Anyone who has paid attention to MS since Nadella took over can see he is shifting them to a service company. That is where they are now. Their goal isn't to sell plastic boxes with chips in them, it is to get people using the services they have set up.
A cheap streaming box, like a $20 cube with a 5 year old ARM chip in it? Because that's about all you need for streaming.
Just to be clear, although MS sells Windows, Windows isn't like a game console. It runs unsigned code, it's just an operating system. The only part of the Windows platform that could be considered console-esque is the Microsoft Store. And sure, MS has their games on that, but they also have their games on Steam, which is a totally separate platform, and they have to give Valve a cut of each sale.
How is Halo MCC or Sea of Thieves on Steam any different from those games on PlayStation? It really is not.
While this is true, they still and will care by force too if they have to on the console market. They need to be in it. because Neither sony nor nintendo will allow them to release game pass on their consoles. and the PC alone isnt sustained enough for them to not care about the console market.
As for just a straming service. that will never work on big games. and Stadia and the Xcloud is a proof of that.
what MS is hoping to become the netflix of gaming by combining their Xcloud, Console, PC. and the Game Pass to an ultimate ecosystem every gamer should get into as long as they are one of the said earlier.
the most revenue they have is from the Console gamepass not the PC. they WILL stay in the video game console.
Problem with MS is, they are not aggressive to secure big studios / games exclusivly to their ecosystem. Just like Netflix, they release mid range AA games every now and then for people to come back to and play. mainwhile Sony is just aiming very high in terms of high profile games. . the recent leak ( assuming its true, which contains requested games like Demon sould Remaster and Silent Hell is a proof of that.
I might be jumping the gun here. it will be a very fun to watch how this plans out next gen.
I will own both consoles day one ( i am even thinking to stop focusing on PC anymore because honestly its just very expensive. 1 GPU is the price of 2 consoles plus games even )