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ghst · May 6, 2014

wasn't the whole aim of the xbox to get microsoft into the living room? it seems there are more reasons than ever to have a computer hooked up to your TV: to the point that valve are developing their own OS just to facilitate it. the xbone itself is an x86 machine running what is essentially a forked copy of windows 8.

why are microsoft so bent on selling low margin hardware when they are in a better position than ever to just make a bootable wrapper for windows in the living room and kill about a dozen birds with one pebble?

it's not like they need to absolutely lock down every service, just put their own skeezy suggestions upfront. they didn't need to make IE the only browser available on windows for it to have a ridiculous penetration even when it paled in comparison with the competition.

goomba · May 6, 2014

Whats interesting is that valve are doing with steam machines what microsoft originally wanted to do for xbox (multiple hardware vendors , common os)

MrJoe · May 6, 2014

schaft0620 said:
I completely agree with you that is why want to know your personal feelings, buying xbox how better off are they?

it's not going to happen. my personal feelings about the hypothetical buying of the xbox platform by nintendo are exactly that, it's not going to happen. why speculate on something that will never occur.

BeforeU · May 6, 2014

Reading at most of the comments, I dont think many people understand what spinoff of Xbox means. Its not same as selling it to Amazon, Apple, Google, Samsung or any other company. So god please just stop saying that. The Xbox brand Microsoft has created in their own ecosystem is very important for the company. Xbox Music, Xbox Video, Xbox Live, XboX Live TV, and soon to be Xbox Books (read an article few weeks back). And all of these services are powered by Microsoft's own Azure. There is no way in perfect hell Xbox brand will ever be sold to any other company.

In very worst case scenario we are looking at Xbox division as its own company and MS owning majority of its share. But again then the question is why would they do this?

cafemomo · May 6, 2014

HocusPocus said:
Yeah I think it's about time. Hoping Samsung gets them.

hell no.

I will buy an xbox one if it means that Samsung won't get their grubby hands in the console market.

LowSignal · May 6, 2014

BeforeU said:
Reading at most of the comments, I dont think many people understand what spinoff of Xbox means. Its not same as selling it to Amazon, Apple, Google, Samsung or any other company. So god please just stop saying that. The Xbox brand Microsoft has created in their own ecosystem is very important for the company. Xbox Music, Xbox Video, Xbox Live, XboX Live TV, and soon to be Xbox Books (read an article few weeks back). And all of these services are powered by Microsoft's own Azure. There is no way in perfect hell Xbox brand will ever be sold to any other company.

In very worst case scenario we are looking at Xbox division as its own company and MS owning majority of its share. But again then the question is why would they do this?

I agree, but its the cool thing to hate MS right now. Everybody is hating companies like rivals sports teams and I'm just sitting here enjoying games on all the systems.

ronito · May 6, 2014

BeforeU said:
Reading at most of the comments, I dont think many people understand what spinoff of Xbox means. Its not same as selling it to Amazon, Apple, Google, Samsung or any other company. So god please just stop saying that. The Xbox brand Microsoft has created in their own ecosystem is very important for the company. Xbox Music, Xbox Video, Xbox Live, XboX Live TV, and soon to be Xbox Books (read an article few weeks back). And all of these services are powered by Microsoft's own Azure. There is no way in perfect hell Xbox brand will ever be sold to any other company.

In very worst case scenario we are looking at Xbox division as its own company and MS owning majority of its share. But again then the question is why would they do this?

quoting for future reference.

NoPiece · May 6, 2014

ghst said:
wasn't the whole aim of the xbox to get microsoft into the living room? it seems there are more reasons than ever to have a computer hooked up to your TV: to the point that valve are developing their own OS just to facilitate it. the xbone itself is an x86 machine running what is essentially a forked copy of windows 8.

why are microsoft so bent on selling low margin hardware when they are in a better position than ever to just make a bootable wrapper for windows in the living room and kill about a dozen birds with one pebble?

it's not like they need to absolutely lock down every service, just put their own skeezy suggestions upfront. they didn't need to make IE the only browser available on windows for it to have a ridiculous penetration even when it paled in comparison with the competition.

Sneaking a media player into the living room disguised as a game console was a good strategy 5-10 years ago. But If the goal is just to be in the living room, and not be a gaming device, there are better ways to do it today than a big $500 box. Whether it is an HDMI stick, a tablet, or a small media box. It wouldn't surprise me if, outside the Xbox division, Microsoft was more worried about the Fire TV and Apple TV and Roku than the PS4.

BeforeU said:
Reading at most of the comments, I dont think many people understand what spinoff of Xbox means. Its not same as selling it to Amazon, Apple, Google, Samsung or any other company. So god please just stop saying that. The Xbox brand Microsoft has created in their own ecosystem is very important for the company. Xbox Music, Xbox Video, Xbox Live, XboX Live TV, and soon to be Xbox Books (read an article few weeks back). And all of these services are powered by Microsoft's own Azure. There is no way in perfect hell Xbox brand will ever be sold to any other company.

In very worst case scenario we are looking at Xbox division as its own company and MS owning majority of its share. But again then the question is why would they do this?

Microsoft spun off Expedia, and within two years had 0% ownership of that company (sold to what would become IAC).

Bungie is another more recent example of a MS spinoff where they ended up with no involvement.

Microsoft to Spin Off ‘Halo’ Creator Bungie

mrklaw · May 6, 2014

ghst said:
wasn't the whole aim of the xbox to get microsoft into the living room? it seems there are more reasons than ever to have a computer hooked up to your TV: to the point that valve are developing their own OS just to facilitate it. the xbone itself is an x86 machine running what is essentially a forked copy of windows 8.

why are microsoft so bent on selling low margin hardware when they are in a better position than ever to just make a bootable wrapper for windows in the living room and kill about a dozen birds with one pebble?

it's not like they need to absolutely lock down every service, just put their own skeezy suggestions upfront. they didn't need to make IE the only browser available on windows for it to have a ridiculous penetration even when it paled in comparison with the competition.

Don't know why they didn't try either a windows RT based small box to compete with roku and appleTV, but with more apps, or a higher end NUC-style proper PC, with a focus on the metro front end as a living room interface (and possibly the HDMI passthrough) - or both as a range of options. I'd buy a decently made Silent HTPC with good apps, doing it yourself can get complicated, especially integrating your DVR properly.

Quadraphonic · May 6, 2014

ghst said:
wasn't the whole aim of the xbox to get microsoft into the living room? it seems there are more reasons than ever to have a computer hooked up to your TV: to the point that valve are developing their own OS just to facilitate it. the xbone itself is an x86 machine running what is essentially a forked copy of windows 8.

why are microsoft so bent on selling low margin hardware when they are in a better position than ever to just make a bootable wrapper for windows in the living room and kill about a dozen birds with one pebble?

it's not like they need to absolutely lock down every service, just put their own skeezy suggestions upfront. they didn't need to make IE the only browser available on windows for it to have a ridiculous penetration even when it paled in comparison with the competition.

Microsoft took so long to "be in the living room" that they missed the boat and that market now belongs to a $35 dongle from Google.

There's no way they can beat the Chromecast. Not in price, features or availability. The TV manufacturers all have their own system of widgets, with Samsung or Yahoo! running Java and Android. They spent so much time worrying about converting a gaming box into a media box, they lost.

Atomski · May 6, 2014

I honestly cant think of any company in their right mind that would want to buy the Xbox brand in its current state.

To me this just sounds like MS being nice. Instead of just taking the old dog out back and putting it out of its misery they will just drive it away and drop it off in a new neighborhood and hope for the best.

JAYSIMPLE · May 6, 2014

LowSignal said:
I agree, but its the cool thing to hate MS right now. Everybody is hating companies like rivals sports teams and I'm just sitting here enjoying games on all the systems.

There's a lot if hate. So true. Completely pointless too. This world is full if it and to think a lot of it goes on a console box that's under your TV. There must be some people with serious issues lol. I just play games and enjoy anything that's good

GoofsterStud · May 6, 2014

BeforeU said:
why would they do this?

The division would have to prove itself on its own merits. No more hiding the divisions loses in an unrelated division. No more making the division look profitable by using Google patents to hide what is actually happening. This is what the stockholders have been wanting. This also means that Microsoft warchest will be seperated from the division. The only downside would be the lack of moneyhatting exclusives, until the division makes enough to buy them itself.

Kariodude · May 6, 2014

I seem to recall shareholders wanting Xbox to be split off because it hemorrhages money from Microsoft. I don't know why that's in my head though because I can't find anything to support it. Maybe I heard it in a dream.

raphanum · May 6, 2014

Please, do not do that MS. There's no need for it.

hooijdonk17 · May 6, 2014

Beginning of the end? End of the beginning? You decide.

Uncle Rupee · May 6, 2014

raphanum said:
Please, do not do that MS. There's no need for it.

It's costing them billions of dollars

EventHorizon · May 6, 2014

I think this is just an acknowledgment that the Xbox will be a lower profit business than the rest of Microsoft and they don't want it to affect their stock price. Microsoft can't sell Xbox because it has Windows 8 so integrated with it. A spinoff would protect the core Microsoft from the volatility of the console market.

This is probably also an acknowledgement that trying to tie the Xbox so closely into the Windows ecosystem was a mistake. Most of the reason that a game console exists is its specialization on gaming. By turning the Xbox into Windows 8 connected to the TV, Microsoft lessened some of the inherent benefits consoles enjoy with the major one being cost. The odds are that the next Xbox console released will be far more focused on gaming.

zhao3gold · May 6, 2014

Uncle Rupee said:
It's costing them billions of dollars

It also costs billions of dollars for Sony & Nintendo for their gaming business. Do you think Sony or Nintendo will abandon them?

I think most of loss of Xbox business was made during the original Xbox and the first few years of Xbox 360 (due to RROD). Since then, Xbox started to make profits for Microsoft. It is just very minor comparing to other business for Microsoft.

JaseC · May 6, 2014

Kariodude said:
I seem to recall shareholders wanting Xbox to be split off because it hemorrhages money from Microsoft. I don't know why that's in my head though because I can't find anything to support it. Maybe I heard it in a dream.

You're thinking of this.

CircleOfFire · May 6, 2014

Checking the replies for that post there's someone spewing a whole load of anti PS4 hate, was hilarious.

Filaipus · May 6, 2014

He is stating that he would support the CEO... Dont over react people.

brain_stew · May 6, 2014

mrklaw said:
Don't know why they didn't try either a windows RT based small box to compete with roku and appleTV, but with more apps, or a higher end NUC-style proper PC, with a focus on the metro front end as a living room interface (and possibly the HDMI passthrough) - or both as a range of options. I'd buy a decently made Silent HTPC with good apps, doing it yourself can get complicated, especially integrating your DVR properly.

The Metro interface actually works really well as a launcher for programs with a HTPC. Unfortunately Microsoft doesn't include property remote or controller support in the start screen or any of their Metro apps and it's left to the user to hack them back in.

I've got things just about how I want them now, but native support should have been there from the start.

EGM1966 · May 6, 2014

Sounds like Gates just basically making it clear Nadella's the CEO and can make those decisions if he wants - i.e. Making it clear Gates isnt in charge with a puppet as CEO. Its just a generic statement id say and i wouldnt read to much into it in isolation.

derFeef · May 6, 2014

EGM1966 said:
Sounds like Gates just basically making it clear Nadella's the CEO and can make those decisions if he wants - i.e. Making it clear Gates isnt in charge with a puppet as CEO. Its just a generic statement id say and i wouldnt read to much into it in isolation.

Exactly. And has been cofnrimed by other MS spokespersons.

Joe_Incognito · May 6, 2014

ITT: Wishful thinking and personal agendas. This is truly the most ugly console war I have ever seen in my life, and I've been gaming since the 2600 days.

Here's a probable future scenario. Microsoft sells the Xbox brand, Sony goes under and takes the PlayStation brand with them, Nintendo turns into company that makes quality of life products for soccer moms and kids.

Then the cable companies take over. All the AAA games now come as a subscription based service from your local cable company. Subscription rates will be outrageous, and will make the fees paid for premium channels like HBO, Showtime, etc seem reasonable.

Kids will flock to mobile and tablet gaming completely abandoning traditional gaming all together. PC will be dominated by services like Steam. The only alternative to this nightmare future will be to give up and go retro. However the content creators, with the help of the ISPs, will eliminate illegal roms from the web. Your only hope will be to purchase expensive original carts and CDs, or to subscribe to some nostalgia based gaming service, which will come with it's own monthly fee.

My advice, cling to the status quo as long as you can.

JimiNutz · May 6, 2014

LowSignal said:
I agree, but its the cool thing to hate MS right now. Everybody is hating companies like rivals sports teams and I'm just sitting here enjoying games on all the systems.

The hate on GAF has actually taken me by surprise. It's cool to have a personal preference but some of the shit on here appears to be way past that.

Sometimes I read shit on here and think 'microsoft is absolutely fucked. There will be nothing that they can do to even remotely turn this around because people just have so much hate for their brand'.

But then I remember that GAF will be GAF...

matty2Dfraud · May 6, 2014

Gates quote was taken completely out of context in that twitter post. Total clickbait. I Would expect no less of GAF than to run with it though. Good job guys!

ChosenPredator · May 6, 2014

Joe_Incognito said:
ITT: Wishful thinking and personal agendas. This is truly the most ugly console war I have ever seen in my life, and I've been gaming since the 2600 days.

Here's a probable future scenario. Microsoft sells the Xbox brand, Sony goes under and takes the PlayStation brand with them, Nintendo turns into company that makes quality of life products for soccer moms and kids.

Then the cable companies take over. All the AAA games now come as a subscription based service from your local cable company. Subscription rates will be outrageous, and will make the fees paid for premium channels like HBO, Showtime, etc seem reasonable.

Kids will flock to mobile and tablet gaming completely abandoning traditional gaming all together. PC will be dominated by services like Steam. The only alternative to this nightmare future will be to give up and go retro. However the content creators, with the help of the ISPs, will eliminate illegal roms from the web. Your only hope will be to purchase expensive original carts and CDs, or to subscribe to some nostalgia based gaming service, which will come with it's own monthly fee.

My advice, cling to the status quo as long as you can.

the bad thing is i believe all that could happen. We shouldn't want any of these guys to go under not Xbox not Sony Playstation & not Nintendo...we really need these guys around and we need to just guide them into the right directions not lust for them to go under because they did something you didn't like one time so you have to forever keep hatred for them

anyways...yeah...thats depressing, lol.

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