Console home pages with advertisements are nothing new, but Microsoft's implementation and PR around the practice has struck some as tone deaf

We’ve held price on our console; we’ve held price on games and our subscription,” Xbox boss Phil Spencer said on stage at the Wall Street Journal ’s Tech Live conference that year. “I don’t think we’ll be able to do that forever.

Microsoft cloud game streaming technology has officially exited beta and is being carved up as added value for the Game Pass subscription service.

The recent hikes in Game Pass prices have gamers scrambling to cancel, and Microsoft struggling to keep up.

A few years ago, Microsoft offered some of the best deals in gaming. The spartan Xbox Series S was well-priced at $300 (and you could often find it even cheaper if you hunted for deals). A $15 monthly subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offered a vast catalog of games new and old. But my, how things have changed in 2025.