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[The Verge] Microsoft may stop marketing of Xbox consoles in EMEA and focus only on Game Pass, Cloud, PC and Xbox Controllers

Mephisto40

Member
Fair point. If Xbox is dead, what happens if Xbox Live gets shut down?
tenor.gif
 

kikii

Member
So, yesterday game pass was dieing and now it's the only focus for Europe.

Maybe the truth is in-between.

Europe becomes a second class citizen and only gets game pass streaming and very low volumes of console stock to sell to the region while UK and US gets more focus on a console/pc hybrid.
u do know that UK is in Europe ? :p
 

tronied

Member
This could just be a few countries in Africa for all we know
Likely, but the Verge doesn’t care as all they’re after is the clicks and advertising revenue. I’d like to remind everyone that during the time when all that talk about every Xbox game coming to PlayStation was happening, they were front and centre fanning the flames. They must have put out like 5 or 6 Xbox ”source” stories within the space of a week. So far all we’ve got is four minor games and until we hear more from Microsoft, nothing is confirmed.

They know they’re onto a hot ticket here, so every now and then they hear a little bit of inconsequential news or one of their special “sources” and pour on some fuel to bring In that advertising revenue. It obviously works really well as look at all the fanboys proclaiming it as some major event. As it is, like you say it’s probably going to be one or two minor countries and never even announced.

Just bear in mind that all these rumours from sites are only after one thing and that’s money.
 

Snake29

RSI Employee of the Year
And how do they think to attract casuals without anything physical like a console? Gamepass is pretty much useless without it and i don't see them buying some firestick and to think they have the same quality.
 
True, but the third party narrative started ramping up after October when the acquisition completed. No way to know really. Could be things would have happened exactly as they happened either way.



My response from above...

Nope. It's good for consumers to have access to more games thanks to Microsoft. Also, thanks to Microsoft, Activision games are available on more platforms than ever before.And every platform is treated equally and gets the updates, DLC and skins at the same time
 

GHG

Gold Member
Nope. It's good for consumers to have access to more games thanks to Microsoft. Also, thanks to Microsoft, Activision games are available on more platforms than ever before.And every platform is treated equally and gets the updates, DLC and skins at the same time

Getting strong pre-merger flashbacks here.

It's gone through, there's no need to convince yourself or anyone else about any of this.
 

DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
Living in the UK myself, it doesn't seem to me like xbox is "strong" here tbh, it's being increasingly heavily outsold by playstation on a month by month basis

A product outselling another in a region doesn't put the other product into "not performing well or strongly" Yes, Xbox is behind playstation but UK is still its second strongest region, I believe.
 

M1987

Member
Nope. It's good for consumers to have access to more games thanks to Microsoft. Also, thanks to Microsoft, Activision games are available on more platforms than ever before.And every platform is treated equally and gets the updates, DLC and skins at the same time
What other platforms are Activision games available on since Microsoft bought them? you sound like one of them Microsoft bots from the merger thread
 

Zheph

Member
There has been plenty of ads in Europe for Xbox/GP... especially on Youtube or social medias.

People having 10 adblockers and than being surprised they don't see any ads
Nickelodeon Yes GIF by SpongeBob SquarePants
 

demigod

Member
What kind of ads did you watch?
They were pretty much silent for most of the time.
I just told you, there were ads and you're denying it. There were TV ads, youtube ads, I'm sure there were website ads but I don't visit them so I wouldn't know. In fact I think GAF had ads on it too, can't remember. Try watching TV for once.
 

feynoob

Banned
I just told you, there were ads and you're denying it. There were TV ads, youtube ads, I'm sure there were website ads but I don't visit them so I wouldn't know. In fact I think GAF had ads on it too, can't remember. Try watching TV for once.
And I am telling you. They weren't aggressive with their ads.
The marketing for the game was minimal. It took them until the last week of the release to actually mention the game.
 

jm89

Member
What kind of ads did you watch?
They were pretty much silent for most of the time.
Starfield was definitely marketed more then some of their other exclusives.

Although like with all xbox marketing it's questionable if they did enough.
 

OrionNebula

Member
I'd argue that without Xbox the industry will be much better off with healthy competition between PC/PS/Nintendo.
It’s a fair point. But to me it’s more co-existing rather than head-on competition. Seems like ninty and playstation mostly just stay out of each other’s way for the most part, cathering to mostly different audiences. And with ps now releasing on pc… it just doesn’t feel as aggressive competition to me as xbox/ps rivalry
 

feynoob

Banned
It’s a fair point. But to me it’s more co-existing rather than head-on competition. Seems like ninty and playstation mostly just stay out of each other’s way for the most part, cathering to mostly different audiences. And with ps now releasing on pc… it just doesn’t feel as aggressive competition to me as xbox/ps rivalry
Anyone who believes that the industry without Xbox is delusional.
As much as we like to shit on Xbox, leaving the 2 will literally stagnate the industry.
You can see how both companies treat their consumers.

They offer great games, but they shit on their userbase. Xbox vs PS pushed the industry.
 

DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
Just like being the second strongest region doesn't mean it is performing well.

It's not like a 90 / 10 split like Nvidia vs AMD though. I think last numbers it was like 62 / 38 and thats VS the playstation 5 which is supposed to be beast mode isn't it?
 

Topher

Gold Member
Nope. It's good for consumers to have access to more games thanks to Microsoft. Also, thanks to Microsoft, Activision games are available on more platforms than ever before.And every platform is treated equally and gets the updates, DLC and skins at the same time

Why are you replying "nope" and then praising Microsoft for shit that has nothing to do with what I said? I'm talking about the effect this acquisition has had on Xbox consoles and you are replying with some jibberish that could have come out of a Microsoft press release.
 

FewRope

Member
Nope. It's good for consumers to have access to more games thanks to Microsoft. Also, thanks to Microsoft, Activision games are available on more platforms than ever before.And every platform is treated equally and gets the updates, DLC and skins at the same time
Tienes que parar hermano
 

feynoob

Banned
Why are you replying "nope" and then praising Microsoft for shit that has nothing to do with what I said? I'm talking about the effect this acquisition has had on Xbox consoles and you are replying with some jibberish that could have come out of a Microsoft press release.
Because MS is saint and Sony is the devil of gaming.
Can you imagine providing big AAA game with rich story and gameplay. Yikes.
They should praise PS+ nonstop and hail it as the best deal in the gaming.
 

King Dazzar

Member
Living in the UK myself, it doesn't seem to me like xbox is "strong" here tbh, it's being increasingly heavily outsold by playstation on a month by month basis
I was looking at console prices last night as I wouldn't mind maybe picking up an XSX again on the cheap. Just as a BC machine and for access to my dormant, large digital library. And bizarrely the XSX is consistently more expensive everywhere I looked compared to the PS5. I just dont understand the thinking and strategy (if there even is one) going on here. There's no effort to turn things around.

It really feels/looks to me that there is a mixture of arrogance, incompetence and a lack of effort by MS on their console. Its both sad and frustrating to see. Bu then thats how I felt during most of my ownership of my day one XSX. You'd have thought lessons would be learnt. It all comes across as half arsed.
 

azertydu91

Hard to Kill
It's not like a 90 / 10 split like Nvidia vs AMD though. I think last numbers it was like 62 / 38 and thats VS the playstation 5 which is supposed to be beast mode isn't it?
Last number I found Here puts it for the year at 1.2 million vs 650 000 so around half of what sony is selling in their second best market is not really great but fair enough 66/33 is not as great as 90/10.It still doesnt mean that they sold much though, see the point you made also applied to your point yet you failed to see it.
 

King Dazzar

Member
Nope. It's good for consumers to have access to more games thanks to Microsoft. Also, thanks to Microsoft, Activision games are available on more platforms than ever before.And every platform is treated equally and gets the updates, DLC and skins at the same time
lol, not sure access and good for consumers are flags I'd be waving at this moment in time... you got the recent GP memo I assume?
 

feynoob

Banned
Starfield was definitely marketed more then some of their other exclusives.

Although like with all xbox marketing it's questionable if they did enough.
Their marketing division has been dogshot throught the purchase of activision.
Then they proceed to fire most of them. Truly a brain dead company.
 

graywolf323

Member

hahaha-lol.gif
perfect example of an astroturfer honestly, <100 posts and disappeared about a month after the launch of the now current gen consoles
 

Bond007

Member
We already knew their plan to leave the console space would be gradual. Despite having their fans hang on a thread.
They have never been honest- i wouldn't expect them to be telling the truth now either.
 

DavidGzz

Member
What other platforms are Activision games available on since Microsoft bought them? you sound like one of them Microsoft bots from the merger thread

I don't know which he is thinking of but Diablo 4 on Steam happened after the merger but idk if Blizzard already had that in the works or not. Until then, all Blizzard games were on their launcher only.
 

Varteras

Member
I don't know which he is thinking of but Diablo 4 on Steam happened after the merger but idk if Blizzard already had that in the works or not. Until then, all Blizzard games were on their launcher only.

Overwatch 2 was announced to be going to Steam in July 2023. Well before the acquisition went through. Certainly not at a time when Microsoft had any say. Blizzard games were already in the works to head to Steam.
 

Mephisto40

Member
I was looking at console prices last night as I wouldn't mind maybe picking up an XSX again on the cheap. Just as a BC machine and for access to my dormant, large digital library. And bizarrely the XSX is consistently more expensive everywhere I looked compared to the PS5. I just dont understand the thinking and strategy (if there even is one) going on here. There's no effort to turn things around.

It really feels/looks to me that there is a mixture of arrogance, incompetence and a lack of effort by MS on their console. Its both sad and frustrating to see. Bu then thats how I felt during most of my ownership of my day one XSX. You'd have thought lessons would be learnt. It all comes across as half arsed.
Part of the reason XSX hasn't gone down in price is because Microsoft's install base is pretty much dominated by XSS owners instead
 

tadikko

Neo Member
Phil Spencer fell into the Concorde Effect trap for far too long.And with the advent of Game Pass, he could no longer stop walking, even though he knew it would ruin him.

march of lemmings.
 

Von Hugh

Gold Member
>Pivot into the whatever shitshow Xbox One was
>Continue on the same direction with Xbox Series S/X despite proven bad results

Phil Spencer, you are an idiot.
 

Alan Wake

Member
Starfield was definitely marketed more then some of their other exclusives.

Although like with all xbox marketing it's questionable if they did enough.

There was very little in my country at least. And no special edition console, no fanfare to speak of despite Starfield being THE game for them this gen.
 
So hold on... The main reason they didn't sell many consoles is surely because their games line-up was either poor or non-existent, or they were just terrible at marketing it.
But now they're ditching the hardware to be what is essentially a games publisher. (Which they are shit at.)
I never understood
They finally got the games and gave up immediately
 

kriolo

Member
Billions of dollars in mkt, focus groups, research... what about common sense??? This message,pricing,value etc is completely nuts.. leadership in ms has gone to shit
 
I was looking at console prices last night as I wouldn't mind maybe picking up an XSX again on the cheap. Just as a BC machine and for access to my dormant, large digital library. And bizarrely the XSX is consistently more expensive everywhere I looked compared to the PS5. I just dont understand the thinking and strategy (if there even is one) going on here. There's no effort to turn things around.

It really feels/looks to me that there is a mixture of arrogance, incompetence and a lack of effort by MS on their console. Its both sad and frustrating to see. Bu then thats how I felt during most of my ownership of my day one XSX. You'd have thought lessons would be learnt. It all comes across as half arsed.

Is it surprising though? I think they lose a lot of money on each console sold. Now add a discount and they are losing even more money. Yet they aren't seeing a large amount of people buy their consoles even with discounts so why continue to do it?
 
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