The Xbox Series X is one of the most powerful consoles on the market right now. On paper, it can beat the PlayStation 5 when it comes to raw power, and the Switch 2 is not even a contender in this regard. I own all these consoles, and out of all of them, the one I regret buying is the Xbox Series X. I rarely use it, I’ve canceled my Game Pass subscription, and it’s collecting dust on my shelf as I have no desire to play it. This all stems from frustrations that have been building over time. After looking at comments across Reddit forums and social media sites, I know I am not alone.
These regrets cannot stand on their own, but they form part of a larger picture as to why many people regret buying an Xbox Series X. They touch on most of the major features that Xbox has to offer, including the games, Game Pass, and even hardware. I am not ready to sell my Xbox Series X just yet since Microsoft seems to have a glimmer of hope with Asha Sharma now leading the brand. Also, the Xbox offers better backward compatibility than PlayStation and Switch 2, allowing me to revisit my favorite OG Xbox and Xbox 360 games. But for now, these regrets remain.
1. The Xbox Series X has fewer exclusives
Many people bought the Xbox Series X because they thought it was the only console where they could play franchises like “Gears of War,” “Halo,” and “Forza”. If someone were to go back to the 2000s and early 2010s and tell me that we would one day be able to play as Master Chief on the PlayStation, it would have been inconceivable. However, in early 2024, Xbox started having a bit of an identity crisis that saw it adopt a multiplatform approach to its first-party releases, bringing them to PlayStations and even the Nintendo Switch.
Xbox is somewhat returning to console exclusivity with “Gears of War: E-Day.” In October 2026, Windows Central reported that Microsoft sent out a survey asking if people would consider investing in Xbox hardware if major IPs like “Fallout,” “The Elder Scrolls,” “Doom,” and “Diablo” were timed or full-on exclusives. I don’t think that this survey will lead to many of these titles becoming full exclusives, considering how well some first-party Xbox titles have done on PlayStation. A report released in April 2026 by Alinea Analytics stated that 13 first-party Xbox games, including “Forza Horizon 5,” “Sea of Thieves,” and “Oblivion Remastered,” had earned Microsoft an estimated $667 million in gross revenue. It’s hard to see Microsoft pivoting away from that. Meanwhile, Sony and Nintendo get to keep all their beloved IPs moving forward while Microsoft shares most of its with everyone else.
2. No day-one access for Call of Duty on Game Pass
Microsoft dropped “Call of Duty” from its slate of day-one releases on Game Pass in 2026. The announcement came with a price decrease for Game Pass Ultimate, which was welcome. Still, this has created trust issues with some Xbox owners who feel that if Microsoft can walk back such a core promise, what else can the company walk back on? For hardcore “Call of Duty” players, the removal likely didn’t have an impact. It’s much cheaper for them to pay $70 upfront and then play it indefinitely than to continue to pay $22.99 a month. But for those who bought an Xbox and like to subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate for a month just to play day-one releases and then unsubscribe, it was a gut punch.
Starting with “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4,” players have to pay $70 upfront on top of a Game Pass subscription to play online, or wait until the game comes to the service. It’s understandable that the Game Pass Ultimate price cut was a move to save Xbox, with “Call of Duty” being seen as the biggest reason they got a price hike in the first place due to Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard in 2023. But if this move doesn’t improve the situation with Game Pass, will that lead to more upcoming blockbusters not being day-one releases? It’s an uneasy feeling for Game Pass subscribers who value day-one releases.
3. Playtime limits on Xbox Cloud Gaming
Even though it was divisive, the “This is an Xbox” campaign in late 2024 made it clear to its consumer base that the brand is going all in on cloud gaming. You can stream Xbox games on your computer, phone, TV, handhelds, and even VR headsets. You just need an Xbox Game Pass subscription, a compatible device and controller, and a stable high-speed internet connection (Xbox recommends speeds of 10 Mbps or more for a smooth experience). With those things in place, you don’t need to download the games onto your Xbox Series X. For a while, you could even play for as long as you want. However, in September 2026, Xbox announced that there will be new limits that come into force in November.
For the Xbox Essential tier, you will only be able to play for five hours a month. Those on the Premium tier will be limited to 10 hours a month. Players on the highest Game Pass subscription tier, Ultimate, have a maximum play time of 15 hours a month when using Xbox Cloud. For people without a Game Pass subscription, they will be able to purchase cloud playtime hours. Microsoft says it’s because the number of subscribers has grown and people are cloud gaming more than ever. But wouldn’t this have been a good time to scale up its cloud gaming infrastructure? This anti-consumer move has had several people regretting buying into the Xbox ecosystem.
4. Buying AA batteries
Since the Xbox 360 era — which is when Microsoft decided to make Xbox controllers wireless — the controllers have been powered by two AA batteries. Xbox owners have mixed opinions, with some feeling that the AA battery setup makes Xbox controllers last longer than the DualSense and Joy-Con 2. Players have no lithium-ion battery to worry about since those tend to give out. When the AA batteries deplete, you just have to pop in new ones and continue playing. But that’s the problem for some people — they don’t want to be constantly buying batteries.
The problem is clear: when these batteries die, and you don’t have replacements immediately available, you’re now forced to plug the controller into the console via a USB cable and play wired. Also, the cost of replacing the batteries can add up over the years, especially for heavy users. But interestingly enough, Xbox has a solution for such players: the Xbox Rechargeable Battery that costs $24.99. That’s an extra cost. One can argue that it is by design to get people to spend extra on this accessory, but Xbox has defended the removable AA battery setup by saying that the decision is driven by player choice.
