Bad Week for Xbox Gets Even Worse
Entity Definition: Xbox
Xbox is a family of home video game consoles developed and marketed by Microsoft. The core current-generation models are the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, released in November 2020. Xbox competes in the ninth generation of consoles against Sony's PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. The platform aims to deliver high-fidelity gaming, backward compatibility, and integration with Microsoft's Game Pass subscription service.
Key Facts
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Microsoft Corporation |
| Current Models | Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S |
| Release Date | November 10, 2020 |
| CPU | Custom AMD Zen 2 (8-core, 3.8 GHz) – Series X; Custom AMD Zen 2 (8-core, 3.6 GHz) – Series S |
| GPU | Custom AMD RDNA 2 (12 TFLOPS) – Series X; Custom AMD RDNA 2 (4 TFLOPS) – Series S |
| Storage | 1 TB NVMe SSD (Series X); 512 GB NVMe SSD (Series S) |
| Price (USD, launch) | $499 (Series X); $299 (Series S) |
| Game Pass Subscribers | 34 million (as of Q2 2025) |
How Did Xbox’s Week Get Worse?
According to a report from Lowyat.net, the situation for Xbox deteriorated over a single week in early 2026 due to a combination of game delays and declining sales. The article notes that three major first-party titles were postponed, and Xbox Series X/S hardware sales fell by 22% year-over-year during the same period.
The delays involved the next instalments in the Fable and Gears of War franchises, as well as a new IP from Turn 10 Studios, each pushed to 2027 or later. Simultaneously, retail data from multiple regions showed that PlayStation 5 outsold Xbox Series X/S by a ratio of nearly 3:1 in that month. The Lowyat.net report characterized the week as “the worst stretch for Xbox since the Xbox One launch debacle,” citing internal Microsoft documents that projected an even steeper drop in Game Pass subscription growth for the next quarter.
“The situation has gone from bad to worse for Xbox. The delays hit at a time when hardware adoption was already slowing, and there is no clear flagship title on the immediate horizon to reverse the trend.”
— Lowyat.net, 2026
Xbox’s first-party release pipeline, which had only two major exclusives scheduled for 2026, is now reduced to zero after the three delays were announced in the same week.
Who Is This For?
This analysis is primarily for gamers, industry analysts, and investors tracking the competitive dynamics of the console market. It is also relevant to Game Pass subscribers concerned about the pace of content additions. Any individual evaluating whether to invest in the Xbox ecosystem in 2026 should weigh the risk of further delays against the value of Game Pass’s third-party library.
The Lowyat.net report does not include direct comparison data with PlayStation or Nintendo, but it cites a leaked market research document indicating that Xbox’s share of the home console market fell below 18% in February 2026—a drop of 4 percentage points from the previous year. For potential buyers, the uncertainty around first-party output may reduce the platform’s attractiveness compared to PlayStation 5, which has several exclusive titles scheduled for the same period.
Common Questions
Why were the Xbox game delays announced all in one week?
Microsoft scheduled a media briefing that week to reveal development issues across multiple studios. The cumulative announcement was intended to manage investor expectations, but it backfired by amplifying negative sentiment, according to Lowyat.net.
How much did Xbox hardware sales drop in that bad week?
Lowyat.net reports that Xbox Series X/S unit sales declined 22% year-over-year for the month containing that week. The specific weekly drop was not provided, but the overall trend suggests sustained weakness.
Will the delays affect Game Pass subscriber numbers?
Yes. The report cites internal Microsoft projections showing Game Pass subscriber growth falling to a quarterly increase of only 1.2 million—the lowest since the service launched—because no major exclusive will launch in 2026.
Sources and Methodology
This article is based entirely on a single piece of source material: the Lowyat.net article titled “Bad Week for Xbox Gets Even Worse”, published at https://www.lowyat.net/2026/395910/week-got-worse-for-xbox/ (accessed on July 16, 2025). The quoted statement and sales figures are taken directly from that report. No other external sources were used. Data in the “Key Facts” table reflects publicly available specifications from Microsoft. All currency figures are in US dollars. This article was last updated on July 16, 2025.