Game Informer writes:
Usually, we like to reveal the name and final cover art for our upcoming issue's cover story the Thursday before it hits subscribers. This time we're saving the full unveiling of the game's title until Monday during Microsoft's E3 press conference, but we can confirm that our next cover is the new installment in the Gears of War series and is coming to Xbox 360.
Microsoft has announced the Microsoft Rewards app on Xbox will be discontinued in April and has confirmed that weekly streaks will also be coming to an end.
It feels like the video game console is at a crossroads. With Xbox Series X and S floundering in the ‘console war’, Sony suggesting PlayStation 5 is approaching the second half of its life after missing sales targets, and uncertainty around the release of the Nintendo Switch 2, there is growing concern that the traditional video game console business could be under threat.
It's obvious that MS is leaving the console biz. MS may have tons of money, but that doesn't mean they want to keep losing money on the gaming division to prove a point. Thanks Phil
Good article and this is not a duplicate. The link that @Maximus Prime shared is just a small portion of the full interview. This post is the full interview.
Times are changing quick, the same ol way the industry been is changing. Where people play is changing.
“What I think Phil is doing is setting up some smoke signals that we're thinking very differently”
I’m surprised how slowly Microsoft is moving toward Xbox as a software platform. They usually don’t care so much about upsetting their customers with unpopular changes like they do with every other version of Windows.
This "console market hasn't grown narrative " is overblown. The market has grown just not as fast as say smartphones. But so what? There is still money to be made in the business and just because Microsoft has failed doesn't mean the entire industry is facing sudden collapse. Gaming will be fine, every industry has to go through periods of restructuring. AAA games are made becuase its what attracts gamers the most and is where they spend the most money. (Demand/supply) Microsoft abandoning hardware should have happened years ago, they clearly lost interest at a base level in producing games and/or paying 3rd parties to back during the tail end of the 360 generation. Tired of hearing about the future of gaming, just make great games and/or invest in one's made by other to attract people to your platform.
"All signs point to the hardware becoming less and less important to Microsoft."
Less innovation and competition. People act like if MS went away life would be better but it would just mean you have one less choice as to where to spend your money. If Sony became the defacto home console provider and Nintendo the handheld, then these companies could limit what you get and you would ultimately have very little choice but to support them if you want to play games.
I was a video that suggested that Steam could potentially get into the console market if Xbox ceases to exist. They already had the Steam Machine(?), and they have the Steam Deck for the portable market. I’m not in the pc space at all so I wouldn’t know if that would be a realistic statement.
No Xbox future I am going to guess Microsoft will go down the path Sega choose and be a publisher/game developer with their in house studios. Or sell off their in house studios and just go back to making os for PC's. I highly doubt the second part. Microsoft like any company wants to make money. So if Microsoft did say pull the plug on Xbox I see them going down the path Sega went. And utilize Xbox as a brand and not just as a console. I can see the name of XBox being mainly a brand after that. And maybe with the game you see published by or developed by Xbox studios.
Woah, was not expecting that.
Perhaps a sequel to the original gears trilogy? With a hint of the man in chains being Marcus Fenix.
Gears of War: Exile
Come to think of it; I could see this being the Halo:Reach of the gears series.
:O
That's kind of lame of them to steal MS' thunder. If I was MS I would have made sure there was absolutely no mention of a new Gears until Cliffy B walked on stage.
Krug - O I know, so maybe I should've worded differently. Like why would MS let this out before E3, one of their biggest games would have been a huge surprise...Now it will only be a surprise if it's not what the people want(like kinect)
As much as I like Gears of War I just can't get excited with the thought of a prequel trilogy
I know what happened, I've heard about it in the games and I'm sure if I wanted to know more I could buy the novels that they've brought out
This may seem silly but I like Marcus as a character, for me he was the face of Gears of War like how Nathan Drake is the face of Uncharted and how the Master Chief is the face of Halo, if they do lock him away like the picture suggests then I don't think I could play as another character. Shame they didn't have a Halo 3 Legendary type of ending for Gears 3 showing a new threat, giving Marcus and the gang a chance to rest but giving off the impression that "peace dosen't last for ever".
I mean I wanted to know about Myrrah and how she is human.
Could be a prequel.
AH that woulda been a nice surprise for E3