• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Is there any scenario where Microsofts strategy doesn't work?

Ozzie666

Member
Xcloud is their key going forward, to tap into the mobile market. The Switch has the edge for that at the moment.
But of course you need the content. Which until proven otherwise, they are lacking compared to Sony and Nintendo.
Can work with content.
 

ULTROS!

People seem to like me because I am polite and I am rarely late. I like to eat ice cream and I really enjoy a nice pair of slacks.
Despite the fact that they have a lot of good acquisitions and the Xbox Game Pass is looking good, in the end, is the market looking forward to it especially outside the US?

Coz from what it looks like, all eyes are still on PS5 and Switch.
 

driqe

Member
Despite the fact that they have a lot of good acquisitions and the Xbox Game Pass is looking good, in the end, is the market looking forward to it especially outside the US?

Coz from what it looks like, all eyes are still on PS5 and Switch.
The general public doesn't care about studio acquisitions, when those games start dropping, that's when things will change.
 

Boss Man

Member
Sony still has the better lineup of exclusive content, so if they manage to match or at least approximate Gamepass they could compete for sure.

I see it like Microsoft invented Netflix for games and now Sony is in the same position as like an HBO or Disney before they released their own streaming services. Of course, Sony could also end up failing and getting pushed so far aside that they end up publishing games on Gamepass. We’ll just have to wait and see I guess.
 
Last edited:

ZehDon

Member
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?
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?
 

GhostOfTsu

Banned
But thats the point I think. You can play the games the day of the release and buy them late and cheap if you want to.
Also because of game pass I was introduced to generes and games I thought I would never like. The entry barrier has vanished. Which is a great thing for both the makers and the consumers.
Those 60$ games are coming out in 2-3 years. If you keep your subscription active until then you'll have paid WAY MORE than the money you would have paid to just play the games you actually want (unless you're on the 1$ deal like me but you get the point)

It's only worth it if you cancel then resuscribe for 1 month when the 60$ game comes out. The 60$ games on gamepass are rare but people like to bring them up to make it seems like they are saving money. You're not.
 

CitizenZ

Banned
MS doesnt make games, nor do they have they talent they are nothing but $$$$$ for the actual creators. Do they have teams in place to offer solid entertainment, yes. Will that entertainment be equal or greater than the previous sequel, doubtful since a lot of the sequels prior sit on God Tier for a lot of players.
 
ITT members don't realise how open Microsoft/Azure is and how it has transformed MS in the last decade. Xbox and Gamepass are just the latest iteration of embracing an agnostic approach company wide. It's already paying dividends and the acquisitions just accelerate and compliment their strategy inside of console business and beyond it into mobile and PC or anywhere else they choose.

How someone looks at the big 3 console brands and doesn't see 3 major players now all performing exceptionally well is beyond me. How someone looks at what Xbox/MS are doing for their 2-5 year roadmap and doesn't see them breaking out of the traditional console closed system race while developing within it simultaneously is beyond me. They're not exiting console warring, they're increasing studios, market segments and simply applying their Azure success to Xbox now. Open platform, not a monopolistic approach. They have a strategy to take on the likes of Steam, Amazon, Apple, Stadia. Nintendo and Sony aren't their direct competition in the wide aspect of MS+Xbox. The largest companies in the world are pushing aspects of the gaming industry outside of consoles. Xbox is in a unique quality position across console, devices and PC.

Series X/S, xCould, Gamepass, Elite/Adaptive controllers, Bethesda, crossplay, backend services (e.g. Sony cloud infrastructure) and more. You're now seeing the fruits of the years under Phil coming to light. There's more to come. Microsoft are masters of long term market capitalisation, always have been able to grind to a #1 or #2 spot eventually. There's no doubt within the console space Sony and Ninty are bringing the exclusive games. Everything outside of that Xbox is killing it and poised to bury it over the next 2-6 years; specifically this current generation just getting started.
Microsoft is really good at incomprehensible corporate babble I'll give you that
 

bitbydeath

Member
I'd argue it was both.

Microsoft entered into the PS4/XBO generation with 7 first party development studios.

You could definitely make a case that those 7 weren't as talented as Sony's, but the small number ensured Microsoft could only produce one or two notable exclusives a year, while Sony was able to pump out 3-4 a year.
No, they had a lot more back in 2013 but most were shutdown after Xone tanked it’s launch.
 

Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
Note that Sony's games division is about as profitable as Activision and EA combined, depending on the year. The same goes for Nintendo. Why do you think that is? Because they print money off every game sold on their platform, off every subscription to their online services, and off every console sold (immediately in Nintendo's case, within a few years of launch in Sony's case). And this money comes in reliably, year after year, with no need to roll the dice on the latest flash in the pan mobile fads. Why would you give that up?

Sony has two advantages over Activision and EA that they do not have over Microsoft.

PS+ and they own a platform.

Microsoft has GamePass and they own XBox.
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?

When I say "Valheim (4 person studio) out earns massive studio games", I don't mean Call of Duty. I mean games like Crucible, Godfall, The Last Guardian, Death Stranding, Days Gone etc...

I think NeoGAF likes to classify studios in certain tiers. If Rocket League, Valheim, Deep Rock Galactic, Fortnite etc can all blow up, I think the message is clear. There's a lot of talent out there not working for a prestige studio. Microsoft believes supporting these kinds of studios with time + money will pay off.

I think that's a smart bet.

The rest of your post makes sense, so I'll leave it at that.
 

Sejan

Member
1. True. Anyone paying the smallest amount of attention can see this.
2. Microsoft has been buying prestige studios lately and is rumored to buy more in the future. (Sega next Wednesday). Any platform holder has to do this for a number of reasons. Some will of these studios will be homegrown and others bought and paid for. This point is completely invalid.
3. Keeping games exclusive or distributing them more widely is a game by game decision. MS sees Sony as its primary competition and Nintendo as secondary (potentially even a future partner). As such Nintendo gets a few MS games like Cuphead and Ori since it’s just higher sales. Sony doesn’t get any of these games since MS doesn’t want to give them anything that could lead to further potential success. It’s a tactical decision. Minecraft on the other hand, is more profitable with sales of subscriptions and skins as such the widest audience possible is advantageous so it goes out everywhere.

Your description of their strategy is rather over simplified, and doesn’t consider several difficulties MS has faced.

1. MS’s success with studio purchases and homegrown studios isn’t exactly great. Rare has never lived up to its pre-MS successes. 343 has really struggled despite being made for the Halo series. Their record leaves something to be desired. Google and Amazon have recently reminded us how difficult it is to buy your way to success in this industry.
2. MS’s push for gamepass could potentially limit their gaming revenue stream if they are unable to build their subscriber base sufficiently. It’s a gamble that still may or may not pay off long term. Their goal is obviously to sell passes, but it’ll likely require increasing their supported platforms. Ultimately, we will have to wait to see whether or not they meet their growth goals. Gamepass is a huge potential, but it comes at a huge cost, it’s likely still less profitable than many expect at this point.
 
Microsoft is really good at incomprehensible corporate babble I'll give you that
Sounds about spot on for your quality of reply given your first statement. You're a gamer at heart and see what games you want to play and buy into that, simple and clean. Just as it should be.

However, if you're gonna shit post an entire company best you learn the language to assimilate and retort some debate.
 

AJUMP23

Member
I would like to see Spencer’s SWOT on the Xbox division. There are lots of ways the strategy doesn’t work.
 
Sounds about spot on for your quality of reply given your first statement. You're a gamer at heart and see what games you want to play and buy into that, simple and clean. Just as it should be.

However, if you're gonna shit post an entire company best you learn the language to assimilate and retort some debate.
When was the last time Microsoft was successful in a customer-facing market
 
When was the last time Microsoft was successful in a customer-facing market
Exactly where our differences rest. You believe number 1 is the only measure of success because Playstation/Ninty are having great runs for two generations. You don't consider Xbox backing games like Ori or Sea of Thieves or crossplay or xCloud or regional server support in games like Apex or Titanfall or Killer Instinct (examples of Azure in Australia for mates and me) measures of success. You don't consider $5+Billion in a quarter and Gamepass already having 20Million subs successful. There is no arguing with a totalitarian stance such as that.

Xbox One X and Series X are successes for me and my friends/family. Elite 1 & 2 controllers are successful. Apex support locally in Australia is successful and well tuned these days. Family/gamepass management combine PC, web, console and apps for me into easy and successful sharing/management. My son and daughter having dozens of school friends all enjoying their Xbox ecosystem (as well PC for Minecraft mods etc) and parents all putting in for Gamepass so our kids play a wide range of games together for less cost.

You don't consider Minecraft and Gamepass on PC/devices/consoles/competitors a success? How about the Xbox @ ID program? What of xCloud vs say Stadia and their strategy there? What of small studios or Indies already confirming sales success via Gamepass?

You ask me about Halo and I put massive repeated failure crosses against their scoreboard. Finally seeing MCC be what is should have been 5 years ago. Infinite the jury is still out.

As much as you think your reply here is a "gotchya moment" it is not. It simply highlights the fanboyism ever-present in gaming and right here on GAF as well. There is nothing wrong with varying levels of success, each brand has strengths and weaknesses some have more revenue and others have more profit. We can all enjoy the benefits of Sony pushing Xbox for better exclusives just as we can all enjoy MS pushing Sony on better services e.g. online, apps, crossplay, device support, PC support etc etc.

If you're talking about Microsoft on the scale outside of Xbox then you're statement is pure insanity. Windows 10 is a massive success, Office remains successful, Server software is gigantic, software tools also successful, open platform success through Azure, Surface products also successful, Azure is an enormous success and money earning for MS. Again your statements are just factually incorrect and shown to be skewed. Go back and read what I wrote, Sony and Ninty have their positives too, in the console/handheld spaces.
 
Last edited:

FritzJ92

Member
Everything 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.
When people say stuff like that I always wonder do you enjoy making stuff up?
Surface line of product a billion dollar industry
Cloud billion dollar industry
Gaming another billion dollar industry
Windows, Software, 365, Social Media,
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
 

FritzJ92

Member
Despite the fact that they have a lot of good acquisitions and the Xbox Game Pass is looking good, in the end, is the market looking forward to it especially outside the US?

Coz from what it looks like, all eyes are still on PS5 and Switch.
On one note the biggest gaming market is US then China then a Europe (as a whole) followed by Japan. They are competitive in EU and US... (i dont know about China). If they can maximize their customers there does the rest of the world really matter?
 

Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
Let's not forget one more thing.

Microsoft may have lucked out with regards to how the market is responding to videogames.

Microsoft's biggest weakness could be argued to be year one of the Series X.

But the market might not care as the thing keeps selling out within seconds.

Microsoft may be seeing awesome hardware sales in year one DESPITE having a relatively poor lineup compared to its competition. If MS can escape the next 7-8 months in one piece, sailing will be much easier going forward.
 

nosseman

Member
I have a different take.

"GamePass is the best deal in gaming".

I've heard this ad nauseum over the last couple of years by games media.

And yet, it's wrong.

Fortnite is free. I burned through the entire GamePass library in 2-3 weeks after getting my Series X. I sampled the 10 or so games that appealed to me. I really enjoyed a few of those. Now GamePass is stale for me.

I played Fortnite 20 or so hours over the last two weeks. That game is a better deal than GamePass.

I'm not trying to proszletize Fortnite here. I'm saying it's possible individual games are the new Netflix, not GamePass.

I'm not certain one way or the other. I just think it's possible the industry shifts towards the "game as platform" instead of "subscription as platform."
How do you think your experience would change if you had to pay $60-70 for each game you wanted to try? (not counting the free games)

People talk about Gamepass like they would burn through it in weeks or months top and then have nothing to play - but if they get 2-3 $60-70 games they can play for many months or even years.

The offering on Gamepass is very good NOW and in 2 years it would be even better.
 

Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
How do you think your experience would change if you had to pay $60-70 for each game you wanted to try? (not counting the free games)

People talk about Gamepass like they would burn through it in weeks or months top and then have nothing to play - but if they get 2-3 $60-70 games they can play for many months or even years.

The offering on Gamepass is very good NOW and in 2 years it would be even better.

I like GamePass. I think it could very well be the future of gaming. I wouldn't have been able to play Yes Your Grace, Deep Rock Galactic, or Cyber Shadow. I enjoyed all three games. Didn't really enjoy much else.

I think the biggest threat to GamePass may be a single game released in the future.

It's possible that a "The Netflix of games" is simply a single Fortnite esque game, rather than GamePass. The reverse could also be true. We will see.
 
D

Deleted member 471617

Unconfirmed Member
Microsoft's strategy is excellent and easily working. Xbox division just posted a $5B quarter which was their highest in the history of Xbox meaning that even during the peak of Xbox which was the early to mid years of Xbox 360, the division didn't come close to what they just brought in last quarter.

Microsoft knows that while console gaming is great, it's not the be all end all and does in fact have a limit of around 150m user install base if you're lucky. Being available to PC users as well as mobile is going to pay dividends in the long term.

Add in Game Pass which is brilliant because first, when you look at the world now, majority don't want to spend a lot of money right now or don't have the money to begin with so getting access to 200+ games for $120 a year is a steal.

They're about to add Bethesda's lineup of games exclusively to Xbox/PC, are at the very least working out a deal with Sega to bring a lot of previously PlayStation exclusive titles to Xbox and best of all, they go into Game Pass day one and that's if Microsoft doesn't acquire Sega which I put at 50/50. Microsoft will be adding UPlay to Game Pass Ultimate in the Fall, are in talks with Paradox Interactive to acquire them to bolster their PC gaming avenue. Then, there's the high probability that they acquire Techland and have Dying Light 2 as an Xbox/PC exclusive.

The stuff that Microsoft has planned is going to shock a lot of gamers in general and personally, I can't wait as im the most hyped and excited for Xbox than I have been in over a decade. Xbox baby!!!
 

Hudo

Member
Didn't they report a profit of their gaming division just recently? So the strategy is obviously working then. If you think that "yeahhh but Sony have made more profitz!!111" is the most important thing for Microsoft, you'd be wrong. They're just focused, like any other company, on their profits and the maximization thereof. As long as they're in the green, the strategy is working. Simple as that.
 
Microsoft realized it can’t compete with the playstation’s first party catalogue. Credit to sony because I’m sure they got spooked by the 360’s early success and made the necessary steps to regain the market.

Microsofts pivot to supporting the xbox, PC and potentially the Switch in the future makes sense because they probably came to the conclusion that Asian and European markets are firmly under control of Sony.

It’ll take multi generations worth of development for Microsoft to catch up imo. UNLESS they continue buying big studios.
 
Last edited:

Kagey K

Banned
Microsoft realized it can’t compete with the playstation’s first party catalogue. Credit to sony because I’m sure they got spooked by the 360’s early success and made the necessary steps to regain the market.

Microsofts pivot to supporting the xbox, PC and potentially the Switch in the future makes sense because they probably came to the conclusion that Asian and European markets are firmly under control of Sony.

It’ll take multi generations worth of development for Microsoft to catch up imo. UNLESS they continue buying big studios.
If Sony would stop buying exclusive deals, MS might stop buying publishers.

People want to say Sony is good for gaming, but they have been toxic as fuck since they decided to enter the market.

The reason preorder bonuses got split up the way they did is because of how Sony words the deals.
 

TonyK

Member
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?
Honestly, what I can't imagine is a scenario where Microsoft becomes the biggest publisher. I think is easier to imagine them leaving the game industry as console manufacturers if this generation they don't win.
 

turtlepowa

Banned
Microsoft realized it can’t compete with the playstation’s first party catalogue. Credit to sony because I’m sure they got spooked by the 360’s early success and made the necessary steps to regain the market.
I would say it was more MS's mistakes than Sony's merit. If the Xbox One would have been 399 without Kinect at launch the numbers would be different today. At launch both only had shit games and it took Sony till 2016 for the first massmarket AAA. By that time they already won the gen thanks to the launch price.
 
Didn't we have the Nintendo financials come out a couple of weeks ago? The same financials where Nintendo has sold more than MS, has less of a development overhead cost than MS and is thus more profitable than the MS gaming division?

They also lock their ips to single platforms, charge £60 for first party games and have still managed this success. I don't see anything backing points 2 and 3, it worked for MS to make Halo available on PC and Sony is certainly going that way in baby steps but PS and Nintendo have done equally well by following 2 and 3 as of now.
 

Kagey K

Banned
Honestly, what I can't imagine is a scenario where Microsoft becomes the biggest publisher. I think is easier to imagine them leaving the game industry as console manufacturers if this generation they don't win.
Same as last gen and the gen before it and the one before that?
 
This is literally their strategy. Get delusional fanboys like yourself to buy their games on pc or stream on your pc/phone/tv.
There's enough games to play where you never have to touch an xbox and you still have access to over 99% of them.
 
I would say it was more MS's mistakes than Sony's merit. If the Xbox One would have been 399 without Kinect at launch the numbers would be different today. At launch both only had shit games and it took Sony till 2016 for the first massmarket AAA. By that time they already won the gen thanks to the launch price.
That’s fair they definitely shot themselves in the foot with that launch. I also think their breakup with Bungie set the tone and changed the landscape of gaming this past generation. Bungie was their best studio. They wanted to move on from Halo but Microsoft’s refusal soured the relationship. Imagine Destiny (despite its problems) being a Microsoft exclusive? Man that would have been a console seller.
 
Last edited:
Same as last gen and the gen before it and the one before that?
Microsoft won the 360 generation. Firmly had grasp over North America and Europe. I believe the only reason the ps3 even got a slight edge (only at the end of the generation as well) was because the ps3 sold 10 million units in Japan while the 360 only sold a million I believe.
 
Last edited:

Kagey K

Banned
That’s fair they definitely shot themselves in the foot with that launch. I also think their breakup with Bungie set the tone and changed the landscape of gaming this past generation. Bungie was their best studio. They wanted to move on from Halo but Microsoft’s refusal soured the relationship. Imagine Destiny (despite its problems) being a Microsoft exclusive? Man that would have been a console seller.
The thing is that Destiny is Halo. Right down to enemy types.
 

TonyK

Member
Same as last gen and the gen before it and the one before that?
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.
 

Kagey K

Banned
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.
See you in 5-7 years.

People really are delusional now.
 

Mmnow

Member
Their strategy is genius and it boils down to just removing pretty much all barriers of play. Get rid of the console, get rid of the controller, get rid of the cost of individual titles - if you cant see why that's a big deal and your retort in this thread has been "Sony has exclusives" you're in for a bad generation.

The issue isn't the method, but the volatile market. Things are changing. At the minute, I'd say you're daft if you can't get access to MS games somehow this generation. That's okay, there's a lot of people who're daft.

But MS need to keep improving their output and portfolio to make Gamepass and the Xbox ecosystem utterly unmissable. If they want to be on top, their future purchases need to be Bethesda level.

The issue being, they're not the only ones looking to make purchases of that size.

There's no such thing as a Fortnite generator, and no individual game is likely to come in and overtake those titles longterm. It's lightening in a bottle, where the lightening is owned almost exclusively by big publishers with a lot of interest in protecting it.

If Halo Infinite is perfect at launch, maybe it can compete. But I can't think of much else that would.
 

Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
2. Prestige development studios are overrated.

That must be the reason PlayStation outsold them more than double in the last gen /s

I don't think Microsoft's output was half of Sonys last generation. I don't really understand how XBox stayed afloat with such tepid output.
 
Their strategy is genius and it boils down to just removing pretty much all barriers of play. Get rid of the console, get rid of the controller, get rid of the cost of individual titles - if you cant see why that's a big deal and your retort in this thread has been "Sony has exclusives" you're in for a bad generation.

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.
 

mxbison

Member
Microsoft doesn't need you to buy an XBox. They're perfectly happy with you on a PC.

Then why are the Windows Store and the Xbox PC App two of the worst pieces of garbage software in existance?

That shit has to be some kind of running gag in the Microsoft offices, probably even the Word guys make fun of them.
 

dyergram

Member
They need to sell a lot of consoles and they need everyone to subscribe to both their services. People act like they are making money from their games division (their not) even then they will be a Netflix situation where they box themselves into a corner of needing a constant supply of free content for people who instantly consume it. I honestly think gamepass will devalue their brand in the long run.
 

Mmnow

Member
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.
Wow, this is an aggressive comment. Take a deep breath, it'll be better for your health.

Here's a list of games available to play without a controller and console today:


Pretty sure there's a few missing, but the point is, that list will grow. And for people who don't want to own a console or who don't want to buy a controller, that's there. Do you not think there's a subset of gamers who play Android games without a controller? And do you not think there will be some that will eventually have something they want to play on xCloud?

Options are never a bad thing.
 
Top Bottom