
The Xbox team is notorious for using some inventive ways to market the brand. Just look at yesterday's All-4-One music video to promote Xbox All Access! We're truly living in strange times, and this promotion for cloud gaming on Xbox Game Pass using a PlayStation controller and a Nickelback song is one of best examples yet.
The official Twitter account posted an image of Sea of Thieves not only being played on a tablet through Xbox Cloud Gaming, but also being controlled by a PlayStation 4 controller of all things. To top it all off, they even riffed off of Nickelback's classic song Photography for extra effect. Bravo.
Just when you think Xbox might be running out of ways to appeal to new users, the team manages to pull it out of the bag with another unique (and humorous) campaign. Are thousands of PlayStation players likely to jump on the service after this? Probably not. But still, it's always worth a shot and you have to commend the creativity.
What are your thoughts on the Xbox team's marketing efforts? Let us know what you think of them below.
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Comments (35)
no not nickelback whyyy
They make it sound like they don't care about rivalry, but infact all they are doing are trying to get more users and targeting playstations fan base by letting people know you don't need an xbox Controller and can use a ps4 controller as they know there's over 100 million people with a dualshock 4.
Also do they need sonys permission to use this in marketing their own service/product?
@UltimateOtaku91 I think they only need sony permission to use trademarks or PS logo. I don't think they need permission to show the controller.
Amazing song, but it’s called Photograph, not Photography.
LOOKIT DIS GRAPH
of Game Pass subs vs PS Now subs 🥴
Nickelback...... That's it, I'm switching to Stadia.
Advertising like this show that Microsoft/Xbox are into the rivalry with Sony/PlayStation...
Which makes the Xbox execs statements about Sony not being their competition...all the more ridiculous.
And let's face facts, as long as Microsoft spends money making console hardware, Sony & PlayStation will always be their competition...
(If/when Microsoft stops making consoles, then & only then, will Sony PlayStation stop being their competition)
@uptownsoul it’s not about that. Look the idea of xCloud is you don’t need to purchase anything you don’t already own. The idea of the ad is saying you don’t need anything Xbox related just a device and a controller.
I know it probably doesn’t land as much when you own multiple devices but the idea is really trying to appeal to people in a budget. And honestly looking at some of the comments at our sister site Push; it’s working. The idea is to lower the entry point.
Look in simple terms it’s saying own a PlayStation but sub to Gamepass no extra purchases needed. So no it’s not about competition.
@mousieone I can see niche appeal for xCloud in the tablet/cellphone/smart app gaming community.
But most of that community likes free access to their games (Fortnite, Apex, etc.) And with free games not going anywhere & even multiplying in numbers, not many will want to pay a monthly fee just to get access & still have to pay for microtransactions on top of that.
@uptownsoul the thing is you are thinking about this from long term perspective. Shorten the duration, imagine someone can’t find a next gen console. Okay? A monthly sub gives that person the ability to try it. And since they’ve seen the controller that they own; no extra fee to try it out. Easy peasy, cheap trial.
It’s an ad to try it out. Not whether someone will stick with it or not..
@mousieone xCloud has no actual consumer base. For the most part, it's going to end up being a perk for existing Game Pass subscribers.
The cellphone/tablet gamers won't pay for access when they have more free games than they can count...And the PC/console gamer won't want to deal with the lag & latency that comes with streaming.
Even the example you gave... If someone can't find a next gen console, they'll just continue playing on current gen (b/c 99.9% of upcoming games have a PS4/XB1 version)
@uptownsoul like I’ve said I’ve already read comments to the contrary about people wanting to give it a shot since it’s so inexpensive. Again, I think this is for short term attraction not long running user bases. Big difference but anyway
Yup, I'm using my DualSense on xCloud and it works like a charm.
It’s funny seeing the war of words in the Twitter replies. People there seem to have no idea how marketing works.
Xbox is appealing to gamers. There are millions of gamers that only have a PS4. Those gamers are a target audience for Microsoft as they have tablets/phones and a PS4 controller. Those gamers might think, “oh, I can sub for a few months and play the Halo Collection that I’ve wanted to play for years but haven’t had access to.” Microsoft then gets their money.
That’s how marketing works.
Brilliant! Xbox social media on fire as always lately.
It's the best way to play, glad they recognize that too!
@uptownsoul I don't really understand why you're comparing Game Pass/xCloud to F2P games. It doesn't make sense. What makes sense is comparing Game Pass/xCloud to consoles and PC. When someone is considering buying a next-gen system, it's going to cost at least €500 and €80 per game. Not to mention that you have to even find a system to begin with. On the other hand, they can just subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate for €15 per month and use previous controllers such as a DualShock 4 that they probably already own since PS4 was the best-selling system last generation and play on their web browser without having to keep searching for current-gen systems. Even people who aren't into console gaming is going to find Game Pass/xCloud appealing due to its low price point compared to consoles. Microsoft is tapping into both the hardcore and casual audiences and this strategy is going to work because Game Pass is literally the cheapest and most accessible option for anyone who just wants to play video games.
Hot take: Old Nickleback was good.
@Carck Misery loves company. They want every one to be stuck in the tribalistic fanboy wars, just like them.
@Kienda I love seeing people on Pushsquare go "I'm never buying an xbox. I'll just get the game and/or gamepass on PC/tablet/phone"
Dude, that's the point.
@mousieone Like I've already said: a niche group, represented by the commenters you refer to, will always try something new out (just like a niche group of streamers tried out Mixer)...
But by and large, outside of those interested in xCloud as an additional perk of Game Pass, xCloud won't mean anything to gamers without a PC or Xbox.
@Richnj
This. Love to watch extremists punctuate their idiocy publicly.
It's kinda the same with those people, who come here and state MS was lying, when they said they wouldn't directly compete with Sony any longer. These people still don't understand that it is the ecosystem MS is selling, and everything around it is merely an access point to said ecosystem.
Showing that you can play on it with a Sony controller (or potentially any controller really), has got nothing to do with direct competition or rivalry. In that case you would have to say, that MS is competing with Samsung, Huawei, Apple etc. in the gaming sector, because you can use the hardware of these companies to play on the Xbox platform. Sony fanatics, of course, don't do that, because it's evidently nonsense. However, they seem to lose any left-over shred of cogitation, when it comes to defending Sony, ... or rather the decision they've made to purchase a PlayStation.
"Because I bought XYZ, everything else HAS TO BE *****, and cannot be allowed to be good in the future. Otherweise I would have to challenge my buying decision ... And ... OH LAWD, ... what would the group think of me? ... I so desperately want to be part of the group!!! Because it's much easier and much more fun to distribute responsibility ... and maybe group-kick-down on minorities or some weak!"
This kind of madness exists on every side, but Sony fanatics go out of their way to really put it on display. Some call this tribalism. I would call it much worse ...
@UltimateOtaku91
Yep. It's 100% this.
They've probably seen the discontent from PlayStation fans recently and want to get them into the Cloud Gaming aspect at least to try it out considering it's $1/ÂŁ1 for 3 months for new subscribers currently.
@LtSarge I get why you don't understand my xCloud vs F2P comparison. You're still looking at the complete package of Game Pass (and xCloud as a perk/feature of the that complete package).
But the complete package of Game Pass is irrelevant to gamers who don't have a PC or Xbox... (xCloud is the only thing that could apply to those gamers).
As far as the PS4 owner, who has the PS4 controller: 1. The significant quality drop (native gaming to streaming) will push away the overwhelming majority of PS4 gamers alone...Plus 2. All the games coming out are cross-gen anyways, so they can play them on the PS4 & avoid quality reduction of streaming
As far as mobile/tablet gamers: They have more free games than they can count...So why would they pay a monthly fee for access to these games?
@uptownsoul
Just so you know, I played Halo 2 (Master Chief Collection) yesterday on my laptop on xCloud and it worked great (some slowdowns here and there) and it looked great (XSX architecture really makes a difference). Streaming is the future and it already works great. Sidenote: I was able to play Halo 2 within 15-20 seconds as opposed to downloading and installing 150 GB of the entire Master Chief Collection. Great stuff. I say this as someone who used to hate the idea of streaming games, as well.
@gollumb82 thanks for your anecdote. But like I said, by and large xCloud's appeal will be to existing Game Pass subscribers...There's little appeal outside of that
@uptownsoul
Right, because that's the point of Game Pass. I myself was wondering if I should buy a console or just stick to playing on a laptop via xCloud, but in the end I bought a Series S just because I want BC compatible games on Xbox as well.
@gollumb82 You also own a PS5, dont you? (I only ask b/c comment #13 you said you were using your DualSense controller)
@gollumb82 exactly the boat I'm in. I've thought about getting an Xbox to complement my other systems but Xcloud has made it by and large unnecessary. Subscribe for a few months here and there to play some exclusives and a couple third parties I don't wanna have to buy without having to fork out hundreds for a system. It's brilliant by MS in my opinion.
@uptownsoul
Yup, I do.
@redd214
It is, but I ended up getting a Series S anyway because of backwards compatibility. My old gaming laptop died on me and I like to play some X360/PS3 era games
@gollumb82 Awesome, hope youre enjoying it! Barely enough time to keep up with the last 2 gens so back compat isn't a deal breaker for us. Though I can see why it's important to many and no one is doing that better than MS at the moment.
@redd214
Thanks! It's a nice little console. I bought Series X at launch but sold it to buy a PS5 in April. Thought I could do with just PS5, but MS have really made Xbox appeal to me this gen It's a great change compared with previous gen. I have to say, though, that I can totally see why some people could just stick with xCloud. It really works great now.
@uptownsoul I disagree completely and think you are being very narrow minded. In my experience; people will try anything for 1.00 or less. That’s the point. It’s about trying the service not how long they stay with it.
You keep taking playerbases and niche groups but neither one of these matter if someone is only “trying something”. Look think about it like test driving a car not buying it MS’s own xCloud sub data supports people are “trying out” xCloud.
“Use case” is a different scenario but as long and you keep internalizing how you think the service will be used; you are limiting your thinking. Either way I think our discussion is done.
@gollumb82 totally agree, they really have turned things around for the better! Definitely much more likely to recommend an Xbox this time around vs last generation, they're in a really great postion!
@Richnj yeah, they fail to see that Xbox Game Pass on PC/Tablet literally is “XBox”.
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