The Tuesday letters page is surprised by all the positive reviews for Pokémon Pokopia, as one reader has had enough of God Of War.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Super Nintendo plan
So I’m guessing I’m not the only person to be annoyed that there’s still not going to be a full Nintendo Direct anytime soon. The Switch 2 is sitting there with almost nothing on its schedules and while it’s nice to hear Pokémon Pokopia is good it’s out next week and then that’s it, nothing else with a confirmed released date and hardly anything else of any kind at all.

I’m not going to bother trying to predict what a new Nintendo Direct may or may not annouce but I really hope it contains at least a hint as to the next Legend Of Zelda. It’s nearly six years since Tears Of The Kingdom, so they should be able to say or show something, even if it’s just a bit of artwork – which is usually how they start the hype.

I really don’t know how we’ve gone this long without any hint of a 3D Mario or a new Zelda. And in a year with a Mario film and a Zelda one next year! If there’s a secret plan Nintendo is following I’d love to hear about it, because at the moment it just feels like they’re asleep at the wheel.
Molston

Direct troll
I guess you could predict that Nintendo would do an Indie World next but, like another reader said, do they realise they’re trolling fans with how they’re handling this? I doubt they’re doing it on purpose, but the trolling is happening whether they intended it or not.

So now we’re looking at a proper Nintendo Direct being mid-March at the absolute earliest, and probably later. I think that’s the latest Nintendo has ever done it in an ordinary year and yet the need for it seems like the greatest it’s been in a long while.

It’s interesting that Pokémon Pokopia has got such surprisingly good reviews, but I don’t know how much that’s going to satisfy people who want to know when the next big game is arriving. Apart form anything Pokopia barely has anything to do with Nintendo, since it’s mostly an Omega Force joint. So I wouldn’t count it as first party.
Sonicer

Surprise hit
Really did not expect Pokémon Pokopia to be getting such good reviews. Its Metacritic is above Resident Evil Requiem now, which I would not have betted happening. I guess sometimes you just have to make a good game and it’s great to have two good ones come out so close to one another.

I’m not convinced it’s something I’ll like personally but I’m very tempted, just because it seems weird and all the praise. It’s exactly the sort of game that I’d wait a few months for and pick it up when it’s cheap but since it’s a Nintendo game we all know that’s not going to happen. Oh well, maybe I’ll convince my girlfriend to half it with me.
Korbie

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Artwork of Vengeance
Just a heads up for anyone who would like to get Shinobi: Art Of Vengeance on Switch 1, you can currently get it from the Limited Run Games website while stocks last. The version they have has different cover artwork to the UK version and it contains a region free cartridge that
contains the whole game on the cartridge.

Please read the terms and condition on the page, which is not very long before buying. If you buy Shinobi UK version on Amazon UK it is a code in the box, so getting it from Limited Run Games mean you get an actual cartridge. It’s currently $39.99, not including postage and tax, which is a lot cheaper than going on eBay. I know a fellow GameCentral reader was interested in the Switch version of Shinobi.
Andrew J.
PS: Will Game Central be doing a review of the Talking Flower from the Nintendo Store when it releases? As I am thinking of getting it.

GC: Not unless Nintendo send us one, but its features seem fairly clear cut so we doubt they will.

Catching a feeling
I am delighted to see the widespread good reviews for Pokémon Pokopia. I have played all of the recent Pokémon games, as I continue to chase in vain that feeling of wonder and joy the series held in my childhood with the Silver and Ruby versions.

Only Legends: Arceus has come close since the DS era, but between the re-release of FireRed and now Pokopia’s imminent arrival, maybe I will finally recapture some of that feeling. I can’t wait to get stuck into both in the coming weeks! I am dubious that Winds and Waves can return the main series to its glory days but at least Pokopia is carrying the torch for them regardless.
Pigfish2 (PSN ID/NN ID)
Now playing: Mario Tennis Fever on Switch 2 and Resident Evil Requiem on PlayStation 5.

Are you a god?
A God Of War spin-off starring Kratos’ wife was not something on my bingo card and I’ll be honest, I’m already having trouble getting excited about it. She was in Ragnarök for 10 minutes, collecting berries, and didn’t make any impression on me at all. But now she’s going to be the start of a more action-based game?

God Of War might not have been non-stop but it was still an action game, so I’m not sure I understand. The mention of Devil May Cry was weird too. So she’s going to be dancing and spinning around like Bayonetta? That does not seem like something she would’ve done or anyone would have done in the God Of War games.

I’m also still confused as to whether giants in God Of War are actually giants? They seemed to be at the end of the first one and then there was some kind of retcon that they were normal sized? Mind you, I don’t really understand what a god is meant to be in this universe. Just someone that’s hard to kill but not impossible? I mean, it’s not like Kratos has any powers or is omnipotent or anything.

I really think it’s time to admit the God Of War story is over. There was no need for a prequel, there’s no point going back to the Greek games, and there doesn’t seem to be any sort of vision for the future. After the success of the last game they could’ve made anything they wanted and the idea that they’ve gone for some weird spin-off, rather than pushing anything forward, says a lot to me.
Hoofton

Adult response
I’ve been trying to figure out the logic of why Call Of Duty players are so much more likely to cheat than anyone else. You would’ve thought it’s because they’re all kids, but Fortnite was actually quite low down that list. I think the sad truth is that it’s probably because there’s more adults playing Call Of Duty and they can’t bear to lose to kids, so they show them how grown-ups handle a problem like this and… cheat.

I’ve pretty much given up playing any online game nowadays because of the amount of cheaters. I tend to lose anyway, because I’m not very good at them, but knowing I haven’t got a chance anyway, because of the cheats, just completely puts me off.
Corvey

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Mega music
The Sega Mega Drive is a console remembered from the 1990s, not only as one of the best consoles ever released for that time period, with its incredible library of games still enjoyed by fans today, but also because of the sound chip. Not only was this great competition for Sega’s competitor but it was also responsible for amazing games music. The Yamaha YM2612 was an impressive FM synthesizer which also worked alongside the Texas Instruments SN76489 PSG chip to ensure amazing audio.

You only have to look at classic games and the soundtracks for Streets Of Rage, Sonic The Hedgehog, Road Rash, Golden Axe, ToeJam & Ear and countless more to see just how incredible the music was for games of that era.

In 2026 we are still seeing fans create music using a Sega Mega Drive synthesizer and software to make new music, as well as many fans creating new Sega Mega Drive titles.

If that’s not enough to convince you that the Sega Mega Drive had the best soundtracks for its era just take a look at the hundreds of games released for this system and the top 10 soundtracks for it and hear for yourself why this console inspired gamers to make incredible music for future games consoles.

When you take a look at the new Mega Drive music being made it still sounds good. While the Yamaha YM2612 was limited at the time it still remains one of gamers’ most remembered sound synthesizers.

The Mega Drive’s sound was amazing and even today people still remember it and don’t forget about the amazing memories and times that were had with this awesome 1990s console.
gaz be rotten (gamertag)

Inbox also-rans
I appreciate you still reviewing VR games, but it feels like a losing battle. VR is dead as far as anything but low budget indie games go, and it’s a real shame. Thanks for nothing Sony.
Limpton

So now that Overwatch is popular again does that mean we’re never getting a story campaign for it? I was actually really looking forward to that.
Mick

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The small print
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

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The Tuesday letters page thinks trying to sell Call Of Duty: Zombies separately is a bad idea, as one reader is not upset to see the back of Phil Spencer.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

No way back
My first reaction to the new Xbox boss hinting at a return to exclusives is that she didn’t understand the issue and/or was knowingly hinting at something she knew wasn’t going to happen, just to try and win over fans. That seems straight out of the usual Microsoft playbook, with their desperation for people to like them, and it’s absolutely not something you’d see from Sony or Nintendo.

But in reality I don’t see how they can. If you made something like Fable an Xbox exclusive how many people are actually going to buy it, given it’s on Game Pass day one? Microsoft needs to make money off their games and they can’t do that when Xbox Series X/S sales are so bad. They also can’t wait till the next gen because the RAM shortages mean that’s not going to happen soon enough.

There is no sensible way to bring back exclusives on Xbox and the only unsensible way is to sell the games at a loss, which is the sort of money wasting I’m pretty sure Microsoft has had enough of by this point.
Lemmy

Robo CEO
I initially misread your headline yesterday, ‘Phil Spencer replaced by AI expert as Xbox changes entire management line-up’ due to not noticing for a moment that the headline continued on the next line after the phrase ‘AI’.

For that brief instant it bizarrely didn’t seem that implausible.
ameisa (PSN ID)

GC: Somehow it’s never the execs who are in danger of being replaced with AI, despite the fact that would probably make more sense.

Exaggerated position
Well, Mr Phil Spencer has been given his cards at Xbox, just like the ones he sacked. I wonder if he was pushed or he jumped and as for who is taking over, don’t think anyone would be too worried at Sony or Nintendo.

The only problem with sacking Phil is it’s about 10 years too late. He spent $69 billion on Activision Blizzard and the first full Call Of Duty game under Xbox was a flop. They bought Bethesda for $7.5 billion just so Starfield wasn’t on Sony’s console and that was a flop and is meant to be coming to PlayStation after all.

The only game I have played from Xbox is Indiana Jones And The Great Circle. I know I said I’d never buy an Xbox game but it was a present from the missus and it was so bad it was good, if you know what I mean.
David

GC: No, we don’t. And underperforming doesn’t mean a game is a flop.

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Making cuts
I don’t get that report about Call Of Duty. I can easily believe that Activision will try and sell Zombies as a separate game (and that no one will buy it – it’d have to be free-to-play or nothing) but what was the stuff about Microsoft wanting faster development?

They get a new game every single year, which almost no other game but sports sims do. I know there’s a question about how much the new Xbox boss knows about games, but she’s not started yet. So who are all these dumbos that think you can just press a button and make games quicker? The Call Of Duty games always seem to be made in less than five years, when it really should be more, so what are you going to get if you rush it out even quicker?

No Zombies mode I guess is the answer, but somehow I don’t think that’s going to go down too well with players that are already fed up with the way the series is being run.
Bantor

MovieCentral
I know you guys are pretty busy just keeping up with games, but would you ever consider starting a TV show and film review section for games that have been adapted? I think a review coming from people that actually played the game would give a clearer review than some film student that never made it in the industry.

GameCentral is the only site I read for game reviews and 9 out of 10 times we are in agreement on scores, early God Of Wars being the exemption.
Bobwallett

GC: Thanks, we do usually do some kind of article on the big name ones but Metro already has its own dedicated film and TV reviews. And to be honest we haven’t been particularly interested by any live action video game adaptations.

You win some, you lose some
I’ve got to say thank you for your article on the Virtual Boy games that have popped up on the Nintendo Switch subscription.

I remember it being released almost out of nowhere back in the mid ‘90s.

I also remember the eye-watering cost of the device even after it was discontinued. Having said that, I always had a passing curiosity for the console. I’ve not yet committed to the Switch 2 and your article mentioned that I could still use my Nintendo Labo VR headset on my Switch 1 to play it. So, I got it out of my games room (yes, I have a man cave of stuff nobody wants).

I was not in the mood to wait weeks for the postman to drop it off to my house but as your article stated it would work fine with my Labo VR.

So I took the plunge, as it was a lot cheaper than buying the actual console itself.

Anyway, thank you, VR has always been the next best thing for gaming and that still rings true to this day.

Those games are over 30 years old and if truth be told, the 3D effect was pretty impressive, it’s just a shame it didn’t take off. In a gaming world where production companies will only back safe bets, I have to say kudos to Nintendo for trying to push the envelope.

Not every game is a hit but it’s definitely worth the try if you have the means.
freeway 77

Altering the deal
When I went on the Xbox app last week, to check my reward points towards a £10 Xbox gift card, it went down from 56% or 57% one day to the next day 53%. I thought there was a problem with my phone or Xy xbox account but then the penny dropped a few seconds later and I realised that the
amount of points you need to get £10 has gone up again.

I never saw an announcement for that on Twitter or anything.
Andrew J.

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Single format
Firstly, my heart goes out to Bluepoint Games and the developers losing their jobs, a sad end to a proven great studio.

I’ve always found the discourse around Sony and PlayStation sort of fascinating, as summed up in the recent Reader’s Feature’s hot take. I recently upgraded to PlayStation 5, thanks to the pre-Christmas price cuts and I have to say the lack of first party, triple-A single-player games, and Sony’s ability to churn them out, isn’t something I think about when I’m playing Cyberpunk 2077 or Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

I don’t think the tens of millions on Roblox or Fortnite spend time wondering what Naughty Dog are doing either. I’m not sure why people feel great games only count if they’re exclusive? It seems a very old-fashioned idea given the current state of the industry where mega budget games need to be made as widely available as possible.

A lot of the discourse around consoles right now, between hardcore gamers, seems to assume everyone has a default PC to play games on, that sits in the corner like a washing machine or microwave, and these dedicated machines from Sony or Nintendo are added extras (the reader at the weekend owned a PlayStation 5, Switch 2 and PC – as if that is normal) when the reality for most people couldn’t be further from the truth.

The console is the only way they game, so any game ‘is exclusive’ since they only have one way of playing it and that’s the machine hooked up to the living room TV.

I think it would help everyone if us hyper-engaged gamer types realised the rest of the market isn’t like us, and most people only have one platform that plugs into the TV, and they don’t think about it until they turn it on to pour a few hours a week into whatever.
Marc

GC: The idea that games need to be made as widely available as possible to make a profit is primarily a narrative pushed by Microsoft. It’s certainly never been the case for Nintendo and Sony’s commitment to the PC is limited at best.

Inbox also-rans
Can I be the nerd and point out that Kitana was not in the first Mortal Kombat movie, which was based solely on the first game, so I’m not sure that music really fits (great performance, I loved it!).
Lumpy

I’m going to admit I have never seen or heard of Sarah Bond until this day. I don’t know what she used to do at Xbox but given the state of things at the moment I can only assume she wasn’t very good at it.
Busch

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The small print
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

MORE: Games Inbox: Is Phil Spencer going good news for Xbox?

MORE: Select Games Inbox: Why did Sony shut down Bluepoint Games?Games Inbox: Why did Sony shut down Bluepoint Games?

MORE: Games Inbox: Could memory shortages destroy the console industry?

The delay of the next Xbox has affected Microsoft’s plans for Call Of Duty according to an insider, as it considers making Zombies a standalone title.

While neither Microsoft or Sony has announced release dates for their next gen consoles, they were expected in 2027 or 2028, until the worldwide RAM shortage put a spanner in the works.

Just recently, a report claimed Sony is considering pushing back the PlayStation 6’s launch to 2029 or later. It’s unclear if Microsoft will follow suit, but with Xbox Series X/S sales falling off a cliff, it has more reason to launch the next Xbox sooner rather than later.

Now, an insider has claimed that the next Xbox console *has* been impacted by delays, as it was originally going to come out later this year alongside Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.

This comes from Call Of Duty insider TheGhostOfHope, who has leaked many accurate details about Call Of Duty games in the past. In a post on X, they claim the ‘delay on the next Xbox has ‘hurt’ a lot of COD’s marketing plans’ as Microsoft wanted ‘Modern Warfare 4 to be a launch title and draw a lot of hype to compete with people’s attention alongside GTA 6′.

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, while not yet announced, is expected to be this year’s instalment. It’s rumoured to be set in Korea, and prior reports (also from TheGhostOfHope) claimed it was being developed for the next gen Xbox for 2026.

The reported delay of the next Xbox, however, has Microsoft considering other possibilities, according to the insider. ‘Because of this delay, the idea of two Call Of Duty games launching with the next Xbox has been floated,’ they wrote. ‘A traditional Call Of Duty multiplayer and a standalone Zombies title, presumably developed by Treyarch.

‘Likely similar to that of Infinite Warfare and Modern Warfare Remastered where both released together.’

Additionally, they add: ‘Microsoft want Activision to be more agile and less attached to annualised releases in the future. The consensus is that a more quick and coherent product/development pipeline would have allowed them to cash in on the extraction shooter hype sooner with a DMZ update for example.’

In a follow-up post, TheGhostOfHope clarifies that Activision isn’t going to stop releasing Call Of Duty titles annually, but that ‘stuff like Zombies/DMZ could become paid standalone’ titles which get ‘multi-year support to stay in people’s minds’.

The idea of separating Zombies into a standalone package does make sense considering how content-packed Call Of Duty games are, but we’re not convinced many people will fork out cash to solely play Zombies – unless Microsoft goes the free-to-play approach like Warzone.

The other big question is whether this will impact the value proposition of mainline Call Of Duty titles if these modes are stripped out. A big selling point for Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7, and most previous games, is its breadth of modes despite the lack of evolution – so without that, people might expect more from the campaign and multiplayer portions.

If Microsoft is trying to synchronise the launch of its next gen console with Call Of Duty, it raises the question of what could be exclusive to Xbox, if anything, to attract players over from camp PlayStation.

Microsoft has said Call Of Duty games will remain on Sony’s console following its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, but it’s possible that a standalone Zombies offering, or something else, could be exclusive to the next Xbox.

Whether any of this is true remains to be seen, but it’s likely whatever plans were in place have not only been changed by the memory shortages but also the sudden change in leadership at Xbox.

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