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[Xbox] Another Big Sale to see out this thread!

SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today!Registered User regular
edited December 2021 in Games and Technology
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"The Best Place(s) to Play."

A whopping half-year since the 2020 launch of the Xbox Series consoles, it's a surprisingly late-dated new Xbox console, PC and mobile thread! Here we talk about backwards compatibility, minifridges, actually successful game subscription services, the actual meaning of the word "exclusivity", the Bethesda acquisition going through, and the totally inevitable arrival of Xbox Game Streaming on Switch. Just a matter of time!

Games with Gold

The original unified network for consoles is still alive and not increasing in price (for now)! Since the beginning of time, users with a "Xbox Live Gold" paid membership will have four free titles made available for download for limited timed--two on Xbox One (which require continued membership) and two on Xbox 360 or original Xbox (which are yours in perpetuity). As with the previous generation, all four are playable Xbox Series hardware. Yes, you do need to actually obtain them within the overlapping four-week opportunity window. Yes, you can get Xbox Live Gold through a normal subscription fee, buying discounted months of membership through vendors, or abusing Xbox's overly-generous reward program. Following widespread pushback, Microsoft relented on a region-by-region Gold price increase as well as lifting the barrier on "Free to Play" titles, making their services available without the Gold service in the first half of 2021. While original Xbox titles are not playable on original hardware (for obvious reasons), all Xbox 360 titles are (more on that below).

Xbox Game Pass for Console, PC, and Game Pass Ultimate, or "The Best Value in Gaming!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06Zz0Og6UuA

Like the populations of the Republic of China or Democratic People's Republic of Korea, more than 23 million people can't be wrong! Xbox Game Pass for Console is Microsoft's own subscription gaming catalog service ("Netflix for video games") with a few hundred periodically rotating titles, making it attractive for digital only libraries and people who want to try first party new exclusives (which will make the rounds on the service at the time of their launch). And now, it's been formally introduced for Windows 10 as Xbox Game Pass for PC, which includes a number of PC-only titles that can be installed through Windows 10's Store App or Xbox App, whichever you prefer. However, both services come with their own separate fees. If you want them both, you may wish to consider the Caddilac of Netflix for Games, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: for less than the cost of the both individual services, you can have your Xbox Game Pass on Console and PC and Xbox Live Gold subscriptions in a single plan! Because nothing bad ever came from bundling services! For the time being, it remains possible to extend your Game Pass subscription based on unrelated services "credit" (for example, one year of EA Access translates to four months of Game Pass Ultimate), so make sure you do your research when you're stocking up. Oh yeah, it's complicated.

In either service, there is no limit on how many games you can download and install from it, and access is for as long as the subscription holds--permanent purchases made from the catalog are discounted 20%, and DLC by 10%. It still does not require Xbox Live Gold (though that is part of Game Pass Ultimate). Since 2020, Game Pass Ultimate comes with an additional perk you may be familiar with...

Xbox Game Streaming

https://youtu.be/J4FF_mHhwqw

Like Google's Stadia that everyone's been talking about and the Playstation Now service that Sony never talks about, Xbox Game Streaming (formerly "Project Xcloud") replaces your grandparents' Xbox game from the ancient era of streaming a console over your home network to the sexy future of piping your game in from The Cloud on your mobile devices, covering a substantial fraction of the total Xbox Game Pass library. No longer in free beta, it is now part of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (and presently available on Android phones, PC via Windows 10/11, and iOS via some weird browser voodoo). Play console-quality games on mobile! Take advantage of all the normal Xbox Live services! Drain your phone battery before you know it! Still probably not coming to other consoles no matter how hard you ask, but you know where it is coming? Windows 10 personal computers through your desktop!

Streaming available in the following regions, courtesy of XDA-Developers:
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Canada
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Slovakia
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • United Kingdom
  • United States

A full list of current Xbox Game Streaming titles is available courtesy of the excellent Windows Central website, alongside a full list of touch-compatible titles which are playable without the prerequisite compatible controller.

Xbox Backwards Compatibility Library

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oe1LUJyCCs

Say hello to the most extensive backwards compatibility library since Sony left the Playstation 3 unconscious in a bathtub full of ice! Since early in the Project Scarlett reveal, Microsoft has committed to bringing the whole of the Xbox One library forward to the Xbox Series consoles, alongside the existing Xbox One-era software backwards compatibilty libraries on all previous Xbox consoles since 2001 excluding Kinect-based titles on Xbox 360 and Xbox One. Yes, we are as shocked as you. In addition to almost six hundred Xbox 360 titles and more than forty "Original Xbox" titles, the whole Xbox One library should be is available, with visual upgrades on a case to case basis (including resolution multiplying, framerate improvements, and Auto-HDR, which can be manually accessed on a per game basis--check out the Backwards Compatibility page for any given game's settings). Curious if your favorite Xbox 360 or older game is playable? Check it out!

Xbox Series S and Series X joining Xbox One

Yes, many of us are still waiting on our new consoles. For the luckier among us, here's some of what we're enjoying and what we're looking forward to!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rafkZa-gyKk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOOd3uMyjts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kUV2YvHNYI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ixdADPpC9M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMiwfcDaDvU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdsYhvbeMT8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUhtH0lWfVE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwNlv8UIqVY


2021 Xbox Summer Games Showcase (ft. Bethesda and a bunch of other companies)!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YnVzOA2wNs

(Captioned Audio and ASL versions available on Xbox's Youtube Channel.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YnVzOA2wNs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-LlfIXT8to

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjDMwsbaSd8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqesvrf87DA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reuri4lT7jI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8KVJGJQBPU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uBK1MMC5KQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTTGThC4aes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6I2rP3-B9k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUfUnA2iEZ0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re3fTP_ObrI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebO8Xe7pjfY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a43aVdqBbxs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr__hTXlDZk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo0airOqCjc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcjnHHxHV3o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W18OP8BZc6I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a8XsBgB7U0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX7KHZE27V8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4VPBqpxHXQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPfm3IClc0s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sc9tFOpnUc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne3qBSUQqdM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWkOcpZEk4I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7XDCvpIqoo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcyLpnLiLP4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgrue9p6Y1Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lljMQevCWOQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p9DCiI8QBY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClhDyC0ZECs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ6XpfaWbko

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYH9n37B7Yw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxX-4U5uJqk

Xbox 20th Anniversary Showcase

Yes, we're all that much older!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmhRditAffU&ab_channel=Xbox

Penny Arcade Forums' Game Clubs

Pax Arcadia
Arcade Squad (Gears of War series)
The Bees Knees (Halo series)

Additionally, you can find the forums Xbox Live gamertag list here, and the form to sign up here.


Synthesis on
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Posts

  • EspantaPajaroEspantaPajaro Registered User regular
    Titanfall 2 still the best FPS ever.

  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    edited April 2021
    Titanfall 2 still the best FPS ever.

    :lol:

    :tell_me_more:

    Synthesis on
  • ArteenArteen Adept ValeRegistered User regular
    Titanfall 2 is great. It's easily the second best game in the Titanfall series.

  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    Arteen wrote: »
    Titanfall 2 is great. It's easily the second best game in the Titanfall series.

    "Best multiplayer matchmaking times in the Titanfall franchise*!"

    *Definitely excludes Apex Legends.

  • HardtargetHardtarget There Are Four Lights VancouverRegistered User regular
    Arteen wrote: »
    Titanfall 2 is great. It's easily the second best game in the Titanfall series.

    ya, Apex is super good, I agree.

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  • ArteenArteen Adept ValeRegistered User regular
    The original Titanfall's multiplayer was so much fun. Customizable titans, tons of grunts to massacre, great maps. I reached Gen 10 and got every achievement, including the stupid complete luck ones like single-handedly killing an enemy team during evacuation phase. What an excellent game.

    If only the sequel had good multiplayer too.

  • EspantaPajaroEspantaPajaro Registered User regular
    edited April 2021
    Arteen wrote: »
    The original Titanfall's multiplayer was so much fun. Customizable titans, tons of grunts to massacre, great maps. I reached Gen 10 and got every achievement, including the stupid complete luck ones like single-handedly killing an enemy team during evacuation phase. What an excellent game.

    If only the sequel had good multiplayer too.

    It does , even better then the first . I liked one don’t get me wrong but I loved two .

    Edit- in the true timeline where we got titanfall 3 we could find out wtf happened with graves from 1->2 . Was always confused why Sarah was in charge come TF|2.

    EspantaPajaro on
  • Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    edited April 2021
    I was better at the first game, therefore it is superior

    https://youtu.be/7gmU_quZp70

    https://youtu.be/iKX-gbuVRMw

    Local H Jay on
  • Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    Can I just say how underrated the capture features are for the new consoles? I went from recording gameplay off my tv screen to having a huge archive of gameplay footage. I really love that feature and it's crazy it's been 6+ years of having it. Feels like yesterday the Xbone came out and everyone hated it.

  • EspantaPajaroEspantaPajaro Registered User regular
    What did I use in tf 1 , I honestly can’t remember. I know I used Stryder with triple threat as a titan loadout but can’t remember the pilot loadout.

  • shoeboxjeddyshoeboxjeddy Registered User regular
    I read something about Titanfall 1's PC servers currently being abandoned to Nazi bots? So uh... I'm gonna call foul on that being the best one. Titanfall 2 and Apex are games they actually give a shit to run still.

  • Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    I read something about Titanfall 1's PC servers currently being abandoned to Nazi bots? So uh... I'm gonna call foul on that being the best one. Titanfall 2 and Apex are games they actually give a shit to run still.

    Idk if you can blame that on the devs, there are lots of games that once the developers move on to other titles become swarmed with cheaters. Check like, every single CoD game on the 360 still online.

  • cB557cB557 voOOP Registered User regular
    Oh cool, never realized that structure type in Apex was from Titanfall.

  • shoeboxjeddyshoeboxjeddy Registered User regular
    I read something about Titanfall 1's PC servers currently being abandoned to Nazi bots? So uh... I'm gonna call foul on that being the best one. Titanfall 2 and Apex are games they actually give a shit to run still.

    Idk if you can blame that on the devs, there are lots of games that once the developers move on to other titles become swarmed with cheaters. Check like, every single CoD game on the 360 still online.

    If Titanfall 2 was ever abandoned in a similar way, there would still be fun parts of the game to play. Multiplayer is all 1 has, and it's currently not playable in a way you could recommend to anyone. It's kind of silly to claim it as the best right now, someone might believe that and go and try it.

  • Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    I read something about Titanfall 1's PC servers currently being abandoned to Nazi bots? So uh... I'm gonna call foul on that being the best one. Titanfall 2 and Apex are games they actually give a shit to run still.

    Idk if you can blame that on the devs, there are lots of games that once the developers move on to other titles become swarmed with cheaters. Check like, every single CoD game on the 360 still online.

    If Titanfall 2 was ever abandoned in a similar way, there would still be fun parts of the game to play. Multiplayer is all 1 has, and it's currently not playable in a way you could recommend to anyone. It's kind of silly to claim it as the best right now, someone might believe that and go and try it.

    Idk I'm talking purely mechanically, it's still the best. Also um... The Xbox version exists and plays fine?

  • shoeboxjeddyshoeboxjeddy Registered User regular
    I read something about Titanfall 1's PC servers currently being abandoned to Nazi bots? So uh... I'm gonna call foul on that being the best one. Titanfall 2 and Apex are games they actually give a shit to run still.

    Idk if you can blame that on the devs, there are lots of games that once the developers move on to other titles become swarmed with cheaters. Check like, every single CoD game on the 360 still online.

    If Titanfall 2 was ever abandoned in a similar way, there would still be fun parts of the game to play. Multiplayer is all 1 has, and it's currently not playable in a way you could recommend to anyone. It's kind of silly to claim it as the best right now, someone might believe that and go and try it.

    Idk I'm talking purely mechanically, it's still the best. Also um... The Xbox version exists and plays fine?

    Is there a player population on 1 console? PC games often are the only way to dig into very old multiplayer focused games.

  • cB557cB557 voOOP Registered User regular
    I read something about Titanfall 1's PC servers currently being abandoned to Nazi bots? So uh... I'm gonna call foul on that being the best one. Titanfall 2 and Apex are games they actually give a shit to run still.

    Idk if you can blame that on the devs, there are lots of games that once the developers move on to other titles become swarmed with cheaters. Check like, every single CoD game on the 360 still online.

    If Titanfall 2 was ever abandoned in a similar way, there would still be fun parts of the game to play. Multiplayer is all 1 has, and it's currently not playable in a way you could recommend to anyone. It's kind of silly to claim it as the best right now, someone might believe that and go and try it.

    Idk I'm talking purely mechanically, it's still the best. Also um... The Xbox version exists and plays fine?

    Is there a player population on 1 console? PC games often are the only way to dig into very old multiplayer focused games.
    I feel like once you're talking about titles from the 360/PS3 gen onwards, consoles tend to hold onto multiplayer populations longer than the PC does.

  • ArteenArteen Adept ValeRegistered User regular
    I wouldn't recommend buying it now, but in its prime the original Titanfall was excellent.

    If I could have any multiplayer game back in its prime, it'd be the old Assassin's Creed multiplayer. The multiplayer mode in those games was incredible and it's a damn shame Ubisoft has never gone back to it.

  • Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    Definitely should have spun the multi for AC off into its own game

  • ElkiElki get busy Moderator, ClubPA mod
    My old favorite is another Ubi one, 2v2 pvp in Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow.

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  • Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    God Spies vs Mercs was incredible

    When you got someone in a sleeper hold and got to whisper something horrible in their ear as you snap their neck

  • Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    I do miss the early days of Xbox when everyone was in general game chat causing chaos. Obviously having parties is nice and I prefer it, but when you do crossplay usually you gotta use the in game chat... It's glorious. In Modern Warfare (rip deleted becuz too big) you can hear the last thing an enemy says as you kill them. It's hilarious

  • EspantaPajaroEspantaPajaro Registered User regular
    edited April 2021
    I do miss the early days of Xbox when everyone was in general game chat causing chaos. Obviously having parties is nice and I prefer it, but when you do crossplay usually you gotta use the in game chat... It's glorious. In Modern Warfare (rip deleted becuz too big) you can hear the last thing an enemy says as you kill them. It's hilarious

    Cod4/ MW2 lobbies were something fucking else . Then those devs /executive left and started respawn/titanfall but Titanfall lobbies never got that fucking nuts and aggro . 360 chat in general was beyond fucking aggro . Annoying at the time kinda makes me giggle now.

    EspantaPajaro on
  • bloodatonementbloodatonement Registered User regular
    Man, MW2 was some of the best fun I've ever had in an online FPS.

    Zdy0pmg.jpg
    Steam ID: Good Life
  • Forever ZefiroForever Zefiro cloaked in the midnight glory of an event horizonRegistered User regular
    Transformers: War for Cybertron had amazing multiplayer and it makes me sad thinking that it’s gone forever

    2fbg9lin3kdl.jpg
    XBL - Foreverender | 3DS FC - 1418 6696 1012 | Steam ID | LoL
  • Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    Also, the original Monday Night Combat! Miss that one.

  • HardtargetHardtarget There Are Four Lights VancouverRegistered User regular
    Also, the original Monday Night Combat! Miss that one.

    no love for Super Monday Night Combat?!

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  • Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    Hardtarget wrote: »
    Also, the original Monday Night Combat! Miss that one.

    no love for Super Monday Night Combat?!

    No, because they didn't love me (a lowly console player)

  • Crippl3Crippl3 oh noRegistered User regular
    titanfall 2 is better, yall are nuts
    More interesting weapons and abilities, more modes, locked Titan classes let them get real interesting with designs and mechanics
    I will say I wish TF|2 got some of the better maps from 1, but I think on the whole it's the more fun package, definitely kept me playing way longer

  • NosfNosf Registered User regular
    Monday Night Combat seemed so big and then whoosh it disappeared.

  • JazzJazz Registered User regular
    I missed out on Titanfall 1, for several reasons. But Titanfall 2 is one of the finest games of the past generation, no question - and I say that as someone otherwise largely burnt out on FPSes.

  • Snake GandhiSnake Gandhi Des Moines, IARegistered User regular
    I also prefer TF1 to 2. Something about changing Titans from standard loudouts to Hero's really turned me off.

    Still the TF2 campaign is amazing.

  • DrezDrez Registered User regular
    edited April 2021
    I’m deep into Call of Duty Cold War. I had a dream today about Cold War while napping during my lunch break at work. It was both cold and war.

    Drez on
    Switch: SW-7690-2320-9238Steam/PSN/Xbox: Drezdar
  • EspantaPajaroEspantaPajaro Registered User regular
    edited April 2021
    Drez wrote: »
    I’m deep into Call of Duty Cold War. I had a dream today about Cold War while napping during my lunch break at work. It was both cold and war.

    But was it the Cold War? The titan fall 2 charged burst fire grenade launcher?! Side note I wish I was good enough to use the Cold War/softball such cool weapons but it’s hard to use them in such a fast game.

    EspantaPajaro on
  • Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    After Microsoft refunded me for Back4Blood I had a 50 dollar gift card to burn so I got this
    b15gefgqnq3n.jpg
    It's gween

  • BlackDragon480BlackDragon480 Bluster Kerfuffle Master of Windy ImportRegistered User regular
    I miss 1 vs 100. I won cash money on that multiple times.

    And for as bad as the updates on One X and Series X for Cyberpunk, its nothing on the PS4 version. That big bitch is 100GB and the latest update was nearly 35. Sony sucks at compression.

    No matter where you go...there you are.
    ~ Buckaroo Banzai
  • Santa ClaustrophobiaSanta Claustrophobia Ho Ho Ho Disconnecting from Xbox LIVERegistered User regular
    SONY, I think, intention decided to let things get out of hand. Back when the PS3 came out (it might have been the MGS game) they boasted about how they could have uncompressed audio files because the blu-ray discs could hold 25-50GB. Many SONY defenders hailed that as a true bullet point kind of argument.

    And all I kept thinking was that when you give devs so much space they're going to use it. And not always in a positive manner. (I started the blame with Win95.)

  • JazzJazz Registered User regular
    Makes me think of this old mock-up of a hypothetical Xbox 360 version of Metal Gear Solid 4...

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  • ProhassProhass Registered User regular
    edited April 2021
    Oh man the mid game installs in mgs4. And constant load screens. Maybe I’m too hard on it in my memory but it’s the only mgs game I’ve absolutely loathed and never finished, and I’m a massive hideo fan

    Prohass on
  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    Prohass wrote: »
    Oh man the mid game installs in mgs4. And constant load screens. Maybe I’m too hard on it in my memory but it’s the only mgs game I’ve absolutely loathed and never finished, and I’m a massive hideo fan

    It was not a particularly good one.

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