Comments 1,989

Re: Former Blizzard President Gives Support To Phil Spencer Amidst Xbox Negativity

HonestHick

@NEStalgia Nintendo is rumored to have an extra button on the joycon’s. Not sure what that does but maybe it’s their differential from other devices. Now is it any fun or just a gimmick i don’t know. Is it only on one or both, which i think the report said and i forgot. Anyways have to see what it amounts too.

Yeah Phil is a good dude, as for the rest of the bunch let’s see what their vision is, which I would guess will change 4 times a year. On a positive note i am excited for the June Showcase. I hope we get a surprise or two and what’s up with the new controller. I really want that as you know i have a thing for controllers. Especially Xbox ones. Just the quieter buttons and sticks alone will make it more enjoyable. Dare i say a little more premium feeling. Otherwise i think we have to sit back and see how many more jobs AI and budgeting take from both Sony and MS.

Re: Report Claims Xbox Is Planning More Cuts Following Studio Closures

HonestHick

AI will replace a lot more jobs in the tech industry. This will be going on for a long time into the future. I am not even sure why i have my job. I am an accountant that crunches money numbers into a spreadsheet. AI could do it 100X faster than me. Not that i want to be let go. But AI is going to reshape a lot of what we knew yesteryears.

Re: Former Blizzard President Gives Support To Phil Spencer Amidst Xbox Negativity

HonestHick

@NEStalgia you just explained why I’ve been a Mac user for 20 years.HAHA. I use Windows at my accounting job. It’s ok. There’s things i like about it better than Mac but it’s small things that don’t mean much to my usage, at least at home. Work wise could be another point of topic. I give Mac OS 8/10 and Windows 6/10 so it’s not as if Apple is just whipping Windows. But as far as business practices, upgrades, security, VPN, etc etc this is where i give windows a 4/10 and again 8/10 for the Mac. I agree MS’s leadership is off the wall inconsistent. Which does concern me for Xbox as it’s clear as soon as the ink dried on the near $100 billion in studio buyouts, this was no longer just Phil knocking on their doors and giving them a quick update to the console business and them say ok ok good ok and back to Azure talk. They are now looking at every dollar and every metric and much like you i am concerned. Cause i don’t trust those people. I like Phil, i think you know i am on record on here and Push saying i like Phil. He’s not perfect as no one is. But i like him, but he had no choice but to ask for money from the higher up’s. At least that is my take on the matter. No one they were getting into a arms race with Sony with 5 studios and keeping the motto of Halo, Gears and Forza box. So here we are. I want to say we are going to be ok once they get all their ducks in a row for how all these studios look and operate. But i fear there is more to come and it will likely be more layoffs and shuffling. Sucks but thats my gut feeling. Same could be said of Sony, people forget they have shut down studios as well. At 4% profit margins they are walking a tight rope and could see issues ahead. They just don’t open their mouths quite as often as MS and when they do they only put one foot in it VS MS goes both feet down the hatch. MS has the IP’s and soon a handheld to have a wonderful ecosystem. Just stay out of your own way please MS.

Nintendo: maybe i am just seeing green and not Xbox green but cash money. Nintendo is just worth so much and they rarely lose money on anything. So i see the Switch bare minimum being a success with the likely scenario of it being another cash cow. The handheld Nintendo faithful alone make this thing profitable as heck for the big N. Will we see their top IP’s stay in the top 10 sales for 5-7 years like this past software lineup? I don’t think so but maybe Mario Kart. The others will still be large money makers and just the thought of getting a Mario game that has PS4 level or better graphics has me excited enough to throw my cash their way. However don’t listen to much to my Nintendo words, i was a diehard Wavebird and GameCube fan. I was so ignorant i wanted a GameCube 2. I loved playing that thing. Maybe it was my age at the time. But man i loved my GC. Zelda Wind Waker is my favorite in the series, so yeah as i said take everything i am saying about Nintendo with a huge gran of salt. Xbox i feel like i have a better finger on. Even tho they are becoming the hardest to predict.

Re: Former Blizzard President Gives Support To Phil Spencer Amidst Xbox Negativity

HonestHick

@NEStalgia well yeah i get it, if they back track all these visions for the box you, me and many others are leaving. They better know that. BC is huge for players like yourself. If i was them i wouldn’t touch much more studios or features. This backlash is enough for awhile i would hope. I am going to stay positive on this one and just say these moves were for the better of their AAA space. Even tho i still think losing Tango was not needed. But then i read today Perfect Dark is still in dev hell. Thats not good that alongside Fable was going to be a nice comeback for them.

Nintendo is a hard one to guess. I think Switch 2 sells less than Switch. But how much? If it’s only 15 million even 20 Nintendo will be more than ok with over 100+ million Switch 2’s. Now if Switch bombs they could have an issue on their hands. But i can’t see it not being a successful console and make them loads of cash. Could that happen? Sure but i ain’t betting my money on it.

Re: Former Blizzard President Gives Support To Phil Spencer Amidst Xbox Negativity

HonestHick

@NEStalgia great post and a lot to unpack there. Let’s start with Xbox. I hear your points and they are valid and reasonable. But may i add something to it? Everything and anything is subject to change in the world. MS is doing lot’s of work on BC and it’s the core of Xbox, for it to go I believe the box itself has to go. Now i could be wrong cause MS exes talk a lot out of both sides of their mouths. But BC isn’t my direct worry as i think it’s a core feature of the console at this point and the backlash of losing it would sink the brand.

Next up… PS6, I believe PS6 will play PS5 games, PS4 i am not sure i wouldn’t see why not as we are seeing since the PS4 that Sony is building the same PC in a box as MS and the work to get those games to run should be quick and easy. It was the PS1-PS2 that nailed BC right. Then PS3 cell was a mess and now they are back on track. They know not to restart peoples digital library as it’s a way out of the ecosystem.

Nintendo: i too like Nintendo most of the time. Granted a lot of their motives are for profit and kids. So as an older seasoned gamer some of that just won’t appeal to you and i. We aren’t the target on most decisions. As for Wii-U ports. Well that software was built and it didn’t get a chance to sell, so it was smart for them to carry it forward also i might add people forget. Nintendo wasn’t sure Switch would be the popular. They were hoping it was the right move but certainly didn’t see it as a slam dunk seller. When it did start to sell and show it was a hit, those Wii-U games sold faster than toilet paper during covid and still hasn’t stopped selling. Their next challenge is can they improve upon those franchises and sell well again. I think most will.

Last up PC: good ole master race PC. Yes it’s insane expensive and always changing. Fragmented and thats something i don’t like about it. I need 12 launchers. I don’t love that. Then the DirectX new version’s. Ugh!!! It’s what i don’t like about android phones. To get the newest security and feature updates i have to buy a new phone or get the update via my phone provider. It’s all just a mess compared to hitting update on iOS and we all have the same os features. Sorry i am slowly turning this into a mobile phone rant. Back to PC. I love gaming, but i also Bass fish as my outdoor hobby and shoot guns at ranges. You want to talk about money. It makes gaming look like pennies on the dollar. So i really don’t need to up my expenses on my indoor hobby 3X. I will if i have to. But my hope is Xbox figures it out and is a great option for years to come. Not sure i like the stick layout of the Steam deck. Never held one so i can’t say. But it looks to PS to me. Nintendo and Xbox with the off set sticks is my happy place. Not that i can’t shoot and use a PS controller. I can, but not as well nor as enjoyable.

Re: Former Blizzard President Gives Support To Phil Spencer Amidst Xbox Negativity

HonestHick

@NEStalgia yeah of the 2 consoles. I would stick with Xbox for my gaming needs.the same with the news that Gears collection, my most wanted Xbox title for 2-3 years now might be coming day and date to PS5. But i don’t want to play Gears on the Dual Sense i don’t think. On the weekends i can easily play online Gears for 4-5 hours or more pending on what i have or not have to do that day and i just think the PS controller would eat my wrist and thumbs up. So i am “stuck” on Xbox. I think the June Showcase will be good, maybe even great. But they are going to have to build a lot off that show for a while to get some good news swirling.

The last PC i owned was a Dell laptop around 20 years ago, i think i was 18-19 when i bough it. It blue screened on me and they wouldn’t warranty repair it. So i look at my iPod and said well here goes a lot of money and drove to the Apple Store and bought a high end MacBook Pro, that still works to this day if you have it plugged in as the battery is shot. So it’s safe to say i too own 0 PC games. If and it’s still an if i build a PC. I will only buy the games on it that i want to run with horsepower. Now if i can pick up smaller titles here and there on the cheap then sure. A lot of my PC purchase hinges on what does Xbox show, say and if we get a peak into the future plans in 2025 and beyond here in the next 1-2 years. Don’t in those 1-2 years i will be setting lose cash aside so if i do go PC. I will have a good chunk saved up. But if i go PC and really like it for more than just performance, then outside of Nintendo it is likely i wouldn’t come back to PS ever and more than likely Xbox as well.

Re: Former Blizzard President Gives Support To Phil Spencer Amidst Xbox Negativity

HonestHick

@NEStalgia Nadella wishes he was Apple as does 70% of MS. Apple ate their lunch on the iPhone. You know the $600 dollar phone no one would buy by a sweaty running around the stage tongue out Ballmer. Since that day MS has been chasing Apple not the other way around. Had to point that out.

I want to know if MS said Tango is shut down but we are keep leads and senior Dev’s and will rebrand them. I doubt it as they could have said that. But still a chance. If not they will join their former bosses on his studio. MS is a MESS right now. They need this showcase and some announcements after to turn this fiscal year around. They are still more interesting to me than Sony outside of the PS5 Pro which is looking more and more like the new home of many Series X/S players when GTA6 launches. Gears of war collection comes there and i might even date them for a bit. I don’t know yet. But MS have little and MS is a company that can’t front run cause they follow/buy more than they lead.

Re: Former Blizzard President Gives Support To Phil Spencer Amidst Xbox Negativity

HonestHick

@somnambulance you may be right. We don’t know this for fact tho. I think after the checks were written he lost some of charge.i ain’t giving him an out. He very well might have had impact on the decision and that makes sense. But i was saying it wasn’t him and him alone. Nor do i think he started the talks. MS and Xbox are very focused on what makes big bank and what doesn’t. That isn’t even Phil’s style by his play list. This dude loves his A-AA games.

Re: Former Blizzard President Gives Support To Phil Spencer Amidst Xbox Negativity

HonestHick

@NEStalgia sad thing is I believe that conversation actually happened after the psn thing lol

Well you went with me on it. I mean why not have some fun in all the bad news today? Switch 2 will be great but many will be disappointed cause it’s not X Y and Z powerful. But you don’t seem them in these struggles. For a reason they know thier budget and goals and stick to them better than Sony and MS could ever imagine.

Re: Former Blizzard President Gives Support To Phil Spencer Amidst Xbox Negativity

HonestHick

@MinervaX I mean you aren’t wrong. But times and money change things quicker than the wind. Today was not good, in fact ugly and bad but tomorrow much as in our own lives can change and we Xbox fans have seen worse. Before Xbox i hope all these devs find jobs, then after MS to start revealing what it is they truly want us to buy into. It better be good as today was another black eye to overcome.

Re: Former Blizzard President Gives Support To Phil Spencer Amidst Xbox Negativity

HonestHick

@MinervaX i mean I respect that. You got to do what you got to do. I am just saying we think it’s a stupid layoff, they have more inside numbers and future plans knowledge that at least somewhat lead to the decision. That’s my point. It still sucks. But it won’t hurt them for years to come when the heavy hitters start to come out. Not sure what closing 343 would do after they just cleaned house of the ones making the mess. There is a rumor that 343 is switching to Unreal Engine 5 and is ready to “soon” show of some Halo. They fixed up 343 and truthfully Halo Infinite has been really fun lately.

Re: Former Blizzard President Gives Support To Phil Spencer Amidst Xbox Negativity

HonestHick

@MinervaX Better yet smash your Xbox with a hammer on video that will show them…. Or they will just drive back to their 10 million dollar home and take a nice warm shower and sleep fine. It won’t matter what we do as MS will carry on as they wish and you do have the right to support it or not. But nothing we do to them matters and why take away from our enjoyment, the world isn’t a fair place and things like this happen. How many on here walk to work when their car company lay’s off thousands of workers?

Re: Former Blizzard President Gives Support To Phil Spencer Amidst Xbox Negativity

HonestHick

@somnambulance you mean the Xbox that is here today cause he stepped in and told higher up’s not to can it?

I get it, someone has to be the blame guy and thats why Phil get’s paid the big bucks, but if you think this wasn’t way above his pay scale that chopped the axe on those studios then i recommend taking a business class of company structure and decisions. Phil isn’t perfect as no one is. But he’s been a good dude for the industry and cares a lot. I bet he hates this more than you cause he knew those people and possibly some of their family.

Re: Phil Spencer Set To Take Part In Big Interview After 2024 Xbox Games Showcase

HonestHick

@Fiendish-Beaver 1000% correct and well said. It’s not about just a game going to PS, it’s losing the fan base and there being no real reason to make and support a Xbox. Which at that point i would go to PC. But i am unsure if i would or wouldn’t like it there. I mean yeah the idea of running gears at 4K/120 sounds nice but how much headache is involved? I don’t know cause I’ve never been a PC gamer. I just want Xbox to realize this is like Mobile, it’s a billion dollar industry that isn’t going away, changing yes, but not going away and if they leave they won’t get back in much like happened with mobile.

Re: Phil Spencer Set To Take Part In Big Interview After 2024 Xbox Games Showcase

HonestHick

@DarkCvrle25 exactly and i hope that’s all it was. Or if they want to bring older titles, so what but don’t bring Gears collection day and date. That would kill the excitement for long time Gears and Xbox fan’s. Might even make some sell their Xbox and get a PS5. Really hope they are smart about this cause once they lose this market it’s gone much like mobile.

Re: Phil Spencer Set To Take Part In Big Interview After 2024 Xbox Games Showcase

HonestHick

@DarkCvrle25 buddy i really hope you are right. This is what i would want as well. I love your idea much more than what insiders are reporting. I made the argument that it makes no sense to bring these games when they are making more hardware as well and all i am told is MS expects their hardware to remain flat and looks at every screen as a Xbox. I really hope they keep the heavy hitters. It would be the only way to grow GP. Otherwise if they are all coming 12 months later to PS why would anyone buy into Xbox. Like i said all i can say is i hope you are right cause your vision is much better than what is being reported. I really don’t want to see Xbox slowly die off. But if so i am prepared to switch to PC.

Re: Phil Spencer Set To Take Part In Big Interview After 2024 Xbox Games Showcase

HonestHick

@DarkCvrle25 i am not saying it is i am saying that is what insiders are hearing and reporting. I really hope it’s not true. But be honest with yourself for a min, would it surprise you that much to see Starfield, State of Decay 2, Halo MCC and Gears collection on PS? Now i would be shocked if they started to give PS games day and date. I don’t think that happens. But more titles are likely keyword likely to come to PS.

Re: Phil Spencer Set To Take Part In Big Interview After 2024 Xbox Games Showcase

HonestHick

@RIghteousNixon i agree with you about Phil. I like him. But it sounds like Gears of War collection, State of decay 2 and Starfield are next to come to PS5. Whether it happens or not is to be seen yet. But it’s looking that way. Seen a video explaining what JeZ was talking about on his discord. JEZ thinks MS will bring older titles to PS in hopes they like it and will buy a Xbox for the new game, Example bring State of decay 2 and hope PS gamers say hey thats fun and buy a Xbox for State of decay 3. Sounds like a weak plan in my opinion. But we will have to see if they do it or not. Same with Gears collection and then Gears 6 on Xbox/PC.

Re: Phil Spencer Set To Take Part In Big Interview After 2024 Xbox Games Showcase

HonestHick

@Titntin sounds like the Gears of war collection is going day and date to the PS5. Then Gears 6 is XBox/PC exclusive. I just wonder if they will at the showcase it’s going to PS5. I am starting to save up for a PC and once i hit around $4-$5k i think i am leaving console gaming. Xbox was my main platform and i just got no faith in it anymore, then PS is now running at 4% profit margin down from a year or two when they were only at 7%. So they need big changes as well. Consoles are starting to show some weakness as the younger kids don’t buy and play them the same way our generation did.

Re: Talking Point: Would You Mind If The Next Xbox Was A Portable Console?

HonestHick

@NEStalgia yes that is for sure their problem. They need to really think before they speak. Make sure the strategy and messaging behind it is being delivered right. But it seems like behind the scene’s they are just throwing idea’s out and trying to find the one that best sticks. Nothing seems clear and concrete to me. They get out around 10 AAA good games before the end of Series consoles with a strong message of what their next gen plans look like and they might find themselves in a better situation.

Re: Xbox Is Apparently 'Very Confident' In Its 2024 Summer Showcase Lineup

HonestHick

@OldGamer999 it would be great to have it in 2025. I was thinking they might go Collection in 2024-2025 and then 2026 is the 20th anniversary and they would drop gears 6. If they drop Gears 6 in 2025 then i hope tue collection is shadow drop at the June event or shortly after so that collection get’s it time to shine and bring in new players.

Re: Talking Point: Would You Mind If The Next Xbox Was A Portable Console?

HonestHick

@NEStalgia you made a ton of good points. I just want Xbox to be more clear. They need to hire someone to speak for them. They are in their own way. Of the 3 consoles it’s the Xbox we never know what to expect and not in a good way. I still think it would be a waste of everyone’s time at ABK & others if MS bought them, gave them new tools to work with, made them part of the MS company only to tell them in less than 5 years they are going to just make games for PC and PS and Xbox is leaving hardware. So in my heart and mind i still think we are going to see some kind of hardware, but we have no idea as to what it will look like and i think it’s safe to say it probably won’t compete with PS, so they might not be able to sell enough of them to skip brining Gears and Halo to PS consoles. 10 years or less of that and they would just go 3rd party. So i am still confused as ever as to what the roadmap looks like for Xbox. They have options and of course studios and money. But how do they want to use that? Your points all make a lot of sense and i hope some of those come true.

Re: Talking Point: Would You Mind If The Next Xbox Was A Portable Console?

HonestHick

@Fiendish-Beaver as much as i know you hate to write that and as much as i hate to admit your right…. You’re right. Many more titles will be coming to PS5-PS6. The question is how and when do they do Halo, Gears and others on PS. Cause that is going to send ripple effects through the internet for weeks if not months. What is that announcement going to look like? Plus it will ensure that no other company would be able to come in and compete with PS at the high end. Unless Nintendo ever decided to get back into powerful consoles and that is just not going to happen. Sure if they did MS would bring the games to them, but it’s just not the Nintendo way to compete on specs with PS. Xbox has just backed itself into a corner and i think the only way out is PC. But that begs the question if anyone would even care. Most will just be on PS or Steam. MS will be the 3rd wheel for a few hardcore Xbox fan’s that will be left. I will try and make a happy ending to this. If MS is bringing its games to PS, can they bring the controller too? Cause that is what i would miss the most is the off set thumb sticks and the Xbox controller. Just make the same controller with the PS button symbols and I’d be ok. 😊

Re: Talking Point: Would You Mind If The Next Xbox Was A Portable Console?

HonestHick

@NEStalgia yeah i agree financially the games industry is in an odd place. Now i do hope the Xbox sticks around and i can largely avoid PC and play on a Xbox PC console and the handheld. That would be the best way forward for me. I don’t know much about the egpu so i couldn’t say. But i think the handheld will go on the side to the console and build a better ecosystem. It’s my guess anyway.

Re: Xbox Is Apparently 'Very Confident' In Its 2024 Summer Showcase Lineup

HonestHick

@DoomGuy_117 @OldGamer999 as they should be there is a real chance we see a lot of heavy hitters. The one title that was on the leaked document that i rarely see people talk about is the Elder Scrolls 4 oblivion remake. Maybe that get’s shown off. The target date from the leak would line up. Now the game i want the most is the Gears of War Marcus Fenix collection. Then Gears 6 in 2026 for the 20th anniversary. Overall there is almost 10 AAA big titles that they could show off here. That would be one of the best showings for the brand ever.

Re: Talking Point: Would You Mind If The Next Xbox Was A Portable Console?

HonestHick

@NEStalgia i think Sarah Bond already gave the blue print alongside Phil’s love for a handheld. It’s all but been confirmed that we will see the biggest leap in a console cycle ever. So that screams a console and not handheld. Then Phil saying when he is away he wants the Xbox Ui, friends list and achievements, progress on a handheld. So it seems like we get both which would be the ecosystem i think MS is trying to create.

I will be honest i built a PC online that i want and it hit $3,800 and that didn’t include the case or monitor. I am saving up for it just in case the negative rumors of Xbox leaving hardware is true. Which i hope it’s not. PC just feels like the future and one were i can enjoy the games i want running in the performance i desire. About time i save that much money tho i will be getting a 5090 instead of the 4090.

Re: Hellblade 2 Will Display With Black Bars Outside Of Ultrawide Mode

HonestHick

@NEStalgia i on purpose clicked on this article to scroll and find you to say yet again.. why is Square doing widescreen on FF16? We have laughed, discussed and scratched our heads on that discussion. I just played the game yesterday and really tried to see an area where i thought ok maybe here it would be cool… and no. I could not cause that’s not what the world is built for. Man i can’t wait to see someone boot that up on their widescreen display and all they see is a closed off section of the map. They are going to really be upset. Every time i build my dream PC setup online just to see what it will cost me. I always skip over the widescreen monitors.

Re: Xbox Games Showcase 2024 Confirmed For June, First Details Revealed

HonestHick

@Fiendish-Beaver yeah your Gears collection is impressive for sure. I knew it would be. I can’t wait to see if they do anything for the Series X.

Yeah the rumors of the Marcus Fenix collection is heating up. One thing that makes sense is when they make a Gears announcement there is always two at a time. It was Gears 4 and Ultimate edition then it was Tactics and Gears 5. So if they announce Gears 6 then the second would be Marcus Fenix Collection. Wow that is a huge get for Xbox. This will bring new players and PC players into the original trilogy. Plus build hype for Gears 6. This is what Xbox needs, get their heavy hitters out in the open and show they have great games coming. Excited for the June showcase more than ever.