CrossfireX has been a highly-anticipated release on Xbox Game Pass for a long time now, but unfortunately it looks like it's got off to a very poor start — at least according to people who have played it in the first few hours.
The game went live at midnight GMT last night (with no reviews released prior to launch whatsoever), and players immediately took to social media and the game's Reddit community to share their disappointment with the game:
We should point out that there are pockets of players who are also saying they're enjoying the game, but the general consensus so far seems to be that it's lacking content and has been rushed out the gate with poor controls.
Most of these reports seem to be for the free-to-play multiplayer component of CrossfireX, so it remains to be seen how the single-player campaign (developed by Remedy Entertainment) fares. We saw a few previews of it prior to launch which were hit-and-miss about its quality, so it'll be interesting to see the kind of reception it gets now.
Don't forget that you can try 1 of the 2 campaigns with Xbox Game Pass at no extra charge — "Operation Catalyst".
Have you played CrossfireX on Xbox yet? How are you finding it? Let us know in the comments below.
[source reddit.com]
Comments 44
Come on Xbox let’s have some AAA top end games on game pass in 2022, this service is getting full of old and junk games, just as I feared.
We can almost right off 2022 for big AAA game pass releases, oh well bring on 2023.
Probably why even the mighty series x is still available in some stores at Game and Smyths toys since releasing stock yesterday morning.
Top exclusives sell consoles and gamepass, even though the attachment rates seem low.
@Dezzy70 Starfield is set to be 2022, and that's about as big an AAA release as you can get given how well that team's last game sold...
@Medic_Alert Think the multiplayer was another company - Remedy have just been brought in to do the campaign.
Will be interested to see what people make of the campaign - I'd assume aiming issues etc. would still be there from the multiplayer, but unsure given it almost seems like two separate games...
If the campaign part gets positive feedback I'll give it a go - didn't have much interest in the multiplayer anyway
@Widey85
Well when we get Starfield and see it’s AAA quality which I hope is amazing I will then smile and enjoy.
But that’s one game at the end of 2022 if it releases and lives up to expectations.
I tried this last night only played 3 games it's not great and the controls are weird and a bit unresponsive at times. I'm only interested in the campaign and there's no way to install it.
This comes as no surprise sadly. All the warning signs were there.
@Dezzy70 To be fair Starfield isn’t the only highly anticipated gamepass game due this year…there’s also stalker 2 for certain. Scorn will no doubt finally show. Redfall should be coming out. New Forza is a pretty safe bet.
And you’d have to assume the next cod will hit gamepass day 1?
Then there’s all the games we don’t yet know about
Gamepass is pretty dope, but it sure does get a lot of trash too
@Bleachedsmiles I would have assumed that COD won't hit gamepass until the deal completes, around mid 2023. I would agree that this year doesn't look as strong as last year for XBox, unless MS has something big up their sleeves...
Well the only game on my list for xbox this year was Starfield anyway. Need something short to hold me over til Forbidden West next week.
I anticipate MS leaning into some first party third party offerings this year to keep Gamepass ticking over, as this looks to be a strong year for PS. Maybe even doing a deal with Ubisoft to include their streaming service, like they've done with EA
@Dezzy70 what is with people’s obsession with AAA games? There is a lot lot more to this hobby than blockbuster games.
@Bleachedsmiles
When we see them for real and get confirmed release dates with real gameplay etc.
I will then jump for joy if they are top end.
@k3lt0n
Well for me it’s I love a top end game AAA.
It’s the the whole package that a top end AAA game delivers, say like FH5, Mario Odyssey and HFW.
I get drawn in to the world and beautiful environments the quality of the game, the perfection in movement and control and gameplay.
It’s like everything has been thought about and almost perfected.
@Dezzy70 To have 'top quality' games in Game Pass on Day1, they need great games releasing that month - part of the reason that MS has been on a massive expansion programme.
If they haven't got a game to release from either their own First Party studio's or their Xbox Publishing deals, they have to 'negotiate' with outside Publishers to try and get them to put their 'big' new release into a 'Free to Play' Subscription service which would really affect their 'sales', Sales bonus targets etc.
I can understand why Outriders, R6: Extinction, B4B, MLB21 and CrossfireX perhaps were more open to 'Game Pass', All 'new' IP's (at least on Xbox), not too much excitement/interest so not many pre-orders, and/or have co-op/MP so benefit more from 'high' player count and if friends are playing, may help 'sell' more too - in other words, has more benefits to the 'Publisher' than relying on 'just' sales.
Looking at the Games releasing this month, DL2 & Elden Ring are perhaps the biggest Xbox releases this month and 'both' have been highly anticipated and will 'sell' so the Publisher isn't going to be so willing to negotiate with MS to have those in a Subscription service. Grid Legends will end up in EA Play too so it really leaves little choice for MS this month.
CrossfireX has been 'massive' and with a 'big' name Studio behind the campaign, this could of been a great addition to Game Pass if it lived up to that potential but really, its perhaps the 'biggest' name in gaming this month. CrossFire is one of the most played video game worldwide, with 6 million concurrent users and 1 billion registered players in February 2020, according to developer Smilegate...
I know that people have 'different' tastes etc, but I do think its been 'difficult' to offer anything 'better' as a Day1 release when the Day1 releases haven't been to your taste and/or not living up to their potential.
We know April will have MLB22, October has Scorn, November Starfield, December Stalker 2 etc assuming they don't slip, and I expect Forza Motorsport (sept/Oct?), Redfall, A Plague Tale, Warhammer: Darktide etc as well as possibly Contraband, Hellblade, Avowed, Perfect Dark, Fable, State of Decay 3, Outer Worlds 2, Everwild etc at some point in the next year or two - as well as all the other 'new' and 'older' games that will be available.
No early review copies is always a red flag. Maybe if it's a game where massive public presence is required then that's tricky (though that's what open betas are for), but if it's single player that always says to me they have something to hide. The GTA re-masters did the same thing.
I was interested in the Team Deathmatch, so I played a round on the cargo ship and it was the most awful map in recent memory. Tiny and linear and there was already a dude on the other team with a minigun that was absolutely shredding everyone. I was completely underwhelmed by it, but I figured "eh, maybe it's just a bad map, I'll try a different one." But I couldn't figure out how to try a different one. It just said Cargo Ship, and I wasn't gonna play that crap again.
It's unfortunate, but honestly I had pretty low hopes for a F2P shooter. Most of them are pay to win garbage, and this doesn't look to be any different.
I really do hope the MS Activision deal goes through, because then all the old COD's might get put on Game Pass and that will reinvigorate their respective online communities and I might get to play some of the oldies-but-goodies again.
It was fine. Reminded me of free fps games from the 2000s. It’s not great but it’s a budget shooter. I don’t know how much I’ll play it. Digging into Olli Olli World and ESO.
@Dezzy70 Besides Starfield and Stalker, we also already know about MLB 22, which is a AAA game made by an rival console maker nonetheless. And these are just the ones we know about. Way too early to “write off” 2022 for AAA games on GamePass.
Heck, I’ve been happy with a lot of the indies already released as well like Dreamscaper and the brilliant Nobody Saves the World.
BTW, I don’t think this was EVER considered a AAA game. It’s a F2P game with two $10 campaigns. About as AA as you can be.
@Dezzy70 Indy games also have beautiful environments, the quality of the game, the perfection in movement and control and gameplay. In fact I would say indies frequently have the best gameplay and controls.
@Dezzy70 ??? Read the list my friend. Starfield, Redfall, Stalker 2, Plague Tale Requiem, Sniper Elite 5, Deathloop, Atomic Heart, Crusader Kings 3, MLB the show 22, Warhammer 40k Darktide. The hitman trilogy just released. As did mass effect legendary edition. We have no idea what new deals are in the works for the rest of the year or what will be shown @ E3 and its literally the beginning of February.
Maybe not go bemoaning the selection before actually seeing it first.
Removed - unconstructive
@Aizen82
When we see them for real and they are top end AAA and confirmed release dates, like I said I will smile.
Just a paper list at the minute.
@Dezzy70 huh? We've seen footage of deathloop, Stalker 2, Atomic Heart, Crusader Kings 3 and MLB the show 22. And they all have release dates. Thats not a paper list my friend.
I haven't tried the campaign yet but won't rag all over Remedy until I do as they have nothing to do with the multiplayer side. That said, I found multiplayer to be rather fun but the (minor) control issues and lack of maps in "modern" mode are a bad look. Classic mode MP is just plain weird. Why can't I zoom in to aim before shooting?
Still, it was a fun hour to kill with it before dinner last night.
@Dezzy70 Of course, nearly everyone loves top end AAA. The point is that there is plenty of great AA and Indie games - that are often better than the AAA games. Not everything needs to be AAA.
@Dezzy70
We're only 2 weeks into February and we've already had Rainbow Six: Extraction day one, the Hitman Trilogy and Mass Effect: Legendary Edition.
I think you're expectations are way too high if you aren't happy with that. LOL
@Aizen82
I don't think Crusader Kings and Warhammer are triple A. The rest look like they could be potentially good.
@Dezzy70 I think you just want a goty level AAA game and not just an AAA game.
I can be sure that Plague Tale 2 will be good. The first one was.
Atomic Heart and Stalker 2 look Triple A to me.
Don't expect for them to be on Horizon's or Resident Evil's level if that's what you're expecting. Maybe Starfield is, but I get you.
Already uninstalled.
The controls ain't great and it feels a bit buggy.
Somewhat of a joyless experience.
Pretty surprised and disappointed at MS putting this on gamepass (and I now understand the relative lack of fanfare around it's release).
Back to Halo for me.
This looks and sounds like an absolute turd. I’m slightly interested in the single player since it’s Remedy but even then I’m not optimistic.
@Fenbops Looking at the IGN's preview, it doesn't look good either.
I was expecting this month to be big, but it seems It's just Horizon and Elden Ring.
Is anyone surprised by this at all? Did anyone ever treat this game as more than a fly by night shovelware release? Ever?
Maybe the Remedy campaign is better, but if they were given junk to work with there's only so much they can do with it.
Yep it’s pretty garbage
I say this often and I'm really serious. Microsoft really needs to remaster or reboot the Shadowrun FPS. That game was freaking incredible! Played insane amount of hours with that game on the 360.
@Dezzy70 To be fair with so much coming out on PS5 this year I'll probably let my GP subscription expire for 2022, play PS then jump back on GP for 2023 - or once Starfield releases. It's the best positive spin I can put on it really.
It's how I watch TV as well. Will subscribe to one or two then move between them once enough new stuff has built up. Feel like GP will be the same for a lot of people.
@NEStalgia I was excited initially. The first trailer was great, it was developed by Remedy, initially being published by Microsoft and seemed intended to be a launching board for the Crossfire multiplayer. (It’s the biggest game in the world, yet no one in the west knows it). I thought there was a chance it might at least be OK.
But then we heard virtually nothing, even up to release, Microsoft seemingly dropped publishing it, the release model changed and there were no early reviews etc etc. All big warning signs.
So not surprised now, but I did hold hopes at one point. I mean how many really bad games have Remedy actually made?
It seems Halo Infinite is better than people thought when you try another FPS it just can't cut it next to the monster of FPS control HALO
Another Xbox 3rd party ruining the brand. What a surprise
@GuyinPA75 such an underrated game that was ahead of its time
@Dezzy70 It’s quite an underwhelming year for me regarding GamePass as well. I’m trying to still play Halo despite the embarrassingly bad matchmaking system. Starfield “looks” good and I know I’ll enjoy Plague Tale but beyond that…
@Odium Omg yes. Also in my opinion the best balanced shooter game made, even in today's games. Perfect mix of balance, skill, planning, weapon choice vs situation, being cerebral, etc. Honestly I could go on for hours about Shadowrun FPS. Lot people played for month or so, then...Halo 3 was released. Ripped players away. Made me so sad.
IP rights have changed hands once or twice. But way Microsoft been going not surprised if couldn't pick it up again. Can't be too expensive. If done well it would be an incredible first party game again especially in today's copy paste FPS landscape. Heck even a complete remaster/modernized of original game be amazing.
That game would be enough for me to break my, never ever preorder a game rule. Microsoft make it happen.
@themightyant Even the multiplayer is kind of a weird standing. Crossfire was huge, but huge mostly in just Asia and primarily just China and it's home turf of SK. But that was almost 15 years ago, and it's hung on primarily in just CN, which makes sense with a lack of competition. It's pretty much a retro shooter by most other locale's standards. And the "X" update is janky polish on an ancient game.
I don't "get" the modern shooters, really, so this is probably more sensible to me than CoD and certainly Fortnite, but it was always obvious it wasn't going to be that impressive just due to its underlying age. It's technically been "in the west" for over a decade, the NA servers have been running. But it just never caught on. I think most people that really want to play a retro shooter already have one with nostalgia attached to play.
@Dezzy70
I completely get what you're saying about triple A. However, there are some indies out there which will surprise and delight... I unexpectedly got a lot of joy from playing Lake on gamepass recently (great if you are in the mood for something very chill 👍).
@GuyinPA75 that one would be one of the few games I’d be willing to play online again. I’m not much of a multiplayer guy, but like you said, that game was such a great balance of many aspects that make it so fun. There’s many games where it’s if you have the best gear you’ll likely win, but that game always felt more about the skill than anything else. I would absolutely pick it up if Microsoft brought it back.
I also felt it was a truly unique game, not just for the time, but even modern days I haven’t played anything like it.
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