Within the gaming industry, there is a growing consensus that the Xbox brand is hemorrhaging relevance and failing to sustain player engagement.
Alex Battaglia of Digital Foundry recently observed that viewership for Microsoft console content has hit an all-time low in 2025. Even technical breakdowns of high-profile AAA titles are attracting so little attention that creators are finding it increasingly difficult to justify the time and resources required to cover the platform.
This sentiment is echoed by other prominent industry voices. Journalist Jez Corden revealed that editorial content regarding the Steam Deck consistently outperforms any Xbox-related news on his platform. According to Corden, this indicates a massive migration of audience interest toward competing hardware, leaving a brand that once fought for market dominance in a state of relative obscurity.
Reflecting on the situation, Battaglia remarked:
Looking back at the year’s data, it is becoming nearly impossible to rationalize the effort spent on Xbox video coverage from a performance perspective. Interest is negligible, even for projects that should have been massive hits. One can only wonder what the future holds for the brand.
The financial metrics paint a similarly bleak picture. In 2025, hardware revenue plummeted by nearly 30%, resulting in losses exceeding $100 million. Reports suggest that throughout the entire year, Microsoft only managed to move approximately 1 million Xbox Series X|S units.
Analysts identify the primary issue as a lack of definitive “system sellers” that define the current generation. With none of Microsoft’s recent exclusives securing a nomination for “Game of the Year,” Xbox is increasingly slipping out of the cultural conversation among gamers.
Source: iXBT.games