Y'all, where did 2025 go? I remember sitting here at this same desk, telling everybody how I couldn't wait to get Grand Theft Auto 6 in my hands. That's just one indicator of how the year often unfolds way differently than we planned. In December, App Trigger is taking a look back at the stories that defined the year in gaming. Longtime readers will probably remember some of these, while some are hearing about them for the first time. Either way, join us as we walk down memory lane, won't you?
Our Keith Langston wrote one of our most popular stories this year with Five Years Later, I Still Love My Xbox, Here's Why.
He looks at what has been a tumultuous five years for Microsoft, its brand, and the console. But, I am reminded of something we always say on the Color of Magic podcast. "Most Magic players are not on Magic Twitter." The same logic applies here. While Microsoft steps on public relations rakes almost daily, that's something that game journalists worry about far more than regular console owners do.
Most Xbox owners want to come home from work, kick back, and play some games. They don't care which console is in which place, who won the console war, or if Microsoft's five-year plan is effective. Keith is one of the leaders of our Xbox coverage, so later he would be tasked with writing:
Farewell, Xbox, or How to Destroy a Brand in Five Easy Steps
To put it mildly, it's a been wild year for Microsoft and the Xbox brand. Something tells me Microsoft will continue to make those of us who care about its brand decisions and its marketing absolutely furious. But the mountains of money it sits upon will allow it to still be around to make more terrible decisions.