So, how are thread regulars feeling about their future with Xbox after a few days have passed?
I'm still going to play on Xbox. It's an exceptionally good system, with an inordinate amount of good games. I don't have time to play all the great games I want to play on this system. The system still has my favourite controller, my favourite OS, and I love achievements, and I've loved so many games on the Xbox ecosystem, from indie (Tunic), to Japanese (Like A Dragon and Danganronpa), to first-party (Pentiment, Hi-Fi Rush, and Forza Horizon).
However, here's one thing that has changed for me: I've given up on the dream of Xbox first-party being respectable and ever being able to stand toe-to-toe with Sony and Nintendo. In my opinion, that dream is dead. For years, since 2018, I have been hoping for Microsoft to eventually reach a point where they could be counted on to release one GOTY candidate each year (like Sony and Nintendo do almost every year), with feel-good stories like God of War 2018 or Tears of the Kingdom 2023 for Xbox fans (exceptionally good, universally acclaimed GOTY-level masterpieces on Xbox).
However, I think that dream is dead. I don't trust them to ever reach that level of respect and popularity. And my rationale is: I think they don't know what they're doing. My rationale for thinking they don't know what they're doing: they closed down the studio that made of the absolute best Xbox first-party exclusives that have ever existed (closed down Tango, makers of Hi-Fi Rush).
And another thing that changed for me is: I kind of no longer trust Xbox leadership. They might say they'll continue to make Xbox consoles, or they'll keep first-party games on game pass, etc. I don't think they're competent or honest, and so what their leadership says doesn't really matter anymore.
Again, I'll continue to play on Xbox. But I grew up with Nintendo, so I'll be getting a Switch 2 and spending a lot of time dividing my time between Nintendo and Xbox, until Xbox consoles one day die off.
