140°

Microsoft May Use The Xbox 720 To Help Push Microsoft Surface Sales

Boston (TheNextXbox) – Microsoft is starting to make a major impact in terms of developing its own consumer electronics. With the next-generation Xbox 360 successor the Xbox 720 just around the corner, will Microsoft leverage its popularity to help push Microsoft Surface sales?

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thenextxbox.com
LOGICWINS4110d ago

That would make a lot of sense considering Sony might be doing the same thing with Gaikai for Vaio laptops/Sony tablets.

Chaostar4110d ago (Edited 4110d ago )

The thing is that, if Gaikai can stream full games through a browser or app then Surface will probably be able to play Playstation games. Microsoft may become unwilling hosts for their competitors gaming service, along with Android and maybe iOS.

If you look on Gaikai's website they are hiring Android developers right now...

http://www.gaikai.com/caree...

If you click the drop down for Android job the top responsibility listed is "Successfully get Gaikai running on Android and other mobile devices."

Let's be entirely honest though, if they get Gaikai running on Andoid, most people will buy an Android device if they primarily want to use that feature, simply because of the cost.

The only way I can see 720 helping Surface sales is if MS can duplicate Gaikai's service exclusively on their devices or make smart glass exclusive. Although, in the long run, locking down Xbox to just their devices would probably not end well, same goes for Sony.

@below maybe but why would they want to? Take for example the high likelihood that Gaikai-Playstation services will not be free, Sony would want it on as many devices as possible.

LOGICWINS4110d ago

Can't Sony find a way to lock Gaikai down to only Sony products?

ceballos77mx4110d ago

Why lock it if it can get more revenue from it.

LOGICWINS4110d ago

LOL, Killzone and God of War on a Surface. You have to admit that irony is rather amusing.

BattleAxe4110d ago

I hope Sony gets GaiKai up and running on all Android, Apple and Windows products. Sony is positioned very well to grow their market share by leaps and bounds, not only with gaming, but with music and movie distribution also.

calis4110d ago

Amusing perhaps but they'll love the cash.

LOGICWINS4110d ago

^^Yeah, if anyone needs it, its Sony.

shikamaroooo4110d ago

Where's the irony ? If it ran on a 360 then maybe.

hazardman4110d ago

They don't need to duplicate Gaikai dude, they have xbox live.

MaxXAttaxX4110d ago

SOE games run on PCs(Windows) and some like DCUO on PS3 as well.
It's not entirely ironic.

BrianC62344110d ago

The Surface will never sell as a part of gaming. Not at the current prices. They're more expensive than the iPad. Or at least as expensive. The RT model is garbage and too much. The better version will be a lot more. What was Microsoft thinking when they made that thing?

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 4110d ago
Pillsbury14110d ago (Edited 4110d ago )

I remover reading a report recently that stated Netflix rejected the idea of selling hardware themselves. Why? Because they wanted to get it on as many devices as possible to make the most revenue. It's not like sonys full back catalog of games will be available on other devices. But it will be a way for Sony to get gamers hooked on playstation brand coming from other devices. If they want to let surface and android users get a taste of god of war they will only want seconds...

shutUpAndTakeMyMoney4110d ago (Edited 4110d ago )

I think gaikai will be part of pc & mobile. They still brag about the 50M pc players per month on the site. Would they shun them? idk.. They already make pc games anyway so you never know what they may try to do.

DaThreats4110d ago

Windows is the most popular brand.
Xbox is second..

TheKayle4110d ago (Edited 4110d ago )

for sure is the most popular brand in OS...

seen that have the 75% of the marketshare...

xbox brand in half time of the playstation (ps 1994 - xbox 2002) brand..have reached pretty much Sony marketshare...(close to 30%) while still 42% is for nintendo...

is this enough?

showtimefolks4110d ago

i hope around this whole thing of pushing this tech or that tech both sony and ms don't forget that end of the day the device is called gaming console so we need games

i am old school give me great games and i could careless about any features. give me a controller and games and i won't complain

tehpees34110d ago

I was about to reply with the same thing. with how their E3s have gone these past few years you would think Microsoft have forgotten what they made the Xbox for. Its a gaming device first and foremost but they insist on pushing it towards and all in one box. They seem to be putting more time into pushing an internet browser which PS3 and Wii had all along instead of making first party content.

showtimefolks4110d ago

Oh please don't say that this is n4g where common sense gets your stealth disagrees and loss of bubbles

MS rather have Xbox be the media box inside your living room than a gaming console, I believe when they launch around ps4 they will have to step their game up or this timr they won't have the advantage of a full year ahead start. Like last gen when Sony had to learn the hard way I see the same kind if thing head MS way

First 4-5 years it was all about we care for core gamers and we are the console for core gamers than someone at MS saw wii doing well with casual and said hmmmmm wonder if we can sell out motion control to casual market. Now that's their target

The highlight for MS in last 2-3 years at E3 was when they announce/gave away free slim model xbox360. And every year after E3 some site asks did MS win E3. I mean how could you win something where ou barely bring any ammunition. They go into world war with swords and pocket knifes yet gaming media gives them free pass

Sony has to produce high quite exclusives yet MS can keep making 2-3 game series sequels over and over again

Double standard in gaming media in America is just way too much

landog4110d ago

hopefully they just remember to make amazing games, the gimmicks are just that, gimmicks

i can care less about touch controls, movement controls, tounge controls, AR games, lights shooting around my room!

what i want is crisp, 1080p games at 60 frames per second with all the annoying jaggies and screen tearing of the xbox 360 and ps3 last gen gone and a distant bad memory

i want new glorious ip's, and i want the old ip's like gears, killzone, uncharted and halo to show me new things with insane texture counts, destructibility/physics, amazing lighting, ai that thinks on its toes.

i want giant landscapes with immense draw distance, i want user created content, i want mods that can be uploaded and shared with the community

basically, i want next gen consoles to at least come close to catching up with pc, all the while delivering the franchises that i love from sony and microsoft!

you can keep your damn tablet, and kinect and whatever other hairbrained ideas you turds are floating around in the R and D departments

just give me the damn games!

AtomicGerbil4110d ago

Please stop calling it the 720!

mwjw6964110d ago

Its the 720 till they anounce its real name. Im still hoping for the Xbox Infinity or sideways 8 . That would be awsome!

AtomicGerbil4110d ago

Look up the reason why the 360 was called the 360, then you may realise why the 720 name is retarded.

Maybe it's just me but it's starting to tug on my last nerve.

Show all comments (26)
200°

Microsoft’s Surface and Xbox hardware revenues take a big hit in Q3

Microsoft just posted the third quarter of its 2024 fiscal financial results. The software maker made $61.9 billion in revenue and a net income of $21.9 billion during Q3. Revenue is up 17 percent, and net income has increased by 20 percent.

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theverge.com
darthv7216h ago

Xbox content + services up 62% while hardware down 31%... seems about right with the way they tout you don't need the hardware to play. People can play on their phones or smart tv or other means. I don't hardly play on my consoles directly since getting devices like the logitech g-cloud and ps portal. Which is to also say I have been playing more digital than physical because of these devices.

solideagle3h ago

you should apply in MS PR team buddy, I think you will do a great job in my humble opinion :)

Sonic188135m ago

I thought darthv72 and Obscure_Observer already work for Microsoft 🤔

dveio19m ago

MS: "Xbox services and content without AB up 1%, with AB up 62%. Hardware down 31%. In total a loss of 350 mill."

darthv72: "Seems about right."

MS: "Excuse m ..."

darthv72: "I don't hardly play on my consoles directly."

MS:

Cacabunga2h ago

I can tell people like you are an absolute minority..

If service is up means their fans and fanboys accepted this model and subscribed to it. The near future you will see a big decline because the service is saturated.

shinoff21832h ago

But that's been ms for years. When things aren't going their way they try to change the way things are said. For instance console sales are down, they stop telling how many sold instead telling us how many hours spent in halo or headshots. So it makes sense console sales down just say people are playing on more devices then previous. What they won't say is how many xbox players jumped ship to ps5.

Cacabunga55m ago

Hardware sales are so bad that Sony and Nintendo are blowing the sales off the water with their hardware.

If Xbox are losers, others aren’t..
Xbox already tried everything with Xbox live then subscriptions went down so much that they had to find something else. Their fans subscribed then reached saturation rather quickly.

Hardware and exclusive games is where it’s at! Keep gamers excited, announce decent software and people will support you

purple1015h ago

Xbox hardware revenue tanks to lowest point of Xbox Series generation

Profchaos5h ago

I'm not surprised surface is struggling they aren't relevant anymore

XBManiac4h ago

Too expensive hardware when others offer the same or more for less? Good work, Green Team.

SimpleDad4h ago(Edited 4h ago)

"Despite some early successes for Xbox games on rival platforms, Xbox hardware is down by a massive 31 percent this quarter."
"Without Activision Blizzard, Microsoft’s overall gaming revenue would have actually declined this quarter."
"Xbox content and services would have only been up a single percent without Activision Blizzard..."
"It looks like next quarter is going to be a similar story for gaming at Microsoft, too."

That is crazy... so A/B/K is carrying the whole Xbox gaming.
Oh and Microsoft will be fine. Windows, Office and Cloud are growing with each pc purchase.

purple1013h ago

Activision: "we gonna need a bigger rucksack/backpack please"

Microsoft: "why's that"

Activision: "to carry yo' weak ass'

Profchaos3h ago(Edited 3h ago)

Top brass have also wanted to start seeing returns on the 100 billion they have put into various Xbox related moves so seeing more multiplatform games is highly likely especially from abk

It's basically saying that PlayStation is the reason Xbox is afloat right now thinks to Ps5 versions of COD

Kornholic2h ago

So basically PS and PC gamers' money is keeping Xbox on life support.

Show all comments (21)
300°

Microsoft Seemingly Closes Bethesda France

As part of its plans to cut 1,900 jobs, Microsoft has reportedly shut down operations at Bethesda France, letting go roughly 15 people

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insider-gaming.com
Hereandthere1d 12h ago

Microsoft should have left them stay 3rd party

GamerRN1d 10h ago

If they are let go, they can be whatever they want. They ARE 3rd party now... 🤦

Barlos1d 7h ago

Yeah, they're also jobless.

GamerRN1d ago

They can form a company if they want, they are just as jobless as if "Microsoft had left them as 3rd party".

peppeaccardo1d 2h ago

"MIcrosoft leaves Bethesda do what they know how to do best" ... close! Oh the irony ....
(Citation from a week old article)

ChasterMies22h ago

I think Microsoft and other game publishers are letting people go because they think ai will replace them. Doesn’t matter how much profit they make. They were always going to be let go.

PassNextquestion1d 12h ago (Edited 1d 12h ago )

Bethesda France was made up of roughly 15 people... they couldn't of being doing much

Bethesda France mainly did publishing and marketing within the region

blacktiger1d 10h ago

that's a shame for you to say that, i'm sure Elite loves hearing what you just said.

Mr Logic20h ago

What a stupid thing to say. The elites give 0 fucks what we say on an obscure website in the comments section.

Crows9019h ago

You can always reach out and give them jobs at your company man. Don't wait

Profchaos1d 12h ago (Edited 1d 12h ago )

Bethesda France focused on publishing and marketing in the region. And 15 people lost their jobs as part of the closure.

I wonder if this is part of Microsoft's strategy to abandoned physical media or possibly gamepass advertising makes their roles redundant you don't need to market a game as hard when the majority of players get the game as part of a sub which already promoted upcoming games

Tacoboto1d 12h ago

It's France too, there's a high likelihood only 1-2 people on the team even had an Xbox.

Profchaos1d 11h ago

Possibly guven all the leaks we know the Xbox brand is really struggling in the region.

Yi-Long1d 8h ago

Well, if your consoles and games are barely found in any stores any more, of course you're gonna struggle finding consumers ...

XiNatsuDragnel1d 11h ago

Tbh Microsoft I think Bethesda being 3rd party same with Activision would probably more competitive than thus scenario imo

Profchaos1d 9h ago (Edited 1d 9h ago )

I think it would have been better for all parties really especially gamers

TheColbertinator1d 10h ago

The recently purchased Activision French offices might take over all the licensing and marketing for Microsoft in France from now on.

Show all comments (21)
280°

Xbox's Preservation Step Sets A Much-Needed Example, Especially For Nintendo

Hanzla from eXputer inquires: "If Xbox can care about preserving its games and legacy, what exactly is wrong with Nintendo, trying to kill game preservation single-handedly?"

purple10112d ago

Ahh yes the good old game preservation of saving all your games to a removable hhd on the Xbox 360, taking it round your mates house, setting up multiple tvs to
Be met with “save data corrupted, please re download”

Or how about removing 360 games
From the store
, download them now or else, and, better hope to god that save data doesn’t corrupt, or it’s lost for ever

Nice one ☝️

Zeref12d ago

It's better than what Nintendo and Playstation is doing. It might not be perfect but at least they are TRYING. Unlike the others.

DarXyde12d ago

Trying? Take off the blinders for a moment, mate.

1. A failure to preserve games is just that: a failure to preserve games. Don't try to sugarcoat it: NO ONE is doing it properly. Better than awful is nothing to write home about.

2. At the time of this comment, isn't it the case that you need an internet connection to play Xbox games even if you buy physical discs that are hardly in circulation anymore? I don't have a Series X and I can't verify, but I think that is correct. I'm fairly certain you can at least play PS5 games at version 1.0 (not much of a win really when many games require day one patches). I think Microsoft's all digital, licensing approach is by far more aggressive than anyone else's. They really try to push you to game pass where you lose your entire library by umm.... Skipping a month of payments.

I don't think anyone is doing it right whatsoever. Don't get me started on Nintendo, who goes after anyone looking to preserve their games better than they ever would with extreme litigation.

Don't be a simp for any of these companies. Get it together.

PhillyDonJawn12d ago (Edited 12d ago )

@DarX never speak on Xbox again. You lost all credibility with your internet connection comment. Smh you have 0 clue and misinformed yet speaking on something you don't no squat about.

Einhander197211d ago

What has Sony done exactly? You guys keep deflecting to Sony but I am not actually seeing any results, and ai am certain nothing that you can come up with even comes close to what Microsoft has done and what they have tried and failed to do, like tie all your disks to your account on xbone.

Microsoft removed their whole indie section when they moved to the xbone because they were going to only allow games on the service that came from a publisher, id@xbox started after xbone launched and it only exists because Sony embraced indie and Microsoft was forced to cancel their plans and reverse course.

And every single game that was part of games for windows live including disk games (I have gta 4 on disk that won't work) so hundreds of games that use that DRM no longer work unless the company themselves patched it out which of course very few did.

MrBaskerville11d ago

Not trying. Tried. they killed of the backcomp program years ago. They set something up again, but sounds like it's more of an attempt to save the current library on whatever they are planning next. With luck they save everything and more, but let's see. I could see them killing off parts of the OG xbox and 360 libraries. Can't imagine that they would allow us to play Forza 5-7 in the future.

With that said, I do like what they've done and really wish they could have done more.

shinoff218311d ago

Zeref

So killing off physical media is trying what exactly. Ms don't really give a fk if you think they do your kidding yourself.

Profchaos11d ago

They are not trying this team is established for forward compatability the team is. It interested in preserving Xbox or 360 games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 11d ago
isarai12d ago

Is that why Hellblade 2 is digital only?

Zeref12d ago

Just because it's digital only doesn't mean you can't preserve it. Just put it on an external and you have the exact same functionality of what a disc does.

MrNinosan12d ago

Guess you're trolling, but if you actually think that's how it works, I'd recommend buying some braincells.

mkis00711d ago (Edited 11d ago )

Volitile vs nonvolitile data. A disc will not corrupt either. A drive can be corrupted.

Einhander197212d ago

This is just a scammy PR move to distract from the fact they are going digital only and trying to push streaming and subscriptions only.

No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft.

Without discs there is no preservation, preservation can't be done by the rights holders it can only be done by the consumers, anything else is a lie.

12d ago Replies(3)
Einhander197212d ago

Anyone remember xblig which Microsoft removed their whole 360 indie section removing hundreds of games from people?

12d ago
12d ago
Zeref12d ago

Do you know you can put your games on an external and preserve them that way? There are no benefits to discs. ZERO. Idk why some of you are still obsessed with them.

DarXyde12d ago

Because games like Persona 5 exist. It's STILL V1.00. On Playstation, that's a win because 1.00 is installed on the disc—no need to download anything.

If a game does not require any updates, it's all on the disc.

Extremely low bar in the modern era, of course. It's not much of a win by any stretch.

But for now, physical media does have a purpose, at least on Playstation.

Einhander197211d ago

That is factually not how game licensing works, try plugging your hard drive into someone else xbox, It's not going to work, and it won't work if the licensing servers ever go down.

Einhander197211d ago

Anyone remember games for windows live.

I have around a dozen games, some on Steam itself that will not work because Microsoft shut off the licensing servers.

BehindTheRows11d ago (Edited 11d ago )

I do. I STILL have games (Gears of War being the big one) I cannot access because Games for Windows LIVE is total garbage and no one has held Microsoft accountable.

Zeref11d ago (Edited 11d ago )

You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership.

Chevalier11d ago

"You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership."

Damn how many times do people got to explain your idiocy to you? You can take a copy of Persona 5 like someone used as an example and play that game on ANY console WITHOUT logging in which means I can lend the game to a friend without internet and they can play my game. Can you lend your hard drive to anyone without logging in for them to play? NOPE. That is a huge difference and if you think otherwise then sorry you're an idiot.

Tacoboto11d ago

"No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft."

Ubisoft is literally erasing games people bought from their libraries... My PS1-3 discs are useless on modern hardware. Nintendo's re-published and resold almost their entire Wii U library, and the eShop is completely dead with no BC mechanism in the Switch software. Microsoft publishes everything they make today day one on Steam and Xbox/Windows. Sony only brings to PC the titles they think you might want some years later and Nintendo won't even design a functional long-lasting joystick.

You're absolutely trolling and not serious if you think Microsoft today is the worst offender.

shinoff218311d ago

Yay steam

Not everyone fks with computers though. The disc is still the best way as a console player. Period.

Tacoboto11d ago

How do Sony and Nintendo feel about these discs from 2001-2013?

Don't be stupid, you know Xbox is the best at this today.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 11d ago
Hofstaderman12d ago

Nobody wants this. Sales or the lack of it in the case of XBOX is very telling. I wonder how the adorably all digital series X will fare. Adorably dismal perhaps?

crazyCoconuts11d ago

Only time will tell, but for from someone like me suspecting that Xbox is trying to gracefully exit the console market, that "forward compatibility" team is trying to get Xbox games playing on Windows PCs. I mean, it's nice that they're not planning on exiting with a "enjoy your games while the hardware still works" message, so that's nice. They still have a brand to protect via Microsoft so probably feel obligated to have a better exit strategy.

Xeofate11d ago (Edited 11d ago )

That is not their plan, their plan is to transfer users accounts to the cloud.

Phil Spencer himself said as much a few months back, plans could have changed but I think people are reading way too much into one statement where Phil said he would allow Epic on xbox because he wants to be able to sell xbox games directly on other platforms. Aka, instead of selling Sea of Thives through PSN he wants to have an xbox store to sell his games on PlayStation without giving PlayStation any money.

Again, it's extremely unlikely that Phil plans to put PC on xbox and licensing would prevent them from just giving out other publishers games purchased on xbox copies of thier games on PC, Microsoft does not own their games.

crazyCoconuts11d ago

The thing that doesn't align with the cloud strategy is the giving up on exclusives. You'd still need strong exclusives for cloud streaming - it's still a "platform" , just with a lower upfront hardware investment. I feel like they've learned what PS learned with PSNow long ago. We're not ready to stream games and it's only gonna lose them money to try at this point

FinalFantasyFanatic11d ago

I would love that, I'd buy up some of the Xbox games if they could run on PC, like the Rare Replay, Lost Odyssey and Dead or Alive Ultimate, probably a pipe dream though.

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