Talking Point: What Do You Want To See From Xbox In 2025?

I have confidence in the games part. Would love to see Fable still hit the 2025 release and a few other surprises. What I would especially love to see is an update to the Achievement system and a reveal of the handheld system. One thing I don't see happening fast but it would be amazing, is some kind of cross-progression system with Steam.

No more acquisitions and actually utilizing the talent they do have.

More Games Please, Oh and world peace if you can sort that out

Doom and South of Midnight. If Fable makes it then great. Avowed also but thats already confirmed. One game a quarter makes for a fine release schedule I think. Anything else is a bonus.

Interesting & fun games plain & simple. Even with that low bar they often just seem trip over themselves rather than clearing it.

They have fixed the lack of first party content and are hitting on all cylinders there. I say this on a bunch of articles but I think their next focus should be on getting parity between the Xbox app and the Xbox console. Overhaul the pc app and get a huge collection of digital games working natively and/or streaming on the app. Put all the play anywhere games in the app itself. Bring the full Xbox console experience to the Xbox app.

The whole "this is an xbox" thing is a lie until those other places feel more like an xbox. The slogan should be "this thing supports gamepass" until they get the app up to par.

Quality releases.

Games that deliver and are polished from day 1.

No mess like MSFS.

Please stop the higher ups over promising (ie stalker being goty) just let the games do the talking.

@themightyant beat me to it haha!

I just want Microsoft to stop being so schizophrenic with the Xbox brand, either they need to commit to it 100% or they need to just go multiplatform already, but this attitude of having one foot in and one out it needs to stop as the fans can no longer tell if we should continue to support their consoles or just move on into buying the Nintendo or PlayStation version of the games.

@Major_Player
The best response written by a mile.

A couple of top quality AAA games and critically acclaimed wouldn’t go a miss.
Seems like years since we have had one from a Xbox studio. No matter what device you play it on it’s all about the games or what you want to sell as a business, without those games you are selling absolutely nothing, well apart from COD.

@Major_Player
I think we know what way they are going, they are just a bit stuck at the minute as 50% of GP subs is on Xbox consoles.

And with consoles sales terrible and GP stagnant, they need something to do with GP or consoles but not sure what they can do with the existing customers.

So it’s death by a thousand cuts and stuff the Xbox fan base and you shall be told when Microsoft decided to, when it’s suits them best financially.

At minimum 4-6 AA or AAA heavily MARKETED (one every 2 months is ideal) NEW games releases (not remakes/remasters) of 1-3 being 1st party owned Microsoft IPs (even done by a 3rd party) with physical disc releases within 3 months of digital release.

Is that gonna be too hard to ask for 2025 ffs?

Just keeping on doing what they are doing is just fine, especially with Gamepass.

Good games, lots of which are on Gamepass.

@Major_Player also this could help. I love the better down to even 40hz VRR window, VRS, Dolby Atmos sound and Quick Resume on Series X vs other platforms. But I've grown tired of not full games on disc, or having to re-download more GBs versus the original FULL game download day one again when a major patch happens on Series consoles but not on PS5 or PC. Seriously tiring and unnecessary stuff.

What would I like to see? How about some good games, thay Sony wont get, that makes them sweat a little bit. I'm running out of reasons to even keep my Series X...

Keep bringing top indies to GP. Some truly excellent Starfield DLC. Maybe bump New Vegas to 4k. That’s all I need.

I want the next Halo, the next Forza Horizon, Gears E-Day, Perfect Dark, Psyoconauts 3 and a revival for Banjo and Conker. I also want Fable to not get delayed.

I’m aware I won’t be getting most of what I want lol. I’m still remaining optimistic, though.

Game Pass Family Plan

@JokerBoy322
Been praying for that for the last 2 years.
But alas it’s all going in the opposite direction and I’ve given up on them.

No more studio closures or layoffs, that's number one.
Keep up the good work on GamePass, especially the indie gems, a bit more QC with new releases and keep doing good work.

Think they've already set out their stall for next year. Quality games lineup, more and more integration with cloud and (my personal favourite) play anywhere, clearly better relationship with the likes of Square Enix, it's all looking good from my POV.

If I'm really blue sky thinking, steam integration would be awesome. But that's probably a next gen topic...

The rumored handheld and more games on the Play Anywhere program...

I know, a man can dream.

They already have a solid lineup, so I'd ask for more IP revivals, more FPS Boost, more backwards compatibility if licences allow it and more third-party Play Anywhere support. I'm really curious about the next hardware, but last year they revealed that the next generation is expected to begin in 2028... They also knew that Sony would be releasing a Pro model and that they were not doing that, so I guess that plans haven't changed.

To get rid of Microsoft Jewel as it’s a weird 5 point daily reward …
Allow me the option of finding % off easier on the store…
Reduce download sizes
Give console owners some love instead of PC game pass releases first…
Follow through on your most advanced hardware promises

1. Good quality games from 1st party. High hopes are on Fable next year. Ideally ensure xbox is not losing games like bg3/wukong on a release anymore.
2. More clarity on exclusivity. Its too vague and people are confused. Like if I buy ps5 pro now - when can I play avowed?
3. Timeline for next gen xbox - remored to be as early as 2026.

@kuu_nousee
Just wondering about the redownloading the whole game for a patch issue, are there games that only do this for Xbox?
I always thought this was a studio optimization issue, depending on how the game makers updated their code.

@Gkobz correct it's not all games but larger games are the most common with the issue.

@kuu_nousee @Gkobz It depends on how the game is built. For instance, Sea of Thieves (huge UE4 game) used to download the whole game for a "patch" or seasonal expansion, but they replaced it with a new version that doesn't.

One big game per quarter.

It'll be harder to hate on Xbox if they're pumping out 8.5-9s every 3 months!

I guess if everything is an Xbox then I want to have 'play anywhere' games really mean that.

I want to buy it once and have access to it on everything - including where possible mobile versions.

I don't think this is gonna happen though.

A cloud only Game Pass tier and being able to play all your owned games via cloud streaming. Just tested CP2077 that way and it plays great.

• I want to know more about the Xbox handheld.
• I want less third party titles releasing on every platform except Xbox.
• I want more OG Xbox and Xbox 360 titles joining the BC program.
• I want every first party title to aim for 60 fps at launch, instead of launching at 30 fps and then have a 60 fps mode patched in like a year later like it was for Starfield and Redfall, and probably will be for Avowed.
• I want the rumors about Oblivion and Fallout 3 remasters to be true.

I want more things to be an Xbox. My fridge? Xbox. My carbon monoxide detector? Xbox. This Swedish made penis enlarger pump? XBOX!!

Good games. I literally don’t care about anything else, not one single other thing. Be a Nintendo. Be a Sony 1st party (when they actually put out games ). Just. Make. Good. Games. None of this half baked, ‘oh maybe we should have left it in the oven another 6 months to iron out the kinks’ garbage. Just give me a finished product that’s a GotY contender. I don’t even care what genre it is.

Same answer for the last 10 years.

Games. Good, high-quality games released at a steady pace, in good shape and ON-TIME at launch. No more revealing games 5-6 YEARS before they're done (do you ever think about how ridiculous that is?). Microsoft has a million studios. We want games. It's all we've EVER asked for. Literally none of any of the other nonsense xbox has done did we ever ask for. We just want xbox to produce games.

Good games the exclusives have been terrible by comparison this and last gen🙆

Actually deliver on their games and to justify the price hike of Gamepass. I canceled my sub this year because the only game that I actually enjoyed that came out was Hellblade 2 and it was like 6 hrs long. I’m not going to pay more for COD (which I don’t care about) and a bunch of mediocre games. Time to put up or shut up. Been spending all year pretty much on my PS5.

Honestly they just need couple of big releases. Does not matter exclusive or not.
I feel liked new doom + fable could do.
They have great device, great sub and not just lacking decent AAA games. If games stop releasing as a broken mess/unfinished - could also help lol.

I'm interested in the handheld device. It would be awesome to start a game on my Xbox and continue playing it on the go. Though it would probably mess with the Quick Resume function on the console.

I want to see more exclusives go to other platforms…preferably Playstation 😉🤣

I'd like them to reverse the trend of the number of game pass games each month dropping.

The industry in general is struggling right now. Surely that makes it a buyer's market?

Fable on handheld and better cloud gaming.....

The beginning of full revivals of Activision games and IPs with online servers.

Give us the option to disable quick resume for some games permanently.

Just good high quality games. For me, titles I can't play anywhere else or I will play them somewhere else.
I've pretty much kept the series X for Avowed at this point, but Fable is another to look forward too, and maybe South of Midnight.
My Series X hasn't been booted since September last year when I let my GP sub expire, but I'd genuinely like to have reason to change that.

When did Microsoft say 2028, @Banjo-? When? Microsoft have said nothing with regards to a year of release for their new console. All we have officially heard from them is that is will be the 'biggest technical leap' (or similar). No date has ever been mentioned in any capacity.

The only thing we have heard in terms of timings when it comes to the release of the console is the rumour that says 2026, which is believable due to there being no Xbox mid-generation refresh, and would fit in with the timing of the release of games such as Gears of War: E-Day, Perfect Dark, State of Decay 3 and Blade, all of which did not have the Series X logo when they were shown at the Summer showcase (they had no logo at all).

I've been following this issue closely, and I've never seen mention of 2028, but if you can point me in a different direction then that'll be cool...

@Fiendish-Beaver "When did Microsoft say 2028? Microsoft have said nothing with regards to a year of release for their new console. No date has ever been mentioned in any capacity."

I haven't said that Microsoft has revealed the year of release for their new console, but a date has been mentioned. What I said is, "Last year they revealed that the next generation is expected to begin in 2028."

That reveal comes from an statement that they made during the acquisition of ABK (2023). It's not the official release date like you're implying in your understanding and reply.

"I've been following this issue closely, and I've never seen mention of 2028, but if you can point me in a different direction then that'll be cool."

Microsoft is expecting the next generation — meaning the PlayStation 6 and Xbox Series X|S successor — to begin in 2028.

https://www.ign.com/articles/12-surprising-reveals-from-the-xbox-ftc-trial

Okay, @Banjo-, I see where you got that from. And I would need to accept that my memory failed me here (I'm nearly 61, so that's not unusual! 😂), as I do recall that reveal now that you remind me.

A number of thoughts strike me though; first off, this:

“This term would in any case go beyond the expected starting period of the next generation of consoles (in 2028),” Microsoft said. “Thus, Call of Duty will be published on successor PlayStation consoles should one be released during the term of the agreement. The agreement also would ensure that Call of Duty console games are offered on PlayStation at parity with Xbox.”

This, to my mind, is really talking about PlayStation, and not necessarily Xbox.

Secondly, we saw the images of proposed consoles during that FTC trial, and they were for mid-generation refreshes, which we know have now been cancelled. This means that Microsoft is expecting the Series consoles to last the entire generation, which would put it at an even greater disadvantage to the PlayStation now that the Pro has released were it expected to hold the fort until 2028. I just cannot see them doing that. Also, this reveal from the FTC Court case was actually from June 2022, not last year, though regardless, I wasn't thinking that you had definitively states 2028, I was just unaware where you had got that from. Your 2028, is not more solid than my 2026, though arguably, your source is more official than the rumours I'm listening to.

Sarah Bond has already said that the NeXtBoX will be significantly more powerful, and she said that about a year ago, and so I highly doubt that she would say that about a console that is 5 years away from releasing.

Then you have the whole 'plans change' comment from Spencer, which if I recall correctly was in relation to consoles, which may refer to the scrapping of the mid-generation consoles, and indeed, to bringing forward the NeXtBoX (on that we will have to see).

Then you have the games without the logo, and I just cannot see the likes of State of Decay 3 or Perfect Dark having been revealed at or before the start of this generation being in development for 8 years plus.

Lastly, the rumours of 2026 have been pretty persistent, and indeed, fit in much better with the development cycles of those games with no logo.

My money remains on 2026, probably with a reveal at next Summers Showcase... 😉

@Fiendish-Beaver Your comment was funny because you said several times that 2028 was never mentioned, like you were completely sure 😁. There are things that I don't know, but you'll always see me saying something like, "I think..." , "I don't know..." but I forgive you because of your excuse 😜.

For instance, now I'm going to tell you that I don't know when the next generation will begin, excluding off-gen Nintendo in 2025. Honestly, I can wait. I think that there's a lot of value in this generation, not just the power but the quality of life features like Quick Resume and, as long as there is a 60fps mode, I'm satisfied. It's not like Xbox One X that although excellent hardware, was still struggling because of the CPU.

However, I'm sorry to tell you that you're wrong again about them referring to PS exclusively. There is very interesting information about the next Xbox in the court documents that describe Microsoft's next hardware as a hybrid platform using the power of the client and the cloud, with potential handheld devices for cloud gaming. Furthermore, they show the roadmap for the first dev kits to arrive in 2027.

details about the hardware design revealing plans to begin in 2024, the first dev kits to arrive in 2027

https://www.techradar.com/gaming/xbox/next-xbox-console-targeting-2028-release-according-to-microsoft-court-documents

Of course, plans change, but in the same documents it is revealed that Microsoft knew that Sony was releasing a PS5 Pro in 2024, so that wouldn't be the reason for the plans to change.

This is one we will probably have to file under wait and see. @Banjo-.

I think that the plans you speak of refer to the mid-generation refresh, with the full NeXtBoX to release in 2028. I then think that Spencer and co. did indeed change to the plans; scrapping the mid-generation refresh, and thus necessitating bringing forward the NeXtBoX to 2026 because not doing so would allow Sony to have the most powerful console title for 4 years, and that would be terrible for the Xbox brand, which is already struggling as we know so well.

My money remains on 2026, and I think that is exactly what Xbox needs, because if they do what they usually do, and release the next generation Xbox at the same time as the next generation PlayStation, they will be utterly trounced, and that will kill off the Xbox console stone dead. There simply wouldn't be another Xbox console after the next one (there may not be one anyway, but releasing at the same time as the PS6 would effectively be suicide for the brand).

Microsoft need to have that 2 year head start on the PS6 if they are to be in with even the remotest possibility of competing with Sony...

@Fiendish-Beaver No, the plans are describing the next generation, "a next generation hybrid game platform" with "the first dev kits to arrive in 2027." It's not a mid-gen upgrade. They revealed that they knew about PS5 Pro and that they had no mid-gen plans. This is how it has been reported everywhere because it's what the court documents say.

Again, though, @Banjo-, I come back to that infamous 'plans change' statement. The FTC case received these documents in 2021/2022. They are old documents that state intent at that time. We all know that in many ways this generation has been a disaster for Xbox, and therefore it follows that they have been forced to change their plans if they are to remain competitive. Indeed, even with regards to the handheld, we have seen that mooted as being released next year (though I actually think it will effectively be substituting for the S and will release alongside the NeXtBoX in 2026).

Microsoft cannot sit back and watch the next 4 years pass by whilst Sony hoovers up gamers new to the market, and those disillusioned with Xbox and choosing the PS5 or the Pro over Xbox, because that is a dead cert way to fail in 2028 with their NeXtBoX.

Mark my words, it'll be 2026. It has to be for the brand to survive...

@OldGamer999 yeah, I have my PS5 and bought a Steam Deck. I really have absolutely no reason to keep my Xbox anymore other than not wanting to let go of all that history and my back compat backlog.

@JokerBoy322
I let it go as I almost game forward with new games.
Nostalgia never really works on me, sounds good but never the same in practice.

@Banjo-
I did hear 2028 from an article the other day.
It’s the same with the handheld everyone thought very soon.
Then the other day I think Phil said it’s far away a few years away.

The company I think pushing hardware quick is Sony as it suits their business model.
I think Microsoft will go through many meetings and decisions before releasing any more hardware.
And Nintendo, well they are so late with Switch 2, I have forgotten what Nintendo do do 🤣

Well if they want to call PC an Xbox they need to back that up with action, not just words. I want my entire XSX digital library of games to be playable on PC and cross save too. The small fraction of games that currently carry over via Play Anywhere is simply not good enough. Now I don’t expect this to actually happen in 2025, rather I just want them to reassure fans via official statement that they are committed to working towards this eventuality. Then no matter the ultimate fate of Xbox consoles at least we would know that our digital libraries are safe and will always carry forwards to future hardware.

@OldGamer999 Yes, the plans until last year were those, but like I said plans may change and there is no definitive date yet. However, Xbox is doing better than ever in terms of revenue and the engagement and the amount of subscribers on console is very high. I don't think that Microsoft needs to rush their hardware plans. There are twice as many PS5 than Series X|S, but only 6.8% of the digital sales on PS5 were first-party in the last quarter. That is a very small amount. PS is still a "casual" console for Call of Duty, as we have seen this month. Nobody cares about PS exclusives except the die-hard fans, the rest is playing Call of Duty, Minecraft and Fortnite. Same on Xbox, but Microsoft owns Call of Duty and Minecraft now.

In any case, even if it's for selling third-party games, subscriptions and DLC, the two consoles are lucrative even though the market is more limited than the mobile and PC markets. Microsoft and Sony earn money via consoles and they won't stop doing so, but it's likely that consoles become a different thing soon.

Like it was leaked and I posted above, the plans are a hybrid platform that uses the power of the client (console) and the cloud, with a possible handheld for cloud gaming. Nintendo has also evolved. They used to have a home and a handheld console at the same time, now they have a hybrid console.

Nintendo is fascinating. They went in the same generation from their biggest failure besides Virtual Boy that I ignore because it wasn't released here to one of the most successful consoles ever. Who knows what's next, but one thing is certain, Switch found a hybrid console gaming niche that is now much busier than in 2017.

@JokerBoy322 Maybe keep your Series X so you don't have to deal with the nonsense that is Sony and it's ecosystem, that allows your games to just disappear and oh well thanks for the money.

@ZYDIO fair point, however im not sure xbox will even exist in 2 years anymore... especially when Microsoft is so drunk, that they claim "Everything is an Xbox"... even my toaster. Idk... sounds dumb as hell to me and I have no faith in that future.

@JokerBoy322 Tell me about it, as I'm sitting here writing this comment, my dog walks by and he has a sweater on that says, "This is an Xbox". So I guess my dog is now an Xbox. That's cool though, I always wanted an Xbox that follows me around everywhere I go. I think instead of Microsoft claiming everything is an Xbox, they should have stated that everything can utilize the Xbox ecosystem. Maybe by somehow coming up with a slogan that emphasizes and acknowledges how everything is becoming digital and you can access your digital games in more places on more devices and more platforms than other ecosystems. I think what they're trying to do and not doing it correctly, is to convert Xbox into an ecosystem instead of a platform. They could pull it off, they just need to let people know that when you buy a game on the Xbox marketplace, no matter what device you're using, that purchase will follow you everywhere that there is an Xbox app or hardware. That's a huge selling point for a lot of people because it would build confidence in their purchase because they know that game will follow them between devices of different brands and different generations. That's one of the main reasons I have invested in the Xbox ecosystem.

It wont happen but I would like to see:

Crash Bandicoot 5
Xbox native handheld
Banjo-Threeie
Split screen co op campaing for Halo Infinite