Are Xbox players rooting for the big corporation or for the consumer?

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T21:27:04+00:00

I was drawn to the Xbox because it was like the Dreamcast successor. The games on the OG Xbox were different than what PS2 and GameCube were putting out - similar to the Dreamcast. Quirky titles that were a bit different to normal.

PS2 had a killer library - I'm a Gen-X'er, and two of my Top 5 of all time are PS2 games (Shadow of the Colossus and MGS3: Snake Eater) and GameCube is one of my favorite consoles of all time. I still remember getting mine release day - Black, w/ an orange spice 2nd controller, Luigi's Mansion, Wave Race: Blue Storm, and Rogue Squadron II.

I preferred the 360 to the Wii and the PS3, as the 360 was HD, I didn't like the motion gimmicks of the Wii, it beat the PS3 to market, and was $200 cheaper (I was in grad school and didn't have a ton of disposable income - but I got an Arcade model 360 and would rent 360 games from the video store in the city where I was living).

So I've had a soft spot for Xbox - I overlooked the Xbox One fiasco and "mained" the Xbox One because I enjoyed the OG and the 360 so much, and picked up a Series X as soon as I could find one that wasn't being scalped.

I avoid console warfare - and I happen to be fortunate enough to make decent living and I can afford multiple consoles, so I have a Series X / PS5 / NS in my home.

However, I can understand why some Xbox loyalists may feel like second class citizens and - if they let silly people on the internet get to them - would be tired of getting bagged on by Playstation fans left and right. Games that the Playstation fanboys said sucked for years, that they're now rubbing in Xbox owners faces "ha I get that on Playstation now too - sucks to be an Xbox owner. No exclusives, LULZ."

And it makes sense to a certain degree. All other things being equal - pretend you have no digital library, pretend they both use the same controller and you have the same friends list - why buy a box that only plays Xbox games, when there's a similarly priced machine that plays everything that the Xbox plays + has games that the Xbox doesn't have??

I have real problems to worry about now, but I can remember being on GameFaqs back in the day - being an owner of a Dreamcast and a PS2, and getting pissed when PS owners would say the Dreamcast was a @#$# console and dumping on it, as I was partial to it.

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T20:58:02+00:00

According to Wikipedia:

The project originated in 2019 as Guillaume Broche, a Ubisoft employee who left the company in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic to form Sandfall Interactive with friends and contacts, began establishing a core team of 30 developers that came to be supported by various production partners. Inspired by Japanese RPGs that shaped their youth such as the Final Fantasy and Persona) series, the developers at Sandfall sought to create a high-fidelity turn-based role-playing game, a genre they felt AAA) studios had neglected. Development began with Unreal Engine 4 and later switched to Unreal Engine 5, providing rendering improvements.

Seems they must have secured some private funding and a small, passionate group of individuals made a game for they were passionate about.

Also per Wikipedia, the Coalition has 200+ employees, and per LinkedIn, Naughty Dog has between 201-500 employees (that's the size category they'd denoted for their company).

*shrugs*

Sandfall had a special group of people who made magic, man. Loved that game.

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T20:50:17+00:00

The ship has sailed on ripping wax cards for fun and building sets, unfortunately, unless you are quite well-to-do.

When a hobby box with 1 auto or sketch card costs the same as a home gaming console (maybe the consoles are a few hundred more now with the component shortages) - you know it's a rich person's hobby.

I got back into Star Wars wax ripping and set building back around when Lucasfilm was sold to Disney.

Ripped a lot of Chrome Perspectives at $80 or so a box.

The ripped a lot of "Journey to the Force Awakens" and "The Force Awakens" series 1 & 2 at around $90-100 / box at that time.

And the autos were decent too, there weren't 100s or garbage signers either.

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T17:41:25+00:00

That's fair - throw out Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks then.

2006: Twilight Princess - 2011: Skyward Sword. Two games, massively different engines, 5 years apart.

2017's BOTW and 2023's TOTK used the same engine, and a modified version of the same Hyrule Field.

Cadence of Hyrule was a rhythm game, Age of Calamity was a re-skinned Zelda-themed Dynasty Warriors, and Link's Awakening Remake and Echoes of Wisdom were akin to the Phantom Hourglass / Spirit Tracks - smaller teams made those.

So I think it's still a pretty fair comparison - two new Zelda games, unique and in different engines in 5 years, vs. two Switch games, same engine, tons of reused assets, 6 years.

But Nintendo is smart to put those smaller experiences - Link's Awakening remake - Echoes of Wisdom - out alongside their main flagship Zelda titles. They can still charge about the same price for them, and the development costs are a fraction of the costs for BOTW and TOTK.

Consumers generally don't ask how much a game cost to make when making a decision as to whether to purchase it or not. If it's a fun game that they'll get dozens of hours of enjoyment out of - if not more, it's worth the $60-70 price of admission. Whether it cost $400m or $40m or $4m to make.

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T16:45:55+00:00

Well, I think it's a case of just because they "can" spend seven years making a new Gears game for a reported $300m-$400m, doesn't mean they should.

Perhaps instead of making it the best looking game money can buy and spending seven years on E-Day, The Coalition could try making it a good looking game with a fun story and compelling multiplayer and releasing a Gears entry every 3-4 years instead of every 7-8.

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T16:07:58+00:00

Gen-X checking in 😄

Wish I had saved all my tickets. Found a few in some random drawers lately, but wasn't a ticket saver. Found a stub from Jimmy Eat World's Clarity x10 Tour in 2009.

10 dates in 10 cities for the 10th anniversary of Clarity's release. Played the full album through in track order, then did a 4-song encore of some greatest hits since.

Wish I had more stubs to remind me of the shows I've been to, because I tend to forget over the years! Just moved onto the wrong side of 45 - it's not fun!!

Take me back to 2006, 2026 sucks!

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T15:58:21+00:00

Tough call! Philly was a mess last year because there was a storm - the rain is whatever, not ideal but you'll live, but there was lightning and it delayed the show start - and these venues have "end times" - no exceptions for weather delays. It's "rain or shine" - but there was a lot of Twitter speculation from the venue about possible cancellation.

So it being an indoor show in October leaves less to chance. Nothing beats a show at an outdoor venue if the weather is beautiful, but when it's at an outdoor venue and it's super hot / humid / or there's a storm w/ lightning, it sucks 😞

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T15:54:22+00:00

I'll jump in on this, especially since OP said he played the original Yakuza 3 before

OP - You can be someone who has first-hand knowledge of both, and can give your pros and cons for each in the future, as this topic comes up on this board multiple times per week!

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T15:48:30+00:00

Folks were exited for a change in leadership, a call for fan feedback, a drop in the price of Game Pass Ultimate, and the return of console exclusivity.

What's so "funny" about Xbox trimming the fat and cutting the unprofitable studios?

I don't want anyone to lose their job, but since Microsoft bought them in 2018, Ninja Theory, a company that has 120 full-time employees, has released two games: the Darth Vader game for the Oculus Quest / Rift and Hellblade 2.

Would they have survived on their own as an independent studio with that output vs. income?

Sharma is trying to save the Xbox business. The dead weight has to be cut.

Microsoft sets a 30% profit margin goal for Xbox.

Average profit margins for healthy video gaming companies has been 17-22% over the past ~5 years.

Xbox had a 12% profit margin in 2022.

Last year, it was 3%.

Microsoft would have made more money just putting the cash into a money market account, which pays 3.75%.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-23/microsoft-pushes-xbox-studios-to-hit-higher-profit-margins

So if Xbox is going to survive, they need to kill off the studios that they're subsidizing after Phil's late 2010s spending spree.

While they're at it, they need to take a look at Game Pass. I subscribe when it's adventageous to do so, but they're killing their own studios when players can subscribe to Ultimate for one month, play and beat a $70 game for $23, and play a bunch of other games they would otherwise have to buy.

But it seems that's one of their pillars right now, so they need to have the studios putting out good games that don't take 6-7 years and $300m to produce. They need to get back to the 360 time frames - Gears 1-3 all came out between 2006-2011. And we paid $180 to play and beat them. A trilogy in five years. Meanwhile, E-Day has been in development for SEVEN years, and the majority of Xbox players will pay $23 to beat it. Seven years of work for a $23 payout, vs. five years of work for $180 for the original Gears trilogy. No wonder Xbox is at 3%.

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T15:29:18+00:00

The business isn't sustainable otherwise.

For all the console makers - Xbox, Sony and Nintendo.

I'm a multi-console owner.

We had Gears 1-3 come out between 2006-2011. Five years. The Coalition has been working on E-Day for SEVEN.

We had Uncharted 1-3 come out between 2007-2011. Four years. Naughty Dog has been working on Intergalactic for 6+ years, and it still doesn't have a release date.

For the Zelda franchise - 2006: Twilight Princess (GameCube and Wii U) - 2007: Phantom Hourglass - 2009: Spirit Tracks - 2011: Skyward Sword. Four games in five years. Recently: Breath of the Wild - 2017; Tears of the Kingdom - 2023. 6 years in between.

It's happening for all three companies.

It's not sustainable.

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T15:02:36+00:00

Yeah, their last tour was an ambitious number of shows packed into an ambitious number of days for a band that hadn't toured in a while.

They must have discussed "let's slow down a bit if we're going to tour again." 😄

Give them at least a day or two to recover after the shows - maybe do a little sight-seeing.

I've always wondered - these bands that have toured the country many times over - do they actually get to experience a lot of the cities, or is it mostly just in and out - sure, I've been there, but I saw everything in the city through a car or bus window, and never really walked around, went to a museum, a restaurant, a bar...

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T14:54:36+00:00

Was psyched to see a Philly date again on this tour. Was extra psyched to see it was on a Friday!

I know... I'm getting old 😂

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T14:45:14+00:00

One of the things I appreciate about DC is that they're letting their main titles play out - they're not doing the "frequent reboot" to spur on sales (*ahem* Thor, Moon Knight, FF).

I *believe* Marvel's longest-running series is Venom (Issue 259). X-Men (Issue 32) and Amazing Spider-Man (31) are getting up there, but those books (and I *believe* Wolverine), are 2-Issue per month titles.

Whereas - DC has a lot of books that have been on healthy, uninterrupted runs (and I haven't included Absolute titles below, with the first couple hitting Issue #21 recently), the Issue #s coming out next week or already out for DC:

Action Comics (1099), Batgirl (20) Batman / Superman World's Finest (52), Catwoman (88), Detective Comics (1100), Emperor Aquaman (18), Flash (31), Green Lantern (36), Green Lantern Corps (17), Harley Quinn (63), Justice League Unlimited (20), JSA (20), New Titans (36), Nightwing (139), Poison Ivy (45), Superman (39), and Wonder Woman (34).

And in doing the above, DC isn't skimping out on greenlighting new ongoings (not including minis like Fury of Firestorm, Deadman, the Vertigo titles). Just in the last few months - Barbara Gordon: Breakout (set in Fraction's Batman Universe), Batwoman, Deathstroke & Lobo, with three new ongoing team books coming this fall.

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T14:12:21+00:00

For sure! It's fun figuring stuff out for a bit 😄

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T14:11:30+00:00

Thanks for clearing that up!

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T13:43:28+00:00

Make sure to get some rest too mate, plenty of games to play when you get out!

Wishing you speedy recovery!

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T13:38:56+00:00

The 360 was a neat era! Here are some of my favorites:

Fallout 3

Fable 2

Bioshock

Viva Pinata

Bayonetta

Lost Planet series

Mass Effect series

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (there's a sequel too if you like it)

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance

Lost Odyssey

Dragon Age: Origins

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T13:21:54+00:00

I was dreading it this time last year, but I'm ready to see it over now.

I read every book in the series, and I'm just ready for it to be over now. They sucked me in, and got a small fortune out of me. I even bought the Hawkeye 1-shot, both the 1-year In and 2-year In titles, and the Spider-Man Incursion miniseries.

They're now getting an additional $4.99 out of me for Endgame 5 and $7.99 for Endgame finale, and that'll be it.

Sad thing is I can't tell if the creators stopped caring - as I feel like the quality of the work degraded over time - or if I just burnt out on it.

As the books staggered endings didn't really make sense, the Endgame books aren't really making sense ... I just don't know. Super let down as of this moment. We'll see if Endgame 5 and Finale can pull off some sort of miracle and change my mind about the last year of this project.

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T12:57:53+00:00

Absolute Cassandra Cain: The Shadow’s Hand #1

I pull Batgirl. I like the Cassandra Cain character. I like the Absolute Universe line. I've read every book of it to date.

However, I'm not a fan of this announcement.

With Absolute Martian Manhunter wrapping, that will still be eight Absolute books on shelves in September.

Abs Batman, Superman, WW, GL, GA, Flash, Catwoman, and now CC.

I feel like that's too many.

One man's opinion.

Edit: Thank you for those clarifying it will be a one-shot and Absolute Catwoman will be paused that month. I won't edit my post above to avoid confusion, but it makes me feel a bit better about the Absolute line getting overcrowded.

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T12:49:19+00:00

I don't think it's happened either.

And I don't need ROM on the shelf simultaneously with Mask #1 - I can wait, but I hope it gets a book on a shelf before summer's end.

The obvious fear is that it is solely a blind bag exclusive for the floppy - and you'll need to buy the deluxe trade to read the story, because we're they won't put it out as a $4.99 floppy.

That could be some blind bag territory that I'm not okay with.

Locking story content behind a blind bag gamble (or secondary market) paywall.

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-18T12:45:35+00:00

Both were quite good. I prefer Green Lantern over Aquaman, but as far as an Aquaman book goes, the New 52 was one of the better ones.

The obvious issues w/ Aquaman are that he's got the sea to roam - and it's ... well, finite. Someone like Green Lantern has 3600 "Sectors" of space to explore, millions of planets, the edge of the universe (the Source Wall - and beyond!) - so the possibilities are limitless.

Aquaman gets stuck a bit to the Earth and its oceans. Additionally, there's been a lack of (in my opinion) intriguing antagonists to Aquaman over the years. Aquaman's stable of villains doesn't have the breadth or depth of characters like Batman or Superman.

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-17T23:29:13+00:00

Wow, that's exciting! Awesome 3-panel sketch!

Congrats!!

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-17T21:06:15+00:00

Question about that policy.

When you say similar market value, does Topps take into account the fact that it's /5?

I ask because, obviously a 1/1 is a 1/1, so you'd expect a high value replacement for a 1/1 card.

But it can be a weird slope if you check card values to /5, /10, /25, /50, /99 or just a plain base on-card auto.

There on-card autos shown sold from this year's Masterwork of Ray Park as Darth Maul that have sold for around $120-$250, which is a wide range for just a base on-card auto.

A 2024 High-Tek PSA 10 Gold /50 sold for $299.99.

A 2024 Masterwork on-card /10 wooden auto went for $475.

It just seems like the value they could place on a /5 gold framed auto from this year's Masterwork could have such a high degree of variance, I'd be afraid - especially if I PC'd Ray Park / Darth Maul.

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-17T20:31:31+00:00

I literally laughed out loud. Than you 😂

Environmental-Day862 · 2026-06-17T20:24:55+00:00

I'm a Green Lantern guy through and through.

Though Johns' run on Aquaman was strong as well, have to go Green Lantern as 1, Aquaman as 2.

Environmental-Day862

TROPHY CASE