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Gamespot: Remember When Xbox One Almost Lost the Console War?

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman


The Xbox One started with one of the worst sales pitches in gaming, but now it’s kind of hard not to love the console. But how did Microsoft make such a critical mistake and, more importantly, how has it turned that into a bright new future?

Join Kurt Indovina for this episode of Remember When as he looks back on Xbox One’s bumpy road to a roaring redemption, examining its confusing reveal, troubling rumors, and, of course, Don Mattrick. Kurt also invites fellow GameSpot friend Tamoor Hussain to give some extra insight, and why Phil Spencer was pivotal to making Xbox what it is today.
 
That was a weird video...he says the Xbox One redeemed itself by reversing policies and adding features like Gamepass and BC...doesn't mention a strong lineup of exclusives once.

News flash a cheap service is not a replacement for system sellers. Its easy not to love the console, its the weakest Xbox console ever released. Went from over over 50 games on OG Xbox and over 100 games on 360 to 17 games on X1 (probably end at 20). Yeah what a great console :pie_eyeroll: . Hopefully they do better next time but this console sucked.
 

Dee_Dee

Member
But it did lose. What a weird title. And Don Mattrick...just kept putting his foot in his mouth. Xbox One deserved to get crushed

Edit: that said I think they are doing a good job heading into next gen. They really need to deliver an epic show in July to end the no games argument. We will see...
 
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Skeletron

Member
They absolutely bungled this generation down to the very core of their original concept for the XBox One, but for me they lost my heart when they lost Bungie.
 

mejin

Member
C61FB3E4AFCEFC4E4306AFFB2873D521802B4073
 

Zannegan

Member
Doesn't that title imply that they didn't lose? But by what metric?
Well, the Wii U was a thing. They may not have won, but they sure didn't lose THAT badly. Of course, it'll end up being trounced by the Switch, but who knows what generation Nintendo is even on anymore.
 

Hendrick's

If only my penis was as big as my GamerScore!
Xbox hasn’t lost the console war. They would need to stop making consoles or abandon the Xbox brand for that to be true. They lost the generation for sure, but that’s not the console war.
 

M1chl

Currently Gif and Meme Champion
Meh...like we can all agree, that their behavior in 2013 was nothing but shitshow. It's still my preferred console and I shamfully went back for that Forza Horizon fix, but this is all you should know about what drives people to console... Because I stand by my opinion, that exclusives is horribly overrated most often, until some of those are actually really great games. But I am not complaining, if they would not be so horrible, I would probably played inFamous: Second Son at later date, which is something which I would not want.
 

pixelation

Member
But... they lost?, and I am sorry but it is easy not to love it. It severely lacks in quality first party content (their 1st party offerings also being available on PC), I think their games this gen that got the best reception were the Forza games?... so what is there to love about the XBO exactly?, is it all of the promises of a better tomorrow that Spencer has been carroting people along with for years?
 
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Tripolygon

Banned
It is an interesting video. It talks about how Xbox redeemed their public image and turned around their anti consumer aspirations to making some pro consumer policies and forward facing features.
 

Codes 208

Member
Well i mean this gen sales-wise its been:
Ps4 > Switch > xbox one > wii u

and when the one console youre beating doesnt even have 15 million, its hardly bregging rights to be not-last.
 

Patterson

Member
It is an interesting video. It talks about how Xbox redeemed their public image and turned around their anti consumer aspirations to making some pro consumer policies and forward facing features.
They did all that because they had to, not because they wanted to. It’s not praise worthy.
 

Nikana

Go Go Neo Rangers!
If they simply would of titled this better a real discussion could be had but instead the clickbait shit is going to turn people away.

Remember when vita almost lost the console war?
 

ACESHIGH

Banned
They did all that because they had to, not because they wanted to. It’s not praise worthy.

Microsoft: Dammed if you do, dammed if you dont.

To me its still impressive how after the fuckups at the beggining of the generation and less exclusive big hitters, they still managed to sell between 50 - 60 M consoles. MS really needs to improve their branding in non anglo markets and they would be selling so much more consoles and games.
 
I really wonder what the people at Gamestop think a loss would have looked like if they think Xbox didn't lose this generation. I guess nothing short of every single Xbox console bricking simultaneously and Microsoft HQ getting hit by an asteroid would count in their eyes.
 
D

Deleted member 471617

Unconfirmed Member
Xbox One did lose this generation but over the last two years have done an amazing turnaround heading into next generation with Xbox Series X. For the first time since Gears 3 in 2011, im actually hyped for the Xbox brand. Xbox Series X will be my primary gaming console for next generation while PlayStation 5 will be for exclusives only.

Not going to waste my time reading the article because I don't really see the point as I have zero interest in GameSpot.
 

Kenpachii

Member
What he basically said with his bait title in the video is that microsoft is better received right now and far more positive then what it was back when xbox one clusterfuck launched. He basically doesn't say they won.

But yea its clickbait shit.
 

ZehDon

Gold Member
I love my Xbox S, but PS4 is going to finish it's run as the only contender that's ever emerged for the PS2's throne. Microsoft didn't just lose the console war - they nearly killed their entire brand. They shrunk their install base by 50%, spent an entire generation rebuilding after the decimation of their internal studios, and, to this day, the "Xbone" moniker hangs around their necks. Did Phil Spencer turn it around? Perception wise, sure, but in the realest sense, the answer has to be "no". Microsoft never had a real win for this entire generation. Here's hoping it was all so that the next generation could start right, and finally give Sony an honest run for their money.
 

Pallas

Member
Compare to Mattrick, he’s done a lot. Remember he got some games to appear on the Xbox that no one thought would ever happen like the Yakuza series, PS1/PS2 era FF’s, to speak of a few. No one gave that a chance if we rewind back to the launch of the console.

Everyone can say he’s all talk but their first party studios have never been this strong since the early 360 days, I think the “no games” meme will be obsolete next gen.
 
How did they not lose...? Last I saw, PS4 had over 100 million and XOne had about 60 million..

Seems open and shut in favor of PS4 to me.

Lets be real here. Xbox has never won a generation. The OG Xbox had no chance against the PS2, and their best shot was the 360, because of how awful the PS3 started out of the gate. But then Mattrick, the greatest double agent of all time, torpedoed the 360 with kinect and a shift from exclusive games, which brought it down to last place. Meanwhile, Sony pulled their head out for fresh air and came back with a vengeance because of the direction under Jack Tretton, which then carried over to PS4.
 
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