EU retailers: Several retailers no longer stocking physical games as Xbox is such a digital platform

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So what is the next step here, can someone explain? Console sales are flat, GP subs are flat, physical games are not selling. What is Microsoft going to do? Release their games on Playststion?
 
You've got 2 SKUs of your console.
The (most likely) more popular one is digital only
Your future plans leaked including a redesign of the more powerful of the 2 consoles which will also be digital only
Your main sales pitch for the entire gen has been a subscription service for digital games

The newsworthy thing would be retailers deciding to still carry Xbox games.
 
You've got 2 SKUs of your console.
The (most likely) more popular one is digital only
Your future plans leaked including a redesign of the more powerful of the 2 consoles which will also be digital only
Your main sales pitch for the entire gen has been a subscription service for digital games

The newsworthy thing would be retailers deciding to still carry Xbox games.
But GP subs are flat, they are not getting more revenue from it. Console sales are flat as well, meaning no new GP subs (see first sentence).
So what is the strategy here?
 
This is Microsoft's Gamepass strategy. No one should be surprised.

Now that Gamepass subscriber growth has flatlined, it's only a matter of time until hard choices have to be made.
 
Gamepass killed retail faster than they probably wanted but thems the breaks....

This will just shift mind-share towards Sony and Nintendo even more. Normal families shopping for bdays and holiday presents still use retail in droves
 
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No physical games=companies have full control over the price and can keep them high for as long as possible coughnintendocough 🤷🏿‍♂️
 
So what is the next step here, can someone explain? Console sales are flat, GP subs are flat, physical games are not selling. What is Microsoft going to do? Release their games on Playststion?

I'm guessing they'll try and buy another publisher for a grossly inflated price.
 
Digital games are the future whether we like it or not.


Playstation physical is selling way better, of course, but you're putting your blinders on if you don't see that they're prepping for an all-digital future as well.
 
So what is the next step here, can someone explain? Console sales are flat, GP subs are flat, physical games are not selling.
MS excs probably looking at the revenue generated from Activision and wondering why xbox games are relegated to a single console people aren't buying 🤔
 
Digital games are the future whether we like it or not.


Playstation physical is selling way better, of course, but you're putting your blinders on if you don't see that they're prepping for an all-digital future as well.
It's only the future because of companies like Microsoft and Ubisoft trying to push the people into it. Casuals(kids) will eat this idea up but people looking at the big picture know this is a bad idea.

Ask the people who bought most of their ps3, and psp libraries digital only how things are going with that "digital future".
 
So what is the next step here, can someone explain? Console sales are flat, GP subs are flat, physical games are not selling. What is Microsoft going to do? Release their games on Playststion?

They will slowly transition to a 3rd party publisher and xbox hardware will also be slowly phased out. You must blind to not see it coming. All the signs are there.
 
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It's only the future because of companies like Microsoft and Ubisoft trying to push the people into it. Casuals(kids) will eat this idea up but people looking at the big picture know this is a bad idea.

Ask the people who bought most of their ps3, and psp libraries digital only how things are going with that "digital future".

It's not just Microsoft and Ubisoft and it's silly to suggest that. Sony's own backwards compatibility solution for their PS3 and older games is purely digital/streaming. Sony has their own PS+/Game Pass competitor. Sony released their own digital-only PS5. And Sony was the first to bring an optional removable disc drive to market.


All platform holders are prepping for an all-digital future, and from a business standpoint it makes total sense (even though it sucks for many hobbyists like many users here).
 
I renew Gamepass for first party releases i wanna try and then cancel the following month.
Havent purchased an xbox game in years- why would I? I doubt im the only one here.

On top of that- i dont have a use for all those games i dont own.
 
This gen I buy 100% digital both on my Xbox and switch, the only physical games I buy are x360 gems that are not on bc list. MS is going PC route - when was the last time anybody bought physical PC game?
 
I renew Gamepass for first party releases i wanna try and then cancel the following month.
Havent purchased an xbox game in years- why would I? I doubt im the only one here.

On top of that- i dont have a use for all those games i dont own.
I'll try this too for awhile, my sub ends in Feb, staying out until Hellblade 2 in May.
But I assume 95% of the subscribers are just letting the sub stay just like with Netflix or Spotify no matter if they even play something each month or not. That leads to a couple billion dollar per year.
 
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So what is the next step here, can someone explain? Console sales are flat, GP subs are flat, physical games are not selling. What is Microsoft going to do? Release their games on Playststion?
It still amazes me how despite the writing CLEARLY on the wall there were people actually cheering for the ABK deal.

Give some of the industry's biggest IPs to the sinking ship because, money...fucking mental
 
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It's not just Microsoft and Ubisoft and it's silly to suggest that. Sony's own backwards compatibility solution for their PS3 and older games is purely digital/streaming. Sony has their own PS+/Game Pass competitor. Sony released their own digital-only PS5. And Sony was the first to bring an optional removable disc drive to market.


All platform holders are prepping for an all-digital future, and from a business standpoint it makes total sense (even though it sucks for many hobbyists like many users here).
Stop it, everyone knows that the reason Sony's backwards compatibility is done the way it is, that is because of the licensing issues not because Sony wants to move to digital only. Microsoft has stated they are wanting a digital driven future and we all know why. Same for Ubisoft and others.
 
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Stop it, everyone knows that the reason Sony's backwards compatibility is done the way is, is because of licensing issues not because Sony wants to move to digital only. Microsoft has stated they are wanting a digital driven future and we all know why. Same for Ubisoft and others.

Yeah, and Sony released an all-digital console because they don't want to go digital. Get your blinders off.
 
Yeah, and Sony released an all-digital console because they don't want to go digital. Get your blinders off.

You mean the system that had a lot less made than the disk version?

I would think the ratio would favor the digital platform better if they wanted to go full digital. Also another strategy would be to make a digital only console like the Series S.
 
That thread title is some damage control. 🤔😂

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I wanted to say don't hurt the messenger, as this is what Chris Dring said, but he was the messenger too, or was it him doing damage control? Curious to see how this will work for Xbox this year. No games means no reason for the stores to have their products, so Xbox consoles will sell even less probably. Will they ally with some retailers to have a presence until their next gen console appear or will they sell them themselves? I suppose that they can make a deal with Amazon or something like that.
 
I wanted to say don't hurt the messenger, as this is what Chris Dring said, but he was the messenger too, or was it him doing damage control? Curious to see how this will work for Xbox this year. No games means no reason for the stores to have their products, so Xbox consoles will sell even less probably. Will they ally with some retailers to have a presence until their next gen console appear or will they sell them themselves? I suppose that they can make a deal with Amazon or something like that.
I think the lack of a physical store presence will harm the Xbox further. Dring is guessing the reason rather than being told by the retailers. Physical sales cratered for Xbox based on Xbox's plan. When you devalue games, no one buys.
 
So what is the next step here, can someone explain? Console sales are flat, GP subs are flat, physical games are not selling. What is Microsoft going to do? Release their games on Playststion?
Well, if they can't get GamePass on Nintendo or PlayStation consoles and it stays largely stuck to Xbox consoles then chances are that will die next.
 
Digital games are the future whether we like it or not.


Playstation physical is selling way better, of course, but you're putting your blinders on if you don't see that they're prepping for an all-digital future as well.

Sony is positioned either way. The PS5 refresh proves it with the optional disc drive, but keeping their low price point with the digital edition. Microsoft is going full steam into digital-only though, and with all the news about retailers dropping their Xbox inventory, they don't have much of a choice. Microsoft is more comfortable licensing out their software and IP to third parties anyway. That is the business they understand and work well it, and they have as long as they have been a company. Hardware is not a core competency for them, and I truly believe they have no interest in continuing to pursue that. Look at any physical devices they have released, and how poorly they were received and supported. Surface, Xbox, and Hololens are not viable platforms for large organization when rates are so high. It was fine to enter the segment when money was cheap, but just look to the past to see how Microsoft treats their products. They view these divisions the same way as they viewed the Zune.
 
I think the lack of a physical store presence will harm the Xbox further. Dring is guessing the reason rather than being told by the retailers. Physical sales cratered for Xbox based on Xbox's plan. When you devalue games, no one buys.
From our end, it seems obvious. But from Xbox POV, they have relations with retailers, ads for TVs, all that stuff. At some point they have to talk with the Europeans Wallmart/target and work some solution together. We have seen that with Starfield and wallmart. If they just abandon the FNAC and other retailers in Europe, how will they hope to sell their next hardware, be it consoles, peripherals, usb stick for Gamepass? If they are abandonned by them it is another story. As I said earlier, I would make a deal with Amazon to have something if this collapse happen.
 
Digital games are the future whether we like it or not.


Playstation physical is selling way better, of course, but you're putting your blinders on if you don't see that they're prepping for an all-digital future as well.
Digital gaming will further obliterate console sales as they will get pulled from stores, that way lies third party or death.
 
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