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[Heisenberg007]

I have a theory that Microsoft has tightened the noose around Xbox and is now demanding better financial returns.

There are multiple evidence of it and even hints by Phil Spencer that point to that. Increasing Xbox console price is a result of that, in my opinion.

And all that's fair, and good for them, but my point stands. Their business has not gone the way they thought it would go by this point.

And there is reason to believe -- plenty of evidence and quotes by Phil -- that Microsoft may be demanding a better performance from them. There is also strong evidence that Microsoft has cut the Xbox budget by a meaningful amount.

All these price hikes seem to be because Microsoft is tightening the noose around the Xbox division.

 

[DenchDeckard]

What a shitshow the Xbox brand has become and it’s only getting worse.

Time to fire Spencer and whoever else and start a fresh book because fucking hell at this point.

Are these posts from real people?

This news is what pushed you to post this? Average MS employees losing free gamepass ultimate?

 

[FeralEcho]

Man,I swear this image will never stop being funny.I chuckle seeing it even after all this time.

As for Microsoft...

Ever since that Acti-Blizz buy the Xbox brand is being beaten to a pulp....by Microsoft themselves no less.

 

[DenchDeckard]

Some of these posts

are gold.....

Denying staff of pens.....fire Phil Spencer....Ms baddies!

 

[kiphalfton]

Seriously, Microsoft?

As I said in another thread, they are on a warpath.

I mean FFS that's a $360/year max retail value, per person.

But they can do whatever they want. That's employers for you.

 

[Nitty_Grimes]

When people pay, we (Microsoft) all win.

 

[Esppiral]

I work at an international car manufacturer and I don't get cars for free, why do they get games for free just because they work on a gaming company?

 

[nemiroff]

Lol. Why are some of you people suddenly concerned for MS employees. Microsoft probably still has more perks left and bigger salaries than any of the companies you work for (or at your school..).

Now if my company pull the rug on our free latest top model iPhones and Samsungs I know where to post my tears

 

[Banjo64]

Phil whenever Microsoft do something scummy:

You mean to tell me that Microsoft operate in a way where most of their 240k employees have perks stripped and this doesn’t get run past Nadella or the senior leadership team?

Doesn’t add up to me.

 

[Zathalus]

Phil whenever Microsoft do something scummy:

You mean to tell me that Microsoft operate in a way where most of their 240k employees have perks stripped and this doesn’t get run past Nadella or the senior leadership team?

Doesn’t add up to me.

Something as trivial as this rarely makes it up to the president level. This was likely a move made by someone in upper management.

 

[Goalus]

Some of these posts

are gold.....

Denying staff of pens.....fire Phil Spencer....Ms baddies!

It was a horrible week for Sony. It looks like the usual suspects are desperately trying to save their week-end.

 

[FalconPunch]

Does that mean the twitter astroturfers are going to start paying for their gamepass and consoles too? Lets see how they like it now lol

Unfortunately not, read the post again. Xbox employees don’t have to pay so adamsapple still gets it for free .

 

[Daniel_Mallorca1985]

 

[Heisenberg007]

Phil whenever Microsoft do something scummy:

You mean to tell me that Microsoft operate in a way where most of their 240k employees have perks stripped and this doesn’t get run past Nadella or the senior leadership team?

Doesn’t add up to me.

Why do you think Phil promoted Sara take the fall Bond?

 

[Heisenberg007]

It was a horrible week for Sony. It looks like the usual suspects are desperately trying to save their week-end.

Yes, the usual Sony fanboys infiltrated Microsoft, increased Game Pass price in Turkey by 435%, put full-screen ads on Xbox consoles, and canceled Game Pass perks and benefits for Microsoft employees.

 

[Kiraly]

Yes, the usual Sony fanboys infiltrated Microsoft, increased Game Pass price in Turkey by 435%, put full-screen ads on Xbox consoles, and canceled Game Pass perks and benefits for Microsoft employees.

Omg this is such incredibly BAD NEWS! IT IS TRULY AND WELL OVER NOW FOR MICROSOFT!!

 

[Tommi84]

Sucks for the employee, but let's face it...

... Microsoft needs to pump those GPU numbers up so pay up!!

 

[StueyDuck]

weird thread, a company taking away benefits from it's employees is a shit thing, whether it's gaming related or not.

some of the comments in here are weird.

 

[wolffy66]

Who cares? As far an employee benefit it pretty meaningless. What's the yearly difference? $50, $60?

 

[Kokoloko85]

So basically that means 50% of the users and “fans“

 

[Gamezone]

Micro money to keep employees happy.

 

[Ozriel]

Great strategy leaving your employees out of the loop of the nexus of your entire business purpose. They'll really be able to represent and advocate the brand this way.

Gamepass is ‘the nexus of the entire business purpose of Microsoft’?

 

[Nitty_Grimes]

238,000 (or however many) GPU 'influencers' suddenly delete their X / Insta / FB accounts...

 

[BigLee74]

I'm not trying to make a fanboy point here, but I'm genuinely curious is PS+ is a benefit for all Sony employees or if its a benefit for just PlayStation employees (or not an employee benefit at all).

Surely the equivalent would be all Sony employees? Looks like those that work for Xbox still get a free subscription.

 

[DenchDeckard]

It was a horrible week for Sony. It looks like the usual suspects are desperately trying to save their week-end.

This is 100% facts. theres some desperate attempts at deflection going on in the last 24 hours, for what is all ultimately nothing burgers.

 

[Dice]

Gamepass is ‘the nexus of the entire business purpose of Microsoft’?

Did I say all of Microsoft? Are you just going around trying to create drama out of nothing?

 

[BootsLoader]

 

[Disco Dave]

I trust in Phil Spender Spencer (He/Him).

 

[Dick Jones]

This is the buggiest Xbox staff benefit in history.

 

[Heisenberg007]

The fact that these news are becoming big topics of discussion shows the rampant desperation in the face of this week's Sony news.

What exactly is that bad news? Bungie firing 10% employees and their awful last expansion not performing (deservedly)? When it has been confirmed that the downsizing happened internally because of Bungie and didn't come from Sony? lol. Besides, you think PlayStation fans care about Bungie? lol.

• In the same period, Spider-Man 2 set a new record for a PlayStation Studios title and launched to massive critical and commercial success. That's what PlayStation fans care more about.
• Or you're talking about the good news of Sony's acquisition of iSize, a tech company that has enabled PS+ streaming to already outperform xCloud's streaming in terms of resolution, latency, and image quality?
• Or are you talking about the fantastic GT 7 free update?

There has been no "bad Sony news." Even Bungie's failure will give PlayStation fans more single-player games like always. These are all good news.

SonyToo™ can't be used to arrest the continuous spiral that has been Microsoft/Xbox has been in of late.

 

[Fabieter]

The fact that these news are becoming big topics of discussion shows the rampant desperation in the face of this week's Sony news.

What irony you talk about overblown ms topics when you do exactly the same for sony. Typical green manner.

 

[Dick Jones]

 

[Heisenberg007]

Omg this is such incredibly BAD NEWS! IT IS TRULY AND WELL OVER NOW FOR MICROSOFT!!

My bad. These are supposed to be good news then, right? Who doesn't like price hikes and full-screen ads, after all!

 

[TrebleShot]

One way to boost sign ups

 

[SJRB]

Supremely pathetic thing to do. You really so strapped for cash you need to those 200.000 employees to sign up for Gamepass?

Microsoft just can't stop taking L's, it seems.

 

[ShaiKhulud1989]

It is clear that Xbox influencers still haven’t received a proper script for this news. Poor fellas are somehow dragging Sony to prove a point, while the whole story is all about internal shifts in bigger Microsoft, not it’s gaming arm.

And yes, removing this benefit is still penny pinching, considering how much money MS makes in a single quarter. Is this essential? Of course not! It’s a simple nice-to-have. Once again, like a corporate pen or a badge. It is still kinda silly that MS is removing internal benefits for it’s own ecosystem despite the fact that their net profit is rising every quarter for years straight. Why people are breaking spears in the defend of 3t usd corporation is beyond me though. You’re not getting even a Free Gamepass T-shirt for this, my dudes.

 

[DJ12]

One way to boost sign ups

Surely these people would've already signed up. They just wouldn't have had to pay.

 

[Lupin3]

 

[tusharngf]

meanwhile at MSFT

 

[crackajack]

Seems actually quite reasonable. Xbox guys get Xbox stuff, while actual MS guys get probably Windows and Office?

I guess VW employees get a discount only on VWs while Skoda employees only on Skodas... Audi and Seat also only their own brand even though everything is VW-group? While the people assembling at Porsche, Bugatti, Rimac, Bentley and Lambo probably get something more affordable since the average mechanic hardly will be driving one of those.

 

[Kyo]

Why the fuck did they give this away in the first place? Are they really so desperate for "engagement" numbers? I guess I've already answered my own question.

 

[Zathalus]

Yes, the usual Sony fanboys infiltrated Microsoft, increased Game Pass price in Turkey by 435%, put full-screen ads on Xbox consoles, and canceled Game Pass perks and benefits for Microsoft employees.

Is this really that bad? Turkey price increase is due to the spiraling inflation, game prices and services have sharply increased for everyone in that country. Its not limited to just Microsoft or Gamepass. Full-screen ads have been on Xbox consoles for months (although I wouldn't be a fan), and benefits for Microsoft employees change all the time, as with most major corporations.

Its honestly a bunch of tiny things that has very little impact.

 

[Roxkis_ii]

This looks like them MS accountants getting in Xbox's ass. Looks like they need that 70 billion back sooner then later.

 

[winjer]

It's really strange to se a trillion dollar company, penny pinching like this.
Even if all these employees were to pay for Gamepass Ultimate, it's a tiny drop in a huge bucket.

 

[Ozriel]

Did I say all of Microsoft? Are you just going around trying to create drama out of nothing?

That's what you're implying, since this change doesn't affect Xbox employees who will continue to receive free GamePass ultimate.

 

[jm89]

This looks like them MS accountants getting in Xbox's ass. Looks like they need that 70 billion back soomer then later.

Yup.

Satya must be coming down on them real hard.

Reality will hit people, it's only the beginning really.

 

[Heisenberg007]

Is this really that bad? Turkey price increase is due to the spiraling inflation, game prices and services have sharply increased for everyone in that country. Its not limited to just Microsoft or Gamepass. Full-screen ads have been on Xbox consoles for months (although I wouldn't be a fan), and benefits for Microsoft employees change all the time, as with most major corporations.

Its honestly a bunch of tiny things that has very little impact.

Honestly, in my opinion, none of this news - if viewed individually - is in that terrible category. However, when you combine all of them and look at where the direction is heading, the signs are absolutely not great.

And it's nothing surprising either. We all knew things like these would start happening soon, which is the reason why a lot of people were against this kind of future where a subscription-first company owned a lot of important assets. But that's a different topic.

In regard to this, for some folks these news would be terrible and for others they might not be so bad. But to say that it is "Sony fanboys" who are spreading these as negative news is pure delusion. Because however we cut it, these are not good news. These are bad news - the degree, however, may vary from person to person.

 

[Kerotan]

A $2.7 trillion dollar company trying to make money off of employees with Game Pass?

Sadly the Xbox sector is under a lot more stress then the rest of MS.

 

[Zheph]

Hope it doesn't affect some of the employees working overtime on this forum

 

[Mr.ODST]

I'm not trying to make a fanboy point here, but I'm genuinely curious is PS+ is a benefit for all Sony employees or if its a benefit for just PlayStation employees (or not an employee benefit at all).

PS+ is not a benefit for employers as far as I'm aware