Seems like you're stuck in the past. This is a long term strategy, we're talking 10 years. Stadia failed because it's not a good offer, not because nobody has good internet lmao. 5G and Starlink are on the rise. By 2025, something like 80% of households will have "good enough" internet for game streaming.So what exactly are you going to play without a controller and a console? Its just the beginning of the year and i think your comment already has the chance for the stupidest in 2021.
Unless you think every household comes with a PC, a beefy one at that and with perfect, uncapped, very fast internet. If thats so then you probably never left even your own town to think such a thing is even possible in the near future. Go ask Stadia how they are doing nowadays with that play anywhere on anything attitude.
If "everything Microsoft touches turns to shit", they wouldn't be the 4th largest company on earth.
I'll agree with you that Sony and Nintendo seem to understand gaming more than Microsoft, but when you see all these left field hits you start to realize that maybe that's not all that important.
Heck, I'm always surprised to see how well XBox has been doing over the last 10 years relative to their (lackluster) output.
I can see this is a popular comment, unfortunately it's not going to age well.Microsoft's strategy is literally not working as we speak
Fuck all that money they made, we won’t pretend that happened.I can see this is a popular comment, unfortunately it's not going to age well.
this. It's all about adding new revenue stream (a more profitable one if possible)I'm not sure you've understood what Microsoft's strategy is, and some of your assertions are factually incorrect. Small indie success aren't out earning the big studio games, for example. Sure, Valheim sold a million copies in a week - nice. Call of Duty pushes a billion USD and change in revenue in less than 60 days from launch on a bad year. Valheim pulled in less than USD$20 million in half that time, and they have no reoccurring revenue model. It's not even in the same galaxy.
Microsoft aren't interested in being a publisher - that's just a means to an end. They want to be a platform that other publishers use, because that's where the money actually lives. Hardware, first party titles - that's nothing, that's just about building a user base for their platform, on to which they can then sell other peoples work and take a cut. Sony makes billions a year not because of hardware or first party sales, but by taking their cut of third party sales on their PS platforms. They have a 120 million install base on PS4 alone; that's a lot of ancillary purchases that Sony gets to make money from.
Microsoft's strategy for Xbox is to push a reoccurring revenue stream - Gamepass - alongside the traditional platform model, using the service and first party titles to hook you in. Their approach should target the hardcore and casuals alike. It's a good value proposition - I have my Xbox Series X and Gamepass - but the scenario under which Microsoft's current strategy fails to work is pretty simple: they don't build a big enough platform base, and it all comes crumbling down. The damage the Xbox One did was enormous, and Mattrick's decimation of their first parties is a decade-long problem. They're basically rebuilding from scratch. Their Zenimax acquisition was a good step one. Now, it all hinges on Microsoft delivering strong first party titles consistently. Not a big hit once every three years, but three hits every year. That level of quality software brings in the gamers, that boosts Gamepass subscriptions, and that builds their platform to make money from. They fail to deliver on the first party titles, and no one shows up to the party.
So, do you think Microsoft are going to turn it around? Do you think they're ready to start delivering the industry-defining titles that made the OG Xbox and 360 the consoles we remember?
This ladies and gentleman is an excellent example of the fanboy /sI think it’s easier to ask if there’s any scenario where their strategy would actually work.
I’d rather quit gaming than have to buy an Xbox to play games.
flight simulator, forza horizon, sea of thieves, ori says hiEverything Microsoft touches turns to shit. They can't manage creatives. They're just a dysfunctional monopolist with more money to throw around than they know what to do with.
What we have here is a very narrow minded vision of gaming, for the last 20 years Sony have been dominant within the console space. The PS5 will continue that tradition, nothing will change that short term. The thing is people don't like change but that's exactly what is happening, Microsoft know this and have been laying the foundations for years now. Sony and Nintendo have largely remained flat footed in evolving their gaming division's but hopefully they will.Fuck all that money they made, we won’t pretend that happened.
They have to be hurting now.
This is exactly what I have been trying to allude to.What we have here is a very narrow minded vision of gaming, for the last 20 years Sony have been dominant within the console space. The PS5 will continue that tradition, nothing will change that short term. The thing is people don't like change but that's exactly what is happening, Microsoft know this and have been laying the foundations for years now. Sony and Nintendo have largely remained flat footed in evolving their gaming division's but hopefully they will.
The age old release a console and support it for 5 to 7 years is not sustainable long term. Microsoft are in a far better position to take advantage of an all digital future.
this is pure ideology imo and if ms is in this doxa it will not bode well for them.an all digital future.
Got any proof as to how it adversely affected them so far?this is pure ideology imo and if ms is in this doxa it will not bode well for them.
I mean, something like 80% of this forum thought the Switch will barely manage to sell 20 million consoles. Neogaf has no clue what the average gamer actually wants.I can see this is a popular comment, unfortunately it's not going to age well.
They are still making the least money out of the three console platforms. What exactly is "a lot of money" when it is still third place?I think most people don't really understand why Xbox, kind of suddenly, started making a lot of money with gaming.
Yeah and 80% supported your comment lol thanks for backing me upI mean, something like 80% of this forum thought the Switch will barely manage to sell 20 million consoles. Neogaf has no clue what the average gamer actually wants.
Facts.I mean, something like 80% of this forum thought the Switch will barely manage to sell 20 million consoles. Neogaf has no clue what the average gamer actually wants.
How much are the big 3 making exactly?They are still making the least money out of the three console platforms. What exactly is "a lot of money" when it is still third place?
Not enough.....How much are the big 3 making exactly?
never said it adversely affected so far because i don't think they are in for full digital. they want to be well positioned there or even dominant if possible but not at the expanse of other streams of revenue.Got any proof as to how it adversely affected them so far?
Or are you imagining things?
Really?
You can't expect big studio aquisitions to roll games out in a year or two when game development is now a 3 - 5 year process.
Now, Microsoft has the fleet of developers (and install base) where "Just you wait" means something.
I mean, something like 80% of this forum thought the Switch will barely manage to sell 20 million consoles. Neogaf has no clue what the average gamer actually wants.
Microsoft bought Rare and allowed them to make Sea of Thieves. One of the best games on PC or console right now.
The age old release a console and support it for 5 to 7 years is not sustainable long term. Microsoft are in a far better position to take advantage of an all digital future.
It's the way everything is going, the highstreet is dying, online sales are increasing and this was the case even before covid.It's worked like that since forever and will continue to do so for longer than you think because people love new console releases that shiny new hardware it's a trend that's gone up and up and now somehow that means nothing because the company in third place has other ideas ? ...
Fair play to ms's cloud gaming stuff as an add on to console/pc gaming it's quite sweet but it will never fully eradicate consoles there will always be some mass adopted new fangled hardware wether it's a console or some neuro shit like ready player one (not massively far away into the future either !)
Many xbox warriors want to live in the future, they see games that don't even exist.Many Sony warriors seem to live in the past, like the company they worship.
It's the way everything is going, the highstreet is dying, online sales are increasing and this was the case even before covid.
Digital game sales are increasing, online subscription services are growing. Bluray sales are decreasing as the shift to downloads continues. Broadband speeds are getting better and will continue to do so, and that's where cloud gaming starts to become the preferred way to game. People don't want multiple consoles and a PC hanging around under TV's. Imagine in 10 years from now, you switch your TV on and pick a game from a subscription service. It plays instantly with no discernable difference to gaming with hardware today. That's what Microsoft are capable of doing, and other companies who are preparing for this transition.
Seems like you're stuck in the past. This is a long term strategy, we're talking 10 years. Stadia failed because it's not a good offer, not because nobody has good internet lmao. 5G and Starlink are on the rise. By 2025, something like 80% of households will have "good enough" internet for game streaming.
A lot of the world is generally ahead of the US in terms of broadband availability. For example you can get unlimited fast broadband for like 30 bucks a month or less pretty much everywhere in Europe. Asia is the same in urban regions.Says who? Maybe in the US. Not so much for rest of the world. And yes one big factor for stadia was data caps especially in the US. You cant game shit on that. Thats great if you are looking as an investor 10 years ahead but by then there will be 2 more deciding generations.
Other companies are not in the gaming business so it will be very hard for them to enter it. Google tried with Stadia and failed. Amazon tried with their games and essentially failed too. There's no reason Microsoft should be afraid of Apple.A lot of things change in 10 years and not always for the better. Plus im sure by then Apple will jump in the game and disrupt that plan. Or any other big company if they see constant value in gaming because everyone wants piece of the pie.
It feels like Microsoft assessed the market in 2018 and landed on three key realizations.
1. The market is going to grow significantly over the next 10-20 years.
2. Prestige development studios are overrated.
3. Locking games onto single platforms no longer makes any sense.
Most people probably agree with 1. Point 2 may be a bit more controversial until you zoom in and see titles like Valheim (4 person studio) blow up and out earn massive studio games. In fact, many of the industries biggest hits are from small to mid tier studios. Point 3 seems to ring true once you look at how EA, Ubisoft, and Activision outgrew studios and Nintendo and PlayStation.
Is there any scenario where Microsoft isn't one of, if not the biggest publisher in the PC+console industry in 5 or so years?
If Sony exclusives (e.g. GoW) were available on all platforms, picking XSeX over PS5 would be a no brainer for me.3. Locking games onto single platforms no longer makes any sense.
Microsoft's strategy is to get as many people as possible into their ecosystem. Maybe you remember their insane goal of reaching 1 billion players on their platform. I bet they're still chasing that internally. The goal is impossible to reach with the "classic" console approach. The only way is what they're doing with Gamepass.I'm not sure what the question is.
What exactly is Microsoft's endgame, in your opinion?
To make money out their gaming division? They're already making some, though I'm not sure they've already recouped all the investment. Probably not since the Bethesda acquisition.
To surpass Sony and Nintendo in gaming revenue? That is in good part outside of Microsoft's sphere of influence because it depends on how Sony and Nintendo's plans and their execution.
To surpass Sony in number of consoles sold? Most probably not in this generation.
To become "one of the biggest publishers in the PC-console industry"? It already was, even before acquiring Bethesda.
So what do you mean with Microsoft's "strategy" working? Working at what exactly?
Series consoles are not getting trampled by ps5 like it happened with PS4/one generation, sales wise.
They are doing pretty good actually.
I'm not so sure espcially if at some point we decide to save remaining living creature on the planet (us included)It's worked like that since forever and will continue to do so for longer than you think because people love new console releases that shiny new hardware it's a trend that's gone up and up and now somehow that means nothing because the company in third place has other ideas ? ...
Fair play to ms's cloud gaming stuff as an add on to console/pc gaming it's quite sweet but it will never fully eradicate consoles there will always be some mass adopted new fangled hardware wether it's a console or some neuro shit like ready player one (not massively far away into the future either !)
I'm not so sure espcially if at some point we decide to save remaining living creature on the planet (us included)
the approach where hardware( or could be other things like car) sleep more than it is active should really think long term imo.
Read up on how Microsoft mismanaged its mobile operating system, including by buying Nokia, at the time the most successful phone company in the world, and running it into the ground in the space of two years. The parallels to their mismanagement of their games division are striking.I must ask if our definition of “shit” is different because I’d like everything I touch to turn to shit if it’s going to be another billion dollar industry.
By the way their biggest failure is mobile (after iPhone came out)... and that’s because they quit and found more money releasing software for iPhone and Android, please feel free to elaborate
There's enough games to play where you never have to touch a playstation and you still have access to over 99% of them.There's enough games to play where you never have to touch an xbox and you still have access to over 99% of them.
You are clearly missing the point. You have to look at the whole platform, Xbox and PC to judge their success not just look at Xbox vs PS sales. If MS is raking in a good profit per console and gaining users on PC as well then they are successful and will continue following that successful model. Why would any company who is making good money stop making that money because a competitor is more successful? It must be weird being a fanboy and seeing that the world doesn't line up with your delusions.I think they almost leave the market (as hardware manufacturer) last gen. And this gen could be the last one as we know it. Also, I see gamepass as their transition to only software company. So yes, if this generation they don't surpass Sony or at least they really grow, I believe Microsoft will leave the console hardware market.
Nokia was already on the decline before Microsoft bought em. They would have likely died even faster if Microsoft didnt buy them.Read up on how Microsoft mismanaged its mobile operating system, including by buying Nokia, at the time the most successful phone company in the world, and running it into the ground in the space of two years. The parallels to their mismanagement of their games division are striking.
Many Sony warriors seem to live in the past, like the company they worship.
Many xbox warriors want to live in the future, they see games that don't even exist.
False: Microsoft deployed Stephen Elop to Nokia specifically to sabotage the company and tank its share price to make it cheaper for them to buy up. This is well documented, and Elop was rewarded for this with an executive position at Microsoft as soon as the deal was finalized: https://communities-dominate.blogs....l-whose-the-baddest-of-them-all-waterloo.htmlNokia was already on the decline before Microsoft bought em. They would have likely died even faster if Microsoft didnt buy them.
I'm speaking only about hardware, not software. And I'm not a fanboy. X360 was my main platform in that gen. Past gen I was mainly PC and I had gamepass. Now I have a PS5 and I plan to boy a XBsex. But I think they will be more successful as a only software company. It's only my feeling based in nothing, but for me they are a Sega with money, but not Sony or Nintendo.You are clearly missing the point. You have to look at the whole platform, Xbox and PC to judge their success not just look at Xbox vs PS sales. If MS is raking in a good profit per console and gaining users on PC as well then they are successful and will continue following that successful model. Why would any company who is making good money stop making that money because a competitor is more successful? It must be weird being a fanboy and seeing that the world doesn't line up with your delusions.
I'm speaking only about hardware, not software. And I'm not a fanboy. X360 was my main platform in that gen. Past gen I was mainly PC and I had gamepass. Now I have a PS5 and I plan to boy a XBsex. But I think they will be more successful as a only software company. It's only my feeling based in nothing, but for me they are a Sega with money, but not Sony or Nintendo.