Chobel
Member
I think it means nothing, just PC announcement caught many by surprise.
Microsoft Releasing Exclusive Games on PC Is Great for Xbox Owners
- Thread starter dancrane212
- Start date
I think it means nothing, just PC announcement caught many by surprise.
Hmmmmmm, I thought it was interesting. Halo 5 one got to 4.2 million on its 5th game in the series. QB got to 3 million 1.5 months before launch on a new IP.
Seems that it's just me, then.
I'm not trying to attach a ratio to it, but I do think it's positive.
I think it's tough to correlate that. Youtube views does mean interest, it's tough to see if it means sales.
RotTR trailer had 2m views sold a lot less.
KZ:SF trailer had 1m views and ended up selling more.
TLoU remastered trailer had 4m veiws sold around 4m games.
There were hardly any xb1s on the market when Titanfall dropped and it didn't do much to push xb1 sales.
I don't think hype didn't turn into sales. And I think that if QB ends up being a quality title, it will sell more, in part due to the larger installed base...
Honestly when I first made the comment, I'd forgotten about Titan fall...but yeah I still think QB has a shot. We'll see
Bitch Pudding
Member
Yeah. No. Not really. The prospect of a couple of hundred thousand potential PC customers doesn't make up for the loss of a 35 million PS4 user base, 50 million by the end of this year. So, no, you're clutching to straws here.
Pathfinder
Member
I respectfully disagree with you, as I feel you're not looking at the big picture.
When did this become about making up for Ps4 sales? I thought is was about Maximizing sales of MS games and increasing usage of MS services.
...
Quantum Break will be released on Xbox One and PCs running Windows 10.
I disagree that that should be called "Xbox exclusive"... Windows is not Xbox. The term "exclusive" also really annoys me when talking about games that are on more than one platform.
I guess I should drop it, but trying to make category that includes Titanfall (Xbox One, Xbox 360, PCs running Origin) but disallows Helldivers (Playstation 4, Vita, PCs running Steam) seems silly.
A game is multi-platform, or it's exclusive to one platform. Keep it simple.
They are focusing on the ecosystem but it's not about the end points in and of themselves (meaning the xbox one console nor the Windows 10 PC). It's about getting users to their store and using that store as a gateway to get developers to make apps because people are using that store and MS getting that 30% revenue from those sales (those developers include businesses). It's also about using the store and user engagement from it to get OEMs to make Windows 10 devices (PCs, Laptops, Phones, Tablets, and future devices) and getting money from those OEM licenses.
That's basically all to say that Xbox (the platform) funnels into the Windows aspect of the company. Satya Nadella said that MS has 3 products (basically) Azure, Windows, and Office. Everything around the company is going to funnel into those businesses. Windows itself is not just the PC OS, it is the OS for all the device points that MS will support.
Xbox is one of those important pieces of Windows because gaming is a 23.5 billion dollar industry. Microsoft wants the money in there (that's why they announced a subscription war chest for Minecraft today). They want to be where the gamers are and gamers are in front of a PC, in front of a TV, in front of a Tablet, in front of a Phone. The odds of having their games on their platform on all of those devices have a better chance than just one single device (console). This is the endgame for Xbox and why it won't go away.
Windows is the platform. Xbox One and PC are devices.
Very simple. Eventually people will start saying Windows exclusive with regard to Microsoft published games. Just give it time.
Chobel
Member
Oh its the hype that sells not quality, and quality means nothing if you can't transform it into hype. Plus larger install base doesn't guarantee bigger sales.
And QB has no shot to beat Titanfall, like at all. Being an SP only game will hurt its sales potential a lot.
EDIT:
You can bet if it wasn't for Titanfall, XBO would have been in very deep shit.
Bitch Pudding
Member
Trup1aya, Pathfinder, let me explain. I think the main driver for exclusive games, be it 1st or 3rd party, is XBOX One, not PC. If "XBOX One has no gamez" (please apologize the dig at PS4) becomes a meme, this might negatively affect XBOX One sales in the future, hence jeopardizing the strategy to sell more games (adjusted by the larger install base in forthcoming years obviously). If that happens remains to be seen, but our monthly sales thread will indeed be interesting™.
I mentioned PS4 in this context because of opportunity costs for developers and publishers. Driven by a strong upcoming 1st party lineup and (maybe) PSVR, PS4 is about to widen the gap between XBOX One, making it even harder for MS to a) negotiate new deals for 3rd party exclusives and b) justify any investments in order to do so towards their shareholders. Besides, if a game bombs on XBOX One, there is zero chance PC sales will pull the chestnuts out of the fire for MS. The risk minimization effect by also offering a game for PC (and here for the Windows store only) is almost zero.
I mentioned PS4 in this context because of opportunity costs for developers and publishers. Driven by a strong upcoming 1st party lineup and (maybe) PSVR, PS4 is about to widen the gap between XBOX One, making it even harder for MS to a) negotiate new deals for 3rd party exclusives and b) justify any investments in order to do so towards their shareholders. Besides, if a game bombs on XBOX One, there is zero chance PC sales will pull the chestnuts out of the fire for MS. The risk minimization effect by also offering a game for PC (and here for the Windows store only) is almost zero.
Larger installed based doesn't guaruntee sales. But it helps.
Pre-launch hype doesn't guaruntee sales either, but it helps.
Quality doesn't guaruntee sales either, but it helps.
Same with effective marketing.
Infact, nothing guaruntees sales. Previous success and brand stregnth are the only reliable leading indicators, and even those can be miss leading.
At the end of the day, it takes a nebulous combination of all of these factors to have a game that sells exceptionally well.
Also, Titan fall really didn't move the needle interms of xb1 sales. Sure having a strong-ish exclusive at that time of year was better than having nothing....
Well, you best get used to it, because the Xbox platfrom is now part of the Windows platform, and come E3 you'll be seeing a lot more of the following for all Microsoft Exclusives:
That's very explicit from Microsoft.
I see what you are saying. I really do. I just don't think it's reflective of how the general gaming audience makes purchases.
Nor do I think it likely that 3rd parties consider shunning the xb1 during this generation.
If a gamer prefers to play on consoles, and is interested in playing quantum break, he's going to buy an Xbox 1. The availability of QB on PC is not going to have any bearing on his choice of hardware, because he's not considering PC. The same goes for all of the other 1st party titles. This type of gamer is the one who goes on to buy 3rd party titles and XBL subscriptions. This customer is the money maker on consoles.
Generally, the only folks who will lose incentive to by an xb1 are those who are ONLY interested in exclusives. This type of customer was never going to buy many multiplats on xb1 because they have a better way to play these games. They also weren't likely to purchase XBL, because they spend so little time using the system. This customer was never going to generate much $ for the console side of the business. So shifting this user to the Win10 store doesn't COST anything. he's still JUST buying the 1st party software. Then, there is additional $ made from the PC gamers who never would have touched an xb1 in the first place, so it's a net gain for MS.
Sure there are plenty of folks who split time and resources between PC and console gaming, and they will continue to do so. These folks typically value the auxiliary benefits and features of both platforms and those things don't go away with exclusivity.
There is no threat to 3rd parties losing interest in developing xb1 games. Even at a distant 2nd, Microsoft accounts for about 1/3 of 3rd party console revenues... They are never going to give that up. That's huge.
Nah, they're not going to throw away the Xbox brand. It's like Netflix, platform-agnostic. "Netflix exclusive" and can be watched on iPhones, iPads, PCs...etc.
So important he doesn't mention the sub division?
#2 platform in sub portion that 23.5b industry which has strongly resisted their attempted at taking a bigger chunk.
This is the endgame for Always Online and why it won't go away
This is the endgame for Kinect and why it won't go away
This is the endgame for Games for Windows – Live and why it won't go away
This is the endgame for Windows Phone and why it won't go away
This is the endgame for Zune and why it won't go away
This is the endgame for Metro and why it won't go away
This is the endgame for Windows Kin and why it won't go away
This is the endgame for Windows Tablet PC and why it won't go away
This is the endgame for Windows Bob and why it won't go away
Just because there is a potential upside does not mean they will achieve it, nor will they support something unquestioningly. They've made their play at that potential upside in gaming and stores; and come up short a few times.
In many of the things you mention they have already tried, already failed and are trying again. It doesn't mean they will commit the resource indefinitely and each failure makes continued attempt less likely.
PS. Something good for the MS ecosystem is not guaranteed to be good for the XB1 platform.
Bitch Pudding
Member
There's no guarantee for anything, the world can blow up and none of this matters. Obviously it's my speculation but if Xbox is supposed to mean gaming on Windows (more than just PC), I don't see anything going away.
So when Office went free for iOS, Android and W10 mobile/tablets for devices smaller than 10 inches (or web)...Office is going to die? There was an endgame with Office 365 and it's working...getting subscriptions, never pay for new versions. You could say all the points you did for Xbox and apply it to Office and it going free and you could end up to your doom and gloom aspect of it. It takes a while to see that the Xbox is struggling so bad that it's not beneficial for MS. MS isn't giving up on Windows 10 mobile (they just aren't going to be a big phone OEM...they want other OEMs to do the hard part and they have their "surface" device to inspire innovation) #shrug
As I said, something good for the 'ecosystem' is not necessarily good for a particular user or class of users. Spinning a obvious negative to a positive is the key problem. It is definitively negative for XB1 owners. Likely good for fans of MS game studios.
Sometimes it feels like talking about bitcoin.
Bitcoin has gone up 25% over the weekend, obviously good for bitcoin
Bitcoin has gone down 25% over the weekend, obviously good for bitcoin
Bitcoins biggest market shut down and millions stolen over the weekend, obviously good for bitcoin
Bitcoin 2nd biggest market had millions looted over the weekend, obviously good for bitcoin
Bitcoin crytographically cracked and all of it is worthless, obviously good for bitcoin
I'd agree that it doesn't definitively mean the end of the console nor does it mean a steep immediate decline.
But I'm saying it does make it less likely there will be a successor.
For Word on mobile. They are trying to get back some portion of the market share they're losing to google apps; from folks who don't know how to use or require the advanced formatting features.
'm not sure how successful that will be.
As a move, it at the very least says their priority is revenue from their game studios and the windows 10 store.
It does imply their priority is not the XB1. If they decide to exit the console platform business it won't be as dramatic as Sega. They just won't announce a successor. So I agree. It'd take years.
StrongBlackVine
Banned
Ok, fine. And it looks like Sony is doing something similar with the Street Fighter V box art. it says "PS4 Console Exclusive Game".
It doesn't mean I have to like it, though.
They've been doing it with 3rd and second party games for a while. This will be a first with first party games.
AmaterasuOni
Banned
Yeah, it really looks like MS is always in a wrong place at the wrong time. They missed their PC, console and mobile gaming opportunities. They make some bucks, but when you look at the competition, they're not doing that well. Maybe they should start somekind of co-op with some other company which does these things better than them?
Just think of Xbox as a platform like Netflix is a platform.
Now if Sony releases a PlayStation Store PC client, they could use PlayStation exclusive in the same manner.
It's not platform agnostic though, it's (going to be) Windows 10 device agnostic. It'll evolve to be synonymous with Windows.
Maybe they eventually want to take it in the same direction of Office, making it OS and device agnostic, but that's not what they're doing right now.
DriftingSpirit
Member
I believe Infamous Second Son considerably outperformed both Infamous and Infamous 2.
Yeah apparently it topped 1million in 9 days. Surprising to me because people seemed disappointed with it around launch time...
It was easily the best game on the console at the time of launch though...
I've stated this before but MS has a bunch of their owned IP's on Steam as well.
Unless Microsoft's been using Steam as a testing ground for their Windows 10 gaming service their PC strategy is all over the place.
They didn't? Since when? They did very well given the install base of the consoles at the time.
Bolivar687
Banned
Probably a testing ground for which IPs to invest in first. Really would not be surprised to see AoE4 as a big pusher of Windows Store.
What puzzles me though is why release Cobalt on 360, Xbox One, and Steam? Shouldn't they have just waited to release it on Windows 10?
Granted they still have the option of adding it to the Windows 10 store whenever they want (as well as their other IP's) but the fact that they still put it on Steam instead of the Windows store seems a bit at odds with what they're doing. Due to this a part of me thinks that Steam will also be a part of their PC strategy in the future.
Mojang was already developing the game before MS bought them so they continued to make it. They'll probably release it on W10 store as well. It's only an oddball for that reason though.
Makes sense.
I'm guessing the MS games available on Steam will find their way to the Windows 10 store and will likely stay on Steam unless in the unlikely event MS takes them off of there.
Freeman
Banned
Interesting.
Why is it better for them that there's some overlap?
Of those 92m how many own Xboxs?
Night Angel
Member
Seems to me that the overlap would indicate the market of gamers who would own a capable gaming PC that would now pass on an XB1 is larger than some are claiming in this thread.
I know I sure as shit regret buying my XB1 and am probably going to sell it in an almost unused condition.
The chart kind of implies this will have a drastic impact on XB1 game sales rather than a marginal one as it suggests XB1 owners frequently also play on PC and frequently spend money on both.
It's also a somewhat poorly formatted infographic. As the 1st data line could be confused for labels for the 2nd data line.
Mass_Pincup
Banned
I'm in the same boat, funny that the people who said all over this thread that close to no console owners was interested in PC gaming haven't responded to it.
The numbers seem high; it certainly reflects my social group but we're all ''gaming is all we do to fill the vast gaping maw of our meaningless existence'.
Then again PC's and PC like devices are ubiquitous.
Are they counting tablets? Is it a skewed sampling pool?
Nah, that's you making leaps about why the overlap exists to fit your mindset.
If you think it's purely because of exclusive games, then you are sorely mistaken.
Crayon
Member
So you rebuttal is: I'm right because your wrong. quod erat demonstrandum.
I think that lacks a lot of substance.
If the chart is correct (seems high to me) then it means the damage to the XB1 platform game sales will be higher but the upside effect for the windows 10 store will also be higher.
Folks will buy games on a console because:
- They don't own anything else
- They can't get it elsewhere
- They want it in the living room, and don't care to bridge a PC there
- They don't own something that can run it
The chart implies reason 1 is less true. They are explicitly removing reason 2. That leaves the last 2. Also as a case study, just the last 2 resulted in extremely low sales of the XB1 Rise of the Tomb Raider. We knew it was coming to PC eventually it devoured it sales numbers.
Yeah both titles did much better than I remember.
It really looks like KillZone did well because in many places your couldn't buy a ps4 w/o one. The sales numbers vs the amount of people who were playing it online tell two different stories.
I was totally mistaken on the Infamous.
I can't see QB benefiting from Bundles like either of these games. So it'll have to take full advantage of the larger installed base, be kickass, get great reviews, and be marketed well to surpass some of these earlier releases.
1) Possibly more financially successful exclusives which could in turn help bring about more investments in them.
2) Having more games available to the console due to the ease of porting from Windows 10 to the Xbox One so more 3rd party support, indy's, and an extra Japanese title or two.
3) Higher online population on exclusives.
I am an Xbox owner and there is plenty of benefits (which I will not reiterate for the 10th time), but then again, I own a gaming PC also.
Take that with a grain of salt, only a fraction of those people who also play on PC have a PC with a true gaming card that could play QB. And i do not see a large portion going out to buy a $200-$300 vid card so theycan. Its skewed.