Gaming Xbox Series X|S

Which of these do you prefer

  • Microsoft Game Pass

  • Xbox Game Pass

Results are only viewable after voting.
Great news for Xbox fans especially if this controller will work with their existing Series X/S. For the past month I’ve been playing an Xbox I’ve borrowed, and thing that feels like such an enormous downgrade is the controller. If they implement it like the PS5 has, it will elevate the experience in many many games.
 
That’s a nice looking controller. Doesn’t mention paddles though, so it’s presumably not the new Elite
 
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GameSpot accidentally broadcast Xbox's Tokyo Game Show about an hour early. Here'a a couple of things I did see before they took it down:
Octopath Traveler II is coming, and a Party Animals x Ori crossover.
 
New controller is intriguing - it sounds basically a hybrid of the elite and the existing standard controller plus a few little extras. Could be class.
 
Getting to the end of Sea of Stars now and it really goes places. Brilliant nostalgia fest with lots of great touches, particularly love Seraï's ultimate, and Yolande's very amusing nods at RPG tropes.

Over the last year and a bit I've been lucky enough to play this, Persona 5 Royal, Death's Door and Tunic through GP and all of them have really re-invigorared my joy for playing single player games again.

Not sure what to play when I'm done with this. I probably should play Starfield, but I find myself less interested in the idea since release, Lies of P looks good though so may get into that.
 
DavelinaJolie said:
Getting to the end of Sea of Stars now and it really goes places. Brilliant nostalgia fest with lots of great touches, particularly love Seraï's ultimate, and Yolande's very amusing nods at RPG tropes.

Over the last year and a bit I've been lucky enough to play this, Persona 5 Royal, Death's Door and Tunic through GP and all of them have really re-invigorared my joy for playing single player games again.

Not sure what to play when I'm done with this. I probably should play Starfield, but I find myself less interested in the idea since release, Lies of P looks good though so may get into that.
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Yeah really enjoying what I’ve played of Sea of Stars. Story is nothing special but the combat system is great and you can really see this is a studio that made platformers before as the movement feels so fun and fresh, not just standard traversing around waiting for fights with mobs. Don’t have much time to play it but it’s great for a half hour here and there.

if you haven’t played Chained Echoes that’s on GP too. Another great throw back RPG.
 
Massive Spanner said:
Yeah really enjoying what I’ve played of Sea of Stars. Story is nothing special but the combat system is great and you can really see this is a studio that made platformers before as the movement feels so fun and fresh, not just standard traversing around waiting for fights with mobs. Don’t have much time to play it but it’s great for a half hour here and there.

if you haven’t played Chained Echoes that’s on GP too. Another great throw back RPG.
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The music is fabulous as well (particularly the battle music). The traversal aspect is pretty cool and gets more interesting later in the game as well with some of the environments.

The story is by the numbers for that style of game, particularly in the first half, I like that it pokes a bit of fun at itself for the predictable twists and has a good sense of humour overall. The final third goes slightly off-kilter (though it's still a bit of a sci-fi/fantasy trope and riffs off a popular film franchise story), but again they treat it with enough humour that it isn't cloying or trite. Characters are a bit wafer thin though.

I'll have a look at Chained Echoes, cheers.
 
Vidyoyo said:
That Cocoon game comes out today. Anybody getting it?
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It’s supposed to be excellent. Won’t get it now but definitely on my ever growing todo list. Looks one you should read up too much on. Annapurna have a terrific library as a publisher.
 
Vidyoyo said:
That Cocoon game comes out today. Anybody getting it?
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It's getting stellar reviews, so it's another one I've added to the list. It's from the lead gameplay designer of Limbo and Inside, both games I loved, although it seems very different.
 
Cocoon looks great. Line up lately has been awesome. Still Forza, Persona 5 Tactics, Cities Skyline 2, Warhammer Darktide, Jusant, Gotham Knights and Like A Dragon to come over the next few months.

Potential for Diablo and COD to be added too.
 
Massive Spanner said:
Sea of Stars is so good and the boss theme is a BANGER

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I'd spent a lot of those first few hours looking for fights so I could hear the fight music, absolutely brilliant.

I've completed the game and am
about to do the true ending
, and what an experience. I'll say it again, it really goes places.

I'm a little bemused by some of the lukewarm reactions I've seen elsewhere. Yes some of the story/dialogue is a bit throwaway, and the two lead characters are practically non-existent personalities. But it is just real fun to play.

I love when this kicks in (around 40 seconds):

 


https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2023/10/13/xbox-activision-blizzard/

We love gaming. We play games, create games, and know first-hand how much gaming means to all of us as individuals and collectively, as a community. And today, we officially welcome Activision Blizzard and their teams to Xbox. They are the publishers of some of the most played and most beloved franchises in gaming history across console, PC and mobile. From Pitfall to Call of Duty, World of Warcraft to Overwatch, Candy Crush Saga to Farm Heroes Super Saga, their studios have pushed the boundaries of gaming for players around the world.

I've long admired the work of Activision, Blizzard, and King, and the impact they've had on gaming, entertainment, and pop culture. Whether it was late nights spent playing the Diablo IV campaign with friends from start to finish, gathering the entire family in the rec room for our weekly Guitar Hero night, or going on an epic streak in Candy Crush, some of my most memorable gaming moments came from experiences their studios have created. It is incredible to welcome such legendary teams to Xbox.

As one team, we'll learn, innovate, and continue to deliver on our promise to bring the joy and community of gaming to more people. We'll do this in a culture that strives to empower everyone to do their best work, where all people are welcome, and is centered on our ongoing commitment of Gaming for Everyone. We are intentional about inclusion in everything we do at Xbox – from our team to the products we make and the stories we tell, to the way our players interact and engage as a wider gaming community.

Together, we'll create new worlds and stories, bring your favorite games to more places so more players can join in, and we'll engage with and delight players in new, innovative ways in the places they love to play including mobile, cloud streaming and more.

Players have always been at the center of everything we do. And as we grow, we'll continue to keep players at the heart of it all. We'll continue to listen to your feedback, build a community where you can be yourself, where developers can do their best work, and continue to make really fun games. As promised, we will also continue to make more games available in more places – and that begins now by enabling cloud streaming providers and players to stream Activision Blizzard games in the European Economic Area, a commitment made to the European Commission. Today we start the work to bring beloved Activision, Blizzard, and King franchises to Game Pass and other platforms. We'll share more about when you can expect to play in the coming months. We know you're excited – and we are too.

For the millions of fans who love Activision, Blizzard, and King games, we want you to know that today is a good day to play. You are the heart and soul of these franchises, and we are honored to have you as part of our community. Whether you play on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, PC or mobile, you are welcome here – and will remain welcome, even if Xbox isn't where you play your favorite franchise. Because when everyone plays, we all win. We believe our news today will unlock a world of possibilities for more ways to play. Thank you for the ongoing support. We have so much more to come in the months ahead – I'm excited for the future and cannot wait to share it with you.

Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming
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Yeh, he’s definitely been playing Diablo 4 late nights with friends…

I know he’s a gamer but that sounds like the most made up thing ever.
 
Woodzy said:
Yeh, he’s definitely been playing Diablo 4 late nights with friends…

I know he’s a gamer but that sounds like the most made up thing ever.
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I can believe him doing that, It's the epic streak in Candy Crush I have a hard time believing.

That whole blurb was all market speak anyway. They've got their hands on ABK now only time will tell how they handle it.
 
I play a lot of Hearthstone, but have been putting less and less hours into it as they lean more into heavy mobile game monetisation.

I just think this acquisition will expedite the cash grab through cosmetics with a lot of their IP.
 
Massive Spanner said:
I don't think he meant it from a financial perspective.
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I didn't, im not a shareholder, i dont care about corporate profits. They're not blizzard anyway. Its a seperate issue really, MS buying them probably gives some slim hope that they can recover. But i think its probably a rebuild thats needed.
 
caid said:
I didn't, im not a shareholder, i dont care about corporate profits. They're not blizzard anyway. Its a seperate issue really, MS buying them probably gives some slim hope that they can recover. But i think its probably a rebuild thats needed.
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I'm not getting much out of the deal, I might play Diablo 4 when it comes to Game Pass but that's about it. I was just saying I can see why they brought them not that it is giving me much.
 
Be nice if Microsoft/Xbox pretended they even had any of their own vision and creativity. Despite the size of the purchase though, its no great loss for gamers.
 
From the general reaction I've seen in some gaming oriented forums:

It's great because ABK workers will get the chance to unionise without interference and hopefully get better working practices and will get Kotick out of the industry.

It's terrible because it's the start of a slippery slope towards Microsoft dominance that will culminate in them buying Sony and Nintendo.

It doesn't matter because apparently no one plays any ABK made games.

I even saw one person saying that people being happy they can potentially play more games on Gamepass that they might want to play is akin to the short-termism responsible for Climate change.

So there you go. Perfectly balanced reasoned debate I'd expect from the gaming community.
 
Pete Hines to retire from Bethesda.
Been a big part of the last 20+ years of gaming.
Wish him all the best in what ever he does next.
 
I finished a game called cocoon on Gamepass. I would recommend it, but I wasn't a big fan of the last 1/3 of the game. It's a puzzler and things get a bit to convoluted, for my taste.
 
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https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2023/10/17/game-pass-october-2023-wave-2-announce/

GP news

"Available Today
Like A Dragon: Ishin! (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Take up the sword as Sakamoto Ryoma and venture to Kyoto to find your father’s killer, clear yourself of a framed murder, and restore your honor. In doing so, you will bring an end to the samurai era and forever change the future of Japan. Draw your blade and join the revolution in this heated historical adventure.

Coming Soon
F1 Manager 2023 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 19
Drive every decision in F1 Manager 2023. Manage every aspect of your chosen F1 team from your HQ to the garage and from the pitlane to the podium. Challenge for motorsport’s highest accolade, making the split-second decisions that can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Your legacy begins here.

Cities: Skylines II (PC) – October 24
Available on day one with PC Game Pass: Raise a city from the ground up and transform it into a thriving metropolis in the long-awaited sequel to the smash-hit city-building game. With deep simulation, a living economy, and more realistic features than ever before, Cities: Skylines II offers world-building without limits.

Dead Space (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) EA Play – October 26
Just in time for Halloween: Game Pass Ultimate and EA Play members can confront the nightmare onboard the USG Ishimura and unravel its dark secrets in the sci-fi survival horror classic Dead Space.

Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery (Cloud and Console) – October 26
Available now on PC and coming to Game Pass on Xbox consoles! Play as The Detective in three silly mysteries! Finding clues and questioning suspects is just part of the job for such an experienced frog. Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery is a collection of all three Frog Detective cases.

Mineko’s Night Market (Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 26
Welcome to Mount Fugu, a cozy Japanese inspired village with a great mystery to unfold. Join Mineko in her new hometown, where she’ll make new friends, collect and craft whimsical items, revitalize the once thriving Night Market, and uncover the truth of the great sun cat, Nikko.

Headbangers: Rhythm Royale (Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 31
Available on day one with Game Pass: Have you ever looked at a Pigeon and thought, “what is going on in your head?” Well, think no more! Headbangers puts you and 29 others into the eye of the Pigeon while you battle it out in rhythmic challenges to find out who is the ultimate Master Headbanger. Compete against each other in mind-bending musical minigames, screw over your competitors with powerups, and collect Crumbs to customize your very own Pigeon!

Jusant (Cloud, Console, and PC) – October 31
Available on day one with Game Pass: Embark on a climbing adventure in Jusant! Master your climbing tools as you ascend a mysterious, ever-changing tower. Enjoy an atmospheric soundtrack and breathtaking biomes, accompanied by the enigmatic Ballast. Your watery companion will guide you while awakening nature along your path to reveal the tower’s mysteries and reach the top."
 
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