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MakeUseOf: 4 Reasons Why 2023 Will Be the Year of the Xbox Series X|S

Banjo64

cumsessed
MS games have online, modding , and lot more to do than Spider-Man and legend of Zelda. You can finish Sony and Nintendo games in a couple weeks and nothing else to keep you coming back.

I straight up disagree with a lot of what you said, however this is so true. Now please excuse me whilst I go and spend hundreds of hours with friends blowing down buildings in Crackdown 3. Breath of the Wild in the bin.
 

FunkMiller

Member
proven innocent madeline scott GIF by Fox TV
 

Bernardougf

Gold Member
The search for the definition of crazy is easily obtained in this forum (or any other media) that covers how and when it will be Xbox year
 
Starfield will probably see one more delay I’d imagine. 2020-2023 thus far hasn’t been kind to Microsoft as far as bangers go. And it’s 100% on the leadership at Xbox. Changes need to be made.
 

Fredrik

Member
Maybe, but Sony and MS strategies seem very different to me. From what I can tell Sony primarily wants to sell systems while MS primarily wants to sell subscriptions.

What MS need is more GamePass content to grow subscribers. I don’t think having marketing rights for Hogwarts would necessarily mean large GamePass growth, what they would’ve needed is to have Hogwarts on GamePass.
Yeah but imagine if they had used some of the 70B they planned to use for Activision for Hogwarts on Gamepass instead. Enough money and it could’ve happened.
 

Robb

Gold Member
Yeah but imagine if they had used some of the 70B they planned to use for Activision for Hogwarts on Gamepass instead. Enough money and it could’ve happened.
Definitely, although I think the main point with the ActiBlizz deal is to not have to remove popular content on the service more than anything else. Same reason Netflix is buying and making a ton of shows/movies in order to not have to license stuff from others going forward.

Sony is definitely very smart with their marketing though. I’ve talked to lots of casual people who’ve thought Hogwarts was a Sony exclusive just due to the ads only mentioning Sony in most places. I’d imagine one of the main reasons Sony don’t want MS to purchase COD is that the franchise will become synonymous with Xbox in the advertising going forward.
 
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SF Kosmo

Al Jazeera Special Reporter
I'm always happy when all the systems do well.

I got my wife and daughter an Xbox for the living room and they have barely touched the PS4 and Switch since, mostly because Game Pass makes it so easy to explore and find their next addiction.

For someone like me who knows the gaming landscape and gets hyped for AAA games I still play my PS5 and PC mostly but I think MS is doing a much better job this round.

The first party lineup was painfully thin last year, but this year looks on track to redeem it, and Hi-Fi Rush is an amazing start.
 

recma12

Member

2. The Global Cost-of-Living Crisis Makes Xbox More Attractive​


Can only really address this point but the crisis has started during the pandemic and has gotten worse since Russias invasion.
Recent numbers (Germany) actually show that prices on necessities are actually dropping. So it is safe to assume that the worst part is behind us (for now).
In the EU Sony increased the PS5 prices for consoles to 550€ last year, at the peak of the crisis, and they charge 10€ more for AAA games. Result: PS5 still wiped the floor with Xbox consoles.

Nobody will combat the cost of living crisis by choosing a 299€ XSS over a 449€ PS5DE. If times are that tough, people will rather play on their PS4 for a while longer. There are other spending areas (housing, vacations, car, events, food) where people can make massive savings.
Gaming and home entertainment in general usually perform well during recessions because a buying a game console will give you years of cheap in home entertainment compared to going to the movies or going on a long vacation abroad.
Article forgets to mention that "used PS5s" will be hitting the streets soon for reasonable prices, now that stores are stocked.
 
And Sony's games are PlayStation centric games. Steam is the largest PC gaming platform in the world, so it's a perfectly valid comparison. And Halo Infinite doesn't "top the charts". Not on Xbox, not on Steam, not anywhere.
Check the most played games on Xbox and you will see Halo infinite. Also, Halo still beats biggest Sony games on steam. If we included windows store on pc it will be a slaughter.
 

3liteDragon

Member
Sony only has Spider-Man 2 this year from first party.
While one more non-VR game from them would’ve been nice, Spider-Man 2 alone’s a fucking juggernaut that dwarves all the games you just mentioned. That one game’s gonna move a shit ton of units during the holidays.
 
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recma12

Member
Check the most played games on Xbox and you will see Halo infinite. Also, Halo still beats biggest Sony games on steam. If we included windows store on pc it will be a slaughter.

I can see it, but it's #37 on my local Xbox site (EU) on the Most Played list. Not really great for Xbox's prime media IP that is also f2p.

Really don't think you should compare Steam numbers for Halo (released on Steam same day as Xbox) to Uncharted, GoW or Horizon (released a year or two after the PS version launched).
 

Felessan

Member
Maybe, but Sony and MS strategies seem very different to me. From what I can tell Sony primarily wants to sell systems while MS primarily wants to sell subscriptions.
What MS need is more GamePass content to grow subscribers. I don’t think having marketing rights for Hogwarts would necessarily mean large GamePass growth, what they would’ve needed is to have Hogwarts on GamePass.
The problem MS has is that currently Xbox their only reliable way to steasily increase auditory for GP. And slow xbox sales affects directly GP expansion.
PC market is rather small for classic standalone games, to expand heavily in the PC space MS needs to compete with F2P games, that is difficult given price and value proposition.
Mobile market is even worse - it's huge, but occupied by F2P games almost entirely and there is currently a little hope to challenge them. It's actually becoming worse as high profile mobile games like Genshin Impact come into play.
There are some hope with xCloud, but it still in infant state and has a long way to go as a reliable source of new subscriptions.
 
Halo infinite is still popular on Xbox and won goty awards. Despite the lack of “content” release last year. In fact, I don’t think there is a Sony game that stays popular past the first couple months.

Pretty much all one and done games from Sony.

Which is why Sony is now investing into GAAS which is smart.
Halo infinite was a failure and never was popular, it was out of the top 10 games played on xbox in under a year and died even faster on Steam/PC. It didn't win any goty awards from relevant websites which doesnt mean nothing in the first place.
 
Halo infinite was a failure and never was popular, it was out of the top 10 games played on xbox in under a year and died even faster on Steam/PC. It didn't win any goty awards from relevant websites which doesnt mean nothing in the first place.
Halo Infinite won game of the year awards from game informer which is a big publication and 26 other publications.
Source: https://www.gameawards.net/

Halo infinite is still in top 20 even with lack of content releases. All it will take is one good season to bring in more players. We have seen it time and time again for GAAS.

Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/most-played/games/xbox
https://newzoo.com/insights/rankings/top-xbox-games-series-s-x-global
 
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I can see it, but it's #37 on my local Xbox site (EU) on the Most Played list. Not really great for Xbox's prime media IP that is also f2p.

Really don't think you should compare Steam numbers for Halo (released on Steam same day as Xbox) to Uncharted, GoW or Horizon (released a year or two after the PS version launched).
Please see my previous post. Halo infinite still top 20 from two different sources.
 

BbMajor7th

Member
Xbox will be delivering the first party next gen exclusives this year, obviously they are going to have a great year. I'm expecting another publisher of the year award, probably even exceeding 2021, great start with HiFi Rush.
It probably shouldn't need pointing out, but it's not a great look when the pinnacle of your achievements as a platform holder is winning a publisher of the year award from a media aggregate site.
 

Gavon West

Spread's Cheeks for Intrusive Ads
Cost of living being bad is about all that sounds true to me, and it wouldn't push people to xbox. It would push people to either just buy the best games or stop buying anything gaming related. People won't do more spur of the moment purchases or getting a whole new console.
You're nuts!

A cheap console like the Series S and Gamepass for content: you don't believe that will matter with the economy the way it is?? It absolutely will.. People are looking to save a buck any way they can these days.
 

BlackTron

Member
2021 was a great year for Xbox.

It wasn't THAT great. The fact that they released games at all made it seem like the second coming. On Xbox's "great" year they had a Halo pushed from 2020 that everyone played for free until they got bored. Between Forza, Flight Sim, Psychonauts 2, Sony's hardware shortage and Gamepass, they managed to scrape together a year that they didn't actively suck balls. Doing great.

I'm not trying to say this in a "Sony is better" way, just a "MS get your house in order already FFS please" way.
 
You're nuts!

A cheap console like the Series S and Gamepass for content: you don't believe that will matter with the economy the way it is?? It absolutely will.. People are looking to save a buck any way they can these days.
If people are that hard up, they’re not going to put up the money for hardware they don’t already own. That was my point.
 

Riky

$MSFT
In what manner? Forum arguments? Accolades are nice - for one-off products they can even help shift units - but for a publisher? It's nice to get affirmation of success from a third party, but it doesn't pay the bills.

In the manner of supplying your customers with a series of top quality games.
 
Some of the Kats literally act like Xbox physically hurt them whenever a positive Xbox thread pops up. Just bizarre...

You're not necessarily wrong but, what's even more bizarre is you popping up in most threads about MS trying to defend their "honour", you see, it works both ways friend, double standards are not a good thing.

People just have their opinions, just like you have yours and are entitled to it, simple as, it's not like there's an "agenda" every time something negative is posted (or mentioned)

I'm not trying to have a dig at you, it's just that this whole "they're being mean to XbawKs and papa Phill" shtick that some users exhibit is also getting long in the tooth.

Cheers
 

BbMajor7th

Member
In the manner of supplying your customers with a series of top quality games.
All platforms are doing that - MS got a slightly high review aggregate in one particular year and a fairly unremarkable award for it. Meanwhile, even Phil Spencer has admitted every year since about 2015 that they haven't been supplying a series of top-quality games and have repeatedly promised to do better. Getting an award isn't the same as meeting customer needs, it's just an empty accolade.
 

Riky

$MSFT
All platforms are doing that - MS got a slightly high review aggregate in one particular year and a fairly unremarkable award for it. Meanwhile, even Phil Spencer has admitted every year since about 2015 that they haven't been supplying a series of top-quality games and have repeatedly promised to do better. Getting an award isn't the same as meeting customer needs, it's just an empty accolade.
In your opinion, I'd say the whole reason we are here is to get high quality content, if a raft of third party reviewers came to the conclusion independently then that's a pretty solid indication you've done something right. My point was I expect this year to be even better than the best year in history.
 
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Jigsaah

Gold Member
I dunno about "dominate" but I think Xbox will have a good year. Starfield and Redfall alone are very intriguing to me. If Forza comes out at the end of the year that would just be bonus.

They need t o just make sure they don't raise the price of Gamepass and that would be a solid win in my book.

I don't actually know about anything new Sony is bringing this year, maybe you guys can enlighten me. I been enjoying Returnal on PC, though. 4090 eatin this game for lunch.

Nintendo is looking strong now that we've seen more about the new Zelda. I think it'll be an all around good year for gaming really.
 
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Gavon West

Spread's Cheeks for Intrusive Ads
You're not necessarily wrong but, what's even more bizarre is you popping up in most threads about MS trying to defend their "honour", you see, it works both ways friend, double standards are not a good thing.

People just have their opinions, just like you have yours and are entitled to it, simple as, it's not like there's an "agenda" every time something negative is posted (or mentioned)

I'm not trying to have a dig at you, it's just that this whole "they're being mean to XbawKs and papa Phill" shtick that some users exhibit is also getting long in the tooth.

Cheers
Only, I'm not trying to defend anyone's honor. It's not that serious for me but, when there are inaccuracies, I'll typically comment with the facts that I've come across to retort. Video games are cool but, they are no where near the toxicity they bring about.

And still, what I said is still quite accurate. Objectively so. You're free to test that theory at this very moment if you wish. Post something positive about Xbox and simply observe the negativity they bring about. It's not even fascinating anymore. It's more like, water is wet. Agree or disagree, I can assure you, you will notice the same. Period. It is what it is though...

To add: I find it interesting that because "my opinion" usually doesn't line up with the comments found on GaF, I'm "defending Microsofts honor" and "I'm long in the tooth." But the rhetoric from everyone else is "just their opinion".

Just "Mask off" bro. It's cool. I care not either way. No offense. Stay lit!
 
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It didn't win any goty awards from relevant websites which doesnt mean nothing in the first place.

It won GOTY on Neogaf apparently.

It wasn't THAT great. The fact that they released games at all made it seem like the second coming. On Xbox's "great" year they had a Halo pushed from 2020 that everyone played for free until they got bored. Between Forza, Flight Sim, Psychonauts 2, Sony's hardware shortage and Gamepass, they managed to scrape together a year that they didn't actively suck balls. Doing great.

I'm not trying to say this in a "Sony is better" way, just a "MS get your house in order already FFS please" way.

What they had in 2021 was negated by having zero in 2022 and we are seeing the results of that combined with lack of X production improving in recent sales threads.

If anything, the damage they took for 2022 is small and they were fortunate that they didn't take a bigger hit. 2023 has to be much better than 2021 to get back on track.
 
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