With Phil Spencer acknowledging the distinct lack of big first-party titles for the Xbox in an interview on the Same Brain podcast, even the most stalwart fans have been forced to admit it's been a mediocre year for the console. As Sony continues to ship out huge PlayStation exclusives like God of War: Ragnarök, it's reignited debates about whether Microsoft is doing enough to stay competitive.
There are some valid complaints to be made about owning an Xbox, whether it's the Xbox One or the Xbox Series X/S, not least the lack of great exclusives. From Microsoft wasting great studios like Rare to the risks that come with the future of Game Pass, Xbox owners face some harsh realities.
Xbox Lacks Console Exclusives
In a year when PlayStation users received Horizon Forbidden West, Ghostwire: Tokyo, and God of War, Ragnarök, Microsoft needed to step up and deliver some big first-party exclusives for the Xbox too. Instead, players got Obsidian's Grounded, a creative survival game but one that has been in Early Access for two years already, and the indie title As Dusk Falls.
Phil Spencer has reportedly promised a stronger 2023 according to VGC with Bethesda's promising space-exploring RPG Starfield likely to be the biggest title for Xbox. However, with PlayStation offering Marvel's Spider-Man 2 as a PlayStation 5 exclusive and even the Nintendo Switch boasting the Breath of the Wild sequel, they've chosen a tough year to attempt a comeback.
Xbox Is Ignoring Its Older IPs
One of the things that makes the lack of big first-party Xbox titles sting all the more for loyal fans is the fact that a lot of the console's best exclusives of all time are from franchises that Microsoft has since abandoned. New IPs can be amazing as well, but there are some great potential Xbox series that the company is wasting.
Titles like Crimson Skies, Kameo, and a whole host of Rare properties like Viva Piñata were some of the defining games of previous generations so it's understandable why many see it as a missed opportunity. Interestingly, both Fable and Perfect Dark have reboots in the work so there is some hope.
The Game Pass Could Be Bad For AAA Game Development
The Xbox Game Pass is one of the main advantages the console has over its rivals, boasting massive video game franchises as well as day-one releases for big titles. On the other hand, many are looking to the future and realizing the system could prove detrimental to not just the console but the entire industry.
Games and especially AAA titles have thrived on a traditional sales model for a long time but Game Pass automatically discourages sales in a way that could be harmful to that. Even former Xbox Executive Ed Fries called out the risks of the Game Pass model on the Xbox Expansion Pass podcast, comparing it to the impact of Spotify on the music industry.
Game Pass Underperforming On Consoles Could Lead To A Worse Deal
It's clear Microsoft has big plans for the Game Pass based on their commitment to making the service the best they possibly can but that also means the service has some lofty targets to reach. Though Phil Spencer has emphasized that the service is profitable, a good sign for its customers, he also revealed that its growth has slowed on consoles in contrast to PC, as reported by VGC.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, but having the success of the service tied to PC players as well as console gamers might end up being a concern in the future. The service still seems geared toward console players but catering to a growing PC audience might not help that.
The Xbox Series S Is Too Far Below The Series X In Terms Of Specs
Anyone paying the lower price for the Xbox Series S is well aware that they're settling for a compromise in terms of the product too, not least the fact that no disc drive means no way to play physical copies of games or watch physical copies of movies. However, it's the specs and performance that make that compromise feel worse.
Considering the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition is a complete match for the more expensive version in terms of its performance capabilities, the Series S' lower processing power, lack of native 4K, and reduced memory are noticeable downgrades on its counterpart. It means the Series S is likely to age faster too.
343 Can't Make A Great Halo Game
Halo: Infinite is a solid entry in the Xbox's most iconic FPS franchise with some major improvements over previous titles, but it still feels like the series has been underperforming for a long time. Ever since Halo: Combat Evolved exploded onto the original Xbox with one of the greatest opening sequences in video game history, fans have had high expectations of the franchise.
Bungie turned the series into a stalwart of the Xbox but the more recent efforts from 343 Industries have drawn criticism, with one of the strongest being that the games don't "feel" like Halo anymore. When Halo is supposed to be one of the selling points of the console, it's a pretty big blow for fans that they haven't managed to deliver a truly great Halo game yet.
Microsoft Is Wasting Some Of Its Best Developers
With the announcement that it intended to acquire Activision Blizzard earlier this year, Microsoft is shoring up its position as one of the biggest forces in game development but some feel they should be looking inwards towards the talent they already have at their disposal before making big moves like this.
That's because Microsoft already owns a ton of huge studios that could be contributing to the content available on Xbox, some of which haven't released a title in years. Though developers like Rare and inXile Entertainment are both rumored to have projects in the works, it's a shame to see huge names so quiet for so long.
Xbox Refuses To Explore VR
With the Meta Quest continuing to be one of the best options on the market and the release of PlayStation VR 2 getting ever closer, it's impossible to ignore the fact that Xbox has no equivalent for its users. Sony and Meta appear committed to a technology that they believe is here to stay. Meanwhile, Xbox appears to be content with staying out of the market.
It's not as though Microsoft doesn't have any investment in the technology, with their HoloLens 2 an interesting if expensive option when it comes to mixed reality headsets. There are a ton of great games that can now be enjoyed in VR so some think Xbox needs to hurry up and get involved before it gets left behind.
Xbox Live Gold Is A Poor Alternative To Game Pass
Navigating the different options offered by Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold, the console's other subscription service, can be difficult but it's hard not to conclude that Xbox Live Gold isn't a little lackluster. While it's necessary in order to play online games, the titles offered by "Games with Gold" are disappointing.
It's also the same price as the basic version of Xbox Game Pass, which is odd considering just how much better Game Pass is when it comes to the huge library of games on offer. Unfortunately, Game Pass Ultimate is needed to get the online perks of Gold, meaning the customer is almost forced to pay the higher price for the premium version.
Starfield Could Still Be A Long Wait
If there's one exclusive still tempting players over to Xbox, it has to be Starfield, the latest effort from RPG titans Bethesda. Despite the relative lack of gameplay footage, it's renewed a lot of fans' excitement when it comes to console releases.
However, the only release window given for the game is that it's likely to be the first half of 2023 and, even if it does manage to meet that time frame, that could still mean over 6 more months of waiting. For Xbox users, it could be a real test of patience.