@Valhura Atomfall and Other developers have expressed their satisfaction with Game Pass, like Stalker 2, Towerborne, etc... and these games aren't on PS5 ....
And what you're saying is wrong—the main sales for Game Pass games happen on PC, especially on Steam. Sales on PS5 are significantly lower in all cases.
Moreover, Game Pass players can also purchase the game—I’m one of them—and they can buy DLCs and other content as well, which they wouldn’t have done if they hadn’t discovered the game through Game Pass. It's far more complex than you think.
Studies have shown that Game Pass subscribers buy more games than non-subscribers. It makes sense—they spend more time playing, discover more games, and are therefore more likely to purchase games and content.
@Millionski "They could, but it's not what they want; it wouldn't make sense business-wise, because as he says, Game Pass isn't made for everyone. They would lose players if they bet exclusively on Game Pass.
For the industry, I also think it wouldn't be a good idea to bet everything on Game Pass.
Game Pass is one option among others, knowing their objective is to offer multiple choices to their players while prioritizing their own ecosystem. It's a matter of balance and diversification, and the numbers show it's the right direction.
As a player, I think we're living through a fantastic time as Xbox gamers.
It contradicts many people who didn't understand Xbox's strategy, which has always been to diversify their touchpoints with consumers. It has never been about betting everything on Game Pass or to stop consoles, even though it remains a central point of their strategy.
That's why Xbox diversifies its strategy with home consoles, portable consoles, cloud gaming, PC gaming, by porting some games to competing consoles, keeping some games exclusive, etc.
All of this contributes to reaching different types of players while prioritizing the Xbox ecosystem, which is the only one offering Game Pass, exclusive games, and certain features like Play Anywhere, Stream Your Own Game on Cloud, cross-save, backward compatibility, Quick Resume, and more.
After finishing Avowed, on which I spent over 120 hours, I'm now enjoying the refreshing South of Midnight. I take little breaks with Immortals now and then.
Okay, okay, no notable difference. Once again, it's confirmed that the PS5 Pro is a big scam. In any case, it's money for Xbox, which will finance other Indiana Jones games and other day-one games in Game Pass.
Let's wait to see real, unbiased opinions, not influenced by Sony's sponsorship. In any case, judging by the trailer, it doesn't look appealing at all. The art direction is so dull and synthetic—I just can't get into it! As for the gameplay, we'll have to see, but the business model already puts me off. Count me out—there are too many good games to play to waste time and money on this thing!
@Fiendish-Beaver I play it in normal too, No need to crank up the difficulty for me or artificially stretch out the game's duration, but if you enjoy intense and spicy challenges, that's cool too!
@Fiendish-Beaver I love exploring, and in Avowed, it's truly satisfying because there are so many hidden places, secret passages, mysteries to uncover, treasures, etc... So yes, I take my time, I take the time to read, etc... Maybe I'm slower than average, but that's just my playstyle.
Same with Avowed, I've spent over 100 hours on it (not finished yet) and I just can't put it down. The narration, The side quests are very well done, and I love Obsidian's humor, especially during the dialogues between companions. You have the option to change your combat style whenever you want, which is really fun. Once again, a very good Xbox game underrated for obscure reasons.
Anyway, only Nintendo and Xbox show first party games in their showcase, not like PlayStation which only shows games from third party publishers and multiplatform for the most part.
"All I want to see is Black Myth: Wukong on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S as soon as possible" No, absolutely not !
No need for a game from a small studio that lied. So many games to play on Xbox and via GamePass, I have to finish Stalker 2, Avowed and Atomfall already then will follow South of Midnight, expedition 33, Doom Dark Ages, I am playing 33 Immortals, and Towerborne at the same time. So much games, much more interessting that this overhyped game
@themightyant You don't know if the battery life will drop; you're basing this on the current version of Windows. The OS will certainly be optimized for better battery management on this portable Xbox.
Regarding compatibility: 17,934 games may sound like a lot, but we're talking about decades of games, from the oldest to the newest. Windows, as the native operating system for the majority of PC games, naturally offers a much broader compatibility than Proton, even though I couldn't find exact numbers.
For instance Destiny 2, Call of Duty: Warzone, Valorant, FIFA 23 don't work on steam OS. You have to play them on windows But you'd agree that switching between Windows and SteamOS isn't practical. We can clearly see the limitations of Steam on certain popular and recent games.
I think some people haven't understood the advantages of a portable Xbox console with native Windows and a gamer-friendly interface inspired by Xbox consoles:
Compatibility: The Steam Deck is still about emulation via Proton, which runs Windows games on Linux. This leads to compatibility issues with certain games.
Performance: Linux can never truly rival native Windows. With native DirectX, the performance on a portable Xbox console would be superior. Additionally, certain DirectX12 features aren't supported by Proton. In terms of both performance and graphical quality, the result would be better.
Dedicated Interface: A simplified and optimized Xbox interface would ensure a smooth user experience. Currently, portable consoles using Windows don't offer an optimized user experience. This is another area where portable Xbox consoles would have an advantage.
Complete Xbox Ecosystem: Easy access to all Xbox ecosystem features: Game Pass, Play Anywhere, cross-save, backward compatibility, maybe even Quick Resume.
Hardware Advantages: This is speculation, but such a console would naturally be more powerful than what's currently available, given that it would be more recent. Beyond that, I think Xbox would also focus on battery life.
In short, the Steam Deck can't compete with a portable Xbox console simply because they've chosen a different path, with a Linux-based OS and a vision that's very focused on Steam and PC. A portable Xbox would blend the worlds of consoles and PCs with a more open and gaming-optimized system in terms of performance, graphics, and user experience.
@Dalamar73 It's just facts, though, and it's part of the topic. It's no worse than those who constantly complain about Xbox for reasons that are also quite questionable, especially on an Xbox-focused site. I simply mentioned PlayStation to highlight that they generate less revenue than Xbox, their PSSR was a complete failure, and they produce very few games aside from remakes, in order to emphasize Xbox's advantages in comparison.
It feels like some people only focus on the negatives (like console sales) and forget everything else.
I'm not saying Xbox shouldn't be criticized, especially when it's deserved, but every now and then, it's important to put things into perspective and set the record straight.
There are already certain points that have been confirmed:
Xbox Series S Comparable Performance (By the way, I think the Series S exists partly because of this future portable console; it’s there to prepare the ground and ensure that games are supported by this portable console.)
A Dedicated Xbox Interface (confirmed by jez corden)
An Xbox Play Anywhere / Backwards Compatibility Focus (confirmed by jez corden)
for battery life and competitve price, we will see
We could add other important and confirmed points as well:
The opening to other stores (confirmed by Jez Corden and other insiders).
Backward compatibility (Of course, your current Xbox game library will be compatible. It's confirmed, and honestly, it's obvious—there's no question about it. Backward compatibility is an integral part of Xbox's very essence.)
And also all the current features of the Xbox ecosystem, such as Play Anywhere, cross-save, "play your own game on cloud," and easy access to Game Pass.
It would be great if Quick Resume was included as well. However, that hasn't been confirmed yet, but it would definitely be a really cool feature! But Phil Spencer had mentioned the possibility of bringing this feature to Windows, so ...
@OldGamer999 loool ! people are not turing turning to PS or even Nintendo. To date, the PS5 has sold 2 million fewer units than the PS4, and their sales dropped by 35% compared to last year, despite releasing a mid-generation update that was supposed to boost sales. Let’s not forget that Xbox hasn’t released a mid-generation console, so the comparison isn’t exactly fair. It’s widely known that the entire console market is declining. If there’s one platform that players are gravitating towards, it’s PC! The only markets currently experiencing growth are PC and cloud gaming, and in that area, Xbox has a strong presence!
For casual gamers who aren’t tied to a particular system and want an affordable option, yes, it makes sense! Besides, the new Xbox consoles are coming soon and will likely coincide with the release of GTA 6.
Absolutely: 1/A portable console with Windows, featuring an Xbox-like interface that is truly optimized for use on a portable console. For now, this doesn't exist—Windows is not optimized for a user-friendly experience on a portable console.
2/A console where you can easily play your Xbox games locally, on the cloud, enjoy Game Pass, AND also access other stores like Steam, Epic, etc.
@LogicStrikesAgain Of course, we're here to give our opinion. We can try to argue to make our point understood and possibly convince those who have reasonable doubts. I'm capable of changing my mind if I see that the arguments are relevant, but in this case, I remain convinced of my opinion, just as you remain convinced of yours, despite my arguments apparently not being sufficient. It remains a cordial discussion, and I respect that. Everything's good, bro!
@LogicStrikesAgain If you're upgrading from the PS4/PS4 Pro, in terms of value for money, it's better to upgrade to a standard PS5 or an Xbox Series X. Considering the price of the PS5 Pro, the flawed technologies like PSSR, and the minor performance gap, it's not worth it in my opinion!
If your budget is unlimited, go for it! But, even in this case, if you have an unlimited budget and really want the best, then go for a PC instead ! For the same price, you can get a better PC, and if you push a bit further, you'll have a real gaming PC
So, given all of this, yes, I firmly believe that this mid-gen upgrade is totally unnecessary.
This Assassin's Creed Shadow looks great. I recently finished Mirage and really enjoyed it, even though, inevitably, the gameplay mechanics repeat a bit (as they do in most games).
It's not a bad thing that the open worlds are smaller and the story more condensed. I loved Assassin's Creed Odyssey, but it was sometimes a bit too long.
I notice that the PS5 Pro doesn't bring much more to the table apart from slightly better ray tracing, which confirms that this mid-gen upgrade is unnecessary.
This confirms the significant increase in the quality of Xbox games, despite the "Xbox tax" that tends to underrate Xbox games. Also, their weighting system is quite strange, as they count PC ports (e.g., God of War) and remasters (e.g., TLOU 2 Remastered) in the same way. I think they should give more weight to original games.
The quality of Xbox games is really up to par, last games like Call of Duty Black Ops 6 to Indiana Jones and Avowed. You can tell they take the time to fine-tune their games and don't hesitate to delay releases if they think the game isn't up to standard, which is a very good thing! I am very confident; the art direction looks really appealing. I'm looking forward to seeing more about the gameplay, but just the story and the art direction already seem great, and I have high hopes for the rest.
Some people didn’t understand, I feel (PureXbox didn't understand either, because they don't mention it in the article). Xbox is talking about the Xbox Play Anywhere program, which aims to encourage developers to launch their games simultaneously on PC, Xbox console, and the cloud, with a single purchase of the game. That’s what it’s about, nothing more, nothing less: "whether they choose to play with Xbox console, PC, Smart TV, or mobile."
The source mentions it, though: Xbox Play Anywhere Developer Roundtable (Presented by Microsoft) Speaker: Chris Charla (Microsoft) Date: Thursday, March 20 Time: 2:00pm - 3:00pm Location: Room 2004, West Hall
@Fiendish-Beaver We’re not going to agree on this. I base my arguments on reality, while you rely on rumors or hypothetical scenarios that may or may not happen in the future—we’ll see. For now, I’m the one who's right until proven otherwise, IF that "otherwise" ever happens!
If we listened to rumors, Starfield, Hellblade 2, and Forza Horizon 5 would have been ported to PS5 a long time ago. But reality is completely different: these are exclusive games. For how long? Based on the average time current games take to be ported, I’d say around 4 to 5 years—IF the game even gets ported at all, because it won’t necessarily happen.
That brings me back to my point: a timed exclusive is still an exclusive. A 4-year exclusive is still an exclusive. If you want to play a game, you don’t wait 4 years. So, in the end, the impact on the player is the same as with a permanent exclusive (a concept that only truly exists with Nintendo nowadays).
Do you really think Xbox needs PlayStation to sell Fable?
Fable isn’t a live-service game, has no history of being multiplatform, and hasn’t even reached its full potential on Xbox—let alone launched yet! People are overestimating its value. Microsoft wants to make as much money as possible, but they certainly don’t need the 1-3% of PlayStation players who might buy a British RPG without prior exposure to its unique brand of humor.
If anything, Fable will generate more revenue through Game Pass alone than it would from sales anywhere outside of PC. There’s a serious misunderstanding of game development economics and how much Game Pass actually brings in. Even if Playground Games spends $200 million on Fable—which is a high estimate for a non-licensed IP—spread over six years, that’s barely $30M per year.
Game Pass has been criticized for spending $1 billion annually on content acquisition (as if that’s a bad thing) while bringing in over $5 billion in gross revenue. Microsoft has committed to funding four exclusives per year, with some being smaller AA titles, meaning the total cost of these exclusives is unlikely to exceed 10% of Game Pass’s content budget.
By the time these exclusives launch, they’re already paid for—before selling a single copy.
@Fiendish-Beaver I don't agree with your comparison with the PC. PC gamers and console gamers are two different types of players. The PC does not compete with consoles, whereas two consoles compete with each other, which is the case between Xbox and PS. Furthermore, Microsoft has always made games on PC, even before making games on the Xbox console. There are even games that were released only on PC and never on the Xbox console. You see? The PC was there before consoles! Your hypothesis does not hold at all; you are only speculating, and the current situation totally contradicts you. That's not at all what Xbox is doing. People think Xbox's expansion strategy concerns PlayStation, but it is the last wheel of the cart. The growth is not there but in the PC and cloud market. For the rest, it's on a case-by-case basis and temporary exclusives. This is the reality. Your speculations don't exist, except in your head. Why wasn't Avowed released day one on PS5? Is it still too early? I bet you in 2 or 3 years you will continue to say the same thing, but it will still not be the case! Xbox has the upper hand; they are the ones who sell games. They have the choice. Nothing obliges them to release their big franchises day one on other consoles. They are largely profitable with Xbox, PC, and the cloud, which are markets with strong growth, unlike the PS5, whose sales have dropped by 35% in a year, and a PS5 Pro that sells less well than a PS4 Pro. Stop swallowing everything you read in clickbait articles.
@Fiendish-Beaver "Lastly, people also say, but I can play Avowed, or Gears of War, or Halo, or whatever on the Game Pass, that is why I choose Xbox"
"But what are you talking about? Aren't Avowed, Gears, and Halo exclusive? Well, yes, they are exclusive to Xbox! The fact is that Xbox continues its case-by-case strategy and temporary exclusives for some. Absolutely no first-party game from Xbox studios has been released day one on other consoles, haven't you noticed? Or do you have another explanation for that too? All the games that were released day one on other platforms are historically multiplatform games and mainly come from Bethesda and Activision acquisitions. As for Xbox studio games, Sea of Thieves (8 years later), Grounded (6 years later), Forza Horizon 5 (not yet released on PS5 but will be more than 4 years later), Age of Empires and Age of Mythology the same, ....
If you think Forza Horizon 6, Fable, Gears E-Day, etc. will be released day one on other consoles, you are joyfully mistaken, you can capture my message. You didn't understand Xbox's strategy, but you're not the only one, don't worry. Xbox knows very well that these franchises create attractiveness to their ecosystem and then a few years later, when the game becomes aging, they make it profitable again, that's exactly what they are doing currently and that's exactly what they will continue to do!
When Xbox talks about 'everywhere,' they mainly mean PC and cloud; growth markets (PS is in decline). They don't need to release their big franchises day one on other consoles; Xbox, PC, and cloud are more than enough initially. No one, except Nintendo, makes permanent exclusives anymore. Even Death Stranding 2 will be released on Xbox, Silent Hill 2 will indeed be released on Xbox, etc. But who wants to play Fable or Forza Horizon 6 four years later? If you love the franchise, it's evident that it will attract players to Game Pass and to the Xbox ecosystem. It's just the beginning, Xbox is sweeping everything, and you don't see it coming.
Another former PS exclusive on Xbox, it seems there are more former exclusives on Xbox than the other way around. Even Death Stranding 2 will be released on Xbox. No one makes permanent exclusives anymore, but the fact is that Xbox has more exclusives than PS, even if some are temporary. Just look at Xbox's lineup with Stalker 2, Avowed, South of Midnight, Mechabreak, etc... And what about PS? Nothing!
Square Enix, Capcom, and many publishers have stopped making exclusives for PS, and Konami will be the same. It was an old contract, but Konami is also stopping exclusives with PS.
And when you know that PS makes very few first-party games + the fact that most of their exclusives are from third party = fewer and fewer PS exclusives.
Meanwhile, Xbox is cooking up exclusives and multiplatform games for Game Pass and for Xbox players first!
That's a good sign, it's an ambitious game. They're taking the time to release a good game and not rushing it. We'll wait.
If I were Xbox, I would wait to release the new console alongside games like Fable, gears e-day, forza horizon 6, etc... . They absolutely need a strong line-up for the next-gen launch, which is what they lacked for the Xbox Series.
I love how it focuses on the essentials with beautiful graphics, great combat, great story, Choices that have consequences and simple gameplay mechanics. That's what we want—to get back to the essence of video games. Not everyone wants super complicated games with a steep learning curve. It's not perfect; it lacks interaction with NPCs and the liveliness of the visited places, but overall, everything else is very positive, and I'm having fun. That means the game is successful, at least for me!
The one who wins is the one who makes games and sells services; that's where profitability lies. And thanks to this funding, everything can follow: marketing campaigns, new games, a well-stocked Game Pass, competitive new consoles, exclusive games, etc. And all of this is to the advantage of Xbox players who enjoy a great Game Pass, new exclusive games, even if some are ported to other consoles a few years later. Xbox's good health is beneficial for Xbox players.
PlayStation players, on the other hand, are relegated to second place regarding Xbox games because they don't have access to Game Pass and can't play them as early (except for historically multi-platform games). As for their own exclusive games, there are not many, and there will be even fewer as third-party publishers turn away from PlayStation. Moreover, they will be forced to do day-one releases on PC quickly to remain profitable because things are going very badly financially for them.
"cloud gaming is a natural thing for us to invest in because that'll just [...] expand the ability for people to play games everywhere"
If after this, people still don't understand that 'everywhere' mainly means the cloud, there's nothing more we can do for them. This is exactly what Phil has emphasized recently. But yes, more Xbox games on more platforms (mainly PC and cloud, and some temporary exclusives on competing platforms) also means better funding for studios and better quality games, and even better gamepass catalog. It's a virtuous circle!
@Millionski The one releasing exclusive games right now is Xbox, with Stalker 2, Avowed, and soon Sooth of Midnight. Sony is releasing nothing at all! And in terms of marketing, I think Xbox understands that they need to do much more! By the way, there was a big marketing campaign for Avowed, just like for Indiana Jones. Multiplatform games allow them to finance exclusive games and also more aggressive marketing campaigns than before.
And Take a look at Google Trends, who is being talked about more? Xbox or PlayStation? Even PlayStation blogs talk about Xbox more than their own brand because they have nothing else to say! Whether it's good or bad, people talk about Xbox, they exist and make people talk about them, and we see that it works with, for example, Avowed being a top seller.
The reality is that at PlayStation, they are in panic mode after all the canceled games, flops, acquisition errors, closed studios, and 10% of their workforce being laid off. They are realizing that Xbox is absorbing them in terms of games, revenue, services, cloud, and I'm even convinced that the next generation of consoles will be the final blow with the integration of all the stores.
They are two completely different games, two completely different experiences. I have no problem with them being released even close to each other. Fable will be on gamepass anyway.
Maybe it's even a good thing that they come out at the same time, it will probably push some people to get it via Game Pass rather than buying it since they will have to buy GTA 6.
@IOI Always with the doom and gloom. When did he lie? He said that for now, it was just 4 games, that it was a test, and they would see what they do based on the results of these tests! They never said it would just be 4 games forever! He also said not to believe that these 4 games meant everything would arrive, and that's indeed the case; there are very few games that have been ported compared to the exclusive games. There is always a balance that is maintained. The result of the test is that only Sea of Thieves really worked on PlayStation, which is why we see other service games being ported after several years like FH5 or Age of Empires, for example. I'm not talking about historically multiplatform games
@Weebleman I didn't say it's already in place, but in any case, I see that you are very quick to defend PlayStation! lol! We all know very well that PlayStation has played its marketing on third-party games much more, whether with marketing exclusivity contracts with Call of Duty back in the day or with GTA 6. For them, it's a very important strategy to make the average player think that a third-party game is exclusive. Otherwise, why pay some publishers to prevent them from advertising on other platforms, even though the game is multiplatform? Don't be naive, it's just manipulation of the ignorant. Xbox is content with only displaying its logo on trailers like everyone else, it doesn't go further, or at least not as far as PS. As already said, for now, this willingness for transparency is not yet there, it's simply a pious wish for now, and we'll see if they apply it or not, but I think it's a good idea, that's all!
It's a good thing; it will prevent false speculations. This way, players will know, OK, this game is exclusive, or OK, this game is multiplatform. It changes from the State of Play where 99% of the games are multiplatform and Sony tries to make you believe they are exclusive, which is dishonest! Well, it's a practice that everyone did, but not at the same level as PlayStation, which has always played a lot on ambiguity. Glad that Xbox, once again, is setting a good example!
@themightyant Great job ! We should also consider the quality of the games, their value, and the type of games (AAA or AA). On this point, I don't have the impression that Game Pass has decreased in quality; on the contrary, we have more AAA titles than before. It's worth noting that many 2024 games were delayed and that the 2025 lineup will certainly improve these stats further.
@Ilyn Maybe you should read the whole interview, right? He mentions the cloud 6 times in the entire interview, not just once. In comparison, he mentions PlayStation 2 times, and when talking about Xbox consoles, he mentions them 11 times (4 console + 2 hardware + 5 own platform). So, if we base our understanding on the frequency of words to give them more or less weight, we can say that concerning platforms, the Xbox ecosystem comes first, then the cloud, and lastly the competing consoles.
Regarding the rest of your speech, I'm not basing it on a single game but on all the games. They are either historically multiplatform games or temporarily exclusive games. For Indy, I explained, it’s a Disney license, for Hi-Fi Rush and Pentiment, seriously? They are niche games arriving a year and a half later, they're not big games.
Then you go into speculations again: "plenty of future games are Day 1," really? Which ones? avowed, south of midnight ? I d'ont' think so !
It's more like you're sticking to a narrative that has nothing tangible or concrete and relies only on speculation. That's the problem with people like you, always talking about "probably," "future," "they will," meanwhile, I believe what I see, and I also simply believe what Phil Spencer says, which is quite the opposite of what you're saying!
@IOI That's not since the "no red lines," but let's move on! As for "no red lines," we know very well that it doesn't mean anything, except that they allow themselves to port OR NOT a game to a particular platform, that's all!
And yes, of course this strategy is good, we can already see that it's working with a profit margin of 14% compared to PlayStation's 4%, a great lineup of first-party games, exclusive games like Avowed, South of Midnight, Stalker 2, Mechbreak, etc., a Game Pass that's always well-stocked, supported development studios, a console that I love, and ever-increasing features with Play Anywhere expanding, "play your own games on cloud," cross-save, etc. All of this is thanks, among other things, to this multiplatform strategy. All I'm saying is that their strategy is balanced and clever, with exclusive games AND multiplatform games. The few multiplatform games are both to support their studios and their own ecosystem. It's also a way to introduce Xbox franchises to other players and sell them Game Pass among other things.
The Xbox console base remains stable considering there is no mid-gen. According to VGChartz, the PS4 has sold 2 million more consoles than the PS5 (data from January 2025). It's the console market that is in decline, not just Xbox.
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Re: Bethesda Details Oblivion Remastered Tech Specs & Gameplay Changes On Xbox
They are humble; at this level, it's not a remaster, it's a remake with all these changes and 123 GB—wow, it's already downloading!
Re: Atomfall's Xbox Game Pass Launch Has Done 'Really, Really Well' For Microsoft
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Re: Atomfall's Xbox Game Pass Launch Has Done 'Really, Really Well' For Microsoft
@Valhura Atomfall and Other developers have expressed their satisfaction with Game Pass, like Stalker 2, Towerborne, etc... and these games aren't on PS5 ....
And what you're saying is wrong—the main sales for Game Pass games happen on PC, especially on Steam. Sales on PS5 are significantly lower in all cases.
Moreover, Game Pass players can also purchase the game—I’m one of them—and they can buy DLCs and other content as well, which they wouldn’t have done if they hadn’t discovered the game through Game Pass. It's far more complex than you think.
Studies have shown that Game Pass subscribers buy more games than non-subscribers. It makes sense—they spend more time playing, discover more games, and are therefore more likely to purchase games and content.
Re: Phil Spencer Discusses Why Xbox Game Pass Isn't For Everyone These Days
@Millionski "They could, but it's not what they want; it wouldn't make sense business-wise, because as he says, Game Pass isn't made for everyone. They would lose players if they bet exclusively on Game Pass.
For the industry, I also think it wouldn't be a good idea to bet everything on Game Pass.
Game Pass is one option among others, knowing their objective is to offer multiple choices to their players while prioritizing their own ecosystem. It's a matter of balance and diversification, and the numbers show it's the right direction.
As a player, I think we're living through a fantastic time as Xbox gamers.
Re: Phil Spencer Discusses Why Xbox Game Pass Isn't For Everyone These Days
It contradicts many people who didn't understand Xbox's strategy, which has always been to diversify their touchpoints with consumers. It has never been about betting everything on Game Pass or to stop consoles, even though it remains a central point of their strategy.
That's why Xbox diversifies its strategy with home consoles, portable consoles, cloud gaming, PC gaming, by porting some games to competing consoles, keeping some games exclusive, etc.
All of this contributes to reaching different types of players while prioritizing the Xbox ecosystem, which is the only one offering Game Pass, exclusive games, and certain features like Play Anywhere, Stream Your Own Game on Cloud, cross-save, backward compatibility, Quick Resume, and more.
After finishing Avowed, on which I spent over 120 hours, I'm now enjoying the refreshing South of Midnight. I take little breaks with Immortals now and then.
I Love Xbox and gamepass
Re: Indiana Jones And The Great Circle Comparison Showcases Xbox Series X Vs. PS5 Pro
Okay, okay, no notable difference. Once again, it's confirmed that the PS5 Pro is a big scam. In any case, it's money for Xbox, which will finance other Indiana Jones games and other day-one games in Game Pass.
Re: Roundup: The First Impressions Of Marathon Are In
Let's wait to see real, unbiased opinions, not influenced by Sony's sponsorship. In any case, judging by the trailer, it doesn't look appealing at all. The art direction is so dull and synthetic—I just can't get into it! As for the gameplay, we'll have to see, but the business model already puts me off. Count me out—there are too many good games to play to waste time and money on this thing!
Re: After Three Months, These Are The Top 10 Xbox Games Of 2025
@Fiendish-Beaver I play it in normal too, No need to crank up the difficulty for me or artificially stretch out the game's duration, but if you enjoy intense and spicy challenges, that's cool too!
Re: After Three Months, These Are The Top 10 Xbox Games Of 2025
@Fiendish-Beaver I love exploring, and in Avowed, it's truly satisfying because there are so many hidden places, secret passages, mysteries to uncover, treasures, etc... So yes, I take my time, I take the time to read, etc... Maybe I'm slower than average, but that's just my playstyle.
Re: After Three Months, These Are The Top 10 Xbox Games Of 2025
Same with Avowed, I've spent over 100 hours on it (not finished yet) and I just can't put it down. The narration, The side quests are very well done, and I love Obsidian's humor, especially during the dialogues between companions. You have the option to change your combat style whenever you want, which is really fun. Once again, a very good Xbox game underrated for obscure reasons.
Re: Windows Might Be Adding A New UI For The ASUS Xbox Handheld
Good news, we really need to make the Windows interface of portable consoles much more gamer friendly.
Xbox = the one who unites them all
Re: Talking Point: Are You Expecting Xbox News At The Switch 2 Direct This Week?
Anyway, only Nintendo and Xbox show first party games in their showcase, not like PlayStation which only shows games from third party publishers and multiplatform for the most part.
Re: Sony Causes A Stir Among Xbox Fans With Black Myth: Wukong Comment
"All I want to see is Black Myth: Wukong on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S as soon as possible" No, absolutely not !
No need for a game from a small studio that lied. So many games to play on Xbox and via GamePass, I have to finish Stalker 2, Avowed and Atomfall already then will follow South of Midnight, expedition 33, Doom Dark Ages, I am playing 33 Immortals, and Towerborne at the same time. So much games, much more interessting that this overhyped game
Re: Five Things An Xbox Handheld Needs To Include When It Releases
@themightyant You don't know if the battery life will drop; you're basing this on the current version of Windows. The OS will certainly be optimized for better battery management on this portable Xbox.
Regarding compatibility: 17,934 games may sound like a lot, but we're talking about decades of games, from the oldest to the newest. Windows, as the native operating system for the majority of PC games, naturally offers a much broader compatibility than Proton, even though I couldn't find exact numbers.
For instance Destiny 2, Call of Duty: Warzone, Valorant, FIFA 23 don't work on steam OS. You have to play them on windows But you'd agree that switching between Windows and SteamOS isn't practical. We can clearly see the limitations of Steam on certain popular and recent games.
Re: Five Things An Xbox Handheld Needs To Include When It Releases
I think some people haven't understood the advantages of a portable Xbox console with native Windows and a gamer-friendly interface inspired by Xbox consoles:
Compatibility: The Steam Deck is still about emulation via Proton, which runs Windows games on Linux. This leads to compatibility issues with certain games.
Performance: Linux can never truly rival native Windows. With native DirectX, the performance on a portable Xbox console would be superior. Additionally, certain DirectX12 features aren't supported by Proton. In terms of both performance and graphical quality, the result would be better.
Dedicated Interface: A simplified and optimized Xbox interface would ensure a smooth user experience. Currently, portable consoles using Windows don't offer an optimized user experience. This is another area where portable Xbox consoles would have an advantage.
Complete Xbox Ecosystem: Easy access to all Xbox ecosystem features: Game Pass, Play Anywhere, cross-save, backward compatibility, maybe even Quick Resume.
Hardware Advantages: This is speculation, but such a console would naturally be more powerful than what's currently available, given that it would be more recent. Beyond that, I think Xbox would also focus on battery life.
In short, the Steam Deck can't compete with a portable Xbox console simply because they've chosen a different path, with a Linux-based OS and a vision that's very focused on Steam and PC. A portable Xbox would blend the worlds of consoles and PCs with a more open and gaming-optimized system in terms of performance, graphics, and user experience.
Re: Xbox Series S Needs A 'Significant' Marketing Push For GTA 6, Insists Analyst
@Dalamar73 It's just facts, though, and it's part of the topic. It's no worse than those who constantly complain about Xbox for reasons that are also quite questionable, especially on an Xbox-focused site. I simply mentioned PlayStation to highlight that they generate less revenue than Xbox, their PSSR was a complete failure, and they produce very few games aside from remakes, in order to emphasize Xbox's advantages in comparison.
It feels like some people only focus on the negatives (like console sales) and forget everything else.
I'm not saying Xbox shouldn't be criticized, especially when it's deserved, but every now and then, it's important to put things into perspective and set the record straight.
Re: Xbox Series S Needs A 'Significant' Marketing Push For GTA 6, Insists Analyst
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Re: Five Things An Xbox Handheld Needs To Include When It Releases
There are already certain points that have been confirmed:
for battery life and competitve price, we will see
We could add other important and confirmed points as well:
Re: Xbox Series S Needs A 'Significant' Marketing Push For GTA 6, Insists Analyst
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Re: Xbox Series S Needs A 'Significant' Marketing Push For GTA 6, Insists Analyst
@OldGamer999 loool ! people are not turing turning to PS or even Nintendo. To date, the PS5 has sold 2 million fewer units than the PS4, and their sales dropped by 35% compared to last year, despite releasing a mid-generation update that was supposed to boost sales. Let’s not forget that Xbox hasn’t released a mid-generation console, so the comparison isn’t exactly fair. It’s widely known that the entire console market is declining. If there’s one platform that players are gravitating towards, it’s PC! The only markets currently experiencing growth are PC and cloud gaming, and in that area, Xbox has a strong presence!
Re: Xbox Series S Needs A 'Significant' Marketing Push For GTA 6, Insists Analyst
For casual gamers who aren’t tied to a particular system and want an affordable option, yes, it makes sense! Besides, the new Xbox consoles are coming soon and will likely coincide with the release of GTA 6.
Re: Xbox Series S Needs A 'Significant' Marketing Push For GTA 6, Insists Analyst
It seems that PlayStation has a marketing exclusivity deal for GTA 6, doesn’t it?
Re: Talking Point: If The Next-Gen Xbox Is More 'PC-Like', Will You Still Buy It?
Absolutely:
1/A portable console with Windows, featuring an Xbox-like interface that is truly optimized for use on a portable console. For now, this doesn't exist—Windows is not optimized for a user-friendly experience on a portable console.
2/A console where you can easily play your Xbox games locally, on the cloud, enjoy Game Pass, AND also access other stores like Steam, Epic, etc.
Wow, I’m sold immediately! 🚀
Re: Ubisoft Reveals Full Console Specs For Assassin's Creed Shadows, Including Xbox Series X And S
@LogicStrikesAgain Of course, we're here to give our opinion. We can try to argue to make our point understood and possibly convince those who have reasonable doubts. I'm capable of changing my mind if I see that the arguments are relevant, but in this case, I remain convinced of my opinion, just as you remain convinced of yours, despite my arguments apparently not being sufficient. It remains a cordial discussion, and I respect that. Everything's good, bro!
Re: Ubisoft Reveals Full Console Specs For Assassin's Creed Shadows, Including Xbox Series X And S
@LogicStrikesAgain If you're upgrading from the PS4/PS4 Pro, in terms of value for money, it's better to upgrade to a standard PS5 or an Xbox Series X. Considering the price of the PS5 Pro, the flawed technologies like PSSR, and the minor performance gap, it's not worth it in my opinion!
If your budget is unlimited, go for it! But, even in this case, if you have an unlimited budget and really want the best, then go for a PC instead ! For the same price, you can get a better PC, and if you push a bit further, you'll have a real gaming PC
So, given all of this, yes, I firmly believe that this mid-gen upgrade is totally unnecessary.
Re: Ubisoft Reveals Full Console Specs For Assassin's Creed Shadows, Including Xbox Series X And S
This Assassin's Creed Shadow looks great. I recently finished Mirage and really enjoyed it, even though, inevitably, the gameplay mechanics repeat a bit (as they do in most games).
It's not a bad thing that the open worlds are smaller and the story more condensed. I loved Assassin's Creed Odyssey, but it was sometimes a bit too long.
I notice that the PS5 Pro doesn't bring much more to the table apart from slightly better ray tracing, which confirms that this mid-gen upgrade is unnecessary.
Re: Xbox Makes Metacritic's Top 10 Highest-Rated Publisher List
This confirms the significant increase in the quality of Xbox games, despite the "Xbox tax" that tends to underrate Xbox games. Also, their weighting system is quite strange, as they count PC ports (e.g., God of War) and remasters (e.g., TLOU 2 Remastered) in the same way. I think they should give more weight to original games.
Re: Talking Point: Are You Excited For Xbox's Next Major First-Party Release In April?
The quality of Xbox games is really up to par, last games like Call of Duty Black Ops 6 to Indiana Jones and Avowed. You can tell they take the time to fine-tune their games and don't hesitate to delay releases if they think the game isn't up to standard, which is a very good thing! I am very confident; the art direction looks really appealing. I'm looking forward to seeing more about the gameplay, but just the story and the art direction already seem great, and I have high hopes for the rest.
Re: Microsoft Announces Major GDC Presence With 'Xbox Expanding To Any Screen' In 2025
Some people didn’t understand, I feel (PureXbox didn't understand either, because they don't mention it in the article). Xbox is talking about the Xbox Play Anywhere program, which aims to encourage developers to launch their games simultaneously on PC, Xbox console, and the cloud, with a single purchase of the game. That’s what it’s about, nothing more, nothing less: "whether they choose to play with Xbox console, PC, Smart TV, or mobile."
The source mentions it, though:
Xbox Play Anywhere Developer Roundtable (Presented by Microsoft)
Speaker: Chris Charla (Microsoft)
Date: Thursday, March 20
Time: 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Location: Room 2004, West Hall
Re: Silent Hill 2 Dev's Next Konami Game Is Coming To Xbox Series X|S
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Re: Here's A Look At The Updated Xbox Studios Roadmap For 2025 & Beyond
@Fiendish-Beaver We’re not going to agree on this. I base my arguments on reality, while you rely on rumors or hypothetical scenarios that may or may not happen in the future—we’ll see. For now, I’m the one who's right until proven otherwise, IF that "otherwise" ever happens!
If we listened to rumors, Starfield, Hellblade 2, and Forza Horizon 5 would have been ported to PS5 a long time ago. But reality is completely different: these are exclusive games. For how long? Based on the average time current games take to be ported, I’d say around 4 to 5 years—IF the game even gets ported at all, because it won’t necessarily happen.
That brings me back to my point: a timed exclusive is still an exclusive. A 4-year exclusive is still an exclusive. If you want to play a game, you don’t wait 4 years. So, in the end, the impact on the player is the same as with a permanent exclusive (a concept that only truly exists with Nintendo nowadays).
Do you really think Xbox needs PlayStation to sell Fable?
Fable isn’t a live-service game, has no history of being multiplatform, and hasn’t even reached its full potential on Xbox—let alone launched yet! People are overestimating its value. Microsoft wants to make as much money as possible, but they certainly don’t need the 1-3% of PlayStation players who might buy a British RPG without prior exposure to its unique brand of humor.
If anything, Fable will generate more revenue through Game Pass alone than it would from sales anywhere outside of PC. There’s a serious misunderstanding of game development economics and how much Game Pass actually brings in. Even if Playground Games spends $200 million on Fable—which is a high estimate for a non-licensed IP—spread over six years, that’s barely $30M per year.
Game Pass has been criticized for spending $1 billion annually on content acquisition (as if that’s a bad thing) while bringing in over $5 billion in gross revenue. Microsoft has committed to funding four exclusives per year, with some being smaller AA titles, meaning the total cost of these exclusives is unlikely to exceed 10% of Game Pass’s content budget.
By the time these exclusives launch, they’re already paid for—before selling a single copy.
Re: Here's A Look At The Updated Xbox Studios Roadmap For 2025 & Beyond
@Fiendish-Beaver I don't agree with your comparison with the PC. PC gamers and console gamers are two different types of players. The PC does not compete with consoles, whereas two consoles compete with each other, which is the case between Xbox and PS. Furthermore, Microsoft has always made games on PC, even before making games on the Xbox console. There are even games that were released only on PC and never on the Xbox console. You see? The PC was there before consoles! Your hypothesis does not hold at all; you are only speculating, and the current situation totally contradicts you. That's not at all what Xbox is doing. People think Xbox's expansion strategy concerns PlayStation, but it is the last wheel of the cart. The growth is not there but in the PC and cloud market. For the rest, it's on a case-by-case basis and temporary exclusives. This is the reality. Your speculations don't exist, except in your head. Why wasn't Avowed released day one on PS5? Is it still too early? I bet you in 2 or 3 years you will continue to say the same thing, but it will still not be the case! Xbox has the upper hand; they are the ones who sell games. They have the choice. Nothing obliges them to release their big franchises day one on other consoles. They are largely profitable with Xbox, PC, and the cloud, which are markets with strong growth, unlike the PS5, whose sales have dropped by 35% in a year, and a PS5 Pro that sells less well than a PS4 Pro. Stop swallowing everything you read in clickbait articles.
Re: Here's A Look At The Updated Xbox Studios Roadmap For 2025 & Beyond
@Fiendish-Beaver "Lastly, people also say, but I can play Avowed, or Gears of War, or Halo, or whatever on the Game Pass, that is why I choose Xbox"
"But what are you talking about? Aren't Avowed, Gears, and Halo exclusive? Well, yes, they are exclusive to Xbox! The fact is that Xbox continues its case-by-case strategy and temporary exclusives for some. Absolutely no first-party game from Xbox studios has been released day one on other consoles, haven't you noticed? Or do you have another explanation for that too? All the games that were released day one on other platforms are historically multiplatform games and mainly come from Bethesda and Activision acquisitions. As for Xbox studio games, Sea of Thieves (8 years later), Grounded (6 years later), Forza Horizon 5 (not yet released on PS5 but will be more than 4 years later), Age of Empires and Age of Mythology the same, ....
If you think Forza Horizon 6, Fable, Gears E-Day, etc. will be released day one on other consoles, you are joyfully mistaken, you can capture my message. You didn't understand Xbox's strategy, but you're not the only one, don't worry. Xbox knows very well that these franchises create attractiveness to their ecosystem and then a few years later, when the game becomes aging, they make it profitable again, that's exactly what they are doing currently and that's exactly what they will continue to do!
When Xbox talks about 'everywhere,' they mainly mean PC and cloud; growth markets (PS is in decline). They don't need to release their big franchises day one on other consoles; Xbox, PC, and cloud are more than enough initially. No one, except Nintendo, makes permanent exclusives anymore. Even Death Stranding 2 will be released on Xbox, Silent Hill 2 will indeed be released on Xbox, etc. But who wants to play Fable or Forza Horizon 6 four years later? If you love the franchise, it's evident that it will attract players to Game Pass and to the Xbox ecosystem. It's just the beginning, Xbox is sweeping everything, and you don't see it coming.
Xbox is coming.. lool
Re: Silent Hill 2 Dev's Next Konami Game Is Coming To Xbox Series X|S
Another former PS exclusive on Xbox, it seems there are more former exclusives on Xbox than the other way around. Even Death Stranding 2 will be released on Xbox. No one makes permanent exclusives anymore, but the fact is that Xbox has more exclusives than PS, even if some are temporary. Just look at Xbox's lineup with Stalker 2, Avowed, South of Midnight, Mechabreak, etc... And what about PS? Nothing!
Square Enix, Capcom, and many publishers have stopped making exclusives for PS, and Konami will be the same. It was an old contract, but Konami is also stopping exclusives with PS.
And when you know that PS makes very few first-party games + the fact that most of their exclusives are from third party = fewer and fewer PS exclusives.
Meanwhile, Xbox is cooking up exclusives and multiplatform games for Game Pass and for Xbox players first!
Re: Xbox Has Officially Delayed Fable Into 2026
That's a good sign, it's an ambitious game. They're taking the time to release a good game and not rushing it. We'll wait.
If I were Xbox, I would wait to release the new console alongside games like Fable, gears e-day, forza horizon 6, etc... . They absolutely need a strong line-up for the next-gen launch, which is what they lacked for the Xbox Series.
Re: Xbox RPG Avowed Seemingly Sold Well Despite Being In Game Pass
I love how it focuses on the essentials with beautiful graphics, great combat, great story, Choices that have consequences and simple gameplay mechanics. That's what we want—to get back to the essence of video games. Not everyone wants super complicated games with a steep learning curve. It's not perfect; it lacks interaction with NPCs and the liveliness of the visited places, but overall, everything else is very positive, and I'm having fun. That means the game is successful, at least for me!
Re: Microsoft CEO Commits To Producing 'Great Quality Games' As Xbox Expands
The one who wins is the one who makes games and sells services; that's where profitability lies. And thanks to this funding, everything can follow: marketing campaigns, new games, a well-stocked Game Pass, competitive new consoles, exclusive games, etc. And all of this is to the advantage of Xbox players who enjoy a great Game Pass, new exclusive games, even if some are ported to other consoles a few years later. Xbox's good health is beneficial for Xbox players.
PlayStation players, on the other hand, are relegated to second place regarding Xbox games because they don't have access to Game Pass and can't play them as early (except for historically multi-platform games). As for their own exclusive games, there are not many, and there will be even fewer as third-party publishers turn away from PlayStation. Moreover, they will be forced to do day-one releases on PC quickly to remain profitable because things are going very badly financially for them.
Re: Microsoft CEO Commits To Producing 'Great Quality Games' As Xbox Expands
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Re: Microsoft CEO Commits To Producing 'Great Quality Games' As Xbox Expands
"cloud gaming is a natural thing for us to invest in because that'll just [...] expand the ability for people to play games everywhere"
If after this, people still don't understand that 'everywhere' mainly means the cloud, there's nothing more we can do for them. This is exactly what Phil has emphasized recently. But yes, more Xbox games on more platforms (mainly PC and cloud, and some temporary exclusives on competing platforms) also means better funding for studios and better quality games, and even better gamepass catalog. It's a virtuous circle!
Re: Former PlayStation Exec Says Xbox's New Strategy Is 'Natural' For Microsoft
@Millionski The one releasing exclusive games right now is Xbox, with Stalker 2, Avowed, and soon Sooth of Midnight. Sony is releasing nothing at all! And in terms of marketing, I think Xbox understands that they need to do much more! By the way, there was a big marketing campaign for Avowed, just like for Indiana Jones. Multiplatform games allow them to finance exclusive games and also more aggressive marketing campaigns than before.
And Take a look at Google Trends, who is being talked about more? Xbox or PlayStation? Even PlayStation blogs talk about Xbox more than their own brand because they have nothing else to say! Whether it's good or bad, people talk about Xbox, they exist and make people talk about them, and we see that it works with, for example, Avowed being a top seller.
Re: Former PlayStation Exec Says Xbox's New Strategy Is 'Natural' For Microsoft
@Millionski Until when? Because by constantly riding the same wave, they will eventually fall and get swallowed by the Xbox sea lol.
Re: Former PlayStation Exec Says Xbox's New Strategy Is 'Natural' For Microsoft
The reality is that at PlayStation, they are in panic mode after all the canceled games, flops, acquisition errors, closed studios, and 10% of their workforce being laid off. They are realizing that Xbox is absorbing them in terms of games, revenue, services, cloud, and I'm even convinced that the next generation of consoles will be the final blow with the integration of all the stores.
Re: Xbox & Activision Seemingly Set To Release New Tony Hawk Remaster
Xbox is treating us as usual, I'm loving it, it's just epic!
Re: Talking Point: If GTA 6 Releases This Year, What Does Xbox Do With Fable?
They are two completely different games, two completely different experiences. I have no problem with them being released even close to each other. Fable will be on gamepass anyway.
Maybe it's even a good thing that they come out at the same time, it will probably push some people to get it via Game Pass rather than buying it since they will have to buy GTA 6.
Re: Xbox Will Be 'Honest & Transparent' About Platforms In Future Showcases, Says Phil Spencer
@IOI Always with the doom and gloom. When did he lie? He said that for now, it was just 4 games, that it was a test, and they would see what they do based on the results of these tests! They never said it would just be 4 games forever! He also said not to believe that these 4 games meant everything would arrive, and that's indeed the case; there are very few games that have been ported compared to the exclusive games. There is always a balance that is maintained. The result of the test is that only Sea of Thieves really worked on PlayStation, which is why we see other service games being ported after several years like FH5 or Age of Empires, for example. I'm not talking about historically multiplatform games
Re: Xbox Will Be 'Honest & Transparent' About Platforms In Future Showcases, Says Phil Spencer
@Weebleman I didn't say it's already in place, but in any case, I see that you are very quick to defend PlayStation! lol! We all know very well that PlayStation has played its marketing on third-party games much more, whether with marketing exclusivity contracts with Call of Duty back in the day or with GTA 6. For them, it's a very important strategy to make the average player think that a third-party game is exclusive. Otherwise, why pay some publishers to prevent them from advertising on other platforms, even though the game is multiplatform? Don't be naive, it's just manipulation of the ignorant. Xbox is content with only displaying its logo on trailers like everyone else, it doesn't go further, or at least not as far as PS. As already said, for now, this willingness for transparency is not yet there, it's simply a pious wish for now, and we'll see if they apply it or not, but I think it's a good idea, that's all!
Re: Xbox Will Be 'Honest & Transparent' About Platforms In Future Showcases, Says Phil Spencer
It's a good thing; it will prevent false speculations. This way, players will know, OK, this game is exclusive, or OK, this game is multiplatform. It changes from the State of Play where 99% of the games are multiplatform and Sony tries to make you believe they are exclusive, which is dishonest! Well, it's a practice that everyone did, but not at the same level as PlayStation, which has always played a lot on ambiguity. Glad that Xbox, once again, is setting a good example!
Re: Phil Spencer Says Xbox Is Done Trying To Convince PS5 & Switch Players To Move Over
@themightyant Great job ! We should also consider the quality of the games, their value, and the type of games (AAA or AA). On this point, I don't have the impression that Game Pass has decreased in quality; on the contrary, we have more AAA titles than before. It's worth noting that many 2024 games were delayed and that the 2025 lineup will certainly improve these stats further.
Re: Phil Spencer Says Xbox Is Done Trying To Convince PS5 & Switch Players To Move Over
@Ilyn Maybe you should read the whole interview, right? He mentions the cloud 6 times in the entire interview, not just once. In comparison, he mentions PlayStation 2 times, and when talking about Xbox consoles, he mentions them 11 times (4 console + 2 hardware + 5 own platform). So, if we base our understanding on the frequency of words to give them more or less weight, we can say that concerning platforms, the Xbox ecosystem comes first, then the cloud, and lastly the competing consoles.
Regarding the rest of your speech, I'm not basing it on a single game but on all the games. They are either historically multiplatform games or temporarily exclusive games. For Indy, I explained, it’s a Disney license, for Hi-Fi Rush and Pentiment, seriously? They are niche games arriving a year and a half later, they're not big games.
Then you go into speculations again: "plenty of future games are Day 1," really? Which ones? avowed, south of midnight ? I d'ont' think so !
It's more like you're sticking to a narrative that has nothing tangible or concrete and relies only on speculation. That's the problem with people like you, always talking about "probably," "future," "they will," meanwhile, I believe what I see, and I also simply believe what Phil Spencer says, which is quite the opposite of what you're saying!
Re: Phil Spencer Says Xbox Is Done Trying To Convince PS5 & Switch Players To Move Over
@IOI That's not since the "no red lines," but let's move on! As for "no red lines," we know very well that it doesn't mean anything, except that they allow themselves to port OR NOT a game to a particular platform, that's all!
And yes, of course this strategy is good, we can already see that it's working with a profit margin of 14% compared to PlayStation's 4%, a great lineup of first-party games, exclusive games like Avowed, South of Midnight, Stalker 2, Mechbreak, etc., a Game Pass that's always well-stocked, supported development studios, a console that I love, and ever-increasing features with Play Anywhere expanding, "play your own games on cloud," cross-save, etc. All of this is thanks, among other things, to this multiplatform strategy. All I'm saying is that their strategy is balanced and clever, with exclusive games AND multiplatform games. The few multiplatform games are both to support their studios and their own ecosystem. It's also a way to introduce Xbox franchises to other players and sell them Game Pass among other things.
The Xbox console base remains stable considering there is no mid-gen. According to VGChartz, the PS4 has sold 2 million more consoles than the PS5 (data from January 2025). It's the console market that is in decline, not just Xbox.