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[Zvonimir Boban]

EA access is where it's at. I didn't want to rebuy Titanfall or BF1 on my Xbox (my son chose the Xbox so he could play with his friends) and I wanted to play them with him. 18 bucks and I've got em for a year. Can't beat that tbh.

Yeah, I used to buy Madden/FIFA every year but from last year I just wait for them to pop up on EA Access. Battlefield, Titanfall, Dragon Age, Mass Effect are all great bonuses and without EA Access I would never have given NHL a go and discovered the EASHL mode is so good. Always worth repeating just how good the value is, Sony need to do whatever it takes to get it on their system because the value for money excuses don't fly.

 

[Savantcore]

I was referring to the 'average joe' who gets FIFA, overwatch, battlefield, etc. and is interested in 4K content.

Multiplats drive consoles.

And Microsoft said several times that the average Joe is not their target for the X1X...

When two people are both explaining the appeal of the Xbox One X with wildly conflicting approaches - yet it's hearsay to ask who the console is aimed at...

 

[Hawk269]

I wonder why people don't really get this simple fact at all. As if your average consumer strolling into a retailer would purchase a $500 machine instead of a $200 machine. Even Microsoft has said the Xbox S will sell more, since it's cheaper. Basic economics and consumer behaviour.

People around these parts are blind to that because it does not fit the narrative they are going after. MS has said that multiple times, over and over, yet some don't want to hear that part. MS have never said the Scorpio would be the savior of the platform and that it will "close the gap" as some around think they have said that. They have said from the onset of announcing that the Xbox One S will be the lead selling platform for them.

 

[kingkaiser]

Say what you will about Microsoft or their Xbox brand, but as a matter of fact the Xbox One X is gonna be the console with the best looking 3rd party games for the next 2 years and thus making it a must have for console enthusiasts without a highend PC.

 

[oti]

I don't think anyone expected the Xbox One X not to sell 50k worldwide.

I bet we could find a Day One Xbox One X one year after relese in Germany.

 

[VincentMatts]

Gamescom was a disappointment, but the console for me isn't. I will still be getting one just to have the best versions of the games

 

[Logash]

Peter Main of Nintendo said it best back in the NES days, "The name of the game is the game.". That is still very true today and a stronger console is not gonna make that go away. Microsoft has a serious first party game problem. It sucks because I am currently struggling with whether I should get one or not. My brother is selling his S since he is getting the X and I seriously want it because my best friend and him are getting Monster Hunter for it and I really want to play with them. The problem is that I cannot justify it for one game, even if he is selling it to me for only $100.

 

[Markoman]

Not everybody has or wants a PC, any more. It's been that way for a few years, since iOS and Android tablets became popular.

So saying "you don't need an Xbox, just get it on your PC" rings of naivety, to me.

Bold prediction: PC will face it's biggest rise in the years to come or have you guys missed the whole streaming buzz, an integral part of youth culture ? No matter how old you are,pal, I guess time has already steamroled you.

The people who've made Pewdeepie filthy rich are mostly teenagers. A whole generation of youngsters growing up with YT/Twitch celebs. And what do young people usually do? They want to imitate their role models. Now try doing a (semi-)professional streaming channel on a console without a PC.

You might say I'm overreaching, but I don't honestly believe that MS's vision for the future of gaming at this point is more plausible.

 

[Krombopulos_Michael]

As others have mentioned, it really does seem like the XB1X is a stop-gap to keep the current XB1 owners from jumping ship to other console(s) or build a gaming PC. Because it's not really positioned nor priced to bring in new customers to the fold.

I'm not sure it's really for current xb1 owners either. There are no exclusives or significant gameplay bonuses to the Scorpio that current xb1 owners will miss out on. Scorpio is just an xb1 with better resolution. And I'm guessing most people who care about things like resolution are the type to build gaming pcs that are far superior to any console. The only people I imagine buying this thing are hardcore gamers with disposable income willing to drop 500 just to play true xb1 exclusives at slightly better quality, or people who don't have a console or PC yet.

 

[Sygma]

X's problem is going to be the same than 1 at this rate. It's a nice console for those who are into the established long term franchises and it doesn't seem like there'll be change anytime soon ... unfortunately. Meanwhile Sony is expanding on all fronts. You re not going to have a lot of customers by providing 4k ubisoft's open world titles. You need that little thing more. Hell even Nintendo is getting it right with their super old franchises

Not everybody has or wants a PC, any more. It's been that way for a few years

Isn't it the biggest source of players tho ? Dota + Lol + CS GO + Pubg + OW combined are probably destroying the online numbers of all consoles services. PC had a rise these last few years

 

[JlNX]

Maybe you need to re-read the article mate. It isn't saying that Gamescom was a disappointment, it's about how last night was Microsoft's last opportunity to sell the Xbox One X and that they didn't pull it off.

You obviously still don't get the point of my post, the point was for some one in the media he knew what this event was going to be. This event was always an Xbox E3 daily kinda deal, with what he would want to convince him as it is an opinion piece was completely unachievable. So to relate this event to what he personally would need to be convinced is strange, he obviously knew what this event was going to be so he could have written this article well before the event.

He wasn't 'warping a situation to fit a need for a conversation that will work out well for the outlet in terms of views', as you put it, he's pointing out that, to him, MS didn't offer a convincing reason to buy their brand new console on one of the world's biggest stages. Or are you sticking to 'repeated empty criticism'?

Well he is because he knew what this show would be, therefore he is making this show out to be something it never was. While attaching what he would need for himself to be sold on the console, attaching an already unachievable milestone to an event that is being made out to be something it isn't. It's completely agreeable to write this post without any relation to the event because it's a very agreeable opinion even though some won't agree, but to attach the event to this opinion and make out this event as a failure for something it never hoped to achieve and no matter what the event was would never have achieved his set goals to be a successful sale is strange. The criticism is empty if it is just a repeat of a constant opinion that hasn't changed of which there is many very similar articles already on Eurogamer. I'm asking the question why keep writing the same thing over and over but with a different context instead of taking a new angle, why not have a hard hitting interview with an exec who is at the same event as him right now. His piece just continues and repeats the same conversation without anything new, no actual constructive criticism like for example he talks about how the usual staple of Gears and Halo doesn't convince him so why doesn't he say what about those franchises would need to do to convince him. He gives a set of goals he would need for MS to hit to sell him, but never goes into any further detail. Unlike what your previous post tried to imply I'm not asking for no criticism, I'm asking for more criticism but from a different angle at least that is in some way constructive from the press. Rather than upholding the same constant point, give a new point of conversation or info if someone in the press actually dare to do some investigative journalism about this for once.

 

[Zedox]

Say what you will about Microsoft or their Xbox brand, but as a matter of fact the Xbox One X is gonna be the console with the best looking 3rd party games for the next 2 years and thus making it a must have for console enthusiasts without a highend PC.

Yep. And they will get sales because of that. Even if it is small.

 

[bananafactory]

I think people really really underestimate the amount of people that play games on their computers

Its not just rich nerds sitting at a desk with their $1000 video card

I worked in retail electronics for a very very long time and I'd say half the people who came in to buy a computer/laptop mentioned being able to play games as a consideration

They aren't going to run it at max settings 60 fps but these folks exist in large numbers and yes they will play games like Ori or Cuphead on the laptop they use for college

The Xbox audience is still larger, but don't reduce the PC crowd to just the super hardcore gamers. It's a lot bigger than that.

 

[Aostia]

I agree with the article
The Xbox 360 was very interesting and I ought it
The One and this new revision lacks interest IMHO

 

[ScaryShark]

....and in other news, looks like the pre-orders are being sold out...everywhere thus far

The limited edition that they emphasized was actually limited in quantity (unlike their previous 'Day One Edition').

I doubt that means much of anything either way.

 

[OrbitalBeard]

The limited edition that they emphasized was actually limited in quantity (unlike their previous 'Day One Edition').

I doubt that means much of anything either way.

Has MS said anything about standard XB1X consoles going up for pre-order before launch? Or is this it until release?

 

[sems4arsenal]

Turn 10 and Playground games are saving this gen for Xbox imo.

 

[GHG]

I bet we could find a Day One Xbox One X one year after relese in Germany.

Same in Dubai. Hell, you could stroll into gaming stores and easily buy a Switch the day after release.

The PS4 launch was chaos however.

I don't think people really understand how much of a hold Sony has on certain markets until they see it.

 

[c1d]

This genuinely means nothing, other than the fact that the Xbox One X won't have a disastrous launch. The Wii U pre-orders also sold out.

Pretty much this. If you're going to sell to the masses, you need good exclusives - most 'average joes' don't have a 4K tv and they certainly aren't going to buy a $500 console when they can get one that plays the same games for $200

 

[VectorVictor]

Not everyone wants to build or buy a PC that is capable of gaming! FFS, why do people still not understand that?

And yes, lots of people just use their tablets instead of PCs, these days. Not sure why you think that's worthy of sarcasm.

I think you're confusing sarcasm with elitism there...but otherwise spot on. The PC market has seen this trend for years, and with the popularity of the Switch, the convenience > power mentality is still a relevant trend.

 

[RichiRamjag]

Yeah, I used to buy Madden/FIFA every year but from last year I just wait for them to pop up on EA Access. Battlefield, Titanfall, Dragon Age, Mass Effect are all great bonuses and without EA Access I would never have given NHL a go and discovered the EASHL mode is so good. Always worth repeating just how good the value is, Sony need to do whatever it takes to get it on their system because the value for money excuses don't fly.

Gonna try this game out now!

 

[EvB]

There is another component to why Xbox is struggling. Honestly, a lot of their titles have failed to be the kind of flagship, tentpole system sellers that AAA first-party exclusives are expected to be.

If we look at some of the social metrics of how much interest are there in the games that are supposedly coming out in the first half of next year, comparing MS's 3 spring exclusives vs Sony's 2 big early 2018 games...

That's cheating
You've picked a generic "spider-man" as a topic and not the videogame topic.
You've also searched for State of Decay and not State of Decay 2

and you've asked it to search for God of War as a Series and not as a single game....

Look, we can all draw conclusions from interpretting Google Trends data incorrectly

 

[SJurgenson]

Say what you will about Microsoft or their Xbox brand, but as a matter of fact the Xbox One X is gonna be the console with the best looking 3rd party games for the next 2 years and thus making it a must have for console enthusiasts without a highend PC.

Thise generation is several years old. Any 'console enthusiasts' already have consoles, likely PS4.

It's ridiculous to think there is some untapped market of console enthusiasts who have sat out for years just waiting for a more powerful Xbox.

People don't care about the power of the console, they care about games. Where are the actual Xbox exclusive games people want to play?

Also, the games will not be 'best looking' in a way that matters to consumers. Games are build for lowest common denominator specs (Xbox One Classic or PS4) -- multiplatform games may have a more stable frame rate or slightly higher resolution -- but who cares enough to drop that much money?

Any graphical powerhouse games would be real Xbox exclusives, and MS sure don't seem to make worthwhile exclusives anymore...

 

[Syrus]

It's going to fall behind Switch.

Your insane and it wont. Maybe in some countries that PS is 5 to 1 but not overall. Xbox is still selling decently. Holidays well see

 

[nekkid]

Do what you want. But the notion that Cuphead and Ori would be the games that sell someone a console is just odd to me. Those games in particular could be played on a laptop I'd assume.

I feel like I'm going insane...

You're a PC gamer, I presume.

 

[Okami Haundo]

Has MS said anything about standard XB1X consoles going up for pre-order before launch? Or is this it until release?

I believe that Aaron Greenburg stated there would be only one pre-order SKU. That honestly seems like the best strategy based on the target audience.

 

[MAX PAYMENT]

Doesn't sound good for Xbox one x.

Was the ps4 pro a success? I have one and I don't believe it was worth the extra 100. The support has been weak at best.

 

[dmix90]

People keep bringing up that GamesCom is not E3 level for Xbox. Well their E3 showings of the last few years also sucked and they do not have any other press conferences unlike competition during rest of the year.

Halo year will be brighter sure but that's still not enough. They need new IP's and more dev studios and do not condemn talented people to work on a single IP for decades... that's probably not healthy. Their gaming department looks mismanaged af as well... delays and cancellations of almost finished games. Not a good look.

 

[Betty]

Say what you will about Microsoft or their Xbox brand, but as a matter of fact the Xbox One X is gonna be the console with the best looking 3rd party games for the next 2 years and thus making it a must have for console enthusiasts without a highend PC.

Let's hope so.

It would be amazing if we get a comparison of Red Dead 2 and Xbox One X is barely an improvement or is lacking compared to the PS4 Pro.

I'm sure i'll never happen but it would be a huge drama.

 

[OrbitalBeard]

Your insane and it wont. Maybe in some countries that PS is 5 to 1 but not overall. Xbox is still selling decently. Holidays well see

It will. It'll be 2018 or 2019 before it happens, but it will happen.

I believe that Aaron Greenburg stated there would be only one pre-order SKU. That honestly seems like the best strategy based on the target audience.

Makes sense. Thanks!

 

[Ricky_R]

They can increase that metric by getting people who already have hardware (PCs), rather than sell them new hardware to increase MAU. XPA is way more effective for MAU than selling hardware.

They still have consoles to sell and they seem to be an integral part to their whole MAUs focus. If they don't sell enough consoles the numbers won't be optimal. Having a console that offers pretty much the same games that you can get on PC will render the service counterproductive at some point.

The feature is great, I just feel their current model isn't ideal if they want to increase MAUs and maintain a very successful console business.

 

[Zedox]

Thise generation is several years old. Any 'console enthusiasts' already have consoles, likely PS4.

It's ridiculous to think there is some untapped market of console enthusiasts who have sat out for years just waiting for a more powerful Xbox.

People don't care about the power of the console, they care about games. Where are the actual Xbox exclusive games people want to play?

There is always an enthusiast group that want the most powerful. Always.

 

[oti]

I feel like I'm going insane...

You're a PC gamer, I presume.

PS4
Xbox One
Switch
PC (my first PC that I bought three years ago)
Android phone

Heck, if we were talking about Quantum Dream I'd understand. I wouldn't want to download all that data on my PC just to play that game. But Cuphead and Ori? Those aren't demanding games at all.

 

[GHG]

There is always an enthusiast group that want the most powerful. Always.

And they play on Console?

Come on man, you're smarter than this.

 

[gundamkyoukai]

I was referring to the 'average joe' who gets FIFA, overwatch, battlefield, etc. and is interested in 4K content.

Multiplats drive consoles.

Then they will get a PS4 pro since they will still be able to play with there friends still .
Even more so if we talking about EU .

 

[Vinc]

Turn 10 and Playground games are saving this gen for Xbox imo.

I'm the guy who camped outside to get Halo 2 and 3 on launch day, and who was counting down the days for months prior to each game's release. I also bought a second 360 so I could play Gears 1 on day one because my original console was being repaired.

I don't like racing games though, but Forza Horizon 3 is my favorite Xbox One game. Halo and Gears were both super disappointing in their lack of big ideas. Sunset was okay but not nearly as good as Ratchet & Clank, Quantum Break is my least favorite Remedy game by a mile. Ori is fun and beautiful, probably my second favorite XB1 game.

That's about how I'd sum it up, as someone who bought every Xbox exclusive this gen (I think?)

 

[Nightengale]

That's cheating
You've picked a generic "spider-man" as a topic and not the videogame topic.

If Spidey is cheating, then just remove it from the trends. Ultimately, nobody searches for "Marvel's Spider-Man" and even if I do that, it doesn't exist as a videogame topic.

The best I could do was filter the broad selection to "games."

And the reason I did a "past 12 months" instead of say "5 years" was so that searches related to the game are most likely about the new releases, not old ones.

 

[Shiggy]

I bet we could find a Day One Xbox One X one year after relese in Germany.

Xbox One has finally outsold the Wii U now. I think new sales numbers will be published around gamescom.

 

[Crayon]

Wouldn't be such an awkward position it they didn't go with the "it's a monster/it's Jesus" viral campaign for over a year year. Talk about overpromising and underdelivering.

 

[Steve.1981]

As someone who owns every console except the Switch, I have to say I'm getting a bit tired hearing about all the concern everyone feels for Microsoft and Xbox. It's non-stop right now.

They're having a quite year for first-party exclusives, for one reason or another. It's not the end of the world.

And I can't for the life of me understand the sentiment that Forza is yesterday's news (especially when compared to Zelda and Uncharted?!). The last Forza title (Horizon 3) was incredible and Motorsport 7 looks breathtaking. Doesn't count as a big first-party release though because reasons...

People are going overboard with the 'Xbox doomed' narrative right now. It's getting tiresome.

 

[Gnome Scat]

With no interesting exclusive launch titles and a $500 price tag, it's no surprise that this won't be the hit Microsoft is hoping for.

 

[SJurgenson]

There is always an enthusiast group that want the most powerful. Always.

Absolutely. Are they enough to prop up the Xbox One X? I doubt it.

MS needs better software, not better hardware. Only a few people want the most powerful HW absent any SW.

 

[Applebite]

I feel like I'm going insane...

You're a PC gamer, I presume.

He's not insane. Those are not demanding games.

 

[FaustusMD]

Eurogamer of all outlets should know no big announcement was happening at Gamescom. Judging by the GameStops near me, the X is doing well in its first run given two of the three already met their allocations.

 

[Fredrik]

I feel that if gamers are really really interested on true 4k gaming, they would probably get a very powerful gaming PC.

That's a lot more expensive if you're serious about PC gaming and want 144hz gsync hdr etc, I'm going with 4K on consoles now but won't do the same on PC in several years.

 

[DriftingSpirit]

There is another component to why Xbox is struggling. Honestly, a lot of their titles have failed to be the kind of flagship, tentpole system sellers that AAA first-party exclusives are expected to be.

While people argue over the metrics, I see what you're saying and I agree.

MS hasn't had a big attention grabbing non-Halo/Gears exclusive since Titanfall. They need something like that in their lineup that makes people 'Ooo' and 'Ahh'. Titanfall sold very well when it launched and, if I remember correctly, it sold a decent amount of Xbox hardware.

Whether it is great graphics and/or an interesting gameplay mechanic/idea, they need something big to magnetize people. I don't really see that in CD3, SoD2 and SoT.

 

[midasmulligan]

Pretty much this. If you're going to sell to the masses, you need good exclusives - most 'average joes' don't have a 4K tv and they certainly aren't going to buy a $500 console when they can get one that plays the same games for $200

Who said it was for the masses?

 

[SJurgenson]

As someone who owns every console except the Switch, I have to say I'm getting a bit tired hearing about all the concern everyone feels for Microsoft and Xbox. It's non-stop right now.

They're having a quite year for first-party exclusives, for one reason or another. It's not the end of the world.

And I can't for the life of me understand the sentiment that Forza is yesterday's news (especially when compared to Zelda and Uncharted?!). The last Forza title (Horizon 3) was incredible and Motorsport 7 looks breathtaking. Doesn't count as a big first-party release though because reasons...

People are going overboard with the 'Xbox doomed' narrative right now. It's getting tiresome.

To be fair, they are doomed. Look at Sony during PS3 era. They were behind, and they recovered by a) decreasing the cost of the PS3 and b) pumping out solid games one after another to generate interest.

Microsoft has put out a more expensive Xbox and puts out a couple of middling exclusives a year. I mean, "Halo Wars 2" -- that's how much they are not even trying anymore on the software front.

 

[SoundofSilence]

Eurogamer of all outlets should know no big announcement was happening at Gamescom. Judging by the GameStops near me, the X is doing well in its first run given two of the three already met their allocations.

Again, this wasn't the point of the article.

 

[MilkyJoe]

Absolutely. Are they enough to prop up the Xbox One X? I doubt it.

MS needs better software, not better hardware. Only a few people want the most powerful HW absent any SW.

In about 3 years X will be the entry level box, so yeah, as time goes by.