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[IncognitoPanda]

Tinfoil hat off, I think they might. I think their goal is to be the "best place to play" on console and PC. They aren't focusing on games, rather platforms and platform features. If their userbase increases, they might reach a critical mass where they may produce a lot of games, every game play anywhere.

Obviously a lot would need to happen; win10 store sucks, playstation leads by a lot, they have few games etc. But if people play on Xbox for multiplats it might work.

I'm hoping it won't though. As an Xbox gamer I like the play anywhere initiative, but I hate MSs focus on closedness on their platform. It ia a bit scary. Gaming might be better if they fail.

 

[David___]

If it's truly windows then they'd have to. You have your OS as the hub, that's going to have knock-on desires to get your devices working with it. That's not worthless.

They would literally hand over all the royalties they make now to everyone but themselves. 1st parties barely make a profit on the hardware. They make the vast bulk of cash from subs and games selling at retail and their own store

 

[Sun Bather]

I think you are forgetting about Konami in all of this.

 

[timlot]

Microsoft is the jack of all trades, master of none.

Oh Boy. Some folks take it too far.
All this happen while Xbox One was "flopping" .

 

[MrBiggss]

 

[get2sammyb]

On the upside, at least someone's changed the "Xbox is dead" record that's been playing on GAF all year to something a little more optimistic?

 

[AzaK]

I'm confused. Don't they already offer all that? You get a PC, attach to TV.

You can play all the modern games you want.
You can play all the old arcade games you want
You can play Wii Games
You can play Wii U games even
You can play <insert old console/computer of your choice here> games you want
You can stream it all with either a SteamLink or Moonlight app or the others.

There are a few things they could do though

1) Make it plug and play like a console
2) Not charge for online
3) Allow anyone to install any software they want on it (Without that it'll fail).

 

[Skyzard]

They would literally hand over all the royalties they make now to everyone but themselves. 1st parties barely make a profit on the hardware. They make the vast bulk of cash from subs and games selling at retail and their own store

If they put Steam on it Valve would be the predominant player, not Microsoft

They already are. And MS will continue to sell first-party titles through Windows. They may sacrifice their third-party cut but they would have a PC be your living room hub. Which would have high compatibility with their tablets, phones and even laptops.

The thing is, they could allow support with steam games into the xbox interface through shortcuts. Not quite as good as the real thing. Eventually, people may switch.

So it would include not only the Windows Store/Xbox Store but also Steam, Origin, Uplay, etc.....because that would definitely have the argument for exclusives on PC. But with the Windows store by itself....dunno.

Yep.

^

 

[Strangelove77]

Well, lots of things are possible...eventually.

Eventually.

 

[DMONKUMA]

Yep.

Ahh now I got the idea you're going for. If they can pull that off it would be interesting.

 

[Shpeshal Nick]

The only genuine way Microsoft could dominate the gaming space would be to buy out Nintendo and Sony.

 

[R_thanatos]

By the same logic MS should have dominated the phone space and we saw how that worked out.

"But Windows" isnt a magic bullet.

the answer i was looking for when i read OP post.

Much Thanks

 

[Plague Doctor]

Take over is very unlikely to next to impossible. E3 is going to be the make or break. I believe they are in a damned if they do, damned if they don't situation with regards to game announcement.

Phil has been on record stating he wants to show only games that are close to release, so... if they tease something that is 2 to 3 years out, he will get pounced for that. But, the company needs to show a lot of games exclusive to the console (and pc or whatever the hell they are doing) outside of the usual 3 main titles.

I truly believe they will have one or two big new game announcements other than the expetced ones and the passionate fans will be pleased/appeased. For the rest watching, they need atleast 4 to squash the narrative and they have to be solid. After that, they need to invest in games and games and even more games. And that would gain them some momentum for the rest of the gen for a modest standing.

Whatever their next gen is could be highly competitive if they surge with momentum from here on.

 

[Shambala]

Damn can I get those lotto numbers

 

[TsuWave]

haven't people been saying this since the original xbox?

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

Didn't read the whole thread, admittedly, but:

yeah windows sure is on the up and up lol

 

[tomwhite2004]

The Windows updates would break the Xbox controller drivers if my experience is anything to go by.

Windows is far too big and messy to open up to consoles, not to mention obvious stuff like viruses and people being able to fill it with emulators or cracked games. Also you really think microsoft would want people to download a game from steam and not buy it through them in a physical or digital manner?

The whole point of consoles is that its a simple plug and play closed system, if you want to deal with Windows and all that it entails then buy a pc. If microsoft want to improve then they neef to match sonys first party content and exclusives, which so far they show no sign of being able to do.

 

[Skyzard]

Didn't read the whole thread, admittedly, but:



yeah windows sure is on the up and up lol

Hopefully this motivates them to combine Windows, Xbox and Mobile sooner rather than later.

 

[LegendofDragoonLives]

Hope the check cleared OP, my lord lol

 

[Shadynasty]

This is very reminiscent of last gen console wars. Fun memories.

 

[Matt]

Frankly it's more likely that MS leaves the console space than this prediction coming to pass.

 

[LordofPwn]

My money on the next big player is Amazon.

They're rapidly expanding (or acquiring) very solid tools and services in gaming:

• AWS is still huge for game servers.
• Twitch is still the #1 streaming platform.
• Lumberyard could be a great game engine.
• Amazon obviously has digital distribution power.
• They've acquired or invested in several studios.
• And Amazon has plenty of capital to keep investing.

Amazon would make for a good publisher. They're smart enough to not compete with console hardware. Something maybe Microsoft should consider?
I think Microsoft would be better off making entry or mid-level all-in-one gaming PCs and make it able to run steam. Basically be a steam box but you know, with Microsoft supporting it.

 

[Ratros]

Oh Boy. Some folks take it too far.
All this happen while Xbox One was "flopping" .

To be honest XBOX division does not mean much to Microsoft financially. They secure most of their revenue through Productivity/Business Tools (Office), Cloud Computing (Windows Azure) and Windows nowadays. Their gaming revenue (XBOX console, games, subscriptions, etc) is ~$1.5 billion, 80% less than that of their business division, and it has stopped growing for a while (-5% last quarter I remember).

It is actually pretty sad for Microsoft. With Windows getting irrelevant (as people spend more and more time on mobile platforms), Bing never becoming popular and XBOX slowly withering, the company is indeed fading out for general consumers. Their business division is doing pretty well, though.

 

[12Dannu123]

It's posssible that they may dominate the gaming industry because they have sooo much control.

Windows 10

DX12

UWP

Windows Store

Hardware requirements for The PC industry including architecture of the future of Windows.

 

[Elandyll]

You shouldn't post on Gaf when drunk Phil.

 

[Tobor]

OP, if this is such an inevitability, please explain the disaster that is Windows Phone.

 

[Barajas_201]

Is this satire?

 

[specdot]

This thread reminds me of the eventual shills that showed up after XBone's reveal. Lol

Well, I mean the Scorpio was just "revealed" (in a controlled space) soo....

 

[PlayALLtheGames]

Ruling gaming is about games, not whether you can run Windows or stream to your other devices, which all be standard soon anyway.

Also, the PC gaming market will continue to expect different things than the console market for some time, so I don't think it'll be "everything you'd expect from your PC."

 

[Skyzard]

^ Size might play a part - S M L versions maybe.

OP, if this is such an inevitability, please explain the disaster that is Windows Phone.

Apple, Google Samsung? Not having a PC hub in the living room. Not being good enough yet.

 

[bachikarn]

I could see this argument being made when the original Xbox was released, but now after the steady decline of people using Windows? Lol

 

[Skyzard]

I could see this argument being made when the original Xbox was released, but now after the steady decline of people using Windows? Lol

All the more reason to combine it all now.

 

[12Dannu123]

To be honest XBOX division does not mean much to Microsoft financially. They secure most of their revenue through Productivity/Business Tools (Office), Cloud Computing (Windows Azure) and Windows nowadays. Their gaming revenue (XBOX console, games, subscriptions, etc) is ~$1.5 billion, 80% less than that of their business division, and it has stopped growing for a while (-5% last quarter I remember).

It is actually pretty sad for Microsoft. With Windows getting irrelevant (as people spend more and more time on mobile platforms), Bing never becoming popular and XBOX slowly withering, the company is indeed fading out for general consumers. Their business division is doing pretty well, though.

Microsoft seems to be doing fine. But I do think that MS is becoming more of a business and professional brand. But they'll never fade out as consumer brand, because lots of people still know them even the younger generation of people

While people are spending more on mobile platforms. I do think that Microsoft will bring the PC to mobile, and aim at a different form factor that has the potential to disrupt the mobile OSes.

 

[morpix]

Hopefully this motivates them to combine Windows, Xbox and Mobile sooner rather than later.

Windows Phone, Xbox and Windows on PC all are "Windows 10".
It's already combined. Same underlying kernel, codebase, etc.etc. You'll even see the same build numbers in most cases.

 

[jroc74]

Maybe they should get to the point where you can replace your hard drive in their actual game console first.

I said damn.

But to the OP, I dont know. At this point I think they would be happy just surviving with the XBO right now as far as gaming go.

 

[Skyzard]

Windows Phone, Xbox and Windows on PC all are "Windows 10".
It's already combined. Same underlying kernel, codebase, etc.etc. You'll even see the same build numbers in most cases.

But those different "modes" aren't hot-swappable yet, or integrated.

 

[Izuna]

*Holds his Lumia 950 XL dearly*

 

[morpix]

But those different modes not hot-swappable yet.

You can't swap parts in a PC? OP, you amaze me... Stop posting.

 

[JaseMath]

No, OP. They're not. True innovators, like Nintendo, will likely rule gaming in the future.

 

[Tobor]

^ Size might play a part - S M L versions maybe.



Apple, Google Samsung? Not having a PC hub in the living room. Not being good enough yet.

Now take those examples, add even more competition, realize the living room hub is nonsense in the post pc era, and you'll begin to see why Microsoft will never "rule gaming".

 

[Skyzard]

^

realize the living room hub is nonsense in the post pc era

why

You can't swap parts in a PC? OP, you amaze me... Stop posting.

Is the Xbox mode steam big picture mode?

 

[morpix]

Is the Xbox mode steam big picture mode?

So, you're saying Microsoft must buy Steam/Valve? Please, elaborate...

 

[DriftingSpirit]

Nintendo foresaw MS's living room ambition which is why they've staked their flag in the bathroom.

lol

 

[Skyzard]

So, you're saying Microsoft must buy Steam/Valve? Please, elaborate...

They just make a way to turn on the device and play it as a console (and everything else if they wanted to). They need their own interface for that.

 

[Dynomutt]

I remember when MS was gonna shake up the DAP with the Zune!

Zune HD was a great DAP by the way and the accompanying software was amazing. Zune app was a resource hog but it was effin beautiful!

Zune is dead .

Not implying anything just keeping epectations realistic. I don't see Sony or Nintendo bowing out anytime soon.

 

[dracula_x]

I'm not even sure about future of Windows.

&#8594; http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1357587

 

[morpix]

They just make a way to turn on the device and play it as a console (and everything else if they wanted to). They need their own interface for that.

I can already run Big Picture at startup mate... Not sure what you want MS to do. I already have a PC for my living-room. And it's not MS.

 

[The Giant]

I see that Microsofts fanboys have become 10x more delusional since the Scorpio specs reveal.

 

[Warablo]

They kinda screwed that up with the Xbox One announcement.

 

[Tobor]

^

why

Because there is no hub in the living room. We watch tv wherever. We absorb media wherever. We play games wherever. And most of this is done on non Microsoft devices and non Microsoft services.

Talking about a living room hub in 2017 is like talking about a horse and buggy in 1917.