cragis0001

That's if Microsoft hasn't spooked 3rd party devs into questioning there commitment to support there next gen console with there current strategy. As was hoping they'd push harder to cut the absence of certain 3rd party games. But lately I just need reassurance. Who were on board don't abandon ship next gen.
Microsoft badly need to advertise there products. Aggressive pricing. But again it's all for nothing if consumers & publishers abandon ship.

@NEStalgia the problem is Microsoft just don't have a clue how to make a consumer product a success. They never have. Unfortunately Xbox is just another example. Even though it has been there best attempt to date.

@NEStalgia it's funny as 20% marketshare with three players is now Xbox in Europe & it will likely drop. I remember when Sataya Nadella said as long as there is demand from fans they will support Windows Mobile 10 & bring new hardware then 6 month later they pulled the plug. I worked in a hotel in Aberdeen. The oil capital of Europe & business folk there were pissed. When I hear Phil Spencer say we will continue with Xbox hardware. I say for how long? Once Microsoft shifted there mobile software to IOS & Android it was GAME OVER. & it looks like its gonna be the same with Xbox hardware when they do the same with first party software to PlayStation & Nintendo. That's why I'm still sceptical with there current plans as it's deja vu it's scary. It's typical Nadella. Obviously the outcome is slightly different as they'll continue being third party publisher across multiple platforms, Cloud provider & have Games Pass maybe.
Microsoft being late to the party hurt more in the US than Europe who supported it more due to the Nokia brand & acquisition. IPhone was still far to expensive for the average punter till the cheaper models. What I think killed Windows Phone was 8 required a licence fee from mobile vendors. That killed it from the get go & by the time they dropped it. It was to late.

@NEStalgia that's not entirely true to be fair. As in some parts of Europe Windows Phone wasn't far behind Apples IPhone. UK at its height had 12% marketshare. Italy had 16%. In 24 countries it was ahead of IPhone which included Finland, Poland, the Czech Republic, India, Mexico and South Africa.
Microsoft killed it because it was a failure in the US. The sad part about it was once they announced they were killing the platform. The EU started crack down on both Apple & Googles for anticompetitive practices.

@TheGameThrifter killing Windows Phone was CEO Sataya Nadella's grand plan. For which he said recently regretting killing it to early & now he is doing the same with Xbox.

@MrMagic if the PSP Go had been successful. Sony would have released a digital console & disk one like today. If anything it's failure is why we only see a diskless console now with the PS5. The online pass wouldn't have killed the 2nd hand market but would be stop gap to something that gradually would. Microsoft's mistake was to try & kill the 2nd hand market in one swoop.

@MrMagic again Sony released the PSP Go years before the digital Xbox One & now has the PS5 digital. Sony wanted to charge second hand gamers a fee to play there first party games online like EA with there online pass back in 2010 but abandoned the idea. Again the idea was before the Xbox One release.

@MrMagic you sure about that 😂😂. The PSP Go was to get rid off expensive storage cartridges. If it was successful we would have definitely seen a digital PlayStation years before Xbox. Cloud is still a pivotal part of Sony's plan & runs 4k on PlayStations network. It will one day make a console a thing of the past for some. If releasing Xbox games on PC is helping kill Xbox hardware. What's gonna happen when the whole PlayStation catalogue is there also. If it's more profitable to kill hardware Sony will do it.

@MrMagic everything you accuse Microsoft of doing Sony has or is doing as well. Sony started cloud gaming & subscription with PlayStation Now. Sony had the digital only PSP well before Microsoft released there digital Xbox One. Playstation is bringing there games to other platforms. PC, Mobile, Cloud being the main with the odd Xbox release by Bungie.

@Fiendish-Beaver no they can't catch Sony at there own game. But I think Microsofts new strategy is to take some of the burden off there shoulders & allow others to invest in the eco system. That's what the EU's Digital Market Act will allow when Xbox goes all digital as Microsoft is already on the Gatekeeper list.

@MrMagic of course Microsoft see the benefits as there using the new law to open Xbox stores on IOS & Android in the future. But will it hurt Sony?. As they'll be aware of the Digital Market Act & could already be planning something similar as PlayStation management will be aware that they'll eventually have to go digital only at some point. I Don't see how it's Microsoft's fault gaming is going digital only when mobile gaming is the most profitable & PC gaming has been digital for easily a decade. Music & TV/movies are mostly digital these days. It was only a matter of time before console gaming followed.
Consoles have to move with the times as they have evolved over the years. So this is no different.

@MrMagic its not. This is Microsoft preparing for a digital only future where the market just got heavily regulated in the EU. with named gatekeepers. Which Microsoft is on the list for Windows. Have to open there eco systems to the terms of the Digital Markets Act. So this has nothing to do with Sony.

As much as I like the idea of more choice this is again Microsoft trying to look like the good guy when there gonna be forced to open up. Xbox is soon to be digital only eco system. This then opens Xbox to the scrutiny of the EU's Digital Market Act which Microsoft is on the list of Gatekeepers.

@ChopstickPhilly it's the smaller devs that will jump ship first. The only saving grace for Xbox is that the bigger publishers can't afford to ignore Xbox. But if the decline continues that could change.

Xbox needs a better PR team who knows worldwide consumers not just focus on US ones. They also need to advertise there products.

@ShadowofTwilight to be fair the FFXIV Coins is just another form of payment. There is nothing stopping you paying Square Enix directly like I do as an existing customer.
But the advantage is if I want friends to play I can gift coins to them. Or if I get a xbox gift card as a reward from work or birthday/Christmas I could buy stuff I wouldn't buy with cash.

@NEStalgia you can't buy crysta's or the sub via PlayStation store. That may change in the future. But then the PlayStation doesn't have a Web browser either. But I think your correct about the coins making Game Pass a valid reason for play on Xbox. As after the starter park we may see coins on discount or free.
I'm in the existing camp so depending on cost I'll stick with paying direct to Square Enix. It's a good game. I highly recommend it.

@NEStalgia if you play on multiple platforms you need the Square Enix sub. If its just Xbox you need to redeem FFXIV Coins.

But it does mention Xbox application a lot on the FFXIV website so bet it's like Minecraft, Roblox & Fortnite & can cut out Microsoft if you buy direct.

@JonBoyJ It says you don't need to pay Square Enix to play the Xbox version. You need to buy FFXIV Coins & redeem them instead of the sub. Bet thats why you need Games Pass.

To little, to late I'm afraid. Like hiring a former PlayStation talent in Japan. Microsoft should have done this years ago.
As it won't be for Xbox hardware as it will probably gone by the time these deals see the benefits. So must be for its 3rd party push.

@GhanaViking you'd hope it would go on sale as its a 6 year old game. But I'm not sure I agree. As if there pushing the base game price up on Xbox to match the PS5 version. I could see them doing the same with sale prices also. So 60% sale prices could be a thing of the past till it's been on PS5 for at least over a year.

So due to the PS5 version the base version is going up from £34.99 to £39.99. So it's no longer cheaper on Xbox either 😂😂.

@LX_FENIX I don't know. It is a Japanese Studio who is willing to be purchased & Phil did say they want to expand in the region. So could happen.

It's not Xbox exclusive as its on the PlayStation network now as well.

@EvilSilentFrame exactly. There are to many questions not answered. As Microsoft's silence on the matter is also making me question if they are fully independent. Or is it a deal arranged like what Sony did with Bungie. As usually when a team leaves you get a statement from the parent company thanking them for years of service & wish them well for the future like they did Bungie. I could be wrong. But it could also to get the FTC off there back as letting a team go looks better than closing them like Sony did to London Studio.

I wonder if this is in response to Disney investing in Epic Games. Why invest future resources on the Star Wars IP when you know you'll loose it when your current deal expires.

@NoLifeDGenerate If Microsoft is made to allow developers/publishers to collect & share the same data they "might" not need you to sign up with every game.

@NoLifeDGenerate I'm sure there is nothing stopping you just using the Xbox store with only your Xbox login when they go all digital. I don't think it will be as bad as you make it out to be as one of the rules in the MDA is that Microsoft would have to share there data with publishers when requested. Some publishers require you to register before play already. But having choice will push down the price of digital games also.

@gollumb82 if Xbox goes all digital. Sony could take advantage of the same EU rules on walled eco systems that Microsoft is using to get an Xbox store on Android & IOS.

@HonestHick I think they'd rather physical disappeared. as if gaming went fully digital then they can use the new EU rules on walled eco systems to get everywhere. I think that's why there slowly releasing games on PlayStation & Nintendo hardware now.

Sea of Thieves has just been announced for PS5 in April

No news on if you can preload it before Wednesday? Typical Square Enix communication.

I bet Sony will be monitoring sales with great interest also.

@TheLastHarbinger exactly. I guess we will find out later today.

I get the whole every screen is an Xbox & I think that's great 👍.
But I need reassurance that my Xbox won't be left behind when the expansion begins.
1) I need Microsoft to confirm its Games Pass plans on Xbox hardware
2) 3rd party support plans. Will they continue to push for better support in all regions. Will they expand also to new upcoming regions.

@Banjo- EG? Haha a long time ago. My wife & kids, have slowly distroyed my longterm memory through lack of sleep so you'll need to help me.

@Savage_Joe well Microsoft screwed up there vision for ARM. Not surprising. As they were designing a modern OS that stripped the legacy software called Windows 10X & it was meant to be used for there flagship Surface device the Surface Neo but got scrapped & instead focused on Android on the Surface Duo & Windows 11.

@MrN0vmbr yeah the new Snapdragon X elite chip is meant to be on par with Apples M1 processor.

@Banjo- I agree 👍.

@Banjo- I agree. I've had several Surface products & also said when these rumours started that Microsoft could make a range of products like the Surface brand so make sense. My only issue with the Surface team is they mostly deal soley with Intel. So would make sense why AMD hasn't heard from Microsoft.

@Phantasystar77I'm not denying that Destiny was made to be everywhere but Sony could have pulled an Apple & made parts exclusive etc. As for MLB. Sony could have dropped the franchise if they didn't want there developer working on an Xbox version. But they didn't as it doesn't make business sense. Heck I bet Sony looked at how much Bungie & MLB were making as one key argument to base there current strategy of expanding to PC, Cloud & Mobile.

Is Microsoft in trouble. Yes. Even if the rumour is untrue the damage has been done. If it is true? It depends on how quickly it's implimented & what the plan is. As if you spook both players & devs all the hard work over the years that Spencer's done rebuilding the Xbox brand after the Xbox One launch as well as fixing rifts & securing new partnerships with Japanese publishers will be for nothing.

But if you look at Xbox's top played games there all multiplats. EA Soccer, Fortnite, Roblox & COD & Minecraft which are Xbox owned & all on PS5 so if marketed well Xbox console still could be a viable product to the consumer.

I think it's more the CEO Sataya Nadella & the shareholders pushing this than Phil Spencer. I think what happening is the future as consoles will slowly die out. But I think there pushing it to quickly which is a very Microsoft thing to do. But we will know better next week.

@InterceptorAlpha OK I'm wrong that it's only fanboys. But the sales numbers speak for themselves. Look at the Insomniac leak. PS2 Sony titles averaging 4 million copies sold but over 100 million consoles sold. Playstation had 123 million active users in December 2023 but there most popular title Horizon: Zero Dawn sold 28 million copies & that includes PC also. Nintendo seems to buck the trend as they just announced that Switch has sold 138 million units with the latest Mario game just selling 11 million units. But Mario Kart 8 has over 60 million units.
So it looks like outside of a Nintendo console if exclusives were as important as we are lead to believe there numbers of units sold would be higher? But there not on Xbox & PlayStation.

Look at the current top played games on Xbox there all multiplats. Minecraft & COD being two of them. Both are owned by Microsoft & are on PS5. As long as Xbox provides a choice to the consumer & top games still hit the platform it's still viable choice to the average gamer.

Looking at the data lately the whole "people buy there specific console for exclusives is false". Fanboys buy consoles for there exclusives but they make such a small part of each eco systems numbers.

The Insomniac leak hinted that Spiderman 3 will launch on PC day & date. Some insiders have reported that Wolverine could be on PC day & date next year. Untill Dawn remake will be on PC day & date later this year.

@Phantasystar77 Sony CEO also hinted there gonna follow Microsoft down the third party route. There first party games have started to come on PC day & date with Helldivers 2. Cloud & Mobile are also next. Xbox also gets continued Destiny 2 support, MLB 2024 later this year & Marathon possibly next year.

@Phantasystar77 if Sea of Thieves goes third party then it's no different than Minecraft & COD to be fair. We haven't had much evidence other than insiders saying its coming though. As for Hi Fi Rush. It's like Ori & other smaller 2nd party titles that have been allowed to release outside of Xbox. It's nothing new as look at No Man Sky. It was published by Sony.

Microsofts strategy seems to be working with 200 million active users compared to PlayStation's last update in December 2023 of 123 million active users. The Xbox console is but a drop in that pool.
I don't see Xbox hardware going away anytime soon & with Sony CEO hinting that they'll be following a similar strategy in the future. Exciting times.

@Mephisto2869 heard the news that Microsoft helped create Shapeshifter Games. Inxile arranged a meeting after Embracer shut down Volition & are now helping with Clockwork Revolution. Arkane Lyon are also looking at also helping ABK & other staff recently payed off as they have seven job vacancies.

One YouTuber is now claiming that Microsoft helped fund the Studio creation after a meeting was set up by Inxile entertainment & there working on Clockwork Revolution. I said this could happen but got its illegal in the UK 😅😅😅

@Mephisto2869 I noticed your comment got deleted. But I Still don't understand how it's illegal in the UK for a group of people who get made redundant. Can't come up with a business plan, get funding & create a new studio 🤔.