If they are not subsidising future hardware then it may well shrink to Steam Deck like numbers.
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I don’t get the drama about the situation. You don’t start putting the 4 games just as a test when other games are mentioned by trustworthy insiders.
It’s happening and we can all wait and see if it’s truly a masterclass by Microsoft or a tone deaf situation like X1 release with abysmal communication.
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I think people are missing the forest for the trees when it comes to this stuff
This is just where the industry is going, MS is just going ahead of the curve as they always do, Gen Z aren’t buying consoles and games are transitioning more and more to games on as many devices as possible
I get the worry of Xbox no longer being relevant or not getting third party support but if the next Xbox is essentially a PC that has a console UI and still feels like a console that can play all your past games hows that not the best option possible?
If anything it might get them more third party support than ever because if it means having to develop for what is basically a PC which devs already would thanks to Steam then they have no reason to skip on whatever this “xbox” is
Obviously I’m making assumptions here and we will see exactly how Xbox hardware is going forward but people need to stop thinking gaming is going to continue to revolve around these 1 console closed ecosystems going forward, it’s not happening, even for Sony
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Oh, its gonna be a shitshow. Am going to grab popcorn for when they inevitably fuck up. They have proven to be masters of horrible messaging time and time again.
If the brand was stressed with four games ported. What exactly to they think happens if they landslide all games to playstation, whose users are mostly jerks who enjoy tormenting and kicking Xbox users while they are down.
Absolute catastrophe is whats gonna happen. Shame, i like Phil but this decision is tone deaf and the repercussions will be evident by the end of the year.
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People are stupid.
Although I do expect that Microsoft is going to go full third party since the business update. How long from now that is depends on what Microsoft thinks would be an ideal time to keep most of their ecosystem entact.
People have been dooming and glooming for years. How many times has Xbox has been declared dead now? It’s getting a little tiresome.
If people can’t live without their exclusive plastic boxes, I’m sure they’ll be happy at PlayStation for another year or two, before they pivot away from it as well.
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Grab the popcorn now so you don’t have to stress out about it for however long it takes for us to find out.
The brand was stressed because of the way they communicate the situation. We heard rumours about it in December and they waited till February to make an official statement. Most people were satisfied until shortly after Phil had an interview with the verge (?) that didn’t really support their statement on the podcast.
I’m looking forward to the Xbox showcase because it will be the first time since their multiplat plans that they have direct contact with fans at the Xbox fanfest.
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So sad to see people lose the plot on why we need competition. A corporation can and will fuck you over if they can get away with it. Even if you dislike the alternative the fact that there is an alternative benefits you directly as a consumer. But “plastic boxes and exclusives” or whatever.
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If nothing bad happens, basically small and/or big third parties just deciding to stop making Xbox versions (because majority of gamers have PS anyway, especially so in Europe) I’m good. I do get that a lot of Xbox fans do not like this new direction or really hate it, I don’t like it, but nor do I hate it, it’s whatever to me…if more people get to play the games.
It’s just very unfortunate though, with all these new games in development, new studios, ABK etc, it would have been good to see them being competition to Sony and to an extend Nintendo. Satya “you want competition? I’ll give you that.” except, not really.
Meh. Let us who favor the console just look forward to the new console and especially let there be no negative consequences…so to speak. That’s really all for me.
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If you visit gaming sites or social media, then yes a significant number of the PlayStation fans appear to be console-warring idiots who enjoy posting online more than they enjoy playing games.
But they’re not the majority of gamers - most of them don’t really talk gaming on social media or visit gaming sites, and are just normal people who’ve bought a console for a particular game or because a friend had one, and just buy a few games a year.
Many friends and family have done so - most have barely heard of Xbox when I mention what I’ve been playing (and have definitely not heard of Game Pass) and of all the gamers I know, only one friend-of-a-friend is a console warrior who hates Xbox.
Yes Xbox has done a poor job over the years ensuring it has mindshare compared to PlayStation and Nintendo, but the console warriors online are just a symptom of uneven competition rather than a cause - in the same way there were always those few friends growing up who’d change the football team they supported each year depending on who was dominating.
I admit, I’ve started to avoid some gaming media where trolls are enjoying piling on Xbox articles, but I’ve started to realise they’re dinosaurs - the younger generations I know mostly seem to want to play on PC, and those with consoles just want them for third-party games such as Fortnite, if they’ve played a first-party game at all it’s Minecraft or Spider Man.
It’s what gives me some hope that maybe this new approach from Xbox may reinvigorate the brand - the exclusive games don’t seem to do much, but maybe being more PC will attract new gamers…
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If they bring a more user friendly experience to PC and release boxes intended to sit under your TV (and/or work with hardware partners to do so) they are still competing with console.
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I totally understand why they keep looking for more opportunities to make money. But they failed to promote outside of UK/US and console market is not really growing.
It’s all about communication and they keep being wishy-washy.
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Hmm, I guess they are but I do wonder how many people (that aren’t the hardcore, loyal players) will get the next Xbox. Even if it might be more closer to a PC, but I guess that remains to be seen. After all that’s all speculation from us.
It’s just a strange situation, it’s new, right now it’s nothing shocking with the four games, but if Xbox eventually does go with day and date and releases for all their games…what will that do to Game Pass?
Yeah, i lost respect for Phil after that Verge interview. Did nothing to respect fans who been in the thick of things when 2013 went down. Nothing against Tom, he is a talented journalist and respect his articles.
Guy clearly enjoys playstation and nintendo instead of its own userbase. Hope he gets replaced by someone who truly cares for its costumers.
Hoping that he has at least talks about its console userbase and respects them by delivery exclusive flagship games. Otherwise i really hope he leaves and never returns.
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Not as much as people think I’d imagine
CoD alongside other major titles are going to be dropping every year on GP, how many of the 25m+ console GP subs are going to suddenly buy a playstation for those games instead of just subbing to GP?
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I think we’re going to finally see the three major players in the industry lien into their own strengths and compete in their own way.
Nintendo with Family/Handheld, Sony with AAA/Traditional, and Microsoft with Xbox Anywhere (turn any Windows device into a native Xbox).
Exciting times IMO.
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I truly believe Phil wants the best for the Xbox userbase, but the whole Xbox division failed to grow on the console market and now it’s probably too late.
Console market is not growing while gaming it getting more expensive with the younger generation playing F2P games on Smartphones.
The ideas around the X1 were amazing. I was expecting a good console with prices for games like it was Steam. But like always bad communication.
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Yep, I’m more excited than ever tbh, people are way too invested in everything staying the same and the status quo, the industry needs a shakeup and Xbox being just another favour of PS isn’t the way forward, hell it’s barely working for PS looking at their profit margins and hardware decline
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True that. Having a behemoth of a franchise like CoD day one in your subscription service is huge, if that doesn’t bring more users…Jesus H Christ, what will?
I’m all OK with it if Xbox the console keeps being supported and made too (and we know they are developing the next one) and no negative shit happening because of this new direction. As with many things, only time will tell.
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