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[DenchDeckard]

hahaha!

Honestly, I am. Sony are obviously doing something right and Microsoft need to step up. Maybe getting a pasting is exactly what they need for the better of their business and, who wouldnt want more releases and great games.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

I'm actually really happy for Sony with this news because if this does not send a clear message that Microsoft needs to sort their release schedule out, secure third party marketing deals on big games like Hogwarts and Resi 4, I don't know what else does.

Why would any 3P with a big AAA release go with Xbox for a marketing deal when it would be an uphill battle to get the expected sales boost through association with that platform, having a much smaller install base than its direct competition? No amount of money Microsoft could throw at them would be worth it, because money cut through a deal for marketing rights can't be put towards software revenue reports for shareholders.

And, if the shareholders don't get expected software sales and revenue numbers, they aren't going to be happy. They could care less about Microsoft paying out $150 million for marketing rights to a game if it does little to nothing for improving actual sales.

Stop talking all that shite and step up, deliver good games and great deals for your customer base. Make the platform appealing. Go after big games for gamepass, but also marketing deals on everyday third party games. They have to change that narrative...just copy sony and spend the money...it's not hard really is it?

It all really starts with them just getting their big 1P AAA content in order, make it polished as possible, try to make it stand out and be consistent with its output. And they need more riveting 1P AAA than just yet more Forza, Gears and Halo. That's why Starfield is so important of a step for them, symbolically, but if that fails to deliver, I honestly think their time as a platform holder is up.

Hopefully for MS's sake it doesn't come to that though, then again, I see a very prosperous future for them being a full-on 3P publisher on console, and doing with Xbox more in line what Valve has done with Steam Deck (and tried to do with Steam Machines), and focusing on their new mobile storefront. All of which would be more successful than pushing Xbox as a traditional console and also avoid the baggage they've had to deal with the past many years in trying (and failing) to beat Sony (and to a lesser extent Nintendo, if only because Microsoft doesn't see them as a competitor in the same way they do Sony/PlayStation...even if that is technically debatable).

 

[feynoob]

It most certainly was a competition and Xbox was primed by all appearances to make a serious run at increasing market share. It just completely failed to execute when it mattered.

Anyone who said that was on some serious drugs.
The PS4 sold 117m lifetime. While Xbox couldn't even do half of that.

Even with 100$ xss, they won't be able to hit 100m. Mainly because Xbox market share is small, compared to PS.

It doesn't exist in Japan. It's weak in Europe. They will have to fix these first, to have a chance of competition.
There is also the biggest problems of Xbox. Games/content. Xbox is pretty light in that department. They need to build a library first, before doing a grown up talk.

It's why I don't pay attention to these sales comparison. Xbox needs to fix itself before trying to compete with PS.

 

[DeepEnigma]

hahaha!

Honestly, I am. Sony are obviously doing something right and Microsoft need to step up.

Why "step up" when you can just "buy up, up, and (take) away?"

 

[ReBurn]

It most certainly was a competition and Xbox was primed by all appearances to make a serious run at increasing market share. It just completely failed to execute when it mattered.

Bingo. The opportunity was there. They dropped the ball on launch by not having new first party games available. Instead they went with upgrades of last gen games and talked up third party and game pass. That's the impression they left with the market and they've done very little to change it. Pretty much every big 2022 game was delayed to 2023, Halo Infinite crapped the bed...

Xbox was my primary place to play once One X dropped and pretty much every third party multiplat was better on the more powerful One X than my PS4 Pro. But Microsoft has been stumbling since the launch of the Series consoles. This is a leadership problem. They promise a lot but can't deliver.

 

[Coulomb_Barrier]

For him to say something like this, things must be looking worse than expected.

Ha ha yeh he's had to continually revise his lowball PS5 numbers up and Xbox numbers down as more info comes out for March's NPD.

Absolutely crazy that its outselling the Xbox 2 to 1 in the US.

I dont even have words...Pressures on, Guess Phil will be on the way out.

It's actually more than 2:1. I think Phil needs to go yes.

 

[Coloress_Kafka]

Why "step up" when you can just "buy up, up, and (take) away?"

Phil: “Daddy Nadella. We just…. Don’t really understand the market. But there’s this company that does extensive research and collects sales data, let’s purchase Circana and make their data exclusive for internal use”

 

[DeepEnigma]

Phil: “Daddy Nadella. We just…. Don’t really understand the market. But there’s this company that does extensive research and collects sales data, let’s purchase Circana and make their data exclusive for internal use”

I mean, they've getting NPD/Circana to censor more and more each gen.

First it was console numbers and splits. (XB1 travesty)

Now it's platform splits for software. (GP cannibalization)

 

[Topher]

Thanks.

So that’s as at end of 2022.

Safe to assume it’s over 130 million now?

Nintendo sold 19 million in 2022 so that would put them at 127-ish million at the end of March assuming worldwide sales levels are the same YOY.

 

[Ogbert]

No. Switch sales were 4.11 million last year's first quarter, and they are declining this year. Something around 126 million would be more realistic.

Ah, ok.

I’m just intrigued to see if it will beat PS2.

I think a significant price drop would get them there, but Nintendo being Nintendo, that’s unlikely.

 

[fallingdove]

Anyone who said that was on some serious drugs.
The PS4 sold 117m lifetime. While Xbox couldn't even do half of that.

Even with 100$ xss, they won't be able to hit 100m. Mainly because Xbox market share is small, compared to PS.

It doesn't exist in Japan. It's weak in Europe. They will have to fix these first, to have a chance of competition.
There is also the biggest problems of Xbox. Games/content. Xbox is pretty light in that department. They need to build a library first, before doing a grown up talk.

It's why I don't pay attention to these sales comparison. Xbox needs to fix itself before trying to compete with PS.

That’s the thing though. Xbox has competed in 4 generations and in 4 generations they have failed to surpass Sony and Nintendo.

What aren’t they learning?

This is one of the reasons I am so annoyed by their acquisition strategy. They have had plenty of time to figure things out and yet they continue to deliver a product that fails to break through. Continuing to miss the mark will not only maintain their streak of underperformance but it will begin to destroy the franchises that other consoles had access to historically.

 

[NickFire]

Anyone who said that was on some serious drugs.
The PS4 sold 117m lifetime. While Xbox couldn't even do half of that.

Even with 100$ xss, they won't be able to hit 100m. Mainly because Xbox market share is small, compared to PS.

It doesn't exist in Japan. It's weak in Europe. They will have to fix these first, to have a chance of competition.
There is also the biggest problems of Xbox. Games/content. Xbox is pretty light in that department. They need to build a library first, before doing a grown up talk.

It's why I don't pay attention to these sales comparison. Xbox needs to fix itself before trying to compete with PS.

No drugs were needed. They presumably should have had a packed lineups based on everything they had already been buying up. They had the Halo flagship planned to launch with the generation. They had the media adoration about GP Best Value GP Best Value. They had the most powerful hardware. They had the cheapest hardware. They had a war chest of money to get actual timed exclusives that appeal to average console players. And to top it off, the audience was starving for a new generation due to Covid, and they had the only system you could get without stalking twitter trackers for a solid year +.

Straight facts - they had all the opportunity in the world. They just could not execute yet again.

 

[GHG]

I'm a bit out of the loop, why is that happening?

Subscription services.

 

[FalsettoVibe]

The biggest win for Sony right now is growing mindshare.

 

[Coulomb_Barrier]

It will definitely slow down. Console is approaching 40 million sales. By the end of the year they will be around 50 million which is when they will have to start cutting prices to get the people who only buy $300 consoles. I think the slim console will help them get the discless version down to $299 while they will keep the physical edition to $399.

The question is will there be a demand for a discless console at $299? People still overwhelmingly prefer disc versions and the xss wasnt exactly flying off the shelves because people who traditionally want cheaper consoles wait for cheaper physical sales.

I don't think they will need to slash the prices. Anyone waiting for a $299 PS5 next year will likely be disappointed. Seems unrealistic.

 

[NickFire]

The biggest win for Sony right now is growing mindshare.

In light of backwards compatibility having become expected on consoles, this is probably true.

 

[Three]

It feels like Double A games just aren't selling like they used to and those are the only games releasing consistently.

It feels like less and less games are coming out in the mid tier, and if they do they don't sell.

I am not sure if its the economy or tides are shifting? But i also feel like dead island 2 wont sell at all, neither will redfall. The only big game that came out in march was a remake....so it's been slow. People seem to be saving money for those big games coming up (maybe?)

I think there has been some real market contraction and naturally the publishers would begin to concentrate on their big names only when they see that happening. Hopefully we continue to see some good doube A software sales in the future.

 

[ulantan]

It's like sony prepared for a fight that Microsoft just chose not to show up for and that's even caught sony by surprise

 

[Poltz]

It's like sony prepared for a fight that Microsoft just chose not to show up for and that's even caught sony by surprise

That Halo Infinite showing in 2020 said everything you needed to know.

 

[feynoob]

No drugs were needed. They presumably should have had a packed lineups based on everything they had already been buying up. They had the Halo flagship planned to launch with the generation. They had the media adoration about GP Best Value GP Best Value. They had the most powerful hardware. They had the cheapest hardware. They had a war chest of money to get actual timed exclusives that appeal to average console players. And to top it off, the audience was starving for a new generation due to Covid, and they had the only system you could get without stalking twitter trackers for a solid year +.

Straight facts - they had all the opportunity in the world. They just could not execute yet again.

That wasnt going to fix the core issues, which was market share, Xbox's perception amongst gamers, and the library content.

These things take time. And by the time MS gets Xbox in good shape, PS would be flying high.

This gen is for MS to fix all these issues slowly. Get japanese games on the platform. Expand Xbox's first party library. Have a sustainable studios, which can put out a consistent content, instead of going for 1 year with AAA game. Give people a reason why should they buy an Xbox.

Until these stuff gets fixed, Xbox won't be in position for competition.

That’s the thing though. Xbox has competed in 4 generations and in 4 generations they have failed to surpass Sony and Nintendo.

What aren’t they learning?

This is one of the reasons I am so annoyed by their acquisition strategy. They have had plenty of time to figure things out and yet they continue to deliver a product that fails to break through. Continuing to miss the mark will not only maintain their streak of underperformance but it will begin to destroy the franchises that other consoles had access to historically.

First 2 gen, they didn't heavily invest on their first party studios, which led to Xbox one situation, where MS didn't have AAA game for a long time period.
MS lack of investment on Xbox, and chasing after kinetic success, which derailed Xbox's momentum.
Lack of leadership that can make tough choices. Phil is soft for that. He should have fired Aaron Greenberg long time ago, and make his studios put their games as fast possible.
Lack of global investment. MS literally called Japan a 2nd country for Xbox.
The country that has Sega, square, Capcom a secondary country is a huge insult to their Japanese audience.

Tldr: MS didn't give a crap about Xbox long term future. They only maintained it, so they can stop Sony/PS from becoming a default home entertainment device.

 

[MisterXDTV]

It launched at $500 and dropped Kinect six months after launch lowering the price to $400. Later it dropped to $299 in 2016.

In 2016 they launched One S with a UHD BD Drive built-in

 

[Ogbert]

I’ll say it until I’m blue in the face, but Xbox lost its way when it let Bungie leave. That they’re now PS owned is even stranger.

Destiny should have been an Xbox exclusive. Arguably the best FPS going (yes, yes, I know there’s CoD), it would have built up a huge following of gamers that simply would not entertain leaving Xbox.

Instead they have GoW and Halo, both tired imitations of their former selves.

The whole point of owning an Xbox was that it was the best place for online shooters. They’ve forgotten what they were good at.

 

[XXL]

.....And then you realize Spider-Man 2 is getting ready to unleash a marketing blitz starting in the next few weeks/months.

I don't think people on this forum even comprehend how quickly this event is going to send the PS5 into lightspeed.

This is gonna get ugly.

 

[Poltz]

Seriously though anyone using these results to try justify Microsoft buying more publishers after ABK doesn’t care about the industry.

 

[solidus12]

More like Phil will get awards in the future.

Imagine getting rewards for acquiring third party publishers and studios.

 

[Katatonic]

This Gen will be different!! Next gen will

It's like sony prepared for a fight that Microsoft just chose not to show up for and that's even caught sony by surprise

Which is embarrassing considering the crazy amount of chest thumping MS and it’s influencers were doing in anticipation of this gen.

 

[demigod]

This gen is over really. Throw in the towel.

No gif? Im disappointed

 

[demigod]

It was never a competition.

You can't sell a lot of consoles after a bad period.

Xbox needs this Gen to sort Xbox one issues.

Their estimated lifetime would be around 80m-90m.
While PS is Targeting 130+m.

What crack are you smoking? Their best was 360 gen and that was including RROD and Kinect.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

React to what? They want to make the most money possible. They don't care about console sales as much as Sony does.

You think Sony makes most of their PS revenue from hardware sales? The hardware is the means to making the real money off software sales, peripherals and PS+ subscriptions.

Keep in mind Xbox division has had drops in overall revenue so it's not just hardware that is underperforming. 3P software sales are doing extremely bad on the platform in most cases.

Phil is going nowhere because Xbox's revenue will match Playstation's revenue when the Activision deal goes through. Which is what they care about

So you're saying the only way Xbox can grow is by consolidating and buying up huge 3P publishers, and combining their revenue with Xbox's? Didn't they already do this trick with Zenimax?

And if they're going to match PlayStation's revenue with buying ABK, that means they just purchased their way into leapfrogging Nintendo's gaming revenue, right? So I guess that means they can't use the "We're in last place!" card anymore to try making future acquisitions

 

[bxrz]

Seriously though anyone using these results to try justify Microsoft buying more publishers after ABK doesn’t care about the industry.

Xbox does not care about console sales. So they will keep buying publishers and studios to expand Gamepass and make more money, which is what they actually care about

 

[bxrz]

You think Sony makes most of their PS revenue from hardware sales? The hardware is the means to making the real money off software sales, peripherals and PS+ subscriptions.

Keep in mind Xbox division has had drops in overall revenue so it's not just hardware that is underperforming. 3P software sales are doing extremely bad on the platform in most cases.



So you're saying the only way Xbox can grow is by consolidating and buying up huge 3P publishers, and combining their revenue with Xbox's? Didn't they already do this trick with Zenimax?

And if they're going to match PlayStation's revenue with buying ABK, that means they just purchased their way into leapfrogging Nintendo's gaming revenue, right? So I guess that means they can't use the "We're in last place!" card anymore to try making future acquisitions

Xbox already makes more revenue than Nintendo. They did that before they bought Activision. And they will continue to use that card because regulators already said Nintendo isn't in the same market.

And I never said most of PS revenue comes from hardware sales. I said Xbox does not care about console sales like Sony does. Which they clearly don't

The narratives are ever so amusing. Then why make consoles?

To expand Gamepass availability

 

[Thirty7ven]

I'm actually really happy for Sony with this news because if this does not send a clear message that Microsoft needs to sort their release schedule out, secure third party marketing deals on big games like Hogwarts and Resi 4, I don't know what else does.

Stop talking all that shite and step up, deliver good games and great deals for your customer base. Make the platform appealing. Go after big games for gamepass, but also marketing deals on everyday third party games. They have to change that narrative...just copy sony and spend the money...it's not hard really is it?

It’s actually very hard. The brands aren’t on the same level at all for starters. Brand matters. PS4 gen was the digital library gen.

With Xbox 360 MS gave Xbox an identity by turning it into the multiplayer shooter box. They got greedy and pivoted with Kinect and then TV TV. Xbox has no identity now, and it’s back to being a poor man’s PlayStation. Gamepass doesn’t give it an identity it just feeds into the poor man’s PlayStation perception.

They didn’t innovate with Series X, and tried a too cool for school look at me I know a shortcut call me Mr Big Brain with the Series S, feeding even more into the poor man’s PlayStation image. Halo Infinite sucked from the first showing. Halo is Xbox. Every year they overpromisse and underdeliver.

Marketing deals for games that aren’t gamepass day 1? That’s a problem because their entire strategy IS gamepass. And maybe these publishers that want to sell games aren’t interested in going that way, why would they join MS in training people to not buy games?

MS’s strategy doesn’t make sense for Xbox. Even ABK, look at their games. If COD keeps releasing on PlayStation and Diablo comes once every ten years what the fuck do people think it’s going to happen? MS is so busy turning Xbox into an any device anywhere brand, that obviously Xbox the hardware no longer makes sense. But we will see.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Xbox does not care about console sales. So they will keep buying publishers and studios to make more money, which is what they actually care about

The narratives are ever so amusing. Then why make consoles?

 

[feynoob]

What crack are you smoking? Their best was 360 gen and that was including RROD and Kinect.

What they have right now can allow them achieve those.
But it's up to MS on how to utilize them. 23 studios should bring out a lot of first party games.
If MS can't hit close to that, then their will be a big problem for Xbox in the future.

 

[Astray]

People were calling for him to be fired .

 

[Mahavastu]

It feels like Double A games just aren't selling like they used to and those are the only games releasing consistently.

I guess those are victims of the subscription services. Why pay for them when you get tons of the best of them "for free"?
I mean, if a new god of war or eldenring comes, people are ready to pay. But is this also true for AA games, if you have so many in your subscription service to try? Especially if it is not a famous IP by a famous dev or publisher?

 

[feynoob]

They got greedy and pivoted with Kinect and then TV TV. Xbox has no identity now, and it’s back to being a poor man’s PlayStation. Gamepass doesn’t give it an identity it just feeds into the poor man’s PlayStation perception.

Pretty spot on.
Gamepass is just fixing cracks. It can't fix their image with regular consumers. Those who go to your normal store and want to buy a console for their kids or for themselves.

Games, games, games, games, games.

They need a new flagship that isn't Forza, gears, and halo.

 

[[Sigma]]

Xbox does not care about console sales. So they will keep buying publishers and studios to make more money, which is what they actually care about

Dang, people still believing this nonsense in 2023.

 

[Thirty7ven]

Xbox does not care about console sales. So they will keep buying publishers and studios to make more money, which is what they actually care about

Xbox is a console driven business. From their games to their subscriptions. Vaping military grade copium isn’t going to change that. PC is still a small part of their ecosystem.

If you are right and they don’t care about consoles then they will get rid of Xbox HW. And that means their fans will also have to get rid of the hw know I’m sayin.

 

[Schmendrick]

Dude, it's a simple process.

It`s indeed very simple: you are talking out of your ass

 

[bxrz]

Xbox is a console driven business. From their games to their subscriptions. Vaping military grade copium isn’t going to change that. PC is still a small part of their ecosystem.

If you are right and they don’t care about consoles then they will get rid of Xbox HW. And that means their fans will also have to get rid of the hw know I’m sayin.

Xbox is not a console driven business. They WAS. But not anymore.

And its been confirmed that there are more PC Gamepass users than console so saying that PC is a small part of their ecosystem is factually wrong.

So then they do care about console sales.

No. They care about expanding Gamepass. Read.

 

[DeepEnigma]

To expand Gamepass availability

So then, they do care about console sales. Mental gymnastics.

 

[Thirty7ven]

Xbox is not a console driven business. They WAS. But not anymore.

And its been confirmed that there are more PC Gamepass users than console so saying that PC is a small part of their ecosystem is factually wrong.

I’m gonna need a source on that copium Hopium praynana split you got going, it looks potent.

 

[GHG]

Xbox is not a console driven business. They WAS. But not anymore.

And its been confirmed that there are more PC Gamepass users than console so saying that PC is a small part of their ecosystem is factually wrong.

So the victory in your head is that Xbox = PC now?

 

[Saber]

Xbox does not care about console sales.

Wouldn't that contradict their console division? Why waste money making consoles if they don't care then?

 

[Poltz]

Xbox does not care about console sales. So they will keep buying publishers and studios to expand Gamepass and make more money, which is what they actually care about

 

[yazenov]

Dang, people still believing this nonsense in 2023.

The notion that Gamepass increases Game sales and MS doesn't care about hardware sales needs to die a terrible death. People are still repeating dumb shit PR gibberish in 2023.

 

[feynoob]

Xbox does not care about console sales. So they will keep buying publishers and studios to expand Gamepass and make more money, which is what they actually care about

Gamepass needs Xbox. Without Xbox, that service will jus die.
And don't depend on PC gamepass. MS made that service trash for us pc gamers.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Gamepass needs Xbox. Without Xbox, that service will jus die.
And don't depend on PC gamepass. MS made that service trash for us pc gamers.

Anything Xbox/MS Store is hot trash on the PC, so much so people weren't buying until they caved to Steam.

 

[Dick Jones]

I'm minting the medal to put on Spencer's shelf.