Dark gaming future at Microsoft: “Xbox consoles are dead”
Games for competitors, hardware from third -party providers, game pass as a focus: Microsoft changes the Xbox radical. A veteran of the very beginning warns of the consequences of this transformation and sees no rosy future for the console.
Microsoft loses the hardware focus
The Redmonders have made a significant change of strategy since February 2024 and have published numerous exclusive titles such as Pentiment, Hi-Fi Rush, Forza Horizon 5 and Sea of Thieves for PS5 and Nintendo Switch. This decision marked a turning point in the 23-year history of the Xbox brand, which was originally designed as a direct competition with Sony’s Playstation.
In addition, in June 2025, two unexpected partnerships for Xbox hardware became known: the ASUS ROG Ally X and the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition-both devices carry the Xbox logo, but do not come from Microsoft’s own development. ROG Xbox Ally X: Microsoft introduces the first Xbox Handheld
Sharp criticism from Xbox veteranine
Laura Fryer, one of the founding members of the original Xbox project and former head of the Xbox Advanced Technology Group, sees this development extremely critical. Fry was instrumental in the development of the first Xbox console, which came onto the market in November 2001 and marked Microsoft’s entry into the console market.
In a YouTube video, she argues that it is now easier for Microsoft to “glue an Xbox sticker to existing hardware” as its own innovative products. Your conclusion is clear: “The Xbox hardware is dead.”
View on YouTube
The criticism weighs particularly badly because Fry is one of the pioneers, the Xbox developed from a visionary idea to a real console. During her time at Microsoft, she worked on basic technologies that were later used in Xbox Live and other Xbox services.
Game passport as a new priority
Fry is dissatisfied with the current development and regrets the loss of value of what it has built up. She suspects that Microsoft either has no interest in his own hardware development or is no longer able to do so. The new strategy is now primarily aimed at persuading users to the Game Pass subscription, which is currently about 34 million subscribers. Sarah Bond briefly explains the future of the Xbox platform
As an indication of this orientation, it considers the high price of 80 euros for The Outer Worlds 2, which may be supposed to push players to the cheaper subscription model. The Game Pass has developed into Microsoft’s most important gaming service. The subscription offers access to over 400 games for 7 to 18 euros per month, depending on the tariff selected.
Uncertained future prospects
The gaming veteran admits that Microsoft has an extensive portfolio and can continue to earn money with new editions such as the successful Oblivion Remastered. However, it basically questions the long -term strategy: “Where are the new hits? What will people still be interested in in Xbox in 25 years?” This concern is not unfounded – while Sony scores with exclusive like The Last of Us and God of War, Xbox has been fighting for comparable blockbuster titles for years.
Since the introduction of the Xbox Series X and Series S, however, little has been seen. Freyer is impressed by the announced Clockwork Revolution, a steampunk RPG from Inxile Entertainment, but doubts whether such single titles will be sufficient to strengthen the Xbox brand in the long term. The question of the identity of Xbox is all the more pressing when Microsoft also publishes his games on competitive platforms and received hardware partnerships with third-party providers.
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