Microsoft should exit the console business

Why does Microsoft, a software and services company, need a console business? The same question was asked when The Rock announced the original Xbox console in 2001, but the industry has changed a lot in 23 years, and it’s worth asking again.

[rlow1]

Their still a lot of life in the hardware. But their split strategy will make it tougher without some really killer software. There are some strong first party titles up and coming. But they need more to overcome the negatives of this generation and xbox1 generation.

[Cacabunga]

They did nothing but pollute the console gaming since the very first Xbox

[rlow1]

Well if you want to live your life in the negative and not see the positive that Xbox has brought to the industry. That’s on you.

[Gridknac]

Do you even know how ignorant that statement is? The first Xbox built the industry standard for what consoles do today. At the time everyone laughed at microsoft for putting a broad band only connection in the console. How many consoles do you remember hooking a phone line to (that worked worth a shit)? Broad band has been the standard ever since. The Xbox had a 8gb hdd built in on day one. In an era in which Sony and Nintendo were making you pay $50 for a 256MB memory card. Once again now an industry standard. Did you know the OG Xbox could output a 1080p HD signal, taking advantage of HD on its fringe beginnings. Now industry standard. Xbox Live set the industry standard for online gaming when it launched. Every console since the release of the orginal Xbox have traces of its features. In fact, in reality the exact opposite of your statement is true.

[Sitdown]

Please disconnect and go outside. No one should be this hurt by a gaming company unless they personally did something to you.

[Plague-Doctor27]

They popularized multiplayer on consoles (also paid internet which can be argued as a bad thing)

They were the first console with a hard drive, which was a huge innovation at the time

They were a huge supporter of early indies and helped titles like Braid receive mainstream exposure

They helped bring franchises like Fable, Gears, and Forza to market. Gears popularized the 3rd person cover system and neat mechanics like active reload. Forza Horizon is an excellent series with no real competitor that has the same gameplay/vision.

The early Xbox and Xbox 360 days had huge innovations. Things went south with the One but there was a reason they actually competed with Sony 15-20 years ago

There is definitely still value to Xbox staying in the hardware space

[Cacabunga]

Positive like what you mean??
Corrupting studios and desperately buying terrible licenses? Buying studios just for the sake of killing their creativity?? Or live gaming paywall?
Kinect? Tell us

[Michiel1989]

and you never stopped crying since you were born

[SPEAKxTHExTRUTH]

You sound like a sheep…

[Agent75]

Microsoft showcase games, then we wait years to play them.

[SimpleSlave]

This is coming from somebody that think that all corporations like Microsawft and Disney should be split up and capped at the knees but the first XBOX was goat, and the 360 was a good machine, albeit with too high of a failure rate.

So lets not get carried away here.

[PapaBop]

I'm no MS fan but really, if it wasn't for Microsoft and their push for online gaming, I doubt PSN would be what it is today.

[fr0sty]

Funny how y'all claim Xbox innovated by having broadband and a hard drive, yet PS2 was designed from the start to have a hard drive bay and an ethernet connection that could be added to it... it was already heading in that direction before Xbox was even a thought, it just didn't come bundled with it.

That isn't innovation, that is reaction.

The closest thing to an innovation Xbox can claim is Kinect, and we all know how that turned out.

[CrimsonWing69]

Xbox 360 set a standard for the industry, kid. Xbox One is where they went full r*tard.

[got_dam]

The first xbox was great. Halo, morrowind, KOTOR were all games we still talk about and they were not available on playstation. Xbox is shitting the bed non stop now, but it's objectively wrong, and just plain stupid, to say even the OG xbox had nothing to offer.

[Eonjay]

The thing is Xbox is part of the strategy. Or at least it was . You know this because the leaked court documents during the FTC case showed that even though they expect PC and streaming/mobile to grow GP massively by 2028, Xbox console was still the greatest slice that accounted for nearly more than the other two combined.

However, sreaming and PC growth haven't been good at all making console support absolutely necessary for the foreseeable future.

Perhaps in 10 years, if streaming ever takes off then they might ditch console. Also a lot of people forget that the rumors of Microsoft exiting the console space came from Phil Spencer himself.

[Christopher]

Xbox leaving hardware will just make Sony lazy.

[Ra3030]

"Xbox leaving hardware will just make Sony lazy"

That's a Xbox cry put out by the Microsoft Xbox PR team that only "Xbox" gamers cry about. Sony was in the console business 6\7yrs before Microsoft got in with Xbox and "Lazy" HAS NEVER BEEN used to describe what Sony has done with the PlayStation brand.
I agree 100% with those that say the gaming industry would be better off without Microsoft in it and I don't mean Microsoft out of the console space I mean Microsoft out of the gaming space.

[Knightofelemia]

Microsoft has grown lazy Sony has pumped out more first party exclusives on PS4 alone then what Microsoft has pumped out for XB1 and Series X alone. Microsoft has to buy up studios to get their games. They don't promote growth or entice their studios to do anything different. 343 is locked to Halo and the Coalition is locked to Gears of War. Who knows what Rare is doing now. Microsoft does have some new games but some of them don't have release dates and what's coming out is all they have.

[Christopher]

***That's a Xbox cry put out by the Microsoft Xbox PR team that only "Xbox" gamers cry about.***

That's just economics. If you don't have direct competition, then you are less prone to innovate and advance. Nintendo just isn't the same level of competition for high-end console hardware. We have the consoles we have now because Xbox and Sony have worked to one-up one another. We've also seen the advancements in VR/AR, motion controls, accessibility, online services, and more because of this competition.

***Microsoft has grown lazy Sony has pumped out more first party exclusives on PS4 alone then what Microsoft has pumped out for XB1 and Series X alone. ***

And look where that got us in 2024. Zero first-party games from Sony in the whole year. Yay?

[Cacabunga]

They will have Nintendo to compete against, and hopefully go back to the good old times.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

@Christopher,
"Xbox leaving hardware will just make Sony lazy."

I think we've sorta hit that point, I know they had supply issues and Covid, but this has been one of the least exciting generations I've experienced, plus the lack of games from these two isn't helping. And I think Sony's solution to Gamepass burned them more than it helped (they should have just done two tiers instead of three), they can't outspend Microsoft there, and everyone knows it. I still think Nintendo is better competition for them than Xbox. Strangely enough, I've never considered Sony lazy, especially with it's previous consoles, I think they've just made disappointing choices this gen.

[Obscure_Observer]

No. They shouldn´t and they won´t.

I´ll be getting mine day one to enjoy all of the Xbox franchises that I love.

I don´t care if Xbox end up in third, second or first as long I get to play the games I want on the console I want.

I want Halo, Gears, Fable, Forza Horizon/Motorsport, Everwild, State of Decay, Hellblade II, Flight Simulator, Killer Instinc, Project Mara, Clockwork Revolution, TESVI, Doom, The Evil Within, Diablo, Psychonauts and more!

I can´t wait!

[Hypertension140]

You shouldn't care if they go 3rd party as well, just keep enjoying the games you like on the console you like.

[__y2jb]

What a mediocre list of games.

[Lightning77]

Yet if those games were rumored you would've be happy to play them.

You'll be suddenly interested again if those games get rumored, that's how that works.

[Yui_Suzumiya]

Doom is mediocre? Blasphemer.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

I actually really love the Doom games, The Evil Within isn't bad either.

[Kornholic]

Many of those you listed are multiplatform titles. Doom is not an Xbox game, doesn't matter that MS bought Bethesda.

Xbox gamers demanded more games. Instead all they got was multiplatform titles that would have released on the platform regardless of the acquisition.

[Obscure_Observer]

"Many of those you listed are multiplatform titles. Doom is not an Xbox game, doesn't matter that MS bought Bethesda."

Sure thing dude. Following your logic, I think all Xbox and Nintendo fans should go over the internet screaming and making claims on how Spider-Man and Wolverine are multiplatform titles in hopes that Sony might bring those games for their consoles. /S

FYI, Insomniac´s Sunset Overdrive *born* on Xbox! and guess what? It´s *now* a PLAYSTATION game, genius.

Sunset Overdrive 2 (or even a remaster for the original) will never come to exist without Sony´s money!

Same thing applies to Destiny. In case Sony decides to make Destiny 3 exclusive to Playstation no gamer outside the Playstation ecosystem is gonna play it!

It´s time to let it go, dude.

You can deny reality all you want, but you most definitely can´t change it.

It is what it is.

Do what you do.

Do what you do.

[darthv72]

Just curious but, why does it matter if the games are multiplat? I play the same games as plenty of others but I know they may be on other platforms. I dont shit on someone elses choice because it differs from my own. That has to be the single most toxic element in this hobby and I have to ask why?

My guess as to why there is such animosity towards XB is because people hate MS... not actually the XB or its games. People need to get over that and come back to the main point of this hobby. Playing and enjoying games. So what if you play Doom on PS and Obscure plays it on XB... you two should be conversing on that instead of the platform each one uses.

Tribalism is toxic.

[Kornholic]

@Obscure_Observer

Doesn't it bother you to be wrong all the time?

[Obscure_Observer]

"Doesn't it bother you to be wrong all the time?"

No, it doesn´t. At least not when it´is the ignorant the ones passing judgement on me.

I´d put you in a corner and you just couldn´t counter my arguments because you know it´s true.

You want previous multiplatform games on Xbox to remain multiplatform and still... the same rules obviously doesn´t apply to your beloved console, right? RIGHT?

Such a hypocritical and childish stance. Smdh.

[Kornholic]

It's ridiculous that you have fallen for MS's slight of hand fooling you to think Doom and other multiplat titles are Xbox games, and even worse, "more" Xbox games. You were starving for new games yet you didn't get any new games. Those same games would have released on Xbox regardless. Why? Because they are multiplat titles.

MS created an illusion that you are now happily spreading as a positive narrative. Either you are an MS employee or you are a very delusional Xbox fanatic. Neither option looks good for you.

[shaenoide]

I can't understand why you are downvoted for just telling what YOU want and what YOU like.

[Mr_cheese]

It's the history and manner in which obscure preaches from his soap box, that's why he gets down voted.

Pure, festerfuelled fanboyism

[GamerRN]

Because N4G still heavily favors PlayStation

[Mr_cheese]

Maybe.

Me personally, I'm not bothered by people's console alliance provided they can have an open conversation that isn't defence, defence, defence

[shinoff2183]

That's how the board works for everyone

It also makes sense n4g heavily favors ps aside from some higher upside it's kinda ran by fans. Do you know how the site works(legit question)?

So being more ps s soldnin the world it makes sense there's more ps fans here.

[Lightning77]

It's because he's fanboying for the wrong console. Fanboyism is fine here as long as you're fanboying for PS. It'll even win you a PS5 slim in fact.

[Terry_B]

LOL

[notachance]

Lol people usually have favorite genres. Not obscure though, what he loved (or being paid to say) is the brand

[1Victor]

@obscured:”No. They shouldn´t “
Damn hell must be getting cold when I agree with a part of obscured comment but for a wholesome different reason I don’t want any company to totally dominate ALONE( like Xbox fanboys want Microsoft to do )the industry killing competition and creativity.
.

“I don´t care if Xbox end up in third, second or first as long I get to play the games I want on the console I want.”
I’m happy to see you’re progressing to the bargaining stage.
Stay strong don’t regress keep going I’m cheering for you and hopefully like my Sega fanboy friends we can have a normal conversation about games/ developers and not about companies politics.

[shinoff2183]

Competition is good for us all. Even if we all go back and forth all day and fking night. Competition helps keep gaming great.

[anast]

You do you Obscure.

[raiden_188]

I actually prefer my xbox over PS5 so i hope they will always continue making consoles.

[Sciurus_vulgaris]

If Microsoft exits, Sony will have only Nintendo as a competitor. It’s best that we have at least 3 companies competing in the home console space.

[Jin_Sakai]

Gaming was fine when it was just PlayStation and Nintendo. Xbox isn’t even competition at this point.

[Sciurus_vulgaris]

You save Xbox isn’t competition? Then how come Microsoft’s gaming revenue, even before the purchase of ABK was generally ahead Nintendo ( https://newzoo.com/resource...

[Julion0715]

So why are you so pressed about them?

[koga88]

It was never just PlayStation and Nintendo. Even before Xbox launched there was Sega as the third option. In fact, before PlayStation even was an option there were more consoles than ever.

[blackblades]

It was a bunch of MF making consoles. Then it came down Nintendo and Sega. After that it was Nintendo, Sega, PlayStation. Then it was Nintendo PlayStation and Xbox and its been that way for years now. (Steam can be place as somewhere in there if you consider it via having the logo at the bottom of games with consoles. To add as a bonus handheld pc is kinda in the same situration as the old school systems back in the day where a bunch of companies were making them.) Down to the point if youre system isnt selling like the others its time to pack it up and go 3rd party like sega did. Unless it can be changed which it hasnt after all these years.

[Obscure_Observer]

"Gaming was fine when it was just PlayStation and Nintendo."

BS! Based on your comment I doubt you even were gaming back then. It took little more than SEVEN months to the original Xbox console hit the shelves right after SEGA left the console race in 2001.

"Xbox isn’t even competition at this point."

Yeah, because the new PS Plus, GaaS focus, PC ports and all of the recent acquisitions of studios weren´t moves that Sony made to compete with Microsoft.

PC is not Xbox competitor, Nintendo is not Xbox competitor since they left the high end console market.

If Xbox is really not a Playstation competitor, nor Sony or any Playstation only gamer should be concerned about it. Facts.

[darthv72]

There's always been at least three.
Atari, Coleco, Mattel
Nintendo, Sega, NEC
Nintendo, Sega, Sony
Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft

[Mr_cheese]

Gaming was fine before xbox yes, it's been better since they joined in many aspects.

There are also a lot of negative impacts as well, specifically paid online, monopolisation, faster move to digital.

Ying and Yang.

Without competition we have complacency and ultimately the gamers lose out

I'd rather Microsoft continued to be in the console space and make a better effort to improve it.

[Lightning77]

It's also not 1995 anymore where things aren't as expensive. If Sony was only on the market you'll have 600$+ console 80 to 100$ games. Paying for BC, paying more for plus. You'll be happy to pay more since you love PS so much.

Good for you but not good for anyone else.

[shinoff2183]

Lightning. I agree 3 consoles is best but you can't prove that Sony would jack up prices. It's a scare tactic like the red politicians use.

Truth is I know your talking about the ps3. Why not look into why the ps3 cost that much. Worth every penny in my opinion. Bluray, had a ps2 practically in it, say what you want about the SD slots I used the sh out of them, first hdmi console if I'm not mistaken. etc.

I do believe competition is better for us just not for the bs reasons your spreading.

[ChasterMies]

It was never just PlayStation and Nintendo. Before Xbox, it was Playstation, Nintendo, Sega, and smaller, failed consoles like Neo Geo, Atari Jaguar, and CDi palyers. And I find it hard to see the current landscape as Playstation, Xbox, and Nintendo when the only curren gen home consoles are from Xbox and PlayStation.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

@Mr_cheese,

I think their best contribution was online, those lan parties where we linked up multiple Xboxes were good times, but I don't think they've given us much since the 360 days, I don't feel they've added value to gaming since then.

[Knightofelemia]

Not really a competition when the third company is dead last in sales. And the other two companies are running circles around them in sales.

[attilayavuzer]

Unless you're talking about Nintendo, which had about half of the gaming revenue of Microsoft before the ABK acquisition. MS's gaming revenue is about 50% higher than Sony's now.

[Bathyj]

That's specious reasoning.
People say the industry needs competition and it does but the truth is Xbox is no competition at all. All they do is add disruption to an industry they can't compete in.

The fact is if they were gone maybe someone else could step in and fill the void. Someone competent.

Personally I think Microsoft should go 3rd party and Valve should try the Steambox again. A console that plays PC games would do well now and they wouldn't need their own developers, just PC games. Having a PS5 and a Steambox would be a great gaming option. Having a PS5 and an Xbox is pretty unnecessary. That's why so few people do

[blackblades]

I would rather see another steamdeck with a good docking to increase the power like the switch.

[crazyCoconuts]

At this point I think you're right. There has been the threat that MS might throw profit to the wind to brute force their way to the top by buying up the industry but you're right, that's not good competition. I wish they didn't go on a shopping spree and just focused on making their games and technology better.
I'm with you on steam box as well. Proton has come so far that it might actually be feasible soon. They gotta get the anti cheat companies on board first though

[Bathyj]

I'm not a PC gamer.
I don't wanna be a PC gamer.
I like consoles.

But I would totally buy a console like box that played PC games. If it was modular and you could pay for better graphic, more ram etc, that would be incredible.

Valve tried this before but the market was too crowded and pc gaming wasn't at there popularity it is now. I seriously think now would be a good time for them to try again. But not while Microsoft is here is taking up space and are good for nothing but disruption.

Time for them to leave.
They've been at this for 20 years and I'd argue their first console was their best and every one got worse after that.

Give someone better a shot. They'd make more money being 3rd party and not investing in hardware. I mean money is all they care about so it's win win.

[Obscure_Observer]

"The fact is if they were gone maybe someone else could step in and fill the void. Someone competent."

Gimme a break

For PS diehard like you, the only "competent competition" is the kind of competition that poses absolutely no threat to Playstation´s domination.

In an imaginary scenario where Xbox exit the console market and a company like Apple decides and step in to offer an affordable high end and high quality console, you would be hating on them just like you hate Microsoft. Maybe even more.

Why? Well, do you *honestly* believe that Apple would just enter the console space to compete with both Sony and Nintendo and their dozen established first party studios by building all of their own first party studios from the ground up!? Wake up!

Apple would immediately start and acquire BIG publishers and studios like Take Two, EA, Capcom, SEGA, SE, Bandai Namco, CDPR and all of the third party studios that still remains independent.

After all said and done, you would be *here* complaining on how Apple wants nothing but destroy Playstation by using their financial prowess and privileged position in the market!

Sounds familiar?

So yeah, you don´t want Playstation to have any *real* competition at all! All you want is Sony to dominate and everyone else to serve them.

That´s why Xbox as a console, should continue to exist so people like you will never get what you want which is... everything!

Well, you´re not gonna getting it.

Enjoy what you have.

Happy gaming.

[Lightning77]

A few questions

"All they do is add disruption to an industry they can't compete in."

If you just play your games on PS then how does anything MS does affect you in your personal life?

"The fact is if they were gone maybe someone else could step in and fill the void. Someone competent."

There is nobody competent. Say if Apple comes in they believe in the walled Garden hard by "applfying" everything. They would take Minecraft and other multiplats off of other platforms. Take more than there share of cut off there digital store. As I mentioned there walled garden they would have heavy certification and strict on what goes through there own limited Eco system. Cross play? Not a chance. Part of the reason why I hate IPhone but anyway. Apples a no go. Google failed and Amazon are just twiddling their thumbs. There's is no one else except maybe steam.

Again sounds like to me you need to stick exclusively to what you like and not be concerned with any other platform that doesn't concern you and let others enjoy other platforms. I don't know why you have a hard time doing that.

[darthv72]

Bathy... believe it or not but you ARE a PC gamer. These current (and future) systems are specialized PC in a fancy shell. They use an operating system and have ability to go online and can even emulate previous platforms.

You may not think of them as such but the lines are blurred more than ever. Long gone are the stand alone days of putting in a game and playing. Now you have to install and update and can purchase right from their own stores...

You're better off accepting that.

[Bathyj]

Obscure and lightning. I know you both think I'm just a PlayStation only gamer and that's all I want but I used to support Xbox back when they were good. But that was a long long time ago in a galaxy far away.

Did I say anything about Apple? Fck no I don't want apple in the console business they would be worse than Microsoft. Listen to what I said. I said valve. With the steam box they would not need to have their own developers and they would not need to buy up the industry like Microsoft have. There would be very little disruption they would be heat and heats of games and it would be a good option for console only players like me.

Darth thank you for at least reading my comments and replying intelligently. I know consoles are more like PC than they ever have been I on the same with your saying. But they are still consoles they are plugging play they are cheap and you have controlers place an excite any what you see into a TV and get a controller I am aware that but that's not happening so a different experiences and I just prefer consoles. Appreciate the reply.

Sorry for the wall of text and all the nonsensical words I did voice to text on my phone and nletting me scroll through my post to edit it on my phone for some reason. Really hard to navigate lately with the intrusive ads and whatnot.

[Lightning77]

I was using Apple as an example Basically a steam box wouldn't threaten PS. That's what you want, someone who won't threaten your purchase unless Steam gets too much mind share, you'll have an issue with it.

[Bathyj]

Lighting your projecting mate. You don't know me and you don't know what I think.

Steambox wouldnt threaten PlayStation? Got news for you. Xbox doesn't threaten a PlayStation.

My issue with Microsoft is them trying to control or direct everything in gaming when 20 years has proven they are the worst at it. They own half the industry now and still suck. Just make games Microsoft. Leave gamings direction to people who know about it and care about it.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

Steams first foray into the console market with Steam Boxes was a disaster, but with the way the PC market is now, and the success of Steam Deck/Proton/Linux, it might actually do them good to try again. Make something closer to a PS5/Series X performance-wise and sell it as a console with Steam OS over top, getting the anti-cheat/DRM on board will be a problem though.

[jivah]

I'm perfectly fine with Microsoft exiting the hardware industry and from then on the big 3 considered to be Nintendo Sony and Valve.

[Einhander1972]

Microsoft isn't competing, they are just stealing off Sony.

For the most part every console before Microsoft had it's own unique library of games, all Microsoft has ever done is have 99% the same games as Sony. Xbox has only ever existed to damage PlayStation profitability, and that is what they have done even more so now that they are buying up whole multiplatform publishers and developers who have historically had strong ties with PlayStation.

And PlayStation has competition from PC, mobile, game streaming and other devices.

Xbox does not need to exist at all.

[Chevalier]

"You save Xbox isn’t competition? Then how come Microsoft’s gaming revenue, even before the purchase of ABK was generally ahead Nintendo"

Sorry this is absolutely 💯 an idiotic take. Pls go back and check why Xbox jumped ahead of Nintendo. It had NOTHING to do with growth. All they did was buy Bethesda and add their revenue to skip ahead of Nintendo. That had ZERO to do with 'competition'. By that stupid logic you're going to say Xbox is being 'competitive' by skipping ahead of Playstation because of Activision Blizzard purchase now too. Yeah sorry because your parent company buys up 3rd party developers is NOT competition.

It's because they absolutely can't compete with either Nintendo or Playstation that they had to go buy 3rd party publishers. If they didn't purchase Bethesda, Mojang and Activision Blizzard they would be 5th or 6th in revenue. Nintendo would still be back at 4th

[Sciurus_vulgaris]

Microsoft was ahead of Nintendo even before the Bethesda purchase too ( https://www.pocketgamer.biz...

[XBManiac]

PC and mobile... are far bigger than Sony and Nintendo on gaming. Competition is not in this castle, Mario.

[Chevalier]

https://www.alltopeverythin...

Nintendo was within $3 billion of Xbox revenues. Now go minus out Mojang and Bethesda Revenues out and you will see Xbox would be 4th without these huge Microsoft purchases. So again they can't compete with Nintendo at all.

[Sciurus_vulgaris]

Microsoft outperformed Nintendo before they bough Minecraft too. https://www.alistdaily.com/...

[ChasterMies]

Sony only has Nintendo as a competitor to the extent that people play their Nintendo Switch games while docked to a TV. That makes up about 30% of Switch usage? And a month those Switch owners, how many have a Xbox or PS5? Microsoft exiting gives Sony the whole pie. But I don’t Microsoft will exit the hardware business. They make enough off their own connected services and games to make Xbox’s dwindling market share profitable.

[TwoPicklesGood]

LOL, no they should not and just by that writing this article shows they nothing about the game industry. Click bait and a bad one at that

[tbagmonster]

no way, their plan is to have exclusive after exclusive drop unlike generations before, they will do just fine

[derek]

@tbagmonster, did you not watch that podcast yesterday? Lol. There will be no more true exclusives to xbox it just a matter of time.

[tbagmonster]

did you?

[MaximusPrime_]

Sega did the right thing exiting console business and they are still profiting from software business.

Microsoft should follow suit.

Right now, they are wasting their money for this planned new consoles with over exaggerated specifications. They are clearly ignoring the fact that most gamers are more interested in games than new console.

They aren't going to pay for new console if no games are in the pipeline.

Microsoft has some good games and should focus on that.. or better go back to PC business and focus on Windows OS support.

[Reaper22_]

If we go by your logic sony should of left the TV business years ago because Samsung is destroying them.

[anast]

Sony had something redeeming via their entertainment model. For MS Xbox, a complete live service transition fits the overarching company model and philosophy.

[darthv72]

What Sega did was necessary for their continued existance. They also picked and chose which systems were best suited for their titles. Kind of like what MS has been doing with some of their games already.

Many never even noticed that MS already has some games on other systems. And Im not talking Minecraft, im talking Ori, Viva Pinata and a few others being on handhelds and other consoles.

MS can do what Sega did with select games (case by case basis as Phil said) as well as remain in the hardware market with catering to its own fans.

[DarXyde]

I support competition. Genuinely, it has brought us great content and hardware over the years.

I don't think it needs to be Microsoft, however. I go further and say it shouldn't be. They use massive capital (which in any functioning regulatory framework wouldn't even have HALF of their current market cap) to pursue what is largely unfeasible for others. Purchasing major publishers to control their IPs? Day One AAA (in budget, anyway) sub service content? Quite difficult to follow them in this regard. If we take their word on it, did they not also say they're the largest publishers on their competitor's platforms? If true, I need you to think about that: your direct competition is the largest publisher on YOUR platform.

Something is very wrong with that picture.

If you have competition with similar resources, it becomes an actually competitive field. None of this trillionaire company nonsense. Sega vs Nintendo was exciting and brought out plenty of innovation. Playstation's best years were the earlier years in the space.

Competition works when creativity and passion are in the driver's seat. I think the industry is better served without Xbox hardware (where they can seriously weaponize their "biggest publisher on PlayStation and Nintendo" status) and are replaced by a company that isn't.

Keep game pass or whatever, but they shouldn't be allowed to compete in the console space if they're the biggest publisher on rival platforms. Alternatively, break up their game studios. It's telling that they obstinately refused to break off Call of Duty to make the acquisition easier. Bargaining chips. A reminder that they wanted to buy Nintendo and, in fairly recent emails, are still interested in doing so and are playing a waiting game.

You can despise Sony. I really don't care and I have my problems with them. But let's not pretend Microsoft is not operating in an imperialist, cancerous way.

[crazyCoconuts]

Agreed, and that's in line with how MS has operated since the early days. Part of what has made this console war so entertaining to watch is that David and Goliath contrast. Despite all the resources, MS still can't make good products and that's what is ultimately causing them to fail. And it will continue with the new studios they bought.
Steve Jobs summed it up so well and it still holds true: "They just have no taste."

[DarXyde]

I can't say I have many good things to say about Jobs either, but I do love the Mac hardware and I have to agree with that statement from his interview.

[StormSnooper]

Seriously I’m slowly coming to the same conclusion. Their behavior has been very anti-console gaming. I think we trusted them too much and they turned out to be a bad actor in console gaming.

[gold_drake]

I dont think they need to exit, but they hardly have any games for their system that makes ppl want it.
it also doesnt help when their bosses tell customers "there aint a reason to by an xbox".

also phil needs to stop talking to the press, thats more important id say.

[crazyCoconuts]

They aren't innovating much either.
The new Xbox with the same UI (never been done before) and the controller now has a share button? A new box that's faster than the old one.
While Sony is innovating on controllers, design, sound, UI, and VR... I mean...at least try Xbox.

[shinoff2183]

It was kind ofnalarming when xbox came out and said in regards to vr that it's not profitable enough to look into. Basically sitting on their hands until it takes off. Help that shit take off ms

[gold_drake]

yeh i absolutely i agree with you.

but "need" is a strong word i feel like
"should " is a better one haha

[darthv72]

DS1, 2, and 3 are all evolutionary. It was the DS4 and 5 that they did something revolutionary. But before those, it was PS fans saying things like "if it aint broke, why fix it".

XB evolves their controller in much the same way. They just haven't seen the need to revolutionize it yet.

[crazyCoconuts]

Based on their leaked (probably scrapped) plans they felt the need to change the controller only after their competition was mopping the floor with them. Then they copy. Very uninspired.

[YourMommySpoils]

They should, but they have so much money, they don't have to. They can just continue being a waste of space, while cutting through their losses on their own tax.

[shaenoide]

Nearly nothing. They'll release 4 games but we still don't know them... It's only those 4... For now. And Diablo 4 for 34 millions users of Gamepass. But in those 34 millions they are Gamepass Core players so maybe not 34 millions of players... Geez why a company of this size can't deliver a clear communication for once....

[aaronaton]

Their "adorably digital" console will hopefully be their last.

[purple101]

it deffo will. - gaming as well as casual has ALWAYS had a crew of hardcore, early adopter types and you need to support those guys to,

this will finish them, we know how little series x sold after ps5 turned out good and built on ps4.

series x on ebay, now £240-

[Nuclearmoon]

They wanted to and are still trying to normalise the industry on digital. This mostly benefits publishers as distribution costs are almost eliminated but game prices stay the same. This is what shareholders want. Microsoft and it's shareholders will be ok with dropping the hardware side of the business as it costs a lot of money to develop and no guarantees the consoles will sell.

[shinoff2183]

Exactly their is no benefit for gamers of an all digital future. I don't know why the all digital guys get so upset when all we want is options. It's ridiculous. Input my ps in rest mode yesterday cause I hadn't hit a save point in ys origins. I have it digital cause infigure why open my physical since I seen the digital for like 4 5 dollars. Anyway the internet must've cut out at some point while I was at work last night. The wind probably blew. I resume my ps5 and because the lost internet at some point it wouldn't let me continue where I left off.

Fk off all digital

[green]

I really just can’t understand why people can’t just enjoy gaming on whatever console they choose to buy and also just respect and allow others to enjoy gaming on their console of choice? This toxicity in the gaming community is disgusting.

[sagapo]

No they don’t but they need to change their approach about gaming.

[Barlos]

Yes, it should. And I think they will. I think their eventual plan is to become a third party developer.

[derek]

They should get out of hardware because that looks like what they actually want to do. That nonsense event a day ago or so was full of mindless rambling, double talk and contradictory statements. I think the higher ups at Microsoft want to do that but others like a Spencer or Booty still secretly dream of putting Sony/Nintendo in their place going by their email conversations.

[OneLove]

Every year these articles come back. The literal definition of insanity. Nothing changes and xbox hasn't gone anywhere. Get over it.

[Firebird360]

Even if you hate ms and xbox, you should want sony facing competition.
If sony is the only console maker theres no reason for them to push innovation. You end up with less game sales, weaker hardware, more expensive games, no backwards compatibility, no push for higher resolution, higher framerates.
You have to admit, even if you're a diehard playstation fan. Xbox pushed for backwards compatibility, Xbox pushed for better hardware, Xbox pushed for higher frame rates.
Competition breeds innovation, no matter what business we're discussing.
Console wars, love or hate them, it pushes the industry forward.
I dont mention nintendo because they're in their own world.

[shinoff2183]

Firebird, some of what you state though isn't true.

I do agree competition is good.

[jznrpg]

The problem is MS doesn’t compete. They buy up stuff and fire a bunch of people but they don’t build up any studios and they don’t improve games under their umbrella. They aren’t competing at all. I like competition but what MS is doing doesn’t benefit anyone except them

[Travesty]

I remember when the xbox came out.. with games like panzer dragoon, mech assault, halo 1-2, jade empire, morrowind, the Star Wars games like republic commander, knights of the old republic.. and a lot more.. also splinter cell took advantage of the Xbox graphics and the 480p resolution at the time and was superior.
I had a ps2 and my friend had an Xbox and we played morrowind just about everyday and halo..
From a gamer perspective it did revolutionize online gaming at the time in a way. Even though most my friends on ps2 played rpgs’s and racing games and everything between.
When halo 2 got real popular we had the lan connection with like 4 Xboxes playing halo2 and that to me was game changing..

Then the PS3 and 360 era.. Xbox offered a better online experience before PlayStation Network got better.
I enjoyed the PS3 online experience was free and R:FoM kept me entertained for months on end, and Warhawk and later CoD4..

360 was making PS3 better.. they had good games too.. crackdown, dead rising, lost oddesey, bioschock was exclusive for awhile. And of course gears and halo 3.. and their marketing scheme with EA and the DLC first on Call of Duty had the 360 outselling PS3 for the first 3-4 years almost..

I say that to say this.. as a PlayStation fan, it really made PlayStation better.. and now to be honest Xbox has never been the same since the 360 era.. they lost a lot of their image with the Xbox one and it’s hard to recoup from that..

If they exit, I don’t really see it hurting PlayStation gaming and innovation..

[ROCKY28]

XBOX is a powerful brand that will live in Microsoft ecosystem for years to come 😊
Competition & Passion drives USA companies to succeed to win.

[MaximusPrime_]

Microsoft is a powerful brand only in the USA.

Sony is powerful worldwide for years.
Microsoft can't even give up Japanese market that they failed to crack.

[ROCKY28]

Xbox is a worldwide power - yeas PS is stronger in Japan... but we all know this
Xbox is leading the way on how games will be played on multiple consoles and now PS president is saying the same thing after Microsoft announced future plans.... 😂

[rlow1]

Roughly five years ago, had you said that PlayStation would follow Xbox and start releasing games onto pc on a more regular cadence. You’d be attacked by the peanut gallery. But now that is a reality. PlayStation just had their first day and date drop on two different platforms. The bar has been slowly changing and I don’t see it stopping. Especially after Sony CEO just said that they are doubling down on different platforms. Many are in denial mode, just like they were five years ago.

[anast]

The point is one makes good enough entertainment to justify a console purchase the other doesn't. Next, releasing games on PC doesn't negate the console. In fact, PC gamers are renting console games, "rent" because Steam et al. owns the games. Finally, PC gaming is the worst value for money in gaming and Sony consoles are the best value for gaming. A day 1 release on a $1500- $2000 machine is some extra money on top of the mountains of games sold on a $500 machine.

[Abear21]

Preach! Console gaming isn’t going anywhere—same for physical media. They go hand in hand like chicken and the egg and as long as Sony and Nintendo keep making amazing software for consoles, PC gamers can keep their overpriced rigs and hoping for ports eventually coming.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

"Roughly five years ago, had you said that PlayStation would follow Xbox and start releasing games onto pc on a more regular cadence. You’d be attacked by the peanut gallery."

The same can be said for Xbox on PC. Not sure if you here but saying "I'll just wait and play it on PC" when an Xbox game was announced would cause you to be marked as trolling and you'd lose a bubble. Now the same can be said for Xbox games on PlayStation which now people are all of a sudden okay with.

[anast]

"all of a sudden okay with" - This is a bit too much. The back and forth is about fun, not logically sound behavior. But I get you.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

"This is a bit too much. The back and forth is about fun, not logically sound behavior. But I get you."

My point is, you have a few individuals that before Phil's 'business update' would have never been "okay" with MS releasing their games on PlayStation, but now are saying things like it's "only 4 games" or "it makes sense for for older or smaller games" etc. but if you said those things BEFORE Phil's update........

[rlow1]

I think the reason people are okay with it , because what are they going to do about it? MS had been slowly headed this way since buying and releasing Minecraft on PlayStation. So people aren’t surprised in the least when this happens. Plus the fact of being behind Sony forced them down a different path.

Plus people including Sony have recognized the market has changed. PS2 own the record for the most sold consoles that was 3 generations ago. Sony nor anyone else has beaten that record since? Why? Especially when theirs probably about a half billion people buying games on all platforms. Because the console market has been flat. Not counting the fact that there is a lot more competition compared to the PS2 era. So if you’re going to break past that 150 million plus barrier. Then you need a different approach, especially with all the competition. Not counting the fact that games cost a hell of alot more money to make than they did in the past, which eats into profits.
People recognize this and that’s why it’s not a big deal to them. Because as the games get more expensive and theirs avenues outside of consoles to reach more gamers. These companies are going to grab for it. I personally hate seeing this but the next generation of gamers are going to care less and less about brands and more about accessing games on any device.

It’s the companies that don’t pivot that are in danger of being left behind. Sony recognizes this and ever so slowly they’ll head down the road of having their games everywhere outside of just the console. MLB the show, anyone ?

[Abear21]

They mismanaged the Xbox brand since Bungie was sold and haven’t had a true must play exclusive in what seems like forever. I personally love watching a slow dumpster fire so no, let them continue.

[purple101]

I also find it funny, every quarter they have to reveal how much %down their xbox sales are.

q4 2023 it was 13%

Totally love how they have to admit it themselves

[Chevalier]

They have literally missed 2 years of Gamepass growth goals and this year will be there 3rd year in a row missing targets. They need to increase 4x fold and gather 100 million subscribers in the next 3 years to meet their goals. Considering it has taken 7 years to reach basically 30 million if you minus out Gold conversion they are nowhere near making their own lofty goals.

[anast]

They will. They need to do it legally, so their followers only feel a bit ripped off, but not enough to file lawsuits.

[Aloymetal]

Lmao. 100%!!

[Retro1986]

Hope they will Keep on releasing consoles. I Like Xbox plattform better than the direction Sony has taken. Maybe they can buy the socom series from Sony also, and make it great again.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Written by a fanboy…

[victorMaje]

One of the reasons I’d rather they don’t exit is because competition keeps the players in check. Problem is xbox has been playing…with their feet. They need to wake up & focus on making some good games. Yes yes the games are coming well they’re late.

[XBManiac]

How much has Microsoft invested on Xbox since year 2000? I'm not speaking only about 70K millions on ABK or 3K million in the 3redlights fiasco. I mean... all the invest (including what is paid to Microsoft Azure division each month for Game Pass and other Xbox services). Bing does not give me any liable data about this, only something from here and there.

[XBManiac]

What has done a console on each generation? A platform with good sales made developers improve and try harder to squid the possibilities of the machine. Without this, gaming industry will advance slower... Look now, we have NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR working everywhere, from consoles and PC to smartphones, smartwatches and TVs. It makes developers lazy. Is this what we want? Well, it is what Microsoft wants. Will Sony and Nintendo go in the same team as Microsoft with this? It seems... yes, but a good exclusive hardware that sells as cookies can help otherwise. We need a new Xbox with AI and more possibilities than Xbox Series, as well as we, as gamers, need a new PlayStation and a new Nintendo platform capable of things that current gen is not able to replicate or improve.
It is not competition only, it is progress... we all need a new Xbox, not only Microsoft, but Sony, Nintendo, Valve and Apple... we all need something new, better and more capable (AI, haptics, energy efficiency, etc.) Products that make us look back and say "this is how we played then".
BTW, you can say that the hardware can be in the cloud and improve servers... it is easier for developers to work with only one platform. But no, we are not yet there. We need more generations of home gaming consoles, Xbox included.

[Agent75]

It was bad enough having four consoles plus the PC when the Dreamcast started that generation. I don’t care for Xbox console now. No interest in VR, they could’ve just made the Series X compatible with headsets already on the market. The cost of gaming now, 2 consoles from Sony and Nintendo is good enough for me.

[isarai]

I would rather they get there sh!t together and deliver at a level they used to in the ogxbox/360 days, but that just doesn't look like their intention anymore

[Skuletor]

If they could get Gamepass on Playstation and Nintendo, they'd probably have already exited.

[CPTN MITCHELL]

@Gridknac The Original Xbox did 480p most of the time with the slight potential to upscale to 720p.

[hiroyukisanada]

I agree, if only because R&D for consoles each generation is insane. They could use those funds to continue improving their XGS quality and output and get their games to more platforms more efficiently.
Their hardware just doesn't sell like Sony and Nintendo and they develop exclusively multiplatform now. Might as well dump the hardware and go full Netflix at this point. Biggest third party publisher now, regardless if I like them or not.

[XiNatsuDragnel]

I think another company could do a better job than Microsoft imo

[mastershredder]

MS went into gaming with a different mindset from the get go. Imagine a crew of people that are not part of your scene, invading it purely for the purposes of profit and taking a huge stain with corporate American structure Sorry, but it used to be bliss before these c*ntz showed up via me-too grift. Their consoles are. nothing but marking puke for gullibles that think flex is a thing for gamers (they don’t understand actual gamers, just main stream consumers).

[Hereandthere]

Why cant they fund and create system selling must play games you can only get on xbox/pc like Sony did with helldivers 2?

[rakentaja]

Microsoft will sooner or later go the way of Stadia, but better preparation and game support. You buy the controller, stream everything through the cloud. You can buy games digitally or subscribe to Game Pass. Microsoft is better prepared than Sony. Back to the roots...becoming mainly a software company.

[purple101]

As we have seen, those types of companies don’t do so well

The only thing Microsoft are better prepared for, is failure

[rakentaja]

All the first things in the world have been a failure, the first picture, the first flight, etc. but we have perfected them. Microsoft is picking up where Stadia left off (lack of experience in cloud gaming) and moves to the next stage where it works significantly better or even perfectly.

Even if Stadia already worked well, there were many other shortcomings, a whole new ecosystem (couldn't continue friends list), list of games actually a joke, online multiplayer was a mess, etc. Microsoft already has a big advantage in those areas.

[Destiny1080]

phil needs this gig

maybe get rid of the forza team for using textures for wheels and probably the halo team for embarrassing phil and the halo community by releasing craig upon the world

[neomahi]

It's incredibly difficult to put into so few words why this opinion is valid and accurate, and N4G only gives you 4,000 character's which goes by really fast so, I'll see what I can do.

Anyone whose been following gaming since the Xbox 360 would know and understand the validity of this point. When all of my friends had PS2 consoles, the Dreamcast was dead and I was looking at getting an Xbox because it seemed so much like the Dreamcast 2, I'd be stayin the night at my buddies and we be up late in the dark talking about next gen consoles. He was getting a Gamecube and when I told him I wanted the Xbox, I got a long dissertation from him (a big PC gamer) on why Microsoft was the devil and the Xbox was poison to the industry and they didn't belong in console gaming. Needless to say, I didn't listen and got an Xbox, and it wasn't for Halo, it was for Hunter the Reckoning and Sega titles.

Now, what you have to bear in mind here is who Xbox's friends were through all of this. Xbox is an American console and just like High School, gaming has clicks and everyone likes to hang out in their clicks, so who do you think buddied up with Xbox? Electronic Arts and Activision. Xbox was the new kid on the block, PlayStation and especially Nintendo has spent a long time building and having to EARN those relationships. PlayStation provided a cheaper way to publish games backed by Sonys reputation while Nintendo wanted to avoid piracy, CD's were cheaper with more storage space to create games. Nintendo, as a result, and having a reputation already for being monopolistic, lost a lot of support to Sony and Sony already had a reputation of having the edgy attitude of Sega for teenagers so Squaresoft left.

So, how was Xbox going to compete with this come Xbox 360? Peter Moore who hadn't been with Sega long and was only with Sega for a few short years, you'd have thought Bernie Stoler or Tom Kalinski would've been approached by Xbox but it was Peter Moore for a while who after Xbox went to EA, and who do you think Xbox appointed to run Xbox? John Shappert who came from Electronic Arts who was then followed by Don Mattrick who came from Electronic Arts. Do you see this pattern?

So what's wrong with this and what does it have to do not only with the history given and this article? It's how Xbox did business that Sony sort of came along for the ride to try and stay relevant and what Xbox's influence has done to gaming. See, Xbox didn't have long relationships so they turned to their strength, deep pockets and instead of showing developers what was best for them and the industry, they simply bought them off and the first game that really caused disruption and abruptly made that change was Grand Theft Auto IV. Do you remember the Ballad of Gay Tony? That's what Xbox did, they couldn't establish exclusivity deals like Sony had done to earn trust, Xbox went after exclusive content instead with PAID DLC. See, before all that, what you paid for was what you got. DLC started out as an extension of a game, but that's now how it goes today. Today they complete the game and before it goes good and they go on vacation, they dissect the game and sell you 60% of the game and store 40% of the game elsewhere to sell you as DLC or Season Pass. You're paying full price for 60% of the content and they'll milk you for the rest of it later. Street Fighter 6 is a good example of this, if you watch the documentary of the return of Killer Instinct on Xbox One and it exposes the whole sham, but again, I only have 4000 characters. And it still can't be done. [SEE PART II ABOVE]

[neomahi]

[PART II RESPONSE]

This is a small example of what Xbox has brought to the industry with it trying to play with the big boys. Honestly, Xbox isn't even really needed. Microsoft has had a steady track record of failing hardware that isn't glitchy. How everyone put up with the Red Ring of Death is beyond me, that, according to Peter Moore, nearly killed off Xbox the first time but, Steve Balmers arrogance and ego pushed him to spend the money he normally wouldn't have, and Peter Moore knew it or he wouldn't have been so timid is taking it to him. Sony has a track record of solid hardware, not perfect, but moreso than Xbox. Recently, Xbox and PlayStation consoles are so similar, that you wonder why we have to buy both when they're so close. You'd suspect corporate sabotage is going on, and Microsoft would have the money to pay someone to do the job, Sony doesn't have unlimited funds, but Xbox can easily be done without because of that track record and the fact Xbox and PlayStation share the same internals. It wasn't always that way, PlayStation was built by innovation with lots of proprietary parts where Xbox 360 used off the shelf PC parts just like the Xbox before it. It's always been that way with PlayStation that caused disruption for Sega. So, if the consoles are going to be practically the same, why do we need to buy two and who builds more solid hardware? We're buying a console twice, not including the normal mid gen refresh which is a crock. Slimer consoles, okay, but now your buying a new console every three years.....

This is just one example. Paid DLC, microtransactions, and loot boxes and card packs in the console business, courtesy of Xbox. PlayStation is now trying to go back to the old model with Ghost of Tsushima getting Legends as free DLC, because you bought their game. God of War Ragnarok, you get Valhalla free because you bought their game. Even Capcom came around a little with Resident Evil 4 VR free DLC because you bought their game, the way it should be because you spent your hard earned money to buy their games, not get your pocket picked. This is just one example

[WiiU-Dude]

PlayStation lovers can flame me if you want, but even if Xbox is in distant 3rd they still add pressure to Sony and keep them from complacency. Also, who cares if Microsoft doesn't sell many consoles. It is merely an option at this point for gamers. Microsoft may be more invested in PC gaming than Xbox, but who cares. Some like myself, prefer the simplicity of gaming from a dedicated console. I always own every system Nintendo, Xbox and Sony so this doesn't affect me, but why should it affect anyone. Why would anyone want Microsoft to cancel the Xbox? Kinda dumb really.

[jznrpg]

They should exit gaming altogether.

[Mandingo2020]

Less competition means less choices for the consumer.

[WiiU-Dude]

Agreed

[RhinoGamer88]

One more shot I say. If they fail, Phil and his rich C suite cronies MUST be fired.

[ChasterMies]

What clickbait trash is this from … oh, Engadget. Microsoft really did screw up its console business when a gadget site is telling Microsoft to stop making a gadget.

[Pyrofire95]

Xbox should make an open platform system.

[Christopher]

I wouldn't trust such a thing. At some point you know Microsoft would just make it closed and 'change their mind' on all the good will. Standard social networking MO today, Everything is for the community until the community is large enough to be controlled by a business.

[BlaqMagiq1]

I would have zero issues with this if this happened in the future.

[DivineHand125]

Garbage article that doesn't realize that having only 1 company in the high-end console gaming market would expose gamers to pricing exploitation.

The Hypocrisy I have witnessed in the past couple of years is mind blowing. People who were against the Activision Blizzard deal out of fears of the Xbox becoming a monopoly are advocating for Sony to be the sole console maker in this space.

Sony has had a history of being complacent leading into the launch of the PS3 and people want to go back to those days. As a multi console owner it is annoying to see so many persons rally to one console and wish for the other side's failure as if their platform of choice can do no wrong.

Competition is good for us the consumer and we should be advocating for the success of both platforms.

[Solitariussaint]

Yup. Microsoft Xbox is a curse to consoles.

[SonOfOsiris]

Switch wins, xbox=dead