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[SmokedMeat]

So I’m doing the free month of Game Pass thing, and it just hit me - how much of this Game Pass engagement is related to Microsoft Rewards?

Like I’m BIG on Microsoft Rewards. I’ve bought a ton of games and PC components over the years, and with Game Pass I’m able to earn more points.

So whatever game they’re peddling points towards, I’m playing until I get my points and leaving. There’s points for earning an achievement every day. So I’m going after games where I can score an easy achievement, and moving on.

Just wondering if the notion of engaging with so many different games is partly due to Rewards?

 

[FalsettoVibe]

I agree completely
Engagement is the most important

Yep.....way more important than making actual money.

 

[Mr Moose]

The Verge has obtained Spencer’s memo

Because he sent it to you?

 

[SEGAvangelist]

So I’m doing the free month of Game Pass thing, and it just hit me - how much of this Game Pass engagement is related to Microsoft Rewards?

Like I’m BIG on Microsoft Rewards. I’ve bought a ton of games and PC components over the years, and with Game Pass I’m able to earn more points.

So whatever game they’re peddling points towards, I’m playing until I get my points and leaving. There’s points for earning an achievement every day. So I’m going after games where I can score an easy achievement, and moving on.

Just wondering if the notion of engaging with so many different games is partly due to Rewards?

For hardcore gamers like us, maybe? Most people don't even touch the rewards program, though. Every once in a while, I'll do one of those quests and enjoy the game enough to keep playing, so I guess it's working.

 

[DaGwaphics]

It's outdated thinking I suspect. And not just because of Game Pass - because of the amount of time and money it takes to produce a top level game now. People talk about Game Pass being unsustainable, but if they look through non-fanboy eyes they will surely realize that $500m dollar+, six year to produce, 15-20 hour one and done experiences only is going to lead to serious difficulties not too far down the line. That's the true unsustainable model.

Sony themselves seemingly believe so... Gaas is derided, and rightfully so in some cases, but it's clearly the sustainable future. As are subs over sales. Digital over physical. I think games as a platform (see Forza's attempt, Flight Sim, Diablo etc) are the future. It doesn't/shouldn't mean stagnant, and regular major content updates along with technical enhancements is a much less frightening business model. IMO anyway. Some will be dogshit, some will be great, same as the way games have always been.

I think some people genuinely believe Microsoft shifted to tracking engagement because they were embarrassed by being outsold, and it's just PR spin rather than something they see as integral to future success.

And oh man, the salt in this thread is actually hardening my arteries

I have to admit I'm guilty of not paying much attention to typical GaaS releases either, not really my thing. And I don't necessarily like the way they sometimes tie up studios for years and years, so instead of getting a couple different games from them we get one game with updates. I don't necessarily put games like Forza or GT into the GaaS camp in my mind, to me those are just regular games with some downloadable content available. But that's more of a personal thing.

But at any rate, the criteria for judging success has to change based on how things are being delivered and how games are designed etc. Not doing that would be like judging music albums by the number 8-tracks sold, not in the 60s or 70s but in the 90s. LOL

From a PR perspective, there probably is some truth to going with the engagement numbers because the subscription may have softened traditional sales, but that doesn't make the traditional sales any more or less relevant than they are. It's just the same thing as MS switching to highlighting MS Office subscriptions in reports rather than sales. Yes, the sales have gone down, but they also are just less relevant to the health of the product than they were in the past. Sometimes the bullet points have to change just because what is important has changed.

 

[GHG]

I fucking love Tim Dog. Awesome dude.

 

[angrod14]

Jim Ryan:

 

[Gudji]

Can't wait to meet Phil W. Spencer the IV.

 

[Skifi28]

Man, if only NeoGAF had just got behind MS...

Some of it has. Though I could swear it's Phil that is behind them and not the other way around.

 

[SEGAvangelist]

I've known him for almost 10 years now. He's a really awesome person. I know he's a goofy twitter and Xbox fanboy personality, but there is a good reason why so many people like him, and that's because he's just really nice. I'll never feel shameful for being his friend.

 

[GHG]

I've known him for almost 10 years now. He's a really awesome person. I know he's a goofy twitter and Xbox fanboy personality, but there is a good reason why so many people like him, and that's because he's just really nice. I'll never feel shameful for being his friend.

Part of me was hoping your previous post was in jest.

Holy shit lmao.

 

[Aguero9320]

I don't necessarily put games like Forza or GT into the GaaS camp in my mind, to me those are just regular games with some downloadable content available. But that's more of a personal thing.

Turn 10 have been pretty explicit that they see Forza Motorsport as a platform (like iRacing) rather than just a numbered release in a series. I presume that's why it doesn't actually have a number attached. Because this is it. It will just evolve over time... And I'm all for it. I'm hoping that's the plan for Forza Horizon too... Just add in new 'festivals' and countries and keep the racing content coming. Make Forza Horizon a hub for content. Motorsport can add new tracks, cars and race series... All alongside new features and engine enhancements.

 

[Kagoshima_Luke]

Pathetic. 8 of these franchises are from AKB. Microsoft really is the kind of "sniffing your own farts"-type of guy who buys the account of a high ranking CoD, CS, LoL, WoW etc. player and then pretends that they worked so hard to make this account high ranking.

And then when they actually play a match and are pitted against the best players, they get crushed.

 

[SEGAvangelist]

Part of me was hoping your previous post was in jest.

Holy shit lmao.

Well I'm sure you have friends that people make fun of. Hell, people could go after you just as hard as Tim Dog. This is a gaming forum after all.

 

[gokurho]

Well I'm sure you have friends that people make fun of. Hell, people could go after you just as hard as Tim Dog. This is a gaming forum after all.

Part of me was hoping your previous post was in jest.

Holy shit lmao.

 

[SEGAvangelist]

I don't understand the significance of this gif for our posts, but it sure is fire.

 

[DaGwaphics]

Turn 10 have been pretty explicit that they see Forza Motorsport as a platform (like iRacing) rather than just a numbered release in a series. I presume that's why it doesn't actually have a number attached. Because this is it. It will just evolve over time... And I'm all for it. I'm hoping that's the plan for Forza Horizon too... Just add in new 'festivals' and countries and keep the racing content coming. Make Forza Horizon a hub for content. Motorsport can add new tracks, cars and race series... All alongside new features and engine enhancements.

It does work well for these kind of releases, where without a generational hardware shift, the different numbered releases would just keep repeating much of the same content.

The issue for me when I think GaaS, and I think many old-time single player gamers are like this, is I think of games like Fortnite or the Smash Brothers clone type games where it is all player vs. player with little depth in game play or story. A more traditional game that just gets different "episodes" delivered to it over time I classify differently, even if the business model is the same.

 

[Mr Moose]

I've known him for almost 10 years now. He's a really awesome person. I know he's a goofy twitter and Xbox fanboy personality, but there is a good reason why so many people like him, and that's because he's just really nice. I'll never feel shameful for being his friend.

He hangs outside Best Buy stalking people.

 

[SEGAvangelist]

He hangs outside Best Buy stalking people.

I don't know the details of that, but his life is pretty much just installing internet for people and playing games and chatting about games.

 

[Mr Moose]

I don't know the details of that, but his life is pretty much just installing internet for people and playing games and chatting about games.

He recorded himself doing it.

 

[GHG]

Well I'm sure you have friends that people make fun of. Hell, people could go after you just as hard as Tim Dog. This is a gaming forum after all.

There are levels to this.

Friends don't let friends do this:




I said it the other day in another thread regarding xbox fandom. You are the company you keep. Godspeed.

 

[RoboFu]

 

[SEGAvangelist]

There are levels to this.

Friends don't let friends do this:




I said it the other day in another thread regarding xbox fandom. You are the company you keep. Godspeed.

You take this way too seriously. I'm not going to try to defend that video as it's pretty goofy, yes. I don't know the context or even remember it being a thing at that time, but you clearly have it out for me and Xbox fans in general. It's fine, and I really should just refuse to engage with you in the future, as you offer nothing to the discourse and good natured and sometimes trolling style fun I want to have around here.

 

[Mr Moose]

You take this way too seriously. I'm not going to try to defend that video as it's pretty goofy, yes. I don't know the context or even remember it being a thing at that time, but you clearly have it out for me and Xbox fans in general. It's fine, and I really should just refuse to engage with you in the future, as you offer nothing to the discourse and good natured and sometimes trolling style fun I want to have around here.

Phil Spencer Says he finds Console Wars Distasteful and Wants to Push Against It

To be fair, it's easy to say you don't want to participate in the console war when you're losing. Remember, you don't win silver, you lose gold.

www.neogaf.com

The guy who tried to make Yoshida uncomfortable by getting into the elevator, standing behind him and then laughing as loud as he possibly could is none other than Timdog. And he goes into great detail about how he did it and why.

Tim is an asshole.

 

[GHG]

You take this way too seriously. I'm not going to try to defend that video as it's pretty goofy, yes. I don't know the context or even remember it being a thing at that time, but you clearly have it out for me and Xbox fans in general. It's fine, and I really should just refuse to engage with you in the future, as you offer nothing to the discourse and good natured and sometimes trolling style fun I want to have around here.

All of this says more about you than it does anyone else here. Sorry.

 

[SEGAvangelist]

Phil Spencer Says he finds Console Wars Distasteful and Wants to Push Against It

To be fair, it's easy to say you don't want to participate in the console war when you're losing. Remember, you don't win silver, you lose gold.

www.neogaf.com

Tim is an asshole.

That's upsetting if true. Yoshida seems like a nice guy.

 

[BbMajor7th]

Some of it has. Though I could swear it's Phil that is behind them and not the other way around.

I'll leave it up to the community to tag this gif appropriately...

 

[ByWatterson]

I'm humiliated on behalf whoever made this, the acme of cringe.

 

[SEGAvangelist]

I'm humiliated on behalf whoever made this, the acme of cringe.

It's pretty funny.

 

[THE DUCK]

Pretty disappointing they didn't have the Activision games library ready to go fir gamepass once the deal was done. I mean they had a year + and it can't take that much at all to switch this on in the digital store.
Wait till 2024? Been waiting.......

 

[SEGAvangelist]

Pretty disappointing they didn't have the Activision games library ready to go fir gamepass once the deal was done. I mean they had a year + and it can't take that much at all to switch this on in the digital store.
Wait till 2024? Been waiting.......

I think it has something to do with ABK being publicly traded.

 

[ABnormal]

Really incredible, Phil!! What a skill to open a wallet to buy the work of others!!

Now buy also a bit of dignity and it will be perfect!!

 

[DryvBy]

"We were trending for a day." - engagement

 

[Three]

I think it has something to do with ABK being publicly traded.

No it doesn't.

 

[SEGAvangelist]

No it doesn't.

I thought the general thought was ABK couldn't get the process in motion because they'd be under the microscope as a publicly traded company.

 

[THE DUCK]

I think it has something to do with ABK being publicly traded.

Where there is a will there is a way, no doubt they could have at least done the top 10 in a couple of weeks once the deal closed.

 

[FoxMcChief]

In Phil I trust.

 

[adamsapple]

In Phil I trust.

The hero we need, not the one we deserve.

 

[SEGAvangelist]

The hero we need, not the one we deserve.

Anyone still have that Phil Spencer Effect infographic? That shit was so funny.

 

[adamsapple]

Anyone still have that Phil Spencer Effect infographic? That shit was so funny.

This one?

It needs updating if this is the one.

 

[Three]

I thought the general thought was ABK couldn't get the process in motion because they'd be under the microscope as a publicly traded company.

In what way would they be under the microscope and what would they be hiding from said microscope by not offering the games on the sub? MS and ABK has closed already so it has nothing go do with ABK being publicly traded.

The probable reason they haven't put anything is because they want to make money. They want to sell ABK content while they, MS themselves, already have 2 recently released games for the quarter to drive subscriptions with. They will space the releases out to try and drive gamepass in the following quarters and stop people unsubscribing.

 

[SEGAvangelist]

This one?

It needs updating if this is the one.

No. It was a green infographic with Phil Spencer smiling. It collected like only 3 things he did in a few months of being the Xbox boss. I think the OP ended up removing the graphic because people made fun of him so much. It was peak NeoGAF.

In what way would they be under the microscope and what would they be hiding from said microscope by not offering the games on the sub? MS and ABK has closed already so it has nothing go do with ABK being publicly traded.

The probable reason they haven't put anything is because they want to make money. They want to sell ABK content while they, MS themselves, already have 2 recently released games for the quarter to drive subscriptions with. They will space the releases out to try and drive gamepass in the following quarters and stop people unsubscribing.

They would have released a game or 2 already if that were the case. I bet there is something more to it than sales.

 

[Three]

They would have released a game or 2 already if that were the case. I bet there is something more to it than sales.

Like what?

 

[adamsapple]

No. It was a green infographic with Phil Spencer smiling. It collected like only 3 things he did in a few months of being the Xbox boss. I think the OP ended up removing the graphic because people made fun of him so much. It was peak NeoGAF.

Ah this one.

Whoever made this was a real Nostradamus. The effect is real.

 

[TheBomb]

Look at us! We bought them. Let us give each other hugs with title changes with pay raises while thinking who to layoff next.

 

[ReBurn]

‘We’? You’re an Xbox employee?



It’s an internal memo to Xbox employees announcing the new organization, a reorganization with the (claimed) intent to improve management and efficiency.
What does “we have a large portfolio” have to do with anything you’ve said?

There's no way one person having as many direct reports as Phil is efficient at anything. His new job description must be "sit back and marvel at the size of this thing."

 

[SEGAvangelist]

Like what?

Getting all the games together for Game Pass before closing the sale shows them working together and may have affected the deal. As a public company, I'd imagine it's harder to hide this stuff compared to a private company. That's my point. I don't see how dropping a couple of games into Game Pass the week after closing the sale would hurt future sales too much. I do think we see a trickle for Game Pass retention, though.

 

[SEGAvangelist]

Ah this one.

Whoever made this was a real Nostradamus. The effect is real.

 

[Bond007]

Engagement lol
Yea, i guess i cancel and renew Gamepass here and there based on release interest - purchasing zero games in the lifetime of the console.

 

[Three]

Getting all the games together for Game Pass before closing the sale shows them working together and may have affected the deal. As a public company, I'd imagine it's harder to hide this stuff compared to a private company. That's my point. I don't see how dropping a couple of games into Game Pass the week after closing the sale would hurt future sales too much. I do think we see a trickle for Game Pass retention, though.

This makes absolutely no sense. MS is not a private company. Whatever it is you think would have been exposed prior is now too.