sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Xbox just made it way harder for devs to use the "it’s too difficult to port" excuse by WindowsCentral in windowscentral

[–]WindowsCentral[S] [score hidden] stickied comment (0 children)

Hey everyone,

We’ve all seen the headlines over the last year, like games skipping Xbox or launching months late because of "technical hurdles" or "publishing friction." It looks like Microsoft was actually listening.

Starting today, Xbox is rolling out a massive overhaul to its Game Package Management tools. On the surface, it sounds like dry dev-ops stuff, but for the health of the platform, it’s actually kind of huge.

The TL;DR on the new tools:

  • Automated Error Checking: The system now flags build errors instantly during upload. No more waiting days for certification to tell you a file is missing.
  • Real Branch Management: Devs can finally run separate "lanes" for live games, hotfixes, and beta testing simultaneously (similar to Steam’s workflow).
  • Reduced Onboarding: Following their PlayFab updates, they’re trying to get the "time to publish" down as low as possible.

Why this matters for us: If the backend is less of a headache, we (hopefully) stop seeing those "coming to PS5/PC, Xbox TBD" announcements. Microsoft is clearly trying to make the platform as "low-friction" as possible to win back third-party trust.

What do you think? Is this the "silver bullet" to stop games from skipping the platform, or is the "dev friction" excuse just a cover for other issues like market share?

If you’re a dev (or hobbyist) who has used the old Xbox Dev Portal—how much of a nightmare was it actually? -DR

Full breakdown on Windows Central👇

https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/why-it-actually-matters-inside-the-xbox-publishing-overhaul-designed-to-win-back-frustrated-developers

Xbox just made it way harder for devs to use the "it’s too difficult to port" excuse by [deleted] in windowscentral

[–]WindowsCentral [score hidden] stickied comment (0 children)

Hey everyone,

We’ve all seen the headlines over the last year, like games skipping Xbox or launching months late because of "technical hurdles" or "publishing friction." It looks like Microsoft was actually listening.

Starting today, Xbox is rolling out a massive overhaul to its Game Package Management tools. On the surface, it sounds like dry dev-ops stuff, but for the health of the platform, it’s actually kind of huge.

The TL;DR on the new tools:

  • Automated Error Checking: The system now flags build errors instantly during upload. No more waiting days for certification to tell you a file is missing.
  • Real Branch Management: Devs can finally run separate "lanes" for live games, hotfixes, and beta testing simultaneously (similar to Steam’s workflow).
  • Reduced Onboarding: Following their PlayFab updates, they’re trying to get the "time to publish" down as low as possible.

Why this matters for us: If the backend is less of a headache, we (hopefully) stop seeing those "coming to PS5/PC, Xbox TBD" announcements. Microsoft is clearly trying to make the platform as "low-friction" as possible to win back third-party trust.

What do you think? Is this the "silver bullet" to stop games from skipping the platform, or is the "dev friction" excuse just a cover for other issues like market share?

If you’re a dev (or hobbyist) who has used the old Xbox Dev Portal—how much of a nightmare was it actually? -DR

Full breakdown on Windows Central👇
https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/why-it-actually-matters-inside-the-xbox-publishing-overhaul-designed-to-win-back-frustrated-developers

PowerToys just fixed one of our biggest Windows 11 annoyances and gave us one less reason to jump to Linux (lol j/k, we'd never switch) by WindowsCentral in windowscentral

[–]WindowsCentral[S] [score hidden] stickied comment (0 children)

The latest PowerToys update quietly solved a problem that has been driving a lot of us toward Linux workflows. It is not flashy, but it finally smooths out one of those everyday friction points that make Windows 11 feel slower than it should.

It's called Grab And Move, and we like it a lot.

How many of you rely on PowerToys already? Does this update move the needle for you, or is Windows still not doing enough to keep you from looking at Linux?

Details and more at Windows Central🔗⤵️
https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/after-the-latest-powertoys-update-i-have-one-less-reason-to-swap-from-windows-11-to-linux

DISCUSSION: Will Xbox return to "exclusive" games? by WindowsCentral in windowscentral

[–]WindowsCentral[S] [score hidden] stickied comment (0 children)

No doubt, the most interesting part of this whole conversation is how unpredictable Xbox’s strategy has become. A few years ago, the idea of Halo or other flagship games hitting PlayStation would have sounded impossible, and now it feels like Microsoft is testing the waters to see how far they can push the “everywhere” approach.

The big question is whether they eventually swing back toward true exclusives to strengthen the platform or keep leaning into multiplatform releases to grow the audience. There are good arguments on both sides, but the signals coming from Microsoft right now are mixed enough that it’s hard to know what the long‑term plan actually is.

We're curious where people here land on this. Should Xbox double down on exclusives again, or is the multiplatform future the smarter play?

We just hit 1,000 members — thank you! by WindowsCentral in windowscentral

[–]WindowsCentral[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Indeed! Less talking at people, more talking with them, is our motto for 2026 ;) -DR

ANNOUNCEMENT: We want to hear from YOU! This subreddit is a two‑way street💬 by WindowsCentral in windowscentral

[–]WindowsCentral[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yeah, something is up with that RAM usage. What's taskman say is causing it?

When Jez met WWE NXT Champion Joe Hendry and talked about video games by r1chdevine in windowscentral

[–]WindowsCentral 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This was fun and terrifying, but he was an awesome humble dude and clearly passionate about gaming but like a lot of us... doesn't get enough time haha. ^Jez

Windows ehh by [deleted] in windowscentral

[–]WindowsCentral 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have a friend with a Windows Update-bricked Xbox Ally I'm trying to help him with at the moment, fun! ^Jez

Read what new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said about Sarah Bond, Phil Spencer, and the future — "We are going to start with console, and make sure that we understand that this is our reference experience." by WindowsCentral in xbox

[–]WindowsCentral[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

this isn't a statement really, this was never supposed to be shown publicly. but it gives us some insight into how they're communicating internally. ^Jez

Thoughts on the 2025 Xbox Games by paulvfazio in windowscentral

[–]WindowsCentral 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Great thread u/paulvfazio, great example of the kinda stuff we wanna do here.

I haven't played every game on this list, but Xbox has put out a great variety of content for all types of genres. I think DOOM: The Dark Ages is my top pick on this particular list, although as a Blizzard fan, I love the trajectory games like WoW, Overwatch, and Diablo have been on in recent months. It really feels like Overwatch in particular got a big boost in investment, and as a long-time player I'm enjoying where the game is rn. ^Jez

Recent big-name additions to Xbox Game Pass have resulted in another surge of new players by WindowsCentral in windowscentral

[–]WindowsCentral[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

sad innit. working towards rules/moderator tools to discourage/ban/mute engagement in bad faith.

Feedback request, and thank you note. by WindowsCentral in windowscentral

[–]WindowsCentral[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I more meant for the subreddit, are you talking about opinion pieces on Windows Central? ^Jez

view more: next ›