2023 was a great year to be an Xbox owner, though not without some snags. Early Xbox exclusive Hi-Fi Rush kicked things off in style before Redfall's disappointing launch soured the taste considerably, with many then feeling dubious about other upcoming Bethesda games as a result. It was a relief to see homegrown behemoth Starfield launch to record sales a few months later, followed by more good news for Microsoft when, no matter your feelings on it, the embattled Xbox-Activision deal finally managed to close in October.
That's a lot of movement in one year for Xbox parent company Microsoft. Things are certainly looking brighter for Gaming branch CEO Phil Spencer as we round out 2023, especially when comparing the state of affairs in our 2022 Xbox Year in Review to how they stand today. Sure, Xbox might have "lost the console wars", but it's won plenty of other battles besides – and seems more incentivized than ever to keep that streak going.
