I hope they DO start next gen early and take a different approach. They will always be leapfrogging each other with power and performance, and hopefully they do more to differentiate themselves from each other and more unique. I am all-in for a handheld Xbox, especially if they make it capable of natively playing Steam, Epic, and GoG, etc with Game Pass, Id be totally set for my travel and backup device.
They made it pretty clear that this is just the start and more games will become multiplatform. This is the start of a big shift in the industry. PlayStation is putting its toes further into multiplatform too, with PC.
I might just go PC only next gen anyway, so this doesn’t crush my soul as much as others. That said, if Xbox is smart they’ll get ahead of this and control the narrative better than they are currently handling it.
Great showcase and deepdive into games. A perfect way to excite fans for the new year. It’s cool to see the people who make these and hear their passion.
Sooo pumped for this! I’ve been saying for years now that Xbox should acquire these guys. They’re a natural fit and super talented. Let them pump out indie and AA games every couple years while bigger studios do AAA every 5-7 years nowadays…
Hellblade is the most likely getting a date announcement, then Avowed and probably Ara too. Indiana Jones is such an unknown wild card though. Hopefully they at least give a release window/year, even if it's 2025. I wouldn't be surprised if they just tease the game and gameplay and say "Coming 2025" or something.
Absolutely it would be great for another shadow-dropped game. As an alternative, they can/should shadow-drop a bunch of ABK titles during the show. They have a LOT of old titles they can drop presumably soon.
Every year it's practically the same for me... work through the backlog and plan to play a few new releases too. Games I'll play & beat on PS5 this year: Death Stranding 1 and Callisto Protocol. Games I'll play & beat on XSX: Starfield DLC (when it releases), Diablo 4 (i just picked it up a couple weeks ago), RE 2 remake that is coming to Game Pass soon, Dead Space remake, Far Cry 5 & 6, and Avowed/Hellblade2 and any other major 1st party game released.
This is a rough outline, but I'm usually pretty good at hitting most of these goals each year. Always subject to change though, depending what falls in my lap
They’re good but they need a new vision for multiplayer. New modes and reasons to keep playing. The graphics have been amazing though! I think Gears Tactics was badass and incredibly well done for that genre.
Solid lineup to kick off the year! I'm just wondering when they will stop adding WW2 shooters now that they have their own massive library of those games (CoD) to release onto GP. Surely within weeks we'll have at least SOME of those classic CoD games arrive on GP.... Right???
They still aren’t sticking the landing, but they’re getting better. The letdown of Redfall and lackluster response to Starfield really dragged them down.
Things are looking up for Xbox, and their plans are certainly falling into place for the long term. Console sales like this aren't a very big slice of their gaming business anymore, and they've been pretty upfront with that.
Notice in the news too lately we've read that Sony is envious of the moves and offerings coming from Xbox and they are truly worried about their future in the business. The winds are changing directions and gaming will look a lot different in the coming years.
That said, I think Xbox has had a really slow start to releasing exclusive games and giving people a reason to choose Xbox consoles over the competition. That looks to change a lot in 2024+, and just this year they've added some great games to their exclusive lineup.
If they can have Xbox Next ready by 2026 then they should just skip a pro console. Sure Sony will have one for roughly a year (maybe 18 months) by then, but this new console will be better than the PS5 pro, and it will give them at least a full year into the next gen ahead of Sony. That strategy seemed to work well for them during the 360 era. Until then, they should stop selling the white/500GB Series S and only do the new black one with 1TB. Maybe still do a system refresh IF it can help cut manufacturing costs or otherwise help drive sales and adoption of Game Pass.
The time to have locked them into a Game Pass deal was before the game's release and before they had any idea of the critical reception and awards it would pick up, etc. They are crushing sales now, so there's very little reason to jump onto GP at this stage of the game's life cycle. In a couple of years? That may be a different story!
Not sure how division of labor and duties work at their studio but if focus on this takes away from Starfield, i think keeping attention fully on Starfield is best. Updates, fixes, quality of life improvements, and of course badass DLC that’s typical for Bethesda rpg’s.
At the very least all the 360 era Gears games need the same remaster treatment that Gears 1 received a few years ago. I still wish they kept putting out DLC for Gears Tactics. Loved that game!
With the size of their publishing arm and studios (post ABK), they should present often and have a presence at everything. It’s easy publicity to show off their gaming brand and Game Pass. Ideally every couple months they’re showing a new trailer or announcement or developer deep dive into games they’re working on.
@InvaderFromSpace "Remember when Xbox said they learned their lesson about announcing games too early? This having just started development makes me think they haven't...feels like they didn't list what systems it will be on because it might not even come out this gen"
I think they most likely are holding out their best stuff for their developer direct show and summer game fest. From what I understand, they are looking to make massive changes in how they roll out announcements and have new leadership working on that now that they have ABK. There is simply an overwhelming amount of content they can show now between all their various studios. In essence, they can buck the entire system and do things completely on their own with Blizzcon, Quakecon, Bethesda, etc. They have good options ahead so it will be interesting to see what they do moving forward.
They really should have dropped a release date or tighter window (ie "Holiday 2024"). Everyone is starting to get trailer fatigue and now just wants to see the game release. The first game was incredible and this looks to be an even better and more improved story and gameplay. I can hardly wait!
I just hope no more delays... some of these we've seen several times before. I also hope Xbox is ready to launch some big games that get critical acclaim, peppered in throughout the year to help draw people to Game Pass and try these other 3rd party games.
They are heading in the right direction, but we're now about halfway through the current generation and Xbox is way behind where they should be as far as having "must play" AAA games that draw people into the Xbox ecosystem. My two cents
It looked about 30fps, but maybe it is still too early or the leaked trailer wasn't full quality. Graphics were decent, but nothing mind blowing. Lots of variety in characters and attire, etc so that is cool. I'll be curious to learn more as we get closer to its release.
@ZuneTattooGuy 100% agree that it takes more than a few hours to judge this game. Honestly, a lot of the negativity is just the bandwagons effect from this game being judged by anti Xbox opinions. If you look at other RPGs this year like ToTK and BG3, they too would be hard to enjoy or get into with just a few hours of play time. It’s really a shame.
BG3 news, ABK news, December’s Game Pass news, teaser trailer for a new game OR a new gameplay trailer and release date for one of the games coming in 2024. Cherry on top will be a shadow drop of a remastered game.
i can't wait for State of Decay 3! It can't release soon enough. Really hoping we get a proper gameplay trailer in 2024 and release no later than 2025.
@Camble_Refuge "It’s because the gaming habits created by Microsoft pushing GamePass is that Xbox users will usually wait until any game they want releases on the service."
I'm definitely one of those people who generally say I'll wait until it's on Game Pass. The truth is, I have PS+ on my PS5, and GP on my XSX, as well as hundreds of owned games on PS5, XBX, Switch, and PC. I have a backlog that will last me a lifetime. I'm just not in a hurry to buy games at full price, when I know I won't likely touch them until much later in their life cycle. It also happens to work out nicely to avoid all the initial launch issues and bugs most games experience these days. I'm just being a smart consumer and have no shame in admitting that. My two cents...
I played EVERY Dead Space game and love all of them. I've been pumped to play this remake but had a gut feeling it would end up on GP probably this year so I've just be patiently waiting. Turns out it paid off
Never had an issue, and I even bought my as an old used one after it came out (I think a year or two after release). I was too poor at the time to buy it new lol. All I can say is that machine was so damn good and one of my fondest memories in gaming.
WoW to console, and eliminate the sub fee to access it for FREE for anyone with Game Pass Ultimate. They also should now feel more comfortable increasing Game Pass PC prices (they skipped it this latest round). Then allow for crossplay between PC and console players.
Next they need to introduce new exclusive games utilizing their established IP. How about a 3rd person story driven narrative series of games in the world of starcraft? Sure they could do a huge World of Starcraft style game, but the market is fairly saturated with games as a service. I think a gritty campaign in 3rd person following the story of a human survivor trying to stay alive on a settlement being overrun by Zerg would be a great setting and storyline. They can add DLC missions that will likely sell well to Game Pass subscribers, so there is longer tail on the game. Plus they can pivot to other stories and characters. A sequel of escaping on a Protoss prisoner ship would be cool. See all the potential???!???!??
Odd how this all worked out, but glad the end is in sight! Can’t wait to start seeing some of those ABK titles coming to Game Pass Ultimate! I’m very curious to see if they’ll port WoW to console and make it free on Game Pass. Hell, makes paid sub version available on PS5 too. That could be REALLY popular to have cross play, especially if PC and consoles get full crossplay. Truly would breath a lot of new life into the game.
Ray tracing has been a huge distraction this generation. For what it delivers, it’s totally NOT worth the hit in performance. I’d rather see more games just focus on 4k 60fps stability and find other lighting techniques. Most of the time it’s overdone anyway and everything looks ridiculously too shiny.
Reviews prove that Xbox CAN deliver good AAA games. This is the biggest Xbox game of this generation so far, and scoring an average of high 80's. That is really damn good, for a game style that typically is very divisive among critics. This is a game we'll be playing and talking about for years to come!
Doesn't impact me since I own a Series X, but i do think this is the wrong approach unless Xbox offers an official policy statement moving forward that will address this. They need to consider granting a timed waiver that allows some devs the chance to work longer on the split-screen mode. Overall though, i think a better solution is saying the parity requirement doesn't apply to split screen modes and then EVERY series s box needs a disclaimer saying that it may not support split screen mode on every title. Still kinda messy. It is disappointing that the hardware wasn't better designed to accommodate this feature, which has been around a long time.
Considering the logjam of games from all their studios these past few years, I'd expect the floodgates to open here soon where we see a regular flow of 1st party games coming each year. There's no reason they can't have 3-5 new releases a year, based on the time it takes to make a game these days and the sheer number of studios under their umbrella. They most definitely will acquire more studios too, so this will just continue to grow.
FINALLY, it is a great time to be a Xbox fan. They are YEARS late on this but it seems the drought has ended. Just from what we know is coming (and there is soooo much we don't yet know), there will be a LOT to look forward too in the near future, starting with the game of the generation STARFIELD
@S-Bacc I think you are on to something here! Would be great if they pulled all that off.
Frankly, I think they are long overdue for a new elite controller, and it definitely should include all of this.
I think the base controllers need to be phased out and replaced with ones that offer haptic feedback and better latency. They can price them the same or increase by another $10 or so, but not much more for a standard controller.
I find Obsidian's style of RPG games great and a breath of fresh air. I appreciate that they are smaller in scope and scale compared to other competing titles, which IMO are far too big and wayyyyy too long. Having a game that is self-contained in a fun and immersive 20-30 hour games is the ideal length. You can certainly get your money's worth out of it, but also not feel like you are committing to an endless game that drags on and is full of fetch quests, etc.
I'm stoked for Avowed and glad it's shaping up for releasing next year.
If it were a larger size game or striving to push the envelope on graphics, it wouldn't be releasing anytime soon. I think it's fine for some studios to take a long time and make a huge blockbuster (like Elder Scrolls), but I also want some studios to make smaller games with faster turn around time. Obsidian is proving to be a master at this!
I think they should release a diskless version that includes more space, maybe another 500GB or 1TB, but keep this console the same price as the disc version ($500). They could probably lose less money on that version!
I already own a XSX, so no need for me to get this diskless version.
"The games come together literally in the last weeks and only then you start knowing what you might be shipping or not"
Uhhh I think this is the problem we are all getting at, and one of the core complaints from virtually ALL gamers. We keep getting games released that aren't optimized and can't run properly. This is totally unacceptable and show gross mismanagement from the dev team. I don't care who they work for, if they don't plan for optimization better, this problem won't go away. If we as gamers keep turning a blind eye and accepting excuses, it won't stop.
Haven’t spent enough time on it yet but so far it looks good and plays well. Not sure it’ll have lasting value, for me at least. A great game for Game Pass to try out.
I love everything about this. Xbox can finally flex its muscles and show off its IP (post-acquisitions). I already subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate and honestly encourage everyone to pull the trigger and do the same thing. You can ALWAYS find good deals on cdkeys and others, year-round. I use a ***** PC at work to sometimes play older titles and it's awesome. I also have enjoyed Xcloud when traveling, though hotel internet kinda sucks. It's got everything and it's priced really well, even without discounts.
Putting your game onto Game Pass is simply a business decision. It's not like Xbox is forcing publishers and devs to use it. Obviously, the ones who tend to benefit the most are smaller studios who need exposure and/or funds for their game. Larger publishers also can use it to help with their more risky endeavors (thinking of RB6 Siege Extraction as an example) to help pad out a possibly rocky launch.
Game Pass can play an important role as an equalizer and also help devs take more risks or take more time to make their game knowing there are some guaranteed funds and support for their game along the way.
Not all publishers or devs will want or need Game Pass, and that is totally fine. I don't think GTA6 will need Game Pass to help promote the game... but I'm sure EA is regretting not putting BF2042 on Game Pass at launch to help boost numbers and ensure a stronger player base
I just buy deals in cdkeys and eneba and they’re ongoing all year. Usually saving 25%+ by doing it and buying 12-18 months at a time. The price hikes are so minor. No need for all the bitching people do when it happens. I love the content they put together and find it a good value all the time.
It needs to end, yesterday. GwG is so outdated and wasted resources. Just stick with Game Pass and roll the online play into it, stop giving away games. If you “own” games that require an active subscription to play, it’s more like they own you. PS+ is the same crap. Id rather just play on a subscription and consume games the way I do with TV.
@Banjo- "However, if Sony releases a mid-gen console like last generation, Microsoft will launch a much better mid-gen console the following year, like Xbox One X > PS4 Pro."
I totally agree with this. Public comments indicate Xbox isn't ready for a pro console yet, while Sony seems likely to do it next year (holiday IMO).
The caveat is if Xbox notices that Series S is becoming too problematic for devs, they may skip the pro models entirely and push their XSX/XSS "next gen" successor to arrive earlier and replace this gen altogether. Maybe that happens in late 2026?
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Re: Rumour: Microsoft To Launch Next-Gen With Series X Successor & Handheld Xbox
I hope they DO start next gen early and take a different approach. They will always be leapfrogging each other with power and performance, and hopefully they do more to differentiate themselves from each other and more unique. I am all-in for a handheld Xbox, especially if they make it capable of natively playing Steam, Epic, and GoG, etc with Game Pass, Id be totally set for my travel and backup device.
Re: Roundup: Here's What Was Revealed At The Xbox 'Business Update Event'
They made it pretty clear that this is just the start and more games will become multiplatform. This is the start of a big shift in the industry. PlayStation is putting its toes further into multiplatform too, with PC.
Re: Starfield, Indiana Jones And Many Other 'Xbox Exclusives' Could Be Heading To PS5
I might just go PC only next gen anyway, so this doesn’t crush my soul as much as others. That said, if Xbox is smart they’ll get ahead of this and control the narrative better than they are currently handling it.
Re: Gallery: Indiana Jones And The Great Circle Looks Super-Slick In New HD Screenshots
This game looks great! Can’t wait!
Re: Reaction: Xbox Developer Direct 2024 Proved That Microsoft's New Format Really Works
Great showcase and deepdive into games. A perfect way to excite fans for the new year. It’s cool to see the people who make these and hear their passion.
Re: 11 Bit Studios Announces Xbox Game Pass Partnership, Starting With Frostpunk 2
Sooo pumped for this! I’ve been saying for years now that Xbox should acquire these guys. They’re a natural fit and super talented. Let them pump out indie and AA games every couple years while bigger studios do AAA every 5-7 years nowadays…
Re: Xbox Appears To Dismiss 'Shadow Drop' Talk For Developer Direct 2024
If they do it again it’ll be expected every year. I don’t think they want that as part of their plan.
Re: Poll: Which Games Will Get Release Dates At Xbox Developer Direct?
Hellblade is the most likely getting a date announcement, then Avowed and probably Ara too. Indiana Jones is such an unknown wild card though. Hopefully they at least give a release window/year, even if it's 2025. I wouldn't be surprised if they just tease the game and gameplay and say "Coming 2025" or something.
Re: Soapbox: Microsoft, We'd Love Another Surprise Xbox Game Pass Release At 'Developer Direct'
Absolutely it would be great for another shadow-dropped game. As an alternative, they can/should shadow-drop a bunch of ABK titles during the show. They have a LOT of old titles they can drop presumably soon.
Re: Rumour: Xbox Might Bring Sea Of Thieves To PlayStation & Nintendo Switch
Why not bring both? Neither are essential to the exclusive portfolio.
Re: Talking Point: What Are Your Gaming Resolutions For 2024?
Every year it's practically the same for me... work through the backlog and plan to play a few new releases too.
Games I'll play & beat on PS5 this year: Death Stranding 1 and Callisto Protocol.
Games I'll play & beat on XSX: Starfield DLC (when it releases), Diablo 4 (i just picked it up a couple weeks ago), RE 2 remake that is coming to Game Pass soon, Dead Space remake, Far Cry 5 & 6, and Avowed/Hellblade2 and any other major 1st party game released.
This is a rough outline, but I'm usually pretty good at hitting most of these goals each year. Always subject to change though, depending what falls in my lap
Re: Talking Point: Has Xbox Done A Good Job With Gears Of War So Far?
They’re good but they need a new vision for multiplayer. New modes and reasons to keep playing. The graphics have been amazing though! I think Gears Tactics was badass and incredibly well done for that genre.
Re: These Seven Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (January 4-16)
Solid lineup to kick off the year! I'm just wondering when they will stop adding WW2 shooters now that they have their own massive library of those games (CoD) to release onto GP. Surely within weeks we'll have at least SOME of those classic CoD games arrive on GP.... Right???
Re: All Xbox Series X|S Games That Support 120FPS
Amazed at how many people still don't have 4k TVs. That's pretty much all stores sell these days and they are super cheap to buy.
Re: In The End, Are You Happy With Xbox's First-Party Lineup For 2023?
They still aren’t sticking the landing, but they’re getting better. The letdown of Redfall and lackluster response to Starfield really dragged them down.
Re: Report Claims Xbox Series X|S Sales Have Fallen By Around 15% In 2023
Things are looking up for Xbox, and their plans are certainly falling into place for the long term. Console sales like this aren't a very big slice of their gaming business anymore, and they've been pretty upfront with that.
Notice in the news too lately we've read that Sony is envious of the moves and offerings coming from Xbox and they are truly worried about their future in the business. The winds are changing directions and gaming will look a lot different in the coming years.
That said, I think Xbox has had a really slow start to releasing exclusive games and giving people a reason to choose Xbox consoles over the competition. That looks to change a lot in 2024+, and just this year they've added some great games to their exclusive lineup.
Not all doom and gloom! I love my XSX
Re: 'Xbox-Next' Rumour Suggests Microsoft Could Launch Another Console Before 2027
If they can have Xbox Next ready by 2026 then they should just skip a pro console. Sure Sony will have one for roughly a year (maybe 18 months) by then, but this new console will be better than the PS5 pro, and it will give them at least a full year into the next gen ahead of Sony. That strategy seemed to work well for them during the 360 era. Until then, they should stop selling the white/500GB Series S and only do the new black one with 1TB. Maybe still do a system refresh IF it can help cut manufacturing costs or otherwise help drive sales and adoption of Game Pass.
Re: Baldur's Gate 3 Dev Says Its New-To-Xbox RPG 'Isn't Going To Be On Game Pass'
The time to have locked them into a Game Pass deal was before the game's release and before they had any idea of the critical reception and awards it would pick up, etc. They are crushing sales now, so there's very little reason to jump onto GP at this stage of the game's life cycle. In a couple of years? That may be a different story!
Re: Bethesda Delays Fallout 4's Xbox Series X|S Upgrade Into 2024
Not sure how division of labor and duties work at their studio but if focus on this takes away from Starfield, i think keeping attention fully on Starfield is best. Updates, fixes, quality of life improvements, and of course badass DLC that’s typical for Bethesda rpg’s.
Re: Years Later, Some People Still Believe Xbox Is Working On A 'Gears Collection'
At the very least all the 360 era Gears games need the same remaster treatment that Gears 1 received a few years ago. I still wish they kept putting out DLC for Gears Tactics. Loved that game!
Re: Pick One: What Was Your Favourite Gaming Showcase Of This Year?
With the size of their publishing arm and studios (post ABK), they should present often and have a presence at everything. It’s easy publicity to show off their gaming brand and Game Pass. Ideally every couple months they’re showing a new trailer or announcement or developer deep dive into games they’re working on.
Re: Xbox Fans Left With Questions Following Strange 'Marvel's Blade' Reveal
@InvaderFromSpace "Remember when Xbox said they learned their lesson about announcing games too early? This having just started development makes me think they haven't...feels like they didn't list what systems it will be on because it might not even come out this gen"
I think they most likely are holding out their best stuff for their developer direct show and summer game fest. From what I understand, they are looking to make massive changes in how they roll out announcements and have new leadership working on that now that they have ABK. There is simply an overwhelming amount of content they can show now between all their various studios. In essence, they can buck the entire system and do things completely on their own with Blizzcon, Quakecon, Bethesda, etc. They have good options ahead so it will be interesting to see what they do moving forward.
Re: Hellblade 2 New Gameplay Trailer Confirms 2024 Release Window
They really should have dropped a release date or tighter window (ie "Holiday 2024"). Everyone is starting to get trailer fatigue and now just wants to see the game release. The first game was incredible and this looks to be an even better and more improved story and gameplay. I can hardly wait!
Re: Three Of 2024's Xbox Game Pass Titles Just Received Brand-New Trailers
I just hope no more delays... some of these we've seen several times before. I also hope Xbox is ready to launch some big games that get critical acclaim, peppered in throughout the year to help draw people to Game Pass and try these other 3rd party games.
They are heading in the right direction, but we're now about halfway through the current generation and Xbox is way behind where they should be as far as having "must play" AAA games that draw people into the Xbox ecosystem. My two cents
Re: GTA 6 Launches In 2025, Watch The Official First Trailer Here
It looked about 30fps, but maybe it is still too early or the leaked trailer wasn't full quality. Graphics were decent, but nothing mind blowing. Lots of variety in characters and attire, etc so that is cool. I'll be curious to learn more as we get closer to its release.
Re: Starfield 'A Tremendous Hit' And One Of Xbox's Top 10 Most-Played Games, Says Phil Spencer
@ZuneTattooGuy 100% agree that it takes more than a few hours to judge this game. Honestly, a lot of the negativity is just the bandwagons effect from this game being judged by anti Xbox opinions. If you look at other RPGs this year like ToTK and BG3, they too would be hard to enjoy or get into with just a few hours of play time. It’s really a shame.
Re: Xbox Teases 'News You Don't Want To Miss' At The Game Awards 2023
BG3 news, ABK news, December’s Game Pass news, teaser trailer for a new game OR a new gameplay trailer and release date for one of the games coming in 2024. Cherry on top will be a shadow drop of a remastered game.
Re: State Of Decay 3 Developer Seemingly Working On Another Project At Xbox
i can't wait for State of Decay 3! It can't release soon enough. Really hoping we get a proper gameplay trailer in 2024 and release no later than 2025.
Re: Talking Point: What Kind Of Reveals Are You Hoping To See At The Game Awards 2023?
ABK news/timeline, WoW classic coming to console Q4 2024, trailer for Indiana Jones, and Contraband trailer. That would be great
Re: Alan Wake 2 Seemingly Struggled To Make An Impact On Xbox In October
@Camble_Refuge "It’s because the gaming habits created by Microsoft pushing GamePass is that Xbox users will usually wait until any game they want releases on the service."
I'm definitely one of those people who generally say I'll wait until it's on Game Pass. The truth is, I have PS+ on my PS5, and GP on my XSX, as well as hundreds of owned games on PS5, XBX, Switch, and PC. I have a backlog that will last me a lifetime. I'm just not in a hurry to buy games at full price, when I know I won't likely touch them until much later in their life cycle. It also happens to work out nicely to avoid all the initial launch issues and bugs most games experience these days. I'm just being a smart consumer and have no shame in admitting that. My two cents...
Re: These Seven Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (October 19 - 31)
I played EVERY Dead Space game and love all of them. I've been pumped to play this remake but had a gut feeling it would end up on GP probably this year so I've just be patiently waiting. Turns out it paid off
Re: Talking Point: Did Your Xbox 360 Ever Get The 'Red Ring Of Death'?
Never had an issue, and I even bought my as an old used one after it came out (I think a year or two after release). I was too poor at the time to buy it new lol. All I can say is that machine was so damn good and one of my fondest memories in gaming.
Re: Talking Point: What Do You Want To See From Xbox & Activision Blizzard?
WoW to console, and eliminate the sub fee to access it for FREE for anyone with Game Pass Ultimate. They also should now feel more comfortable increasing Game Pass PC prices (they skipped it this latest round). Then allow for crossplay between PC and console players.
Next they need to introduce new exclusive games utilizing their established IP. How about a 3rd person story driven narrative series of games in the world of starcraft? Sure they could do a huge World of Starcraft style game, but the market is fairly saturated with games as a service. I think a gritty campaign in 3rd person following the story of a human survivor trying to stay alive on a settlement being overrun by Zerg would be a great setting and storyline. They can add DLC missions that will likely sell well to Game Pass subscribers, so there is longer tail on the game. Plus they can pivot to other stories and characters. A sequel of escaping on a Protoss prisoner ship would be cool. See all the potential???!???!??
Re: Ubisoft CEO Explains Decision To Buy ActiBlizz Cloud Rights From Xbox
Odd how this all worked out, but glad the end is in sight! Can’t wait to start seeing some of those ABK titles coming to Game Pass Ultimate! I’m very curious to see if they’ll port WoW to console and make it free on Game Pass. Hell, makes paid sub version available on PS5 too. That could be REALLY popular to have cross play, especially if PC and consoles get full crossplay. Truly would breath a lot of new life into the game.
Re: 10 Games We Can't Wait To Play On Xbox Game Pass In 2024
Hellblade 2 is my number one game on this list. Can’t wait to play it!!!
Re: Forza Motorsport Launches With Three Performance Modes On Xbox Series X
Ray tracing has been a huge distraction this generation. For what it delivers, it’s totally NOT worth the hit in performance. I’d rather see more games just focus on 4k 60fps stability and find other lighting techniques. Most of the time it’s overdone anyway and everything looks ridiculously too shiny.
Re: Roundup: Here's What The Critics Think Of Starfield So Far
Reviews prove that Xbox CAN deliver good AAA games. This is the biggest Xbox game of this generation so far, and scoring an average of high 80's. That is really damn good, for a game style that typically is very divisive among critics. This is a game we'll be playing and talking about for years to come!
Re: Baldur's Gate 3 Confirmed For Xbox In 2023, Series S Version Ditching Local Co-Op
Doesn't impact me since I own a Series X, but i do think this is the wrong approach unless Xbox offers an official policy statement moving forward that will address this. They need to consider granting a timed waiver that allows some devs the chance to work longer on the split-screen mode. Overall though, i think a better solution is saying the parity requirement doesn't apply to split screen modes and then EVERY series s box needs a disclaimer saying that it may not support split screen mode on every title. Still kinda messy. It is disappointing that the hardware wasn't better designed to accommodate this feature, which has been around a long time.
Re: Xbox Hints At More Regular Showcases Due To 'Strong' Lineup Of Games Ahead
Considering the logjam of games from all their studios these past few years, I'd expect the floodgates to open here soon where we see a regular flow of 1st party games coming each year. There's no reason they can't have 3-5 new releases a year, based on the time it takes to make a game these days and the sheer number of studios under their umbrella. They most definitely will acquire more studios too, so this will just continue to grow.
FINALLY, it is a great time to be a Xbox fan. They are YEARS late on this but it seems the drought has ended. Just from what we know is coming (and there is soooo much we don't yet know), there will be a LOT to look forward too in the near future, starting with the game of the generation STARFIELD
Re: Talking Point: Should Xbox Make A Revised Controller With Haptic Feedback?
@S-Bacc I think you are on to something here! Would be great if they pulled all that off.
Frankly, I think they are long overdue for a new elite controller, and it definitely should include all of this.
I think the base controllers need to be phased out and replaced with ones that offer haptic feedback and better latency. They can price them the same or increase by another $10 or so, but not much more for a standard controller.
Re: Obsidian Confident There Will Be A Lot Of People Who 'Love' Avowed
I find Obsidian's style of RPG games great and a breath of fresh air. I appreciate that they are smaller in scope and scale compared to other competing titles, which IMO are far too big and wayyyyy too long. Having a game that is self-contained in a fun and immersive 20-30 hour games is the ideal length. You can certainly get your money's worth out of it, but also not feel like you are committing to an endless game that drags on and is full of fetch quests, etc.
I'm stoked for Avowed and glad it's shaping up for releasing next year.
If it were a larger size game or striving to push the envelope on graphics, it wouldn't be releasing anytime soon. I think it's fine for some studios to take a long time and make a huge blockbuster (like Elder Scrolls), but I also want some studios to make smaller games with faster turn around time. Obsidian is proving to be a master at this!
Re: Talking Point: Would You Be Interested In A Digital-Only Xbox Series X?
I think they should release a diskless version that includes more space, maybe another 500GB or 1TB, but keep this console the same price as the disc version ($500). They could probably lose less money on that version!
I already own a XSX, so no need for me to get this diskless version.
Re: Remedy Dev Reckons There's 'Nothing Surprising' About Baldur's Gate 3 Xbox Series S Debacle
"The games come together literally in the last weeks and only then you start knowing what you might be shipping or not"
Uhhh I think this is the problem we are all getting at, and one of the core complaints from virtually ALL gamers. We keep getting games released that aren't optimized and can't run properly. This is totally unacceptable and show gross mismanagement from the dev team. I don't care who they work for, if they don't plan for optimization better, this problem won't go away. If we as gamers keep turning a blind eye and accepting excuses, it won't stop.
Re: Poll: What Do You Think Of 'Exoprimal' On Xbox Game Pass?
Haven’t spent enough time on it yet but so far it looks good and plays well. Not sure it’ll have lasting value, for me at least. A great game for Game Pass to try out.
Re: These 19 Games Will Be Included With Xbox Game Pass Core At Launch
I love everything about this. Xbox can finally flex its muscles and show off its IP (post-acquisitions). I already subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate and honestly encourage everyone to pull the trigger and do the same thing. You can ALWAYS find good deals on cdkeys and others, year-round. I use a ***** PC at work to sometimes play older titles and it's awesome. I also have enjoyed Xcloud when traveling, though hotel internet kinda sucks. It's got everything and it's priced really well, even without discounts.
Re: Everspace 2 Is 'Better' On All Platforms Because Of Xbox Game Pass, Says Dev
Putting your game onto Game Pass is simply a business decision. It's not like Xbox is forcing publishers and devs to use it. Obviously, the ones who tend to benefit the most are smaller studios who need exposure and/or funds for their game. Larger publishers also can use it to help with their more risky endeavors (thinking of RB6 Siege Extraction as an example) to help pad out a possibly rocky launch.
Game Pass can play an important role as an equalizer and also help devs take more risks or take more time to make their game knowing there are some guaranteed funds and support for their game along the way.
Not all publishers or devs will want or need Game Pass, and that is totally fine. I don't think GTA6 will need Game Pass to help promote the game... but I'm sure EA is regretting not putting BF2042 on Game Pass at launch to help boost numbers and ensure a stronger player base
Re: Xbox Game Pass $1 Deal Reintroduced For New And Returning Subscribers
I just buy deals in cdkeys and eneba and they’re ongoing all year. Usually saving 25%+ by doing it and buying 12-18 months at a time. The price hikes are so minor. No need for all the bitching people do when it happens. I love the content they put together and find it a good value all the time.
Re: Xbox Games With Gold For July 2023 Announced
It needs to end, yesterday. GwG is so outdated and wasted resources. Just stick with Game Pass and roll the online play into it, stop giving away games. If you “own” games that require an active subscription to play, it’s more like they own you. PS+ is the same crap. Id rather just play on a subscription and consume games the way I do with TV.
Re: Xbox Is Expecting The 'Next Generation Of Consoles' To Begin In 2028
@Banjo- "However, if Sony releases a mid-gen console like last generation, Microsoft will launch a much better mid-gen console the following year, like Xbox One X > PS4 Pro."
I totally agree with this. Public comments indicate Xbox isn't ready for a pro console yet, while Sony seems likely to do it next year (holiday IMO).
The caveat is if Xbox notices that Series S is becoming too problematic for devs, they may skip the pro models entirely and push their XSX/XSS "next gen" successor to arrive earlier and replace this gen altogether. Maybe that happens in late 2026?
Re: Poll: What Score Do You Think You'll Be Giving Starfield In September?
There’s no way this scores below 8/10, and that’s assuming it has major performance issues. Anything less will just be Sony bots review bombing.