February 13th 2024.
People have been buzzing about the Xbox lately, wondering what changes will come about by Friday morning. Finally, after much anticipation, Microsoft is set to make an announcement this week. Rumors have been swirling about the first wave of multiformat releases, with Hi-Fi Rush and Pentiment being the top contenders.
Many have expressed their opinions on the current state of Xbox, but even with any mistakes Microsoft may have made, it pales in comparison to how they have mishandled the rumors of their exclusive games going multiformat. These speculations first started back in January and gained momentum last Monday. However, we won't receive any official confirmation until Thursday, February 15, at 8pm GMT, when Microsoft's statement is expected to be released.
The fact that it's taken this long for Microsoft to address these rumors speaks volumes. It's clear that there is some truth to them, but the extent of their validity is still uncertain. Microsoft has been keeping a tight lid on things, with their tweet about the Official Xbox Podcast giving no indication of what it will be about.
This special edition of the podcast is most likely the "business update event" that was promised last week. It will feature Xbox boss Phil Spencer, Xbox president Sarah Bond, and president of game content and studios Matt Booty, providing updates on the Xbox business. Fans are eagerly awaiting this event, which will take place on Thursday.
The reason for the delay in clarifying the situation is believed to be two-fold. Firstly, the event was originally planned for the summer but had to be quickly repurposed to be ready for this week. Secondly, there are rumors of a civil war within Xbox, with some team members against the idea of exclusives going multiformat while others are in favor of it. We may never get an official statement on this, but it's something to keep in mind as the situation unfolds.
The latest rumor from The Verge is that the first multiformat games to be announced will be Hi-Fi Rush and Pentiment, both critically acclaimed but low-key titles. These are expected to release soon, along with the live service game Sea of Thieves, which is rumored to come later this year. The Verge also mentions that other first-party titles are being considered for multiformat releases, but there are no specific details yet.
Other rumors have suggested that highly anticipated games like Starfield may not go multiformat after all. It's unclear if this is due to the exclusive advocates winning the battle behind the scenes or if the initial rumors were simply wrong. The fact that even iconic games like Halo and Gears of War have been rumored to go multiformat shows that no one really knows what's going on, not even Microsoft.
One thing that is certain is that Microsoft is not giving up on making consoles. In fact, there are rumors of a new generation of hardware being released as early as 2026, including a potential Switch-style hybrid portable. It's clear that the Xbox Series X/S has not performed as well as expected, and Microsoft is looking for ways to increase revenues.
But the question remains, why go multiformat with games like Hi-Fi Rush and Pentiment, which are not expected to break any sales records? Unless one side of the boardroom battle has won a decisive victory, there must be more to the story. We may get some answers this week, but it's important to keep in mind that Microsoft has to consider the feelings of their loyal fans who see this as a betrayal of their loyalty.
In the meantime, we can look forward to the business update event and see what Microsoft has in store for the future of Xbox. As always, we'll be keeping a close eye on any developments and will provide updates as they come. Don't forget to sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media for all the latest gaming news and releases.
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