@OldGamer999 Microsoft wanted developers to code smarter.
Sony didn't change anything, just gave developers more power to do the same.
On one hand, PS5 was great for developers because they could continue to do what they always had been doing to get the best results and faster.
On the other hand, it does nothing to address issues with game engines or really progress game development much beyond the PS4 era. Developers just keep doing the same old thing.
Unfortunately, most developers aren't really given any time to adapt to new techniques due to publisher demands. Developers couldn't spend time optimizing for the split-memory pool of the Series consoles.
Having the Series S requirement also means having to consider more constrained hardware - so, for the sake of time, developers really just take a "nuclear option" for that console and cut things down probably more than necessary and cap games at 30fps.
Quite honestly, the PS5 being the lead platform has stagnated a lot more than just Series consoles. All these "bad ports" on PC are a result of publishers/developers focusing so much on PlayStation and not enough time on other platforms.
The thing is, when a developer is given time, good things happen across the industry.
Baldur's Gate 3 is probably the "best" example of where having more challenging hardware can lead to a better code game. All the work the developers did to optimize for Series S led to huge memory savings for the game that provided boosts to all platforms.
It'll be interesting to see if the Series S development for Black Myth Wukong will lead to any improvements to the PS5/Series X version.
I'm not knocking Sony for this: it wasn't trying to make things more difficult for developers. That's a huge win for the platform from a publisher perspective. It's just that a side effect of this meant less progress in actual game engines aside from shinier coats of paint.
It'll be interesting to see if Microsoft will continue down the path of trying to make developers work "smarter" or if it will go back to a more "traditional" configuration with the next hardware.
@jesse_dylan Oh, I am all about no hand-holding - I have been gaming since like...1986 - but the game design of the older Elder Scrolls game is just frustrating as hell and not fun for me.
I gave both Arena and Daggerfall a fair shake multiple times, but I kept losing interest in the intro dungeon the game drops you in.
But, I also know classic RPG games like these also relied on having the game manual, reference cards, and any supplemental documents that came with the game in front of you in order to enjoy the game proper.
Sadly, except for GOG versions - which provides those as PDF downloads - those documents just aren't available.
I will say, I never really liked the dungeon-crawler genre, so there is already a bias against both games. I was more partial to platformers, actions games, point-and-click adventure games, real-time strategy, and FPS games from the time.
If any of the Elder Scrolls deserves a remake it's Arena - yeesh!
At least Daggerfall has the community-based Unity project that brings it more in-line with modern games. The first one is stuck in a time capsule.
Plus, you can at least configure the original Daggerfall controls to have a more "modern" control scheme (it's not perfect, but significantly better than Arena).
Thanks goodness! That DLSS bug was getting really annoying to deal with when combined with using the Full RT option.
The game is still incredibly weird when it comes to VRAM usage as I have had it slightly spill over my VRAM on one game load only to be just fine upon restarting. It's hasn't been as common of an issue as the DLSS bug, though.
Yes, let's talk about Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey.
I think they are long overdue for a re-release.
Sure, they still work via backwards compatibility, but I do think it should get an official release on PC, Series X|S, PS5, and Switch - even if the only thing done is to run the games at 4K/60 on current gen consoles.
Cool if it happens, though, I don't think the game itself reviewed too well.
I am all about games reaching more people - even if it isn't the largest of audiences.
I do wonder how Xbox gamers would react to the PSN login requirement, though (as I am sure if Sony ported any game to Xbox, it would still force them to make a PSN account just like it does on PC).
This is why I got rid of my Series X when I got my gaming PC. Sure, I have a few games I'd have to rebuy on PC if the desire to replay a game ever hits (whenever they go on a deep discount, that is), but I don't regret my decision one bit!
The real kicker, I could feasibly get rid of my PS5, too! Pretty much every Sony game I am interested in (other than Astro Bot and Demon's Souls) I can or will have [official] access to on PC. I bet, if I wait a year, I can get Ghost of Yotei on PC.
For the games that aren't officially available...well...there are answers to that on PC as well.
@themightyant Ah, nice find! I forgot about Minecraft Dungeons...I mean, I don't follow Minecraft one bit - except when I downloaded it after I got my new gaming PC so I could see how it ran with Path Tracing - so, it's certainly not something that would have come to mind right away.
Looking at the release history of Xbox Game Studios games and the history of Mojang, it's possible that Minecraft Vita Edition was the first "Xbox game" to come to PlayStation.
Microsoft announced its agreement to buy Mojang in September 2014, and Minecraft Vita Edition was release in October 2014.
It's a stretch as I bet the ink probably didn't even dry by then.
However, in November 2016, the Minecraft Bedrock Edition is the next instance where PlayStation is mentioned in the Xbox Game Studios list of games with its release across various platforms.
So..Minecraft was the gateway to multi-platform for Microsoft.
@awp69 @RamiBalek I think the honor goes to Psychonauts 2 - well..it wasn't native PS5, but it did have PS5 features via enhancements to the PS4 version when running in backwards compatibility.
Having a PC with a 165Hz monitor, I finally appreciate high frame rate.
Visually, I couldn't tell you if a game was running at 60 or 120fps, but the near-instant input response is wonderful - especially for games where timing is critical.
No one should be surprised or upset by this. Ensuring the game works great on your platform(s) first should be the priority before porting games to other platforms (where applicable).
Why should he even have to explain himself about the gap in release?! It's a game made by a Microsoft studio being prioritized for Microsoft platforms.
@Medic_alert It’s taken me a little bit to get used to the gameplay as well.
The nice thing, though, is that, if you are only facing one person in area, there is no penalty for running up and dishing out the pain if you want a little more action.
It’s not like alerting an isolated person suddenly brings down every enemy on top of you.
I got tired of sneaking around at times and just ran up and beat an enemy or two down with whip, bottles, and punches.
But, I also haven’t seemed to fight any enemies with guns, yet.
@Medic_alert You don't have to come out of a crouch for a Stealth Kill.
That being said, I do feel like there should be an option to enable some kind of a cursor change indicating that a Stealth Kill will happen.
I can understand those who want to use Indy's hand motion as an indicator for immersive purposes (he draws back the weapon in his hand if you didn't notice), but I can see where that may not be enough of an indicator (especially in dark rooms)
A few things I noticed with the Game Pass version on PC:
No Exclusive Fullscreen option. Seriously? I believe the Steam version does have the option. This doesn't seem like a huge deal, but Exclusive Fullscreen boosts performance over Borderless Window.
Frame Gen is broken. It literally does nothing.
This game does really, really weird stuff if you don't have the proper settings and you are trying to test out Path Tracing.
I don't mean in the "Hey I have this cranked up too high I better turn it down", I mean in a "Wow the game was just running at 53fps, but I switch to 1080p from 1440p to see how much of an impact it has and now it's running at 23fps."
Or turning off Vsync suddenly causes the game to drop frames and stutter because VRAM allocation suddenly spiked.
Or leaving the framerate limiter to 1000fps causes performance issues because, VRAM allocation spiked.
I was finally able to get this game running using full Path Tracing using a 4070 Super at around 60+fps (sometimes dips to like 53, but I have a G-Sync display, so it feels fine), but I had to do some incredibly weird stuff in order to get to it:
I had to leave V-sync set to Adaptive (I have V-sync already set at the driver level, so this is incredibly redundant)
I had to lower the Frame Limiter from 1000fps down to 165 (to match my monitors display).
I have to keep Frame Generation off (because even though it does nothing, VRAM still gets a slight bump). Having this enabled, though, also turns off VSync...which...seems to be required to be enabled for good performance for some weird reason.
The game also does weird thing with VRAM where I have had the same settings fluctuate depending on if I restart the game or not. Made it difficult to profile the game. EDIT: This may be due to the DLSS bug that's been noted.
The only setting that actually "made sense" was turning down Texture Cache one notch from Supreme to "Very Ultra" (what a name!) because enabling Path Tracing in Supreme Texture Cache at 1440p is just slightly over VRAM budget.
Granted, none of this is an issue if I didn't want to use Path Tracing. Game just runs well above 60 at Supreme settings. It's just that when you start tinkering with Path Tracing that all the weird anomalies were spotted since the settings actually matter in this case.
Other than the weird settings menu behavior, this game is solid! I am loving it!
UPDATE: Turns out all these configuring problems I was having were all related to the DLSS bug that is noted in the patch notes. I have now been able to play game at Supreme Settings, Vsync Off, and Full Path tracing at 1440p output with DLSS Set to Balanced (a little over 800p native). Frame Gen is, however, broken. The game still runs above 60fps even in "taxing" areas, so I am not too fussed if it doesn't work.
@Bigmanfan According to Digital Foundry, VRAM. If you crank the game's Texture Cache too high for your GPU you can really mess up the game. I think Shadows also ramps up the VRAM usage too.
Otherwise, the rest of the game's settings can be cranked as high as they can go without penalty.
Since the Series S already uses pretty low textures compared to other platforms, it's light on VRAM.
If you have at least a 12GB GPU, you can crank the game to it's highest at 1440p, but need to drop Texture Cache down a notch if you want 4K.
8GB you will need to drop both Texture Cache and Shadows and 1080p seems to be the sweet spot.
NOTE: These settings may change dramatically when Path Tracing is introduced to the game on release day.
@smoreon Completely agree! I mean, I have never heard of the last 2 games Nightdive did, but I have them on a wishlist now and keep visibility on them.
They would have been completely lost to time had Nightdive not stepped in.
661 hours for the year?! Wow, Phil really loves his gaming!
I don't even know if I have had close to 661 hours of gaming this year across Xbox, PC, Switch, and PlayStation.
I just checked my Year in Review, and I can definitely tell that my Xbox gaming habits shrunk significantly in 2024.
It was a pretty PS5-heavy year for me, and I got rid of my Series X a couple months ago when I got a PC.
When a game that dropped on Game Pass only a few days ago shows up in the Top 5 (Nine Sols), you know it's been a light year on Xbox!
I had 152 hours for Xbox (71 hours on console and 81 hours on PC).
I am in Top 20% for time played Top 3% for Gamescore Top 2% for Achievements Earned
Top 10 games for me: Vampire Survivors Resident Evil 4 Lords of the Fallen Alone in the Dark Nine Sols Hellblade II Final Fantasy XIV (sheesh, really?) Still Wakes the Deep Alan Wake II Doom 3
2025 probably won't be anything to note because I only use the Xbox App for Game Pass games, and I use Steam, GOG, and Epic for everything else.
Nightdive really just found it's niche bringing back old games because someone at the studio liked the game - rather than worrying so much about review scores.
I mean, it's done some pretty...obscure titles...yet, NIghtdive carries on!
I am sure getting things like getting Doom 1 & 2, Star Wars Dark Forces Remastered, and System Shock offsets the "questionable" games it chooses to modernize.
I am glad Nightdive exists, even if some of its output is more of a curio than a masterpiece.
If any lesson is to be learned from this, it's to ensure the game is solid out of the gate rather than continue this trend of release now and patch later.
Now, I will give this developer a little leeway. It's had to deal with tanks and bombs outside their homes, move studio operations to a whole new country, lose teammates to war, etc.
It's essentially had a troubled development for reasons outside of its control.
I'd say they did the best they could under the circumstances and perhaps couldn't afford to delay the game any longer after already delaying the game multiple times.
Perhaps the developer felt that it would have the day 0 patch ready before review time, but missed the mark.
It does seem like the community is also more forgiving than the reviewers because they got to play a game that, while still "rough around the edges" was much more playable than what reviewers had access to - it was enough to get the game 1 million sales in 2 days.
The good thing is, the game isn't going anywhere. On PC it can be played indefinitely. And as long as consoles makers continue to support backwards compatibility from here on out, it can be played indefinitely there, too.
@Banjo- It doesn't matter if Nintendo is considered competition or not, what matters is whether Sony put wording in the contract that says "anything but Xbox" or not. Are Switch ports on the table (despite being incredibly unlikely)?
Sony could very well have had a blanket "home console exclusive" agreement excluding any and all closed ecosystem home consoles that may exist out there - no matter who made it (are there any other closed system consoles beyond PlayStation out there other than Switch and Xbox??).
The wording is the important part we don't know.
There are plenty of games out there that release on PC, Switch, and PlayStation that don't get released on Xbox. So, if there are these exclusionary practices going on to directly target Microsoft, they need to be brought to light - with actual documentation stating as such.
Just because Phil feels like Sony is discriminating against Xbox by paying for console exclusivity, doesn't mean the contract actually states that only Xbox is being discriminated against - Nintendo could also be excluded in that contract.
That changes the term from "Exclusion Deal" to "Console Exclusive Deal" in my book.
@Banjo- Without seeing the documents, though, do we really know if it's written in the language to single out Xbox?
I mean, sure, we know they are only on Sony's console and can release on PC. But are Switch ports on the table (assuming the companies want to try to port the game to the console)?
The problem with these articles is that there is no link to the evidence pointing to that exact language saying where Xbox itself is excluded. I would think these documents are public record.
If it's just language that says the games are to only be released on Sony console and mobile/PC, then, while it sucks, is more of a normal exclusivity deal.
Phil Spencer can claim that Xbox is getting unfair treatment, but what we don't know is if Nintendo is also getting the unfair treatment.
I'm not saying you are wrong and the others are right. I just want to see the actual evidence, not just Phil's interpretation of the evidence.
I think the issue is that we actually don't know if Xbox is specifically singled out of the deals Sony made.
What we do know is that there are games Sony has made deals with that also released on PC, but not Xbox. But what we don't know is if Xbox is specifically mentioned in the language or if it's just other consoles all together.
It's possible that Nintendo is excluded as well, and Sony proposed a "console exclusivity" deal.
But if Xbox is specifically named in these deals, that isn't normal - and, honestly, I have no idea how that's something that would even fly with regulatory committees.
It's one thing to pay a third-party to make a game for your console and only your console or to have a set window where said game is available everywhere after the agreed amount of exclusivity time expires.
It's a whole other thing to pay to have a timed exclusive to your console and allow all but your direct competitor to get the game when that window expires.
It's sad when I have to put "NOTE: joke" if I ever make a joke about something some may disagree with just to get my point across that I am just being silly before having my head ripped off.
Maybe these studios like being COD factories, but I am kind of sad that the Microsoft acquisition didn't open up opportunities for these studios to work on something new and different.
I honestly don't expect Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy to be on Xbox until after at least 1 year after the final game is released.
Something tells me that, while FF7R trilogy can be released on PC, Sony put a deal in place that none of the games in the series can release on another console until after the trilogy is complete on PlayStation.
@NEStalgia I do wonder why a lot of publishers skip Microsoft Store on PC. I get why GOG would be skipped as games 100% have to be DRM-free (and some publishers probably don't want that for modern games).
But I would think Microsoft Store would be a publishers dream since games are so tightly controlled on that side.
Maybe a Game Pass requirement as most modern games that release on Microsoft Store also released on Game Pass at one point?
Maybe Microsoft takes more of a cut than the other store fronts?
Maybe a more strict certification check on Microsoft Store?
I can't imagine the API for Achievements and stuff would be anymore more or less difficult than the Xbox version of a game, so I can't imagine that would be an issue - or maybe it is?
@Dalamar73 I have debated using GOG more than Steam, but the DRM-free requirement seems like a deterrent for a lot of publishers and the games I want aren't listed there.
The only games I have actually bought on GOG are some classic point-and-click adventure games, Warcraft 1 & 2, Diablo, The Witcher 2, and Cyberpunk 2077. I get a ton of free games for GOG off Prime Gaming and other various giveaways (I got The Witcher and the Witcher 3 for free somehow, but don't remember the specifics).
I really should consider GOG more, though, as it really is the only platform where you have some semblance of "full ownership" of your games (assuming you want to store the offline installers somewhere, that is).
@PsBoxSwitchOwner "Because if PC are buying it, they haven’t moved over to PC gamepass, why?"
Because PC gamers hate Windows Store versions of games - plain and simple. They would rather be able to buy it on Steam than use the Microsoft Store version that is essentially a completely locked up version of the game (i.e. unless the game has official Mod support built into the game, you can't touch any of the game files).
Now, if Microsoft were able to cut a deal with Steam where users could link Game Pass subscriptions and download Steam versions, I bet that would boost GP subs on PC - but it would also cannibalize Steam sales (so the deal would need to be massive).
I uninstalled this. I mostly just wanted to see how it ran on my PC. It ran pretty good (almost always above 75fps) barring the instant dip in performance in cities.
I didn't encounter any bugs (but I only played for an hour). I do agree that the invisible enemies are a giant pain in the butt. Not only are they hard to hit, but they are also bullet sponges.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games just aren't for me, though. It's a pretty hardcore style game that I don't have the patience to play.
I had the original way back when via a service that no longer exists (Direct2Drive) and my account is long gone - so I don't have access to it anymore. It didn't click with me then, either, so I don't even bother rebuying it.
I do hope that it can button up the rough edges, though, as I know there is an audience out there for it - I'm just not that audience.
@Fishmasterflex96 Microsoft has no control over this game. It is not the publisher. It only had a Game Pass and time exclusivity agreement (and I assume a marketing agreement).
Sure, Microsoft has been a cheerleader for the developer, but the decision to release is up to the publisher...who is also the developer. If the game passes all the proper certification checks for release on Xbox, then there is nothing it can really do to force a delay.
For all we know, the game is already fixed and these reviews aren't based on the patched product. Both this site and Eurogamer are withholding reviews to see if this latest patch irons out a lot the issues - there could be more but these are the only sites I frequent.
A game that was developed with literal war outside their windows and then essentially having to live like refugees in other countries just to have the some semblance of a playable game has some bugs?! Who would have thought?!
I get it, people are tired of games releasing in buggy states. In this case, I think we need to give a little grace and I hope people support the game regardless as the developers went through literal hell to get this out - especially since, judging by the actual text of the lower-scored reviews, the game is fantastic...just buggy.
One could say "delay", but I think the developer probably reached a breaking point to delay even further after delaying...how many times now?
@FraserG Oooooh...I guess I missed that part (probably helps to read the whole article and not just the chart). These Tiers are going to be confusing going forward.
@Ilyn Of course they would, and it would probably force Sony to change its strategy and we'd probably be having this same conversation with the name's reversed.
Neither one are angels.
All of this, though, is going to crumble and the "age of exclusivity" will end. Either because gaming is just too expensive to hoard to one platform (as Square Enix are now seeing) or because a platform exclusivity is getting too big and regulatory boards start to dig in (like we are seeing with Apple).
If Sony acquires FromSoftware, you can bet the games will never reach Xbox ever again. PC, sure. Switch 2 if it's a viable platform to run whatever future games FS makes. But Sony will definitely single out Xbox from releases because that's Sony's strategy.
Bungie was a very different acquisition because Sony's hope was to continue milking that live service cow across all platforms.
The biggest problem is that people praise Sony for putting its platform first - but people need to be careful what they wish for when Sony chokes competition out completely and runs circles around its customers because it can.
Microsoft may be one of the biggest publishers in the world now, but it's not restricting others to be the only publisher in the world.
Comments 2,103
Re: Xbox's 'Top Paid' Backwards Compatible Title Could Be Coming To Game Pass
@Sol76 Just haven't had a Microsoft Store version of the game.
A lot of publishers don't release on Microsoft Store - which is a requirement for a game to be on PC Game Pass.
Activision games only started hitting Microsoft Store after it was acquired by Microsoft.
Capcom games only show up on the service when a game releases on Game Pass PC.
I don't think Bandai Namco releases on Microsoft Store unless the game is/was on Game Pass PC, either.
Microsoft Store is a pariah on PC - which is probably part of the reason why Game Pass PC hasn't been overly successful.
I bet, if Microsoft and Valve came to agreement where Steam versions can be downloaded, it would get more subscriptions.
Re: Xbox Series X|S Architect Officially Named 'VP Of Next-Generation' At Microsoft
@OldGamer999 Microsoft wanted developers to code smarter.
Sony didn't change anything, just gave developers more power to do the same.
On one hand, PS5 was great for developers because they could continue to do what they always had been doing to get the best results and faster.
On the other hand, it does nothing to address issues with game engines or really progress game development much beyond the PS4 era. Developers just keep doing the same old thing.
Unfortunately, most developers aren't really given any time to adapt to new techniques due to publisher demands. Developers couldn't spend time optimizing for the split-memory pool of the Series consoles.
Having the Series S requirement also means having to consider more constrained hardware - so, for the sake of time, developers really just take a "nuclear option" for that console and cut things down probably more than necessary and cap games at 30fps.
Quite honestly, the PS5 being the lead platform has stagnated a lot more than just Series consoles. All these "bad ports" on PC are a result of publishers/developers focusing so much on PlayStation and not enough time on other platforms.
The thing is, when a developer is given time, good things happen across the industry.
Baldur's Gate 3 is probably the "best" example of where having more challenging hardware can lead to a better code game. All the work the developers did to optimize for Series S led to huge memory savings for the game that provided boosts to all platforms.
It'll be interesting to see if the Series S development for Black Myth Wukong will lead to any improvements to the PS5/Series X version.
I'm not knocking Sony for this: it wasn't trying to make things more difficult for developers. That's a huge win for the platform from a publisher perspective. It's just that a side effect of this meant less progress in actual game engines aside from shinier coats of paint.
It'll be interesting to see if Microsoft will continue down the path of trying to make developers work "smarter" or if it will go back to a more "traditional" configuration with the next hardware.
Re: Talking Point: If Developer Direct Returns, Xbox Could Have A Killer 2025 Lineup
I wonder if Doom The Dark Ages will be as VRAM heavy as Indiana Jones - since Indy is built on the latest Id Tech engine.
Re: New Elder Scrolls 'Remake' Announcement Rumour Surfaces Online
@jesse_dylan Oh, I am all about no hand-holding - I have been gaming since like...1986 - but the game design of the older Elder Scrolls game is just frustrating as hell and not fun for me.
I gave both Arena and Daggerfall a fair shake multiple times, but I kept losing interest in the intro dungeon the game drops you in.
But, I also know classic RPG games like these also relied on having the game manual, reference cards, and any supplemental documents that came with the game in front of you in order to enjoy the game proper.
Sadly, except for GOG versions - which provides those as PDF downloads - those documents just aren't available.
I will say, I never really liked the dungeon-crawler genre, so there is already a bias against both games. I was more partial to platformers, actions games, point-and-click adventure games, real-time strategy, and FPS games from the time.
Re: New Elder Scrolls 'Remake' Announcement Rumour Surfaces Online
@jesse_dylan Neither one are very good in my opinion.
I tried both and had no idea how the series even became popular.
I guess, at the time, they were amazing feats of gaming...but looking at it through a modern lens, they are both hot garbage.
Re: New Elder Scrolls 'Remake' Announcement Rumour Surfaces Online
If any of the Elder Scrolls deserves a remake it's Arena - yeesh!
At least Daggerfall has the community-based Unity project that brings it more in-line with modern games. The first one is stuck in a time capsule.
Plus, you can at least configure the original Daggerfall controls to have a more "modern" control scheme (it's not perfect, but significantly better than Arena).
Re: Microsoft CEO: 'We Are Redefining What It Means To Be An Xbox Fan'
@Cakefish Now, now! Don't be so narrow-minded!
GOG exists, too! 😂
Re: Indiana Jones Update 2 Now Live On Xbox, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
Thanks goodness! That DLSS bug was getting really annoying to deal with when combined with using the Full RT option.
The game is still incredibly weird when it comes to VRAM usage as I have had it slightly spill over my VRAM on one game load only to be just fine upon restarting. It's hasn't been as common of an issue as the DLSS bug, though.
But, Full RT or not, this game is just amazing!
Re: Final Fantasy Creator 'Deeply Moved' To Release His New RPG On Xbox
Yes, let's talk about Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey.
I think they are long overdue for a re-release.
Sure, they still work via backwards compatibility, but I do think it should get an official release on PC, Series X|S, PS5, and Switch - even if the only thing done is to run the games at 4K/60 on current gen consoles.
The artwork still holds up pretty well.
Re: Rumour: Sony's LEGO Horizon Adventures Could Be Coming To Xbox
Cool if it happens, though, I don't think the game itself reviewed too well.
I am all about games reaching more people - even if it isn't the largest of audiences.
I do wonder how Xbox gamers would react to the PSN login requirement, though (as I am sure if Sony ported any game to Xbox, it would still force them to make a PSN account just like it does on PC).
Re: Xbox's The Outer Worlds 2 Resurfaces, Coming To Game Pass In 2025
@themightyant Oh, I am not bashing Minecraft one bit. It's huge and keeping it multiplatform just made sense. It's just not my thing.
Re: Yes, The Outer Worlds 2 Is Another Xbox-Developed Game Heading To PS5
This is why I got rid of my Series X when I got my gaming PC. Sure, I have a few games I'd have to rebuy on PC if the desire to replay a game ever hits (whenever they go on a deep discount, that is), but I don't regret my decision one bit!
The real kicker, I could feasibly get rid of my PS5, too! Pretty much every Sony game I am interested in (other than Astro Bot and Demon's Souls) I can or will have [official] access to on PC. I bet, if I wait a year, I can get Ghost of Yotei on PC.
For the games that aren't officially available...well...there are answers to that on PC as well.
Re: Xbox's The Outer Worlds 2 Resurfaces, Coming To Game Pass In 2025
@themightyant Ah, nice find! I forgot about Minecraft Dungeons...I mean, I don't follow Minecraft one bit - except when I downloaded it after I got my new gaming PC so I could see how it ran with Path Tracing - so, it's certainly not something that would have come to mind right away.
Looking at the release history of Xbox Game Studios games and the history of Mojang, it's possible that Minecraft Vita Edition was the first "Xbox game" to come to PlayStation.
Microsoft announced its agreement to buy Mojang in September 2014, and Minecraft Vita Edition was release in October 2014.
It's a stretch as I bet the ink probably didn't even dry by then.
However, in November 2016, the Minecraft Bedrock Edition is the next instance where PlayStation is mentioned in the Xbox Game Studios list of games with its release across various platforms.
So..Minecraft was the gateway to multi-platform for Microsoft.
Re: Xbox's The Outer Worlds 2 Resurfaces, Coming To Game Pass In 2025
@awp69 @RamiBalek I think the honor goes to Psychonauts 2 - well..it wasn't native PS5, but it did have PS5 features via enhancements to the PS4 version when running in backwards compatibility.
Re: Xbox's The Outer Worlds 2 Resurfaces, Coming To Game Pass In 2025
Obsidian is doing Starfield better than Bethesda.
Re: All Xbox Series X|S Games That Support 120FPS
Having a PC with a 165Hz monitor, I finally appreciate high frame rate.
Visually, I couldn't tell you if a game was running at 60 or 120fps, but the near-instant input response is wonderful - especially for games where timing is critical.
Re: Xbox's Matt Booty Talks PS5 Ports, Explains How The Scheduling Works
No one should be surprised or upset by this. Ensuring the game works great on your platform(s) first should be the priority before porting games to other platforms (where applicable).
Why should he even have to explain himself about the gap in release?! It's a game made by a Microsoft studio being prioritized for Microsoft platforms.
Re: Indiana Jones And The Great Circle Is Now Available On Xbox Game Pass (December 9)
@Medic_alert It’s taken me a little bit to get used to the gameplay as well.
The nice thing, though, is that, if you are only facing one person in area, there is no penalty for running up and dishing out the pain if you want a little more action.
It’s not like alerting an isolated person suddenly brings down every enemy on top of you.
I got tired of sneaking around at times and just ran up and beat an enemy or two down with whip, bottles, and punches.
But, I also haven’t seemed to fight any enemies with guns, yet.
Re: Indiana Jones And The Great Circle Is Now Available On Xbox Game Pass (December 9)
@Medic_alert You don't have to come out of a crouch for a Stealth Kill.
That being said, I do feel like there should be an option to enable some kind of a cursor change indicating that a Stealth Kill will happen.
I can understand those who want to use Indy's hand motion as an indicator for immersive purposes (he draws back the weapon in his hand if you didn't notice), but I can see where that may not be enough of an indicator (especially in dark rooms)
Re: Xbox's First Indiana Jones Update Is Now Live, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
A few things I noticed with the Game Pass version on PC:
No Exclusive Fullscreen option. Seriously? I believe the Steam version does have the option. This doesn't seem like a huge deal, but Exclusive Fullscreen boosts performance over Borderless Window.
Frame Gen is broken. It literally does nothing.
This game does really, really weird stuff if you don't have the proper settings and you are trying to test out Path Tracing.
I don't mean in the "Hey I have this cranked up too high I better turn it down", I mean in a "Wow the game was just running at 53fps, but I switch to 1080p from 1440p to see how much of an impact it has and now it's running at 23fps."
Or turning off Vsync suddenly causes the game to drop frames and stutter because VRAM allocation suddenly spiked.
Or leaving the framerate limiter to 1000fps causes performance issues because, VRAM allocation spiked.
I was finally able to get this game running using full Path Tracing using a 4070 Super at around 60+fps (sometimes dips to like 53, but I have a G-Sync display, so it feels fine), but I had to do some incredibly weird stuff in order to get to it:
I had to leave V-sync set to Adaptive (I have V-sync already set at the driver level, so this is incredibly redundant)
I had to lower the Frame Limiter from 1000fps down to 165 (to match my monitors display).
I have to keep Frame Generation off (because even though it does nothing, VRAM still gets a slight bump). Having this enabled, though, also turns off VSync...which...seems to be required to be enabled for good performance for some weird reason.
The game also does weird thing with VRAM where I have had the same settings fluctuate depending on if I restart the game or not. Made it difficult to profile the game. EDIT: This may be due to the DLSS bug that's been noted.
The only setting that actually "made sense" was turning down Texture Cache one notch from Supreme to "Very Ultra" (what a name!) because enabling Path Tracing in Supreme Texture Cache at 1440p is just slightly over VRAM budget.
Granted, none of this is an issue if I didn't want to use Path Tracing. Game just runs well above 60 at Supreme settings. It's just that when you start tinkering with Path Tracing that all the weird anomalies were spotted since the settings actually matter in this case.
Other than the weird settings menu behavior, this game is solid! I am loving it!
UPDATE: Turns out all these configuring problems I was having were all related to the DLSS bug that is noted in the patch notes. I have now been able to play game at Supreme Settings, Vsync Off, and Full Path tracing at 1440p output with DLSS Set to Balanced (a little over 800p native). Frame Gen is, however, broken. The game still runs above 60fps even in "taxing" areas, so I am not too fussed if it doesn't work.
Re: Video: Indiana Jones Comparison Shows Difference Between Xbox Series X And S Versions
@Bigmanfan If you haven’t seen, here is what DF recommends for your setup at 1080p on 8GB:
Medium Texture Cache (Medium Shadow quality and Low Hair quality are also recommended to maintain optimal performance).
Everything else is Max settings.
Re: Video: Indiana Jones Comparison Shows Difference Between Xbox Series X And S Versions
@Bigmanfan According to Digital Foundry, VRAM. If you crank the game's Texture Cache too high for your GPU you can really mess up the game. I think Shadows also ramps up the VRAM usage too.
Otherwise, the rest of the game's settings can be cranked as high as they can go without penalty.
Since the Series S already uses pretty low textures compared to other platforms, it's light on VRAM.
If you have at least a 12GB GPU, you can crank the game to it's highest at 1440p, but need to drop Texture Cache down a notch if you want 4K.
8GB you will need to drop both Texture Cache and Shadows and 1080p seems to be the sweet spot.
NOTE: These settings may change dramatically when Path Tracing is introduced to the game on release day.
Re: The Thing: Remastered Launches On Xbox Following Mixed Initial Reviews
@smoreon Completely agree! I mean, I have never heard of the last 2 games Nightdive did, but I have them on a wishlist now and keep visibility on them.
They would have been completely lost to time had Nightdive not stepped in.
Re: Phil Spencer Shares His Xbox 'Year In Review', And He's Been Very Busy In 2024
661 hours for the year?! Wow, Phil really loves his gaming!
I don't even know if I have had close to 661 hours of gaming this year across Xbox, PC, Switch, and PlayStation.
I just checked my Year in Review, and I can definitely tell that my Xbox gaming habits shrunk significantly in 2024.
It was a pretty PS5-heavy year for me, and I got rid of my Series X a couple months ago when I got a PC.
When a game that dropped on Game Pass only a few days ago shows up in the Top 5 (Nine Sols), you know it's been a light year on Xbox!
I had 152 hours for Xbox (71 hours on console and 81 hours on PC).
I am in Top 20% for time played
Top 3% for Gamescore
Top 2% for Achievements Earned
Top 10 games for me:
Vampire Survivors
Resident Evil 4
Lords of the Fallen
Alone in the Dark
Nine Sols
Hellblade II
Final Fantasy XIV (sheesh, really?)
Still Wakes the Deep
Alan Wake II
Doom 3
2025 probably won't be anything to note because I only use the Xbox App for Game Pass games, and I use Steam, GOG, and Epic for everything else.
Re: The Thing: Remastered Launches On Xbox Following Mixed Initial Reviews
Nightdive really just found it's niche bringing back old games because someone at the studio liked the game - rather than worrying so much about review scores.
I mean, it's done some pretty...obscure titles...yet, NIghtdive carries on!
I am sure getting things like getting Doom 1 & 2, Star Wars Dark Forces Remastered, and System Shock offsets the "questionable" games it chooses to modernize.
I am glad Nightdive exists, even if some of its output is more of a curio than a masterpiece.
Re: As Xbox Expands Its Reach, Former PlayStation Boss Talks About The Viability Of Consoles
"Let's put Nintendo aside for a second, because they live in their Own Private Idaho, where the laws of physics apply in different sorts of ways."
LOL! Spot on!
Re: Stalker 2 Dev Explains Buggy Xbox & PC Launch, Promises To Fix 'A-Life 2.0' System
@oopsiezz Well, you are in the Zone after all. Anomalies everywhere. It's called Immersive Features - not bugs!
Re: Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Congratulates Departing PlayStation Exec On Their 'Amazing Career'
@LogicStrikesAgain Such is always the case as these executives actually have respect for each other despite being competitors professionally.
Re: Stalker 2's Lower Review Scores Are 'Unfair & Misleading', Says Arkane Founder
If any lesson is to be learned from this, it's to ensure the game is solid out of the gate rather than continue this trend of release now and patch later.
Now, I will give this developer a little leeway. It's had to deal with tanks and bombs outside their homes, move studio operations to a whole new country, lose teammates to war, etc.
It's essentially had a troubled development for reasons outside of its control.
I'd say they did the best they could under the circumstances and perhaps couldn't afford to delay the game any longer after already delaying the game multiple times.
Perhaps the developer felt that it would have the day 0 patch ready before review time, but missed the mark.
It does seem like the community is also more forgiving than the reviewers because they got to play a game that, while still "rough around the edges" was much more playable than what reviewers had access to - it was enough to get the game 1 million sales in 2 days.
The good thing is, the game isn't going anywhere. On PC it can be played indefinitely. And as long as consoles makers continue to support backwards compatibility from here on out, it can be played indefinitely there, too.
Re: Indiana Jones And The Great Circle Has 'By Far' MachineGames Longest Runtime On Xbox
[Cue Indiana Jones theme]
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Isn't On Xbox Yet, But The Director Clearly Wants To See It Happen
@Banjo- It doesn't matter if Nintendo is considered competition or not, what matters is whether Sony put wording in the contract that says "anything but Xbox" or not. Are Switch ports on the table (despite being incredibly unlikely)?
Sony could very well have had a blanket "home console exclusive" agreement excluding any and all closed ecosystem home consoles that may exist out there - no matter who made it (are there any other closed system consoles beyond PlayStation out there other than Switch and Xbox??).
The wording is the important part we don't know.
There are plenty of games out there that release on PC, Switch, and PlayStation that don't get released on Xbox. So, if there are these exclusionary practices going on to directly target Microsoft, they need to be brought to light - with actual documentation stating as such.
Just because Phil feels like Sony is discriminating against Xbox by paying for console exclusivity, doesn't mean the contract actually states that only Xbox is being discriminated against - Nintendo could also be excluded in that contract.
That changes the term from "Exclusion Deal" to "Console Exclusive Deal" in my book.
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Isn't On Xbox Yet, But The Director Clearly Wants To See It Happen
@Banjo- Without seeing the documents, though, do we really know if it's written in the language to single out Xbox?
I mean, sure, we know they are only on Sony's console and can release on PC. But are Switch ports on the table (assuming the companies want to try to port the game to the console)?
The problem with these articles is that there is no link to the evidence pointing to that exact language saying where Xbox itself is excluded. I would think these documents are public record.
If it's just language that says the games are to only be released on Sony console and mobile/PC, then, while it sucks, is more of a normal exclusivity deal.
Phil Spencer can claim that Xbox is getting unfair treatment, but what we don't know is if Nintendo is also getting the unfair treatment.
I'm not saying you are wrong and the others are right. I just want to see the actual evidence, not just Phil's interpretation of the evidence.
Re: Cities: Skylines 2 Dev Struggling To Get Xbox Version Running For Game Pass Release
This game has been a total mess. It's a shame because I really like the first game. I guess they got too ambitious with this one.
And anyone saying "Series S holding it back", this game hasn't been right for PC since it released, either.
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Isn't On Xbox Yet, But The Director Clearly Wants To See It Happen
@MeanBeanEgg @TeiGekiLord @Banjo-
I think the issue is that we actually don't know if Xbox is specifically singled out of the deals Sony made.
What we do know is that there are games Sony has made deals with that also released on PC, but not Xbox. But what we don't know is if Xbox is specifically mentioned in the language or if it's just other consoles all together.
It's possible that Nintendo is excluded as well, and Sony proposed a "console exclusivity" deal.
But if Xbox is specifically named in these deals, that isn't normal - and, honestly, I have no idea how that's something that would even fly with regulatory committees.
It's one thing to pay a third-party to make a game for your console and only your console or to have a set window where said game is available everywhere after the agreed amount of exclusivity time expires.
It's a whole other thing to pay to have a timed exclusive to your console and allow all but your direct competitor to get the game when that window expires.
Re: Random: Xbox Employee Causes A Stir With Lighthearted PS5 Pro Joke On Twitter
Humor is a dangerous game these days.
It's sad when I have to put "NOTE: joke" if I ever make a joke about something some may disagree with just to get my point across that I am just being silly before having my head ripped off.
Re: Rumour: Xbox Giving MW3 Developer Four Years To 'Lead' New Call Of Duty Project
Maybe these studios like being COD factories, but I am kind of sad that the Microsoft acquisition didn't open up opportunities for these studios to work on something new and different.
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Isn't On Xbox Yet, But The Director Clearly Wants To See It Happen
I honestly don't expect Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy to be on Xbox until after at least 1 year after the final game is released.
Something tells me that, while FF7R trilogy can be released on PC, Sony put a deal in place that none of the games in the series can release on another console until after the trilogy is complete on PlayStation.
Re: Xbox Game Pass Didn't Hurt Overall Black Ops 6 Sales, Says Analyst
@NEStalgia I do wonder why a lot of publishers skip Microsoft Store on PC. I get why GOG would be skipped as games 100% have to be DRM-free (and some publishers probably don't want that for modern games).
But I would think Microsoft Store would be a publishers dream since games are so tightly controlled on that side.
Maybe a Game Pass requirement as most modern games that release on Microsoft Store also released on Game Pass at one point?
Maybe Microsoft takes more of a cut than the other store fronts?
Maybe a more strict certification check on Microsoft Store?
I can't imagine the API for Achievements and stuff would be anymore more or less difficult than the Xbox version of a game, so I can't imagine that would be an issue - or maybe it is?
@Dalamar73 I have debated using GOG more than Steam, but the DRM-free requirement seems like a deterrent for a lot of publishers and the games I want aren't listed there.
The only games I have actually bought on GOG are some classic point-and-click adventure games, Warcraft 1 & 2, Diablo, The Witcher 2, and Cyberpunk 2077. I get a ton of free games for GOG off Prime Gaming and other various giveaways (I got The Witcher and the Witcher 3 for free somehow, but don't remember the specifics).
I really should consider GOG more, though, as it really is the only platform where you have some semblance of "full ownership" of your games (assuming you want to store the offline installers somewhere, that is).
Re: Xbox Game Pass Didn't Hurt Overall Black Ops 6 Sales, Says Analyst
@Wisegamer It makes sense if you are a hybrid Xbox/PC gamer. But for the PC purists, anywhere else is a better option than the Microsoft Store.
I personally have no problems with it.
I am glad I have some of the digital library I had on Xbox carried over to PC - saves me money now that I don't have a Series X anymore.
Plus, I have GPU until at least 2026, so I am enjoying the benefits on PC as well.
Re: Xbox Game Pass Didn't Hurt Overall Black Ops 6 Sales, Says Analyst
@PsBoxSwitchOwner "Because if PC are buying it, they haven’t moved over to PC gamepass, why?"
Because PC gamers hate Windows Store versions of games - plain and simple. They would rather be able to buy it on Steam than use the Microsoft Store version that is essentially a completely locked up version of the game (i.e. unless the game has official Mod support built into the game, you can't touch any of the game files).
Now, if Microsoft were able to cut a deal with Steam where users could link Game Pass subscriptions and download Steam versions, I bet that would boost GP subs on PC - but it would also cannibalize Steam sales (so the deal would need to be massive).
Re: Review: Stalker 2 (Xbox) - GSC Game World's Long-Awaited Sequel Is A Mess
I uninstalled this. I mostly just wanted to see how it ran on my PC. It ran pretty good (almost always above 75fps) barring the instant dip in performance in cities.
I didn't encounter any bugs (but I only played for an hour). I do agree that the invisible enemies are a giant pain in the butt. Not only are they hard to hit, but they are also bullet sponges.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games just aren't for me, though. It's a pretty hardcore style game that I don't have the patience to play.
I had the original way back when via a service that no longer exists (Direct2Drive) and my account is long gone - so I don't have access to it anymore. It didn't click with me then, either, so I don't even bother rebuying it.
I do hope that it can button up the rough edges, though, as I know there is an audience out there for it - I'm just not that audience.
Re: Avowed Third-Person Mode Looks Super Slick In New Xbox Preview Footage
I dunno, looks like a typical third-person mode for a game that is meant to be played in first-person.
I think it's mostly the way the camera moves that detracts from it having that third-person feel.
Re: GSC Game World 'Absolutely Committed' To Fixing Issues In Stalker 2 On Xbox
After an hour of playing on PC, I didn't notice any bugs or performance issues (aside from framerate taking a hit when in a city).
Now, I know this game is probably huge, so an hour doesn't mean much. But, so far, not a buggy mess, yet!
Re: Stalker 2 Already Has A Respectable Player Count, Despite Some Launch 'Issues'
@Balaam_ Well, that's 100K sales right there. Not a bad start, right?!
Re: Stalker 2 Review Roundup: Here's What The Critics Think So Far
@Fishmasterflex96 Microsoft has no control over this game. It is not the publisher. It only had a Game Pass and time exclusivity agreement (and I assume a marketing agreement).
Sure, Microsoft has been a cheerleader for the developer, but the decision to release is up to the publisher...who is also the developer. If the game passes all the proper certification checks for release on Xbox, then there is nothing it can really do to force a delay.
For all we know, the game is already fixed and these reviews aren't based on the patched product. Both this site and Eurogamer are withholding reviews to see if this latest patch irons out a lot the issues - there could be more but these are the only sites I frequent.
Re: Stalker 2 Review Roundup: Here's What The Critics Think So Far
A game that was developed with literal war outside their windows and then essentially having to live like refugees in other countries just to have the some semblance of a playable game has some bugs?! Who would have thought?!
I get it, people are tired of games releasing in buggy states. In this case, I think we need to give a little grace and I hope people support the game regardless as the developers went through literal hell to get this out - especially since, judging by the actual text of the lower-scored reviews, the game is fantastic...just buggy.
One could say "delay", but I think the developer probably reached a breaking point to delay even further after delaying...how many times now?
Re: These Five Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (November 20-27)
@FraserG Oooooh...I guess I missed that part (probably helps to read the whole article and not just the chart). These Tiers are going to be confusing going forward.
Re: These Five Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (November 20-27)
Little Kitty, Big City
I had no idea this left Game Pass.
It was a cute game to play with my daughter.
Re: Sony's Next Acquisition Could Have A Big Impact On Future Xbox Releases
@Ilyn Of course they would, and it would probably force Sony to change its strategy and we'd probably be having this same conversation with the name's reversed.
Neither one are angels.
All of this, though, is going to crumble and the "age of exclusivity" will end. Either because gaming is just too expensive to hoard to one platform (as Square Enix are now seeing) or because a platform exclusivity is getting too big and regulatory boards start to dig in (like we are seeing with Apple).
Re: Sony's Next Acquisition Could Have A Big Impact On Future Xbox Releases
If Sony acquires FromSoftware, you can bet the games will never reach Xbox ever again. PC, sure. Switch 2 if it's a viable platform to run whatever future games FS makes. But Sony will definitely single out Xbox from releases because that's Sony's strategy.
Bungie was a very different acquisition because Sony's hope was to continue milking that live service cow across all platforms.
The biggest problem is that people praise Sony for putting its platform first - but people need to be careful what they wish for when Sony chokes competition out completely and runs circles around its customers because it can.
Microsoft may be one of the biggest publishers in the world now, but it's not restricting others to be the only publisher in the world.