We recently reported that Xbox seems to be having some troubles, with significant layoffs and a 100-day plan on the cards to bring the ship around. Some of Microsoft's issues include plummeting revenue, an affordability crisis, and low adoption rates. According to Xbox Gaming's Chief Stragety Office...

We recently reported that Xbox seems to be having some troubles, with significant layoffs and a 100-day plan on the cards to bring the ship around. Some of Microsoft’s issues include plummeting revenue, an affordability crisis, and low adoption rates. According to Xbox Gaming’s Chief Stragety Officer, Matthew Ball, ad-supported tiers may be one potential tool to help improve things at Xbox. In an interview with The Game Business, Ball addresses the rising costs of gaming, saying that “the costs have gone up way too high on development, and at the same point, everyone feels terrible with prices going up on hardware or software or microtransactions. That is a challenge. It’s not good if that is the only option.” He goes on to compare it to streaming, noting that the vast majority of new streaming subscriptions in recent years have been on supported subscription tiers. The comparison to ad-supported streaming services suggests Ball is mostly talking about services like Xbox Game Pass, where there have been rumors of ad-supported tiers, or potentially even steeper subsidies for console hardware—an area Xbox is leaning into more and more since Asha Sharma took over as CEO in early 2026.

  • tb_@lemmy.worldEnglish
    9·
    2 days ago

    Remember when… Either 2K or EA “accidentally” patched loading screen ads in?

    Don’t let them get away with it now.

  • Korhaka@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    23·
    3 days ago

    Far more affordable to just buy indie games instead, and you can play a lot of them on fairly affordable hardware. You could make do with an iGPU for a fair bit if you want to keep costs down low enough.

    • Coelacanth@feddit.nuEnglish
      8·
      2 days ago

      Titanium Court is the best game I’ve played all year and it’s currently only €9.99. Indie games keep completely dominating the value proposition in gaming.

      • Korhaka@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        6·
        2 days ago

        I think some of my most played games are indie ones I bought in the 2010s, Rimworld, Factorio, Vintage Story, From the Depths, Kenshi.

        Not sure if I can think of as much that stands out from the 2020s tbh. Valheim perhaps but I don’t feel like going back to it as much as the others.

        • Coelacanth@feddit.nuEnglish
          2·
          2 days ago

          I can’t really go by playtime, because I tend to beat a game and move on to a new experience. But Withering Rooms was like 2023, that’s another one I am completely obsessed with. Death Howl from last year was also amazing. Darkwood is I guess 2010s but I am (trying) to play it right now, also phenomenal. With some notable exceptions I feel like my most memorable gaming experiences are indie games nowadays.

          • Korhaka@sopuli.xyzEnglish
            2·
            2 days ago

            I like games that are highly relatable/endless. Story isn’t something I am overly bothered by though.

  • d00ery@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5·
    2 days ago

    I’ve bought 3 Xboxes. 2 had hardware failures whilst out of warranty and with no easy repair options.

    I also have my pc with almost unlimited choice over where I buy my games. The ability to fix or at least replace parts (barring the current memory shortage).

    Even the old “consoles just work” argument is long gone with updates and forced online.

    Why the fuck would I put up with all that shit lol.

  • dragontology@retrofed.comEnglish
    4·
    2 days ago

    Here’s the thing though: they’re gonna run ads, and GamePass Ultimate isn’t going back to $15 and the Series X isn’t going back to $500.

    Sony can say “no ads on PlayStation”, but they will just jack prices up again. They aren’t the good guys here.