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[Crayon]

It's everyone's dream to be in that situation.
(Unless I misunderstood your point).

Nah you see me there.

"The most exciting day of my life was when my son was born."

"The most exciting day of my life was when I was flying in a squirel suit in the alps then went and raked an eightball to my dome and had a foursome all night on my private hydrofoil, then an escort od'd and we thought we were going to have to dump her overboard. What a day!"

 

[DavidGzz]

Some of y'all really want to pay a shit load more for your Playstations.

Reminds me of die hard Apple fans. They love paying a premium to take it right up the pipe. Anyway, no, MS isn't going third party any time soon. Sony and Nintendo will never accept Game Pass on their hardware. It would cut into their third party sales. I can only see MS doing it if they have 50 mil plus subs on PC alone.

 

[DJ12]

Some of y'all really want to pay a shit load more for your Playstations.

One from Sony or Microsoft managed to make a console that they don't have to sell for a considerable loss, playstation saved you from paying a shit load more for your series X.

I've just got off the phone with Jimbo, he said you are welcome.

 

[Roxkis_ii]

Anyone who doesn't see how Xbox hardware is taking a back seat in the Xbox org is blind.

It doesn't even have any device exclusive software. Xbox probably sells more games on PC then Xbox at this point. Xbox controllers get more advertising then the console!

The writing has been on the wall ever since gamepass stepped into the picture. As soon as games started coming out day and date on gamepass, it been a wrap on Xbox consoles.

 

[yazenov]

I agree that MS will end up being a 3rd party pub and pull out of the console business like Sega.

Bookmark this thread. OP will say I told you so and post this thread as bragging rights after a couple of years. What a legend.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

i wanna listen jezz crying on his podcast. I will be enjoying some

 

[XesqueVara]

Some of y'all really want to pay a shit load more for your Playstations.

Somepeople really want to pay over 800$ for the next playstation lol.

 

[Astray]

If Microsoft want Game Pass to be the Netflix of video games, it needs to be on every gaming device. How do you make Sony and Nintendo accept Game Pass on their systems? I don’t think there’s any terms they accept that include Microsoft still producing Xbox consoles. Speculative, but I think Game Pass on PC, PS and Switch hits 50m subs easily.

I don't think Sony (or Nintendo) would like to get infected with the "wait for gamepass" disease.

And even if Microsoft's gamepass offering could just be about their own studio's products, in a similar vein to say, EA Play. the issue is that they'd still buy up other players to backdoor their way into the same idea.

I'd wager that if this ever happens, the 1st thing Sony/Nintendo would demand is killing off their Day 1 thing, with a minimum 3-6 month gap between AAA releases landing on the service.

I'm an actual MS investor and seeing MS get beat down by the regulators on a wasteful $70 billion acquisition is very good news in my book. MS should focus on what makes them big money and that's Windows, Office, and Azure. Their money burning side projects like Xbox and Surface should have been shut down long ago. I demand value in the form of dividends and share price appreciation and anything that doesn't increase those things should be axed. Shareholders should have been questioning why MS continues to pour money down the toilet on this pointless Xbox division long before they tried to blow $70 billion more on something which is getting so badly beaten in the market by 2 competitors (Sony and Nintendo) who are a tiny fraction of MS's size.

Microsoft need products that reach into the consumer space, that way when Azure/Office revenue dips (or somehow sees competition) they can still lean on their direct to consumer revenue.

1 Phil is going to be fired.

2 Xbox Console business is still profitable even tho it’s a compete management failure to grow it. All they needed to do is fucking release games. AAA games. Gamepass is a failure. Otherwise this steal of a deal service would be making Xbox fly off shelves. All youre getting is a fanbase that doesn’t buy games. They just wait till it hits gamepass.

3 Microsoft is going into a buying spree regardless. I actually expect Blizzard and King to still go to them. If not they will be going for another huge publisher.

4 Xbox is not going to end anytime soon. It creates brand awareness for MS, and its primed for huge growth under the right leadership. All they have to do is invest in their studios.

1. Indeed, it's only a matter of time. People will act shocked about it though.
2. It's not profitable, if so they'd have released more detailed figures for it, and they have steadily reduced the detail of its financials since the Xbone days. It's strategic though because it's a rare way for them to reach out to the consumer, but there are ways to get consumer gaming revenue without being encumbered by R&D and Marketing costs of Xbox.
3. No way would Kotick split up ABK, other publishers are probably up for grabs, but I don't think that small ones would move the needle for Xbox, and large ones would potentially fall afoul of similar regulator decisions because of the Cloud gaming thing.
4. I mean MS is capable of going through at least 1 more botched console launch, but I don't know if they have the stomach for such embarrassment and shareholder money waste, tbh, the only people who can answer the question of Xbox's staying power are Nadella, Smith and Spencer. And none of them have the incentive to give us more than PR.

 

[DJ12]

I agree that MS will end up being a 3rd party pub and pull out of the console business like Sega.

Bookmark this thread. OP will say I told you so and post this thread as bragging rights after a couple of years. What a legend.

Why not, people still harp on about Nostradamus 1000s of years later.

It's not really a hot take though, writing was on the wall was when they started asking Nintendo and Sony to allow Gamepass on their systems.

 

[Banjo64]

I don't think Sony (or Nintendo) would like to get infected with the "wait for gamepass" disease.

And even if Microsoft's gamepass offering could just be about their own studio's products, in a similar vein to say, EA Play. the issue is that they'd still buy up other players to backdoor their way into the same idea.

Yeah good points actually. The bolded is something I’ve never actually considered. It would further incentivise Microsoft’s spending spree.

So yeah, it’s pretty much goosed IMO in terms of mass adaption.

Not going to lie I actually have thought for a long time that in terms of standard pricing, a year of NSO or PS+ Essential/Extra is already better value so why would Nintendo or Sony want to undercut their own offerings.

 

[Bo_Hazem]

 

[Neff]

Here is what Xbox has in store:

Fucking nothing.

I feel like this has been true forever, but Starfield is the first major Xbox exclusive I've been interested in since Scalebound, almost ten years ago. I'm also interested in their upcoming Perfect Dark game. And their Indiana Jones game. And their rumoured Banjo Kazooie game.

If all this shit pays off I'll forgive the many years of cancellations and droughts, no problem. But yeah, as it is, you're right- fucking nothing pretty much sums it up.

 

[bitbydeath]

Going third party with gamepass wouldn’t work.

1. If it’s cloud based barely anyone will buy in, everything would have to be native.

2. One of Xbox’s biggest nooses is GamePass, or more specifically, day 1 games on GamePass. Great deal for gamers but obviously not sustainable long term.

One things for certain, MS will need to completely rewrite their vision board now.

 

[Roxkis_ii]

Somepeople really want to pay over 800$ for the next playstation lol.

If you think Xbox is putting enough pressure on Playstation to prices down, I have a bridge to sell you.

 

[FrankWza]

Somepeople really want to pay over 800$ for the next playstation lol.

A lot of people did for PS5 when there were shortages. There are claims that xbox is currently experiencing shortages of the x but nobody is paying a premium for them.

 

[XesqueVara]

If you think Xbox is putting enough pressure on Playstation to prices down, I have a bridge to sell you.

Well then why did the launched the Console at Loss?
If they don't feel pressure of the Competition then they shouldn't needed to take a loss on their hardware.

 

[DeepEnigma]

They should go third party, they're not too good at selling consoles.

Sadly, their entire sub service culture shift is reliant on said boxes.

I bet their gaming revenue would skyrocket if they did. But that is not what they are interested in, they are interested in controlling every industry they attempt to step foot in. It has always been in their corporate DNA.

 

[GustavoLT]

Playstation 6 will have Xbox Gamepass day 1!

 

[XesqueVara]

A lot of people did for PS5 when there were shortages. There are claims that xbox is currently experiencing shortages of the x but nobody is paying a premium for them.

Yeah in Shortages...where the supply can't meet the demand, without competition and with hardware becoming more and more expensive because of moore law death, they could easily got away with this price because of lack of competition in a normal scenario.

 

[Stooky]

lol , even though I’m not a fan of Xbox, they have spent too much money just to throw it all down the drain, obviously things can’t go on like this forever, but I do think they will try one more time with a new Xbox console to compete with the ps6.

They would just rebrand it turn it over into different business. Make a streaming only console cut cost. Put game pass on everything. It’s not like they haven’t done this before

 

[FrankWza]

Yeah in Shortages...where the supply can't meet the demand, without competition and with hardware becoming more and more expensive because of moore law death, they could easily got away with this price because of lack of competition.

But xbox is supposed to be in that exact situation right now. There have been claims that they are experiencing shortages of the x. Check the aftermarket sites.

 

[AJUMP23]

I wish I could make threads this obtuse but active.

 

[twilo99]

If it's really true that they lose 200 bucks on xsx and PS5 sells for a profit, Sony engineered circles around them.

It’s not an engineering achievement, at least not currently, it’s more of a marketing/mindshare achievement, which was of course build on good engineering in late mid/late 90s. Also, games.

What I mean is that Sony can sell an inferior hardware package, which is cheaper, and still sell 4x more boxes than Xbox can, even if their package is actually better.

 

[DJ12]

Well then why did the launched the Console at Loss?
If they don't feel pressure of the Competition then they shouldn't needed to take a loss on their hardware.

Check the date:

The Xbox Series X|S is selling at a loss, as Spencer warns of price increases

Xbox chief Phil Spencer has admitted that Microsoft sells the Xbox Series X|S a loss, after hinting at the idea of price increases

www.nme.com

Then get real.

 

[Stooky]

It’s not an engineering achievement, at least not currently, it’s more of a marketing/mindshare achievement, which was of course build on good engineering in late mid/late 90s. Also, games.

What I mean is that Sony can sell an inferior hardware package, which is cheaper, and still sell 4x more boxes than Xbox can, even if their package is actually better.

You make it sound sound like ps5 has switch hardware when compared to xbox. The difference is not big enough to the consumer. Sony has mindshare and software xbox doesn’t. Xbox is trying to make up for that with GP

 

[Crayon]

It’s not an engineering achievement, at least not currently, it’s more of a marketing/mindshare achievement, which was of course build on good engineering in late mid/late 90s. Also, games.

What I mean is that Sony can sell an inferior hardware package, which is cheaper, and still sell 4x more boxes than Xbox can, even if their package is actually better.

Are you saying sony could sell and inferior package as a hypothetical or claiming that's what's happening now? The ps5 and xsx trade blows with tiny wins either way and one is vastly cheaper to make.

 

[Daneel Elijah]

It’s not an engineering achievement, at least not currently, it’s more of a marketing/mindshare achievement, which was of course build on good engineering in late mid/late 90s. Also, games.

What I mean is that Sony can sell an inferior hardware package, which is cheaper, and still sell 4x more boxes than Xbox can, even if their package is actually better.

Comparing the 300$ Series S to the 400$ PS5 DE show that this is just a marketing achievement, of course. Jokes aside, Sony mindshare is working well of course. This is the result of years of Sony making the Playstation brand close to having Apple level of faith. And it is on the back of hardware and software good decisions. But the PS5 is a good console too. Unless you have critics to say about it?

 

[Stooky]

Let me you ask you this, what are the current studios working on? Are all those nothing? Did they disappear to nothing?

We keep saying how Xbox have nothing, but nobody's is paying attention to all the games that are in the work.

Things take time. You may not like the slow speed, but those games will be out when they are ready.

They’re no real time line for these games yet and Those games that have been announced need to be good. Xbox track record has been bad at that. Promises of games in the future is not selling Xbox’s. People are choosing pc and ps5 over Xbox for a reason.

 

[Doctor Hades]

I own an Xbox Series X, a PS5, an OLED Switch and a gaming PC. Much as I love the Xbox Series X hardware; the system looks great and is obviously powerful, it's just a shame it doesn't really have anything some 2.5 years after launch that really showcases it.

I actually think of the Xbox Series X as being more of mid-range cheap PC than a console. The Xbox Series X lacks the brand identity and the "coolness" factor of Sony or Nintendo's machines. There is little excitement surrounding the Xbox brand unlike the Switch and PS5 which at least have staggered exclusives that keep their user base content.

Xbox and 360 were great, especially the former which is my favourite console of all-time alongside the Dreamcast, but Microsoft's downward spiral started with Xbox One and seems to have unfortunately continued with Xbox Series X. They seem to think that Game Pass and backwards compatibility are enough to sell their hardware but it clearly isn't as they are again in last place in terms of sales.

 

[KungFucius]

One of two things will happen:

1. Phil or one of the Xbox higher ups will be fired.

2. Xbox will leave the console business and become a 3rd party publisher.

I just can’t see them continuing down the same path because clearly it isn’t working. Hardware is down 30% and a 3%-4% growth in revenue is nothing to celebrate, when you consider the amount of money they have invested with there last billon dollar investment seeming to fall apart. It don’t take a rocket scientist to see they have major issues to fix.

23 studios but nothing to show for it, it’s puzzling that Phil and the same team is still employed after all these setbacks.

CMA will have unwittingly killed console competition by worrying about competition in the irrelevant, and prone to failure, streaming market which will also end up being all Sony and Nintendo plus crApple.

 

[Stooky]

The studios past track is enough. The only issue that people have is Xbox name being attached to those games.

Peoples issues are with Xbox history with studios performance once they buy them.

 

[Woopah]

On Xbox MS gets a 30% cut off every third party game and Microtransaction. On PlayStation and Switch, Microsoft would probably have to give a % cut of every subscription to Sony or Nintendo. It doesn't make sense for them yet.

I thought with all the studios they bought already and (nothing really to show for it yet), what changes will we see with even more buy outs?

A huge holiday sale with currently no Console seller, personally I just don't see it right now. Maybe Hellblade II if it comes out this year. Maybe.

They have a console seller for the holidays, its Starfield (and probably Forza).

People need to take Nintendo out of this equation.

Right now, Nintendo isn't a competition, due to their hardware limitations.

Nintendo systems doesn't have the capability to run high end games, which the market demands.
Until Nintendo provides that, they aren't a competition to Sony.

People who want to play GTA and cod will simply buy PS, if there is no Xbox.

The market is far more than "high end games" Switch was competing with Xbox and PlayStation since launch, just like the Wii, Wii U, GameCube etc. were before it.

Lack of GTA and COD doesn't impact that (not that GTA is a high end game anyway).

The Switch is on its way to be the best selling console of all time, even when it only has 10% to 20% of the high end games.

So see it like that: Even without those games, Nintendo is selling far more consoles than MS and Sony ever dreamed of, while having a healthy profit on each console from day one. This is something that Sony and MS could never do.

And Nintendo kicked Sony out of Japan, the second biggest country for videogames.

And that is all what the market decided. After all, people chose to buy Nintendo products, even without having a lot of the High end games.

Now imagine this: Power gains are becoming less and less important, and the gap between Nintendo and its competitors are becomming smaller and smaller.If Sony and MS is having this much trouble with the advantage they have now in their favor, imagine when they lose that only advantage they have?

Once the Switch 2 launches, power will probably be a non issue(Given that it will be a 10th gen system), even if the PS5 is still more powerful. Then Sony and MS will be in hot waters, more than what they are in now.

Sony will absolutely not be in "hot water" because of Switch 2. That is ridiculous.

 

[SteadyEvo]

It could happen. But hasn’t MS gaming been losing money since the OG Xbox? Your idea makes a lot of sense

 

[AtomicStarving]

My prediction: Microsoft will become a third party publisher before Xbox is "dead" , good for them, maybe?

Lets be honest, Microsoft following a AB level makes no sense to Xbox business, unless they wanna go full multiplat.

At this point I don't even know why da fuck MS is following "growing" xbox shit. Even with all the studios they got, PS5 & Switch Keeps selling and xbox down... like wtf. Maybe people is leaving xbox to PC lol

But let be real here: a company size of MS, its so fucking dumb make anything exclusive, man wth, makes no sense

 

[Astray]

On Xbox MS gets a 30% cut off every third party game and Microtransaction. On PlayStation and Switch, Microsoft would probably have to give a % cut of every subscription to Sony or Nintendo. It doesn't make sense for them yet.

They already give cuts to Steam and Epic Games. The only reason they don't want to do it here is because of the Xbox console's existence.

 

[Woopah]

They already give cuts to Steam and Epic Games. The only reason they don't want to do it here is because of the Xbox console's existence.

Do Steam or Epic Games get a cut of PC Gamepass subscriptions? I know they do for individual MS first party games.

 

[Astray]

Do Steam or Epic Games get a cut of PC Gamepass subscriptions? I know they do for individual MS first party games.

They don't have Gamepass on either (EA Play exists on Steam though, not sure on Epic tho). PC Gamepass has its own app on Windows.

 

[Jboemios]

Some of y'all really want to pay a shit load more for your Playstations.

The same people that were angry at MS buying ABK, are the same that wish MS exit console market so PS can become a monopoly.

 

[Hydroxy]

Wait how come Sony is making a profit on each console sold while Microsoft is making a loss when both have almost identical hardware? Also i dont think Xbox will abandon making hardware, Xbox is still a very big brand and they wouldn't let go of it.

 

[SteelCurtain 59]

I swear some people seem to want Xbox to fail, gaming is better when all the main platform holders are doing well

 

[Nautilus]

On Xbox MS gets a 30% cut off every third party game and Microtransaction. On PlayStation and Switch, Microsoft would probably have to give a % cut of every subscription to Sony or Nintendo. It doesn't make sense for them yet.


They have a console seller for the holidays, its Starfield (and probably Forza).


The market is far more than "high end games" Switch was competing with Xbox and PlayStation since launch, just like the Wii, Wii U, GameCube etc. were before it.

Lack of GTA and COD doesn't impact that (not that GTA is a high end game anyway).

Sony will absolutely not be in "hot water" because of Switch 2. That is ridiculous.

Eh, maybe I did exagerate a bit. But one thing I am fairly sure of: Once most, if not all, third party games release on Nintendo systems, is the day that I probably won't be needing a Sony system, and just a Nintendo console. Especially now that all of Sony games are comming to PC.

And I doubt that I'm the only one thinking like that.

 

[Ornoku]

A company willing to spend 70 billion on an investment for one of their divisions isn't close to closing that division or cutting back on it. Xbox isn't going anywhere and they'll only be more aggressive from here.

 

[Tal Shiar Agent]

We need a strong Xbox to keep PlayStation in check.

I mean this happened once for like half of a gen.

 

[Liamario]

I'm only happy for Xbox to go because their output has been sub par; there was a time before kinect that they had PlayStation on the ropes.
If they did go as a console manufacturer, it would be important for another company to step in as a new challenger. I could see apple filling that gap.

 

[DrFigs]

A company willing to spend 70 billion on an investment for one of their divisions isn't close to closing that division or cutting back on it. Xbox isn't going anywhere and they'll only be more aggressive from here.

right. i mean, the deal failing was always a possibility. it seems unlikely that this would be the reason why xbox drastically changes their plans

 

[K' Dash]

Somepeople really want to pay over 800$ for the next playstation lol.

I'm OK with this, fucking peasant console warriors are the scum of the earth, I wish for unattainable prices, then laugh at them.

 

[Trogdor1123]

I swear some people seem to want Xbox to fail, gaming is better when all the main platform holders are doing well

Sort of. When they start buying content that previously was on a different system sucks. They all do it of course but did it on a whole new scale

 

[Eotheod]

You can say the same in regards to industry difficulties across all three console platforms. The industry as a whole is currently in a massive spiral of slowing innovation and I creasing costs. That can not be affordable to any platform holder, least of which Microsoft despite its large warchest.

The industry is experiencing probably something similar to the timeline of Sega implosion, in that gaming technology is incredibly versatile and easy to develop for, but the actual "console mover" titles are taking 5-7 years to make. Being stuck in a development cycle that could see your end result completely out of touch (re: Suicide Squad) is incredibly dangerous for companies who need to produce profit to stay afloat. Add in the pressures of inflation, console costs, the hobby as a whole not being a staple need and rather conveyor belt style IP development, it makes the industry rather unpredictable.

Microsoft isn't going anywhere, and OP as much thought as you put into this it is just hyperbole at the end of the day based on one anti-competitive ruling. You could have said the same during the browser wars era, yet Microsoft still exists and is bigger then ever. They have the content, the staff, the money and time to create great products. Will it happen? Don't have a crystal ball sorry.

 

[Woopah]

They don't have Gamepass on either (EA Play exists on Steam though, not sure on Epic tho). PC Gamepass has its own app on Windows.

That was my point, if MS go to a gamepass only model they lose access to the whole console market, unless they put Gamepass on Switch and Playstation. And that will be costly.

 

[Crayon]

I swear some people seem to want Xbox to fail, gaming is better when all the main platform holders are doing well

Meh nothing is really better off with ms involved. The bummer tho is that I can't think of anyone who would want to jump in and fill that vacuum. It's a way bigger business than it was back when ms jumped in. I would shed no tears by ms fucking off but yeah I do not like the idea of Sony all by themselves. Like if I knew that Nintendo would see their chance to step up the performance again (gamecube!) Or if someone like samsung was already in it and waiting for a break that would be cool. But I fear xbox would leave and there would just be... nobody else. It's kind of a volotile and shitty business. Anyone looking at gaming has to be huge and if you are huge, why not go for the big money in mobile.