Honestly, I’d be interested to see MachineGames do something with the IP after how they handled Indiana Jones.

It’s true that the PS5 has basically no exclusives, but the PS5 also has over double the market share of Xbox. Plus, porting to Xbox is a huge lift since the hardware differences between the Series X and S is like making two ports. It sounds like this studio would rather focus on a single good port to reach as many players as possible before moving to other platforms.

Also, Microsoft definitely has been losing favor recently after mass layoffs (even for studios that have been successful like Virtuos) and multiple game cancellations like Perfect Dark (shuttered the whole studio) and Everwild. Zenimax supposedly had a game in early dev that Phil Spencer could barely put down, but the game was cancelled a few months later.

Some folks are now wondering what the point of them buying up all these studios has been, if they’re just going to cancel their projects years later after giving a thumbs up the whole time. From what I’ve read, it seems like this has been more so Microsoft fucking over Xbox to divert resources towards investing in AI 🤮

I don’t think they are different? Here’s what the phone, messaging, and contacts app icons look like on my pixel 8.

Edit: I’m a dummy. I just realized you meant the contacts’ icons in each of those apps. I just confirmed those colors can vary between each app. I agree, that does seem like an oversight.

That rings a bell now that you mention it. A shock title is so much more fitting!

For real, immersive sim fans that haven’t played it are missing out. It probably should’ve had a different name though.

Hi-Fi Rush has a kinda indie vibe. Tango Gameworks studio isn’t huge, but they’ve made fairly well known AAA survival horror games. HiFi is more narrowly focused but still published by Bethesda/Microsoft.

I recommend a play through either way! The story is a rollercoaster that balances its silliness with heart pretty well.

The gameplay might be a little more tense than you’re looking for at times, but Kena: Bridge of Spirits gives me summertime vibes.

For something with chiller gameplay, maybe Yakuza Like a Dragon? (I haven’t played Infinite Wealth yet, but the setting also seems promising.)

Sea of Stars is a pretty fun, especially if you’re a fan of old school turn based jrpgs. Pretty decent story too.

I tend to prefer video essay and discussion formatted content, usually focusing on older RPGs and survival horror that I might not ever get around to. Lately, I’ve been watching Grimbeard, ThorHighHeels, MandaloreGaming, RagnarRox, and tangomushi.