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[Skifi28]

Yeah, it's not looking good. Not that we haven't known for a while now, but I imagine we'll keep getting confirmation. Stuff from major publishers is already starting to skip xbox. Monster hunters stories 1 & 2 is not getting an xbox port.

 

[THE DUCK]

That's very true, it might never happen.

But I don't think Chris is saying he can read the future or anything. He's just relaying what he heard from his conversations with people from Microsoft and other gaming companies during GDC and elsewhere.

Most of it seems balanced, it's when he says most xbox game will come to other platforms that doesn't seem to jive with what we have seen. I guess it should really be qualified.....if he means 5 year old games getting ports, sure, maybe. I mean Sony is releasing thier AAA games on PC, so thats not so far out there. But the "it's over" crap doesn't need to be propegated when signs actually point to new hardware and not day and date AAA xbox games on other platforms.

 

[Ashamam]

So what if I told you they were likely going to ramp up Gamepass, investing more into it

Not sure if there is another tier coming, sounds like possibly

Hah, more like consumers 'investing' more into it. Any new tier will sit below Ultimate, take its price point (Ultimate goes up. A lot) and ditch Day 1. I do not believe the division has been given license to do anything other than make more money, not expand loss leading.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

Hah, more like consumers 'investing' more into it. Any new tier will sit below Ultimate, take its price point (Ultimate goes up. A lot) and ditch Day 1. I do not believe the division has been given license to do anything other than make more money, not expand loss leading.

I believe day 1 is expanding

 

[YeulEmeralda]

It's not like the Xbox games were really setting the charts on fire in the first place.

It's been downhill since Halo CE.

 

[Trogdor1123]

100%

 

[MisterXDTV]

I believe day 1 is expanding

With what???? LOL

 

[balls of snow]

Exactly, that's all I'm saying. A console costs $500 and "lasts" 6/7/8 years currently. In 8 years you see 4 new generations of GPUs alone. To remain in high end PC gaming you're having to at least triple dip on a new system in that amount of time.
I'm not throwing shade at PC gaming, I'm in that ecosystem for decades, but I think sometimes people try to create an artificial war when there's none to be had.
At high end, console and PC markets are not at all competing. 2 completely different segments and a consumer with very different purchasing power.

Of course if someone is on a tight budget and wants to make their investment last, they will need to make a very informed decision. But chances are they aren't any high end PC gamer. Not for long at least.

A smart consumer knows the pursuit of power is futile. Dont give in to fomo. Just get a pc that outperforms the console of the gen preferably a year after launch and ride out until the next gen cometh. Money saved up can get you a playstation on the side for the day 1 exclusives or a Nintendo.

 

[cireza]

Good hardware ala the RROD prone 360, the Kinect, the Xbox One, and the Xbox Series S. Good hardware indeed.

With the exception of the RROD, I don't see any major issues with reliability with these consoles.

 

[Ashamam]

I believe day 1 is expanding

Does that mean they include early access ?

 

[Nydius]

I believe day 1 is expanding

That would be lunacy.

Which means it's believable, given Xbox's track record.

 

[Woopah]

Most of it seems balanced, it's when he says most xbox game will come to other platforms that doesn't seem to jive with what we have seen. I guess it should really be qualified.....if he means 5 year old games getting ports, sure, maybe. I mean Sony is releasing thier AAA games on PC, so thats not so far out there. But the "it's over" crap doesn't need to be propegated when signs actually point to new hardware and not day and date AAA xbox games on other platforms.

We'll probably already see every Minecraft and Activision Blizzard game be multiplatform. And then if we see a few other Xbox games being late ports to other platforms (like Hi Fi Rush and Pertinent) then that would match with Chris saying most games would arrive on at platforms "at some point"

 

[The Last One]

Why? Just get a PC. It's gonna have all the PS5 games anyways.

PC is for work. Better to focus on console gaming for entertainment.

 

[cireza]

So it is irrational bitterness and hatred towards Sony that has driven you to stan for Xbox until it's last gasp? Even though you're demonstrably not getting what you desire out of the platform?

It is much more basic than this. It is being respected as a consumer. And as soon as I feel that this is not true anymore, I stop buying products. You can see church wars everywhere you want, but for the majority of people, it is a very simple matter in the end.

 

[THE DUCK]

PC is for work. Better to focus on console gaming for entertainment.

I agree with this in spirity, but to test the waters again I built my first "dedicated" gaming PC a couple of weeks ago, just to see how I like it hooked to the TV. In the past, it's lack of plug and play drove me nuts, time to try it again. First question I have to tackle is can I wake it from sleep with a controller without a ton of effort........

 

[onQ123]

They Jr'ed me for talking about 4K gaming and how it was going to enable PC gamers to game on the big screen.

 

[hemo memo]

No it is not, subscription needs to die in game.

Spoken like someone who never tried it. “Discover Your Next Favorite Game” is the most accurate advertising for a service I’ve heard in my life.

Bramble? Sllar Ash? Cocoon? Grace? Jusant? I would never have played those if not for GP.

 

[NeverYouMind]

PC is for work. Better to focus on console gaming for entertainment.

Laptops are for work. PCs are for personal computing (it's in the name).

 

[MisterXDTV]

We'll probably already see every Minecraft and Activision Blizzard game be multiplatform. And then if we see a few other Xbox games being late ports to other platforms (like Hi Fi Rush and Pertinent) then that would match with Chris saying most games would arrive on at platforms "at some point"

Are still there dreamers that think it’s a 5-games and done deal?

It’s obvious more are coming soon

 

[Duchess]

The major company who released a big game last year said they don't know why they bother supporting it.

I really want to know who this is!

 

[The Last One]

Laptops are for work. PCs are for personal computing (it's in the name).

Personal Computing designed for work.

 

[Oppoi]

With the exception of the RROD, I don't see any major issues with reliability with these consoles.

Oh what an exeption the RROD was. A little whoopsie!

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

I really want to know who this is!

Bethesda

 

[nosoynadie22]

I believe day 1 is expanding

Free early access for Gamepass subscribers?

 

[NeverYouMind]

I agree with this in spirity, but to test the waters again I built my first "dedicated" gaming PC a couple of weeks ago, just to see how I like it hooked to the TV. In the past, it's lack of plug and play drove me nuts, time to try it again. First question I have to tackle is can I wake it from sleep with a controller without a ton of effort........

Wireless keyboard probably, but gaming controllers are not that well integrated into Windows OS.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Yes it would have been Ubisoft, and the big game could by AC Mirage. The other thought I had was that it could be a Japanese publisher, since they tend to do less well on Xbox than Western ones.

That's a fair point. If the Xbox fans get absorbed by PlayStation and Switch 2 then that would better for them. Of course if Xbox had been an ecosystem that expanded the whole market and brought new people in, then that would have been a different story.

It'll be really interesting to see what happens with the Switch 2.

I think Nintendo has an opportunity to really capture significant market share again if the system is powerful enough. If Switch 2 is a hybrid, I think they'll be hard pressed to compete with the PS5 head to head, certainly not the PS5 Pro.

Sony is in a really unique situation and if they produce a handheld that plays the same skus, that's a big boon for developers but Sony as well.

I think that is where we see some potential growth. I think at this point Microsoft's presence in the industry is probably a distraction more than anything.

 

[onQ123]

I really want to know who this is!

Activision

 

[kazuyamishima]

I really want to know who this is!

It could be Larian or WB.

But I'm pretty sure is Larian.

Funny thing is that it seems that Switch is cannibalising into the Xbox Market Share.

 

[Ashamam]

First question I have to tackle is can I wake it from sleep with a controller without a ton of effort........

A pain point directly referenced by Phil but in relation to handhelds. (relevant to all windows though)

 

[cireza]

Oh what an exeption the RROD was. A little whoopsie!

You had a guy from UPS changing your console directly at your home a couple days later. For the PS3 you had to return to the shop, it would be put on a stack of other consoles and you had to wait weeks to get a replacement, while the shop owner was basically hating Sony for how this was handled. This was the situation in France at least.

 

[xHunter]

Free early access for Gamepass subscribers?

What would that change though? Isnt this just putting the release date a few days earlier? I dont see the point in doing this.

 

[onQ123]

Bethesda

Damnit you beat me to it but I said Activision

 

[Polygonal_Sprite]

Yup - all chatter i've heard since Jan/Feb RE: 3rd party relations, especially in light of the 3rd party XGS game releases news coming out, is that 3rd parties are openly talking about pulling support outside of the (going to become increasingly rare) 3rd Party GP deals. Even said as much back in Feb. on here that 3rd parties were having meetings to discuss potential plans for platform support going forward in light of them going 3rd party.

Since then, all i've heard makes it sound like the 3rd party pullout starting from next year will become increasingly noticeable.

This makes sense especially if you can then divert those development resources to Switch 2 which (if Nintendo don’t fuck it up) will have outsold Series S&X combined inside 18 months. That gives you the Japanese audience aswell as the secondary / handheld console western audience.

I expect almost every single third party game to be on Switch 2 from its first year onwards barring a Wii U like disaster and the new normal to be at announcements - “available on PS5, Switch 2 and PC”.

XGS will also release games for all three platforms and be just fine as the largest third party publisher in the world (especially when they eventually purchase the likes of Ubisoft and EA).

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

I believe day 1 is expanding

What could "day 1 expanding" mean?

 

[Luigi Mario]

Even the most ardent Xbox brand ambassadors have began to acknowledge that you can't significantly grow your sub service with mediocre console sales.
Xbox Series S and X are doing worse than Xbox One launch aligned and we know that most Game Pass subs come from their console and not from PC and definitely not from Smart TVs.
So, they have to pivot with their Game Pass strategy. If that means adding another tier or maybe doubling down on Day 1 releases, we will have to wait and see.

 

[Oppoi]

You had a guy from UPS changing your console directly at your home a couple days later. For the PS3 you had to return to the shop, it would be put on a stack of other consoles and you had to wait weeks to get a replacement, while the shop owner was basically hating Sony for how this was handled. This was the situation in France at least.

Put your console in the oven to fix it cause MS won't replace it! Scratched your disc? Fuck you! Google the history if you want.

 

[nick776]

Just buy a PS5. It's gonna have all the Xbox games anyway.

Devs at this point need to just cut Xbox Series S support especially with games gonna need a ps5 pro version. That console never should have existed.

I wonder if the fate of the Series X and S would have been the same if S hadn't existed and only a Series X were launched in 2020, at a price point of $399.00. I think from a developer perspective, Series S has been a disaster and has hamstrung games.

 

[nosoynadie22]

What would that change though? Isnt this just putting the release date a few days earlier? I dont see the point in doing this.

If early access is exclusive to Gamepass for 7-15 days, maybe advertising will get them subscribers. Let's say the new Call of Duty or Elders Scroll is exclusive to the service for 2 weeks, that should definitely attract new subscribers to the service even if it hurts the game's sales.

 

[MikeM]

I guess MS putting all their eggs in the GP basket really backfired.

 

[Nydius]

You can see church wars everywhere you want

There's a Doritos Pope joke to be had somewhere in here but - damn it - my brain is only firing on half its cylinders today.

 

[Radical_3d]

Just buy a PS5. It's gonna have all the Xbox games anyway.

Devs at this point need to just cut Xbox Series S support especially with games gonna need a ps5 pro version. That console never should have existed.

Series S outsells Series X 75:25. I don’t think that’s a sensible decision to do.

 

[King Dazzar]

Wireless keyboard probably, but gaming controllers are not that well integrated into Windows OS.

I've got mine to wake up and sleep by voice command and Alexa. Its bullet proof reliable too. My wireless keyboard can do it too, but I have that disabled. I'd have thought an Xbox controller with the dongle should be doable. Not so sure about the dualsense though.

 

[onQ123]

Even the most ardent Xbox brand ambassadors have began acknowledge that you can't significantly grow your sub service with mediocre console sales.
Xbox Series S and X are doing worse than Xbox One launch aligned and we know that most Game Pass subs come from their console and not from PC and definitely not from Smart TVs.
So, they have to pivot with their Game Pass strategy. If that means adding another tier or maybe doubling down on Day 1 releases, we will have to wait and see.

You can if you can get the kids to notice Gamepass while they are on their phones & tablets .

 

[Banjo64]

You had a guy from UPS changing your console directly at your home a couple days later. For the PS3 you had to return to the shop, it would be put on a stack of other consoles and you had to wait weeks to get a replacement, while the shop owner was basically hating Sony for how this was handled. This was the situation in France at least.

This is revisionist history at best and outright trying to manipulate the truth at worst.

Microsoft downplayed 360 technical faults for 20 months after launch.

If your launch console died outside of the 90 day warranty, you had to pay shipping and repair costs. It was only in July 2007 that they extended it to a 3 year warranty and took a $1b hit.

For everyone’s reference, Sony reported that the yellow ring of death affected around 0.5% of consoles. Estimates on the RRoD range from 24% to 54%.

Stacks of broken PS3s my arse.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

What could "day 1 expanding" mean?

"Expanding" to higher tiers...then "contracting" to higher tiers

 

[Synless]

We are watching the slow death of God turned mortal.

 

[solidus12]

 

[Topher]

We are watching the slow death of God turned mortal.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

What could "day 1 expanding" mean?

We will revisit this thread in about 11 weeks or so

 

[panda-zebra]

So what if I told you they were likely going to ramp up Gamepass, investing more into it

Not sure if there is another tier coming, sounds like possibly

There's no way going to be another tier, it's already too messy. I absolutely believe they're not done screwing with the offerings and pricing though. My bet has always been to effectively raise prices and remove day one 1P games from a standard GP offering. Renaming Gold to GP Core was the first step, the lube to ease people into the idea.

Back when they announced Core like this:

Today, we're continuing our commitment to give players more choice and value by introducing Xbox Game Pass Core

...they didn't actually offer any more choice than there was previously and there was less value given prior price hikes, conversion nerfs and gold games vanishing.

So I'd temper expectations as to what any Game Pass "investment" and "expansion" might actually equate to in real terms and in the context of what was on offer before. The only new tier of Game Pass that makes sense to me right now (or within the next 24-36 months when porting could be advanced) is one of 100% pure 1st party offerings on platforms where all the licensed 3rd party stuff in GP is already available, i.e. PS, Switch, Steam. That's how you grow GP in my eyes.

EDIT: Well, lol...

Does that mean they include early access ?

Free early access for Gamepass subscribers?

That's too toasty even for MS...

1. Offer day 1 Game Rental service.
2. Offer early access and a few trinkets for extra money on top.
3. ????? - (In this case, offer a new sub tier that gets you all the FOMO shit in 2. without having to pay extra each time!!!1 Literally paying more for what you used to get anyway).
4. Profit

They'd really apply the manufacture-a-problem, sell-the-solution GaaS game strategy to the actual sub service? Will people be that stupid? Looooooooool.