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Bloomberg: Xbox’s ‘Exclusive’ Video Game Strategy Leaves Everyone Confused

To me, it makes no sense that Starfield doesn't have a PS5 release date. it would make much more sense to get that game on PS5 BEFORE all the DLC releases so that they can sell the season passes separately.

Starfield should already be on PS5 if you ask me.

My thought with Starfield is that because it had such a rough launch that they want to try and make sure to get it as improved as they can before sending it to PS. It already got trashed on Steam which I'm sure hurt sales.
 

Z O N E

Member
I enjoy the choice of consoles that survive.

You'd still be able to buy the game on console... It coming out on PC does not stop that. It's just another way to play the game. Also, with Sony now pushing PSN profiles onto their Steam releases, you'd still be tied down to the PS eco-system, so it's a win either way for Sony.
 
You'd still be able to buy the game on console... It coming out on PC does not stop that. It's just another way to play the game. Also, with Sony now pushing PSN profiles onto their Steam releases, you'd still be tied down to the PS eco-system, so it's a win either way for Sony.

It's not a win if to many people stop buying the console and just use their PC that's the problem. Even on DF when they discussed this Alex mentioned how none of his friends have an Xbox anymore when they used to but they all have a PS5.

You could be right in that it wouldn't be much of a loss to Sony and overall they would make more but we don't know that and you're basically asking Sony to just throw caution to the wind and see what happens. While they are watching their competitor who did exactly what you want them to do crumble.

Once they release their store or get everyone signing into PSN for their games I think at that point they can really start gathering data on how many PC/PS players they have and get a better idea of what kind of hit they are likely to take if they do day and date. I don't think day and date or any consistent schedule will be done until they have that data.
 
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killatopak

Member
lol......I don't think I've ever seen this (from the article)...



Phil Spencer called last gen their "best yet"?

What Is It Reaction GIF by Nebraska Humane Society

He’s right when every device is an Xbox.
 

DryvBy

Gold Member
Pretty much. Microsoft would put all their games on PlayStation day one right now if they could, but there is no easy way out of this mess they created.
Exactly. This is a normal strategy for exiting. They still need to sell inventory so it's normal but the conditioning is "we're going everywhere" and positive spin. It's honestly a good strategy. I expect next year we'll see Gears of War on PS5, maybe Halo. PS6/Switch 2, we're going to be seeing a flood of the classics come over to make mad profits. They have a great historical library to unleash.

And by classics, I mean Blinx 1 and 2 HD.
 
I'm not in the industry outside of gaming as a hobby, but certainly from my point of view it seems like they would've waited to announce the PS5 version of Indy until early 2025, so the Xbox/PC version would've had it's holiday season in the sun. I'm sure the calculus the Xbox management is using is way above my head, but wouldn't announcing the PS5 version now as only being 3-6 months later than the Xbox version negatively impact sales of the Xbox version? So then the question is, why doesn't Xbox care about increasing the sales of a game on their own platform? As a Series X owner, of course if I decide to play it, I would play it on my Xbox or not at all. But clearly they no longer seem to be trying at all to capture new users for their own platform.
 
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Fess

Member
I don’t see less confusion and more consistency anywhere else.

The only consistency is this: If you want all games you need all platforms. If you skip any platform you need to wait for some releases and you never know for how long or if they will ever come.
 
They want to have it both ways because they still think xbox still has some gas in the hardware arena and can turn it around. Nothing short of a SEGA will make them go full 3rd party.
 

Kerotan

Member
I think it's just a case by case basis. They can't wave a magic wand. Star field launched without a ps5 version built so probably will take a while to get a ps5 version out. Doom is early in development so they can manage Day one. Indiana Jones was late in development so April is the earliest they can manage.

I think you can't judge their strategy until we see their late 25 and 26 releases.
 

Sanepar

Member
The only thing that makes sense to me at this point is that they just become a 3rd party publisher like any other and leave the hardware race.

I had high hopes for Xbox at the start of this gen. But I don’t really understand why they’d expect anyone to buy their hardware if you can play more stuff elsewhere. They’ve just made their platform strictly worse.
They didn't. The day they have all their franchises on playstation yes. But now is case by case what brings this mess.
 

Fess

Member
I'm not in the industry outside of gaming as a hobby, but certainly from my point of view it seems like they would've waited to announce the PS5 version of Indy until early 2025, so the Xbox/PC version would've had it's holiday season in the sun. I'm sure the calculus the Xbox management is using is way above my head, but wouldn't announcing the PS5 version now as only being 3-6 months later than the Xbox version negatively impact sales of the Xbox version? So then the question is, why doesn't Xbox care about increasing the sales of a game on their own platform? As a Series X owner, of course if I decide to play it, I would play it on my Xbox or not at all. But clearly they no longer seem to be trying at all to capture new users for their own platform.
They’re just doing classic timed exclusivity.
I really don’t think not knowing when, or if, a game is coming to other platforms is a better strategy. That’s how Sony do it and I hate that since I never know if I have to wait 1 year or 6 years to play a game, makes every release annoying.
 
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A potentially fantastic platform as a console completely mismanaged by phoneys all the while cheered on by zealots and sell out influencers.

If you want your platform to be a success, make it a success from within.


I’m fucking tired of Phil Spencer and his teams reign , he’s had far more time than the others and arguably been more of a failure.

It’s probably too late now which makes it worse
 
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Robb

Gold Member
They didn't. The day they have all their franchises on playstation yes. But now is case by case what brings this mess.
Sure, but the point still stands. If you get PS5 you’ll be able to play all 3rd party games, (not all, but a lot of) both Xbox first party games and Ps5 first party games.

There’s just more on offer in the opposite camp any way you slice it.
 
A potentially fantastic platform as a console completely mismanaged by phoneys all the while cheered on by zealots and sell out influencers.

If you want your platform to be a success, make it a success from within.


I’m fucking tired of Phil Spencer and his teams reign , he’s had far more time than the others and arguably been more of a failure.

It’s probably too late now which makes it worse
Yep it's really wild seeing the way Xbox destroyed themselves. I was a PC gamer and was all in on the 360. I was ready for the Xbox one and then the reveal happened and I was forced to bail on them and go PS4. I didn't want to do it honestly but it turned out for the best. They never delivered games I wanted after that and I didn't realize how many Japanese games I was missing out on.
 

azertydu91

Hard to Kill
They’re just doing classic timed exclusivity.
I really don’t think not knowing when, or if, a game is coming to other platforms is a better strategy. That’s how Sony do it and I hate that since I never know if I have to wait 1 year or 6 years to play a game, makes every release annoying.
Hasn't there almost always been the exclusivity period been written in trailers before the game releases?
 

Katatonic

Member
The problem is that it's like they don't have a clear vision in ANYTHING they do...from game releases to naming their consoles to what their services do. Even the new tiers on Gamepass are a mess and overtly complicated.

The fact they named their consoles:

Xbox
Xbox 360
Xbox One
Xbox One X
Xbox Series S / X

Like what does all of this even mean?
They don't wanna play the number game and look weaker. They count on their audience to fall for it.
 

jm89

Member
This is what I’m waiting for. And don’t forget being able to load up our steam accounts on it.


One box to rule them all!
And what does Xbox get out of this "one box to rule them all"?

Most people will use steam as their storefront. So ms is going to lose out on game sales. Basically accelerating the death of the Xbox platform.

If the hardware is to expensive you lose the casuals who are the majority of the the consoles base. if the hardware is at the lower end then it's no difference to now, and you sell at a loss but this time Xbox store sales is not going to recoup costs as people again will prefer steam.

It's a dumb idea so Xbox doing it would make sense.
 
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Dorfdad

Gold Member
I’m no Xbox zealot but how is this confusing to anyone? The answer is kinda simple. They are learning in the fly. They are trying to find a sweet spot for timed exclusives on Xbox and pc to get people to FOMO and get gamepass while also trying to make the release window appealing to people who will never buy gamepass.

They want to maximize sales while the game is still relevant. No one has really done this so they are bound to flip around to see what numbers look like at different times.

That said just say Xbox game pass exclusive for 12 months and be done. That would allow gamepass and Xbox exclusivity resulting in purchases of the service or 1 year out the game comes to all other platforms.

Maybe 6-8 months is better but there has to be a little time to generate impatience from other console players to push them to your platform.

I know most will disagree but it’s either that or just go full third party and ditch hardware and leave the console business
 

Banjo64

cumsessed
It’s not confusing at all.

There won’t be Xbox exclusives from their first parties moving forward.

They are now trying to find a strategy to ‘exit’ the Xbox console model in a soft way that doesn’t alienate the users. PC hardware with their purchased games available through the Microsoft store seems to be the way with a hybrid PC/console coming next to adjust the users.
 

Shin-Ra

Junior Member
You'd still be able to buy the game on console... It coming out on PC does not stop that. It's just another way to play the game. Also, with Sony now pushing PSN profiles onto their Steam releases, you'd still be tied down to the PS eco-system, so it's a win either way for Sony.
How do you buy the game on a console that doesn’t exist any more? You seem to be missing the point entirely.
 

Mitsurux

Member
This is a messaging issue whether its intentional or not is another question.

Could also be solved quite easily, Microsoft owns ALOT of studios now.. simply divide them up under two different banners:

Microsoft Game Studios

Games developed by these studios (pick what ever ones) under this banner are multi-platform releases (Xbox, PS, Switch, PC)

Xbox Game Studios
Games Developed by these studios (again what ever ones) under this banner are Xbox console exclusives


They could have the interesting position of being both a 3rd party and still support their console business..
 
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