Not sure if posted but powerwash got some new free dlc, MS store powerwash simulator => DLC => Free DLC the mukcingham files ... To find it in the game go to bonus jobs...

A lot of independently owned game stores have often said in videos online. Xbox physical games barely sell whereas Switch and PS do very well. Switch stuff esp. Not that different when stores scaled down Vita and Wii U stuff. While physical is trending down in general.  In this case, I think it's just more fewer people buy Xbox physical games than other systems.

That is what I am figuring as well.
And I am not ready or willing to go down that digital-only transition.

Series X will be my last Xbox if I can't retain physical.

Imagine if Spyro the Dragon got a new game. Imagine if Skylanders got a new game. Imagine if Crash 5 wasn’t cancelled. Imagine if Banjo Kazooie wasn’t completely MIA. Imagine if Nintendo bought Microsoft. Imagine the Nintendo PC, Switch Phone, Nintendo Xbox, and Star Fox Adventure 2. Imagine if Ryuu96 had to confess that the Nintendo Xbox Series Alpha/Sigma is good. Imagine…

btw what are y’all’s thoughts on the current state of affairs with Microsoft? You upset? Happy? Neutral? I personally do want to see Xbox on top again, though it’s looking like a sinking ship at the moment, down 30-50% YoY.

On the plus side, their 1st party has never been in a better shape, they have a massive number of studios now to feed 1st party content into Gamepass, and those studios have some great games incoming that I'm hyped to play. Gamepass is by far the best value in gaming still, especially since you can keep it active with rewards points.

However, on the negative side of things: There are alot of aspects of their current sales strategy that I'm just not a fan of, charging more for Gamepass on console than on PC, the recent Gamepass price increase feels like dirty pool when they claimed in 2023 that the Activision-Blizzard acquisition wouldn't raise Gamepass prices, low console stock production, low marketing budget overall and near non-existent marketing outside of the US. Sometimes it feels like they are trying to drive people from Xbox consoles on purpose and get them to move to PC and/or competitor consoles. On top of that, the effects of DEI and ESG at Microsoft have been pretty clear to me and many other gamers, and I'm not a fan of it at all. Things like Joanna Dark being less sexy than in the past, the very plain looking Fable main character, Cortana made less sexy in Halo 5 and Infinite compared to earlier games, etc. We also learned that Sweet Baby Inc. got brought in for consultation on 2 upcoming Xbox games, South of Midnight and Contraband, and it is rumored that Sweet Baby made pretty big changes to South of Midnight in particular, with a source claiming that Sweet Baby involvement got the game almost entirely redesigned from what it was originally planned to be under the game's first creative director. However, we did at least learn recently that Microsoft is laying off one of their DEI teams, so maybe things will start to get better in that regard soon. 

I tend to just play on whatever system I’m interested in most at that time. I just clocked my 40th game of the year (3 on Switch, 14 on Series X and 23 on PS5) so until MS 100% commit to going full third party I’ll continue to play Xbox. I’ve kinda given up really caring what they do.

Neutral. The same goes for any other system or platform.

I have all platforms (Nintendo, Playstation, Xbox, PC and mobile).

As for Xbox wise - got my Series S back in August 2022 and Series X in December 2023 - so it will be 2 years next month since I've joined the Xbox ecosystem.

I've got a decent sized library of games on the Xbox ecosystem all of which grew in the last two years - mostly b/c titles of yesteryears and great cheap deals of games I found for $20 or less (except for some games that come in complete packs like Forza).

I'm full digital btw - as long as b/c is available, I'll get the next Xbox. Also expecting/hoping that if there's no actual physical console, eventually the titles will be available digitally in a way.

I think MS buying these companies and IPs is to retain them for a full on digital future whether its cloud or a steam like experience in the future through Windows or third party consoles like the steam machines.

I'm fine with that.

Speaking of Xbox....I'm actually at the last act and near the end of the game on Gears of War 2. Its been a great experience and excited to play 3 in the future.

Not been happy with Phil's shitty leadership or Don's for a decade and it just keeps getting worse and worse. Industry is in bad shape and Xbox is one of the leaders of how bad shit had become.  Sony isn't esp good either. It's sad and frustrating. Xbox and 360 were great systems with some great libraries. Now MS is about as inept as it gets. Sony still has inept with shit like Concord and Herman Dull thinking Horizon is bigger than it is. But if they still publish Stellar Blade,Rebirth and Astrobot there is still some good. If they call Astrobot a break out hit and then shut down the studio then riots need to start.  If they hold a fighting game tournament but then get made people might want a sequel to a loved game and then shut it down for that reason. Burn the place down. (metaphorically speaking)

I am looking forward to Eday tho. Be nice to have a traditional Gears of War again with Marcus and Dom.

Finished Gears of War 2 and the Road to Ruin Deleted scene.


Overall , great game and had a lot of fun. Will go into more specifics on it later...

This makes sense and I'm surprised it hadn't been done yet.