People always seem to miss the reasoning behind Microsoft's multi-platform approach when they write these kinds of silly articles.
Sony didn't just win one generation. Sony won the entire console war. They walked into the industry, de-throned Nintendo in one go, and haven't been shifted from the top dog position in five generations. At some point, you have to call it quits folks. Nintendo called it quits with the Wii. They straight up stopped trying to compete on technology and appealing to "gamers", and instead shifted to rely on using their un-matched design, innovation, and broad appeal to carve out a niche. With the Switch, they've proven the genius of their strategy again.
Over on team green, Microsoft tried to go big with the Xbone, and it damn near killed them. In fact, they're still in re-build mode. So, Microsoft called it quits - and rightfully so. They can't continue to play the game Sony is playing, so they decided to play a different one. They'll still sell plenty of Xbox consoles - but those consoles are now basically cost effective gaming PCs for folks who can't afford actual gaming PCs. PC, Xbox - they're just access points for Microsoft's services, like Gamepass. Microsoft's multi-platform subscription approach is bold, and its already showing great success. By selling their titles on Xbox and PC, they also maximise the revenue they can bring in on sold titles, meaning even if their Xbox consoles don't sell incredibly well - and, so far, they are - they can still make plenty of money.
Sony's playing the OG Console war game because it's the game they already won. They don't need PC sales to make up for lack of hardware units sold because that's never been an issue. They don't need multiplatform subscription models because they jacked up their retail prices by 25% AUD and people are still paying it. Sony is sitting in the top dog position, so they get to enjoy the benefits that position brings. PC releases are, to them, little more than advertising that people pay for to drive interest in their newest console sequel. I doubt that will change so long as they're in position 1. An extra 5 million PC sales is absolutely nothing compared to an extra 5 million console owners. Those 5 million owners will drive an insane amount of money for Sony, because they own the platform. So, sure, they'll release some titles on PC - but only after they've served their purpose of driving console sales. Then, they'll shift their purpose to drive interest in the sequels to those titles that are releasing exclusively on PlayStation. It's a smart play, and Sony will continue to laugh all the way to bank.
igamesnews.com
