Support NeoGAF

[coachmcguirk91]

Take a second and think though. He didn't need to have the interview at all. So why have it? As an explanation for the developer direct having all those games going to PS5 except South of Midnight? No... I don't think so. What that means is Microsoft is preparing to announce a lot more games going to PS5 and Switch 2 in the coming days, weeks, or months.

Avowed is likely to underperform and they probably want something to come out before the end of the quarter to boost their numbers. They've given Avowed zero advertising campaign, just like with Hellblade. They're not at all confident about the game. They barely advertised Indiana Jones.

Whether it be Halo, Starfield, or Flight Sim, I wouldn't be surprised if one of these hits by the end of March.

I actually think Avowed will be very well recieved. Since Bethesda shat the bed, there has been a real lack of choice and consequence RPGs. I think the only thing holding it back is Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 releasing 10 days earlier, possibly the greatest choice and consequence RPG ever developed. Previews have been very positive for Avowed, including by people who will happily criticize, like Skillup

But I agree. Phil would not be doing an interview unless some PS5 port announcements are close

 

[solidus12]

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

He died inside

 

[spons]

He has the money for Ozempic, so why the fuck not.
Besides, 2 remote meetings and some Teams chatter a day, just delegate your shit to others, then rake in the millions.
I doubt he really gives a shit, he just wants to stay put where he is right now because there's no way in hell he'll get a job that pays as well as he has right now.

 

[PatientGamer]

When you really deep it, Microsoft purchasing AKB was a necessary move; if that ever fell through - they would be well on their way to exiting the gaming industry altogether.

Their consoles simply don't sell, and they only have 2 regions of relevance (albeit the largest of all, being the US).

It makes much more sense to earn their revenues by selling games that would've always been on PS5, on PS5 anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if the AKB purchase is actually just a trojan horse move to get part Nintendo's + Sony's customers into their ecosystem. Though gaming seems to be an industry where there is allegiance & inertia at play.

A generation or two from now, they could aim to slowly peel back and provide exclusive content to their systems (console + PC).

I wonder if Sony fears this, hence why they're investing so much in GaaS shit, so they don't lose out.

 

[ToadMan]

What a graphic description of Americans' obsession with appearance and no control over medicines. Isn't that thing kinda dangerous?

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/obesity-dipped-us-adults-rcna183952

A lot of that is attributed to ozempic... Is it healthier to do that than be obese?

I'm sure people would say eat healthily and exercise is best - but that's been even less successful than Xbox sales. Ozempic is the "buying ABK" of the weightloss world

 

[SteadyEvo]

No matter how I feel about his professional image, I genuinely worry for the guy. He's getting worse visually with every public appearance.

I hear you but people often make that comment when someone loses weight. He was a chubbier guy and shed some lbs. And he's aged what? A decade since he took over. Father time is undefeated yall.

I only see Xbox strategy as a negative if they don't release a traditional Xbox next gen. If they do, then port away.

 

[SteadyEvo]

When you really deep it, Microsoft purchasing AKB was a necessary move; if that ever fell through - they would be well on their way to exiting the gaming industry altogether.

Their consoles simply don't sell, and they only have 2 regions of relevance (albeit the largest of all, being the US).

It makes much more sense to earn their revenues by selling games that would've always been on PS5, on PS5 anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if the AKB purchase is actually just a trojan horse move to get part Nintendo's + Sony's customers into their ecosystem. Though gaming seems to be an industry where there is allegiance & inertia at play.

A generation or two from now, they could aim to slowly peel back and provide exclusive content to their systems (console + PC).

I wonder if Sony fears this, hence why they're investing so much in GaaS shit, so they don't lose out.

Necessity and Trojan Horse. Just based on the reactions here, PS and PC gamers are excited to play MS games.

 

[WildBoy]

Biggest fraud Microsoft ever had to deal with. At the end of all these outrageous acquisitions in the gaming industry... still comes in DEAD LAST yet again, and now Microsoft's upper management is taking over the driving seat from Phil to force Xbox to become the next Sega. ROFLMFAO!!!

Xbox putting all of its exclusives on PlayStation, GTA6 on PS5 Pro being the definitive console experience, and all the awesome Chinese, Korean, and Japanese games with exceptional quality and production values coming to the system with all of them being PS5 Pro Enhanced, AND, the overwhelming majority NOT coming to Xbox Series. PS5 will 100% surpass PS4.

All this happened while Sony fumbled their 1st party studios for half a generation...Talk about being the luckiest son of a bitch to the motherfucking teeth!

MS gonna make more money than Sony. Bottom line.

 

[LordCBH]

"Can you solidify that Starfield is staying put for the time being?"
"No? I can't say that about any game"

Gears, Halo, and Forza count as "any game".

 

[Humdinger]

Yeah but why would he answer something like that?

You're right that if asked a specific question like that, Phil would probably just give another vague response. "Case by case," yada yada. My point, though, isn't about that specific question but about the general dynamic. These interviewers invite PR talking points with general, open-ended questions, then no follow-through. They don't press for specifics. They don't ask follow-up questions that might try to pin him down. They don't try to draw out more details. They ask vague, general questions, then accept his vague, feel-good responses and move on.

The reason is clear enough to everyone. These are Xbox fans, part of the MS-approved press crew, happy to have Phil on their show. They don't want to make him uncomfortable with probing questions, because if they did, their fanbase would be annoyed, and Phil wouldn't come back.

I'm not saying any of this is surprising. I'm just saying it makes the interviews fairly useless. Phil gets vague, general questions, responds with vague, feel-good messaging. No one comes away any the wiser.

Your mistake is seeing them as journalists and not what they are mouthpiece platforms for Microsoft PR. [....]

Yeah, I'm aware of what is going on. I'm just saying it makes for useless interviews.

 

[ShaiKhulud1989]

Well, everything is Xbox, but I can honestly ask Phil to keep Starfield to himself.

 

[tTHANOSs]

Pretty sure PS5 wouldn't have PS4 bc without him, also no crossgen games (yes those are good for casuals), no Xbox games and Sony would still block crossplay with other consoles.

Sony already had backwards compatibility with ps2 playing ps1 games. And then ps3 playing ps2 & ps1 games. They then moved on from the unique architecture of ps3 when making ps4 and had to sacrifice backwards compatibility.

 

[LRKD]

You wall up your games, or you go Sega, it's that simple.

 

[Cakeboxer]

Sony already had backwards compatibility with ps2 playing ps1 games. And then ps3 playing ps2 & ps1 games. They then moved on from the unique architecture of ps3 when making ps4 and had to sacrifice backwards compatibility.

I already answered that in posts after.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Yeah, I'm aware of what is going on. I'm just saying it makes for useless interviews.

But that's the thing, you're still calling it an interview. It was a PR piece not an interview.

Whether it is useless or not is determined by whether or not it successfully softens the blow for the upcoming news.

 

[EN250]

Not gonna watch some xbox fanboy podcast or whatever, I don't want the YouTube algorithm to fuck up and show me shit idgaf about

So, can anyone explain WTF is he spewing now?
Is he flip-flopping about some of the shit he used to say before or what's relevant coming from him after literal years of dumb PR nothingness?

 

[Humdinger]

But that's the thing, you're still calling it an interview. It was a PR piece not an interview.

Why are you bothered by me calling it an interview?

You called it an interview yourself.

He didn't need to have the interview at all.

Because that's what it is.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

I haven't watched the video. Did he really imply that existing hardware Will spontaneously combust, rendering your entire Xbox library useless? or that they've completely nixed plans for more Xbox hardware?

What a weird post.

Why would they need to jack up prices for GamePass to recoup for a lack of software sales if they're going to be selling their games on PS5, Switch and Steam?

Let me try to explain it to you beyond your hyperbole and straw man.

No, existing hardware isn't going to explode, but most people have the idea that they'll be able to continue playing their current games for the rest of time even if their current hardware fails.

That future hardware that you'll be forced to buy to maintain your library won't be what people have traditionally experienced in the past. It's going to be sold at a heavy premium. Imagine if the XSX had launched at 650 dollars.

Anyone locking themselves in to a platform with zero exclusive titles while not getting PlayStation's exclusive titles while also paying more money for the hardware is a complete rube.

It's not one or the other. They're looking to recoup their development and publishing costs on other platforms, but they're still giving going to look to maximize their profitability on those who subscribe to GamePass. I guarantee you GamePass gets another price bump this year before the next CoD comes out.

 

[AtomicStarving]

Some people just don't use their brains. I've been saying this for years. Microsoft bought a bunch of studios, now it has dozens of games that need billion-dollar investments. Do you really think that with Xbox hardware sales declining, it will be able to sustain itself? With games getting more and more expensive, and people not buying its games anymore? Of course, they will open its portfolio completely. MS won't stop making Xbox consoles for whoever wants them. They need to make money on a large scale, or you'll see more studios closing, people being fired, etc. Just because MS is a trillion-dollar company doesn't mean they'll make billion-dollar investments without expecting a return; they're not a charity. Trust me, they need a TON of money to support those studios.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

People should acknowledge the man who is demolishing the walls that keep us apart. Pride of Redmond.

 

[M1chl]

I don't think its Ozempic, I lost 40kgs and have no face degradation, if anything my face is still fat. He looks like he has something way more serious.

As for commenting to what he said, I am just not listening to him anymore, I wait for results, if they came, but I am not holding my breath

 

[Ozriel]

Let me try to explain it to you beyond your hyperbole and straw man.

No, existing hardware isn't going to explode, but most people have the idea that they'll be able to continue playing their current games for the rest of time even if their current hardware fails.

That future hardware that you'll be forced to buy to maintain your library won't be what people have traditionally experienced in the past. It's going to be sold at a heavy premium. Imagine if the XSX had launched at 650 dollars.

Even for you, this is a weirdly illogical post.
Successive generations have been more expensive before, and the sky did not fall. The PS4 is no longer on sale, and PS consoles after that are trending upwards in price. The Switch 2 is unlikely to launch at the same $299 price Switch 1 launched at.

How is that an issue?

Anyone locking themselves in to a platform with zero exclusive titles while not getting PlayStation's exclusive titles while also paying more money for the hardware is a complete rube.

You're making assumptions that future consoles would be unsubsidized or more expensive than competing consoles without a corresponding spec bump. There is no basis for this at the moment.
If you can only afford one console and Xbox fully goes day and date multiplatform for all titles, then of course it would make sense to prioritize PlayStation or PC. But I have no idea why you're framing this as part of a silly 'ecosystem lock-in' argument.

Consoles are cheap devices, and it's likely anyone picking up an xbox going forward is a multi-device owner.

It's not one or the other. They're looking to recoup their development and publishing costs on other platforms, but they're still giving going to look to maximize their profitability on those who subscribe to GamePass. I guarantee you GamePass gets another price bump this year before the next CoD comes out.

Retail sales alone from PC, PS5 and Switch 2 will easily allow full cost recoup and profit if the games meet the quality and consumer appeal threshold.
They're unlikely to hike prices for GamePass subscribers this year. Might as well argue that games will move to $100 to 'maximize profitability from customers'.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Even for you, this is a weirdly illogical post.
Successive generations have been more expensive before, and the sky did not fall. The PS4 is no longer on sale, and PS consoles after that are trending upwards in price. The Switch 2 is unlikely to launch at the same $299 price Switch 1 launched at.

How is that an issue?

Are you trying to be obtuse? The problem isn't the increase in price. The problem is the lack of subsidy, i.e. what you're getting for the price you're paying. It's not just the upward trend in price.

You're making assumptions that future consoles would be unsubsidized or more expensive than competing consoles without a corresponding spec bump. There is no basis for this at the moment.

For sure there will probably be a spec bump, but the lack of subsidy cancels that out. The higher the specs the more expensive the device, the lack of subsidy is a constant.

It's not much of an assumption given that Microsoft despite trailing badly in this generation still hasn't cut the price of the XSX and XSS in fact they've raised prices with more profit margin friendly models. XSS 1TB and XSX Digital and even the short lived XSX 2 TB.

If you can only afford one console and Xbox fully goes day and date multiplatform for all titles, then of course it would make sense to prioritize PlayStation or PC. But I have no idea why you're framing this as part of a silly 'ecosystem lock-in' argument.

Consoles are cheap devices, and it's likely anyone picking up an xbox going forward is a multi-device owner.

Outside of GamePass why would anyone buy an Xbox at all moving forward?

Microsoft 4 years into the generation launched an all digital XSX.

The next Xbox is likely to be the most expensive console ever including the PS5 Pro...

Retail sales alone from PC, PS5 and Switch 2 will easily allow full cost recoup and profit if the games meet the quality and consumer appeal threshold.
They're unlikely to hike prices for GamePass subscribers this year. Might as well argue that games will move to $100 to 'maximize profitability from customers'.

Again, I'll bet you anything that they raise the price by CoD's release. PS5 and Switch 2 software sales which are the delta will not be enough. There's simply too much competition on those platforms to reliably make up their sales deficits on those systems.

 

[Topher]

Is it even needed? He basically said it. They'll keep doing hardware (could barely answer why, was it for more power or innovation idk) but their games will be everywhere now. They're basically Activision Blizzard with an experimental hardware team now trying stuff for the future for whatever reason.

I'm surprised they haven't announced Avowed for PS5 yet considering what he says here. But maybe they'll do that closer to the release. I expect it on Switch 2. Expect every MS 1st party game on every device, if not day 1 then as soon as a port can be finalized.

He dances all around it without saying it. Like I said, he has been asked this numerous times already. Folks want a clear answer.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

It has nothing to do with balls. The problem here is that Xbox fans think Phil owes them something as if they were lifetime friends. As long as an Xbox consumer will consider future Xbox hardware and/or GamePass subscriptions by not saying anything "official," why would he eschew that revenue? Again because you think he's a friend and a friend wouldn't do you dirty?

What alternate universe do some of you live in where there are hordes of Xbox fans who somehow need this official concrete statement from MS before they'll believe or understand that Xbox games are going to other consoles?

Xbox wants to have its cake and it eat too. It will gouge core Xbox fans as long as they're willing to pay to "stay in the fight."

Oh never mind I see, you're looking at this entirely from a mindless warrior mentality. "Stay in the fight". You're more emotional about this than the biggest Xbox fan would be

Just look at how Microsoft treats Xbox fans there are two segments of GamePass: Console and PC. PC GamePass gets everything cheaper than console GamePass. Why? Because they're more valuable to them.

Of course console customers are more valuable to MS than PC customers. The console customers are locked to the Xbox ecosystem. A PC customer is not. PC users have long enjoyed perks over console users regardless of which publishers game they are playing, even Sony. Do you have to pay for a PS+ subscription to play Helldivers 2 on PC? No, but you do on PS5. Why? Because Sony can do that on their own ecosystem. What you are describing here is simply the way the industry works and it isn't exclusive to Xbox.

It's an inverse relationship. They sell you a console at a loss, they need to recoup that money and once you're locked in, you're far more likely to pay whatever price they want.

It's an inverse relationship with any product you buy regardless of industry, when you're then locked into one ecosystem. It works this way for Nintendo and Sony and Apple and Tesla etc etc.

That's why they've quietly discontinued the XSX disc version. They feel like anyone who buys and grows their digital library now even if they were on the edge of leaving will stay if they can play those games on future hardware or platforms.

Woah, the disc SX is discontinued? Do you have a link? I still see them at stores. Also, again here you're describing simple human nature. Yes, if you have a large digital library on something, you're going to try to keep it. This applies to everyone.

People have invested 20+ years into Xbox, so they're running this sunken cost fallacy. They'll keep digging themselves deeper into the hole rather than simply realize, Xbox isn't the future of gaming.

Xbox doesn't need to be the "future of gaming" for people to enjoy using the products.

I can tell you from experience that I stayed way too long with BlackBerry

The big difference though between me staying on phones I shouldn't is that most applications are free. There might be a handful of apps I'd have to repurchase if I really cared to, but investing in games is different. Your digital library or even physical library are going to be completely useless unless you're prepared to spend top dollar to stay in the ecosystem, while they continue to jack up prices for GamePass to recoup from a lack of software sales.

Another point you're trying to make here that applies to everything in every market. If I buy a lot of digital movies or music on a service and then decide another is better, well my existing library is stuck somewhere else. Xbox isn't unique here.

Also of course GamePass is going to go up in price again, just like every other sub service around.

Anyone locking themselves in to a platform with zero exclusive titles while not getting PlayStation's exclusive titles while also paying more money for the hardware is a complete rube.

Good thing there aren't any PlayStation exclusives so far this gen that are high enough quality to matter. The only one is Returnal and it's on PC.

And going by your logic, anyone who buys a PS5 console is a "rube". The only civilized console gamers in your view are Nintendo consumers

 

[Roronoa Zoro]

There's been no upside since he took the position at MS ...none whatsoever!

B-b-but they bought so much...with other divisions' money

 

[Ozriel]

Are you trying to be obtuse? The problem isn't the increase in price. The problem is the lack of subsidy, i.e. what you're getting for the price you're paying. It's not just the upward trend in price.

The 'lack of subsidy' argument you made up?

For sure there will probably be a spec bump, but the lack of subsidy cancels that out. The higher the specs the more expensive the device, the lack of subsidy is a constant.

It's not much of an assumption given that Microsoft despite trailing badly in this generation still hasn't cut the price of the XSX and XSS in fact they've raised prices with more profit margin friendly models. XSS 1TB and XSX Digital and even the short lived XSX 2 TB.

Not cutting the price seems to be tied directly to their pivot to emphasizing software ubiquity vs console hardware sales.
None of the major console manufacturers has had a price cut. And if you're claiming that raising prices of more profit margin friendly models indicates a full removal of subsidy, why aren't you extending the same argument to the PlayStation given the price of the PS5 Pro?

In fact, with Xbox hardware being heavily deemphasized, there's probably more incentive for Sony to optimize on price for next gen.

Outside of GamePass why would anyone buy an Xbox at all moving forward?

Microsoft 4 years into the generation launched an all digital XSX.

Gamepass is a significant reason for me, personally. But more importantly, these are affordable devices (especially compared to mobile devices) and provides hardware variety.

Again, I'll bet you anything that they raise the price by CoD's release. PS5 and Switch 2 software sales which are the delta will not be enough. There's simply too much competition on those platforms to reliably make up their sales deficits on those systems.

If sales on three platforms isn't enough to make money on games, doesn't that mean you're also predicting doom for Nintendo and Sony with their exclusivity strategy?

 

[Mibu no ookami]

The 'lack of subsidy' argument you made up?

The argument I've made by paying attention to what Microsoft is doing.

Not cutting the price seems to be tied directly to their pivot to emphasizing software ubiquity vs console hardware sales.
None of the major console manufacturers has had a price cut. And if you're claiming that raising prices of more profit margin friendly models indicates a full removal of subsidy, why aren't you extending the same argument to the PlayStation given the price of the PS5 Pro?

In fact, with Xbox hardware being heavily deemphasized, there's probably more incentive for Sony to optimize on price for next gen.

None of the major console manufacturers have had a price cut, but only Microsoft is in a distant third place and keeping their prices up and in fact increasing their prices and electing not to do major discounting this holiday season.

The PS5 Pro isn't subsidized, it's actually a pretty good example of whats to come for future Microsoft hardware. The key difference is that Sony still has subsidized models available.

I do think Sony will also subsidize less next generation as well as they extend the PS5s life cycle well beyond 8 years.

Gamepass is a significant reason for me, personally. But more importantly, these are affordable devices (especially compared to mobile devices) and provides hardware variety.



If sales on three platforms isn't enough to make money on games, doesn't that mean you're also predicting doom for Nintendo and Sony with their exclusivity strategy?

As I said, GamePass is going to keep increasing in price. You might think it's a good deal now, but even you'll have a limit.

Sony's and Nintendo's games far outperform Microsoft's... Nintendo's games sell in the 30s, 40s, 50s, and even above 60 million...Nintendo has numerous IP that can sell above 10 million units.

Microsoft has to try and contend with Sony and Nintendo's games as well as all the other 3rd party games by an audience that has largely ignored their games for decades. I think a handful of their games will sell well on PlayStation, but I think beyond that select group of games they're in for a harsh reality, but I do find it interesting that you think Microsoft is in the same boat as Nintendo and Sony, based on what? I have no idea.

 

[Fess]

He dances all around it without saying it. Like I said, he has been asked this numerous times already. Folks want a clear answer.

I thought Phil was very clear here, he outright says that their games will come to other platforms. How much clearer can he be?

Based on what they do on PS5 and him mentioning and praising Nintendo, expect literally everything new to come to PS5 and Switch 2 going forward. Old games are less clear, Microsoft don't have a Nixxes porting studio, if they have to do the ports in-house I assume it could take time.

 

[Topher]

I thought Phil was very clear here, he outright says that their games will come to other platforms. How much clearer can he be?

Based on what they do on PS5 and him mentioning and praising Nintendo, expect literally everything new to come to PS5 and Switch 2 going forward. Old games are less clear, Microsoft don't have a Nixxes porting studio, if they have to do the ports in-house I assume it could take time.

I guess folks are going to keep asking the question until we get to the point that all MS games show up day one on PlayStation and Nintendo. I'm thinking MS will focus on the big older games like MCC but leave the rest alone.

 

[powder]

I don't think its Ozempic, I lost 40kgs and have no face degradation, if anything my face is still fat. He looks like he has something way more serious.

As for commenting to what he said, I am just not listening to him anymore, I wait for results, if they came, but I am not holding my breath

He's definitely Zempin' - it's known to make people look aged and a little dark in the eyes. I'd even go as far as saying it looks like he's had some work done on his "gullet" as his jawline looks way more defined as well. I don't think it's that surprising considering how normalized it's become among wealthy people.

 

[Jigsaah]

What's with the jump-cuts in this "interview"?

Probably editing out the "ums" and "wait that's gonna upset a lotta folks let me do another take"

 

[Jigsaah]

Another fantastic Phil Spencer interview, the modern day savior of gaming.

I enjoyed the interview. I think Phil's doing the only thing he could given the console's performance. As a PC player I appreciate the moves Microsoft and Sony are making to bring games to more than just their main console.

Just get a baller PC and you're set. Well...and a Switch.

 

[Gudji]

Fuck... Andrew and Jimbo did him a number.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Side note.

Destin guy is weird. I've only seen a handful of his videos, but some times he talks like a normal guy. But then he'll be on a panel of people talking about games and he'll sound weird like he has an accent or has autism. He also has patreon sub plan tiers from $4 to $15 where you can pay to hear exclusive videos. lol

 

[Det]

Not trying to be an ass here but why does phil spencer go on these xbox fanboy podcasts and shows and consistently give them publicity. And what's the benefit for phil to give a dude with less than 3k subs his time of day? It literally makes no sense from a business perspective to do this type of crap at all but if he is going to do it then he should only be going on shows that have a big following.

They cut the budget for the Astroturf trained to lick Phill Spencer's balls... They ran out of budget for him to give an interview on IGN with an audience paid to applaud everything Phill defecates through his mouth.

Now he has to give interviews to fanboys, which costs nothing.

Don't have any more budget to pay for interviews at IGN? Gives free interview to fanboy on YouTube.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Not trying to be an ass here but why does phil spencer go on these xbox fanboy podcasts and shows and consistently give them publicity. And what's the benefit for phil to give a dude with less than 3k subs his time of day? It literally makes no sense from a business perspective to do this type of crap at all but if he is going to do it then he should only be going on shows that have a big following.

Similar to any other game employee trying to promote the brand. Not every outlet is big like IGN.

You get all kinds of random articles from noname sites who somehow got a game dev or exec doing a Q&A session.

 

[Fess]

I guess folks are going to keep asking the question until we get to the point that all MS games show up day one on PlayStation and Nintendo. I'm thinking MS will focus on the big older games like MCC but leave the rest alone.

I think they'll do it the other way. As we seen with DOOM, day 1 everywhere on new games. I fully expect PS5 release date for Avowed and South of Midnight coming soon. Surprised we didn't hear about that at the direct.

And Fable, Gears of War E-Day, State of Decay 3, Perfect Dark, future Halo, and everything else that aren't releasing in some time should arrive day 1. He said that he never want to lock people away from games, so they have to do day 1 for everything new now, no excuses.

Older titles means they have to go back to old work and use dev resources in-house to make ports. Or they have to outsource it to some outside studio. Either strategy means that it will take time and will only happen if they think there are tons of money to be made for a late release. Like Sea of Thieves. Will Starfield come? I have my doubts, it's not popular enough. Halo Infinite? Maybe. Hellblade 2? Why? Forza Horizon 5? Possibly, but I think they'll just go with FH6 instead, which could be a sales record release if they go full multi.

From my perspective even 6 months is too late if the thinking here is to sell more games. Let's see how Indy does on PS5, that'll be a test of how late you can be. I think they need to be like a month apart max or it'll all be a complete waste that'll get them pocket money while killing their platform.

 

[Syphon Filter]

Some people just don't use their brains. I've been saying this for years. Microsoft bought a bunch of studios, now it has dozens of games that need billion-dollar investments. Do you really think that with Xbox hardware sales declining, it will be able to sustain itself? With games getting more and more expensive, and people not buying its games anymore? Of course, they will open its portfolio completely. MS won't stop making Xbox consoles for whoever wants them. They need to make money on a large scale, or you'll see more studios closing, people being fired, etc. Just because MS is a trillion-dollar company doesn't mean they'll make billion-dollar investments without expecting a return; they're not a charity. Trust me, they need a TON of money to support those studios.

you're missing the point, there is no point in getting an xbox which is why hardware sales are declining. its better to just stick to software for them and no hardware.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

imparcial games journalist ask a leading question and backfires

 

[tomato shrub]

Not trying to be an ass here but why does phil spencer go on these xbox fanboy podcasts and shows and consistently give them publicity. And what's the benefit for phil to give a dude with less than 3k subs his time of day? It literally makes no sense from a business perspective to do this type of crap at all but if he is going to do it then he should only be going on shows that have a big following.

I have like 100 subs, maybe I should ask him for an interview.

 

[Astray]

What alternate universe do some of you live in where there are hordes of Xbox fans who somehow need this official concrete statement from MS before they'll believe or understand that Xbox games are going to other consoles?

There's like 50-70m-strong combined Xbox installbase out there.

Assume normies make %70 of that, this means that you have ~35-50m users that are completely unaware of the shenanigans that are happening with exclusivity etc, that number is more than enough to be called a horde imo.

 

[Sooner]

"We're not going to do exactly what I've been promising we're going to do for a decade."

 

[Ozriel]

The argument I've made by paying attention to what Microsoft is doing.

Microsoft isn't removing subsidies from their hardware so I'm not sure what you're paying attention to.

None of the major console manufacturers have had a price cut, but only Microsoft is in a distant third place and keeping their prices up and in fact increasing their prices and electing not to do major discounting this holiday season.

The PS5 Pro isn't subsidized, it's actually a pretty good example of whats to come for future Microsoft hardware. The key difference is that Sony still has subsidized models available.

I do think Sony will also subsidize less next generation as well as they extend the PS5s life cycle well beyond 8 years.

Again, they've chosen not to do price cuts since they're de-emphasizing hardware anyway.
Most notably, no changes to the subsidized prices.

The PS5 Pro isn't subsidized, it's actually a pretty good example of whats to come for future Microsoft hardware. The key difference is that Sony still has subsidized models available.

Not sure how the PS5 Pro is a good example of MS future plans, and it's weird you're pointing out the continued existence of the base PS5 consoles as a 'key difference' while omitting the fact that MS continues to sell the 512gb XsS and the launch Series X for the same subsidized prices.

As I said, GamePass is going to keep increasing in price. You might think it's a good deal now, but even you'll have a limit.

Thank you for making the argument that they wouldn't increase prices. Why would they want to push subscribers to the limit, for a service they're trying to expand?

Sony's and Nintendo's games far outperform Microsoft's... Nintendo's games sell in the 30s, 40s, 50s, and even above 60 million...Nintendo has numerous IP that can sell above 10 million units.

a large portion of Sony's first and second party efforts don't hit those sales numbers either.

Microsoft has to try and contend with Sony and Nintendo's games as well as all the other 3rd party games by an audience that has largely ignored their games for decades. I think a handful of their games will sell well on PlayStation, but I think beyond that select group of games they're in for a harsh reality, but I do find it interesting that you think Microsoft is in the same boat as Nintendo and Sony, based on what? I have no idea.

That's absolutely not how this works at all. Games that sell well on Xbox or Steam will likely sell well on PS5. The 'audience' argument has never made sense. The belief that something like Forza Horizon wouldn't sell on Switch 2 or PS5 because it wasn't on the console before is amusing…

but I think beyond that select group of games they're in for a harsh reality, but I do find it interesting that you think Microsoft is in the same boat as Nintendo and Sony, based on what? I have no idea.

Talk about strawman arguments.

 

[GHG]

See my other posts. After Xbox One made BC, Ryan said it's bullshit and nobody wants it. Why does PS5 have it then if it's bullshit? PS3 Bc was hard, not impossible. And of course Spencer wanted to have crossplay for his own purposes. Nothing is "for the players", it's all about business. But Sony at first had that lame excuse and finally agreed fter Spencer kept complaining.

Jim Ryan wasn't in charge at the time of the PS3 to PS4 transition and he was referencing PS1 backwards compatibility. He was a bean counter and was simply saying what he saw, the facts and figures showed that not many people who own playstation consoles are spending time playing older games from the ps1 era.

As for Phil complaining about crossplay - it's funny because when the developers/publishers were complaining to him it seemed to fall on deaf ears:

Microsoft is not allowing cross-play completely; which means [War Thunder] cannot be on Xbox One," Yudintsev told GameSpot. He explained that Microsoft requires a certification of game servers to guarantee a positive experience for players, a goal that Yudintsev says "isn't possible under the current circumstances."

He added that Microsoft has a lot of "unspoken limitations" for free-to-play games, including a system of approval that's more based on whether the project's account manager likes the game, rather than a general set of rules. In contrast, Yudintsev stated that Sony is more open to free-to-play games, adding that the PS4 version of War Thunder is expected to support cross-play as early as next month.

Microsoft responded to the story, stating that it works with developers interested in supporting cross-play between the Xbox One and PC to "ensure a great user experience." On the upside, Yudintsev complimented Microsoft's ID@Xbox initiative, adding that he hopes Microsoft's changing policies for indie games will allow Gaijin to eventually launch War Thunder on Xbox One.

War Thunder skips Xbox One due to cross-play hitch, Microsoft responds

Once it reaches the PS4, combat simulator War Thunder will feature cross-platform multiplayer between that user base and its existing PC audience. Unfortunately, Gaijin Entertainment CEO Anton Yudintsev told GameSpot that that cross-platform element is not allowed on the Xbox One, citing the...

www.engadget.com

The above was during the Xbox One generation by the way, prior to them realising the gravity of the situation they were in regarding active player-bases on their platform.

It was also the reason why it took FF XIV forever to arrive on Xbox consoles:

Why Final Fantasy XIV Isn't Coming to Xbox 360 or Xbox One - IGN

Microsoft's refusal to support cross-play with other platforms means the game won't appear on Xbox 360 or Xbox One.

www.ign.com

So yeh, it's interesting that you want to credit them with something they spent so much time actively blocking when it was convenient for them to do so.

The only difference between them and other companies is that they are willing to pay whatever is necessary to weaponsise the media on their behalf in a bid to apply public pressure. Seems to have worked on you at least because you're happy to believe whatever false reality they managed to spin up.

People only hating and not giving any credits at all are the most delusional to me. But like i already said, people can believe whatver they want, we'll never get a confirmation what's actually the truth. Not everything Xbox/Spencer was bad. Maybe we also get PS games on pc because of Spencer, who knows.

The first Sony published title arrived on PC in 2015.

Meanwhile, the following year, you had Phil Spencer spinning up this nonsense after quantum break and Forza horizon 3 were announced to be releasing on PC:

"The argument people give me is that 'hey, I'm just going to sell my Xbox One and play all these games on my PC'. I get the emotion around that argument.

Frankly, from a financial standpoint, the most cost-effective way to play these games is to own an Xbox One," Spencer said in an interview with IGN. "We're committed to bringing our biggest franchises to both Xbox and Windows, but it doesn't necessarily mean that every game could end up on both platforms. There could be many differences in the play space and how the games play."

Not every Xbox One game is coming to PC, says Phil Spencer

Microsoft promises that the Xbox One will still have its fair share of platform exclusives.

www.tweaktown.com

What a guy, what a leader. So noble, so honest, so righteous.

Given everything that's happened over the last 15 years or so you have to be an utter moron to continue to bumlick this guy in any way.

 

[CompleteGlobalSaturation]

I like Phil. He's made the PC a fantastic place to play games on, and he's making Microsoft games to be as accessible as possible (Day 1 PC ports, Gamepass etc). And lastly, unlike Sony, they're actually giving us good games this upcoming year.

 

[M1chl]

He's definitely Zempin' - it's known to make people look aged and a little dark in the eyes. I'd even go as far as saying it looks like he's had some work done on his "gullet" as his jawline looks way more defined as well. I don't think it's that surprising considering how normalized it's become among wealthy people.

yet here I am, payed zero since I was put onto it

 

[DiddyInAHellcat]

Microsoft is a a public traded company. So this isn't shocking at all . Have to show their stakeholders a profit after spending billions on the Activision acquisition

 

[PharaoTutAnchAmun]

Starting at 8:15

Thats Phil for you...talking like a second hand car sales man