Talking Point: What Do You Expect To See From Microsoft's Update On The Future Of Xbox?

The Nintendo Switch 2 by Microsoft.

I think there are some serious knee-jerk reactions out there. Wait and see, I say. It's all small potatoes in the grand scheme of things.

They will confirm that some games will be multiplatform, that is exactly what Sony will do. Sony PC ports are real and increasing in number and a few are on Xbox already. I don't know if Microsoft will confirm it next week, but they will announce their hardware plans when the time comes: new controller, current-gen console and next-gen console.

Has there ever been as many people interested in a 'business update event' before?

Is that not normal for everyone to not know....Other wise leaks happen....I would only expect senior management to know until the information is public. These discussions will only involve senior management. Why do people think that is weird?

The more interesting part of his post is that he is also insinuating that a lot of the people who started the rumours last week/weekend are backtracking on them as they did not have a clue?

Only Microsoft knows, but they are slowly destroying all their good over the next week

I'm expecting them to talk about their games going to other platforms.

I wouldn't expect any information about them exiting the console market until neerer the end of the generation so as to not kill what hardware sales they can still make.

Especially since they supposedly have a Series X and controller refresh coming out.

Pretty ridiculous how rumors get turned into actual news. There's also rumors of a new Xbox, including a new handheld, that will release in 2026. There's absolutely no way MS just backs out of the console side... No way.

I confirm some people will be crying whatever the news ,some won't care, but what is guaranteed, there will be lots and lots of memes.

1. Over the weekend I was basically “WTF! It’s all over!”
2. By yesterday had kinda simmered down. Still don’t expect the best news, but don’t think it’s the end.
3. Then friend sent the new Tom Warren thing and kinda back to not really sure what’s to think. So just enjoying the system as it currently is. Not really in my control.

@JustinSane well clearly there's some truth in it , or there would've been a statement by ms to squash these rumours.

Whatever the announcement is, MS has caused damage to the Xbox brand by letting the rumors and speculation run wild, as well as leaving their diehard supporters in the dark for a week.

@InterceptorAlpha them leaving the console market will not even be touched upon, even if they have plans to, but phil is being very cryptic and unusually quiet, somethings going down , I suspect everyone's blood pressure to be sky high over at xbox hq

@Banjo- a few Sony PC ports are on Xbox? Apart from MLB the Show and Bungie games, I don't Xbox will get any more games from Sony. Except maybe, MAYBE Until Dawn. I don't know. I don't think it will happen. But personally I think if Xbox does put some more games multiplatform (Like HFR and Pentiment particularly), Sony should reciprocate that as well imo.

Until Dawn is the next Sony game to be on PC so.. yeah.

@Banjo- What Sony games are we talking about? The Show was mandated by MLB (Sony didn’t want to) and Destiny was on there before they were bought. Am I missing some?

Firstly I thought it would be just a small thing, a few games about 12 months old being sold on other consoles.
Then I thought that just seems to small for Microsoft to do, like nibbling at the cake, why even bother with that if your are a trillion dollar company. It’s something a far more smaller company would say and do.

So then I thought a two phase plan.
Phase one, any Xbox studio game could release at anytime on another console.

Phase two, At the end of this generation Xbox to leave the hardware market and become Microsoft Studios.

This to me seems to be more in line with a massive company like Microsoft and totally more direct.

@Kaloudz
Read my post below yours.
But to me that is far far to small fry for Microsoft, it’s not even worth bothering with.

I have all three systems plus Steam Deck, so I couldn't care less if MS goes multi-platform. At the end of the day, I can still play any game I want. People overreacting over nothing like it's the end of XBox...

New hardware announcement incoming..

Gamers wise? Little.

It’s going to be focused on shareholders. Or else it would not be a ‘business update’.

Games coming to Sony/switch 9-18months after Xbox. Depending on AA/AAA. GAAS potentially day1.

GPU price increase.

Other than that very little. A lot of waffle and corporate speak.

@FatalBubbles Marathon is coming to Xbox too iirc but thats all.

I'd rather not see it, but I suspect they are preparing to be a giant 3rd party publisher and maximise their profits from their large investments.
I don't think they will be dropping any hardware soon, far from it. Their boxes will be the best way to access GP and this is likely to remain the best deal in gaming, but I'm not sure that will be enough for the long term.

Either way, I think people need to wait for the full announcement before going crazy over this news.

I almost don’t want to read the comments here. The rumors, speculation and doom and gloom has gotten out of hand. I’m just going to wait it out until we hear it straight from the horse’s mouth.

No smoke without fire. In all honesty, the silence is going to cause way more problems for Microsoft. Every YouTuber and influencer will have a whole week to ‘reeducate the masses’ that don’t really know the ins and outs of things and this will end up being a situation whereby even if Microsoft says they are going to look at games Case by Case for real as opposed to the vague answers during acquisitions of Bethesda and ActiBlizz, everyone will think that it would be a case of ‘When’ not ‘If’ a first party exclusive makes its way to PlayStation. I personally think that Microsoft will port way more to the PlayStation than everyone is thinking. With sales and Gamepass subscriptions stagnating, there is way too much money being left on the table by not changing strategy. I also think that there will be a world where Xbox won’t really exist, but Microsoft will take everything they now own and be the most dominant 3rd party developer in the industry bar none. If Phil had come out and denied everything, that would have been settling, but to say nothing for a whole week and let everything completely get out of hand definitely shows to me personally that next week is going to sting a little!

Just my opinion, no flames please! 🙏🏻😅🔥

Bad news that Phil will try his damnedest to make sound like good news.

@armondo36 Of course... because in their eyes, it's the best strategy... they have to think like that.

Select games will be available multiplatform and Phil will reiterate their commitment to producing hardware devices in the future.

The loud 1% sometimes wins by causing a stink on Twitter but this is an overreaction. They shot the horse before the vet explained its nothing to worry about.

@Kaloudz - Well said. I’m going into it completely neutral and we’ll see what comes from it. I obviously have my thoughts on it, more so to see how on the mark I am, nothing more.

One thing is certain. The event will likely range from ‘Xbox is doomed’ to ‘This is amazing for the consumer’. 😋

@anoyonmus Sony won't care if ms wants to put there games on ps , all they cared about was cod and they've got that , and they certainly categorically will not, put any of their big hitters on xbox.

I don’t really understand why some are blaming Xbox for all of this.

Waiting a week rather than a knee jerk reaction isn’t uncommon. They have to get their messaging right.

But there is no grace in this day and age where people can’t control themselves and it’s being made out to be this big damaging problem that is destroying the brand. It isn’t.

Just hold your horses and wait patiently. All will be revealed.

@Banjo- PC is not a console. And they port their games to PC years later because day and date would devalue the console itself.
Sony will never put their exclusives on Xbox and neither will Nintendo.

Basically, I want them to avoid a death spiral that dooms my digital library developed across 3 generations to a few games on Play Anywhere and only GP titles via the cloud.

Anything more than "select" titles being multiformat and I'm done buying stuff on Xbox. It'll be the Game Pass machine they want it to be but I will not be adding to my Xbox digital library no MTXs, No DLCs, No game purchases. I don't see the point in investing in content for an ecosystem that won't exist in the future.

Again I don't care about PS players getting to play "our games", I care about MS making a mistake now that means my library is put at risk later.

I shave the feeling a lot of people are going to be eating some humble pie once Microsoft's plans are revealed. I have this feeling this is going to be BIG, and in a good way....

@Bionic-Spencer exactly right , regardless of whatever is true , the damage has been done , in the eyes of casual gamers , xbox is done , it's ridiculous that a statement had not been made.

I expect there to be a lot of corporate talk and buzzwords where they talk a lot without really saying anything, leaving us all just as confused as we already were.
In all seriousness though I honestly have no idea what they will announce. Although if reports of some sort of internal civil war over the plans are to be believed then chances are they haven't finalised things yet and they still don't know themselves exactly what will be announced yet.

@BacklogBrad That's like saying it was 1% that complained about the Xbox One DRM, Kinect and TV focus.

If Microsoft goes third party and puts exclusives on PlayStation it means less people will buy Xbox. If less people buy Xbox, less 3rd party devs will put games on it. And let's say next gen starts and you can buy a PS6 that plays all Xbox and PS games or an Xbox that only plays Xbox games...which is most likely going to sell more?

And eventually that will lead Microsoft out of hardware altogether, and all digital games are locked to Xbox. Digital saves as well. So when they leave hardware, most likely will lose our libraries.

@anoyonmus I assume the Bungie getting to do what they want and stay multiplatform applies to that game, but I had indeed forgotten about it.

People aren't selfish to not want Xbox exclusives on PlayStation. Sony earns 30% on every Xbox sale on PlayStation and uses that money to keep exclusives like Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Silent Hill, Stellar Blade off Xbox. So basically Microsoft would be HELPING Sony keep games off Xbox.

Less people would buy Xbox, and then 3 party devs wouldn't bother putting their games on Xbox due to low install base.
Next gen they probably will release another Xbox, but if you had the choice to buy a PS6 that played all Xbox and PS games or an Xbox that only plays Xbox, which is getting bought?

At that point Microsoft probably kills the Xbox hardware and goes publisher, and our digital games who's licenses are locked to the console end up useless.

@Bionic-Spencer - I’d argue the silence could actually bring more eyes to the upcoming event, shining a bigger spotlight on their vision talks. I guess it all depends on opinion… do we think this ‘slip’ in info was intentional or not? Is this a calculated move to drum up interest for next weeks event?

All I know is my eyes are glued to all Xbox related news in anticipation of the business update.

@themightyant faith ? You mean like a cult

@GamingSince84 Phil likes to big things up with his tweets , he likes creating hype, then more often than not, its a big let down, maybe ps and xbox have gone into partnership over something and he's not allowed to open his mouth, who am I kidding they're both as bad as one another

Hopefully the news won't be as bad as the rumours the odd couple games no problem but not big games that should be exclusives give them starfield I don't mind but not gears halo or anything like that

They better not put gears or halo on other consoles unless we get the same treatment from them … I would be ok if they put games older than 5 years on crossplay though or make people who purchase Xbox get game pass for free but if you want game pass or Xbox games on other consoles they have access to only the ultimate editions with no discount

@themightyant it's all a bit weird, I mean seriously who cares, so some games might go to ps as well, I know some fools will be angry at this and I'm sure there will be petitions, but surely they should have more important things to worry about, its all a bit pathetic

@TheSimulator oh dear

@FatalBubbles I don't know what are you answering. When did I say that there were many, these or those? My exact words were "Sony PC ports are real and increasing in number and a few are on Xbox already" and that's true. Besides, now that Sony fully owns Bungie, it's their call to release Bungie's games on Xbox or not, regardless of the condition when they were acquired, they are legally a subsidiary now with no regulators meddling.

@anoyonmus I understand what you mean and you're basically right, but it's Sony who said that they are bringing more games to PC and mobile and they have released a few on Xbox. How many in the future? Who knows.

I think anyway you look at it the brand has taken a beating over this. Will be hard to sell consoles when, at the least, most of their 1ST party studios will port to Playstation. Exclusives have been an overall weak point for 2 generations. Gatekeeping a few of them won't move consoles. Indies will consider skipping the box altogether due to budget constraints. They have to either pick one or the other. All in on the brand as a console manufacturer or all out and strictly 3rd party dev and publisher. Anyway you look at it the silence is deafening and the brand is in trouble.

If Xbox doesn't like this rampant speculation and doomsday talk they have the power to have it under control like they have in the past, they aren't though instead all they said is "we'll see you guys next week, have fun in the meantime worrying about the future of Xbox 😛"

BTW, for people who are saying they’re going to kill Day One on GamePass, Xbox literally had a blog post last week where every first party named said it was coming to GP on Day One. Don’t think they’d be mentioning that this recently if they planned to kill it off.

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2024/01/31/2024-xbox-games/

@GamingSince84 happily bake and eat it if you’re right

@TheGameThrifter you are making a lot of assumptions about what is happening.

1. All xbox games being available to ps5 or ps6. Massive assumption based on very small number of games RUMORED to be UNDER CONSIDERATION.

2. Less exclusives means less xboxs sold. Another assumption. I see the logic but people would have to abandon their libraries, friend list, etc to move to a whole new ecosystem and start from scratch. These are people that already made the choice that they are OK with missing out on the larger number of exclsuive playstation games. If the games have an exclusive period on xbox before making the jump and are much cheaper through gamepass it will also make xbox devices appealing.

3. Less 3rd party games will choose to make an xbox version. This assumption relies heavily on the previous 2 assumptions. Xbox does get fewer 3rd party support but only in the most niche genres. Xbox has programs in place like gamepass and ID@xbox to help developers put their games on xbox.

4. Xbox will abandon hardware because it's not worth it. This assumption relies even heavier on the previous 3 assumptions and is thereby even less likely to happen. Xbox will always want a device to put gamepass and sell games on. Recent leaks suggest the next gen will be high powered home box and and lower powered dockable handheld. These devices don't need to win any sort of BS "war." They just need to deliver the Xbox ecosystem to people and Xbox will always be interested in that. The steam deck doesn't need to kill the switch or even box out the other similar devices. It just needs to put its brand/ecosystem in people's hands.

@anoyonmus It's hilarious because people give more credibility to rumours about Xbox than to statements made by Sony about PS and statements made by Microsoft about Xbox, as we have seen this week. Considering that Sony has problems because of their debt and their closed PS business, it makes sense to release their games elsewhere. Will it be just PC as Sony said or will it also be Xbox and Nintendo? I don't know, I just know what they say about themselves: debt, new business strategy, online games, multiplatform games. I also know what Microsoft says about Xbox: first-party titles on Game Pass day one and next-gen Xbox console in the works.

From an Xbox point of view, you are right, getting Sony and Nintendo games in exchange makes sense. Will Sony and Nintendo agree? It depends on who's boss at the moment and their financial circumstances. Nintendo is doing great now, but who knows next generation.

@themightyant If all it takes is a few rumours to kill your faith/trust then it wasn't very strong to begin with.

Exactly this.

On the matter, I am not overtly worried. I think we will hear some corporate buzzwords, blah blah, the works. And maybe some changes, but not so drastic as everybody is believing (at least I hope so!). Some titles going multiplat, maybe. One thing I think it will be true is that Hi-Fi Rush will be on the Switch at least (I sure see it as a potentially great seller on that system, but who knows?).

As a side note, I don't really understand why so many people online wants the Xbox brand to be "done". What positive outcome can come from that?

I just know for me if xbox exclusives go to Sony I'm gonna cancel my gamepass sub. There's no point in having it. I'll just play all my games on playstation.

@Banjo- Perhaps I misunderstood you? You made it sound like Sony was willingly porting games to Xbox, which they are absolutely not. If all you meant was they have a couple games on Xbox because they have to due outside circumstances and it’s not the same as Xbox rumored plan, I agree.

It will definitely be a disappointment for Xbox fans. It's a corporation and it's mainly about money and not rock fans, sad 💔

Expect nothing and you’ll never be disappointed. MS have a habit of still disappointing even if you expect nothing 😂

I think we’ll see games going multiplatform on PlayStation, potentially a year after release. Hi-fi Rush, Sea of Thieves and Starfield I think are certain at this point, maybe even some IP’s closer to home that Xbox have which would be a huge mistake. I’m hoping they keep Gears and Halo as true exclusives. What they announce will decide if it’s worth having an Xbox console in the future for me, we’ll have to wait and see.

The rumoured handheld could be a masterstroke. That market is growing, if Xbox can release something like the steam deck with Gamepass included it could do well. That maybe where they can increase hardware sales.

If Microsoft exits the hardware business I hope they give us the option to wipe our Series consoles clean and install Windows on them. I think it's unlikely, but in a worst-case scenario I'd personally like to transition to PC gaming, where incidentally Microsoft could still get my business.

Having said that, a more realistic and optimistic hope is that I'd like to see Microsoft focus on developing first-party games that compliment the overall Xbox catalogue — filling in genre gaps — rather than directly competing with the more popular third-party games on their consoles.

@Banjo- PlayStation have the problem of their games budgets being ridiculously unsustainable. They have to sell HUGE amounts to be profitable and luckily for them most do… for now. But what if that changes and people get fed up of all the sequels and similar types of games. Its a bubble waiting to burst imo.

eh best just to wait for actual announcements at this point. The endless speculation is pointless. There are so many "insiders" giving conflicting information. As long as my Series X still plays games, and I can still use gamepass, then that's all I really care for this gen. Next gen is where the results of all this will impact my buying decisions.

I'm almost positive it has something to do with Nintendo.

@Banjo- in a way it doesn't matter who is in charge of playstation. If xbox can demonstrate that this is more profitable then the Sony heads and shareholders will force the playstation team to do it too. Similar to how Microsoft is the one driving this decision.

If it is really a timed exclusive thing for xbox going forward, I can see Sony coming around on that eventually especially with the non god of war/last of us/spiderman tier of games.

Microsoft will go third-party but some won't realize it. They will take their games to all platforms but try to sell people on a glorified Steam box concept that just happens to be a Microsoft Store box instead. A few diehards will think it is 4D chess but most will look at it as a non starter if all Microsoft is selling is timed exclusives.

I want to see them merge the other 2 ***** accounts systems they now own into the base MS account so nobody needs a ***** Bethesda or Activision account anymore. It's *****. If Sony can require a PS account on a goddamn Steam release (Helldeivers 2), MS can drop the other 2 separate accounts even for the games they're keeping multi-plat.

@Fenbops They were fine because PS4 was the default console of the last generation and games weren't as expensive to make then. Think of Uncharted The Nathan Drake Collection (remastered trilogy), The Last of Us Remastered (remaster), Wipeout Omega Collection (remasters collection)... Of course, they developed new games for PS4, but new games are more expensive and ambitious this generation and according to Sony, they need at least the PC market to sell enough copies.

Nintendo is the luckiest. Cheap but overpriced hardware and controllers and taking the sales charts by storm with ports!

Why hasn’t anyone been talking about that we will be able to play Gamepass games on any IOS device soon??? For me a huge development…. With the new Apple VR and Gamepass together….I would give it a thought…

It will be a calm-the-waters exercise. I expect that Microsoft will announce that exclusives may well be timed-exclusives. (Games like Hi-fi Rush that shadow dropped into GamePass anyway, with no mention of their exclusivity beforehand, or service led games opened up like Sea of Thieves) They'll re-iterate that there will always be exclusives coming first to the Xbox platform to compete with Sony. They'll talk about more hardware partners investing in the handheld PC market and the fact that they are working on the next-gen hardware console already. They'll reiterate they want GamePass everywhere, and that the Xbox is a virtual console too in the form of Xcloud (and bring it out of beta), maybe announcing it for Apple Vision Pro, given its already on meta....

@BacklogBrad I agree with your posts and you also give very solid reasoning each time. If Sony needs more platforms to be profitable, they will do it. The Sony slides showing the future of the brand on PC and mobile are years old now. It's true that Sony brings their games to their subscription services after a year or so and it's also true that they bring their games to PC after a year or so, so they might release their games on PS5/6 first and, after some time, on PC and even Xbox, especially if Xbox does the same and they start seeing Xbox as just another platform and not the enemy they need to kill and bury, because they can't. If they BOTH do the same, it would be good news for every "high-end" (using ABK drama words) console player.

I think we'll see something on the lines of activision blizzard titles (Call of duty, Crash) and smaller bethesda titles (Hi-Fi Rush) becoming multiplatform, but core Xbox franchises (Halo, Gears, Forza, Avowed) and bigger bethesda games (Starfield, Redfall) will remain exclusive.

I think some multiplayer games might go multiplatform as well, such as sea of thieves or even Halo Infinite (Multiplayer only, campaing remains exclusive).

I also think (or rather hope) Microsoft might have a deal with sony or nintendo and maybe they're not the only one going third party.

Even if Microsoft releases many of their derived IPs and purchased IPs onto Playstation or Nintendo, the Japanese companies are under no obligation to do the same thing. Funny reading multiple forms on many sites in which many gamers have this sentiment/entitlement that everyone should be able to play everything. That is not how corporate IPs work. By this logic Lamborghini must make their car engines available to other lower tier car brands so many can experience the what it is to be Lamborghini.

@BacklogBrad a lot of people who where on xbox last gen, bought ps5s this generation so thats not true, people will go where the better games are and offer better value , a lot of past xbox gamers have took up pc gaming , because they don't want ps, and whats the point in owning the xbox console

Whatever happens it has been handled really poorly. All these rumours have done is damage the Xbox brand in the mind of gamers. People are asking why they've supported the platform if it's all going to be taken away.

I've had time to think about what 'could' happen.

They announce they're going full third party, are dropping Xbox hardware and PS5/Switch will get Game Pass/full price games available depending on the system capabilities. Or they don't drop hardware and release new digital only hardware (handheld included).

They announce that select first party games will be available for PS5/Switch at full price the same day as they're available on Xbox and PC Game Pass. And the current hardware continues as before.

They announce that all Xbox Studio games will be available to play via Game Pass on PS5/Switch with no option to buy the games outright. And the current hardware continues as before. Or doesn't.

They announce that first party games will be available on PS5/Switch and that they're licensing the Xbox hardware to other manufacturers such as Samsung, LG etc. They'll have their own hardware but new hardware is built as a set top box or into TVs.

They announce that the Xbox store will be open to all platforms and people can buy games digitally for PS5/Switch. They'll keep the hardware as before.

It's DEFINITELY either one of the above or some of the above or none of the above.

I'm looking forward to finding out but as an Xbox gamer from the beginning, I can't see how releasing games on other platforms is the right thing to do to reward loyal fans. However, I completely understand that Xbox is just one division of Microsoft and releasing games on every available system makes perfect business sense and will massively increase profits.

I have all 3 systems and have no special allegiance to Xbox, PlayStation or Nintendo's various systems, aside from the memories I have from playing great games on each.

@NoLifeDGenerate I totally agree that no Xbox user should need to use Zenimax or Activision accounts now.

@AlwaysPlaying Game Pass on iOS is actually huge news because that market might not be as big but it's very conservative regarding platforms and more demanding regarding mobile games.

MS heads delivering the news that Xbox leadership has thrown around for years now about play everywhere and more gamers playing games, but actually meaning it this time

I expect a lot of corporate mumbo jumbo that will be dissected by gaming sites and gamers alike for quite a while. I expect to hear a lot of: ‚we’re listening…. We are committed… When we all play, we all win… Ka-Ching and champagne being opened sounds somewhere in the offices of MS brass. Besides that, I’ll wait before I pass judgement.

I'm pretty confident that they will reiterate their commitment to xbox, announce that some of their games will be coming to other platforms, and shadow drop Hi-Fi Rush on switch/ps5.

I'd also bet that they announce the departure of Phil Spencer from xbox and announce their all-digital xbox series pro console... but those are more conspiratorial than anything

@Kaloudz
I’m not sure I think they something big up their sleeve, else why bother really.

So you know I don’t want any of this.
I want Xbox consoles and Xbox exclusives and a good ole Xbox, Sony and Nintendo battle, pushing each company to the limits making amazing games.

Man I want a commitment to hardware and possibly the new controller… the games going to PlayStation thing don’t matter to me, but I’ve been holding off on that stealth ultra so Microsoft let me know

Microsoft will say one thing to calm the consumers, whilst gradually doing another and moving toward their end goal.

@Seioni They might release a home console and a dockable handheld next generation. It makes perfect sense: the massive success of Switch after a hardware failure in the same generation, Steam Deck, Asus Rog Ally, PS Portal (not as versatile but handheld). Xbox needs a device similar to Steam Deck and Asus Rog Ally next generation and, for the most dedicated players, a home console.

Regarding games, as long as they come to Xbox and Game Pass first, it shouldn't be that bad for Xbox players if some (or all?) games go to other consoles eventually. They are not losing anything.

It's all getting a little bit silly isn't it? I love Xbox, been here since the start. I can play my games on my Xbox and if Xbox want to ship games on other platforms, cool. It means I have more games to play with more friends.

This is the first generation I haven't had a PS as I don't have time for more than one console anymore. Game Pass provides me with more than enough to play. While ever Game Pass is successful we'll still have Xbox hardware, after all the majority of their subscriptions are on Xboxs, I don't see what all the fuss is about.

I'm excited for this "business update" to see what's happening. Hoping for news on a new controller and mid gen console update.

No idea what to expect but i believe that since Xbox went from a little footnote in the financials to 3rd largest we are now seeing the result of it. Being the redheaded stepchild had it benefits, now the board and shareholders are paying attention and they want more money. I believe there's differing views between Xbox and Microsoft leadership and that were going to see some Microsoft lead changes.... which won't appeas any fanboy logic. I hope that they don't mess it up too much.

@Banjo- I agree it would be good to see the next strategy games wise… man listen, got BG3 day one on Xbox haven’t beat it yet Tekken 8 day one and I’m entrenched heavily right now plus RE2 soon RE3 PE3 reloaded man Microsoft is not abandoning anyone the model is to good. And the hardware is too they just need to get ahead of everything. From strategy, business model, hardware. Friend of mine bought a PlayStation so he could play apex legends and overwatch and sometimes FF7 remake that dude ain’t serious but his loyalty to a box he barely plays with little to no value proposition is crazy. Plus his friends play on Xbox. Now let square put that collection on Xbox smh it would be glorious

@Shushibda how many people do you estimate were xbox one only owners and are now ps5 only owners? The idea of the best value is subjective but gamepass as commonly referred to as the best value in gaming. I feel like you are also making the assumption that hi fi rush, sea of thieves and starfield equals every xbox game going multiplat. Those games that people had already chosen over playstation games by choosing this gen or last gen of xbox are going to be $70 on PS if they are on ps at all and rarely receive a very small discount.

And same question for now pc only owners? Personally I love pc gaming but it's not a simple decision to just pick up pc gaming. A lot of people are intimidated by the prospect of building a system. A pre built system comparable to series x and ps5 is probably going to be close to or over $1000 without a monitor.

Since it's a "Business Update" I would like if they were to make an official announcement about what's been going on the last 2 months on the MS Rewards Program.

My guess they will announce older games (HiFi Rush, Sea of Thieves, maybe Starfield one day etc.) coming to other platforms like Switch and PS5. It won't be day one but after a while like a year or so. They can maximize profits and the Xbox brand will see more acceptance.

I also believe they will still continue to make consoles (and maybe a handheld, since the market has potential).

I wouldn't jump the gun at all. I genuinely believe some games will become multiplatform, but this isn't really anything new as such. They have always said it would be done on a case by case basis (since the Bethesda buyout) so that's what I truly expect. But I do agree that they should be just nipped it in the bud, bad decision after bad decision at Microsoft, since the One reveal they just haven't been the same. It could go either way for sure, but I don't think it will be the end of Xbox. (Not yet anyway) I mean, Sega did take a similar approach as they just couldn't keep up.

@Seioni Yeah, Xbox hardware rocks. I also have more than enough on Xbox this generation. I'm playing Persona 5 Tactica and after that I still have dozens of games to play on Game Pass like Persona 3 Reloaded. I have to leave first-party games (and purchased games) for later because they don't leave the service. This is also the generation when I have bought fewer Nintendo games and I've been playing on Nintendo my whole life.

@TheGameThrifter Can’t put it any better than this. I don’t want to be too rude but I keep seeing the same folks being naive about it.

There’s every chance of what you said coming to pass if they say no more exclusivity. Currently it’s speculated that only some will go over, but as I’ve mentioned before, look at the reaction to just “some”.

And it’s not like Xbox has this deep bench of exclusives that drive sales… So why would they be willing to give away what little they have? That’s why the reaction people are having is justified, but whoever started this rumour has really done some serious damage, that’s for certain.

What we’ve been sold for years is that Xbox are acquiring all these studios to build a stable of exclusives—including the ordeal that was ABK—so that they can become competitive again. And this just screams “Nah, we out”

Admittedly even I can’t imagine a world where they get out of hardware entirely, but really, if it gets that dire, who’s buying it? How much legs does GamePass have really?

@Enigk The troubling thing is that it was thrown together or moved up because of what is happening, but still a week away.

@JustinSane The problem is those may have been Xbox's plans before Microsoft higher ups arbitrarily step in a screw everything up. If it seems nonsensical for Xbox, it is probably because it is not their doing. Why would any games be ported to PS at all? If not ever, at this time?

No matter what they say next week, for me personally it doesn't change anything. I'm a 46 year old gamer with an 18 year old son who's an even bigger gamer. We buy ALL of our multiplatform games on Xbox due to both of us owning Series X's. We buy 1 copy digitally and both get to play it due to game sharing (profiles are on each other's console with his as my primary and mine as his...most of you know how it works by now). I have a PS5 but he doesn't so since we both want to play as many games as possible, I simply can't afford to purchase every multiplatform game twice at $90 CAD. Thus my PS5 is ONLY for exclusives. And I've noticed a slight increase on the PS and XB stores as many upcoming titles are now listed at $93.99 and $94.50 CAD for the standard editions...so we'll for sure be continuing the same pattern going forward.

I don't want to speculate on what Microsoft will or won't announce, but one thing is absolutely certain. Whatever they'll do it will never satisfy some/or a group of people, its just not possible...

For quite sometime Phil Spencer and Microsoft were telling us that their plan was to bring more games to more people, (or) as many as possible. It was never a secret!
Back then, some people were calling Spencer a liar, turned out he was quite forthcoming, granted we are/should be waiting for details.

@smokes70 I'm still cleaning up on MS Reward Points. G.P.U. expires July 27, 2026. Already 3 free years on top of the original 3 years converted. That is with redeeming for multiple $25 and $50 gift cards last year.

The 1k monthly is easier for February. Thirty-six dailies needed versus forty-five.

Bing search was slowed down and that is understandable. You must wait 5 seconds between searches. Same on mobile. The reward of 30 points daily for reading news articles has been eliminated. Xbox App reward goals & point totals remain the same (Play Jewel 2, play a PC G.P. game, use the mobile app).

What do I hope to see:

Nothing changes for the worse, nothing goes to other consoles.

The bludgeoning of the platform gets softer, though significant damage has been done. Appearances from the Xbox public facing team become incredibly awkward going forward.

What do I expect to see (as of today):

At minimum a few titles are going multiplatform. Game Pass will be reconfigured to a negative effect in the eyes of most customers.

Even a few titles going to PS, coupled with the rumor plague going around, will crush interest in the platform. Cultivated goodwill would evaporate. Connections to the platform will be severed or impaired for many. Those who unfortunately frequent comment sections or view game content on YT will have a hard time.

The Xbox figures who have worked so hard over the past few years to connect with the community will slink into the dark recesses where Nintendo and Sony execs reside. Some may resign or be removed.

I truly hope the latter prediction does not transpire.

Xbox may be forced to reveal hardware plans (controller, revision) early in an attempt to demonstrate commitment to the platform.

@theduckofdeath Yeah, I've got the cursed 15 minute slowdown for searches. What I think the main source of frustration is that they just keep changing rewards / removing them / and there's been zero communication about it. I'm not one to complain about free stuff like many others are, I'd just like an actual communication from them about what to expect.

Honestly my expectations are below zero at this point, I just wanna know what happens to my digital library.

Whatever the update is, I've become more aware of the possibility that one day (sooner rather than later) I could lose access to my large digital library.

Ok so at first I was running for the hills when I heard this news but now I'm starting to worry less and less.

Think about it, there are 30 or so million people subscribed to gamepass are they really gonna say "soz guys, keep your money coz we're outta here"
What sense would that make?

Let's not kid ourselves, Microsoft has never really made much profit from any console and have suffered two L's back to back, you can't expect them not to rethink their strategy at some point. Sony likes to brag about all their console sales but I wonder how much profit they are actually making off those sales, they aren't putting their games onto PC out the kindness of their hearts and their latest console revision looks like something from temu.

Same with switch, it's selling incredibly well but anything that isn't Nintendo or kiddy can hardly shift 500k copies, look at bayonetta 3, one their big, mature exclusives. I think it only sold around 1 million despite have an install base of over 120 million.

Point is don't believe the grass is greener on the other side, some just play their hand sooner than others that's all.

@DKGXX85 You're completely right and defined the situation of the three perfectly 👍.

The best case and what I actually expect they'll announce a handful of games are going to PS5, asure everyone they'll stay in the hardware business for next gen. Maybe reveal their handheld (Probably not since it's so early but it's like the one Microsoft thing I'm hyped for).

Worst, cynnical case for xbox fans is they announce that yes, they're dropping hardware support at the end of this generation, will no longer be supporting their legacy consoles (Online for 360 and One shutdown 2025) and backwards compatibility, games will no longer launch on gamepass day 1 and they'll be moving to an adorably all-publishing future.

Still cannot completely agree with you, @Kaloudz. You say Sony is multiplatform, but that is not strictly true. Destiny was already on the Xbox, and it staying that was part of the contract when the acquisition went through. MLB is on the Xbox against the wishes of Sony, but they were forced into agreeing with the decision. Their games going on to Steam, does technically make them multiplatform, but Xbox putting the likes of Starfield on to the PlayStation is a completely different step. Were Sony to reciprocate and put something like The Last of Us on the Xbox, then fine, I'd agree with you, but we both know that Sony will not do that. Sony have made the PlayStation brand exceptionally successful by virtue of having AAA games that are verging on being AAAA games. The Xbox does not have anything similar, and that is why the PlayStation is being far more successful at getting people to enter their ecosystem. If Xbox gives PlayStation something like Starfield, they will effectively be waving the white flag. Yes, the Microsoft shareholders will be happy in the short term, but what it means for the PlayStation gamers is that with a little patience they can play all the 'timed exclusives' that the Xbox has. What it means for the Xbox gamers is, I may as well just get a PlayStation when the next generation comes round (that is obviously assuming that you have a choice, and that there is a next Xbox).

I think people are being way to relaxed with the idea of Xbox shedding its exclusives. The ramifications would be huge.

lots of bla bla from phil

yawns

wake me up when ps6 comes out.

Won’t be the end of Xbox consoles now but will be a running down of that business.
More exclusives will be multi platform and Phil blame it all on Sony.
Will be about ten minutes long and we will know little more than we really know now.
Am
Hoping that a lot of these click baiting and you tube influencers - who have neve done a days work in their lives - get egg on their faces.
But I doubt it.

Another argument for Xbox consoles still being desirable. First party games will be optimized for the xbox consoles. A reason that Playstation games run like butt on PC is that they are made specifically for the PS5 and then they figure out the PC port later. Xbox will be similar where they are developed primarily for that day 1 xbox&PC release, and they will figure out the year 2 (or whenever they decide exclusivity ends) ports later.

@Gemini73
Thanks, I realise that.
Was thinking more along the lines of (sooner rather than later) the possible demise of Xbox consoles, leaving behind an obsolete library of games with no native hardware to play them on.

Sorry for the wrestling talk but what if this is all a "work"

I doubt it is but man that would be so funny

It's not like Halo 7 will be on the Playstation. Lol. I mean, a few titles here and there will be eventually on competing platforms, after an undisclosed amount of time. Who cares. I feel at this point that the Series X is on a massive incline and it's starting to feel somewhat similar to the 360 era for me. So many great game announcements.

It would be so funny if in the end there was no so-called “bad news” and all they did was announce a new controller and system, and that every Blizzard and Activision game was being added to Game Pass that very day. And then simply did a mic drop and show was over.

@BacklogBrad If I buy an Xbox studios game on PS and it runs like trash that's not going to make me want to buy an Xbox, it will just make me reconsider buying any Xbox games in future. Plus it would be a poor reflection on the brand as a whole if inferior ports were a regular occurrence.

@Kevw2006 If Digital Foundry is putting out videos saying frame rates and resolution are better on xbox then it wouldn't reflect poorly on the brand.

@BacklogBrad It they release a buggy mess on one platform and it runs flawlessly on another then yes that is very damaging for the brand. Plus the average gamer doesn't have any interest in watching Digital Foundry nit pick at miniscule differences in frame rates and resolution. I have a passing interest in it and I very rarely bother to watch their videos myself.

@Kevw2006 I doubt they release it in a so bad its damaging state. There is a difference between unoptimized and a buggy mess. Xbox can use the trendy buzz words too in their marketing like ray tracing or locked 90 fps only on the Series x.

As weird as it would be, I think the free to play halo infinite multiplayer would make the most sense for multiplatform. The game is driven by micro transactions and the Xbox community has largely moved on from it due to the slow content release at launch. I actually think it is the best FPS on the market right now. Getting a new audience checking it out and talking about it might give it the rejuvenation it needs

A commitment to the platform. A focus on exclusives. Dispelling rumors. An update on Activision/ Blizzard titles coming to Gamepass.

@Widey85

Surely in the same way, the least Xbox could do would be to say "we're committed to hardware long term, Xbox will still have a lot of exclusives, we'll give you more detail next week" rather than this radio silence

Meh, but where is the fun in that? Everyday there are column inches of posts here and over at PS ( not to mention the interwebs) .
People haven't mentioned Microsoft throughout their entire history as much as in the last week or so....and there are still days worth of it left. 😁

As long as they keep making consoles and day one releases on GP I am fine with putting games on PS. The more people enjoy games the better. My experience is not diminished by the fact games can be enjoyed on other platforms. Hell I play sony and xbox games on my steam deck all the time.

@Banjo- But if all exclusives are available on other platforms then there's even less reason to buy Xbox hardware. Less Xbox hardware sold means that it's less likely for third parties to release their games for Xbox (including Game Pass). Fewer games available on Xbox hardware means even fewer machines sold and even fewer Game Pass subscriptions. Etc. etc.

I understand what you mean, but the importance of Sony's exclusives is massively overstated on these sites. The attach ratio of most of them is very low. You can check this reality by comparing the total sales of PS exclusives and the total number of PS consoles sold. This means that most Xbox users won't switch to PS even if Xbox games are available on PS, because not even PS owners care about Sony's exclusives that much. On top of that, I really doubt that all Xbox games will be available on PS the same day as on Xbox and Game Pass. At the same time, Game Pass is becoming a better subscription each year, with more studios and games available, all first-party games plus great third-party games. Some people on these sites claim that exclusives drive console sales, but as you can see that's only true for Nintendo, and only some of Nintendo's games are big sellers, not all of them.

Bear in mind also that Sony is bringing their games to PC not because of their kindness and 4theplayers around the world, but because they need to sell more copies of them. However, Sony games are built for PS and then ported to Windows, with mixed results. All PC games (Windows store, Epic store, Steam store) are built for Windows on Unreal Engine, Unity and proprietary engines that are multiplatform. Xbox runs Windows with Direct X, so making a PC game and Xbox game is infinitely easier than porting a PS exclusive to Windows. This means that third parties will support Xbox as long as PC exists, because PC and Windows are one. It has been like this since Xbox One. Xbox One X was more supported than PS4 Pro! Do people forget that?

The only big third-party games that have skipped Xbox One and Series S|X are made by companies that have signed Xbox exclusion deals with Sony: Square Enix and Zenimax, plus DLC published by Activision and Warner. As many people have pointed out, it has been relatively cheap for Sony to buy Xbox exclusion deals, because PS has a larger user base than Xbox. Potential sales on PS are higher, so Microsoft's strategy is to buy moneyhatted publishers and it has acquired Zenimax and ABK so far. Becoming a bigger publisher also means that they attract more third parties, with Square Enix releasing Octopath Traveller II and Final Fantasy XIV on Xbox this year.

In spite of some people, most of them Sony die-hard fans pretending to be impartial, that insist on the death of Xbox (don't you think it's suspicious that Xbox haters get many more likes than Xbox fans on an Xbox site?), the only third party that was willing to ignore Xbox has changed their mind. The future of Xbox is 100% safe, including its hardware. Microsoft makes new high-end Surface devices every year and every subscriber and every game sold on Xbox is 100% profit. They are so big that they can afford to be in the console market, PC, mobile and other consoles and it actually makes sense after acquiring so many studios and publishers to make the most of it and add (not replace) more ways of earning money, on top of their own hardware.

@BacklogBrad If they did that they would be admitting that they are deliberately releasing an inferior product on a competitors platform, which still wouldn't be a good look. If the rumoured PS5 pro does emerge that would cause them an even bigger headache as either they have to make games run better on that, or deliberately withhold features.

To your point regarding 'attachment rates' for exclusives, @Banjo-, why do people own more than one console? My Series X is my main console, I play all the Xbox exclusives on that console together with all third-party games. So why did I buy a PS5? To play those games that I cannot play on my Series X, namely PlayStation exclusives. Why do I own a Switch? Same reason; those games that I cannot play anywhere else, such as Breath of the Wild. And why do I own a high-end gaming PC? That's right; to play those games that I cannot play anywhere else.

I will not be alone in that by a long-shot. Those of us that own multiple consoles, and who have a console that they consider their main, are only buying further consoles for those games that they cannot otherwise play. Thus exclusives really do matter because if it was not for those exclusives, I would not need to purchase further consoles, I would buy just the one, which then goes to my point; if I can play Xbox 'timed-exclusives' on a PlayStation, and I can afford to buy only one console at then next generation refresh, then I'm going to buy the console where I am able to play the most exclusive content...

I could not agree with you more, @themightyant; those people cheering on the potential demise of Xbox simply have no idea what that would mean for them in the long-run. If Sony became a monopoly, then they would raise the price of consoles to not only cover the cost of development and manufacturing, but also turn a profit. So if the console cost £750 to make, expect to pay £800. Same with games, they would be the first to raise prices to ensure a healthy profit margin, and innovation would be stifled because there would be no one to compete against. Instead it would be safe bet after safe bet. Sequel after sequel. And of course, once in such a dominate position, they would seek to acquire more and more studios, the very things that their gamers rail against when done my Microsoft.

Ultimately, it is very short-sighted, and the ramifications of the demise of Xbox would be huge and negative...

It feels like it is hard to know but yeah guess that we will know more next week but It will be intresting to see what will happen/be reveld for sure.

I remembered when everything was going to just PC and that made me a bit skeptical. Then I started seeing certain games only on PC, then they said Gamepass on console isn't growing anymore, and they had no new games or that year, then they said the have the most growth in PC. And looks like console gamers have slowly been taking a back seat. It's unfortunate, but if there are no more exclusives on XBox or not as many, you are just handing Sony the 1st place (or 2nd place) trophy ? The logic baffles me 🤷‍♂️. XBox or MS really messed up letting this get out of hand, and clearly there is some truth to it. They all of a sudden wanted a return on investment right away. They broke trust, again?And they didn't let them cook, when they finally had their boot on the neck of Sony. 🫤🤨

@Banjo- The problem is the past rumors have been true and Microsoft's track record is the fuel for the backlash. You seem to have blind faith in Xbox. Not everyone else here does. I commend your optimism though. Some of us are looking at this from a completely different perspective, hence the differing opinions. I find your comments constructive in the community here overall. While I don't agree with everything, I appreciate your presence and perspective.

@iplaygamesnstuff Thanks for everything you said 😊, but I don't have blind faith! I have criticised many things about Microsoft. I try to be objective and fair about the different topics, in spite of my personal preferences, that may change and have changed in the past. My last post just reflects the current reality and disregard malicious rumours. I share my opinions and tastes when discussing games of any platform, though. That's when my writing becomes intimate, personal and brutal. I know that some people have the opposite opinion about some games, for better or worse, and that's normal and fine.

EDIT: 90% of the comments on this Xbox site are anti-Xbox, so I think that the people that are not like that should be more appreciated than they are.

@Banjo- When the Series X launched I similar enthusiasm. At this point all we can do is wait to see what is said.

@iplaygamesnstuff Not long until next week 😉. Keep enjoying your Series X, it's perfect hardware and has tons of games!

What I am EXPECTING to see: An update on the future of Xbox and their plans, whatever those may be.

What I am HOPING to see: Confirmation that Xbox is NOT leaving the console market, and that iconic titles like Halo and Gears, ideally more, stay exclusive.

What I will NEED to see IF the rumors are true: Phil Spencer explaining to me exactly how Xbox porting their best and biggest games to other platforms benefits me as a gamer/consumer and how it strengthens the Xbox brand as opposed to weakening and diluting it. And I'm gonna need him to explain it to me like I'm a 5-year old with Down Syndrome so severe I make Forrest Gump look like Albert Einstein by comparison.

Hopefully this is my last comment on the matter until we know what's what.

I hate to say it because it sucks, but I expect a lot of people at purexbox having to update their resumes very soon.

@Cuddleheart W I was just gonna say something about that... what happens to pure xbox?

Idk but I won't spend a single penny on digital content until everything is absolutely crystal clear with no room for further speculation. Feeling like I should have joined the physical copy of everything crew a long time ago and I might be about to learn an expensive lesson.

Preface - what I hope and what I expect are two very different things.

I expect:

• MS will go multi-plat with a good bunch of their first party titles, maybe all.
• MS will assure us that they are still commited to Xbox hardware.

@lokozar You see... my gut feeling tells me that they surely wouldn't release all future games across all platforms and still support Xbox hardware... because what then would be the reason to buy the hardware?

@RetroMan71 I know, right? Which is why I wrote that there is a difference between what I wish for and what I expect. I‘ve written down a more comprehensive view on the matter here (https://www.purexbox.com/news/2024/02/xbox-no-longer-making-consoles-begins-trending-as-panic-continues#comment7994186), if you’re interested.

I honestly don't care. I just want to play amazing games on my Series X, PS5 and Switch.

I just want to play GTA 6 for the years to come. Dont care of the logo on the console

@Romans12 SO... wont you feel dump that you paid for an XBOX and the company behind it after 3 years in the market will announce that you didn't need to? You could just play our games in your PS5?

@Flugen Yes, I will feel a bit disappointed, but I'm tired of all the Xbox drama lately. Between the acquisition, constantly waiting for game announcements and now this, I just want to play games. And I still don't think it will be as easy as "playing xbox games on the PS5." That's a far stretch. I believe there will be certain games that will come to competing consoles after first coming to Game Pass. I doubt Playstation owners will be playing Halo or Gears.

@Romans12 In my mind if these rumours are true then Microsoft is out of the game. The trust between consumers and company will be broken. 3rd parties will skip the boat because all players are in the other console. Where Sony and Microsoft are there both.

@Flugen I'm hoping this is not the case, but those are good points. Perhaps Microsoft is slowly weening their way out of the gaming business. If so, they would start with the hardware. Kinda sucks if it's true. I've been an Xbox owner since the original back in 2001.

Bottom line: for the console war veterans, I don't see anything good coming out of this meeting. The one group of folks I feel the worst for, are those hard-core Bethesda consolers who bought a Series just to play Starfield.

Why is everyone reacting to rumors and speculation? It makes no sense to me. I've seen over 20 videos on YouTube today about all of this and all I can wonder is how those people wasted so much of their life making those videos that mean absolutely nothing.

I already hear Frank Sinatra singing...

@Valkyrian Why would Microsoft even bother reacting or responding to false information? Rumors happen constantly and companies rarely respond to or acknowledge them. Why is this situation any different? I find your expectation odd. I also don't understand why people are panicking and acting without knowledge. Has the human race still not evolved beyond that? Sad.

Honestly, if they don’t go third-party at this event, it’s just a matter of time as they’re directly on the path. The shareholders win.

It's an MS thing isn't it, as its for the shareholders I suspect it'll be along the lines of , we are dedicated to bringing more of our products to more people, and then phil will make a twitter post saying, that we are for the people, so we are dedicated to bringing more of our games to more gamers, so they can play xbox studio games, and that'll be that, then in a month or so there will be an xbox presentation stating exactly what those games are , my guess is starfield, hi fi rush and sea of thieves.

@Darylb88 you know… that could be very smart on their part. It’s already leaked so reiterate to fans games are considered on a “case by case basis” and then officially announce it to help show they are still in the hardware biz. I could see it

I fully expect Microsoft to ensure the future of Xbox hardware. If they don't the speculation alone will do massive damage to the brand. I fully expect them to announce certain games going multiplatform but NOT all of Xbox 1st party games will be available on other systems. I think it'd be a shame to see the demise of Xbox hardware and the ramifications would be extremely negative especially when you consider how awful Sony has been recently to its PlayStation fans. If PlayStation was the ONLY high end console maker they'd fully be able to control the market and they already want us paying $100/game so the Xbox competition is good for the gaming community.
Long Live Xbox

@bertraar I thought it would be crispy clean on the steamdeck. My son recently poured water in my series s, and it's toast obviously. But my tv (a samsung, smart, maybe 3 years old) can stream xbox from the cloud. So I do that, and use a ps5 controller to play the games. And surprisingly, the stream is super cleannnnnnnnn. I was sooo surprised. I play Palworld this way too. MS has made amazing strides in terms on cloud streaming and I'm excited to c where it goes.

@electrolite77 you have no idea what anyone wants so don’t reply and assume. You’re wrong.

Insiders now saying the Starfield rumor was false.

https://x.com/idlesloth84_/status/1756076398953762850?s=46

@electrolite77 hey, I already said you’re wrong. And only I know if you are so you go off I guess. Keep it up and I’ll report you.

I'm guessing Xbox will go multiplatform with different titles. In any case, Bethesda and Activision titles. And will announce a digital only with only game pass Xbox.

@Kaloudz This makes it all more exciting than it probably is, I am too sober, Netherlands sober, if I have been able to follow it well, this week Xbox is third in Microsoft's income, then they are really not going away Xbox itself generates more money for Microsoft than Windows if I could follow correctly , like you i think xbox games go into multiplat , bad thing ?? NOPE

I suspect we're getting a Conker's Bad Fur Day sequel with Chris Pratt voicing the titular character

Bit of wild mass guessing here, but MS has a huge back catalog of PS4 and PS5 games through aquisitions.

Is it time for Game Pass on PS5?

@Phantasystar77 As long as I can get games for free via MS Rewards and getting cheap game pass subs I will stick with them until the end. That is my end or theirs. I can't justify £70 games which would never hit the PS Plus tiers if there is no Xbox.