Killjoy-NL
Gold Member
The most retarded thing about all this, is that with their GP strategy, they basically doubled-down on the already rejected original OG XBO plans.
Microsoft is Not Ready to Deprioritize Xbox Consoles
- Thread starter Lunatic_Gamer
- Start date
- Analysis Hardware Platform
DeltaPolarBear
Member
The only reason they did it was not to offer better games or better services, but because it offers synergy with Microsoft's cloud servers. This is one of the classic case of "it is what the company wants, who cares what the customer wants" situation. Microsoft was trying to build a market for a product that isn't actually desired.
Granted, the same happened with Sony and its PSVR. They tried to push for it the best they could, but with no real ability to support it with software there is just no hope. I wanted PSVR to work, I really did. But Sony is busy making games for the base console and have no time to focus on VR titles.
The difference is that Sony can at least sell the headset for PC later on. Microsoft just has no use for a Gamepass that isn't making money.
Killjoy-NL
Gold Member
You're not wrong.
At the very least VR isn't the core of the business, unlike Xbox who manages to completely ruin their entire brand.
As for VR, the tech and experiences are cool, but until they can make it affordable and with proper games to support it, unfortunately it's just dusty paper-weight.
And at best it will remain niche.
SimTourist
Member
I don't think anyone will come into the market in place of MS, everyone saw that MS failed despite sinking untold billions into Xbox, they never made any profit in 25 years and competing is impossible at this stage.
Cyberpunkd
Member
Yes, because to them it was not the concept that was flawed but the timing. It might still be the case, maybe cloud will take off in a big way, but Xbox will not be there to see it.
DeltaPolarBear
Member
And did you think Sony had billions to waste? You are implying Xbox was given an impossible task, when you forgot the possibility that the leaders in Xbox could just be basket cases.
Microsoft sunk Billions into Xbox not because they had to, but because money is all they had. Xbox tried to bribe their way into success, and that doesn't work for running a business. You need to make the stuff people want, at the minimum, and Xbox just failed at that.
You are giving both Xbox and PlayStation too much credit. Xbox didn't fail because their job was too hard, Xbox just sucked. And PlayStation didn't succeed because they are infallible, they are just LESS BAD than Xbox.
There are some things that money can't buy. Like Talent.
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Ashamam
Member
Apple might, well kind of already have, but it won't look like a regular console. I could see them supercharging Apple Arcade with titles though, they have been laying the hardware groundwork since the M1 release. A series hardware is starting to look more than capable for a casual version of AAA titles. Personally I'd like to see some sort of Playstation/Apple collaboration around dev tools/emulation. Allowing PS code to easily port to Apple Metal or vice versa. Maybe even something deeper than that with hardware.
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Vroadstar
Member
xrnzaaas
Member
Microsoft fucked up with their overall strategy:
- Xbox exclusives aren't a thing anymore. You can play first party games on PC and soon they'll be arriving on PS5/Switch2 as well. So absolutely zero incentive to buy another Xbox.
- Game Pass can't be profitable based on the current model and it can't grow since Sony won't allow it (at least not in its full form) on their ecosystem, because it would be too strong compared to their PS+ subs.
Someone would need to have the balls to make drastic changes, like go back to console exclusives or remove day1 games from Game Pass. That won't happen, because the leads at Microsoft expect results, especially after spending billions on ABK, not another hit caused by unpopular decisions.
- Xbox exclusives aren't a thing anymore. You can play first party games on PC and soon they'll be arriving on PS5/Switch2 as well. So absolutely zero incentive to buy another Xbox.
- Game Pass can't be profitable based on the current model and it can't grow since Sony won't allow it (at least not in its full form) on their ecosystem, because it would be too strong compared to their PS+ subs.
Someone would need to have the balls to make drastic changes, like go back to console exclusives or remove day1 games from Game Pass. That won't happen, because the leads at Microsoft expect results, especially after spending billions on ABK, not another hit caused by unpopular decisions.
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Killjoy-NL
Gold Member
Maybe, but as far as something like GP or PS Now goes, it won't be the future.
BlackTron
Member
Point is Xbox consoles end when Microsoft want them to. It has never been dictated by the ability of the console to support itself, so I wouldn't assume they end now just because it made sense, or something.
Killjoy-NL
Gold Member
80% of GP subs is on Xbox consoles.
Xbox is in the worst possible position to be in.
bitbydeath
Gold Member
People realise this is an opinion piece right?
DeltaPolarBear
Member
The console is becoming a smaller and smaller part of Xbox due to Activision coming in. We know how it ends.
BlackTron
Member
I'm sure most people here would love it if Xbox was an actual competitor. We rooted for them to stop sucking even when they already had for a decade. Many of us, including me, bought Series X and then sold it. Believe it or not, we weren't hoping PS5 wouldn't have competition when we purchased it. Maybe we just think that trash brands/products deserve to fail in a market instead of continually trolling and tricking us. MS has dragged a lot of shit with them into the console business, basically spending money to inorganically fuck with it, which did more to make Sony lame than anything else.
They haven't kept Sony in check since 360, it's time to let go of this. Switch 2 is Sony's biggest problem.
BlackTron
Member
Not necessarily. MS is the kind of company that will keep making their own console just to save face.
Again, it was never tied to the numbers working out. Never ever.
DeltaPolarBear
Member
How do I buy a Zune in 2025? Guess i can't.
BlackTron
Member
I think that production of Zune was tied to its profitability.
Xbox literally never was from day zero
See the difference? Of course they might end consoles, but it's silly to just assume they will do that for the same reasons other companies would stop doing something.
Sanepar
Member
We can have competition with Nintendo and PC or even a more competent player on this market.
During the whole ABK fight people were saying Nintendo doesn't count as competition. Funny how now it suddenly does.
TheGodfather07
Member
"Phil is exhausted, let that man rest!"....
Phil has so much baggage. He would need to leave for a fresh face to take over and present a new narrative/strategy/plan, etc. Until that happens, any "optimistic future/plan/strategy " will be dragged down by Xbox's track record under him. (and this is only from a PR perspective).
This is why no one (except Xbox fanboys) believes or takes seriously whatever their current plan is.
Phil Spencer is not a good leader.
Those fuckers will cling onto anything to keep their youtube channels alive. We're about to see publisher fanboyism to a level we've never seen before. Its not even just the xbox brand. These guys are emotionally attached to Microsoft as a whole. If Microsoft made toasters and microwaves, they would buy them and scream about how great they are!
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BlackTron
Member
To be fair, I do suspect Switch 2 will be more directly competing with Playstation than Switch 1. Yes, Switch has always taken away a few sales, but it might be a strong alternative this time with more hardware power and diminishing exclusives on PS. It will be a bigger problem than Xbox.
Killjoy-NL
Gold Member
Nintendo always was competition. The main competition was just Xbox vs PS, as they were competing over the same demographic.
The moment Xbox exits, Nintendo will automatically become PS' main competitor in the console space as they were pre-Xbox.
Thinking otherwise is ignorant.
Ozzy Onya A2Z
Member
Weird how similar posters reveal themselves against consolidation by Xbox/MS but now push the rhetoric of a Sony/Nintendo duopoly in the console space.
Facts are Xbox consoles aren't going anywhere, neither is Game Pass and Xbox are a dominant publisher now and growing. Whether they can attract buyers to their console hardware remains to be seen.
Facts are Xbox consoles aren't going anywhere, neither is Game Pass and Xbox are a dominant publisher now and growing. Whether they can attract buyers to their console hardware remains to be seen.
DownLikeBCPowder
Member
Don't you need to.. own the game on PSN to leave a review..? I know that's definitely true of Steam.# of user reviews left being counted as total player count.
This is some world class smooth brain stuff right here
Exclusives attract console purchases. Microsoft's strategy no longer includes that - how is that going to work, exactly?
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ComboBongo
Member
They're definitelty Microsoft games, and games that they've decided to put on all other platforms as well as their own. From the position they're in, they have to and it makes perfect business sense. Game Pass clearly isn't a priority as it once was and neither is console hardware. They will still do both if it makes money or has a strategic benefit, otherwise they will naturally disappear over time. The more studios and IP they own then the use of Azure will increase, and putting games everywhere will only increase that further.
Shaki12345
Gold Member
Exactly. Microsoft going 3rd party ia the smartest thing they could do.
This is the big issue with their new approach. They went with everything's an Xbox, but it was just a marketing campaign with no substance behind it.
I own hundreds of games digitally in the Xbox ecosystem. Now that everything is an Xbox, I can play very few of them on anything that isn't an Xbox console - the one thing they've been clear isn't a priority.
They had a shot for 'this is an Xbox' to land in a big way. But they should have only rolled that out when other devices can play all purchasable games from the Xbox Store without needing a subscription. You know, like an Xbox.
Ozzy Onya A2Z
Member
- Loss leading on performance
- Loss leading on price
- First to market in faster cycles with better features e.g. Google Pixel
- Upgradeability?
- Hybrid handheld and powerhouse dock option at any upgrade time
- Better ecosystem
- Cheaper titles and add-ons with Game Pass discounts
- Backwards compatibility
- Ownership for crossplatforms e.g. buy on stream or PC or Xbox or ultimate sub and have it on every device
- Value
- Great library via GP
- Day one parity
- AI/Azure bundles or integration. MS have massive $80+ Billion a year investment here
- Great games as we are seeing late last year and the line up for 2025
- Add-ons e.g. elite or adaptive controllers
- Ease of development for studios/devs and crossplatform or marketing support
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Killjoy-NL
Gold Member
It's the only thing they can do.
What other options are left, realistically?
GamePass is stagnant and heavily reliant on Xbox console sales.
GP on PC is a tiny portion.
Consoles aren't selling.
Games aren't selling due to GP.
ComboBongo
Member
And their software and services will likely be incredibily successful with this strategy. It's a no brainer.
Killjoy-NL
Gold Member
Not sure if I'd go that far, but it's the only option left to run a sustainable business for now.
ComboBongo
Member
Really? All those titles across PS5, Switch 2, PC and Xbox consoles. Cross play, progression, messaging, achievements etc. All inevitably running on Azure. They will print money.
Killjoy-NL
Gold Member
That's assuming all those games will sell enough copies on all those platforms.
And this move will make console sales decrease even more, so those actual game sales will become even more important.
RCU005
Member
The biggest mistake Microsoft did this generation was the Xbox Series S.
When last generation ended, they had a lot of good will from players for their next console. When they showed it for the first time at VGA, many people were excited. Everyone had agreed to a $500 price tag when rumors and speculation started about the cost of the new console.
But then, they had to focus on the competition instead of themselves as they always do, and trying to undercut Sony in price, so they failed miserably, and are back to the basement.
When last generation ended, they had a lot of good will from players for their next console. When they showed it for the first time at VGA, many people were excited. Everyone had agreed to a $500 price tag when rumors and speculation started about the cost of the new console.
But then, they had to focus on the competition instead of themselves as they always do, and trying to undercut Sony in price, so they failed miserably, and are back to the basement.
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HeisenbergFX4
Gold Member
Xbox consoles aren’t going away just yet, to the dismay of many here I might add (not you)
They may look vastly different moving forward though
HeisenbergFX4
Gold Member
The forced parity between the S and X was a disastrous approach
jm89
Member
Some of us just see the reality of the situation
Yeah, that what 3rd parties do.
Dr.Morris79
Gold Member
Looks like I beat Microsoft to it then 
Good headphone charger and VLC player though
Good headphone charger and VLC player though
Horseganador
Member
Sega left with dignity and speaking clearly, we abandoned the hardware market and became a third party, Xbox has been driving people crazy for a year, there are only 4... there are only 4 and Indiana Jones, there are no red lines..., we want people to play everywhere, etc... ridiculous.
Klayzer
Member
Yeah. PC, mobile, and Nintendo doesn't exist, apparently.I know it is hard, but lay off the hyperbole man
Zacfoldor
Member
Honestly, with console goes the gamepass subs, especially those that were paid for at full price.
Unless things change, a lot, the day Xbox console dies is the day MS goes full 3rd party publisher. Sure, they could try with gamepass on PC but it will fail to ever break even.
Their only hope is to ride the console for another cycle and hope things change for them on PC.
Unless things change, a lot, the day Xbox console dies is the day MS goes full 3rd party publisher. Sure, they could try with gamepass on PC but it will fail to ever break even.
Their only hope is to ride the console for another cycle and hope things change for them on PC.
ComboBongo
Member
Absolutely. Look at COD sales increasing on PS in 2024. They've got all the older titles, Halo, Gears, AoE etc that will all do decent numbers when sold on other platforms. It's not hard to see all the new titles doing really well either.
fallingdove
Member
What is this moronic narrative that is emerging. Half of the game of the year nominees this year were only on PlayStation.
And what amazing Microsoft games are swooping in to save the day?
Doom, Indy, and…Call of Duty? Yeah, Sony would be in trouble without these titles…
Shaki12345
Gold Member
Dude it's a joke in some way and in some way it isn't. Where are the Sony games in 2025? I own all consoles and am VERY disappointed with the PS5 as is the majority of this forum according to our own poll here.What is this moronic narrative that is emerging. Half of the game of the year nominees this year were only on PlayStation.
And what amazing Microsoft games are swooping in to save the day?
Doom, Indy, and…Call of Duty? Yeah, Sony would be in trouble without these titles…
Microsoft going 3rd party is a good thing for the industry and a good thing for Playstation owners and for gamers in general.
I want to see more bang for my buck when it comes to Sony exclusives. There's almost no reason to own a Playstation anymore since most of their games are coming to PC anyway.
Sony made big mistakes by putting lots of money and effort into live service crap nobody asked for and spent way too much time, money and effort into games that shouldn't been as expensive as they were. It's complete mismanagement. So yes, in this particular case (2025) Microsoft and other 3rd parties are there to give the PlayStation owner something to do. "Saving" the player from complete boredom.
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