Overview
- New five-year retrospectives from Eurogamer and Polygon say the generation lacked a defining next‑gen moment despite strong early sales.
- Eurogamer reports Xbox brand sentiment has sunk after layoffs, project cancellations, first‑party releases on rival platforms, controversy over technological involvement in Israel and Gaza, and higher prices for consoles and Game Pass.
- Polygon notes Microsoft’s acquisitions and Game Pass–centric, cross‑platform strategy reframed Xbox as a publisher and left Series X/S trailing in console sales.
- Sony describes the PS5 as its most financially successful console era even as many players question its creative strength.
- Eurogamer says the Series X hardware remains capable for most players, yet a launch without exclusives and a reliance on back‑catalog access through Game Pass underscored the absence of a clear generational leap.