-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
MS CEO candidate Stephen Elop said to consider selling Xbox business, killing Bing
- Thread starter ComputerMKII
- Start date
Cynn
Member
I've often discussed this concept with friends. Either from buying Xbox or just making their own brand, a Samsung console could be one hell of an interesting thing. Sammy's pretty aggressive and has strong offerings. They came out of nowhere and dethroned Sony's TV empire. They're also one of the only real rivals to Apple in the mobile market. I'd love to see them shake up gaming.
Pie and Beans
Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
Without the bottomless Microsoft pockets behind Xbox to buy those exclusives, to brute force their way through shonky engineering and lossy development, I don't see the division as viable.
This gen you're seeing Sony lead with the know-how, and Microsoft lead with the money. Take away the money and....?
This gen you're seeing Sony lead with the know-how, and Microsoft lead with the money. Take away the money and....?
Depending on how it is spun off, Sony Could buy IP's/Studios if the division was dismantled instead of retained as a whole.
Who the hell would buy the Xbox business? Seems like console manufacturing isn't all that profitable business any more. There are big risks involved and without deep pockets you are only going to sink. Not to mention the ever chanching landscape of gaming is only making things harder for console manufacturers.
Its absolutely on the cards, but before anyone starts worrying (or rejoicing?) wait to see how the Xbone does and who is made CEO. If its Elop and Xbone is not doing particularly well, which with its price likely wont do all that well, then you should start worrying.
The Xbox division on its own, as its own company wont be able to compete. The only reason Xbox is relevant today is because of massive amounts of money Microsoft has been willing to burn. At some point though, even a company like Microsoft says "enough is enough"
The Xbox division on its own, as its own company wont be able to compete. The only reason Xbox is relevant today is because of massive amounts of money Microsoft has been willing to burn. At some point though, even a company like Microsoft says "enough is enough"
Ruud_Luiten
Member
Not a bad decision
Gaming is doomed, $1 mobile games and f2p titles are the only survivors
semiconscious
Member
yeah, this's how its done. when you're a small but determined faction, you don't go for the throat, you nip at the heels...
But who would want to buy the Xbox divison? We haven't seen a new major player in over a decade - and there's a good reason for that. High-end consoles are too risky of a business and even if things go well profits tend to be rather slim these days. If it's not worth the investment for MS, then who else would consider it?
Amazon, Google or even Samsung might be interested in entering the gaming market, but it's safe to assume that all of those have cheaper more smartphone/tablet-like devices in mind. They might care for the brand and the IPs, but I can't see them being interested in the Xbox One.
Amazon, Google or even Samsung might be interested in entering the gaming market, but it's safe to assume that all of those have cheaper more smartphone/tablet-like devices in mind. They might care for the brand and the IPs, but I can't see them being interested in the Xbox One.
Its one hefty undertaking. But if the business could be sustained I wouldn't mind it being in different hands.
Something major will happen to the Xbox division within the next 3 years is my bet. Whether that selling the division or spinning it off, I don't know. Too much investor talk about something having to happen to the Xbox division for it not to happen.
With the XBO not looking like it will dominate NA like the 360 did, the Xbox division is especially vulnerable to investors' whims.
With the XBO not looking like it will dominate NA like the 360 did, the Xbox division is especially vulnerable to investors' whims.
maquiladora
Member
nature boy
Member
Apple is clearly gunning the gaming business, why wouldn't Samsung?
Samsung makes similiar components to those inside the XB1.
Problem is content, but they have the $$$.
I don't see Google or Apple buying the Xbox brand and if it's an investment fund it's DOA.
Well besides Rare, i don't know what else is worth buying quite frankly, regarding ip's....oh okay there's halo.....
LowerLevel
Member
Please no.
Calm Killer
In all media, only true fans who consume every book, film, game, or pog collection deserve to know what's going on.
WOW that would be a bomb shell. Bad time for your system to bomb. Xbox 4 had such promise too....
FranXico
Member
IF the Xbox division was to become a spin off, Microsoft would still manage to somehow fund it through representation deals, and it would still be used to push Microsoft owned brands.
In the end, it would be a way to please investors, without actually changing the status quo significantly.
All this talk about Xbox going away is just meaningless when all is said and done.
Triggerhappytel
Member
Have they genuinely shown interest in the market previously? I imagine the number of companies interested in buying the division would be very limited, because over its life it's still lost MS billions of dollars. Most companies couldn't or wouldn't support such losses over 10+ years. Maybe Apple would be interested, maybe Tencent (are they big enough?), or maybe a consortium established just for that sole purpose.
New CEOs often close or offload unprofitable divisions when they step into the role. For anyone stepping into Ballmer's shoes, Xbox and Bing have been very costly endeavours that might be seen as taking resources away from more profitable ventures. Windows Phone is probably a money pit too at the moment, but that also has much more opportunity for growth so they would no doubt stand by that at least for a few years yet.
Alan Mullally is the other big favourite to succeed Ballmer. I'm not sure if there's any info out there on his attitude to Xbox or Bing, but Rick Sherlund (analyst) thinks he would 'quickly' offload both if he got the position. But then again, Sherlund has had his knife out for the Xbox division for a while now.
Is Bing not able to be profitable? It seems like something very important to keep for microsoft for use in their own products and gathering customer data to sell ads. I could see lowering investment in Bing and slashing the cost spent advertising the platform as a much better option than killing the products.
I don't know if MS still has a good strategic goal in the xbox or not. They have missed mobile devices so far but eventually there is going to be a swing back to the living room at least in the form of interconnecting all devices and services and that is something that the xbox might get them tomorrow instead of a few years from now. The convergence devices run the market now but there can be disruption as they all learn to work with each other.
I think public perception would be the biggest hit there. Even if it was spun off smoothly I think some customers would avoid the "abandoned platform"
I don't know if MS still has a good strategic goal in the xbox or not. They have missed mobile devices so far but eventually there is going to be a swing back to the living room at least in the form of interconnecting all devices and services and that is something that the xbox might get them tomorrow instead of a few years from now. The convergence devices run the market now but there can be disruption as they all learn to work with each other.
I think public perception would be the biggest hit there. Even if it was spun off smoothly I think some customers would avoid the "abandoned platform"
FranXico
Member
By "promoting it" you mean shoving it down people's throats?
Everybody I know who upgraded to Windows 8.1 (except one MS fanboy) has disabled Bing integration.
I really hope they do kill it.
jordan0386
Member
Maximize what you got. Don't kill everything that isn't number 1.
Grown, rich, smart men. Are we still taking our ball and going home?
Grown, rich, smart men. Are we still taking our ball and going home?
Scorpion Soldier
Member
Selling Xbox is debatable but killing off Bing would've been a good move.
IPs, Kinect, online etc. Having readily available another console with a different target.
Not that it is a realistic perspective. It's not fitting to the Nintendo philosophy, too risky from the financial perspective.
Mullally strikes me as the kind of person who "wouldn't waste money on a toy that doesn't make money" If you know what I mean.
Wow! Didnt even think of that. Rare could rise from the ashes again. Go Elop go!