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Randy Pitchford Says Microsoft and Sony Have Never Been Competitors, In His Mind

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman

The Gearbox Software CEO explained his stance in a series of tweets, characterizing Sony as a consumer electronics company and Microsoft as a software company, and that Sony should eventually "be happy" with Microsoft software running on PlayStation hardware. "Sony's like, 'They better not pull Call of Duty from our platform!' Microsoft's like, 'Bro - having our games on your platform is what we've been trying to do all along. I guess spending $2.5b on Minecraft wasn't enough to convince you?'" This is in reference to Microsoft acquiring Mojang years ago yet still releasing Minecraft on PlayStation platforms.

There is one problem with Pitchford's point, and that is not all of Xbox's acquisitions have been treated like Mojang. While Microsoft has opted to keep Minecraft on PlayStation platforms, it's not doing the same with The Elder Scrolls 6 or future Bethesda games. Microsoft has made it clear that it acquired Bethesda to gain console exclusives for Xbox as well as bolster its Xbox Game Pass lineup, meaning PlayStation will be missing out on some huge upcoming games like the upcoming Starfield, for example. And while Xbox has left the door open for future Call of Duty games to be multi-platform, it's also said that some Activision Blizzard games will be Xbox exclusives.

Pitchford believes that the ultimate goal for Xbox is to become a gaming OS without need for a physical "box." There may be something to this down the line, though it remains to be seen if Nintendo or Sony will ever allow Xbox Game Pass to run on their respective platforms.

 
If you've ever needed more evidence that just because someone has a title/position doesn't make them informed or intelligent.

Does Microsoft want to exist outside of boxes? Yeah, that's obvious, does that mean they aren't competing with Sony? No, it doesn't.

Microsoft can't exist outside of boxes if boxes continue to dominate the sphere, which is exactly why Microsoft has not one but two boxes dedicated to competing within the sphere.

And Sony certainly doesn't want Microsoft's software on its boxes, which while they may profit on, the lion share of profit comes from licensing of software titles.

What an idiot.
 
I don't think he's wrong about Ms ditching their box. Been saying this when I'd talk with Ms engineers couple years ago.

I guess that's why they created one of the hottest consumer electronic devices of last holiday that is still 100% sold out today. That's why they have a million different controller variations and accessories available for sale including a god damned fridge. You're right, what MS really wants to do is relinquish that walled garden XBOX store money and pay Sony 15-30% tax for the right to appear on their device. SMH.. armchair strategists need to chill.
 

Fare thee well

Neophyte
Oh god... Randy.

But true, I enjoy both companies. I see them as complementary gaming experiences; but then again I'm not a dirt poor teenager anymore 😅
 

Interfectum

Member
62skkh.jpg
 

IntentionalPun

Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
Except, you know.. Starfield.. and other statements.

MS wants exclusives, the idea they don't is idiotic.

They are also open to having some products on Playstation, and some on Switch.

We won't know what decisions they make, until they are made. For all we know eventually a Minecraft product will be exclusive as well.
 

yurinka

Member
Randy is right. MS moved away their focus from Xbox while ago, they did understand that weren't able to compete in the console market, so moved instead their focus to go full multiplatform instead, to also cover the other consoles, PC and mobile.

Sony and Nintendo always welcome to work with big 3rd party publishers, so it isn't/won't be any different with MS.

I think MS will keep the purchased top IPs as multiplatform, and from these acquired teams only their new IPs will be Xbox (some of them timed) console exclusive.

I think eventually in the future MS will drop making Xbox hardware and will move to a full 3rd party approach instead (including that even stuff like Halo or Gears will be on PS and Nintendo platforms), while using GP as their platform which won't be available on PS or Nintendo consoles.

I think we'll see PS6 and PS7, Switch 2 and Switch 3. And after that both Nintendo and Sony will move to their own full multiplatform online platforms, that will compete against the ones from Apple, Google, Tencent, Amazon and Facebook. I think once Gaben decides to retire he'll sell Valve to some giant so at that point Steam will be absorved by one of these companies and will have been morphed/merged into their PC game store.
 
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Zok310

Banned
Someone guid this guy to his bed, help him take off his slippers, give him some water and his meds and put him to sleep, it's 3pm he needs to nap.
 

RoadHazard

Gold Member
That's dumb as hell. Sony (at least the PlayStation division) makes MUCH more money from subscriptions and MTX than selling hardware. They would not "be happy" just selling consoles while MS makes all the money from the software running on them.
 

MonarchJT

Banned
I don't think he's wrong about Ms ditching their box. Been saying this when I'd talk with Ms engineers couple years ago.
everyone is going to ditch their boxes Sony and Ms 100% sure at least..but theyll do at the same time
 
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yurinka

Member
Yes, Xbox / PC. Let's not joke around, majority of people with a gaming PC do not have a PS5 or will play multiplats on PC. Microsoft figured this out way before Sony.
Nah, I think that as they said in places like the SEC filing and previously did with Mojang and Zenimax, with ABK they will continue supporting on PS and Nintendo with the purchased top IPs (being CoD one of them) that already where there before the acquisition by continue publishing there their next console games, dlcs and updates.

I think only new IPs from these top teams plus smaller ones that already were on PS/Switch from teams like Obsidian or Ninja Theory will go (in some cases timed) console exclusive.
 

IntentionalPun

Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
FWIW while Pitchford is a jackass, people should really look into the details of the aftermath of the Gearbox / Aliens fiasco.

They were both sued, and Gearbox managed to get themselves dropped from the suit after several arguments including that they apparently spent their own money finishing the game, contrary to the idea it was spent elsewhere.

It was a mismanaged / underfunded project. It was demo'd in a BS way for sure, but the whole "they stole money" thing seems more urban legend than anything else.
 

oldergamer

Member

The Gearbox Software CEO explained his stance in a series of tweets, characterizing Sony as a consumer electronics company and Microsoft as a software company, and that Sony should eventually "be happy" with Microsoft software running on PlayStation hardware. "Sony's like, 'They better not pull Call of Duty from our platform!' Microsoft's like, 'Bro - having our games on your platform is what we've been trying to do all along. I guess spending $2.5b on Minecraft wasn't enough to convince you?'" This is in reference to Microsoft acquiring Mojang years ago yet still releasing Minecraft on PlayStation platforms.

There is one problem with Pitchford's point, and that is not all of Xbox's acquisitions have been treated like Mojang. While Microsoft has opted to keep Minecraft on PlayStation platforms, it's not doing the same with The Elder Scrolls 6 or future Bethesda games. Microsoft has made it clear that it acquired Bethesda to gain console exclusives for Xbox as well as bolster its Xbox Game Pass lineup, meaning PlayStation will be missing out on some huge upcoming games like the upcoming Starfield, for example. And while Xbox has left the door open for future Call of Duty games to be multi-platform, it's also said that some Activision Blizzard games will be Xbox exclusives.

Pitchford believes that the ultimate goal for Xbox is to become a gaming OS without need for a physical "box." There may be something to this down the line, though it remains to be seen if Nintendo or Sony will ever allow Xbox Game Pass to run on their respective platforms.


He's not wrong. they publicly stated they wanted gamepass on PlayStation in the past. However it is kinda odd that Nintendo and MS get along pretty well. MS even published blue dragon games on the DS. Sony and Nintendo I think will always hate each other ( going back to the Sony Snes CD rom addon ). Nintendo screwing them is the reason they got into the console market.
 

IntentionalPun

Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
He's not wrong. they publicly stated they wanted gamepass on PlayStation in the past. However it is kinda odd that Nintendo and MS get along pretty well. MS even published blue dragon games on the DS. Sony and Nintendo I think will always hate each other ( going back to the Sony Snes CD rom addon ). Nintendo screwing them is the reason they got into the console market.

I'd be weary of anything related to MS saying they want GamePass on Playstation because:

- They know it will never happen, and Spencer said as much
- Those statements give them a big out with regulators "well our competitors won't let our product on their devices, not our fault"

At this point I have my doubts MS even wants Gamepass on any platform where they'd have to share revenue.
 
I cannot imagine a time when there isn't a Xbox console.
I can, but only when they can get GamePass on everything and Sony won't allow that anytime soon.

But, Microsoft honestly doesn't care much about Xbox. They care about GamePass.

Just like Netflix isn't trying to sell you hardware. They are happy to let other people make hardware, put Netflix on that hardware and collect monthly subscriptions from all those people.
 
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IntentionalPun

Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
Wasn't this guy a pedo? something with a usb stick with child porn on it?
nah it had a typical porn with the word "teen" in the title, which is like half the porn on the internet

But that story is fucking hilarious; he left a USB stick w/ porn and company documents at a fucking Medieval Times weird restaurant/watch people joust place from the movie Cable Guy lol

 

Ezekiel_

Banned
Microsoft wants that walled garden too. They just haven't been able to yet.

If they succeed, no Microsoft game will be available outside their payed subscription, not even legacy games, not even through Steam. Everything will be cloud-based.

We are headed in a post-ownership world — that's their endgame. It's the only reason to spend billions on publishers, and they for sure are hoping it's a zero-sum game against their competitors.
 

Chiggs

Member
The responses in this thread are classic. Nothing unites a gaming forum like the universally-reviled Randy Pitchford.

Oh Randy....
 

Fbh

Member
Is the playstation branch of Sony really a consumer electronics company?
Wouldn't that require the "consumer electronics" (aka the Playstation) to be the main source of revenue? As opposed to 90%+ of the money coming from software and services?
 

Gavon West

Spread's Cheeks for Intrusive Ads
Of course they are competitors. That's why Microsoft entered the space in the first place. To compete with Sony for the living room.
Lol. No. When one can spend 70 billion like it's nothing and the other company can't, there is no competition for the company that's cash fluid as Microsoft. Thems just the facts.
 

Kokoloko85

Member
I can, but only when they can get GamePass on everything and Sony won't allow that anytime soon.

But, Microsoft honestly doesn't care much about Xbox. They care about GamePass.

Just like Netflix isn't trying to sell you hardware. They are happy to let other people make hardware, put Netflix on that hardware and collect monthly subscriptions from all those people.

If MS want gamepass on Playstation and Nintendo, Im sure neither would mind if it was just 1st party titles.
3rd party titles mean they will lose 3rd party sales on their own stores
 

Leyasu

Banned
Randy is full of shit. Why didn't they just pull out of hardware at the end of last gen if they were going multi?
 
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