The notable absence of Xbox at the Game Awards 2025 did not go unnoticed. Despite the scale of the event, no significant announcement emerged from Microsoft. One more disappointment for fans, already burned by a dull year, marked by layoffs, Game Pass price increases and communication centered on AI. Concern is growing as the next generation of consoles looms.
But an idea is gradually gaining ground among players: that of a total merger between Xbox and PC platforms. An option which, for many, is no longer a hypothesis but a strategic necessity. Because today, many major games simply don’t come out on Xbox. During the Game Awards, several major titles were announced for PlayStation and PC, but not for Microsoft consoles.
An avalanche of missing games on Xbox: the last straw
A user on the r/xbox subreddit listed the games announced during the ceremony, sorting them by platform. The observation is clear: only 29 of the 60 games mentioned will be released on Xbox, compared to 10 exclusive to the PS5.
“That pretty much sums it up. 29 titles (+ South of Midnight) on Xbox out of a possible total of 60. 10 more on PS5. This is exactly the kind of thing I feared for Latitude,” wrote one fan.
Some absences were predictable, like that of Nioh 3, but others were badly experienced. “The trailer for Phantom Blade 0 was amazing, too bad it won’t come out on Xbox. Nioh 3 looked great too, but we already knew it would never come out on Xbox,” laments another player.
This general frustration reflects fed up. For some, there is no doubt that Microsoft must abandon the isolated console model to fully embrace the PC universe.
An Xbox/PC merger already initiated by Microsoft
The “merger” that fans are talking about is not a fantasy. Microsoft has already started this shift. The full-screen Xbox interface on Windows 11, the natively recognized controller, and especially the PC Game Pass, show that the publisher wants to bring the two worlds closer together.
The recent announcement of an “aggregated games library” on PC goes in the same direction. Objective: unify all purchases and subscriptions in a single ecosystem, whether on Xbox or PC. A maneuver which aims to make people forget the shortcomings of the console catalog by redirecting players towards a hybrid experience.
Players demand a clear and rapid decision
Faced with this unclear transition, the community is growing impatient. “The merger with PC cannot happen any sooner, for the sake of Xbox catalogs and players,” demands one user. Another underlines: “Yes, this event really made me aware of the importance that developers now give to Steam and the PC in general…”
Because beyond the consoles, it is the image of the Xbox brand that is wavering. Without strong direction, Microsoft risks permanently losing its early loyalists. And in the world of video games, loyalty is lost as quickly as a catalog of exclusive games.