Support NeoGAF

[Solidus_T]

Complete nonsense. Both Nintendo and Sony have hit major lows with their hardware and software and bounced back phenomenally.
Producing great games would help Xbox's market share.

 

[MasterCornholio]

This is fact, Sony is in a whole different league when it comes to mindshare. They literally failed in every way for a majority of a generation and it still sold a shit load of consoles.

That's because they didn't fail where it matters the most. A lot of what they did during the PS3s generation helped them prepare for the PS4s and even the PS5s. You can at least admit that.

 

[ComputerBlue]

80 million units spold in the lifetime is pretty damn successful. it's not like a 70/30 split it's pretty much 51/49.

You’re right, I agree. But they sold that thing at a loss, and there are many measures for success, series X is out selling the 360 yet here we are.

 

[b6a6es]

Exclusives are exclusives and reflect the brand. Timed or not.

 

[DeepEnigma]

This is fact, Sony is in a whole different league when it comes to mindshare. They literally failed in every way for a majority of a generation and it still sold a shit load of consoles.

Go home, you're drunk.

 

[Hayabusa83]

He did some good work in 2017 with the Xbox One X, but besides that....


This dude looks like he aged 20 years in the last 5 years.

 

[Alebrije]

The problem is Phil put all the eggs on Gamepass but the service is like Walmart's bargain bin...tons of games but the good ones are from last generations and the rest are B tier games, also besides Forza there is nothing AAA new on Gamepass.

AAA exclusives are the pivot of success on this industry. You do not need tons of B tier games..jist a few great IPs.

 

[FunkMiller]

This is fact, Sony is in a whole different league when it comes to mindshare. They literally failed in every way for a majority of a generation and it still sold a shit load of consoles.

They sold a shit load of consoles because they made a shit load of fucking spectacular games. One banger after another. The PS3 was the walking dead until some of those ND & Insomniac games started to hit. The first party output from 2009 onwards was absolute killer.

Now, imagine where Xbox would be now if they had pursued a similar strategy of excellent games, designed exclusively for Series X.

 

[feynoob]

 

[AtomicStarving]

Oh no

 

[mejin]

This is fact, Sony is in a whole different league when it comes to mindshare. They literally failed in every way for a majority of a generation and it still sold a shit load of consoles.

I don't think MS is giving up on consoles but it is just a part of their wider business, which is services and PC allows them to avoid all the nastyness of hardware losses and still make bank.

 

[Punished Miku]

Now, imagine where Xbox would be now if they had pursued a similar strategy of excellent games, designed exclusively for Series X.

They can't make it fast enough. Not sure why you think this is a genius idea no one thought of.

I'm pretty sure they know they need games.

 

[Rambone]

Sad to read but I'm not sure how Phil can pull ahead here in the short term as the future of XBOX is going to rely on quality exclusives imo.

From my perspective and personal experience:

- Sony has always given me a reason to own a Playstation console, there are exclusives that I want to play and only available for that console. I never was much of a fan of the exclusives on XBOX, Halo and Gears was never my thing but loved Forza.
- I appreciate that Sony is finally releasing games on PC but these seem to be well after the game has been out on console. I think this still validates having a reason to own a console as I want to play these exclusives sooner than later.
- The same goes with Nintendo. The quality of the games are also high and despite the hardware usually being trash, I still buy Nintendo systems because of the games.
- With Microsoft, there are very few exclusives that ever reach the console and whatever games that get released also have a PC version. Many times I just want to play the best version of a game which makes me preference a PC version. I think Microsoft is stuck in difficult position where they want to Support both the PC and Console markets, while I appreciate this, it generates very little excitement for me to game on my Series consoles.
- The controller situation. Xbox controllers are great, but I think Sony really hit a home run with the PS5 controller. Microsoft needed to abandon the standard series controller right away at the beginning and adopt features from the PS5 controller. If there are multiplat games, while I usually try and go for the best version of a game, sometimes that ends up being on PS5 because the controller is a serious game changer with some games.
- Gamepass. I love gamepass. While I love gamespass, sometimes I feel it trivializes some games for me. I usually just try them out and abandon them. I don't know if this is because games fail to grab my attention these days or there is no sense of ownership. I feel more compelled to play games for longer if I spent my own cash although I appreciate that gamepass has saved me from spending money on some stinkers and games I just ended up not liking.

 

[YeulEmeralda]

Kneel before your Sony master.

 

[FunkMiller]

They can't make it fast enough. Not sure why you think this is a genius idea no one thought of.

I'm pretty sure they know they need games.

He’s been in charge for TEN YEARS.

 

[Markio128]

The Series X is hands down the most disappointing and underused gaming purchase I have ever made. I genuinely haven’t finished a single game on the console. And this kind of defeatist attitude is not helping.

What the actual fuck.

 

[FrankWza]

I noticed Phil didn't address the series x current supply constraints. Did I miss that?

 

[Punished Miku]

He’s been in charge for TEN YEARS.

Do you think he's never heard that they need games? The guy is very connected to everyone and the community, and talks to everyone.

 

[feynoob]

They can't make it fast enough. Not sure why you think this is a genius idea no one thought of.

I'm pretty sure they know they need games.

They could have done that. Its called 2nd party exclusive.
The fact that Phil didnt push for this, shows his failure.

 

[DeepEnigma]

They can't make it fast enough. Not sure why you think this is a genius idea no one thought of.

I'm pretty sure they know they need games.

They knew this for 10+ years now.

 

[Kacho]

Yeah I'm down for some Jaffe ranting.

This is such a huge story. How are we supposed to be excited for their showcase after Phil's comments? It's like he has no confidence in what they will be showing if he has this defeatist attitude.

 

[bender]

Takes shots at Sony for doing the very deals that Microsoft has always and still does. Well done Phil. Maybe if you were more creative with your deals "being Xbox" wouldn't be so hard.

Or maybe nurture the studios that you do have. Have the balls to delay, or better yet, cancel Redfall instead of pushing it out the door for what had to be a very expected critical reception.

 

[Gorgon]

...

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

So yes, Spencer is absolutely right in saying that Starfield being an 11/10 wouldn’t shake things an inch.

Then why’d they buy Bethesda?

Starfield being an 11/10 would make a huge difference

 

[Punished Miku]

They could have done that. Its called 2nd party exclusive.
The fact that Phil didnt push for this, shows his failure.

I think he was smart to avoid these. Tomb Raider didn't do much.

People just sit it out and wait for the PS port. And when you need to pay a ton to not put it on PS, the return isn't worth it. And if you want to pursue a sub model, you need content frequently. This is why acquisitions are a lot more cost effective.

If Netflix had pursued acquisitions instead of putting movies on their service, they wouldn't have lost everything that was on there the last few years.

 

[Cyber_hunter026]

This is fact, Sony is in a whole different league when it comes to mindshare. They literally failed in every way for a majority of a generation and it still sold a shit load of consoles.

I don't think MS is giving up on consoles but it is just a part of their wider business, which is services and PC allows them to avoid all the nastyness of hardware losses and still make bank.

 

[DeepEnigma]

...

 

[FunkMiller]

Do you think he's never heard that they need games? The guy is very connected to everyone and the community, and talks to everyone.

Yes. He’s been hearing it for a decade. So where are they?

At some point, you’ll have to accept he doesn’t know what he’s doing.

 

[GHG]

 

[MasterCornholio]

...

I don't get this.

So the game was changed at some point?

Sounds like it was better before the changes if true. It puzzles me why they would do that.

 

[Codes 208]

Imagine if they had actually released great games.

No seriously im not even trying to be facetious about this, just about every one of their big exclusives from last gen going forward has gone downhill in quality. Halo, gears, crackdown, RARE in general (barring SoT, but it did take awhile for that game to hit a good stride)

They just dont hit the way they did in the first half of the 360’s lifespan.

Like the only games theyve made lately i would even want to play are forza and hi-fi rush.
Everything else just came off as either a mid 2d/3d party exclusive (like high on life) or just an utter disappointment (halo infinite)

 

[IlGialloMondadori]

The Activision Blizzard merger collapse destroyed this man.

 

[IlGialloMondadori]

I don't get this.

So the game was changed at some point?

Sounds like it was better before the changes if true. It puzzles me why they would do that.

Sounds like either bullshit, or arkane specifically rigged up a demo for showing off the game that wasn’t actually the game.

 

[feynoob]

I think he was smart to avoid these. Tomb Raider didn't do much.

People just sit it out and wait for the PS port. And when you need to pay a ton to not put it on PS, the return isn't worth it. And if you want to pursue a sub model, you need content frequently. This is why acquisitions are a lot more cost effective.

If Netflix had pursued acquisitions instead of putting movies on their service, they wouldn't have lost everything that was on there the last few years.

You are talking timed exclusive.

I am talking about exclusive games like x360 games. Phil didnt do any of that shit, and only did it for small AA games.

 

[Crayon]

Maybe they are preparing the base for him to step down and they are going to market the replacement as a strongman bad cop like jim ryan?

 

[Punished Miku]

Yes. He’s been hearing it for a decade. So where are they?

They're hard to make and take a very long time. What other explanation do you think it could even be? They obviously know they need it.

 

[GHG]

They literally failed in every way for a majority of a generation and it still sold a shit load of consoles.

Care to elaborate? How exactly have they "failed"?

And if you want to say anything along the lines of following Xbox's strategy then save it, it's evident that that doesn't work.

 

[Luipadre]

I just feel bad for them when sony announces that showcase... Just thinking about the possible game announcements there.

 

[feynoob]

How are we supposed to be excited for their showcase after Phil's comments? It's like he has no confidence in what they will be showing if he has this defeatist attitude.

He is excited about the showcase. That is the concerning part for me.

 

[FunkMiller]

They're hard to make and take a very long time. What other explanation do you think it could even be? They obviously know they need it.

They don't take ten years. What's he been doing all this time? Why didn't they aggressively set out to create or guide developers like Naughty Dog and SSM back in 2013? Why can Sony and Nintendo do it repeatedly, year after year, generation after generation...and not Microsoft?

 

[MasterCornholio]

Sounds like either bullshit, or arkane specifically rigged up a demo for showing off the game that wasn’t actually the game.

Well I would hope not. No developer should do this.

 

[DeepEnigma]

They're hard to make and take a very long time. What other explanation do you think it could even be? They obviously know they need it.

What's their problem compared to the competition?

 

[MALpractice311]

Sounds like either bullshit, or arkane specifically rigged up a demo for showing off the game that wasn’t actually the game.

I'm leaning towards bullshit. MS's CEO just dunked on the game, so none of these paid shill journalists want to be caught trying to hype it up. Why risk your reputation promoting a product that the publisher itself knows it's shit?

 

[MikeM]

I want competition to be strong and fierce. But i feel like Phil undermined Xbox’s position here.

Sony would be no where without Final Fantasy, GoW, and their other mascots or exclusive games.

Nintendo would be nowhere without Mario, Link, Samus, Pokémon, etc.

Xbox needs to understand that first party and second party matters. You need your own catalogue to sell your box, and a catalogue not on PC. Give me a reason to buy your box.

I appreciate the honesty from Phil but… oofff.

 

[feynoob]

Witness the greatest lie

 

[Rossco EZ]

 

[DenchDeckard]

Rrmember ps3 early had baaad games and that didnt help shit with being second place for a long time. You had Haze and Lair and the B series Resistance/Killzone. Not even mgs4 move the needle much at that time.

I recall it was the moment Uncharted 2 became THE talk of gaming town was when sony got their wind back. And then god of war 3 hits, Uncharted 3, the fucking Last of Us. Great games that turn the brand around and momentum did the rest till this day. Great games do matter Phil.

Yeah, true.

Absolute nonsense. They didnt fail in every way. They succeeded in the main aspect which was to provide VIDEO GAMES. Yes, they fucked up with the $599 price tag and shitty architecture, but by the end of 2007, just one year in NOT the majority, they already had a great line up of exclusives which continued to grow year after year. That told gamers that Sony is interested in making VIDEO GAMES and by 2009, the console was selling for $299 and the convuluted architecture no longer resulted in awful ports. In 3 short years, they had fixed all the issues while offering AAA exclusives like Uncharted 1, 2, KZ2, MGS4, LBP, Resistance 1 and 2, Motrostorm and Motorstorm PR, Socom Confrontation, Warhawk, Heavenly Sword, Infamous, Ratchet and Clank Future Tools of Destruction, and ended the last 4 years releasing GOTY contender after GOTY contender.

All Phil had to do was follow the same model. Release games while fixing shit like taking out the Kinect and reducing the price of the console. He did everything except for releasing games. Don Matrick had Titanfall, Ryse, Quantum Break, Sunset Overdrive, Coalitions New IP, Scalebound and Fable all lined up. All Phil had to do was continue that work. Instead, he cancelled Coalitions New IP, Scalebound and Fable. Then cut ties with Respawn, Remedy and Insmoniac instead of investing in them like Sony did with Sucker Punch, GG, Media Molecule and Evolution Studios.

This whole mindshare argument is mind numbling dumb considering MS WON the mindshare from Sony in the 360 era. Every single third party game sold better on the Xbox. Thats where the hardcore went. MS lost the mindshare when they went full kinect in 2010 and never looked back. Every single E3 conference was kinectimals, kinect sports, douchbags pretending to play star wars, jumping around like they are playing football. Every single one. That is what turned the mindshare. Those same Xbox owners looked at that trash and saw sony showing GOW, Heavy Rain, TLOU2, KZ3, Uncharted 3, Infamous 2, Beyond, and thats when MS lost the mindshare. Thats how the PS3 caught up to the 360. because MS refused to release games people want to play.

Literally the same thing we have seen play out since Phil took over.

I think you are right. Once Sony released uncharted 2 it started to change.

I think what Phil is trying to say now is exclusives wouldn't really shift the needle for xbox right now as the majority of people would go pc. I think they do need great games and I think they are hopefully going to deliver that soon but its ultimately not going to make xbox win in the console space.

 

[Duellist]

He is not in left field when he points out that the digital libraries we all started assembling last generation gave our existing platform(s) a leg up on keeping us in their ecosystem(s). But it was nothing more than an advantage. It was not the beginning and end, and if Halo (or anything really) hit the ground in proper shape in 2020 the advantage would have been neutralized.

Second, the claim they weren't trying to win the console sales race reeks of BS. They released the lowest common denominator just for console sales. They literally spent billions of dollars on a publisher, and then cancelled all plans to release certain games on the biggest install base, to sell consoles.

Now for the fun part. What the hell was the intended purpose of this interview? Why did the top guy in MS gaming go out and essentially claim defeat at this juncture in terms of console market share? Are we really to believe it was off the cuff because he's just like one of us and likes talking video games? Or do we believe a trillion dollar entity plans virtually all of their messaging, especially in times of crisis?

Some might say the answer to that is they are throwing up another hail mary pass to the CMA. I won't dismiss that, but it feels more like consumer conditioning to me. As in getting people in a better state to accept some future news.

That’s exactly what this fucker is doing.

 

[DeepEnigma]

The PR machine in full effect.

Jez (Windows Central) got the updated script. Colt, etc, will follow. Beep, Boop!

Witness the greatest lie

Notice how it's zeroed in on that one tweet highlighted by their general.

Marching orders, sir!

 

[Kacho]

Witness the greatest lie

The narrative is constantly shifting depending on which way the wind is blowing. We're seeing it in this very thread.