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[boneyjangles]

Play anywhere is a gateway drug.

'Wow Scorpio it turns out is a really powerful neat package, i'll pick one up to tide me over until I upgrade in a year or two, then games can eventually carry over to my new future PC.'

Years go by. You look over at your crusty old desktop, 10 times bigger and heavier than Scorpio. Shitty cable management everywhere. That cooling system you're pretty sure you fucked up installation of that might break if you look at it wrong. That weird noise it starts making when you try to run anything on high settings above 1080p, It's almost 2020 and it's a world of lean specialist lean appliancesm, that thing looks like it might as well be coal-fired. Can you really be bothered opening it up and dicking about with it ever again, or starting researching a replacement?

So "Why would I buy an Xbox One if I can just run Xbox Exclusives on my PC", but it becomes a less compelling argument in the light of a Scorpio release at a reasonable price. I honestly think they designed this powerful machine equally to tempt PC gamers as to compete with PS4 Pro.

Besides that, as others have mentioned, of course they want a compelling popular 'app store' on Windows computers. They don't get a dime from steam, only marketshare.

 

[Zedox]

Eventually Microsoft will come to their senses when they see that these games won't sell on PC(Windows Store) and all they've accomplished is diminishing the value of an Xbox console. Be it the Xbox One or Scorpio.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL. Nah, that's not going to happen. Not with all their future stuff has UWP/WS all in mind (mixed reality/game dev/pc/mobile?lol*jordancryface*). They will probably still sell some games on Steam but you can bet the big releases will be on Windows Store exclusively. They are also trying to get 3rd parties involved in XPA to have more games on their store. It's not looking like they are going to go backwards with their initiative that's bigger than only Xbox (gaming).

 

[Papacheeks]

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL. Nah, that's not going to happen. Not with all their future stuff has UWP/WS all in mind (mixed reality/game dev/pc/mobile?lol*jordancryface*). They will probably still sell some games on Steam but you can bet the big releases will be on Windows Store exclusively. They are also trying to get 3rd parties involved in XPA to have more games on their store. It's not looking like they are going to go backwards with their initiative that's bigger than only Xbox (gaming).

Doesn't mean those games will sell. Which outside of Gears 4, forza and maybe killer instinct is showing that people don't want to bother with the shitty store. ANd f they don't sell and if MS doesn't reiterate and evolve the platform on pc, he is right it will erode the xbox brand.

 

[Zedox]

Doesn't mean those games will sell. Which outside of Gears 4, forza and maybe killer instinct is showing that people don't want to bother with the shitty store.

Never stated that it would. I stated what their initiative is and what their trajectory is. And yea, people don't want to deal with their store...now. Not everything is forever. Look, Windows isn't even the most used OS anymore. Things change over time. MS is looking like it's betting on the future.

I also want to state that people need to realize that with times, things change. The people who are playing games now and decide to switch to PC or dabble in it may want something that's similar to their Xbox or continue something that's like it. Kids grow up and have different desires from stuff. Not everyone will care for things that was once cared for. I'm just saying.

---------------------------------

Edit, just reread what I quoted and noticed I read it wrong. LOL. Oh well. Carry on.

 

[Papacheeks]

They're not putting their games on steam the games are exclusive to their platform and storefront. The argument of why you would you buy an underpowered box in exchange for a pc is not revelant because microsoft is providing options and they still profit either way. Whether it's the person that simply wants a beefer console or someone that wants a low entry point to play games regardless of performance. Or even someone such as yourself that can enjoy the benefits of pc and still play microsoft games.

Thing is no one is buying their games in droves on PC in their store. With all the issues we've had with their releases it's not showing a strong message of the xbox brand being strengthened.

Never stated that it would. I stated what their initiative is and what their trajectory is. And yea, people don't want to deal with their store...now. Not everything is forever. Look, Windows isn't even the most used OS anymore. Things change over time. MS is looking like it's betting on the future.

I also want to state that people need to realize that with times, things change. The people who are playing games now and decide to switch to PC or dabble in it may want something that's similar to their Xbox or continue something that's like it. Kids grow up and have different desires from stuff. Not everyone will care for things that was once cared for. I'm just saying.

---------------------------------

Edit, just reread what I quoted and noticed I read it wrong. LOL. Oh well. Carry on.

We get it times change companies change, but games on Windows store are still plagued with issues, the xbox interface on PC is still shit. It's been out for a while now and it's still in a shit state.

Unless this Scorpio launch also means and overhall for PC as well, we will continue to see games like Halo wars 2 do poorly, and continue to have issues with Windows store/XBOX on PC.
Which all it does is erode the brand because now, xbox is associated with PC but isn't the same experience on pc that it is on xbox one/scorpio. So what do you do then? If no one wants to bother with their pc release and they own a pc and like MS titles are they going to run out and buy a 399-499$ scorpio?
And if their whole company shift and division shift for incorporating PC players, then that's a player base that's not growing, market share isn't growing.

Do you get my drift?

Because that's what's happening now, and why there's so many of these threads about xbox, their software/hardware/pcanywhere etc.

 

[Shari]

Thing is no one is buying their games in droves on PC in their store. With all the issues we've had with their releases it's not showing a strong message of the xbox brand being strengthened.

Sources?

I mean it's not because the WStore is badly looked at in GAF that that's the reality of the market.

Edit: Care to share a link?

Edit2: Thanks!

 

[Papacheeks]

Sources?

I mean it's not because the WStore is badly looked at in GAF that that's the reality of the market.

Juts look at the NPD for halo wars 2.

And there might be info for MArch's NPD 2016 for Gears of war Ultimate on pc as well.

Halo wars 2 barely charted on xbox one chart, in the All software chart it's non existent so you do the math.

Same with Gears of war ultimate on PC not even a mention in the March NPD.

 

[Lister]

Play anywhere is a gateway drug.

'Wow Scorpio it turns out is a really powerful neat package, i'll pick one up to tide me over until I upgrade in a year or two, then games can eventually carry over to my new future PC.'

Years go by. You look over at your crusty old desktop, 10 times bigger and heavier than Scorpio. Shitty cable management everywhere. That cooling system you're pretty sure you fucked up installation of that might break if you look at it wrong. That weird noise it starts making when you try to run anything on high settings above 1080p, It's almost 2020 and it's a world of lean specialist lean appliances that thing looks like it might as well be coal-fired. Can you really be bothered opening it up and dicking about with it ever again, or starting researching a replacement?

So "Why would I buy an Xbox One if I can just run Xbox Exclusives on my PC", but it becomes a less compelling argument in the light of a Scorpio release at a reasonable price. I honestly think they designed this powerful machine equally to tempt PC gamers as to compete with PS4 Pro.

Besides that, as others have mentioned, of course they want a compelling popular 'app store' on Windows computers. They don't get a dime from steam, only marketshare.

Lol! The reasons why PC gamers like PC gaming are as numerous as there are PC gamers but it's usually tied to the openness of the platform in one way or another. Consoles have always been smaller and simpler than PC's, although that ahs certinaly changed this generation. IT hasn't stopped PC gmaing from growing every year though.

 

[blakep267]

Juts look at the NPD for halo wars 2.

And there might be info for MArch's NPD 2016 for Gears of war Ultimate on pc as well.

Halo wars 2 barely charted on xbox one chart, in the All software chart it's non existent so you do the math.

Same with Gears of war ultimate on PC not even a mention in the March NPD.

Microsoft doesn't give digital numbers to the NPD group so they aren't reflected. Not sure what you are trying to say

 

[Lister]

Juts look at the NPD for halo wars 2.

And there might be info for MArch's NPD 2016 for Gears of war Ultimate on pc as well.

Halo wars 2 barely charted on xbox one chart, in the All software chart it's non existent so you do the math.

Same with Gears of war ultimate on PC not even a mention in the March NPD.

Assuming the numbers are accurate, I think that might have more to do with the games than anything else. Neither Halo nor Gears have a big following on PC, precisely because they refused to put those games on PC. Halo Wars is basically baby's first RTS on PC too, in a genre that's seen some decline, unfortunately.

Microsoft needs some really good games, preferrebaly new IP or IP that has existed on PC too so that that market will also care.

 

[Zedox]

We get it times change companies change, but games on Windows store are still plagued with issues, the xbox interface on PC is still shit. It's been out for a while now and it's still in a shit state.

Unless this Scorpio launch also means and overhall for PC as well, we will continue to see games like Halo wars 2 do poorly, and continue to have issues with Windows store/XBOX on PC.
Which all it does is erode the brand because now, xbox is associated with PC but isn't the same experience on pc that it is on xbox one/scorpio. So what do you do then? If no one wants to bother with their pc release and they own a pc and like MS titles are they going to run out and buy a 399-499$ scorpio?
And if their whole company shift and division shift for incorporating PC players, then that's a player base that's not growing, market share isn't growing.

Do you get my drift?

Because that's what's happening now, and why there's so many of these threads about xbox, their software/hardware/pcanywhere etc.[/QUOTE]

I can understand the "issues" with UWP for PC Gamers, and I can understand the frustration people have with the Windows Store, but what the hell is wrong with the Xbox App to call it "shit"?

Scorpio has two primary objectives. To be a 4K console gaming Xbox One and to be the base devkit for all Xbox gaming, from Xbox One, Xbox One S, Xbox One Scorpio, and Windows.

Halo Wars 2 not doing good has to do with the Windows Store and I'm not aware of the "issues" Halo Wars 2 has had on PC, as no one really talked about that game at all really, I think it's sales didn't have to do with the WS.

You are really making a doomsday scenario that doesn't exist. Contrary to belief to on this board, Xbox console is doing well, just not as good as PlayStation. Xbox on PC is not doing well as it has had issues with using a new platform that is immature. They can improve and have improved since they started selling their games on Windows Store. So the only thing that's really "bad" is the traction of the Windows Store.

 

[Matt]

Juts look at the NPD for halo wars 2.

And there might be info for MArch's NPD 2016 for Gears of war Ultimate on pc as well.

Halo wars 2 barely charted on xbox one chart, in the All software chart it's non existent so you do the math.

Same with Gears of war ultimate on PC not even a mention in the March NPD.

Well, games sales on the Windows 10 Store are horrible, but what you posted means nothing. MS doesn't provide NPD with digital sales data.

 

[laxu]

As much as I like the idea of cross platform games on PC and Xbox, the way MS has done it so far has given the customer absolutely no reason to support it. Insane prices in Windows store, games plagued by bugs (including shit like no G-Sync), no mods etc. I could accept the rest but the pricing, 70€ for a single game, is just too hard a pill to swallow when typically Steam games are at most 60€ but with the usual sales from vendors like Greenman Gaming usually end up costing roughly 40-45€ on release.

For MS to turn that around those prices have to become competitive and their software, both the games and the app store itself, have to become less shitty.

 

[Papacheeks]

Microsoft doesn't give digital numbers to the NPD group so they aren't reflected. Not sure what you are trying to say

IF HALO WAR 2 barley charts on xbox at retail, how well do you think it did on PC?

There were ton's of issues with Gears of war ultimate editin for PC ontop of it's stealth launch where people didn't even know it was out on PC like Eurogamer, Rock paper shotgun.

Even though there's no NPD data for those you can see that obviously there wasn't a lot of buzz or hype for it's PC release.

Well, games sales on the Windows 10 Store are horrible, but what you posted means nothing. MS doesn't provide NPD with digital sales data.

Going by the numbers for retail on xbox one is a good indication on if the game has any traction behind it. Halo wars 2 barley charted, and gears of war ultimate had a stealth launch plagued with ton's of issues. So I don't think it miraculously sold 300,000 copies on PC.

 

[Gestault]

I've really liked the cross-buy titles I've picked up. In some cases, it's been a good way to re-play them (higher quality on PC after an upgrade), and with the right setup, it lets me do full-screen local co-op with the "free" copy when there's cross play. It adds more control options for wheels and sticks than would be there if it was just a console release, and it's been a workaround when something in a game wasn't optimized in one release. In general, it's meant games are well optimized. Even rushed titles like ReCore have flawless save migration, which really is nice for my multi-home setup.

If I were to make a list of recommendations, I could bat off seven or eight titles without any real effort. I'm pleased at the amount of support the program has gotten, and the end results have made how I play stuff that much more flexible.

I really do think the people who focus on games "not counting" to them because it's on another platform are thinking about this stuff in the wrong way. What's healthy for Microsoft as a publisher is good for the games division in general, and most importantly, if it makes buying and playing games better, I want that setup.

 

[Zedox]

As much as I like the idea of cross platform games on PC and Xbox, the way MS has done it so far has given the customer absolutely no reason to support it. Insane prices in Windows store, games plagued by bugs (including shit like no G-Sync), no mods etc. I could accept the rest but the pricing, 70€ for a single game, is just too hard a pill to swallow when typically Steam games are at most 60€ but with the usual sales from vendors like Greenman Gaming usually end up costing roughly 40-45€ on release.

For MS to turn that around those prices have to become competitive and their software, both the games and the app store itself, have to become less shitty.

Uhm... http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-unlocks-frame-rates-windows-store-games-adds-freesync-and-g-sync-support you are kinda late on the news...from last year.

 

[Shari]

Going by the numbers for retail on xbox one is a good indication on if the game has any traction behind it. Halo wars 2 barley charted, and gears of war ultimate had a stealth launch plagued with ton's of issues. So I don't think it miraculously sold 300,000 copies on PC.

I got lost here, weren't we saying that games weren't selling because of the WStore? Isn't this argument suggesting that games are not selling simply because people have no interest on them?

Plot thickens.

 

[Matt]

IF HALO WAR 2 barley charts on xbox at retail, how well do you think it did on PC?

There were ton's of issues with Gears of war ultimate editin for PC ontop of it's stealth launch where people didn't even know it was out on PC like Eurogamer, Rock paper shotgun.

Even though there's no NPD data for those you can see that obviously there wasn't a lot of buzz or hype for it's PC release.



Going by the numbers for retail on xbox one is a good indication on if the game has any traction behind it. Halo wars 2 barley charted, and gears of war ultimate had a stealth launch plagued with ton's of issues. So I don't think it miraculously sold 300,000 copies on PC.

...but then that has nothing to do with the Windows Store. If a game sells poorly on PS4 we don't blame PSN.

Again, sales on the W10S are awful, but your argument is a bad one.

 

[Papacheeks]

I can understand the "issues" with UWP for PC Gamers, and I can understand the frustration people have with the Windows Store, but what the hell is wrong with the Xbox App to call it "shit"?

Scorpio has two primary objectives. To be a 4K console gaming Xbox One and to be the base devkit for all Xbox gaming, from Xbox One, Xbox One S, Xbox One Scorpio, and Windows.

Halo Wars 2 not doing good has to do with the Windows Store and I'm not aware of the "issues" Halo Wars 2 has had on PC, as no one really talked about that game at all really, I think it's sales didn't have to do with the WS.

You are really making a doomsday scenario that doesn't exist. Contrary to belief to on this board, Xbox console is doing well, just not as good as PlayStation. Xbox on PC is not doing well as it has had issues with using a new platform that is immature. They can improve and have improved since they started selling their games on Windows Store. So the only thing that's really "bad" is the traction of the Windows Store.

Halo wars 2 didn't have issues, but anything tied to that shitty store and using the xbox interface on PC is not something people look forward too using. Xbox app on pc has issues when doing party functions with console players, and has a hard time syncing the data of who's really online or not. Happens alot.

...but then that has nothing to do with the Windows Store. If a game sells poorly on PS4 we don't blame PSN.

Again, sales on the W10S are awful, but your argument is a bad one.

People don't hate using PSN, or have issues as big as PC versions of MS games. Which does correlate in people not wanting to buy your games because it's associated with a crap store, and interface that doesn't work well. If their games were available anywhere else I think there wouldn't be a correlation between sales for their games and windows 10. But because they are tied together and PC is and has been very established with other means to acquire games it does add to lost sales for MS's titles.

 

[leeh]

Well, games sales on the Windows 10 Store are horrible, but what you posted means nothing. MS doesn't provide NPD with digital sales data.

What numbers are you giving that statement from? The only data we have around game sales was released last year, before any of this initiative.

 

[Shari]

Again, sales on the W10S are awful, but your argument is a bad one.

Do you have perhaps a better (actually real) source?

I dont deny they're bad, I'm just genuinely interested and would like to interpret the data myself.

 

[Matt]

What numbers are you giving that statement from? The only data we have around game sales was released last year, before any of this initiative.

Nothing I can share.

 

[leeh]

Nothing I can share.

Fair enough. Thanks for the insight!

 

[LukasTaves]

Juts look at the NPD for halo wars 2.

And there might be info for MArch's NPD 2016 for Gears of war Ultimate on pc as well.

Halo wars 2 barely charted on xbox one chart, in the All software chart it's non existent so you do the math.

Same with Gears of war ultimate on PC not even a mention in the March NPD.

Halo Wars 2 is a XPA game, Who knows how much the digital percent of those might be?

According to Ms Xbone already has a higher than industry average percent of digital purchases, I assume it can be potentially even higher for XPA games..

And obviously Gears of War PC wouldn't chart in a NPD, specially when it was before NPD even tried to track digital data.

 

[Papacheeks]

I got lost here, weren't we saying that games weren't selling because of the WStore? Isn't this argument suggesting that games are not selling simply because people have no interest on them?

Plot thickens.

Reason people don't have interest are they are part of a locked ecosystem that currently outside of a few decent releases have been plagued with issues from downloading/updating or showing up as purchased.

Also outside of maybe a couple franchises PC people don't have interest in some of them because there are better games to play. Halo wars 2 is good one, there are too many great RTS games to play on pc.

Seeing the sales of QB on steam shows that the XBOX ecosystem on pc is the biggest part that's holding them back.

Halo Wars 2 is a XPA game, Who knows how much the digital percent of those might be?

According to Ms Xbone already has a higher than industry average percent of digital purchases, I assume it can be potentially even higher for XPA games..

And obviously Gears of War PC wouldn't chart in a NPD, specially when it was before NPD even tried to track digital data.

According to MATT on the windows side that's not the case.

 

[LukasTaves]

According to MATT on the windows side that's not the case.

Yeah, I talked with him in another thread, but I dunno if he has any concrete data to counter it or it's just highly skeptical of the data Ms provided.

 

[RedSwirl]

One disappointing thing I've noticed about Microsoft's current approach to PC is that it doesn't seem to want to acknowledge that some people hook up PCs to their televisions and basically use them like consoles.

Microsoft hasn't really done anything to support the idea of an "Xbox-style interface" on Windows. I mean, as long as the metro interface has been there it's seemed like a no-brainer to make it navigable with the Xbox controller, but in all the years since Windows 8 Microsoft has done nothing to suggest this. You can't even really do much in the Xbox App with an Xbox controller. All Microsoft has to do is turn it into some kind of "Xbox Big Picture" mode that basically just looks like the Xbox One dashboard but on PC.

Bingo.

And in the meantime I would argue it doesn't really dent their console sales potential much at all. Majority of people just want to throw a $400 box under the TV and be done with it. Sony and Nintendo could make a killing putting their games on PC, even if they did it with a one year delay. And as you say it lays some groundwork for the future.

As for XPA, I love I can play my game in two places. I will play campaigns on PC where I can max out the graphics. Then play multi on console where it's all gamepads. All for the price of one!

The Win store needs major improvement though. Plus to me they should be just doing everything through the Xbox App.

It would be cool, and this argument sounds plausible. It would probably filter out the people who are really dedicated to consoles in contrast to those who just get them because of a few games being held hostage. Maybe it would be a recognition of the different natures of the two platforms, like first party console companies relenting and making mobile games. Sony has Sony Online Entertainment.

Nintendo would have by far the most to lose though since its first party games are virtually now the only reason to get their hardware. Maybe the portability of the Switch is a selling point to a few people, but those just make up a core audience Nintendo is trying hard to consolidate right now. Virtual Console on PC would be dope as shit though.

The way I see it, emulation pretty much eventually brings console exclusives to PC in the long run. The only big exception right now seems to be the PS3.

 

[Papacheeks]

Yeah, I talked with him in another thread, but I dunno if he has any concrete data to counter it or it's just highly skeptical of the data Ms provided.

I don't think he can provide for legality/ or other job security reasons if you get my drift.

 

[dmix90]

One disappointing thing I've noticed about Microsoft's current approach to PC is that it doesn't seem to want to acknowledge that some people hook up PCs to their televisions and basically use them like consoles.

Microsoft hasn't really done anything to support the idea of an "Xbox-style interface" on Windows. I mean, as long as the metro interface has been there it's seemed like a no-brainer to make it navigable with the Xbox controller, but in all the years since Windows 8 Microsoft has done nothing to suggest this. You can't even really do much in the Xbox App with an Xbox controller. All Microsoft has to do is turn it into some kind of "Xbox Big Picture" mode that basically just looks like the Xbox One dashboard but on PC.
.

Oh i would love this so much. Steam Big Picture needs competition and i am sure it's possible for them to offer Xbox One OS layer for regular Windows 10 machines if they wanted. There were rumors a few months ago that they are working on such thing.....hopefully it's true.

 

[Beerman462]

Continue to support both with Xbox anywhere. Mostly console warriors care about whether a game is a console exclusive or full exclusive.

There are still plenty of people who have no interest in PC gaming and the Xbox is a perfect alternative for playing MS games.

The best is the contradictory arguments concerning AAA games on PC.

On one hand you have people arguing that the amount of people with hardware capable of playing AAA console games on PC is insignificant.

On the other hand if MS puts exclusives on PC they are damaging their brand.

Like why buy a $250 console when you can buy a $500 PC is a real argument.

 

[BigPapi]

The best is the contradictory arguments concerning AAA games on PC.

On one hand you have people arguing that the amount of people with hardware capable of playing AAA console games on PC is insignificant.

On the other hand if MS puts exclusives on PC they are damaging their brand.

Like why buy a $250 console when you can buy a $500 PC is a real argument.

But pc is basically thier platform as well thats why they're giving options when you build a pc it more than likely will be running their os which helps the rest of their business.

I don't agree that this dilutes their brand if anything it strengthens it because now xbox brand is not only getting people to buy their consoles but also want to build pc to run their os their bread and butter.

 

[BigPapi]

Thing is no one is buying their games in droves on PC in their store. With all the issues we've had with their releases it's not showing a strong message of the xbox brand being strengthened.

But that doesn't matter when they make pure profit off the games the games could be selling by the tens, fact of the matter is that those sales would not have happen at all.

We get it times change companies change, but games on Windows store are still plagued with issues, the xbox interface on PC is still shit. It's been out for a while now and it's still in a shit state.

Unless this Scorpio launch also means and overhall for PC as well, we will continue to see games like Halo wars 2 do poorly, and continue to have issues with Windows store/XBOX on PC.
Which all it does is erode the brand because now, xbox is associated with PC but isn't the same experience on pc that it is on xbox one/scorpio. So what do you do then? If no one wants to bother with their pc release and they own a pc and like MS titles are they going to run out and buy a 399-499$ scorpio?
And if their whole company shift and division shift for incorporating PC players, then that's a player base that's not growing, market share isn't growing.

Do you get my drift?

Because that's what's happening now, and why there's so many of these threads about xbox, their software/hardware/pcanywhere etc.

Of course the store has issues but you're grossly over exaggerating problems with the xbox app and the actual games. What do you mean by market share isn't growing in terms of console manufacturers the only company that is poised to increase their base is microsoft with the inclusion of pc players into the xbox ecosystem.

 

[12Dannu123]

Doesn't mean those games will sell. Which outside of Gears 4, forza and maybe killer instinct is showing that people don't want to bother with the shitty store. ANd f they don't sell and if MS doesn't reiterate and evolve the platform on pc, he is right it will erode the xbox brand.

I'll wait for what Windows 10 on ARM can do to the Windows Store. Essentially every app developed for ARM has to go through the Windows Store. Win32 won't work due to a code integrity mechanism, which checks the apps signature.

According to clrokr, the restriction of installing only Metro-style apps on Windows RT is enforced through a code integrity mechanism that checks the application's signature before allowing it to be installed. This prevents users from simply taking a desktop application compiled for the ARM architecture and installing it on their Windows RT devices.

 

[Matt]

Yeah, I talked with him in another thread, but I dunno if he has any concrete data to counter it or it's just highly skeptical of the data Ms provided.

Both.

 

[HK-47]

PC can only get worse if MS gets involved with it. I'm done with giving them chances. A few Xbox games isn't worth their shit.

 

[The Albatross]

Continue it. It adds value to the products you already buy if you're an Xbox owner with absolutely no downside other than losing an internet argument about something that doesn't matter at all.

Clearly, microsoft finds value in this throughout the company as a loss lead.

PC can only get worse if MS gets involved with it. I'm done with giving them chances. A few Xbox games isn't worth their shit.

This has got to be a ... Joke right? Like.. Microsoft getting involved with PC's.

Help me

 

[RedRum]

This has got to be a ... Joke right? Like.. Microsoft getting involved with PC's.

Help me

Yeah. A bit much, huh?

Good discussion in here though. I, for one, am happy they're including PC in their plans.

 

[petran79]

One disappointing thing I've noticed about Microsoft's current approach to PC is that it doesn't seem to want to acknowledge that some people hook up PCs to their televisions and basically use them like consoles.

Microsoft hasn't really done anything to support the idea of an "Xbox-style interface" on Windows. I mean, as long as the metro interface has been there it's seemed like a no-brainer to make it navigable with the Xbox controller, but in all the years since Windows 8 Microsoft has done nothing to suggest this. You can't even really do much in the Xbox App with an Xbox controller. All Microsoft has to do is turn it into some kind of "Xbox Big Picture" mode that basically just looks like the Xbox One dashboard but on PC.

This would make PC games development even more cumbersome and would leave neither side happy. On one hand simplify games for TVs that are less complex than PC monitors. PC players that want more options would complain and from what I read, they're the majority. Or add advanced options that would leave players looking for a console experience baffled and perplexed.

Microsoft knows the latter could jump to Xbox anytime.

 

[dmix90]

This would make PC games development even more cumbersome and would leave neither side happy. On one hand simplify games for TVs that are less complex than PC monitors. PC players that want more options would complain and from what I read, they're the majority. Or add advanced options that would leave players looking for a console experience baffled and perplexed.

Microsoft knows the latter could jump to Xbox anytime.

What? Having an option to launch and shutdown game, invite friends, take screenshots and videos only by using controller won't have an impact on game developer and their vision of the game...

Just launch Big Picture and look at what it does, it's just a controller friendly environment/launcher for your games and social stuff.

 

[Bluth54]

What numbers are you giving that statement from? The only data we have around game sales was released last year, before any of this initiative.

Well we don't have official hard numbers but we have stuff like this: http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=1230573 and this https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/...all-of-duty-player-because-nobodys-playing-it

 

[12Dannu123]

One disappointing thing I've noticed about Microsoft's current approach to PC is that it doesn't seem to want to acknowledge that some people hook up PCs to their televisions and basically use them like consoles.

Microsoft hasn't really done anything to support the idea of an "Xbox-style interface" on Windows. I mean, as long as the metro interface has been there it's seemed like a no-brainer to make it navigable with the Xbox controller, but in all the years since Windows 8 Microsoft has done nothing to suggest this. You can't even really do much in the Xbox App with an Xbox controller. All Microsoft has to do is turn it into some kind of "Xbox Big Picture" mode that basically just looks like the Xbox One dashboard but on PC.



It would be cool, and this argument sounds plausible. It would probably filter out the people who are really dedicated to consoles in contrast to those who just get them because of a few games being held hostage. Maybe it would be a recognition of the different natures of the two platforms, like first party console companies relenting and making mobile games. Sony has Sony Online Entertainment.

Nintendo would have by far the most to lose though since its first party games are virtually now the only reason to get their hardware. Maybe the portability of the Switch is a selling point to a few people, but those just make up a core audience Nintendo is trying hard to consolidate right now. Virtual Console on PC would be dope as shit though.

The way I see it, emulation pretty much eventually brings console exclusives to PC in the long run. The only big exception right now seems to be the PS3.

I don't think you realise how difficult it is to get the scaling right for a game that is played from a couch and a game that is played on a chair with a monitor in front of you......

Either even if MS created a thing for Windows 10, except to only work for UWP games as they are much more easy to manage and because UWP runs on ARM hardware and MS has to support that.

 

[EvB]

PC can only get worse if MS gets involved with it. I'm done with giving them chances. A few Xbox games isn't worth their shit.

Time to get Wine up and running on Ubuntu

 

[kraspkibble]

i'm happy with what they are doing because as a PC gamer i can play games that would have been exclusive and required buying an XB1. i just hope Halo 6 comes to PC. don't really want to buy an XB1 for one game.

 

[00ich]

Continue it. It adds value to the products you already buy if you're an Xbox owner

The other scenario is the problem: you don't own an Xbox but an interesting MS game is announced. The incentive to buy a console for is lower if can also buy it on PC. Still outside of the usual Xbox followers there's very little traction for news about Xbox franchises on the Windows store.
So while there's now much larger addressable userbase you are basically communicating the same Xbox audience and are actively discouraging these people from buying an Xbox. The loss is, that buying an Xbox seals the deal. Xbox owners will buy Xbox Franchises in the future, will pay for Gold and spend their money on Microsoft's store.
Xbox-on-PC users can decide anytime between announcement and peak hype to buy something else on Steam. The conversion rate for Microsoft has to be much lower, while they are losing Xbox sales.
This ignores that the release schedule on Xbox is better curated to grant good sales.
On PC (Steam especially) anything can happen.

 

[ezodagrom]

I don't think you realise how difficult it is to get the scaling right for a game that is played from a couch and a game that is played on a chair with a monitor in front of you......

He's not talking about the games, he's talking about the platform's interface.
The XBox app on Windows 10 doesn't have a confortable interface to use on a TV, unlike Steam which has Big Picture Mode.

 

[DavidSwifty]

I'd buy Halo Wars 2/Gears of War on pc if they were available on the any other store. I don't like the Windows store at all.

 

[Tizoc]

They should just publish their games on steam as actual proper pc games and non of that uwp nonsense
Id gladly buy killer instinct were it on steam as opposed to getting for free thru windows store

 

[Fredrik]

The other scenario is the problem: you don't own an Xbox but an interesting MS game is announced. The incentive to buy a console for is lower if can also buy it on PC.

But if you buy it for your PC they'll get your money anyway.
And the upside for you is that those great MS exclusives will always be super impressive since you're not stuck playing them at sub-30fps if the console isn't quite up to task. And if your PC rig isn't quite up to task you can just tweak the settings and still get it to perform better than on the console. It's a win-win situation really. I so wish that Sony would have their exclusives on PC too. Horizon at 60+ fps, yum!

 

[Fredrik]

I'd buy Halo Wars 2/Gears of War on pc if they were available on the any other store. I don't like the Windows store at all.

I honestly don't care if I get the games through Steam, GOG, W10 Store, UPlay, Origin etc as long as I get the games, the problem with Windows 10 Store is that you can't use it on Windows 7 which is still used by lots of gamers.
Is there a reason why UWP games are tied to W10 besides MS pushing for increased W10 adoption?

 

[Papacheeks]

I honestly don't care if I get the games through Steam, GOG, W10 Store, UPlay, Origin etc as long as I get the games, the problem with Windows 10 Store is that you can't use it on Windows 7 which is still used by lots of gamers.
Is there a reason why UWP games are tied to W10 besides MS pushing for increased W10 adoption?

I always wondered why they didn't release a update for a separate App .exe to run in older versions of windows that booted a similar looking xbox dash where the store was linked and you could login and buy games.

Unfortunately that makes it just like GFWL.

But yea there are still tons of people on windows 7 and that's a pretty huge pool of people to ignore.