The Xbox Series X/S Official Thread

[FreshFromATL]

Speak for yourself. That shyt looks dope.

I think it’s supposed to be pretty much the entire earth with the majority of major structures and airports.

This shyt will not be a blip when it releases. Just speaking facts.

 

[Bawon Samedi]

I'm still amazed that Microsoft even under that hack Don Mattrick managed to screw up the Xbox brand. Like what the entire fukk? The 360 era from 2006-2010 was the golden era in gaming especially for me. Playstation fans can't deny it. That shyt was my Middle school and High School days. The 360 not only further innovated online gaming, innovated shooters(Gears of War? Lets be honest), but had killer console exclusives to go with it from Halo, Gears of War, Mass Effect, Saints Row 1, Fable 2(regardless what the Coli believes the game received ACCLAIM), Left for Dead, etc, etc. How the fukk we go from that to Kinect and the Xbox One?

Its flat out crazy how Xbox fallen from grace. The 360 I had the largest gaming library of any console I owned. Phil better work on ways to get back to that era. This summer maybe their last shot. I WANT the Series X to WIN and to SURPASS the 360. If I like what I see then the Series X maybe my first console but dammit the Xbox brand needs killer console exclusives.

 

[FooFighters]

I'm still amazed that Microsoft even under that hack Don Mattrick managed to screw up the Xbox brand. Like what the entire fukk? The 360 era from 2006-2010 was the golden era in gaming especially for me. Playstation fans can't deny it. That shyt was my Middle school and High School days. The 360 not only further innovated online gaming, innovated shooters(Gears of War? Lets be honest), but had killer console exclusives to go with it from Halo, Gears of War, Mass Effect, Saints Row 1, Fable 2(regardless what the Coli believes the game received ACCLAIM), Left for Dead, etc, etc. How the fukk we go from that to Kinect and the Xbox One?

Its flat out crazy how Xbox fallen from grace. The 360 I had the largest gaming library of any console I owned. Phil better work on ways to get back to that era. This summer maybe their last shot. I WANT the Series X to WIN and to SURPASS the 360. If I like what I see then the Series X maybe my first console but dammit the Xbox brand needs killer console exclusives.

I mean Hellblade 2 Senua's Saga and the latest Halo are on the deck. They really, desperately need great exclusives.

 

[A B O V E]

I hate the design of the series x. Not sure how im gonna fit that thing in my entertainment center

shyt looks like a 1990s speaker box

PS5 probably gonna have a better system design and crush the buildings

 

[Bawon Samedi]

I mean Hellblade 2 Senua's Saga and the latest Halo are on the deck. They really, desperately need great exclusives.

Hellblade 2 gives me hope but we need to see MORE.

 

[Bawon Samedi]

 

[MarcP]

I'm still amazed that Microsoft even under that hack Don Mattrick managed to screw up the Xbox brand. Like what the entire fukk? The 360 era from 2006-2010 was the golden era in gaming especially for me. Playstation fans can't deny it. That shyt was my Middle school and High School days. The 360 not only further innovated online gaming, innovated shooters(Gears of War? Lets be honest), but had killer console exclusives to go with it from Halo, Gears of War, Mass Effect, Saints Row 1, Fable 2(regardless what the Coli believes the game received ACCLAIM), Left for Dead, etc, etc. How the fukk we go from that to Kinect and the Xbox One?

Its flat out crazy how Xbox fallen from grace. The 360 I had the largest gaming library of any console I owned. Phil better work on ways to get back to that era. This summer maybe their last shot. I WANT the Series X to WIN and to SURPASS the 360. If I like what I see then the Series X maybe my first console but dammit the Xbox brand needs killer console exclusives.

They fukked it up because 1. Microsoft wasn't ready to commit in the way they needed to and 2. Don Mattrick wanted to focus on Kinect and entertainment only and not as supplementary to the core games. If it wasn't a pillar franchise or Kinect shovelware they weren't going to bother with making it so by the end of the 360 generation it was Halo Gears Fable Forza and nothing else. Because the higher ups at MS saw gaming as nothing more than a side hustle trojan horse for the other tech the company was working on or to keep competitors at bay, Xbox never made the investments they needed to keep the games flowing. Ensemble Games got shut down, they passed on making Bioware first party, and they always passed on any projects Bungie pitched because they wanted them to milk Halo forever which eventually led to Bungie asking to be bought out. No first party investments were made and for the Xbox One they were banking on third parties to carry them like they did with Gears and Mass Effect. Lightning didn't strike twice this time around. They only got a bunch of delays and games that just ended up being okay as best. So once the Xbox One got crucified before launch and their new IP failed to drum up any good will, Microsoft cut their budget and they were just skating by with crumbs. Had Phil not convinced Satya to buy Minecraft and had that shyt continue to sell gangbusters they might have sold Xbox off completely. Phil got them a win that led to Satya opening the budget and Phil did what they should have done during the 360 generation and that's start building up their first party.

 

[iceberg_is_on_fire]

I'm still amazed that Microsoft even under that hack Don Mattrick managed to screw up the Xbox brand. Like what the entire fukk? The 360 era from 2006-2010 was the golden era in gaming especially for me. Playstation fans can't deny it. That shyt was my Middle school and High School days. The 360 not only further innovated online gaming, innovated shooters(Gears of War? Lets be honest), but had killer console exclusives to go with it from Halo, Gears of War, Mass Effect, Saints Row 1, Fable 2(regardless what the Coli believes the game received ACCLAIM), Left for Dead, etc, etc. How the fukk we go from that to Kinect and the Xbox One?

Its flat out crazy how Xbox fallen from grace. The 360 I had the largest gaming library of any console I owned. Phil better work on ways to get back to that era. This summer maybe their last shot. I WANT the Series X to WIN and to SURPASS the 360. If I like what I see then the Series X maybe my first console but dammit the Xbox brand needs killer console exclusives.

Their issues have always been internal rather than external for the most part. There are only so many companies that can truly compete with Microsoft for a prolonged period of time when they are on their game. Microsoft is a case study for one of the most intriguing companies to work for. Steve Ballmer and Dan Mattrick didn't care about the brand as just gaming but they wanted to bypass it for all other shyt. Phil Spencer is a true gamer and I feel that he understands what Microsoft needs at this point in time. Let me list reasons why.

The first big purchase that Microsoft made after Nadella became CEO was for Minecraft. Who pushed for it, Phil Spencer

Gates and Ballmer didn't want to buy Minecraft but now 'they get it'

Gates and Ballmer didn't want to buy Minecraft but now 'they get it'


Microsoft's behemoth $2.5 billion purchase of Mojang, the studio behind Minecraft, may have caught some by surprise, but the acquisition is widely seen as a smart move by the company that is already yielding significant returns and improving Microsoft's image in the gaming world tremendously.

In his recently released book, Hit Refresh, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella provides some interesting tidbits about the purchase, however. For one, he suggests that the company could have bought Minecraft at a much, much earlier date than the 2014 purchase, referring to an instance where Phil Spencer, who was only Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Studios at the time and not yet the head of Xbox, brought up the company and a potential purchase opportunity to the management at Microsoft:

“Early in Microsoft’s relationship with Mojang, before I was CEO, Phil presented an opportunity to purchase Minecraft, but Phil’s boss at the time chose not to move forward.”

However, Spencer's boss at the time, likely Don Mattrick who has since left to assume the position of CEO at Zynga, turned it down. While Nadella doesn't provide too many other details, there seems to be at least some confusion from the other side, as the founder and former owner of Mojang, Markus 'Notch' Persson suggests they had no real interest in a sale until around 2014:

"I'm probably the wrong person to ask about specifics, but I do remember us getting a ridiculously low offer from some company at some point fairly early on. We said no. Just to be clear, we weren't actively looking to sell, but would with some frequency get asked. It wasn't until my tweet we decided to pursue it.

Regardless of who said no, what is clear is that if Microsoft had bought the company back then, it probably wouldn't have had to pay the massive $2.5 billion sum that they ended up paying eventually, though Nadella maintains he's pleased with the purchase.

He also commended Spencer for his persistence, since he stuck with his ambition of bringing the now massively popular sandbox game in-house and was finally able to clinch the deal when he was promoted to be the head of Xbox and the opportunity to buy Minecraft came again. Nadella writes:

"For some, such a visible, high-level rejection could have been withering, but Phil didn't give up."

Another interesting tidbit about the purchase that Nadella reveals in his book is that at the time of purchase, both of his predecessors, Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, did not see the appeal of the purchase. $2.5 billion was certainly quite a large sum for a game that had only been released 3 years ago in 2011. They eventually came around, though, as Nadella explains:

"Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, who were still on the board when the deal was presented, later laughed and said they had initially scratched their heads, failing to understand the wisdom of the move. Now they get it."

Yes, he's obviously a millionaire doing what he does at Microsoft and I've seen other things about him said from the t-shirts that he wears to other shyt he does, he actually gives a fukk about gaming. There isn't an act here.

Phil Spencer Is Exactly Who You Think He Is

This kind of thing is unusual for someone at Spencer's level. "One of the things I've always appreciated about Phil is how, even as busy as he is, he still plays a lot of games," Geoff Keighley, the creator of the Game Awards, told me. "I'll always remember talking to him Thanksgiving weekend 2014, right as we were about to launch the Game Awards, and it was clear he had just spent the entire day playing Assassin's Creed. That stuck with me."

He went from this

Xbox Not A 'Core' Part Of Microsoft's Business CEO Says

Jul 15, 2014,04:11pm EDT
Xbox Not A 'Core' Part Of Microsoft's Business CEO Says

to this


Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Joins Microsoft's Senior Leadership Team

Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Joins Microsoft's Senior Leadership Team
The move is a "great show of commitment" by Microsoft about gaming, Spencer says.
By Eddie Makuch on September 19, 2017 at 5:20PM PDT

Because of things like this.

Microsoft Annual Gaming Revenue Passes $10 Billion, Xbox Live Users Rise

Microsoft Annual Gaming Revenue Passes $10 Billion, Xbox Live Users Rise
Good times for Microsoft.
By Eddie Makuch on July 19, 2018 at 10:30PM PDT

Microsoft's gaming business is on the up and up. The company today reported earnings for its fiscal fourth quarter and full year ended June 30, and times are good for the Xbox business.

His pitch for saving the Xbox brand to Nadella was similar to what J Allard did for Microsoft and the internet when Bill Gates was running this company.

Phil Spencer Is Exactly Who You Think He Is

The Xbox One, however, seemed specifically designed to expand the brand's reach far beyond console gamers. In an attempt to appeal to a broader range of consumers, Microsoft shifted the Xbox One's focus away from gaming towards other entertainment, like television and movies. In doing so, it also introduced a number of anti-consumer restrictions, like preventing people from sharing games with their friends and requiring online authentication every 24 hours.

While these were later reversed after considerable public outcry, it was too late. The Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4 went on sale within a week of each other; both consoles sold one million units in 24 hours. But, while the PlayStation 4 continued to break sales records in its first year of release and beyond, the Xbox One quickly fell behind--and has never caught up.

A few months later, Spencer took over as head of Xbox. Whatever jubilation he felt was short-lived; a few weeks into the job, he got a call from Satya Nadella, Microsoft's new CEO. "I don't actually know a whole lot about why we're in gaming," Nadella told him.

Spencer tried to work out what to say to Nadella. He looked at where Xbox had failed, and how the brand could be saved--if at all.

It seemed like a good time to ask that question. Spencer was facing a lot of internal scrutiny from his own team. Many developers who had worked on the Xbox One felt let down by Microsoft's big vision; it was, as some told Spencer, not in line with "the soul" of what Xbox was. "Satya was transparent that there could be a future where gaming isn't a business that Microsoft should be in," Spencer told me. "But it's better to have it above the table than below the table, right?" Spencer tried to work out what to say to Nadella. He looked at where Xbox had failed, and how the brand could be saved--if at all. When he finally called Nadella back, it was to say this: "If we're going to stay in the gaming space, then let's make sure we're all-in. The last thing I wanted to do was run the gaming organization here as kind of an afterthought of the company and kind of half-in, half-out. Let's go fix who we are."

The Xbox Reloaded

Allard is all about uphill climbs. He helped drive Microsoft's entry into the Internet arena in 1994 and, in 1999, persuaded Bill Gates to build a videogame console and take on the powerhouse of the gaming business, Sony. Now, after a six-year ascent, Allard claims he can finally see the crest of the hill.

Don Mattrick dug a hole that many might not have been able to figure out. Since then, Phil Spencer did things like buy the world's largest singular entertainment property, additional studio purchases, launch of Xbox Game Pass and now, the most powerful console of the next gen until the mid-gen refreshes happen with having the ear of the CEO with the largest market cap in the world and he's on your side, which is something that no one else has had in Microsoft. They kept shooting themselves in the foot in the past, seems like those days are over thankfully.

Gears Tactics PC Version Was Only Possible Because of Xbox Game Pass

Speaking on how Xbox Game Pass influences the decision to fund Gears Tactics as a multi-platform spin-off, Crump plainly stated that players deserve to “play our games wherever they are" and "on any of the platforms that we’re on.” When asked about how Xbox Game Pass interacts with usual sales projection targets, Crump excitedly shared that "Game Pass just frees us up a little bit" to make decision on titles like Gears Tactics without "having to be solely reliant on those kinds of metrics," concluding, "I think it really allows us to take risks and try things that we wouldn’t otherwise."

A decade ago, the same attitudes having a place under the leadership of Don Mattrick would have been absolutely unthinkable, and likely would have been shut down at the earliest levels. However, current Microsoft Gaming VP Phil Spencer has time and time again shown that he and his revitalized team don't act only in the best interest of players, but in the best interests of the Xbox platform and its most beloved franchises. In an increasingly subscription-based and cross-platform field of consumer technology, Gears Tactics presence on the likes of the rival Steam marketplace is yet another shining example of Spencer's foresight and love for the gaming medium.

Phil gets it, he really, really gets it.

 

[Bawon Samedi]

They fukked it up because 1. Microsoft wasn't ready to commit in the way they needed to and 2. Don Mattrick wanted to focus on Kinect and entertainment only and not as supplementary to the core games. If it wasn't a pillar franchise or Kinect shovelware they weren't going to bother with making it so by the end of the 360 generation it was Halo Gears Fable Forza and nothing else. Because the higher ups at MS saw gaming as nothing more than a side hustle trojan horse for the other tech the company was working on or to keep competitors at bay, Xbox never made the investments they needed to keep the games flowing. Ensemble Games got shut down, they passed on making Bioware first party, and they always passed on any projects Bungie pitched because they wanted them to milk Halo forever which eventually led to Bungie asking to be bought out. No first party investments were made and for the Xbox One they were banking on third parties to carry them like they did with Gears and Mass Effect. Lightning didn't strike twice this time around. They only got a bunch of delays and games that just ended up being okay as best. So once the Xbox One got crucified before launch and their new IP failed to drum up any good will, Microsoft cut their budget and they were just skating by with crumbs. Had Phil not convinced Satya to buy Minecraft and had that shyt continue to sell gangbusters they might have sold Xbox off completely. Phil got them a win that led to Satya opening the budget and Phil did what they should have done during the 360 generation and that's start building up their first party.

Mattrick is the reason Xbox's first party was in disarray. I was calling Phil a con man for his OVER-promising and coming up short until I seen this trailer that convinced me they were focusing on CORE AAA games.


But also Phil not having the fundings all makes sense. And why they had to rely on those trash ass third party games like Recore or indie games. Also, I will never forgive Don Mattrick for not picking up Mass Effect. But yea Phil Spencer really single handily saved the Xbox brand. If the Xbox Series X is a success then he deserves A LOT of credit.

 

[FooFighters]

Mattrick is the reason Xbox's first party was in disarray. I was calling Phil a con man for his OVER-promising and coming up short until I seen this trailer that convinced me they were focusing on CORE AAA games.


But also Phil not having the fundings all makes sense. And why they had to rely on those trash ass third party games like Recore or indie games. Also, I will never forgive Don Mattrick for not picking up Mass Effect. But yea Phil Spencer really single handily saved the Xbox brand. If the Xbox Series X is a success then he deserves A LOT of credit.

They have earn the trust back. The hard way. Game Pass is a start. I'm optimistic for the brand's future.

 

[Bawon Samedi]

Their issues have always been internal rather than external for the most part. There are only so many companies that can truly compete with Microsoft for a prolonged period of time when they are on their game. Microsoft is a case study for one of the most intriguing companies to work for. Steve Ballmer and Dan Mattrick didn't care about the brand as just gaming but they wanted to bypass it for all other shyt. Phil Spencer is a true gamer and I feel that he understands what Microsoft needs at this point in time. Let me list reasons why.

The first big purchase that Microsoft made after Nadella became CEO was for Minecraft. Who pushed for it, Phil Spencer

Gates and Ballmer didn't want to buy Minecraft but now 'they get it'




Yes, he's obviously a millionaire doing what he does at Microsoft and I've seen other things about him said from the t-shirts that he wears to other shyt he does, he actually gives a fukk about gaming. There isn't an act here.

Phil Spencer Is Exactly Who You Think He Is



He went from this

Xbox Not A 'Core' Part Of Microsoft's Business CEO Says



to this


Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Joins Microsoft's Senior Leadership Team



Because of things like this.

Microsoft Annual Gaming Revenue Passes $10 Billion, Xbox Live Users Rise



His pitch for saving the Xbox brand to Nadella was similar to what J Allard did for Microsoft and the internet when Bill Gates was running this company.

Phil Spencer Is Exactly Who You Think He Is



The Xbox Reloaded



Don Mattrick dug a hole that many might not have been able to figure out. Since then, Phil Spencer did things like buy the world's largest singular entertainment property, additional studio purchases, launch of Xbox Game Pass and now, the most powerful console of the next gen until the mid-gen refreshes happen with having the ear of the CEO with the largest market cap in the world and he's on your side, which is something that no one else has had in Microsoft. They kept shooting themselves in the foot in the past, seems like those days are over thankfully.

Gears Tactics PC Version Was Only Possible Because of Xbox Game Pass



Phil gets it, he really, really gets it.

Good ass post. Repped.

I don't even need to say much because you said much. Also don't forget separating the Xbox division from the Surface division from under that cat who was limiting it(forgot his name). But yea this is Phil's console and so we'll have to see.

Meanwhile the 360 was J Allard's console.

 

[Bawon Samedi]

They have earn the trust back. The hard way. Game Pass is a start. I'm optimistic for the brand's future.

Yea I thought Phil was a con artist after those lackluster ass E3 conferences but... like I said the VGA reveals gave me SOME hope. And yea they really gotta earn all our trusts back.

On another note Obsidian was an AMAZING get from Phil.

 

[MeachTheMonster]

This shyt will not be a blip when it releases. Just speaking facts.

Nonsense.

Flight simulator been popular since the 90s. Will transcend gaming circles.

Might not get the same coverage as fortnite or some shyt, but people will be playing it.

 

[old pig]

I hate the design of the series x. Not sure how im gonna fit that thing in my entertainment center...

you can rest it sideways

Microsoft's Xbox Series X Can Be Laid Down Flat, Spencer Confirms

 

[TripleAgent]

I'm still amazed that Microsoft even under that hack Don Mattrick managed to screw up the Xbox brand. Like what the entire fukk? The 360 era from 2006-2010 was the golden era in gaming especially for me. Playstation fans can't deny it. That shyt was my Middle school and High School days. The 360 not only further innovated online gaming, innovated shooters(Gears of War? Lets be honest), but had killer console exclusives to go with it from Halo, Gears of War, Mass Effect, Saints Row 1, Fable 2(regardless what the Coli believes the game received ACCLAIM), Left for Dead, etc, etc. How the fukk we go from that to Kinect and the Xbox One?

Its flat out crazy how Xbox fallen from grace. The 360 I had the largest gaming library of any console I owned. Phil better work on ways to get back to that era. This summer maybe their last shot. I WANT the Series X to WIN and to SURPASS the 360. If I like what I see then the Series X maybe my first console but dammit the Xbox brand needs killer console exclusives.

Mattrick was a special brand of fukk up