The next-gen war has officially started with Microsoft announcing the Xbox Series X:
There's been a lot of debate over the design of the system, but I like it. It'll be interesting to see how to PS5 compares to it.
Looks great both horizontal and vertical. Did not seem to mess with the controller with is fine by me. I am hoping Sony decides against using IHOP to design the PS5.
Yes, I like the horizontal look myself and assume most people will have to place it that way to fit it in their entertainment centers.
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I wonder if people will start calling it the Xbox Sex.
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Xbox Game Pass is lit. I'm seriously thinking about the $150 discless S as a GamePass box.
I'm really liking everything I see about the new console:
Flight Simulator 2020 officially coming to the Series X/S in 2021.
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Forza 7 will no longer be available for sale or Gamepass on September 15th: https://forzamotorsport.net/en-us/news/forza-motorsport-7-end-of-life
They're putting it on sale for $10 until it's delisted. I may buy it so I have a copy when I eventually get an Xbox Series X.
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I came so close to buying an Xbox Series S yesterday. They're available for store pickup at my local Target. The only thing holding me back is the lack of a disc drive in it. Unlike PS4, most of my Xbox 360 games are on discs.
I was looking at Xbox All Access plan, which is 24.99 a month for 24 months for the Series S and $34.99 a month for the Series X, and includes GamePass Ultimate, which is normally $14.99 month. There's no interest and down-payment required, so you're essentially getting the Series S for only $240 (plus tax) or the Series X for only $480 (plus tax). I plan on getting GamePass Ultimate anyway, so it's a no-brainer for me to go that route.
You should do it, that's a great deal.
I'm planning to. I keep checking Target since they seem to have them available for store pickup only to avoid bots and scalpers.
The S is back in stock again at multiple Targets in my area. I didn't think they'd be so much easier to get than the X.
My older son ordered an Xbox Series S from Microsoft this evening and should have it on Tuesday. I'm still holding out for an X, but I am looking forward to trying out the S when it comes.
I went ahead and ordered Forza 7 digitally before it's de-listed in 3 days. I'll check it out Tuesday when my son's Series S arrives.
There's supposed to be a big drop of Xbox consoles later this week. I've been checking Target and Microsoft constantly to see if I can land a Series X.
My son's Series S arrived today. He's downloading Fight Sim right now so I can check it out. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210914/3d7fce0529e5194ce65e1e29d05c0d00.jpg)
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even the S will have MSFS 2020?
Quote from: Ted on September 14, 2021 @ 07:47 PM
even the S will have MSFS 2020?
Yes, we were just trying it out. The level of detail is slightly lower, but it runs at a steady 30fps. I can't get over the level of detail. We were picking out high schools and restaurants flying over our town.
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I'm having a hard time holding out for a Series X when I can get s Series S after playing Forza Horizon 4 this morning. I had also forgotten that The Show 21 was available on GamePass too.
The Series S is still available directly from Microsoft. I just wish it had a 1TB drive.
I'm weak. I just bought the Series S from Target. I'm picking it up tonight.
Here's my new setup with the Series S. Positive comments coming soon. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210920/a6c3e6b8b456199ec26fc8143eb0735a.jpg)
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Before I get started, I just have to say that the Xbox Series S with Game Pass Ultimate is best bargain in videogame history. I was able to jump into a new console generation with over a hundred good games to play for only $300. I decided against the monthly payment since I get 5% off at Target using my Red Card and only payed $1 for the first month of Game Pass.
The console itself was even smaller than I expected, but it's solidly built and looks great. I never held an Xbox One controller, but the Xbox Series X/S controllers look and feel great. They're smaller than the Xbox 360 controllers but fit comfortably in my hands. There's a textured grip along the back the controller and on the trigger buttons that feels great too. They also have a standard headphone jack, unlike the Xbox 360 controllers, which is great because I can use my regular headset/mic combo I use for my phone with the new controller. There's no need to buy an Xbox or gaming specific headset for the system.
The console does give off some heat, but I haven't heard a fan once (I'm not even sure if the Series S has an internal fan) and it's whisper quiet, even when running games like Flight Simulator. The interface takes some getting used after using a PS4 for the past 6+ years, but it very modern looking and easy enough to navigate around. Once I logged in, my Friend's List and digital games showed up immediately. I plugged in a spare 1TB external drive I had lying around and was able to download all of my digital 360 games onto it easily.
Surprisingly, I've spent a majority of time playing my Xbox 360 copy of Gears of War 1 with my younger son. I never knew it offered co-op local LAN play, so I've been playing on my Xbox 360 in my office while my son plays on the Xbox Series S in the living room. He's able to plug his Sony headset into the Series S controller and I use the Xbox App on my phone with my headset so we can communicate while playing. It's amazing how well the game has held up both graphically and gameplay wise considering it came out in 2006. We're planning on playing through the whole series.
I also downloaded MLB The Show 21 from Game Pass and couldn't believe how smoothly it ran. The graphics don't look much better, but the solid 60fps makes it like a completely new game, especially when fielding. I'm downloading Madden 21 now and am curious to see if the next-gen physics have as much of a positive effect on the gameplay.
Now I can patiently wait for a price drop or slim version for both the PS5 and Xbox Series X, since I no longer have a strong urge to buy either one right now.
oof now you're tempting me to not wait for the X
The only thing I'm annoyed about is that I didn't buy NCAA Football 14 digitally a few years ago when it was only $5 (it's de-listed now). I'm not able to play it on my Series S since I only have disc version. The external drive was a life-saver as I was able to save all the Xbox One/360 games on there to save room for the next-gen games on the internal SSD.
I played half a game of Madden 21 and the player control is a nice improvement over the last-gen versions, but it pales in comparison to the control in NCAA Football 14, which I played a little yesterday. Forza Horizon 4 is beautiful and runs at a silky smooth 60fps as does GRID.
My only other expense was to buy a second controller, which is currently on sale directly from Microsoft.
That's funny, I played a game of NCAA 14 the other day. Had more fun than any Madden in years. I have it digitally for PS3, there are still current rosters in Roster Share.
It's crazy how Madden and NCAA Football has physics-based gameplay two generations ago and moved back to an animation driven system for newer systems. The running game in NCAA Football feels so natural and smooth.
My son and I finished our co-op playthrough of the first Gears of War. It's amazing how well that game has held up. Now onto the second one.
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I forgot that a 10 hour trial of Madden 22 is available through EA Play. Downloading it now.
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Gears 2 is even better, iirc.
I've played Gears 1, 2 and 3 but don't remember 2 at all.
Not that I gave it a fair shot, but I like Madden 21 better than Madden 22 on the Series X, just like I did on the PS4. It looks and plays better.
Xbox has a nice feature where you can link controllers to accounts. Now the white controller automatically logs my son in to his account and the black controller logs me into mine.
Brad, I got a 14-day trial to Game Pass Ultimate with my new controller that can only be used for new subscriptions. You're more than welcome to it if you want it.
Thanks, but I need an Xbox first, lol. If I was to get one, GPU would be a day one purchase.
Quote from: Jason on September 21, 2021 @ 04:54 PM
It's crazy how Madden and NCAA Football has physics-based gameplay two generations ago and moved back to an animation driven system for newer systems. The running game in NCAA Football feels so natural and smooth.
I forgot how nice it was to see refs on the field while playing...
I have another dilemma now. I have to figure out if I should buy games on sale if they're on Game Pass since games do get removed. For instance, The Show 21 is currently on sale for $24 (which is cheaper than the PS4 version has ever been on sale for so far) and I've heard rumors that it wouldn't be on Game Pass for too long. I'm debating whether I should buy it while it's cheap in case it's removed.
Maybe for a game you're going to play a whole lot of. A yearly sports game iteration, nah.
Wreckfest (Xbox One) is available on GamePass, but I can upgrade to the Xbox Series X/S version for $10 which includes better graphics and more importantly, 60fps.
Another dilemma. Forza Horizon 4, which I'm playing more than any other game on my Xbox, is currently on sale. The issue with Forza games is that they get de-listed due to expiring licenses with the car manufacturers. Forza Horizon 2 and 3 are no longer available to purchase. I'll probably buy it considering that I stay play Forza Horizon 1 and 2 on my Xbox 360.
New update with Dolby Vision was released for the Xbox Series X/S: https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/28/22697993/dolby-vision-xbox-series-x-s-feature-available-now (https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/28/22697993/dolby-vision-xbox-series-x-s-feature-available-now)
I checked it out quickly in Flight Simulator and could tell the difference immediately. I'm looking forward to seeing how much better Gears 5 looks now. It's nice to finally get to use one of the key features of my TV.
You had been using HDR 10?
I wanted a baseball game for PS3, so I grabbed the Show13 for a couple dollars. Again, I find previous gen sports games better than their current iterations. Might try a 2K baseball game next.
I wish MVP baseball had been on PS3, I may actually grab a PS2 to play MVP 05 again.
Yes, HDR 10.
I loved 2K's baseball games and still have a few on disc. I wish MLB 2K13 was available to buy digitally.
If you're not interested in licensed players and stadiums, EA's NCAA Baseball 06 and 07 both play better than MVP 05.
MVP 05=
(https://cdn10.bostonmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/09/goat-hyde-park-t.jpg)
MVP didn't have zone hitting, so that automatically disqualifies it as GOAT for me. I couldn't believe they added it to NCAA Baseball the following year.
It's a shame they didn't continue making baseball games. They'd probably suck now, but there would have been some good ones between then and now.
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New 2TB and 512GB Expansion Cards Announced: https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/10/21/new-seagate-storage-expansion-cards/ (https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/10/21/new-seagate-storage-expansion-cards/)
The price for extended storage for both the Xbox Series X/S and PS5 is going to be the Achilles heel for these consoles. I wish there was an option to load next-gen games on a standard drive and just deal with the slower load times. I seriously doubt every next-gen game requires an SSD to work anyway. I'd rather wait a minute for a track to load in Forza rather than pay insane prices just have it load in 20 seconds off an SSD.
I've given up on the idea of having a huge library attached. Gonna have to get used to only having a few games installed at a time.
I had to disable Dolby Vision on my Series S due to input lag. It wasn't that noticable with Flight Simulator, but it was almost impossible to play MLB 21 (mainly meter pitching). Sony is supposed to release a firmware update for my TV that allows Dolby Vision in game mode, so I'll just have to wait for that.
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Cloud gaming has launched on the consoles today. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm excited to play Game Pass games without having the download and have SSD drive space for them.
I've been working professionally in IT for 30 years now and made such a rookie mistake with my Xbox Series S setup since I've had it. My downloads were so slow and capped at less than 100Mbps since I've had it even though all of my switches and router support 1Gbps. I've read about a lot of people complaining about slow download speeds from Microsoft's servers, so I just assumed the bottleneck was on their end.
Last night I thought about checking the cable I was using and left myself a note to check it this morning. Sure enough, it was the network cable that came with my Xbox 360 I had there previously so I swapped it out and now I'm back to 1Gbps speed. I can't believe it took me so long to think about the swapping the cable earlier and that I didn't swap the cable when I set it up in the first place.
Home theater and IT, always check the cables.
After seeing and trying my son's Xbox 20th Anniversary controller I went ahead and ordered one for myself. The rubberized grips make a huge difference. I already have the 20th Anniversary control for Playstation, so now I'll have one for Xbox too.
I sideloaded the Gamepass app onto my Nvidia Shield, signed into my old MS account, and grabbed GP Ultimate. Everything is set to go, and the games try to launch, but then the session crashes. Evidently this is a known issue, as the infrastructure has buckled over Xmas. But if I can use the Shield and it's gamepad as a virtual Xbox for the princely sum of $15 a month, I will be stoked.
That would be very cool. I've been impressed with Microsoft's cloud gaming and it's only going to get better. Being able to play a majority of their Game Pass games on a TV without owning a console would be a nice score.
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My Xbox 20th Anniversary controller arrived this past weekend. I don't think it's made any differently than the standard controllers, but it feels like more of a premium product. The smooth plastic on the front and the rubberized back grips on the back make it much more comfortable than the standard controller.
A nearby Target has had 5 Series X consoles in stock since this morning. I've been debating whether or not to get one. If I knew for sure that it would another few months before I'd be able to get a PS5 I'd go ahead and buy it. I'm just worried a PS5 will become available as soon as I spend the money on an X.
Quote from: Jason on March 22, 2022 @ 03:14 PMA nearby Target has had 5 Series X consoles in stock since this morning. I've been debating whether or not to get one. If I knew for sure that it would another few months before I'd be able to get a PS5 I'd go ahead and buy it. I'm just worried a PS5 will become available as soon as I spend the money on an X.
Fuck Sony. I just ordered the X.
Just walked in the door with it. Now the fun part of moving my wall unit and running wires starts.
It now occupies the former location of my Series S. I'm excited to be able to finish Gears 5 using two consoles instead of split-screen.
I haven't had much of a chance to try it out because my younger son had been on it non-stop, but I can really appreciate the cloud based saves. It's so nice being able to switch between the X and S and just have your current saves available to you no matter which console you're on.
I don't know if the PS5 has a similar feature, but syncing saves across two PS4s sucks.
Congrats, the X is a beast.
I've never played a game in 4k before yesterday and other than the sharper graphics, the thing that stood out to me the most is how the higher resolution almost eliminates shimmering in the games I've played. This was very noticeable in racing games where things like guardrails and track lines would always shimmer in the distance. In all the racing games I've tried so far (GRID Legends, F1 2021 and Forza 7) the shimmering is much improved or eliminated completely. I guess it's safe to say that 4k gaming is one of those things I didn't think I needed until I actually tried it.
Yep, and the improved frame rates will spoil you fast. It's very hard to go back to 30fps.
Quote from: Brad Company on March 25, 2022 @ 05:46 AMYep, and the improved frame rates will spoil you fast. It's very hard to go back to 30fps.
I'm already spoiled by that. I'm definitely a 60fps snob now.
Got an email from microsoft with a direct link to buy a series X bundle from them so went for it.
Congrats!!! It's a great system. Do you already have Game Pass for PC?
I do have gamepass for PC. The bundle i got came with gamepass ultimate whatever that is. If it means I can download and play a bunch of different games like on pc I'm happy.
Yes, that's exactly what it is, including EA Play. You won't be disappointed.
Another nice addition to Game Pass on July 7th - Matchpoint: Tennis Championships
Full Article (https://www.purexbox.com/news/2022/04/xbox-game-pass-is-getting-a-brand-new-tennis-game-this-july)
Ted, I'm not sure how long your Game Pass Ultimate subscription is with your bundle, but you can save a little money buying a 3-month subscription from Amazon for only $40 instead of paying $15 a month.
Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn't offer annual sales of Game Pass.
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When I turned on auto renew it gave me a free month so I'm good until August something. I can probably pick up 3 monthers on a discount like that here and there to extend out.
Downloaded a bunch of titles to try out over the coming days. A friend of ours died unexpectedly week before last so we flew out for the funeral the day after the box arrived. I'm home now while my wife helps the widow for the rest of this week. So when I got home Sunday night I set it up and then added a bunch of downloads and went to bed. Played a little Show 22 last night.
On another note, there is a slot in the back for added storage. Is that for any kind of SSD or do you need a proprietary one?
Sorry for your loss.
Unfortunately, it's a proprietary one only: https://smile.amazon.com/Seagate-Storage-Expansion-Solid-State/dp/B08K3S6WJM/
It wouldn't be so bad if the price wasn't so high. You can get a standard 1TB SSD for half that price.
I have the following USB SSD drive connected to my Series X: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0874XN4D8/
I use it for Xbox One and Xbox 360 games, and for quickly transferring games to and from the internal SSD when I need space.
I have a 500GB version of that external drive
Thanks, appreciate the thought. My wife and his wife have been friends for 40 years. He was only a year older than me. Very health conscious guy. Ran and finished the LA marathon in March. Had a lingering cough for 3 weeks, but wouldn't go to the doctor because he said was just allergies. Died in his sleep. Weird.
Damn...that's terrible.
You can plug your 500GB drive into the Xbox and use it for non-optimized games. I'm not sure if your internet is any better than it was years ago, but you can move Series X/S games to the external drive for temporary storage instead of deleting and re-downloading later.
Gonna post here instead of personal gaming since it's Xbox related.
Tried old Battlefield Bad Company because I always heard good things about it, but never bought it. Gamepass is great for stuff like this. Anyway, played 1/2 and hour of the single player which is all I'm interested in for those types of titles is the story. Maybe it hasn't aged well? I uninstalled it and moved on.
Played a couple games of NHL 21. Hadn't played since 18? Felt pretty good. There's still some hinky animation stuff that feels off, but it seems improved over the last title I played (which had gotten pretty stale). Keeping it installed.
Next up is probably Madden and F1-2021.
If there's anything anyone wants to play online casual, sports, driving, or otherwise just let me know.
NHL 22 will be available on May 12th if you want to try the latest one.
I'll be away this weekend for my daughter's volleyball tournament but I'd like to try some online racing next week, especially F1 2021.
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I'm up for that. Also, Wreckfest?
Quote from: Ted on May 05, 2022 @ 07:09 PMI'm up for that. Also, Wreckfest?
Sure, I can download that again. I just read that they put out a 4k/60fps update for the Series X in March.
I liked both Wreckfest and F1-21. I think the update for Wreckfest you have to pay $10 for. The gamepass version looks fine to me so I'm good with whatever version that is.
I was a little off on that update. It came out in March 2021 and optimized the Xbox One version to run at 4K/60fps when played on the Series X and 4K/30fps on the Series S, although I don't know why they didn't just make the Series S update 1080 or 1440 at 60fps.
They do have an next-gen upgrade for $10 that apparently offers better textures and also runs at 4K/60fps, but like you, I'm fine with the free version included with Game Pass which also runs at 4K/60fps on the Series X. The whole thing is more confusing than it needs to be. Either way, it should be fun smashing cars next week.
Been playing a tiny bit of NHL and a lot of Madden yesterday. Just running franchise and advancing through weeks until the playoffs and then just play key moments.
Took the reigns of the Seahawks on Pro difficulty.
Won the superbowl 1st year and raised the diff to all pro.
Made the playoffs as wildcard second year, but accidentally simmed through that game and lost. Pete Carroll retired so I had to find a new coach and took that opportunity to match my players scheme strengths with a coach who preferred those strengths. Ended up with Stefanski who got fired by Cleveland. Fired my O&D coordinators to match up with his preferences and then had to find playbooks that matched with them as well so now I'm a vertical power run offense and a base 3-4 defense which is Detroit offense playbook and Rams defense.
Missed playoffs in Season 3 @ 9-8. Had to franchise tag Russell Wilson, but everyone else re-signed so will find out if this off/def is really gonna work out, otherwise it's rebuild time.
Pretty fun, but man could this game use some serious menu streamlining for franchise tasks. It's annoying as hell.
We should play Madden too if you have it
Played more F1 and been working my way through the F2 season either winning or losing horribly on the current difficulty whatever that is.
I'll see if I can free up some room to download Madden too. I have F1 and Wreckfest installed already.
I'm available Wednesday and Friday after 10pm ET if either of those days/times work for you.
Wednesday are tough because that's our usual date night.
Fridays typically work.
Quote from: Ted on May 10, 2022 @ 08:45 PMWednesday are tough because that's our usual date night.
Fridays typically work.
No problem.
I finally got around to trying Xbox Remote Play on my phone and was very impressed with how well it looked and played. I was easily able to pair my Xbox controller to my phone and was very surprised that the console stays in sleep mode while playing it remotely.
I then tried it on my Chromebook to take advantage of the bigger screen. While the controller paired easily, most of the buttons did not work. The nice thing about the Xbox controller is that you can jut double-click the Connect button to switch the Bluetooth pairing back to the previous device.
My older son just upgraded to a Series X. Target is offering 20% off for college students, so he was able to get one for $399. We now have two Series X's and S's in my house, but we still can't find a PS5.
The S lokks like it may get a price cut soon. I may just impulse buy that shit as a Halo box.
Speaking of the Series S, does anyone have recommendations for selling consoles? My older son wants to sell his S now that he has an X and we're trying to figure out the best way to do it. I've never sold anything on eBay and would prefer to sell locally so the buyer can pay with cash and no shipping would be involved.
FB marketplace, if not, maybe a non-Gamestop games store.
I haven't been on FB since 2016, but my wife still is and has sold some things through their marketplace, so I may give that a try.
Sell it through her account if she has good rating. You can vett a buyer and meet on your terms. I'd think about taking Paypal or Venmo, as well.
Welp, I just ordered a Series S, should be here Tuesday.
Quote from: Brad Company on September 24, 2022 @ 11:20 AMWelp, I just ordered a Series S, should be here Tuesday.
Congrats! It's an awesome console.
The Xbox doesn't have an official charger, but I've been happy with the PowerA chargers I've purchased, which include two rechargeable batteries. I have the older version, but the new version looks good too: https://www.target.com/p/powera-dual-charging-station-for-xbox-series-x-s-wireless-controllers-black/-/A-82823036
I ordered the one with the AC adapter, I wasn't looking forward to feeding the controller AA batteries.
I'm building quite the cheapo Xbox/360 library and running them off a 2TB Seagate I had leftover from PS4. Some games like RDR1 are amazing with enhancements. The S is becoming my go-to retro box.
That's exactly how I use mine. I have an old 1TB drive that I use which is fine for Xbox 360 games since most of them are less than 5GB. I wish the first Forza Horizon was still sold digitally since I only have the disc version. I still buy Xbox 360 games when they go on sale digitally, even if I already have them on disc (RDR1 was one of them).
Quote from: Jason on August 24, 2022 @ 09:18 PMSpeaking of the Series S, does anyone have recommendations for selling consoles? My older son wants to sell his S now that he has an X and we're trying to figure out the best way to do it. I've never sold anything on eBay and would prefer to sell locally so the buyer can pay with cash and no shipping would be involved.
I've decided to buy my older son's Series S for my office since my younger son will be getting my Series S when he moves into his new room.
Does MS Flight Sim play worth a bleep on Series S? Is it possible to fly with a controller?
Quote from: Brad Company on December 15, 2022 @ 03:10 PMDoes MS Flight Sim play worth a bleep on Series S? Is it possible to fly with a controller?
It's definitely worth playing on the Series S and controls fine with a controller.
Here's two comparison videos of the X vs S. It's amazing how well the game plays on the S:
Xbox Series X/S finally getting more expandable storage options: https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/2/23666795/western-digital-xbox-storage-expansion-card
I can still get a 2TB drive for my PS5 for the same price as the "lower priced" 1TB Western Digital Xbox drive ($179.99), but as least it's a start. I'd love to see them retail for at least $30 under MSRP.
Xbox Announces Permanent Price Cut for Series X/S Storage Expansion Cards: https://www.purexbox.com/news/2023/05/xbox-announces-permanent-price-cut-for-series-xs-storage-expansion-cards
They're big prices cuts, but still too expensive. I wonder if the Western Digital cards will launch with a lower MSRP too.
They rely on people's fear of opening their console.
For all the talk about how good the Dual Sense controller is, I'll take the Xbox Series X/S controller over it any day of the week. I ended up buying Red Dead Redemption 2 on Xbox because I couldn't see myself using the Dual Sense for another 50 hours.
What I should have done was use one of my Dual Shock 4 controllers, which I like better than the Dual Sense too, with my PS5 since RDR 2 is a last-gen game and is compatible with them.
For me, DualSense > Xbox controller. The DualSense Edge is the one I use all of the time now. The back buttons have made my DS4's obsolete.
The haptic feedback and adaptive triggers are nice additions, but the controller is just not as comfortable to me. The technology in the Dual Sense is far ahead of any of the other controllers, but it's just a personal preference for me.
I use a Hori Octa for fighting games, because the D pad ain't so great on either of them.
What fighting games do you play? I'm currently play King of Fighters XVI and plan on getting Street Fighter 6 when it goes on sale.
I considering getting this arcade stick if I really get back into them: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C4YRJHGB/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_3?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
On Xbox, I've got MK X and 11, Injustice 2, Killer Instinct, and I bought all of the old DOA games and SFIV when they were on sale recently.
All of those MK games were ultra cheap recently, as well. I'll probably grab some others like SC and Tekken, even though I'd be double dipping. They all play @1080p/60, so the Series S is perfect to be my fighting game platform.
I'd love to move all of my fighting games over to Xbox, but I have too many on Playstation to do that, including:
- MK X
- MK 11 (also own it on Xbox)
- Injustice 1 and 2
- Street Fighter V (not available on Xbox)
- Street Fighter IV
- Street Fighter Anniversary
- King of Fighters XIV
- King of Fighters XV (also own it on Xbox)
- Soul Calibur VI
- Tekken 7
- Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown (I do own Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown on Xbox)
Xbox wireless headset is currently on sale for $49: https://www.walmart.com/ip/seort/466809446
Quote from: Jason on July 05, 2023 @ 03:17 PMXbox wireless headset is currently on sale for $49: https://www.walmart.com/ip/seort/466809446
Amazon just matched it: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WFD42G5/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
I couldn't resist with same-day delivery from Amazon. I should have it this afternoon.
It's a pretty good set for 100, a really good set for 50.
I went ahead and ordered a Series X now that Amazon has them new and unbundled. I really like the S, but I wanted the added horsepower and disc drive for even mote retro goodness.
Congrats!!! It's an awesome console and the S is great for an office/bedroom.
Get a free $25 Xbox gift card if you own a Samsung phone: https://www.samsung.com/us/smartphones/summer-of-galaxy/#rewards
I was able to redeem $75 with the 3 different Samsung phones in my house.
New Xbox dashboard came out last night. Reboot your console if it's not showing up for you yet.
I've been seeing plenty of complaints about it online, but I think it looks great and find it easier to navigate. I'd like to see some more customization options, but it's a good start.
Yeah, no complaints here. I cand find what I want as quick as before.
Amazon is currently selling the WD 1TB expansion for $120 ($149.99 with a $30 coupon). It's still overpriced, but cheaper than it's ever been (it was $125 during Prime Day earlier in the month), so I went ahead and ordered one. I'm getting same-day delivery, so I should have it installed tonight.
Of course, no discount on 2TB version.
I almost threw away the box for my expansion card without realizing there was a code for a free month of GamePass Ultimate in there.
The timing was perfect since the big update for Forza 7 just came out yesterday. Now I can play the game while I wait to see how much it goes on sale for during the Black Friday sales.
Microsoft has announced their Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals (starting November 17th): https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2023/11/15/xbox-black-friday-cyber-monday-2023/
I picked up the DLC bundle for Forza 5 for 25 bucks. Car Pass, VIP, and the expansions.
That's pretty good. I was thinking of getting the Rally Expansion, but it might be worth getting everything at that price. I was hoping there'd be a discount on Forza Motorsport 8 for Black Friday.
Just a heads up if you're planning on buying more stuff from Microsoft, Amazon is currently selling $50 Xbox cards for $45. I didn't see the deal posted anywhere and only found out this morning when my son wanted to buy one for AC: Mirage.
I went on a retrorockstar bender and got Bully, RRRevolver and Max Payne 3 for another $25.
I completed Max Payne 3 over the summer. It's definitely worth playing.
Brad, I know you're into fighting too so I wanted to let you know that Amazon is currently selling a digital code for the Xbox version of Street Fighter 6 for only $30, (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BZTQ9ZWL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_d_asin_title_o00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) which beats the $40 sales price on the Xbox and PS stores.
Purchased. Thanks for the heads up. PS5 version same price, as well.
Year-end sale starts Dec 14 @ 3pm Eastern
I'll probably buy Assassin's Creed Rogue Remastered, Assassin's Creed 3 Remastered, Assassin's Creed Unity and Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection. I own all of these on Playstation, but they run at 60fps on the Xbox with FPS boost and my son has started playing them (he already completed the first AC and AC: Mirage).
I'm also curious to see how much Forza Motorsport 8 and The Crew Motorfest go on sale for. I'm guessing on a $10 discount on Forza and $40 for The Crew, since that's how much it was during the PS sale a few weeks ago.
I forgot about FPS boost on those AC titles, I may pick some up.
Quote from: Brad Company on December 12, 2023 @ 02:34 PMI forgot about FPS boost on those AC titles, I may pick some up.
Unfortunately there's no FPS boost for Black Flag.
The sale is live. I just picked up:
- Dead Space 2
- Dead Space 3
- Assassin's Creed III Remastered
- Assassin's Creed Unity
- Assassin's Creed The Ezio Collection
- Alan Wake 2 (for my son for Christmas)
They also have The Crew Motorfest on sale for $35. I wanted to get it on PS5 since I have 5 hours of progress from the trial on there, but I may cave and just start over on Xbox.
Quote from: Jason on December 14, 2023 @ 04:34 PMThey also have The Crew Motorfest on sale for $35. I wanted to get it on PS5 since I have 5 hours of progress from the trial on there, but I may cave and just start over on Xbox.
Never mind. I found out today that the 5-hour trial for TC Motorfest was still available on Xbox and downloaded it today. I've already gone through 4.5 of my hours and can't believe how much better is plays on the Xbox. I had to mess with the settings to make it feel okay on the PS5, but the game feels great with the default settings on the Xbox.
I've already earned far more money on my Xbox profile and will definitely buy it on there now.
Mass Effect trilogy for 6 bucks is a crazy good deal.
I ended up buying The Crew Motorfest for Xbox. My only issue was that I couldn't play it yesterday since my internet was down all day.
The wifi at McDonald's can be spotty at times.
They finally showed gameplay for the new Indiana Jones game at today's Xbox showcase and I thought it looked like shit.
For starters, the game is in first-person. Second, the name is ridiculous (Indiana Jones and the Great Circle). Third, the graphics were not impressive at all. They should have had Eidos or Crystal Dynamics make the game.
Update: Apparently I'm in the minority with my opinion of the game based on what I've been seeing online.
Quote from: Jason on January 18, 2024 @ 11:29 PMThey finally showed gameplay for the new Indiana Jones game at today's Xbox showcase and I thought it looked like shit.
For starters, the game is in first-person. Second, the name is ridiculous (Indiana Jones and the Great Circle). Third, the graphics were not impressive at all. They should have had Eidos or Crystal Dynamics make the game.
Update: Apparently I'm in the minority with my opinion of the game based on what I've been seeing online.
Maybe they're paying review farms to hype it.
That shit happens with anti-virus reviews all the time, which is why Norton and McAfee are always rated highly even though they're complete garbage, so I wouldn't be shocked it if was common with video games too.
On a funny note, my younger son now refers to our over weight cat as The Great Circle.
I'm debating whether or not I should get Madden 24 while it's on sale for $20. I've haven't bought a Madden game since '21 and have been getting the itch to play a football game with the playoffs wrapping up.
Quote from: Jason on January 29, 2024 @ 09:36 PMI'm debating whether or not I should get Madden 24 while it's on sale for $20. I've haven't bought a Madden game since '21 and have been getting the itch to play a football game with the playoffs wrapping up.
I had $5 in Microsoft store credit, so I ended up getting it.
It'll be interesting to see what Phil Spencer says next week with all the leaks about Microsoft games going multi-platform. It's going to be a sad day if Microsoft exits the console market.
They're going to lean heavily into publishing, but I think one more round of hardware may still come out. Their problems are serious though: Gamepass really has killed the cash flow from a mediocre crop of exclusives recently. Developer costs are higher for the platform because of the dual hardware requirements, and console sales for them have been atrocious. Lowering Series X to $350 didn't move the meter at all. The company overall is in serious cost cutting mode and games and services is getting hit hard.
I hope you're right about them releasing a 10th generation console. After that, I'll be too old to give a shit anymore.
I was more then right, new hardware in the future, no blockbusters heading to PS5, and ABK games coming to Gamepass. CRISIS AVERTED
Yes, very good news today, especially since they emphasized that we can have "confidence" building our digital libraries on Xbox.
I doubt their next console will be the "largest generational leap" we've ever seen, but I'm glad that's their goal.
The Xbox Spring Sale starts on Thursday, April 4th @ 4pm Eastern.
I was disappointed with the Spring Sale. The prices for most of the games aren't any cheaper than previous sales. I could have, and probably should have, bought Forza Motorsport digitally from Amazon for $40 two months ago yet it's $45 directly from Microsoft during the Spring Sale. I was hoping it would be available for $30 to $35.
I bought the digital version of Street Fighter 6 for $30 from Amazon during the holidays yet it still hasn't dropped to less than $40 on the PS and Xbox stores.
All of these sales are the same deals every time, and it's 90% last gen stuff. You really should be on Gamepass.
To celebrate the release of the show, Fallout 76 is available for free from Amazon Prime Gaming on PC or Xbox. I just grabbed a code for my copy on Xbox.
I also bought Fallout 4 GOTY Edition for $10 on Xbox. It's supposed to be one of the best in the series and a next-gen upgrade is coming out on 4/25, 10 years after the game was released.
Quote from: Jason on April 13, 2024 @ 01:44 PMI also bought Fallout 4 GOTY Edition for $10 on Xbox. It's supposed to be one of the best in the series and a next-gen upgrade is coming out on 4/25, 10 years after the game was released.
I double dipped on that one, already had it on PS5.
You might like it, it's a bit more shooter than RPG. 60fps will do wonders. I wouldn't bother with 76 unless you're comfortable with other players in your world.
Quote from: Brad Company on April 15, 2024 @ 06:38 PMYou might like it, it's a bit more shooter than RPG. 60fps will do wonders. I wouldn't bother with 76 unless you're comfortable with other players in your world.
I agree. Everything I've read about Fallout 4 made me think I'd like that one. I was disappointed to find out that Fallout 76 is basically a live service game, but I can't complain since it was free.
I ended up buying Fallout 3 and New Vegas since they were so cheap and I know my son will play them for sure.
All of these recent studio closures from Microsoft are not a good sign. I really hope they can get their shit together because I don't want Sony to have a monopoly on the console market.
Game budgets for AAA games are really starting to hurt the gaming industry. One failed game can sink a studio, especially if it's the only game they've been working on for years. I'd like to see studios focus on more frequent AA releases that don't need to sell 10 million copes to break even. Not every game needs to be an epic 100 hour long open world game or a looter shooter. Start focusing on making games fun again.
Quote from: Jason on May 09, 2024 @ 08:43 AMevery game needs to be a looter shooter.
I agree.😃
No Show 25 on Gamepass this year.
Quote from: Brad Company on January 28, 2025 @ 06:50 PMNo Show 25 on Gamepass this year.
I just saw that and no PS4 either, but still coming out on the Switch. I'll be curious to see how sales are on the Xbox this time.