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AAA games continue to skip Xbox Play Anywhere, why are third parties uninterested in supporting the future of Xbox? - Jez Corden

Why should they be interested?

It's Microsoft's job to convince consumers to be interested in Xbox as a platform and they are failing miserably at that. So why should the publishers be interested in something/somewhere that the people who will ultimately purchase their products aren't?
Microsoft wants devs to take on additional technical debt for zero ROI.

This management team is beyond delusional.
 
This is how the Xbox astroturfing starts in 2026. You are exactly right. They start it off by asking simply questions like............"why are third parties uninterested in supporting the future of Xbox?" It'll lead to "why is it legal that Sony and Nintendo can have anti-consumer wall gardens to sell their digital videogame software"?
Ultimately this will be a question asked by publishers and consumers. Why should a publisher continue to let a console maker eat into their profits when they could instead sell directly to the consumer? EA games (for example) already use their own dedicated servers rather than Sony's.
Why will a consumer who only plays EAFC/2K/Madden and Fortnite pay for a console they don't need when they could instead download a couple of apps on their tv and connect a third party controller? The same games with no needless hardware under their tv? Lovely.
 
Microsoft wants devs to take on additional technical debt for zero ROI.

This management team is beyond delusional.

This won't be a problem for the next Xbox, where developers will only have to make one port of the game in order to serve consoles and PCs. Today, supporting both requires two different builds of the game to be prepared and we don't know the terms regarding submission pricing.
 
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Third parties are going to want a good reason to develop their games for both Xbox consoles and PC (using their store). I think this is one of the key reasons behind Microsoft's acquisitions and expansion of their XGS publishing division. They are trying to play the long game, but they're going up against Valve so it's an uphill battle.


Microsoft hasn't given them a good reason to do so.

(Am I doing this right, O onQ123 )
 
Steam has been used as a primary "selling point" for the Xbox faithful who are still clinging on and waiting for Magnus instead of just buying/building a PC at any point in the last few years.

It's ironic.
Are you surprised? Steam on Magnus will give those Xbox faithful access to PlayStation games, literally previous exclusives. Plus PC games with no Xbox version, emulators for Nintendo and many older consoles, modding, VR, free online, etc. And all that while still having easy access to Gamepass and Xbox BC and previous purchases done on Xbox.
It's a killer combo of features. It's really not hard to understand why anyone is hyped over that. It'll be the biggest upgrade anyone stuck on console has ever experienced.
 
Are you surprised? Steam on Magnus will give those Xbox faithful access to PlayStation games, literally previous exclusives. Plus PC games with no Xbox version, emulators for Nintendo and many older consoles, modding, VR, free online, etc. And all that while still having easy access to Gamepass and Xbox BC and previous purchases done on Xbox.
It's a killer combo of features. It's really not hard to understand why anyone is hyped over that. It'll be the biggest upgrade anyone stuck on console has ever experienced.
If that's the case, won't Magnus have to be able to pay for itself in console sales? Most (all?) consoles actually make a profit off of the percentage on games sales iirc, but give people access to Steam (and possibly emulators?) and it'll make no sense to buy Microsoft versions anymore for anything except sports games.
 
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Are you surprised? Steam on Magnus will give those Xbox faithful access to PlayStation games, literally previous exclusives. Plus PC games with no Xbox version, emulators for Nintendo and many older consoles, modding, VR, free online, etc. And all that while still having easy access to Gamepass and Xbox BC and previous purchases done on Xbox.
It's a killer combo of features. It's really not hard to understand why anyone is hyped over that. It'll be the biggest upgrade anyone stuck on console has ever experienced.

I literally outlined this in the post itself:

instead of just buying/building a PC at any point in the last few years.

At that point, wtf are you "hyped" about? A Windows PC with an Xbox logo? This so called "biggest upgrade" has been available and pre-dates modern consoles.

They've gone on record in multiple occasions and stated the Xbox ROG Ally is largely what people can expect:



Really? That's what you're "hyped" for?
 
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Where I could see MS recording these responses and providing the proof of no sales on their own platform. Then come out on the Next-Xbox-PC system reverse all platform releases and state "Well we tried releasing our games on other platforms and no one wanted to release or buy games on our platform. This caused a great disturbance so, all releases will now be on our platform only." "We tried releasing on other platforms but it didn't work." This won't happen but, funny if it did.
 
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Would be good, consoles having only one store sucks.

Tobe Hooper Horror GIF by filmeditor


CentralScrutinizer CentralScrutinizer this is the new "narrative" I was talking about last week. ;)
 
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I don't think this has anything to do with the future of Xbox, etc. Assuming that the rumors are true that Epic and Steam are going to be options on the next box, the games will be there.

I think there are some oddities for developers with the way the PC Xbox store is connected with Xbox versions of games and requires the same licensing checks and all that for updates. You've got to think that eventually they will drop that, and the Xbox store will operate a lot more like Steam, Epic, and the other stores with less overhead for developers (probably around the time that cross-gen ends).
 
The idea of being able to have your games across the two platforms is nice, but the problem is their console isn't selling, and their PC app kinda sucks compared to multiple other options.

Game Pass is the only real momentum they could build off of, and instead just increased the cost of that, while not also diversifying their line-up into anything outside Game Pass.

Just now they're playing catch-up on offering a Big Picture Mode feature they should've build years ago, and is still buggy on the handheld it released on.
 
Ultimately this will be a question asked by publishers and consumers. Why should a publisher continue to let a console maker eat into their profits when they could instead sell directly to the consumer? EA games (for example) already use their own dedicated servers rather than Sony's.
Why will a consumer who only plays EAFC/2K/Madden and Fortnite pay for a console they don't need when they could instead download a couple of apps on their tv and connect a third party controller? The same games with no needless hardware under their tv? Lovely.

ny2lG1GFZFo6igFd.gif


Publishers already know the answer. Just ask Ubisoft why they crawled back to Steam after three years.
 
Ultimately this will be a question asked by publishers and consumers. Why should a publisher continue to let a console maker eat into their profits when they could instead sell directly to the consumer? EA games (for example) already use their own dedicated servers rather than Sony's. Why will a consumer who only plays EAFC/2K/Madden and Fortnite pay for a console they don't need when they could instead download a couple of apps on their tv and connect a third party controller? The same games with no needless hardware under their tv? Lovely.

Yall have been saying this since 2013. Why is this taking so long?

CentralScrutinizer CentralScrutinizer and again here. It's happening on GAF in real-time :messenger_tears_of_joy:
 
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If that's the case, won't Magnus have to be able to pay for itself in console sales? Most (all?) consoles actually make a profit off of the percentage on games sales iirc, but give people access to Steam (and possibly emulators?) and it'll make no sense to buy Microsoft versions anymore for anything except sports games.
The business side of things is Microsoft's problem to worry about, nobody who're just a regular gamer care about that stuff.
Realistically it'll be exactly like on PC. You use Microsoft Store to install Gamepass games, Steam to purchase games, Epic to leech on the free games, etc.
 
I literally outlined this in the post itself:
Buying/building a regular PC isn't for everyone.

And a PC bought the last few years have no access to your full Xbox library.

Going by leaks and rumours Xbox Magnus will run regular Xbox games PLUS be a PC in a console shell for the living room. There is no such product available yet. On paper it's pretty much the perfect gaming machine for anyone with any connection to the Xbox platform, only real downside is the price.
 
I literally outlined this in the post itself:



At that point, wtf are you "hyped" about? A Windows PC with an Xbox logo? This so called "biggest upgrade" has been available and pre-dates modern consoles.

They've gone on record in multiple occasions and stated the Xbox ROG Ally is largely what people can expect:



Really? That's what you're "hyped" for?

It's beyond comical at this point. What next? Slap some stickers on a PS5 or NS2 just to tell yourself you have an "Xbox" that does everything?
 
What Xbox need to do is to reduce their cut from 30% to 20-12% for every Play Anywhere game, even when installed and bought from a console.
 
Jez is the only person on the planet that still hasn't got the memo:

"Nobody gives a fuck about Xbox in 2026!!!"

MS is a third-party publisher now, why would their competitors help them??? LOL

NEXT....
 
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It's interesting because RE7 was one of the first Xbox play anywhere titles iirc. Recently konami supported it with Silent Hill F and more recently Arc Raiders is Xbox play anywhere. Reading the comments in here, some people still don't grasp what Xbox play anywhere actually is. But it seems publishers want to get paid to support the program. And this is the problem ms have. An uphill battle if you will. They are fast running out of leverage to get publishers to support these things.
 
It's interesting because RE7 was one of the first Xbox play anywhere titles iirc. Recently konami supported it with Silent Hill F and more recently Arc Raiders is Xbox play anywhere. Reading the comments in here, some people still don't grasp what Xbox play anywhere actually is. But it seems publishers want to get paid to support the program. And this is the problem ms have. An uphill battle if you will. They are fast running out of leverage to get publishers to support these things.
Double dipping is the repeat viewing of video games. Uterally retarded to be pushing such a destructive peogram to third party publishers. MS/Xbox... They just don't get it
 
Their idea to make clumsy steam integration part of their wannabe bpm is downright psychotic. Yes, let's bring people to steam on a platter, and roundabout encourage them to launch straight into it instead of our fake console app.
 
Again I feel bad for regular gamers heavily invested in Xbox platform. But literally nobody gives a shit about Xbox PC app least of all MS. It's such an incredibly bad piece of software and has been for years and years. Even EGS is way better as a functional piece of software.
 
Way more people would care about Play Anywhere if it also supported the Steam saves, but few games do. It was pretty cool to see all the achivements popping out on the Steam version of The Master Chief Collection years after beating Reach and 1 on my 99€ Xbox One.
 

I didn't think you were part of the movement. I guessed wrong. :messenger_loudly_crying:

Salute to you sir and your future endeavors.

What Xbox need to do is to reduce their cut from 30% to 20-12% for every Play Anywhere game, even when installed and bought from a console.

Great point! But that'll hurt their 30% "accountability margins".
 
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Jez is right. When you have the chance to do cross buy between a platform where nobody buys games, and a pc app where nobody buys games, you just gotta do it.
 
Blaming developers for your problems instead of looking to your own company for the reasons.

🎵 You got a problem, the problem is you 🎵
He doesn't work for MS (at least he isn't an employee).
But no shit no-one is buying PC games through the Xbox store (or whatever it is called).
 
I'm so lost. What are you talking about? What movement?

I told you what it was the other day. The new movement is trying to convince people that it's anti-consumer to have walled gardens as a video game store (i.e. PSN or Nintendo Store). And that anybody should be able to sell their wares on anybody's store. Leading to GamePass being available on PSN and for Nintendo Switch 2.

But level 1, is that "They" need to destroy the idea of wall-gardens within the console business space.
 
It's interesting because RE7 was one of the first Xbox play anywhere titles iirc. Recently konami supported it with Silent Hill F and more recently Arc Raiders is Xbox play anywhere. Reading the comments in here, some people still don't grasp what Xbox play anywhere actually is. But it seems publishers want to get paid to support the program. And this is the problem ms have. An uphill battle if you will. They are fast running out of leverage to get publishers to support these things.

They just made RE Village Play Anywhere a week ago, Requiem is probably gonna end up becoming PA after a bit too.

Just in time for Magnus. 🥳
 
I told you what it was the other day. The new movement is trying to convince people that it's anti-consumer to have walled gardens as a video game store (i.e. PSN or Nintendo Store). And that anybody should be able to sell their wares on anybody's store. Leading to GamePass being available on PSN and for Nintendo Switch 2.

But level 1, is that "They" need to destroy the idea of wall-gardens within the console business space.
Oh know I understood that much. I just didn't think it was a "movement" and it's weird for you to think I'm a part of that because I don't talk about that stuff. I think closed console ecosystems are perfectly fine. Never had an issue with it and I don't think it's a problem that needs fixed.

I do think phones shouldn't have walled gardens though. Those are utility devices much like PCs and laptops and I think Apple should be forced to open up.
 
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Why isn't XBox supporting PA of their own games on PS5? If I bought the XBox version of FH5, I should be able to play it on the PS5 without buying the game again.

/s
 
So we are seeing how streaming video services are struggling to keep their users.. and for some users, this is exactly the path game companies should take ?! Tell me you are a idiot and paid my MS without telling me exactly that (i hope you are paid, at least, otherwise you are still more dumb that i thought...)
 
I really hope Jez is just braindead enough to actually believe in what he's saying vs. the more boring option which is he's just a grifter bullshitting. Would be hilarious if true.

Like whom of right mind would even pose this question? lol
 
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