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It is time, probably, for all of us - and by us I mean gamers, the gaming press, this site, myself - to move on. To stop bringing it up. The bungled launch of Xbox One two years ago has had a profound effect on the fortunes of Microsoft's gaming brand, but it is a closed book. It is far enough in the past that Xbox reps can now bring it up in conversation with a wry, amused, amazed shake of the head and shrug of the shoulders. And in the here and now, for gamers, it is a practical non-issue.The controversial motion sensor Kinect is optional, not to say forgotten (off the top of my head, I can't think of a single game released for it this year). The console is commercially and, as near as makes no difference, technically competitive with its PlayStation rival: it's available at keen prices in attractive bundles and it has a rapidly expanding library of handsome, well-optimised games. Xbox Live gamers enjoy a reliable and good value service with great fringe benefits. There's a new Halo.
Xbox feels once again like a platform run by gamers for gamers, because that's exactly what it has been since former Microsoft Studios boss Phil Spencer took the reins over a year and a half ago. This year, Spencer's team scarcely put a foot wrong as they put damage limitation and U-turns behind them and got down to business as usual.
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