In my opinion Sony has an old world mentality by trying to still fight a console war. Just like old Microsoft was trying to fight the desktop OS battle with Windows. Google and Apple just said who cares and went mobile leaving MS in the dust. I like how MS is making games about access and not about a piece of plastic. Things like GP, Halo FTP, PC focus and diverse XGS lineup is them being original. When they failed is when they try to copy Sony. For example that showcase was just a clone of Sony’s showcase. Instead of just showing CGI trailers wouldn’t MS have been better off having short interview with Obsidian to explained Avowed? I know alot of people want MS to copy Sony, I just feel that is heading in the wrong direction…
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Glad I’m not the only one!
While I do like the cinematic games Sony offers, they don’t do everything perfectly either. I think the team at Xbox know this looking at the huge diversity they have coming to the service.
Personally I’m excited for their RPG output and (as a long time PC gamer) the potential for mouse and keyboard support on games like Age of Empires and Gears Tactics, even if it is M&K only for certain games.
I think MS can deliver games you wont be able to find elsewhere if they focus on these. They can still deliver bigger tentpole titles through the Initiative, 343 etc
They should also do something Sci Fi / RPG ala Cyberpunk or Mass Effect, another genre that under represented.
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Alright I am unlocking the topic. I was a bit too cautionary, comparisons are fine but remember to follow the forum guidelines.
I agree. It’s exciting to me that both Sony and MS (and Nintendo) are trying almost entirely different strategies, long term.
That being said, I’m very, very curious about The Initiative’s game…
It’s possible to do everything, I don’t know why people think it has to be an one or the other. I do think MS is more capable to have an expensive line up with with games from all genres. Game Pass is going to make this happen and I can see another Minecraft type success that comes from Microsoft because how unique games can be when taking Game Pass into account.
Now obviously I can be completely wrong but I have a good feeling they will manage it. If you just take a couple steps back and look at what Microsoft is trying to do with Xbox, Xcloud, Game Pass and PC you start to see the picture really clearly. It’s going to take people a long time to change from the mindset of console wars and or console generations because they’ve been a thing for so long and change takes time.
What we’re seeing right now is going to look stupid smart in 10 years time and people are going to say wow how did people not see this back then.
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Hungry Microsoft is best Microsoft. I love Phil’s approach for the most part, but I do wish the Xbox team would be a tad more aggressive in their approach sometimes.
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XGS should just keep pushing for variety and breadth of content. They don’t NEED to be doing 3rd Person Cinematic Action games, but if a studio wants to do that, then let them!
After the ROTR timed-exclusivity Microsoft is very cautious about how to be aggressive. Every move Microsoft is making could result in drama. Even the change of the gamepass logo result in a mini drama lol
I like that all 4 big platforms (including Steam) have their own niche and offer different competitive advantages. Xbox 360 vs PS3 were getting too samey. If Xbox was going back to tradition and tried to compete with Sony in the same genres, it would be boring.
Game Pass offers a exciting possibilities that go beyond just the value proposition. The number one thing that holds back game development is not lack of teraflops or SSDs. Its risk that comes from development cost vs exposure and return. Game Pass could mitigate that risk for some developers. Will mitigate that for all Microsoft 1st party.
I think this generation will offer more reasons to be in multiple ecosystems than any gen before it. Maybe not in year 1 but eventually.
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I agree to the thread title. It is always best to do your own thing.
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In the long term both companies want the same thing. They both know, game streaming has the very likely potential of having a much higher installbase then just 100million consoles. Sony are doing the established strategy which they are very good at but they know they are in a weaker position for a cloud and device agnostic future.
Imagine this future, In 10yrs theres 500 million tvs, 1 billion android devices, 250 million netbooks and a 500 million apple devices with a gamepass/xcloud app.
Thats a potential userbase of over 2billion. Even if ms gets 10% of that install base thats 200million more customers, which about double. Of a successful console at the end of its life.
Of course sony could do the same, but I have a hard time believing ms will sell a direct competitor the servers need to pull this global coverage needed for a massive global cloud service.
I wouldn’t be surprised if google bans other cloud gaming services on Android devices.
That’s true for any industry. It’s normal for companies to use ideas that work. When gaming companies the media cheering Sony for showing CG trailers, they are going to do the same. The logic is simple: “See, that works! Let’s give them more of that”
Because of the ridiculous Death Stranding announcement, for example, we got Pragmata’s announcement with an equally ridiculous trailer. If that kind of stuff was laughed at and mocked, Pragmata’s trailer would have never happened.
No doubt. I think Microsoft has a great plan in motion…they just have to make sure they continue to execute on that plan all throughout. Thats where they have faltered before in the past…not staying up on their plans. With the strategy they have in place right now, Im really interested to see just how far it can go with the Xbox ecosystem on PC, console, mobile, Game Pass and xCloud. Making Xbox synonymous with gaming on a grand scale is achievable, but each platform and service must have complete synergy in order for it to work.
Doing your own thing is always good for your business. I agree with the sentiment. I also agree how Nintendo does their own thing and Sony appearing to stay the course (even though I personally don’t like it). Do what’s good for your platform and have things unique of it.
Make your own mark is always the best. I really like, that Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft are different. I appreciate Xboxs strategy. Game Pass changed everything for me.
I mean, I prefer both Microsoft’s games and their overall direction, so it only makes sense that I don’t want to see them trying to copy Sony too much. Of course, there are exceptions here and there, but I generally want Xbox to be Xbox, not another PlayStation, since I can already get an actual PS console to satisfy those needs. And I agree that they sometimes bow to pressure when I don’t really want them to, but usually I can understand it.
I think Phil has made up for the missteps under Don Mattricks in 2013.
But for all that, I still think Peter Moore type figure wouldn’t go amiss to bring those mic drop moments.
I agree. They should do their own thing at their own pace. Stop being dragged down to Sony’s level where they’ll beat you with experience.
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