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"Xbox Not Moving Away from Physical Games" says Phil Spencer

I am not sure that Phil Spencer is being entirely truthful because ever since the disastrous unveiling of the Xbox One with its TV! TV! TV! showcase and the 24 hour online verification requirement (which they backtracked on that required a very lengthy day one firmware update to fix it), it seemed to me like Microsoft has been pushing toward being digital only and, of course, they are are always going on about what great value GamePass is as a digital service. Also, there have been many reports of Xbox Series X|S games shipping on discs with just a launcher/installer that then downloads the game! I no longer buy Xbox Series X games on disc, not because I don't want to, but because if it isn't a disc with a 250 MB launcher then it's just a code in a box.

It stands to reason that they want the Xbox to be an all-digital platform because then they would have complete control over games pricing and would do away with second-hand games sales which they obviously do not profit from.

At some point, Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft will go all-digital and discs will disappear. That will be a sad day indeed. I am fine with all-digital on PC where I can shop around for cheap third-party keys but on console we will be stuck with their store pricing which means that all three can charge whatever they like. This is why I continue to buy PS5 on discs where I have a physical item, often cheaper than the digital version, a sense of ownership and something I can sell on at a later date. I get none of that with a digital library.
 
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King Dazzar

Member
We forgive you, king!
For what, me selling my box?
yloLdW3.gif
 

Bond007

Member
Yet proceed to probably release a discless console this fall- atleast that was the plan per the leaks.
I dont trust a word this man says. Either its corporate mumbo jumbo or a lie- or goes back on his word/leaves things open for interpretation/plausible deniability.
 

MarkMe2525

Gold Member
Didn't that leak about X full digital contradicts that?
Unless of course they discarded that concept.
There was also evidence unearthed that a add on disc drive will be produced. Similar to the playstation, except all consoles would be digital by default (unless a bundle is offered).
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
Phil....then talk to WalMart, Best Buy and Target about them removing and reducing the whole Xbox sections.
All console makers should talk to them then.

Last time I was in a Walmart, each company had a glass case of games, and shitloads of cases for gamepass and headsets. There were just as many glass shelves for peripherals than game discs.
 

SenkiDala

Member
Damn this guy, always going with the wind.

Topic 1
Random interviewer : "Hello Mister Spencer, people are saying that they don't really care physical editions anymore and prefer the ease of use of digital versions."
Spencer : "Yes. I've to say that here at Xbox, me and the teams all agree about the fact that digital is the future and we must embrace it and it's why we don't consider releasing consoles with built in disc players anymore, the future is here and we can't ignore this".

Random interviewer 2 : "Hello Mister Spencer, people are saying that they love physical games, owning their products, lend it to their friends, shelving their collections."
Spencer : "Yes. I've to say that here at Xbox, me and the team all agree about the fact that physical is so pleasant and we all love it, who doesn't love to really own its games and lending their games ? It is also great for game preservation and Xbox is committed to embrace the physical future."

///

Topic 2
Random interviewer : "Hello Mister Spencer, more and more exclusive games are becoming rarer and rarer, and many gamers think that exclusives are a thing of the past and that everybody on every platform should play the same games."
Spencer : "Yes. I've to say that here at Xbox, we think that the gaming industry is evolving fast and excluding some gamers because they don't buy our console is a bad decision, everybody should have access to all the games, if everyone play, we all win."

Random interviewer 2 : "Hello Mister Spencer, exclusive games are the reason why people chose a platform among all the machines available, and build a library on that platform, that's the exclusives that shows the vision of a console manufacturer, and exclusives push each brand to do their best to be the leader, to have the best games, competition with exclusives is what make the quality of the games so high."
Spencer : "Yes. I've to say that here at Xbox, we think that the gaming industry is evolving fast and exclusives are so important. This is the identity of a brand, that's what makes our fans being loyal to our brands and bringing our exclusives to other machines could be taken as a betrayal. Xbox is Halo, Gears of War, Forza, and PlayStation is Uncharted, Gran Turismo and Horizon, and that's our identity, it defines us."

///

I could make other exemples with single player games / multiplayer games. Cloud gaming vs gaming on a real hardware, etc. You got the idea.

And that's the problem with this man. He thinks he's being subtle and to some fanboys it seems that he's subtle enough (wtf) but for anyone having an IQ above 40 he's not being taken seriously since more than a decade.
 

Jigsaah

Gold Member
xbox_series_x_xbox_series_s.jpg


When talking to Stephen Totilo, Spencer was asked about Xbox’s future and only releasing a console with a disc drive.


Spencer said that the company will follow “what the consumers are doing”, which, right now, is buying games digitally. However, he wouldn’t shut the lid on physical games remaining part of the future of Xbox despite it being tougher to get the hardware.
WHAT THE FUCK DOES THIS MEAN!?

Hardware is harder to get? Are you making a console that has a disc drive or not...in big enough numbers to satiate the demand?

Why does every quote make me ask more questions?
 
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Phil said it, we all know what that means. Not only are Xbox stopping physical games, they're going to come round your house and destroy any xbox games you own.
 

Jigsaah

Gold Member
I'm in the market for TV's that still use component inputs...I got my PS3 for backwards compatibility on disc and I'm holding onto the OG Xbox and Series X for the same purpose.
 

DeepEnigma

Gold Member
WHAT THE FUCK DOES THIS MEAN!?

Hardware is harder to get? Are you making a console that has a disc drive or not...in big enough numbers to satiate the demand?

Why does every quote make me ask more questions?
So refreshing to see more and more catch on to Phil Spinster's ambiguity of a politician.
 

AREYOUOKAY?

Member
You know he doesn’t mean it when Limited Run of all places is forced to make Xbox copies of Hi-Fi Rush.

Oh well it’s better than nothing. One can hope they do physical copies of some of the other games jumping ship like Pentiment. I’d also still buy the Xbox version of any of them
 
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Jigsaah

Gold Member
So refreshing to see more and more catch on to Phil Spinster's ambiguity of a politician.
I mean he's always giving himself an out in case plans change I guess...but dude...he's been outdoing himself lately.

I'm not just catching on either. When the whole rumor thing was going on I made a prediction of what this podcast would be.

Oooooo lemme find my own quote.

EDIT: GOT IT

Hmmm with the Jez tweet and all these rumors here's what I expect.

Phil announces that some games will come to PS5 and Switch...does not give any actual titles. Taken on a case by case basis.

Phil states that they aren't leaving the console market (pointless statement, but whatever) will say we will share plans on next gen console at the right time.

Phil somehow states with a straight face that he still believes the future of Xbox is bright.

Lastly, Phil will announce a gamepass price hike just to put icing on the cake.

The last line was a joke...but there's always a little truth in humor. DeepEnigma DeepEnigma
 
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Not giving up yet none of their first party games are getting retail releases. Sure Phil. That's why Limited Run has to step in to give us what we want. Can't stand this guy.
 

Shake Your Rump

Gold Member
He's not lying. They aren't specifically moving away from physical games. They are just moving away from Xbox, completely. He admitted that Xbox consoles are stagnant and that they are "growing" on PC and "cloud" instead. With the amount of focus he seems to have on growth at all costs, even by firing thousands of employees, there is no way Microsoft gives a shit about Xbox consoles and physical discs.
 

Killer8

Gold Member
They're just moving it all to LRG to do a temporary 18 month run where you have to wait up to a year for the dogshit company to actually ship it out to you.
 

mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
Not giving up yet none of their first party games are getting retail releases. Sure Phil. That's why Limited Run has to step in to give us what we want. Can't stand this guy.

It's so weird seeing FFVII: Rebirth get these beautiful physical releases for a great game, yet Microsoft wants to move away from it. So dumb.
 
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