PC pricing didn't happen naturally, it happened because Valve made it happen and set a precedent that many publishers STILL aren't entirely comfortable with. Without Valve, PC gaming would be marching down the same bad path it was on in the first half of the 00's.
Another huge part of PC pricing is Valve providing strong support to low- mid- and high-tier games in terms of launch price. Will Microsoft handle that as smartly? Or will the entire UI be ad space like their current 360 setup?
So far we have seen no sign that they'll go in this direction. I suggest waiting a bit and seeing how things play out.
Do you think that developers want to sell their games at 60 bucks all the time? If a game isn't selling, they would gladly sell it cheaper but the keep getting undercut by a company selling their wares at margins that they can only dream of.
I can't imagine that Microsoft isn't looking at a market leader like Valve without wanting to copy their delivery model. Because that's what Microsoft does. They are always second movers and they bring the weight of their successful products with them.
Just look at another contraversial addition to the Xbox One, Azure. Microsoft was a second mover into the market and to gain market share, they guaranteed clients that they would meet Amazon's prices.
Gamers have choices and this thread is a testiment to that, but expecting only the worst of every business move isn't realistic. None of us have seen the whole plan yet.
Shit, this product isn't yet released. Before Valve forced people on Steam, it was unthinkable that reducing customer's rights would save them money. People didn't see the benefit for them. That's where we are right now.
I completely agree with your last sentence though. I just think I am more optimistic than most.
