The End of Xbox is Here

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He said it and it happened. From the irrelevance of Halo, to Gears losing relevance, to the cancellation of a bunch of first-party games that people waited years for (Scalebound, Phantom Dust, Perfect Dark, Everwild, Contraband), to their inability to create new IP that could replace Halo and Gears once they started to lose relevance, Xbox has made so many mistakes.

This is why I'm not convinced that Xbox will be successful as a third-party publisher going forward. Hardware wasn't the issue. Series S and X are good pieces of hardware. It was always the software. Microsoft has been, for the most part, not a great steward of the massive catalog of IP that they own with the single exception that is Forza Horizon. And to be honest, Forza Horizon's getting a bit long in the tooth going into the 6th game in the franchise.
Spencer can eat shit and choke and die and Microsoft can go under trying to force every one to rent games and then also force you to pay monthly fee for better performance and still trying to force commercials in to games. By telling if your to poor for the 30 dollar game pass that gives you best performance you can use the free one and watch commercials before the game.

And they are trying to force copilot on you at every corner not that AI is bad in it self but let me chose if I need it or not.

HALO died with ODST let the shit be dead no one give a Bungie is gone and dead they could not even make Destiny a good game.
 
I'm not really sure why people are ceelebrating the potential loss of xbox on the market. it just means less choice for people moving forward. when Sony thinks they have free reign, they take advantage to thedetriment fo the consumer. competition is good in the industry.
 
I'm not really sure why people are ceelebrating the potential loss of xbox on the market. it just means less choice for people moving forward. when Sony thinks they have free reign, they take advantage to thedetriment fo the consumer. competition is good in the industry.
Sony and Nintendo do this regardless of the competition, they just love squeezing their fanbase.
 
Competition is good in the industry.
Healthy* competition yeah.

Not the "industrial espionnage/sabotaging competition" kind.

I've read too many cases of having two or teams behind the same company having an internal competition for the best productivity ending up spending more time and efforts to annoy the rival teams rather than being better at their job.
 
Sony and Nintendo do this regardless of the competition, they just love squeezing their fanbase.
Agreed, but with the perception that there is no alternative i think sony would be awful. Remember that a Sony rep actually said into a camera "i think playstation fans will get a second job just to afford ps3" in response to criticism about their price. That arrogance is gonna appear again if microsoft pull out of the game.

Healthy* competition yeah.

Not the "industrial espionnage/sabotaging competition" kind.

I've read too many cases of having two or teams behind the same company having an internal competition for the best productivity ending up spending more time and efforts to annoy the rival teams rather than being better at their job.
I don't know where you got that I thought internal corporate espionage was my point from. But also if playstation perceive they have a monopoly on the "hardcore console market" if they still see the industry that way, as above, i think they will be insufferable.
 
It’s not just a couple of stores making quiet moves. Costco reportedly pulled Xbox consoles from shelves entirely, calling it a “business decision.” Sam’s Club is offloading Series S and Series X units at fire-sale prices, with some stores offering the Series S for as low as $179. That’s not a seasonal discount. That’s a retail retreat. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Q2 2025 earnings show a 29% drop in Xbox hardware sales and a 7% decline in overall Xbox revenue. Game Pass is still growing, but not fast enough to offset the slump, and recent price hikes haven’t helped its image.

Add to that the lack of killer exclusives, the controversial ads creeping into the home screen UI, and the growing sense that Xbox is pivoting more toward cloud and cross-platform than console-first identity. Even longtime fans are starting to ask what exactly Xbox is now. Retailers are backing away, players are frustrated, and the numbers aren’t lying. The console isn’t dead, but it’s definitely limping. ::sadkirby
 
Agreed, but with the perception that there is no alternative i think sony would be awful. Remember that a Sony rep actually said into a camera "i think playstation fans will get a second job just to afford ps3" in response to criticism about their price. That arrogance is gonna appear again if microsoft pull out of the game.
That was in 2006, almost two decades ago, I am sure they've changed sin- PS5 Pro is 800-900 bucks, without the disc drive- well never-mind.

I don't know where you got that I thought internal corporate espionage was my point from. But also if playstation perceive they have a monopoly on the "hardcore console market" if they still see the industry that way, as above, i think they will be insufferable.
And I don't know if there's a clear definition of hardcore... Many are on PC as well.
 
It’s not just a couple of stores making quiet moves. Costco reportedly pulled Xbox consoles from shelves entirely, calling it a “business decision.” Sam’s Club is offloading Series S and Series X units at fire-sale prices, with some stores offering the Series S for as low as $179. That’s not a seasonal discount. That’s a retail retreat. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Q2 2025 earnings show a 29% drop in Xbox hardware sales and a 7% decline in overall Xbox revenue. Game Pass is still growing, but not fast enough to offset the slump, and recent price hikes haven’t helped its image.

Add to that the lack of killer exclusives, the controversial ads creeping into the home screen UI, and the growing sense that Xbox is pivoting more toward cloud and cross-platform than console-first identity. Even longtime fans are starting to ask what exactly Xbox is now. Retailers are backing away, players are frustrated, and the numbers aren’t lying. The console isn’t dead, but it’s definitely limping. ::sadkirby
I'm seeing it in real time. Within the past week I've been to Wal-Mart, Costco, and Target. Wal-Mart now has a small endcap shelf containing all of the Xbox games, which were 4. The endcap wasn't even all Xbox, it was half movies. Costco has absolutely nothing, either on the app or in-store. Either the ones around here weren't carrying inventory or they've already clearanced it out. Target had no dedicated games, only some controllers and expensive peripherals like driving wheels. I could see a couple games in the clearance endcap shelf but couldn't tell what they were.

How can a brand carry on with no visibility? You could argue that if the install base of consoles is big enough, it'd be fine, but we know it isn't. Microsoft stopped reporting Series S and X console sales numbers after a while, but it's at most 30 million. And we know that Game Pass is making lots of revenue, but the profit margin might not be high, or at least high enough for the corporate ghouls.

Gamestop had games of course, but not many new ones, and they were all third party like Cronos The New Dawn. I actually went to Gamestop today to get a copy of Deathloop for PS5 since it was pretty cheap used and I'm not renewing Gamepass when it runs out, even though I previously played the game on my Series X. I'd rather start anew and own the game, same with Expedition 33.
 
I'm seeing it in real time. Within the past week I've been to Wal-Mart, Costco, and Target. Wal-Mart now has a small endcap shelf containing all of the Xbox games, which were 4. The endcap wasn't even all Xbox, it was half movies. Costco has absolutely nothing, either on the app or in-store. Either the ones around here weren't carrying inventory or they've already clearanced it out. Target had no dedicated games, only some controllers and expensive peripherals like driving wheels. I could see a couple games in the clearance endcap shelf but couldn't tell what they were.

How can a brand carry on with no visibility? You could argue that if the install base of consoles is big enough, it'd be fine, but we know it isn't. Microsoft stopped reporting Series S and X console sales numbers after a while, but it's at most 30 million. And we know that Game Pass is making lots of revenue, but the profit margin might not be high, or at least high enough for the corporate ghouls.

Gamestop had games of course, but not many new ones, and they were all third party like Cronos The New Dawn. I actually went to Gamestop today to get a copy of Deathloop for PS5 since it was pretty cheap used and I'm not renewing Gamepass when it runs out, even though I previously played the game on my Series X. I'd rather start anew and own the game, same with Expedition 33.
Yeah, it’s wild seeing it play out in real time. Your store visits basically confirm what the numbers are already screaming. Xbox is vanishing from shelves, and not quietly. That Wal-Mart endcap sounds bleak, and the fact that Target’s only got peripherals and clearance leftovers? That’s not just low stock. That’s brand erosion. Costco’s total wipeout seals it.

And you're right, visibility matters. If new players can't even see Xbox in stores, how are they supposed to buy in? Especially when the install base is capped around 30 million and Microsoft won’t even report numbers anymore. Game Pass might be raking in revenue, but if the margins are thin and the console ecosystem is shrinking, it’s hard to see how this sustains.

Also totally get the move to PS5 for Deathloop. There’s something grounding about owning the game outright, especially when Game Pass feels more like a rental treadmill lately. I’ve been watching the same shift happen with other players. Less subscription loyalty, more platform hopping. It’s not just anecdotal anymore. Xbox is losing its grip.
 
My only worry about this entire situation is the fact that Microsoft owns Bethesda. Elder Scrolls and Fallout are my pet interests and seeing them going down because of stupid crap like what Xbox has been pulling is just depressing.

I do realize that they're best selling franchises, so I am not super worried, but the thought remains.
 
My only worry about this entire situation is the fact that Microsoft owns Bethesda. Elder Scrolls and Fallout are my pet interests and seeing them going down because of stupid crap like what Xbox has been pulling is just depressing.

I do realize that they're best selling franchises, so I am not super worried, but the thought remains.
I don't think their studios will go down, that quickly anyway. Perhaps they'll live for 1-2 games or buy out their independence. If they go down, after Elder Scrolls 6 please.
 
Their descent started on that XBOX 1 unveiling where the gaming public really felt the dismay.
 
My only worry about this entire situation is the fact that Microsoft owns Bethesda. Elder Scrolls and Fallout are my pet interests and seeing them going down because of stupid crap like what Xbox has been pulling is just depressing.

I do realize that they're best selling franchises, so I am not super worried, but the thought remains.
I wouldn't worry about those two franchises. I mean honestly, if Fallout 76 didn't sink the Fallout series, it'll be around for a long time. And if Bethesda Studios needs quick cash, they'll just re-release Skyrim again for the 400th time.
 
My only worry about this entire situation is the fact that Microsoft owns Bethesda. Elder Scrolls and Fallout are my pet interests and seeing them going down because of stupid crap like what Xbox has been pulling is just depressing.

I do realize that they're best selling franchises, so I am not super worried, but the thought remains.

They are PC game franchises that move merch and other media. They won't go anywhere unless they keep shitting out boring sleep aid trash like Starfield.

Even then, FO3/NV/4/Morrowind/Oblivion/Skyrim could get super ultra anniversary remake turbo editions for Nintendo Switch 2 and help pay for Starfield 2: Space Deuce.
 
No idea what you are even talking about.

Older consoles, and specifically Dreamcast also sold online access. SegaNet subscriptions existed.



What does this mean? "Microsoft were mad" Really? Who at Microsoft was mad?

DRM in various forms has been around since consoles began.



"Massive" huh? Explain this. SNES had copy protection in some of their software. Playstation and Sega had proprietary security checks in their discs.

You get the installer without any dependencies, and you can back it up and do what you want, but that is irrelevant to the rabbit hole you're going down here, blaming Microsoft for inventing some bullshit that all the competitors were doing long before they entered the market.




You never truly own any console games, you have licensed access to the product on specific media that you are not legally allowed to duplicate or modify in a lot of places.

Game Pass was a subscription service that offered a ton of value to broke families so they could share a content pool between kids.



Microsoft was perceived as a ruthless software titan with more resources than anybody. Xbox showed up and it kicked ass.



One of them? All companies chase profitable consumer trends. Atari, Nintendo, Sega, NEC, Sony were all "greedy" long before Xbox was around.



Pro consumer compared to what, though?

If Gaben rolled out a game pass competitor, or a subscription service giving you a cloud computing gaming PC tier to run your games from remotely. It would be comparative to PSN or Xbox.

The only pro consumer argument around Steam is that it's running on an open standards platform, instead of a locked down one. You are free to access private servers without violating any terms and conditions. At the end of the day it is still a store front with DRM.

This is the likely direction Xbox is heading, as it shifts to PC.




I am still here trying to figure out what you're even complaining about.

whatever-shrug.gif
You're absolutely right.
Microsoft did NOTHING wrong.
Everything is fine guys. All is well at Xbox!
Sony and Nintendo are the evil ones who killed Xbox and not Xbox's decisions.

That must be why everyone is buying their 80$ games and everyone LOVES the 30$ value for Xbox Game Pass.

Nothing to see here guys. Xbox are still the good guys.
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I wouldn't worry about those two franchises. I mean honestly, if Fallout 76 didn't sink the Fallout series, it'll be around for a long time. And if Bethesda Studios needs quick cash, they'll just re-release Skyrim again for the 400th time.
They're going to be around for a long time just like every other studio under Zenimax and critical hits like Hi-Fi Rush.
No need to worry guys. Everything is fine.

In fact, Microsoft is being generous at 30$ a month because the value should be honestly at 60$ a month, that's the only way it makes sense.
Let's add more value to Game Pass guys. It's perfectly fine.
 
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You're absolutely right.
Microsoft did NOTHING wrong.
Everything is fine guys. All is well at Xbox!
Sony and Nintendo are the evil ones who killed Xbox and not Xbox's decisions.

That must be why everyone is buying their 80$ games and everyone LOVES the 30$ value for Xbox Game Pass.

Nothing to see here guys. Xbox are still the good guys.


What are you on about now?

Xbox did a lot of things wrong, but all I see is you complaining about them for inventing things that already existed, or that other companies were doing already.
 
You're absolutely right.
Microsoft did NOTHING wrong.
Everything is fine guys. All is well at Xbox!
Sony and Nintendo are the evil ones who killed Xbox and not Xbox's decisions.

That must be why everyone is buying their 80$ games and everyone LOVES the 30$ value for Xbox Game Pass.

Nothing to see here guys. Xbox are still the good guys.
Sorry but it's an oversimplification (if not naive) view on things:

Microsoft still has made several mistakes and dubious decisions.

And sorry but Sony and Nintendo's choices didn't prevent Microsoft from making sure they'd still stay in league. If you cannot keep up with the competition then it means you're not fit for that field, as simple as that.

It's like saying that the only reason why Sega stopped making consoles was because of Sony and Nintendo when they also made many mistakes (starting with peripherals on the Genesis and the way the Saturn was handled in the west).

Also no, there's no "good and bad guys" but companies with different interests.
 
Sorry but it's an oversimplification (if not naive) view on things:

Microsoft still has made several mistakes and dubious decisions.

And sorry but Sony and Nintendo's choices didn't prevent Microsoft from making sure they'd still stay in league. If you cannot keep up with the competition then it means you're not fit for that field, as simple as that.

It's like saying that the only reason why Sega stopped making consoles was because of Sony and Nintendo when they also made many mistakes (starting with peripherals on the Genesis and the way the Saturn was handled in the west).

Also no, there's no "good and bad guys" but companies with different interests.
My main point is because of competition, they tend to copy one another.

If Microsoft's DRM policies are stronger than PlayStation's, which is is and prevents even more piracy, then third party publishers will put pressure on console manufacturers to go towards that direction.

However, if we say no and not give them our hard earned money, they'll have to reverse their decisions and be more pro-consumers.

My main point was that Microsoft's Xbox introduced the concept of paying just to access your games online which is utter BS regardless which company pushes it and it should be free.

but back then, Xbox fanboys were egging on PlayStation fans because Sony got hacked, therefore more security and they had to pay a third party company (micro trend and others) to protect user's data, which forced PlayStation to adopt the paid subscription fee because of that hack.
10 years later, that contract was over and they were going to shut down the PS store because of security concerns.
Sony didn't wanted to pay for more security, but then some users on the PS Blog suggested to remove all personal info and just use gift cards, which were secure payments without compromises.

Sony listened and they reverted their decisions to shut down the PS3 and Vita stores.
As for the PSP. Unfortunately, the PSP wi-fi security is outdated and could not connect to recent online security protocols and was basically shut down 3 years prior, now also shut down on PS3.

The new way of connecting on PS3 prevents you from transferring your games from your PS3 and PSP because the passcodes don't match. The only way to download your games from a PSP is to literally remove all passwords from your Wi-Fi on a 2.1 connection, then it'll work, maybe, depends on your router, but that's your best bet.

As For Nintendo, idk why they decided to add paid online aside from "give me more money" for old games they already own the IP for the most part.


Now Xbox wants to incorporate Ads into Video Games...
Do we still support Xbox at that point? If we do, inevitably, the other 2 console manufacturers will go down that route and also PC games with ads in EVERY games just like mobile games.

Is that really the future for video games we want?

Idk about you, but in general I am black pilled about the direction of the gaming industry in general and I don't want ads to be the norm.

I have similar concerns about the Switch 2 "code carts", where you don't own your games since it's not on the cartridge, given how Nintendo shut down 4 online stores, it does not give a lot of confidence, especially in Nintendo, that your purchases will still exist in the future.

But that's my opinion. What do you guys think?
This discussion needs to be beyond fanboy-ism, it's about accountability.

Every single platform need to be called out when they are doing anti-consumer shit and if you don't believe they aren't doing anti-consumer shit, but if you want to be MORE screwed over, I can't help you on that, but you're the ultimate looser when you fanboy for a corporation as they abuse you.

Personally, I just want ads gone and free online multi-player and actually own your games.
 
My main point is because of competition, they tend to copy one another.

If Microsoft's DRM policies are stronger than PlayStation's, which is is and prevents even more piracy, then third party publishers will put pressure on console manufacturers to go towards that direction.

However, if we say no and not give them our hard earned money, they'll have to reverse their decisions and be more pro-consumers.

My main point was that Microsoft's Xbox introduced the concept of paying just to access your games online which is utter BS regardless which company pushes it and it should be free.

but back then, Xbox fanboys were egging on PlayStation fans because Sony got hacked, therefore more security and they had to pay a third party company (micro trend and others) to protect user's data, which forced PlayStation to adopt the paid subscription fee because of that hack.
10 years later, that contract was over and they were going to shut down the PS store because of security concerns.
Sony didn't wanted to pay for more security, but then some users on the PS Blog suggested to remove all personal info and just use gift cards, which were secure payments without compromises.

Sony listened and they reverted their decisions to shut down the PS3 and Vita stores.
As for the PSP. Unfortunately, the PSP wi-fi security is outdated and could not connect to recent online security protocols and was basically shut down 3 years prior, now also shut down on PS3.

The new way of connecting on PS3 prevents you from transferring your games from your PS3 and PSP because the passcodes don't match. The only way to download your games from a PSP is to literally remove all passwords from your Wi-Fi on a 2.1 connection, then it'll work, maybe, depends on your router, but that's your best bet.

As For Nintendo, idk why they decided to add paid online aside from "give me more money" for old games they already own the IP for the most part.


Now Xbox wants to incorporate Ads into Video Games...
Do we still support Xbox at that point? If we do, inevitably, the other 2 console manufacturers will go down that route and also PC games with ads in EVERY games just like mobile games.

Is that really the future for video games we want?

Idk about you, but in general I am black pilled about the direction of the gaming industry in general and I don't want ads to be the norm.

I have similar concerns about the Switch 2 "code carts", where you don't own your games since it's not on the cartridge, given how Nintendo shut down 4 online stores, it does not give a lot of confidence, especially in Nintendo, that your purchases will still exist in the future.

But that's my opinion. What do you guys think?
This discussion needs to be beyond fanboy-ism, it's about accountability.

Every single platform need to be called out when they are doing anti-consumer shit and if you don't believe they aren't doing anti-consumer shit, but if you want to be MORE screwed over, I can't help you on that, but you're the ultimate looser when you fanboy for a corporation as they abuse you.

Personally, I just want ads gone and free online multi-player and actually own your games.

spongebob-imagination.gif


Playstation had paid subscriptions before the hack. It's why they had my credit card info in the first place.

They took away access to freebie PS Plus games if you cancelled your membership, and you then lost the ability to buy the digital game for your account outright without any recourse. Xbox allowed you keep and download your digital games with gold games without any membership.

You keep talking about access, where it seems what you really mean is the ability to use the peer to peer networking. Online Multiplayer. Xbox Live Gold.

Most people willingly paid for it because it was worth it. It was better. You could voice chat in your games with all your friends on the 360. None of the "free" competition, even on PC did it as well.

Xbox wants to put ads in video games, huh? Hopefully they don't step on any of Playstation's patents for it when doing so.
 
I have similar concerns about the Switch 2 "code carts", where you don't own your games since it's not on the cartridge, given how Nintendo shut down 4 online stores, it does not give a lot of confidence, especially in Nintendo, that your purchases will still exist in the future.
You could ask that about any digital only games around (which were present since Steam and PS360 + Wii VC/WiiWare).
 
The rumors about the end of Xbox primarily relate to the hardware strategy not the Xbox ecosystem as a whole. Microsoft appears to be shifting its focus away from pure console sales but development of new devices will continue. There are reports of a next-gen console that is expected to be released around 2027. The current Xbox Series X and Series S consoles will not be shut down. While no new games will be developed for the older Xbox One but the newer models will use the same software and network as the existing Xbox system.
 
The only thing Microsoft seriously needs to do right now is port their legacy Xbox and Xbox 360 purchases over to emulation on Windows 11 and xcloud.

They have the money and the engineers to do it.

Only then will "This is an Xbox" ads make sense. There is no excuse for the ROG Xbox Ally not letting you play Fable 2 or Lost Odyssey.
 
Only then will "This is an Xbox" ads make sense. There is no excuse for the ROG Xbox Ally not letting you play Fable 2 or Lost Odyssey.
I heard almost a decade ago how the Xbox One was the one starting the idea of Xbox becoming more about an environment rather than a specific console.
 
I heard almost a decade ago how the Xbox One was the one starting the idea of Xbox becoming more about an environment rather than a specific console.

It would have been closer to reality if UWP was widely accepted on Windows. Xbox consoles were left stranded on that sinking ship.
 
Xbox's Sarah Bond "confirms" new hardware with interesting working:
In an interview with Variety, Xbox president Sarah Bond discussed the company's partnership with ROG for the ROG Xbox Ally handheld – the clamor for which was described by Bond as "overwhelming" — but insisted the firm was "100 percent looking at making [Xbox hardware] in the future," too.

"We are 100 percent looking at making things in the future. We have our next-gen hardware in development. We've been looking at prototyping, designing," Bond revealed.
🧐
looking at making things in the future
🧐
looking at prototyping, designing
 

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