I’m talking from a consumer perspective. Why would I buy a future Xbox console if I can play their releases on another console that already has a better regarded portfolio of games ?
Many reasons.
1- Exclusive games day one. "First in", "best in"....
If MS continues to release hardware you can be sure that it will release exclusive games even if they may become temporary exclusives later. The fact is that it is one thing to launch games first on PS and Switch and another to launch them all or to launch them at the same time.
2- The ecosystem. Very connected people with a long catalog acquired over the years.
3- Gamepass. Only on XBOX console. The value of what it offers may become a reason that makes it essential for many to have an XBOX console.
4- The hardware. Who tells you that MS cannot offer a product of irreproachable value. Imagine an extra-powerful console looking at the Hardcore player ($700/€) where they can play better on multiplatforms or a type of powerful laptop or hybrid console.....
Hardware can be a factor of attraction and loyalty.
We all know Spencer wants multi platform . Just get it over with.
Even one of his co workers stated as much on Major Nelsons podcast over three years ago. “He would put it all on everything if he could” forgive me I forget their name but that remark always stuck with me and thought it was a strange thing to say on a Xbox podcast at the time.
One thing we can all agree on is that MS's message is confusing, contradictory and difficult to decipher.... OK But that is the reason not to embrace any position and be cautious.
First because those words were made during a statement in a trial against the FTC. Much of what was said is pure legal strategy.
Why do people think that MS has risked (is still risking) the acquisition of ABK by insisting on only accepting the obligation to release COD on PS?? If your plan was to be a 3rd party and only accumulate IPs to sell in the manner of EA and Take Two... There is no explanation.
Why do people forget what was discovered there? The decision to make EVERYTHING exclusive, "end PS", "Indiana Jones exclusive"..... It's funny because the same people who defended this position of MS with the acquisition of ABK are now the ones who embrace "the acquisition was a step to be a full 3rd party and dñabandon XBOX consoles"
I’m not interested in their profits, they have enough money as it is and in my opinion they are no where meeting Xbox’s potential as a console for all that money and it looks like they never will. That says a lot about the kind of people they have had and have there. It could and should of been a much better competitor to PlayStation and Nintendo.
Instead they stick with more or less the same kind of people who scattergun.
The main objective of MS is to establish a controlled ecosystem. A business where you do not depend on the decisions of companies that are your competition.... Abandoning your console business (the main source of income for your gaming business and GPass subscriptions) is the first step to achieve the opposite.
Launching all your games in the competition is also the first step for potential users to abandon that ecosystem... I think people don't stop to think what it means to abandon the console business. It is not a simple "what is lost from selling games on XBOX is gained from games sold on PS".
NO, it's not that simple.
From here on, my personal opinion....
I believe that MS is in a situation where it is forced to "test different situations" and see which one best suits its financial and strategic interests.
XSeries sales and FTC.
XSeries sales are important to them, but this is a time where they may want to see if:
- Releasing past games (1-2-3 years later) on competing platforms would affect your sales expectations (according to the FTC doc, they predict 50-56 million in 2028).
- If launching games on Switch/PS can mean revaluing the power of their IPs or favoring mindshare of these IPs in certain markets (Japan, Asia)
That is to say, as much as some deeply desire it (they have been doing it since 2005
), MS is going to continue releasing console hardware and will continue releasing exclusives in its ecosystem. (You wouldn't name Sarah Bond as head of Xbox Hardware if there wasn't next XBOX hardware
).
Then the question will be what is the degree of importance that MS gives to the whatever the results of that "testing" it will mean for their interests.
