HoofHearted
Member
This thread…. WTHF
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What do you think Microsoft needs to do to become successful?
- Thread starter levyjl1988
- Start date
Rudius
Member
Maybe they would be more successful going the full PC route: sell Series S and X as consolized PCs, meaning you can use them both in console mode, with games optimized for the hardware as it is now, but also having the option to boot them in Windows 11 mode, thus using them as the best bang for the buck PCs.
Sure and lord gaben make all the money lol great idea. Microsoft subsidies and lord gaben makes all the profits.
PhaseJump
Banned
Topher
Identifies as young
Take a breath and read what I said again......very slowly this time:
"I'd say Xbox overall is a success just digging themselves out of the hole they found themselves in last gen."
The words "still need to" are not there.
CeeJay
Member
First of all, fuck chasing GOTY. It's a joke when stuff like Stray and HFW are getting nominated whilst Forza Horizon 5 and Grounded didn't. I think that the reason Sony get more GOTY nominations than Xbox is as much down to reputation as anything which will come with time if they get everything else sorted.
I think that type casting their studios (343, Turn10, Coalition) to make one game was a huge mistake, give them room to breathe and let their creative talent pitch different games. Rebrand those studios and take inspiration from Obsidian. Two of Microsoft studios highlights this gen have been small passion projects from Obsidian made by a handful of devs (Grounded and Pentiment), what would some small passion projects from these big three studios look like? I would certainly be excited to see what else they could do outside of their usual offerings. Microsoft have a lot of small and talented studios who will bring some amazing games but they will take time to grow and flourish (Undead Labs, Compulsion to name a couple). As a platform holder you need to have a conveyor belt of IP at different points in their lifecycles and as they become stale and burned out they naturally get replaced by the next ones coming through. Microsoft for so long relied on Halo/Gears/Forza whilst not putting enough focus on bringing new stuff through on the conveyor and now they are at a point where they have these titles that have been milked and are very long in the tooth. They realised this some time ago and have some fresh stuff but nothing really at that sweet point in the middle of the conveyor belt due to years of neglect. Take a look at Bethesda, they have multiple strong IPs such Elder Scrolls and Fallout that have been going for decades and remain popular very similar to Rockstar who have GTA and Red Dead. The thing that both these studios do though is alternate their strong IP as well as also introducing new stuff which means that their titles don't become stale anywhere near as quickly as a studio that just keeps pumping out sequel after sequel of the same game. Playground games are in a position now where pretty much no one is going to be hyped for the next Forza Horizon no matter how well made it is, 2,3,4 and 5 just came too quickly one after the other. it would have been much better if they had another IP or two that they could rotate. Sure, they have a second studio that is working on Fable but that isn't going to prevent Forza Horizon from dropping off in popularity sooner than it should have. Microsoft may be making some good decisions, but they are also still making a lot of really bad decisions too.
Microsoft have a lot of really good studios now, what they need to do is look long and hard at what made (and continues to make) those studios great and adopt those practices at their core 1st party studios. Realise that too much of a good thing doesn't equal a better thing.
I think that type casting their studios (343, Turn10, Coalition) to make one game was a huge mistake, give them room to breathe and let their creative talent pitch different games. Rebrand those studios and take inspiration from Obsidian. Two of Microsoft studios highlights this gen have been small passion projects from Obsidian made by a handful of devs (Grounded and Pentiment), what would some small passion projects from these big three studios look like? I would certainly be excited to see what else they could do outside of their usual offerings. Microsoft have a lot of small and talented studios who will bring some amazing games but they will take time to grow and flourish (Undead Labs, Compulsion to name a couple). As a platform holder you need to have a conveyor belt of IP at different points in their lifecycles and as they become stale and burned out they naturally get replaced by the next ones coming through. Microsoft for so long relied on Halo/Gears/Forza whilst not putting enough focus on bringing new stuff through on the conveyor and now they are at a point where they have these titles that have been milked and are very long in the tooth. They realised this some time ago and have some fresh stuff but nothing really at that sweet point in the middle of the conveyor belt due to years of neglect. Take a look at Bethesda, they have multiple strong IPs such Elder Scrolls and Fallout that have been going for decades and remain popular very similar to Rockstar who have GTA and Red Dead. The thing that both these studios do though is alternate their strong IP as well as also introducing new stuff which means that their titles don't become stale anywhere near as quickly as a studio that just keeps pumping out sequel after sequel of the same game. Playground games are in a position now where pretty much no one is going to be hyped for the next Forza Horizon no matter how well made it is, 2,3,4 and 5 just came too quickly one after the other. it would have been much better if they had another IP or two that they could rotate. Sure, they have a second studio that is working on Fable but that isn't going to prevent Forza Horizon from dropping off in popularity sooner than it should have. Microsoft may be making some good decisions, but they are also still making a lot of really bad decisions too.
Microsoft have a lot of really good studios now, what they need to do is look long and hard at what made (and continues to make) those studios great and adopt those practices at their core 1st party studios. Realise that too much of a good thing doesn't equal a better thing.
RCU005
Member
To me, they should become a software company, I mean Microsoft is where it shines, anyway.
Xbox already has so many studios, and Game Pass will only become the Netflix of games if it comes everywhere (just like Netflix).
While the Xbox consoles sell well and Series X|S have sell better than the others, it’s still behind Sony and Nintendo.
If they become third party, they have the potential to be one of the best publishers in the world, if not the best.
Xbox already has so many studios, and Game Pass will only become the Netflix of games if it comes everywhere (just like Netflix).
While the Xbox consoles sell well and Series X|S have sell better than the others, it’s still behind Sony and Nintendo.
If they become third party, they have the potential to be one of the best publishers in the world, if not the best.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Black_Stride
do not tempt fate do not contrain Wonder Woman's thighs do not do not
Lucifers Beard
Member
They have nailed it in the hardware department, now they just need some good, new and strong IPs to push them forward. They can’t rely on Halo to sell hardware these days and will need more to drag new people in.
This isn’t going to happen overnight but it needs to happen in the next year or two. There’s a lot of stuff in development already and now we need to start seeing gameplay.
This isn’t going to happen overnight but it needs to happen in the next year or two. There’s a lot of stuff in development already and now we need to start seeing gameplay.
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
They need a couple strong fresh faced action/adventure ips.
Currently they have neither, while it’s Sony’s bread and butter.
Also stop with the multiplatform offerings. They bring back Quake and then put it in other consoles. Why??
Keep all of it on Xbox/PC. Pull every Bethesda game off PlayStation/Switch. Existing owners can redownload their games, but no more new sales.
Otherwise what’s the point of buying all of these developers if you’re not using them to drive hardware sales?
Currently they have neither, while it’s Sony’s bread and butter.
Also stop with the multiplatform offerings. They bring back Quake and then put it in other consoles. Why??
Keep all of it on Xbox/PC. Pull every Bethesda game off PlayStation/Switch. Existing owners can redownload their games, but no more new sales.
Otherwise what’s the point of buying all of these developers if you’re not using them to drive hardware sales?
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Doctor Hades
Member
Microsoft already are hugely successful with Windows and Surface tablets etc but perhaps not so much with their Xbox division, which while not a flop has always been third-place to Nintendo and Sony. Clearly they are happy with that but outside of the U.S. I feel that Microsoft have always lacked that cool "gamey" edge that Sony and Nintendo have. They always come across as somewhat corporate to me and less like a company that make videogames and consoles even though that is exactly what they do do.
They make great console hardware without a doubt... well except for those early Xbox 360 and the infamous red ring of death fiasco - and Sony could do to learn a thing or five from them, in my opinion (like how to copy/move files in the background while I play a game or how to do VRR properly) but when it comes to software they've been a bit mixed. Sure, they have established popular franchises such as Forza, Gears of War and Halo but that is about it and it is telling that 2 years in the life of the Xbox Series X, which I picked up last December, that the console still has very few exclusives. Microsoft have pushed for online gaming and it shows in the lack of exclusive single player games, an area where Sony and Nintendo are arguably stronger.
If it wasn't for Game Pass then I believe the Xbox Series X|S would have flopped (and, yes, I subscribe to GamePass). I actually feel Microsoft were most successful with the original Xbox which was quite innovative for its time, having a hard drive, an online gaming service and DLC for games but the console launched too late and did not sell well. They refined the Xbox concept with the Xbox 360 but the poor design issues kind of spoilt that party (I went through FIVE faulty consoles in the time I owned it!). Xbox One was when things went downhill for Xbox with that truly disastrous unveilling (TV, TV, TV!), the rollback on its 24 hour licencing checks (I remember having to wait an hour for my launch Xbox One to download the firmware that removed this feature) and that price which was £100 more than the PS4. It also saw the dearth of first-party exclusives that continue to plague the Xbox Series consoles as we near the end of 2022.
Microsoft seem to be more focused on pushing/promoting Game Pass as a service and I can see a future were the Xbox no longer exists as a console platform but just a games service for other platforms, possibly even streaming only. I think that is why they do not seem concerned with never having been a market leader in the console industry.
They make great console hardware without a doubt... well except for those early Xbox 360 and the infamous red ring of death fiasco - and Sony could do to learn a thing or five from them, in my opinion (like how to copy/move files in the background while I play a game or how to do VRR properly) but when it comes to software they've been a bit mixed. Sure, they have established popular franchises such as Forza, Gears of War and Halo but that is about it and it is telling that 2 years in the life of the Xbox Series X, which I picked up last December, that the console still has very few exclusives. Microsoft have pushed for online gaming and it shows in the lack of exclusive single player games, an area where Sony and Nintendo are arguably stronger.
If it wasn't for Game Pass then I believe the Xbox Series X|S would have flopped (and, yes, I subscribe to GamePass). I actually feel Microsoft were most successful with the original Xbox which was quite innovative for its time, having a hard drive, an online gaming service and DLC for games but the console launched too late and did not sell well. They refined the Xbox concept with the Xbox 360 but the poor design issues kind of spoilt that party (I went through FIVE faulty consoles in the time I owned it!). Xbox One was when things went downhill for Xbox with that truly disastrous unveilling (TV, TV, TV!), the rollback on its 24 hour licencing checks (I remember having to wait an hour for my launch Xbox One to download the firmware that removed this feature) and that price which was £100 more than the PS4. It also saw the dearth of first-party exclusives that continue to plague the Xbox Series consoles as we near the end of 2022.
Microsoft seem to be more focused on pushing/promoting Game Pass as a service and I can see a future were the Xbox no longer exists as a console platform but just a games service for other platforms, possibly even streaming only. I think that is why they do not seem concerned with never having been a market leader in the console industry.
kuncol02
Banned
I give. GoW5 is one of best shooters of previous generation and second-best game in series.
Heisenberg007
Gold Journalism
We'll agree to disagree then, no problem.
Out of curiosity, do you want MS to make big AAA games (because they have the resources that almost no other company in the gaming industry has) or make smaller AA indie titles (which many other companies can and do make all the the time)?
Flutta
Banned
Eh that’s a bit hyperbolish. But as it stands right now, i think you’re right about the catering to the woke crowd and it’s sad to see. Latest victim was GOWR.
But tbh the whole western industry is taking this direction so it’s not only a Sony problem.
bluecowboys
Banned
Xbox is already successful and growing tremendously. If you are talking about what could they do to get in first place. They need to get all the sports games (Madden, Fifa, NHL, NBA, etc) day one on game pass. Sports games + COD will defiantly make xbox game pass attractive to the casuals who make up majority of the console gamers. Another thing is for Microsoft to start investing in a hardware division so they can create their own xbox and windows gaming computers without relying on third party chip manufactures. This way they don't have to deal with supply shortages and can release their console for a cheaper price and maybe even release their console earlier since they won't have to deal with a bunch of red tape.
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Punished Miku
Human Rights Subscription Service
Halo + Rabbids. Just think about the potential.
Banjo64
cumsessed
I hope Avowed, Perfect Dark and Fable have sky high quality and production values. I’m expecting Zenimax games like Starfield and Doom to continue to be quality.
The counter argument can be made that other companies are making huge AAA titles.
A mix of both AAA and smaller games is for the best IMO. Ori is the best 2D game I have ever played.
There’s also the aspect that allowing people like Josh Sawyer to make their passion projects encourages their creativity, sense of autonomy and worth. Games that the devs are passionate about end up being the best games, regardless of scope or budget.
World anyone really be complaining if Rare said they finally had an idea for a new Conker, but it would only be a 5 hour long game (made with passion, love and quality)? I know I wouldn’t complain.
Drizzlehell
Banned
Judging from your use of an outdated meme, it's safe to assume that you're one of those aging gamers who used to play on Xbox Live when they were kids because that's pretty much the only demographic that still cares about those old-ass franchises.
It still might be a pretty sizeable demographic, I suppose, because you can always count on a bunch of man children who just want to stay in the past forever to keep buying this shit, but that doesn't change the fact that neither Halo nor GoW are quite as relevant as they were over a decade ago. Now they're a mere shadow of their former selves, with barely any innovation between each new game, Gears of War franchise getting hijacked by blue-haired activists to spread the The Message and replace established heroes with a Strong Female Character™ (who's also one of the most boring video game protagonists in history), and in case of Halo and 343 - continuing on their streak of endless fuck ups and failed promises.
Yeah, real system-sellers right here, mate. Top notch.
You could at least point to the one franchise that actually still has some clout on Xbox, and that's Forza Horizon.
alabtrosMyster
Banned
Sony has made sure they have had great content on their consoles since day 1 of the PS1 launch, they did not succeed because people just love the Sony logo.
The kids care about Roblox, Fortnite, Minecraft (yay MS), GTA 5, CoD, etc. I don't think either Sony has anything super relevant in the kids demographic.
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Roxkis_ii
Member
They need to learn how to create content and stop relying on the same old same old.
No more halo, or gears. Let the studios take risk and make something new. I feel like that's why the coalition didn't go any where. They were trying something new, MS canned it and made them work on perfect dark (please let this fucking franchise die). Probably the reason Bungie left too. No creative person wants to work on the same shit forever.
Microsoft seems like they want studios to focus on one franchise, and I imagine thats an absolute killer for creativity and passion.
Also hard deadlines and better project managers, how long has the one studio been working on hell blade 2??
Another thing, get rid of Phil Spencer, xbox doesn't need an executive with a salesmen personality, they need someone passionate about games with the balls to compete with Sony and Nintendo. Phil talks a good game (not really) but the results haven't followed.
Get the Xbox console devs solid, then work on expanding into other areas.
No more halo, or gears. Let the studios take risk and make something new. I feel like that's why the coalition didn't go any where. They were trying something new, MS canned it and made them work on perfect dark (please let this fucking franchise die). Probably the reason Bungie left too. No creative person wants to work on the same shit forever.
Microsoft seems like they want studios to focus on one franchise, and I imagine thats an absolute killer for creativity and passion.
Also hard deadlines and better project managers, how long has the one studio been working on hell blade 2??
Another thing, get rid of Phil Spencer, xbox doesn't need an executive with a salesmen personality, they need someone passionate about games with the balls to compete with Sony and Nintendo. Phil talks a good game (not really) but the results haven't followed.
Get the Xbox console devs solid, then work on expanding into other areas.
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
Pay a few hundred billion to rehire Gaben and buy Steam.
Why would you want to make Steam worse?
PhaseJump
Banned
I wouldn't.
THE DUCK
voted poster of the decade by bots
They could copy sony straight up, I mean they have the driving games covered, they have 1st person via doom/halo, but what they are lacking is high quality true 3rd person adventure games.
So make a high quality gow clone, a high quality last of us clone, and a high quality uncharted clone. It sounds silly/simple but they have the quality studios now to do this. ...
So make a high quality gow clone, a high quality last of us clone, and a high quality uncharted clone. It sounds silly/simple but they have the quality studios now to do this. ...
bluecowboys
Banned
PS1 succeeded because Nintendo gave the middle finger to third party publishers and developers.Sony has made sure they have had great content on their consoles since day 1 of the PS1 launch, they did not succeed because people just love the Sony logo.
The kids care about Roblox, Fortnite, Minecraft (yay MS), GTA 5, CoD, etc. I don't think either Sony has anything super relevant in the kids demographic.
Same way 360 succeeded because Sony screwed up badly.
Both xbox and playstation depend heavily on third party games. MS strategy is to put all the big third party games in a subscription model. They already have Minecraft and soon COD. MS needs to get the sports games on Xbox game pass next.
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Topher
Identifies as young
That isn't Microsoft's strategy. Phil Spencer has already said that Game Pass only accounts for 15% of Xbox revenue and it won't get much bigger than that. Game Pass will get whatever sports games EA puts on EA Play and that's it. Microsoft isn't going to shovel out the money needed to bring sports games to GP day one.
bluecowboys
Banned
What? MS hasn't released COD, Elder scroll VI, Starfield, WoW, Diablo, and more to game pass yet. When they are able to do that, more and more people will subscribe to game pass. They need casual games like the sports games. MLB is already on game pass. They need to grab Madden and Fifa to attract more people. Maybe they need to purchase EA to do so.
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TheGodfather07
Member
They are already successful in their own way. Are you asking if they will ever be no 1 like sony and Nintendo have been? I have no idea. Anything can happen in the future.
Evil Calvin
Afraid of Boobs
Uh.....release a AAA first party game........
Evil Calvin
Afraid of Boobs
Crackdown 3 campaign was fun.
Topher
Identifies as young
I'm just telling you what Phil Spencer has said. We can dream about whatever games we want being on Game Pass, but if Phil Spencer says it tops out at 15% then there isn't much more to be said.
TheThreadsThatBindUs
Member
It's a dumb, poorly-qualified question.
MS is already successful in the gaming market. They make a reasonable amount of gaming sales revenue. They monetize their reasonable installed base better than both Sony and Nintendo. They actually make reasonable gaming profits, despite being 3rd place in the market.
If you're actually asking what they need to do to be more successful than Sony or Nintendo, then the answer is to do what their competitors are doing but better; hence what they've been trying to do since entering the market but failed in all but the first few years of the Xbox 360.
They're not really capable to beat Sony or Nintendo at their own game. Xbox execs (and in turn MS execs that have too much input into the Xbox business) don't really understand nor care about gaming enough to be able to deliver what the majority of international gamers want. They're either too full of hot air and too focused on the US market like Spencer, or fucking clueless like the rest of the Xbox and MS executives to be able to build Xbox into a competitive gaming business.
Their best bet in the gaming market is to differentiate, which is what they are partially trying to do with GamePass. But that differentiation needs to also be followed through in their first-party game output too. They should be making completely different types of games from what Sony and Nintendo do, positioning them as an essential second console for many gamers in the market.
Instead, they're too focused on gaming business models and making games as churnable, monetizable products, so they miss the importance of product quality and this results in a lackluster first-party portfolio output. Also, the consistent revenue stream of GamePass further proves to provide them almost no impetus to improve that situation... because they're rewarded with subscription revenues regardless of the content output quality.
MS is already successful in the gaming market. They make a reasonable amount of gaming sales revenue. They monetize their reasonable installed base better than both Sony and Nintendo. They actually make reasonable gaming profits, despite being 3rd place in the market.
If you're actually asking what they need to do to be more successful than Sony or Nintendo, then the answer is to do what their competitors are doing but better; hence what they've been trying to do since entering the market but failed in all but the first few years of the Xbox 360.
They're not really capable to beat Sony or Nintendo at their own game. Xbox execs (and in turn MS execs that have too much input into the Xbox business) don't really understand nor care about gaming enough to be able to deliver what the majority of international gamers want. They're either too full of hot air and too focused on the US market like Spencer, or fucking clueless like the rest of the Xbox and MS executives to be able to build Xbox into a competitive gaming business.
Their best bet in the gaming market is to differentiate, which is what they are partially trying to do with GamePass. But that differentiation needs to also be followed through in their first-party game output too. They should be making completely different types of games from what Sony and Nintendo do, positioning them as an essential second console for many gamers in the market.
Instead, they're too focused on gaming business models and making games as churnable, monetizable products, so they miss the importance of product quality and this results in a lackluster first-party portfolio output. Also, the consistent revenue stream of GamePass further proves to provide them almost no impetus to improve that situation... because they're rewarded with subscription revenues regardless of the content output quality.
bluecowboys
Banned
Only 15% for now. More xbox game pass subscribers equals more revenue. More subscribers come with more and more games. Not rocket science.
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SmokedMeat
Gamer™
Have you seen/used the Windows Store? It’s a downgrade.