail where customers are free to shop elsewhere, they aren't locked in after the initial sale. The two aren't really the same.
@Coletrain Also very interested in Helix. I was going to build a mid/high end PC but kept putting it off and parts prices are now a bit silly. I'm going to wait and see what Helix is offering, and how it executes before deciding, but i'm probably one of the people that fit into their target market. It could be quite small though, at least initially.
First impressions, without buying it, are it’s come out the gate a bit rough, which was pretty predictable for a game of this size and scope from a company not used to this type of game. I’m sure I’ll get to it eventually, but there’s no rush it will be in better shape in a year.
@Coletrain as for Cloud being a bigger deal and “everything is an Xbox” like so many of Xbox’s strategies I suspect these will in time still pan out they are just too early with it now.
If you go back and watch the disastrous Xbox One E3 a lot of the ideas they had then are more of less the status quo on Xbox or gaming in general today. Everything gaming is being turned into a TV or movie, most boxes are always online few quibble about that, digital is first (especially on Xbox). The trouble is HOW and WHEN they announced it, and going in far too hard too soon.
I think the same will be true of cloud and “everything is an Xbox” in a couple of generations. But for now I agree with you these strategies are nice bolt-ons not the main show.
My concern is their current XboxPC strategy may also be too soon if they can’t get the seamless console-like experience right out of the gate. But I do think it’s the right direction for them, if they can get through that.
@Coletrain Possibly, but unlikely I feel. You distance yourself from that marketing entirely, as it has negative connotations, you don’t keep it going. I don’t think people will assume this marketing is suddenly only on Xbox consoles, that’s great tongue in cheek marketing, instead they will be reminded that “everything is an Xbox”.
But I completely agree they need momentum going into next gen. A consoles initial sales are often partially based of the previous momentum of the last. It’s not enough to just have a great box next gen.
@datamonkey who said they are making a profit? They almost certainly are taking a loss on the hardware. But they want to lock people who are still on Xbox One, or another Xbox into the ecosystem.
@Coletrain Perhaps. But if this is an Asha strategy why is it called the “this is an Xbox offer”, when the one thing we seem certain she has done is end that campaign. More likely this was set up before imo.
@Markatron84 Loved The Gunk. For all it's small flaws I still think about it regularly which is the sign of a great game imo. Would also recommend, especially at 99p!
@FraserG It is optional, but it also will be running in the background in order to launch that seamlessly taking up a little processing power AND taking up development time / budget that could be spent on other things.
That said if I am stuck in a game I do sometimes open up YouTube or similar on my phone and if I don't have to do that and it's more streamlined I can see a use for it. But I also suspect it's not primarily aimed at us.
As I said on the other post, this isn't really that hard to do for talented UI designers and developers. But the trouble with large companies like Microsoft - and I know this because I have worked with them in the past - is the amount of bureaucracy, decision making and QA things like this usually have to go through to get approved. It often drags out processes that a developer can do in a day to many weeks, months or even longer. Everything just gets dragged out getting approved.
Either way, whatever the reason for the fast turnaround, it's good to see these long requested features happen. Will be interesting to see if this is a one off or sign of real change.
Good looking game. But i'm in no rush, will play later this year, or maybe next after patches and DLC. Perhaps even wait for next gen and beefier hardware to get the most out of it. #patientgamers
@DennisReynolds while it’s true Sony beat Xbox in consoles sold in the X360 era, just, but by every other metric MS obliterated Sony that gen. Hell PS3 was such a financial disaster it almost bankrupted the whole company and the PlayStation division had to be bailed out. You’d have to do some proper mental gymnastics to say Sony won that gen. Consoles sold is just one metric.
@fatpunkslim I’m sure you could list dozens. And equally if we could be arsed to look we could find dozens of games where the Xbox version outscores the PS5 version even when they release on the same day e.g. Outer Worlds 2 got an 83 on Xbox, 79 on PS5, yet no one is crying “PlayStation tax”.
@shiny-enzo @fatpunkslim re: Hellblade 2 the thing is it’s not the “exact same game” PS5 launched with 60fps, bugs fixed and a few other QoL features that weren’t there at launch. Isn’t that worth a few points if we’re being objective? Hardly evidence of some grand “Xbox tax” conspiracy.
@fbnaulin LOL. I do wonder if reviews will be a bit higher on PS5. It would make sense as the game is in a lot better shape now than it was then. 60fps, many bugs patched, maps, vehicles, fly between planets, carry gear over to NG+, more missions, QoL features, DLC available etc. etc.
On the other side, it's now an older game and less wow! Will be interesting to see where this balances out. I'm sure some will use it to flame a console war either way. Such is the way of the world!
Not surprising, it's the second biggest release over there after Crimson Desert. I'm sure many people will enjoy it. While flawed it's still a decent game and it's been much improved since launch.
@GuyinPA75 I think their momentum slowed quite a bit before that infamous E3. While they undoubtedly "won" the X360 generation overall, by the end of that gen Sony was already on a roll releasing a flurry of system selling games late on, whereas the Xbox 360 exclusive library was drying up by comparison.
It meant that going into next-gen (XBO / PS4) Sony had all the momentum even before the TV, TV, TV disaster. But it certainly didn't help.
It was similar with PS4 - > PS5. Sony seems to back load and front load their generations with a bit of a lull in the middle, which seems smart if it's actually planned that way. Whereas for 3 generations now Xbox has ended or started their gen slowly which has stalled their momentum each time and let Sony get ahead.
@Fiendish-Beaver I think you are probably right and they are just using it as an easy PR win saying “we’re listening” (nothing too much wrong with that imho, smart move).
Although some of these changes could be made very easily. I suspect the up-to-10 groups on the homepage is simply changing a maximum limit from 2 (currently) to 10. And the other UI changes are not complicated IF there is a will to change them. On my own applications it would take a few days to implement and test that list at most… but I know having worked with Microsoft before how many levels of bureaucracy and QA there are and how long seemingly small things like this USUALLY take.
I'm looking forward to this game, but will be waiting for a lot of patches. Several reviewers talked about issues, though many of those were more fundamental to the game design. Not hand holding is good imo, being obtuse is not.
I still have a lot of demo discs. Mostly from the Official PlayStation Mag but only when I could afford it. Used to love trying different games each month. And I still like a physical magazine, still get EDGE delivered each month
30fps was expected and known since the announcement, there were no reason to expect a higher framerate.
Except virtually every other game this gen supporting 60fps and many looking a lot better to boot.
We knew they could do 60fps if they tried and what do you know, they did. But it should have been at launch not patched in much later. It needed more time in development.
People acting like Starfield was only complained about because it was on Xbox are deluding themselves. While I’m sure there would have been a few console war tools who never played it giving it bad reviews on sites like Metacritic that doesn’t explain the only 57% positive on Steam/PC most of whom don’t care about consoles and you have to have bought it to leave a review.
@evan23 so may bugs! I had everything from characters glitching and getting stuck in scenery, to companions heads disappearing, to a whole flotilla of space junk following me around. Though those were all manageable and just affected immersion. But I also had severe quest blocking bugs in the Crimson Fleet quest line (the final scene was bugged) and Barrett’s loyalty mission being bugged meaning I couldn’t swap companion as they are stuck with you until you complete the quest. I understand most of these have been resolved and I eventually found work arounds but you are right it had many many issues at launch.
Granted I seem to have more than most but it meant I got annoyed when people said it “was the least buggy BGS game” partly because that just wasn’t my experience and partly because that’s a ***** low bar to aim for!
@TheGameThrifter I forgot about maps but yes these weren’t there with too.
More groups on homepage is appreciated. We used to be able to have as many as we like.
And turning off Quick resume per game is appreciated, for games it doesn't work on it actually takes longer to boot into the game, fail and then have to boot up from scratch.
@eduscxbox I didn't say they lied, but they did deliberately mislead. E.g. they said things like 1000 planets and you could land almost anywhere on them and made that look exciting. That is an expectation THEY set.
But when we explored the planets ourselves it was boring because they were mostly empty, and when we found some sign of life like a UC Outpost, cave or other possible point of interest it was EXACTLY the same UC Outpost, cave or other POI that we had seen in other galaxies even down to where the items were positioned. The only thing that changed was random loot in chests. Exploration was awful.
What was the point of 1000 planets and being able to land anywhere if it was repetitive and boring, they would have done better to have had a handful of planets we could actually enjoy exploring.
They also hid how many constant load screens there were carefully avoiding showing a full run of gameplay, splicing footage so it all looked more seamless. This isn't done by accident. It's not outright lying, but it is dishonest imo.
As I said at the top if you adored it good for you, you won, but many who actually played it didn't love it as much as they were hoping to. That's entirely fair criticism of any game. I don't think it was a bad game, I had some fun with it, but it was bad for a Bethesda game.
But the game has had a lot of patches post launch, a LOT of bugs are fixed, it now runs at 60fps, the endgame is much improved, travel within galaxies is possible and many other improvements. It is a better game now than it was then, that should allow more people to enjoy it. Many will enjoy it on PlayStation, but I think many also won't.
As a man I’m sad to see him go, and I’ll always be grateful for what he did for Xbox and gaming in general. But it was also time for a change. As that chapter closes I look forward to seeing where the next one leads.
@eduscxbox @Banjo- People bashed it because many of us were disappointed in it, about as simple as that. If you loved it good for you, you won, but for many of us it just didn't hit vs expectations.
That doesn't mean it was a bad game imo, it certainly had it's moments, but it was a let down for many. Hence it is the most divisive major BGS game ever scoring between 4/10 and 10/10 in critic reviews and just 57% positive on Steam where you have to own it.
But they have improved the game since launch and a couple of these changes here are pretty huge, especially being able to fly between planets, that's transformative. I hope it finds another audience on PS5.
FINALLY being able to fly between planets in your ship which they call: "A fundamental part of any space sim / fantasy". I agree, it's a shame it wasn't there at launch, but better late than never.
Also finally being able to some items through to NG+. This is pretty HUGE as it straight up sucked in the launch game and made replaying the game, losing everything, a chore.
Being able to mod weapons / ships more is also cool, as is more ship customisation.
Other QoL features better resource gathering, shared chest
It doesn't fundamentally change the game but it is a solid upgrade that will make it better to play especially for new players.
Will wait on reviews for the new DLC, Shattered Space was bad imo, but it looks good here, and £8.99 is a low price.
@Globo It's quite common for security researchers like Gaasedelen to take on projects like this. It often pays in two ways:
adds to their credibility in the sector, shows they actually know what they are talking about. Get more jobs + charge more
most tech companies have bounties that can be claimed for responsibly disclosing security flaws. Often you will responsibly tell a company about the problem, receive a large bounty, and then once the required amount of time has passed they can also discuss how they made it work, which in turn other security researchers can learn from to make their systems more secure.
I liked the Xbox Prime that was touted, with Magnus being the APU codename. But perhaps with the shift towards PC, just call it Xbox. I'm not adverse to Xbox Helix either, it makes a lot of sense considering what they are attempting.
@Lup I can understand the potential for concern, but when the devs have been so open with everything else and really focussed on highlighting how efficient their engine is I wouldn't be too worried. But obviously wait for reviews! In fact probably just wait, game will be patched regardless.
@Skedaddle @Globo @GeminiX53 I agree there are some that only come to post doom / gloom and / or to incite console wars. But there are ALSO a lot of people who have been posting here for years and years, long time Xbox fans, that are thoroughly disillusioned with Xbox due to many anti-consumer decisions over the past few years - Many price hikes, hardware pricing, Game Pass tier changes, cross-platform publishing, MS reward nerfs, etc. etc.
It's sad to see, but while I am personally quite excited for the direction next-gen is heading, I can also understand for others that feel Xbox is moving away from them, isn't the brand they loved anymore, and they feel betrayed having invested so much time, money and goodwill in the brand / ecosystem. That's also a valid take.
@GeminiX53 (if you see this) Have you considered it might be a problem with your email address? If you receive a lot of mail from the same sender (which frequent commenters here will) then they can be silently judged as spam and either filtered to that box or eliminated silently. I had this issue on another account on another site and they didn't even go to spam. Good luck solving it.
Comments 8,444
Re: Xbox Fan Claims To Have Spotted New Game Pass Codename Featuring Older First-Party Titles
You had me at Dishonored 2! The only one in the series that doesn't play at 60fps on XSX. Pretty please 🙏
Further ahead I wonder if they will use the NPU on Helix and neural rendering to upgrade older games with automated remasters.
Re: Xbox Exec Talks Project Helix And Why It'll Be 'Easier' Than Series X|S To Develop For
@betterthings No worries. You're post was factually correct and wasn't distracted by all the marketing bluster like "you can port a game to Xbox in a day now".
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Happy gaming.
Re: Roundup: All 19 Reveals From The Xbox Partner Preview Showcase (March 2026)
19 games I was interested in at least 6 of them, and plenty of Game Pass. That's enough.
But they really shouldn't have announced this was a deep dive into Stranger than Heaven and then given us a date in May for a proper deep dive. That's not right. Set expectations correctly.
Re: Poll: How Would You Grade March's Xbox Partner Preview Event?
I went in with low expectations and it slightly exceeded them. C+
Was super-weird that they announced this was a deep dive into Stranger Than Heaven and then it was little more than a teaser for a proper deep dive in May. Don't do that.
But there were enough games and enough Game Pass games to keep me happy, it was good enough.
Re: It Was Asha Sharma's 'Direction' To Scrub 'This Is An Xbox' Marketing, Suggests Report
That seemed pretty obvious considering both the timing and the fact it was forcibly removed from almost everywhere on the Microsoft website.
I look forward to seeing what other changes she makes. But a lot of the other things we are seeing now, and will continue to see, will have been plans laid years ago. It will take time.
Re: Xbox Exec Talks Project Helix And Why It'll Be 'Easier' Than Series X|S To Develop For
@Fiendish-Beaver As I said take it all with a pinch of salt until it's confirmed. There's a small chance i'm wrong on SOME of it. The truth is no one in the public quite knows 100% what Helix will do in terms of "Xbox" / PC games, but reading between the lines of what they are saying i'm confident i'm right and not wilfully misleading you. We just don't have the full picture yet.
Re: 'Please Don't Expect Console Ports' - Retro Rewind FAQ Addresses Xbox & PS5 Demand
Oh no!
Anyways.
Re: Xbox Exec Talks Project Helix And Why It'll Be 'Easier' Than Series X|S To Develop For
Fiendish-Beaver wrote:
Yes. (probably)
Not quite that simple. Yes the Steam/PC version will (probably) run on Helix, but that isn't the same as a native version that is optimised for the hardware. Microsoft would really like developers to make a Helix version for their store, and this will be a benefit to gamers with a more console like experience and, if I am right, noticeably better performance on Helix hardware than the Steam version.
The new Microsoft Game Development Kit (GDK) will mean that devs can develop for PC and using that same overall build can then make native version for other platforms like Xbox Series Consoles. In that sense it should makes things EASIER and is probably less work at least initially.
But the games still need to be optimised and tested for fixed hardware, this still takes time. They still have to optimise for it Helix and Series consoles individually for each SKU.
One of the points of the new GDK is to be able to port games to Xbox Series consoles from the same GDK as above.
Because while you have to still OPTIMISE the game for different platforms and SKUs you can do that from one build. On paper it should be more efficient, and that is their intent. But I don't believe some of their statements like "port to Xbox in a day" unless you are doing the bare minimum.
Re: Microsoft Beats Out Sony & Nintendo In Metacritic's 2026 Game Publisher Rankings
@Questionable_Duck WOW! Thanks for the correction. Was it REALLY that long ago.
(Currently baffled by time and it's inexorable march forward)
Re: Microsoft Beats Out Sony & Nintendo In Metacritic's 2026 Game Publisher Rankings
This is always an interesting annual side quest.
What strikes me more than anything is how as a cross platform player there was no shortage of good games to play.
But I always find their methodology a bit weird. Microsoft scored a higher average (80) than Thunderful (78) above them, published more games, and also had one 'great' 90% game (FH5 on PS5) whereas no Thunderful game scored more than an 83, yet they were ranked higher. That doesn't quite sit right for me, but it's just a bit of fun.
@Fiendish-Beaver
On top of Concord's 62, Lost Soul Aside (62) and Midnight Murder Club (68) would have also dragged down Sony's score. Meanwhile Nintendo's is boosted by Switch 2 ports of games like Zelda TotK (95), BotW (94), etc.Re: Xbox Exec Talks Project Helix And Why It'll Be 'Easier' Than Series X|S To Develop For
Fiendish-Beaver wrote:
Yes and no. We assume the Steam version will automatically play on Helix. But Helix is more than just a PC, it is fixed hardware - in that regard more like a console than a typical PC - and will need to be optimised for specifically to get the most out of it. That's where the Xbox version of Helix games will come in (effectively an optimised PC version).
As players we should see a benefit to this, games should perform better when optimised by devs for fixed hardware. I also suspect (it's just a hunch) that devs will also be able to tap into some additional power / custom silicon (perhaps the NPU) to give the Xbox Helix version of the game an added advantage over the generic PC version beyond simple convenience. That would also entice players to buy from the Xbox Store not Steam.
I wouldn't get too sucked into this specific marketing beat though. It's mostly aimed at developers and as @betterthings rightly said this is more about the current gen Series consoles than anything.
I'd also advise taking it all with a generous pinch of salt until we have things confirmed.
Re: Assassin's Creed Unity's 60FPS Upgrade Is Seemingly Broken On Xbox Series X|S
@twitchtvpat thanks for the update will check it out
Re: Epic Games Lays Off 1,000 Staff, Announces Closure Of Fortnite Rocket Racing
@Kezelpaso Absolutely agree on that. Wishing them all well.
Re: Epic Games Lays Off 1,000 Staff, Announces Closure Of Fortnite Rocket Racing
@Kezelpaso @Rowleyfan2001 I partly agree. But were there other jobs for these developers if they weren't working on live services? Or would they have just been unemployed or looking at different industries and leaving gaming all together?
It's also not just live services. When single player games fail to make back their money, or a reasonable return, then staff get laid off or studios close. That's a wider industry problem mostly based around the MASSIVE upfront costs of most projects that may, or may not, see a return in 5+ years.
Re: 'I'd Be Happy To Collaborate' - True Crime: NYC Modder 'Open' To Working On Xbox & PC Re-Release
Hopefully we can do better then True Crime NYC. The game was decidedly mid to bad when it came out in 2005. Aggregated scores aren't everything but it got 60 on Xbox and PS2, 54 on PC, I don't think age has improved it.
Regardless I suspect Xbox's backwards compatibility revival is more about neural processing via the NPU in Xbox Helix to improve visuals and framerates. If the DLSS 5s reveal hasn't scared everyone off neural rendering.
Re: Microsoft Adds Three New Dynamic Backgrounds For Xbox Series X|S (March 2026)
At least the Sea of Thieves and Towerborne ones understand what area of the image will be visible on the Xbox interface. The important part of the Crimson Desert one will be hidden behind game tiles.
Re: New Xbox First-Party Game Announced In The Form Of Minecraft Dungeons 2
Not a bad game, but I hope they are less aggressive with the DLC/monetisation this time. The first game is only about 5-6 hours and they sell around 9 hours of DLC separately.
Re: Talking Point: Do You Think Project Helix Will Support Physical Xbox Games?
I think it HAS to or it will alienate far too many enthusiast Xbox gamers. Would be a massive PR disaster if they don't, what's the point of backwards compatible all the way back to OG Xbox if we can't actually play our games? No problem if it's a reasonably priced optional extra that bolts on elegantly.
While it's true I have barely bought a disc on Xbox this gen, that is because also owning a PS5 Pro that has been my main machine and I buy plenty of discs over there. But crucially if Xbox is noticeably the more powerful system next gen (not just on paper) then it will probably be my main machine next gen, and I will want to buy discs where the price is cheaper. CHOICE is good
Re: Xbox Series X Gets Major 'Just For You' Discount On The Microsoft Store
@datamonkey It's a fair question. But in 2021 under oath in court during the Epic v Apple case Xbox vice president at the time Lori Wright said they had never made a profit on the sale of ANY Xbox console ever. So unless something has changed in the last few years to dramatically make hardware cheaper then they will still be selling at or near a loss at full price. (In fact the opposite has happened and hardware has got much more expensive to produce.)
The difference with food retailers is that they are making money on the food itself (although food stores do sometimes sell individual products at a loss as a loss leader) whereas with consoles you typically sell the console at a loss and make your money back in your ecosystem which crucially you've just locked players to, that's not the same as retail where customers are free to shop elsewhere, they aren't locked in after the initial sale. The two aren't really the same.
Re: Xbox Series X Gets Major 'Just For You' Discount On The Microsoft Store
@Coletrain Also very interested in Helix. I was going to build a mid/high end PC but kept putting it off and parts prices are now a bit silly. I'm going to wait and see what Helix is offering, and how it executes before deciding, but i'm probably one of the people that fit into their target market. It could be quite small though, at least initially.
Re: Talking Point: What Are Your First Impressions Of Crimson Desert On Xbox?
First impressions, without buying it, are it’s come out the gate a bit rough, which was pretty predictable for a game of this size and scope from a company not used to this type of game. I’m sure I’ll get to it eventually, but there’s no rush it will be in better shape in a year.
Re: Xbox Series X Gets Major 'Just For You' Discount On The Microsoft Store
@Coletrain as for Cloud being a bigger deal and “everything is an Xbox” like so many of Xbox’s strategies I suspect these will in time still pan out they are just too early with it now.
If you go back and watch the disastrous Xbox One E3 a lot of the ideas they had then are more of less the status quo on Xbox or gaming in general today. Everything gaming is being turned into a TV or movie, most boxes are always online few quibble about that, digital is first (especially on Xbox). The trouble is HOW and WHEN they announced it, and going in far too hard too soon.
I think the same will be true of cloud and “everything is an Xbox” in a couple of generations. But for now I agree with you these strategies are nice bolt-ons not the main show.
My concern is their current XboxPC strategy may also be too soon if they can’t get the seamless console-like experience right out of the gate. But I do think it’s the right direction for them, if they can get through that.
Re: Xbox Series X Gets Major 'Just For You' Discount On The Microsoft Store
@Coletrain Possibly, but unlikely I feel. You distance yourself from that marketing entirely, as it has negative connotations, you don’t keep it going. I don’t think people will assume this marketing is suddenly only on Xbox consoles, that’s great tongue in cheek marketing, instead they will be reminded that “everything is an Xbox”.
But I completely agree they need momentum going into next gen. A consoles initial sales are often partially based of the previous momentum of the last. It’s not enough to just have a great box next gen.
Re: Xbox Series X Gets Major 'Just For You' Discount On The Microsoft Store
@datamonkey who said they are making a profit? They almost certainly are taking a loss on the hardware. But they want to lock people who are still on Xbox One, or another Xbox into the ecosystem.
@Coletrain Perhaps. But if this is an Asha strategy why is it called the “this is an Xbox offer”, when the one thing we seem certain she has done is end that campaign. More likely this was set up before imo.
Re: Xbox Game Studios Sale Now Live On Steam Featuring Major 2025 Titles
@Markatron84 Loved The Gunk. For all it's small flaws I still think about it regularly which is the sign of a great game imo. Would also recommend, especially at 99p!
Re: Talking Point: 20 Years Later, How Do You Feel About The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion In 2026?
One of the greats but its aged quite hard.
Re: Xbox 'Copilot' Demonstration Hints At How It'll Work On Your Series X|S
@FraserG It is optional, but it also will be running in the background in order to launch that seamlessly taking up a little processing power AND taking up development time / budget that could be spent on other things.
That said if I am stuck in a game I do sometimes open up YouTube or similar on my phone and if I don't have to do that and it's more streamlined I can see a use for it. But I also suspect it's not primarily aimed at us.
Re: 'Energized' Xbox Engineer Talks New Dashboard Update & Its 'Unusually' Fast Turnaround
As I said on the other post, this isn't really that hard to do for talented UI designers and developers. But the trouble with large companies like Microsoft - and I know this because I have worked with them in the past - is the amount of bureaucracy, decision making and QA things like this usually have to go through to get approved. It often drags out processes that a developer can do in a day to many weeks, months or even longer. Everything just gets dragged out getting approved.
Either way, whatever the reason for the fast turnaround, it's good to see these long requested features happen. Will be interesting to see if this is a one off or sign of real change.
Re: Crimson Desert Comparison Shows Difference Between Xbox Series X And Series S
Good looking game. But i'm in no rush, will play later this year, or maybe next after patches and DLC. Perhaps even wait for next gen and beefier hardware to get the most out of it. #patientgamers
Re: Two More Xbox Game Pass Titles Quietly Announced For April & May 2026
Nice additions.
Re: Former Xbox Leader Don Mattrick Lands Major New Role As CEO Of Photonic
@DennisReynolds while it’s true Sony beat Xbox in consoles sold in the X360 era, just, but by every other metric MS obliterated Sony that gen. Hell PS3 was such a financial disaster it almost bankrupted the whole company and the PlayStation division had to be bailed out. You’d have to do some proper mental gymnastics to say Sony won that gen. Consoles sold is just one metric.
Re: Xbox's Starfield Is Already One Of The Top Three Pre-Orders On PS5
@fatpunkslim I’m sure you could list dozens. And equally if we could be arsed to look we could find dozens of games where the Xbox version outscores the PS5 version even when they release on the same day e.g. Outer Worlds 2 got an 83 on Xbox, 79 on PS5, yet no one is crying “PlayStation tax”.
Re: Xbox's Starfield Is Already One Of The Top Three Pre-Orders On PS5
@shiny-enzo @fatpunkslim re: Hellblade 2 the thing is it’s not the “exact same game” PS5 launched with 60fps, bugs fixed and a few other QoL features that weren’t there at launch. Isn’t that worth a few points if we’re being objective? Hardly evidence of some grand “Xbox tax” conspiracy.
Re: Xbox's Starfield Is Already One Of The Top Three Pre-Orders On PS5
@fbnaulin LOL. I do wonder if reviews will be a bit higher on PS5. It would make sense as the game is in a lot better shape now than it was then. 60fps, many bugs patched, maps, vehicles, fly between planets, carry gear over to NG+, more missions, QoL features, DLC available etc. etc.
On the other side, it's now an older game and less wow! Will be interesting to see where this balances out. I'm sure some will use it to flame a console war either way. Such is the way of the world!
Re: Xbox's Starfield Is Already One Of The Top Three Pre-Orders On PS5
Not surprising, it's the second biggest release over there after Crimson Desert. I'm sure many people will enjoy it. While flawed it's still a decent game and it's been much improved since launch.
Re: Former Xbox Leader Don Mattrick Lands Major New Role As CEO Of Photonic
@GuyinPA75 I think their momentum slowed quite a bit before that infamous E3. While they undoubtedly "won" the X360 generation overall, by the end of that gen Sony was already on a roll releasing a flurry of system selling games late on, whereas the Xbox 360 exclusive library was drying up by comparison.
It meant that going into next-gen (XBO / PS4) Sony had all the momentum even before the TV, TV, TV disaster. But it certainly didn't help.
It was similar with PS4 - > PS5. Sony seems to back load and front load their generations with a bit of a lull in the middle, which seems smart if it's actually planned that way. Whereas for 3 generations now Xbox has ended or started their gen slowly which has stalled their momentum each time and let Sony get ahead.
Re: 'Keep The Feedback Coming' - Xbox Boss Says New Console Features Were Built Two Weeks Ago
@Fiendish-Beaver I think you are probably right and they are just using it as an easy PR win saying “we’re listening” (nothing too much wrong with that imho, smart move).
Although some of these changes could be made very easily. I suspect the up-to-10 groups on the homepage is simply changing a maximum limit from 2 (currently) to 10. And the other UI changes are not complicated IF there is a will to change them. On my own applications it would take a few days to implement and test that list at most… but I know having worked with Microsoft before how many levels of bureaucracy and QA there are and how long seemingly small things like this USUALLY take.
Re: No Crimson Desert Xbox Reviews Until Launch, But Here's How The PC Version Is Faring
I'm looking forward to this game, but will be waiting for a lot of patches. Several reviewers talked about issues, though many of those were more fundamental to the game design. Not hand holding is good imo, being obtuse is not.
Re: Xbox Fan Shows Off Their Collection Of 'Almost' Every OXM Demo Disc
I still have a lot of demo discs. Mostly from the Official PlayStation Mag but only when I could afford it. Used to love trying different games each month. And I still like a physical magazine, still get EDGE delivered each month
Re: Starfield Gets Major Free Update & New Expansion Next Month, Alongside PS5 Release
eduscxbox wrote:
Except virtually every other game this gen supporting 60fps and many looking a lot better to boot.
We knew they could do 60fps if they tried and what do you know, they did. But it should have been at launch not patched in much later. It needed more time in development.
Re: Starfield Gets Major Free Update & New Expansion Next Month, Alongside PS5 Release
People acting like Starfield was only complained about because it was on Xbox are deluding themselves. While I’m sure there would have been a few console war tools who never played it giving it bad reviews on sites like Metacritic that doesn’t explain the only 57% positive on Steam/PC most of whom don’t care about consoles and you have to have bought it to leave a review.
@evan23 so may bugs! I had everything from characters glitching and getting stuck in scenery, to companions heads disappearing, to a whole flotilla of space junk following me around. Though those were all manageable and just affected immersion. But I also had severe quest blocking bugs in the Crimson Fleet quest line (the final scene was bugged) and Barrett’s loyalty mission being bugged meaning I couldn’t swap companion as they are stuck with you until you complete the quest. I understand most of these have been resolved and I eventually found work arounds but you are right it had many many issues at launch.
Granted I seem to have more than most but it meant I got annoyed when people said it “was the least buggy BGS game” partly because that just wasn’t my experience and partly because that’s a ***** low bar to aim for!
@TheGameThrifter I forgot about maps but yes these weren’t there with too.
Re: Xbox Series X|S Is Getting Its First Dashboard Update In Ages, Quick Resume Upgrade Included
More groups on homepage is appreciated. We used to be able to have as many as we like.
And turning off Quick resume per game is appreciated, for games it doesn't work on it actually takes longer to boot into the game, fail and then have to boot up from scratch.
Good updates.
Re: Starfield Gets Major Free Update & New Expansion Next Month, Alongside PS5 Release
@eduscxbox I didn't say they lied, but they did deliberately mislead. E.g. they said things like 1000 planets and you could land almost anywhere on them and made that look exciting. That is an expectation THEY set.
But when we explored the planets ourselves it was boring because they were mostly empty, and when we found some sign of life like a UC Outpost, cave or other possible point of interest it was EXACTLY the same UC Outpost, cave or other POI that we had seen in other galaxies even down to where the items were positioned. The only thing that changed was random loot in chests. Exploration was awful.
What was the point of 1000 planets and being able to land anywhere if it was repetitive and boring, they would have done better to have had a handful of planets we could actually enjoy exploring.
They also hid how many constant load screens there were carefully avoiding showing a full run of gameplay, splicing footage so it all looked more seamless. This isn't done by accident. It's not outright lying, but it is dishonest imo.
As I said at the top if you adored it good for you, you won, but many who actually played it didn't love it as much as they were hoping to. That's entirely fair criticism of any game. I don't think it was a bad game, I had some fun with it, but it was bad for a Bethesda game.
But the game has had a lot of patches post launch, a LOT of bugs are fixed, it now runs at 60fps, the endgame is much improved, travel within galaxies is possible and many other improvements. It is a better game now than it was then, that should allow more people to enjoy it. Many will enjoy it on PlayStation, but I think many also won't.
Re: 'I'm Of Two Minds' - Todd Howard Gives His Thoughts On Xbox's Leadership Changes
As a man I’m sad to see him go, and I’ll always be grateful for what he did for Xbox and gaming in general. But it was also time for a change. As that chapter closes I look forward to seeing where the next one leads.
Re: Starfield Gets Major Free Update & New Expansion Next Month, Alongside PS5 Release
@eduscxbox @Banjo- People bashed it because many of us were disappointed in it, about as simple as that. If you loved it good for you, you won, but for many of us it just didn't hit vs expectations.
That doesn't mean it was a bad game imo, it certainly had it's moments, but it was a let down for many. Hence it is the most divisive major BGS game ever scoring between 4/10 and 10/10 in critic reviews and just 57% positive on Steam where you have to own it.
But they have improved the game since launch and a couple of these changes here are pretty huge, especially being able to fly between planets, that's transformative. I hope it finds another audience on PS5.
Re: Starfield Gets Major Free Update & New Expansion Next Month, Alongside PS5 Release
There's some cool updates here, especially:
It doesn't fundamentally change the game but it is a solid upgrade that will make it better to play especially for new players.
Will wait on reviews for the new DLC, Shattered Space was bad imo, but it looks good here, and £8.99 is a low price.
Re: 'The Day Has Finally Arrived' - Xbox One Receives Its First Major Hack After 12+ Years
@Globo It's quite common for security researchers like Gaasedelen to take on projects like this. It often pays in two ways:
Re: Talking Point: What Should Xbox Call Its 'Project Helix' Console?
I liked the Xbox Prime that was touted, with Magnus being the APU codename. But perhaps with the shift towards PC, just call it Xbox. I'm not adverse to Xbox Helix either, it makes a lot of sense considering what they are attempting.
Re: Crimson Desert On Xbox: Release Date, Release Times & Potential Download Size
@Lup I can understand the potential for concern, but when the devs have been so open with everything else and really focussed on highlighting how efficient their engine is I wouldn't be too worried. But obviously wait for reviews! In fact probably just wait, game will be patched regardless.
Re: Talking Point: What Do You 'Expect' From Xbox Over The Next Five Years?
@Skedaddle @Globo @GeminiX53 I agree there are some that only come to post doom / gloom and / or to incite console wars. But there are ALSO a lot of people who have been posting here for years and years, long time Xbox fans, that are thoroughly disillusioned with Xbox due to many anti-consumer decisions over the past few years - Many price hikes, hardware pricing, Game Pass tier changes, cross-platform publishing, MS reward nerfs, etc. etc.
It's sad to see, but while I am personally quite excited for the direction next-gen is heading, I can also understand for others that feel Xbox is moving away from them, isn't the brand they loved anymore, and they feel betrayed having invested so much time, money and goodwill in the brand / ecosystem. That's also a valid take.
@GeminiX53 (if you see this) Have you considered it might be a problem with your email address? If you receive a lot of mail from the same sender (which frequent commenters here will) then they can be silently judged as spam and either filtered to that box or eliminated silently. I had this issue on another account on another site and they didn't even go to spam. Good luck solving it.