Microsoft spent nearly a decade promoting a major promise, only to finally deliver on it at a time when Xbox’s popularity seems to be at its lowest point. Meanwhile, Xbox studios have produced an unusually large number of new releases over the past few months.
“This is the year of Xbox.” – a statement repeated endlessly over the years, often with a sarcastic undertone on social media. Yet in 2025 the company from Redmond genuinely assembled a line-up that stands out not only for its scale and quality, but also for its variety. As Stephen Totilo’s report for Game File highlights, a long-term Microsoft strategy has finally matured – even if this breakthrough has been partially overshadowed by several controversial business decisions.
Studio Acquisitions That Have Finally Paid Off
Behind the scenes lies a long-running acquisition strategy that has dramatically reshaped the company’s development ecosystem. Since 2017, Microsoft has steadily expanded the number of studios under the Xbox umbrella. The process accelerated with the 2021 acquisition of ZeniMax Media, which added developers such as Bethesda, id Software and Tango Gameworks (later acquired by Krafton). This expansion culminated in 2023 with the purchase of Activision Blizzard, bringing Blizzard, Treyarch and King into the fold.
The logic is straightforward: more studios ultimately mean more games. Of course, this doesn’t happen overnight, as AAA productions take years to complete. Microsoft has nevertheless reorganized its gaming division so that dozens of teams can work simultaneously – often collaborating on major projects like the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. This multi-track development model is what led to the noticeably more consistent flow of releases that players are now experiencing in 2025.
In recent months, Xbox-supported teams have launched titles across nearly every genre: fantasy and sci-fi RPGs, adventures set in unusual worlds, high-intensity shooters and several remasters. To name a few standout examples: February brought Obsidian’s Avowed, April delivered The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered in partnership with Bethesda, May saw the arrival of id Software’s DOOM: The Dark Ages, and August featured The Coalition’s Gears of War: Reloaded. The line-up was further expanded by games like South of Midnight and the recent Keeper, not to mention the blockbuster attraction of the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
A Year Defined by Price Hikes and Xbox Game Pass Controversies
Despite 2025 becoming one of the strongest years ever in terms of Xbox releases, these successes have been overshadowed by a series of divisive business decisions. Communities across social media have spent weeks debating moves such as releasing former Xbox exclusives – including the flagship Halo: Campaign Evolved – on PlayStation, raising the prices of consoles and games, and restructuring Xbox Game Pass in ways that increased subscription fees for several tiers.
Compounding the confusion is Microsoft’s new strategic direction, which seeks to unite different devices under the “everything is Xbox” branding. Instead of inspiring confidence, this approach has left many players worried about the platform’s long-term identity. Tensions rose further when reports surfaced claiming that Microsoft had implemented a mandatory 30% profit margin for the Xbox division – a figure considered extremely high even by the standards of today’s giant gaming publishers.
All in all, 2025 has become a year of extremes for Xbox. On one hand, the platform has delivered a record number of releases spanning genres from fantasy RPGs to survival titles. On the other hand, public discourse has been dominated by criticisms of the company’s pricing decisions, shifting exclusivity policies and changes to Game Pass. The big question now is whether this push for higher profitability – through price increases, multi-platform releases and a denser release schedule – will eventually strengthen the Xbox brand and provide clearer direction for the coming years.
Source: 3djuegos
