Latest patch for DICE's multiplayer game promises to fix crashes, improve general stability, and tweak weapon characteristics.
Microsoft has announced a partnership with AMD to power the next generation of Xbox, including its first-party future Xbox consoles.
This thing is gonna be *expensive* and extremely powerful!
It might easily break the $1000 price point for a console for the first time ever.
So what's going on here?
I think two things: Windows faces an existential threat from SteamOS if it ever goes mainstream. So Microsoft wants to build an Xbox PC complete with streamlined Windows OS that will be able to be more attractive than any SteamDeck home console.
Microsoft wants every gamer including PlayStation gamers to move to PC, then it wants to market Game Pass to ALL PC players. Even if it only captures 5% of the worldwide market that would likely be enough to bring in enough revenue to make the subscription service a financial success.
Note how much emphasis they keep putting on "you can play your games across any device"... as in, no exclusives. This thing will flop hard, again, if it even launches. They already pumped the brakes on the handheld.
If it's going to do that, it will flop hard. Their best selling console is the cheapest one on the market, not the more expensive one. And they can't sell that to keep up with the more expensive PS5.
Edit: Also, AMD is easily not going to sign away anything that limits what they can do with Sony. They make more money the more consoles manufactured, not the one that sells the least out there but for more.
Xbox doesn’t have someone like Mark Cerny— let’s not pretend that’s a small thing. Sony's domination really began when Cerny became the lead architect. What most people don’t realize is how much of a developer-first mindset he brought to PlayStation hardware.
For example, during PS4 development, Cerny made the call to increase RAM from 4GB to 8GB of GDDR5—a huge and expensive decision at the time—specifically because developers told him they needed more memory. That change had a massive impact on the PS4's long-term success, making it much easier to develop for and future-proofing it in ways Xbox One simply wasn’t.
And he doesn’t just sit in an office and make guesses—he visits every major first-party, second-party, and even third-party studio every two years. He talks directly with the people making the games and collects detailed feedback on what works and what doesn’t. Studios trust him because he’s not just a hardware guy—he’s been a game developer, a producer, and a creative lead. He understands game development from the ground level all the way to the top, and that’s why studios feel comfortable being honest with him. That’s how features like the ultra-fast SSD and the dedicated 3D audio chip made it into the PS5—they weren’t just specs on paper, they were answers to real-world studio needs.
So while Xbox is doing great things with AMD (and that’s a strong move on its own), they don’t have a Cerny—a bridge between engineering and creative. That matters.
And for those claiming Xbox might gain an advantage by launching early—this isn’t 2005 anymore. Back then, launching the Xbox 360 a year early gave Microsoft a real edge. But now? People are invested:
They’ve built massive digital libraries
Their friends and social systems are tied into Xbox Live or PSN
And cross-play means you don’t have to switch consoles just to play with others
You can’t “win” the generation early just by releasing first anymore.
If Xbox wants to win the next generation, they should aim squarely at core gamers. Release a powerhouse, even if it costs $800–$1000. The hardcore market would embrace it. But the real danger is that they’ll also release a $350–$400 console, like they did with Series S—and that console will hold the whole generation back again. Series S was the bottleneck of this generation. Developers had to build to its limitations, and it’s part of the reason why PS4 is still being supported with new releases in 2025.
Power is only one part of the equation. Vision matters. Studio trust matters. Execution matters. And that’s where Mark Cerny and PlayStation’s approach continue to set the bar
I think they could put in a low effort iteration that doesn't pack in a lot of innovation (same dashboard, copy some ideas on the controller) on refreshed silicon, benefitting from AMDs newer architecture. They don't need an Uber engineer for mediocrity.
If they would have doubled down on exclusives after buying up the universe they could have done just that
But they've done nothing short of sabotaging their consoles for the last several years - why would they try for another baby after clubbing their eldest son? It's madness
Crazy
Microsoft has made major moves in the gaming industry, investing over $75 billion—possibly closer to $80–85 billion—acquiring publishers like ZeniMax and Activision Blizzard, along with renowned studios such as Obsidian, Ninja Theory, and Playground Games. Once that level of investment came into play, Xbox could no longer remain a side project—it had to become a serious, profit-driven business.
One of the major shifts we’re seeing is how Microsoft is adapting its strategy. While Game Pass is a fantastic service—especially for Xbox and PC players—it simply isn’t a sustainable model on its own to fund the rising costs of AAA blockbuster game development. Most Xbox players enjoy their games through subscriptions rather than purchasing them outright, which limits revenue per title.
That’s why we’re now seeing Microsoft embrace a hybrid model: keeping Game Pass as a core service on Xbox and PC, while also releasing major titles on other platforms like PlayStation and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2.
The results speak for themselves:
Forza Horizon 5, a flagship Xbox title, has become one of the best-selling games on PlayStation.
Gears of War: E-Day (Reloaded) is already charting as one of the top pre-ordered games on PSN.
The newly released Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has performed well.
And there are strong rumors that Microsoft is working to bring even more iconic Xbox titles—including Halo—to PlayStation.
Why? Because the PlayStation 5 install base is on track to hit 100 million within the next year. That’s simply too large a market to ignore, especially when trying to recoup the costs of massive development and acquisition budgets. The days of treating Xbox like a vanity project are over. This is now about business fundamentals: revenue, growth, and profit.
While exclusives still matter in some strategic cases, Microsoft is clearly evolving with the market. It’s no longer about pleasing a small group of fans demanding exclusivity—it’s about adapting to a new reality where cross-platform availability increases revenue, reach, and long-term sustainability.
In short, Microsoft is playing smart: keeping players happy on Game Pass while also capturing full-price sales from the largest gaming audiences worldwide. They’ve chosen growth over pride—and the numbers are backing that up
I think that stance really downplays what Ken kutaragi brought to the table with the ps1 and its development pipeline which was far easier to work with than any other system at the time including the jag, n64, 3d0
Because let's be honest Sony dominated hard with both the ps1 and ps2.
Ps1 dominated so did 2 but that was harder to dev for with the emotion engine but highly capable.
Its with the ps3 that Sony lost it and really its their only console they failed to get developers on board with and the reason that Ken stepped aside.
But really modern consoles mirroring pc hardware was inevitable consoles were originally made because pc hardware wasbt capable of things like smooth scrolling and as everything evolved consoles slowly morphed into PC's which is basically where we are at now but there's beauty in a consoles simplicity so I dont know what ms will do but making a windows console seems like a bad move many gamers dont want to play with settings they want plug and play and if you push pc to be a console you lose that simplicity and that will hurt
I hope there's no focus on 8K. Current gen consoles aren't exactly setting the world alight with rock-solid 4K60 titles, nevermind 4K120. Focusing on 8K would be a waste.
UDNA is on track to be revealed Q2 2026, so the Xbox rumors from the Activision trail, might be true about them launching their console first to market with a holiday 2026 release date.
That being said UDNA will be a big improvement over the current Series Consoles, but I don’t think UDNA 1st-gen is going to be a huge upgrade over the RX 9000 performance wise. RX 9000 is on 4nm, and UDNA 1st-gen is supposed to be on 3nm (basically 4nm+).
The question I have is are they going to stick with a 2 console future. Are they dropping the high-end since Series S sold better? Are they making a higher-end platform and using the ASUS Xbox handheld PCs as the new Series S option, or are they making a middle ground that’s “affordable” and balances price:performance. Also, are they sticking with the Xbox-PC mentality we see with the ASUS handheld.
"... Xbox consoles" ~ they're again gonna pull a Series S-v2 and handicap the next-gen's 2nd phase.
@RaidenBlack
Series S was a handicap primarily due to the RAM (it needed at least 12GB), but with Switch 2 and more handheld PCs it’s going to become a porting point for those platforms. So while it hurt development early on for Xbox, it’s now helping every other mobile platform…..which is great for everything else even if it doesn’t directly benefit MS, outside of their ASUS Xbox Handheld PC.
That being said, if they did do a Series SV2 I would hope they learned from their mistakes (they clearly didn’t learn from the PS3 or the GTX970 about split memory being awful for GPUs).
RAM
16GB is the will still be the minimum for the next 5+ years (12GB is starting to hit its limit), so that problem would be solved.
GPU
RDNA4 and/or UDNA are big improvements over RDNA2. Even staying at 20CUs like the Series S, the jump to RDNA 4 + clock speed would be around a 60% - 70% boost over the Series S, putting it around a RTX 2060 - RX 6600 performance, which is a much better result, even if it’s still below PS5/SX natively. However, the Switch 2 is showing was a superior upscaled can do, and having FSR4 would be a SIGNIFICANT upgrade over the PS5/SX, and would allow the SSV2to run PS5/SX games at native 1080p same High-Medium settings and FPS as those consoles in most games, but upscaled to 4K with better image quality than both of those consoles.
Price
Considering they raised all their console prices here’s where the issue comes into play. The above hardware would be fine, but if they can’t get it to $349 - $399 (the Series S is now $379 -_-), then why not get a digital PS5 starts to become the question for anything above $399. But if the global economy steady and back to normal what could anyone say bad about this platform at $349…?
HELL YEAH!!!!
HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!!
ALREADY GOT MY MONEY SAVED THANKS TO GAMEPASS!!!
First to market with the weakest console of the new generation, half-baked and rushed. Then Sony comes around and shows them how it's done for the fifth time in a row.
You said they weren't making another console? What happened? You types are wrong about everything all the time it's quite fascinating to watch actually.
I still say that... talking about releasing a console and actually releasing a console are 2 totally different things. The fact that they are only just now securing a partnership to manufacture the chips shows just how behind they are. Sony already had a deal with AMD worked out nearly a year ago ( https://www.theverge.com/20... MS already canceled plans to release their handheld ( https://www.laptopmag.com/g... , and instead are relying on other hardware manufacturers to make it for them. The same could be true with the console... MS taking the 3DO route and licensing the Xbox brand to other hardware manufacturers to make consoles for them, while also releasing their games on all the competing consoles, turning them into little more than a third party developer. Besides, that's quite rich coming from the folks who said MS games wouldn't be on PS5. You were also dead wrong about Xbox Series S holding back the generation and making multiplatform games worse on all platforms, developer after developer kept coming out proving you wrong, and you still wouldn't admit it. Just kept trying to move the goal posts...
"I still say that... talking about releasing a console and actually releasing a console are 2 totally different things."
Reality is hitting you hard also I see.
MS is always behind when it comes to this stuff. They were behind in making the X1 back then, nothing new.
"and instead are relying on other hardware manufacturers to make it for them. The same could be true with the console..."
I'm sorry what? So you didn't watch the video where she literally said they're making their own hardware? That's the whole point of the freakin video. Lol you can't make this up. As usual your off to a horrible Start and it's only gonna get worse it always does. I just laugh.
Xbox going third party is something nobody could of predicted even hardcore fanboys like yourself if we're talking beginning of then gen. No don't sit there and lie and say "you knew all along" because you didn't nobody did 5 years ago.
"You were also dead wrong about Xbox Series S holding back the generation and making multiplatform games worse on all platforms, developer after developer kept coming out proving you wrong, and you still wouldn't admit it."
This again? Ok if that's the case then list me all the games that got held back from the S. Sense it's all prevalent and out there. Don't make excuse just list the games. I always ask and you dodge and make excuses. Show me digital foundry footage I wanna proof evidence and details. Now go, no excuses list the games now.
I like the all caps and multiple exclamation points but I feel like you could have pumped up the current gen more. 6/10, good effort.
@raiden kind of but if they didn't rush rrod may not have happened and they could have turned a profit that generation
Also ps3 dropped the ball massively so the generation would of been theirs by default but rrod abd mattricks casual push killed them and gave Sony a opportunity to claw it back
@prof, don't underestimate how much developers finally getting a grasp on coding for the Cell processor also helped PS3 take the crown in the end.
Classic move if you're losing just start the next gen early look how that worked for dreamcast
At least the Dreamcast was an amazing system (still is!), the last two Xbox generations have been shameful.
Except Dreamcast was a generational leap, majority of games looked just as good if not better than some PS2 titles. More than what can be said of Nintendo since the Wii.. plus an early launch worked well for the 360.
Sony confirmed their partnership with AMD for PS6 ages ago.
With Xbox taking time, everybody was hoping they might try something new & different by going Nvidia route but guess they went with the boring AMD route again.
Well Sony recently said that PS6 was top of their mind and are hard at work on it.
Next gen talk already we're 4 in a half years in the gen. 9th gen is easily the worse gen by far.
Almost 5 years in for PS and XB entries... Nintendo kicked off 9th gen back in 2017. MS and Sony were late because of the release of the Pro/One X consoles to extend their 8th gen presence. And in doing that is why the adoption rate for their 9th gen has been slower than the previous. Its also why crossgen is still a thing.
But like you said, 9th gen has been the worst, even in my 40+ years of gaming.
Join Rich, Oliver and Alex for discussion on the latest leaks surrounding the mooted PlayStation handheld and the myste…
I really want to know what's going on with docked vrr cause cyberpunk at 40 fps docked seems to be a choice driven by vrr
The recent PS5 price increases have proven that the old format of console generations are no longer viable for game companies.
It's greed. Next gen prices aren't gonna be much better. I won't be surprised if next gen games are at 80. Then Sony, MS and other devs will do the usually PR of the most powerful console ever or fastest SSD or whatever to "justify" the price hike.
They'll further push ppl to PC.
"It's greed"
Oh. Please do tell us how. What components are getting cheaper?
"They'll further push ppl to PC."
Oh. Ok so Nvidia and their pricing is not greedy, then?
Another comment on the topic pointed out how how when the PS5 launched the NVMEs of this size were around £200 and now they are around £60 moreover they are using the old 7nm nodes for the CPU and GPU are getting cheaper with time and not more expensive. Both AMD and Nvidia are manufacturing their GPUs on the 4/5nm for a second generation. That is about the components
The push to PC might happen by pushing people to spend the money they would have for a console to make their PC better since most people have a PC or a Laptop. Then those people could take advantage of the more competitive nature of the PC ecosystem (Stem, GOG, Epic) and free online multiplayer. I don't think that would be a large number though.
Why aren't the components going down? Why are the components rising in cost?
Why are Nintendo prices going up, PSN prices going up and the inevitable GP price gonna go up?
Console gen will die when console games die. We are in a slow curve but not close to claim death of console gen
Exactly this gpus have trippled in price since the 20 series
CPUs have gone up
PC games still cost just as much as console games on sale
PC gaming is not some magic realm where you buy a GPU and get every game for a fiver.
I would still be a pc first player if it was
The complicit folk like this comment above are what ruin the hobby.... Apologists claiming it's not the corporations fault, it's your fault.... Gross. These people are the ones buying junk at premium prices and slowly bringing the hobby to its knees.
I guess some people are saying if you're paying PC prices for consoles you might as well just buy a PC.
"The complicit folk like this comment above are what ruin the hobby.... Apologists claiming it's not the corporations fault, it's your fault..."
If you want to bury your head then that's your choice but I think gamers also need to be held accountable for the environment they've curated.
Like, I certainly didn't teach Sony any pro-consumer lessons by buying the $200-$250+ collector's editions of TLOU Part 2, Ghost of Tsushima, and the discless GOW Ragnarok Jotnar Edition. What are PS5 Pro buyers teaching them buying a $700 console without a disc drive?
What lesson has Nintendo learned, with MK8 DX selling some 60+ million units, no price drops on Switch hardware, while selling defective joycons for 8 years on their most profitable hardware platform?
What about Microsoft and Xbox, what lessons should they take away from practically giving their games away, to declining/flatlining hardware sales?
Once you think about that, I encourage you to then factor in the reality of the ever-increasing-costs of hardware production, shipping, tariffs and taxes, and the salaries of those they employ...
Nvidia isn’t the only GPU manufacturer out there. In fact, IMO AMD is killing it now with CPUs and GPUs. There is also Intel now, for more budget minded gamers.
I don't buy that. Consoles don't exist inside of a vacuum. Everything is going up. Does that mean that everything is screwed? PC gaming isn't a solution is the issue is rising costs. Neither are dead. The real issue is that consumer income has not keep pace with inflation.
There are more adults gaming than kids but the media that caters to us still treats us like children who can't hold complex ideas and critical thinking.
it is also common knowledge that most consoles are sold at a lost. Its not until later that they release a slim version of the console where they make a bit of profit.
Believing? No it's called facts. You know me I always have facts on hand.
https://www.thestationwagon...
Sony hasn't sold at a loss for 4 years now.
https://www.theverge.com/20...
As I said Sony makes money off console MS loses it.
@lightning77
So for the last 4 years Sony hasnt sold at a loss. What happens before those 4 years?
For console, its not greed. Companies like Sony are most likely selling the consoles at a lost. Most of their profits and revenue comes from software.
Sony aren't selling the console at a loss they make money from it. However Xbox is however they lose about 200$ or so with each console sold. Probably why they're so reliant on multiplat Software sales GP stuff rather than selling consoles.
Lol @Lightning77.
Imagine believing that it cost Microsoft $200 more to make the series X than it cost Sony to build a PS5. Imagine getting played so hard when the competition is routinely beating you in non Pro match ups. If that were real (it's not) then of course MS would stop making console because they spending way more to get zero or worse results than a cheaper PS5!
Extremely L take.
No it will NOT push anyone to PC. You must be quite disconnected from reality. Go ahead and search up prices of just the GPU to be able to play modern games. an RTX 5070 will cost you around $700 alone if not a little more, and if you want a 4K capable machine that can run games at decent settings then you're going to need a stronger card which will run you closer to $1000. We haven't even gotten to the CPU or PSU or RAM or SSD, or Motherboard. A 4k gaming pc capable of running at 30+fps will run you $1500+ minimum, and if you want 60+ FPS then you guaranteed will be over $2000. If you want 2K capable machine then maybe around $1400-$1600 or so.
you bafoons are complaining about what, a $450 console (switch 2) an an $80 game? LOL get real. Console gaming is much cheaper, even PS5 Pro at $700 is a crazy deal compared to any modern gaming PC. So no, nobody is going to PC.
And anybody who thinks it's greed is disconnected from reality and just a brokie looking for a handout. Cry more.
Then why are all these YT gamers (even PS centric ones) building a PC? gaming publications and even ppl I know moving to PC or building a PC? Allot more than they have last gen?
Yep must me all in my head I guess.
So you can afford These prices and price hikes. Sounds like a child with mom's money or someone who has absolutely no life of his own.
^ Ironically, having a life is one of the main reasons to go console over PC. No tinkering, no googling or searching protondb to figure out if a game will work on your PC. Just turn it on and press play.
It is greed, but this isn’t standard greed and by that I mean these price increases aren’t just wealthy businessmen increasing costs just because they can. This is partially an effect of tarrifs and the prices are just gonna keep going up regardless of if we’re talking PC or Console.
You want to know what greed is it’s insulin pump manufacturers. I have to pay 600 a month . For pump supplies. I have no choice but to spend it. But you can decide if you want a console are not. Mine is life and death. This here is gaming
The sad thing is if Microsoft would just bugger off then none of this acceleration-ism to cloud gaming (the end goal) would be happening. They will ultimately use this expensive pricing to have us paying $100 a month for game streaming in the future.
maybe going mainstream was a mistake for gaming. sure revenues have increased several folds from the PS2 times due to that but in a capitalistic market, shareholders always want more year after year. 200mil profit this year, and if they only make another 200mil in the next year, it's not considered as a "success" thus people getting fired, studio got closed down just so that they can say that they made "more" than last year for the investors! if only these people are as passionate about gaming like they do about their margin, gaming would still be an enjoyable and affordable hobby.
I'll be looking at how Sony handles the PS6. if things get crazier in pricing than this gen already is, I think I will just stop at the PS5 and not invest in next gen.
I find myself playing games on my pc more and more this generation. I have my PC which I built myself, hooked up to my 65 inch oled tv.
I got Indiana Jones for free with my gfx card, my steam library is 500+ deep. I’m only buying consoles at this point because of physical games. Once the consoles go all digital, I will just be a pc gamer, because I can build whatever I want, without any limitations.
so u have 500 games u probably even havent played.
arent u part of the problem tho? ha
Most of my games were $5-$10 summer and winter sales. Some of them are F2P.
And about 40 of them were full price release day purchases. My account is almost 20 years old.
unlike consoles, steam doesn't get a 5-6 year reset on their games, i know this is a shocking revelation. if part of the problem is only having to buy your games once, we sure are guilty
@michiel1989: alll my ps4 gsmes work on my ps5. So that's approaching 14 years worth of content. Also you say that but it's not strictly true. I own pc gsmes from way way back in like 2007/2008 that literally can't run on modern drivers and stuff. You have to go online and find ancient software and install it and often it conflicts with the modern versions of the same software so you have to deal with that to get those titles running.
most games since windows xp work fine and if its a title from 1990 i don't mind having the option of not having to buy it again and just run a virtual version of 1998 or something alike to play it, but most often there are way easier fixes. Also i can play multiplayer for games that have been shutdown by the publisher, because the pc community is awesome.
It looks like we are going to a new video game crash like in te 80s. Games are going to cost too much, the PS6 and next Xbox will be a huge and costly dissapointment.
We honestly do not need a new generation of consoles at all. Even PC gaming is seeing more and more reduced gains on technology advances.
The crash was about very poor quality games on Atari in the days before NES even released. Games are much better now and people will never stop playing. Pricing won’t force people to change hobbies because games like Fortnite start as low as free. Most AAA games end up with massive discounts after a while. Nintendo don’t discount but everyone keeps buying them full price anyway. Those are my thoughts when people predict a total industry crash. The industry will rather change and adapt. Companies that fail to adapt will go bust but there will still be big winners like GTA VI.
Erm not really. The coat of hardware and such is all increasing if anything given inflation games have gone down in value since 2007 and even further down in value since the 1990s. What's changed is everyone feels entitled to buy everything new day one and not have to save for anything. Sadly that's just not how the world works.
I’ve already decided that I won’t get a PS6 until the PS7 is released. That way the console will cheaper as will the games and most will be complete editions with all dlc.
I’m too old to be worrying about playing games as soon as they’re released, just so I can say I bought it day one. I will continue to play my last gen and vr games in the meantime as I wait for price drops. This will not push me towards PC gaming though.
I still have not bought a PS5 yet . I want to wait till next fall to buy one, hoping they have a price drop on all PS5s . I do not have a PC to game on . Unfortunately I do not think I can wait to next fall because DOOM The Dark Ages is being released on May 15 of next month. .
I waited three years before I got my PS5, and to tell the truth it really wasn’t worth it, besides PSVR2.
There aren’t many games for it that is strictly PS5, that I was interested in, many were still available on PS4. The ones that are PS5 only pricing is still a bit high, but I understand you wanting to get a PS5 for DOOM. Hopefully you get one during some kind of sale between now and then.
"no longer viable" as the PS5 out paces the PS4 and that's before GTA6 releases. The Switch 2 will almost certainly be a smash hit also.
I have to admit the mp looks more stable
let me know when i can save the single player campaign, until then it will be on ebay
Nerf hammer is back people!
I hope DICE knew what they're doing because they could ruin lots of good weapons just for the sake of balancing the game because last time with BF3 we left with only a handful of good weapons few of it are borderline OP and the rest are just sucks.
Good to know they finally wanted to fix the game for real.
Seems better. Currently playing.