920°

Following Twitter Tirade, Microsoft Creative Director Adam Orth No Longer With Microsoft

Gameinformer:
If the first rule of public speaking is to know your audience, then the first rule of Twitter is to realize that you are speaking publicly.

Read Full Story >>
gameinformer.com
Jek_Porkins4024d ago

Microsoft did the right thing, especially if they aren't heading in a DRM direction, although the free publicity could do them a lot of good in the long run, and every single gamer will tune in to Microsoft's reveal to hear truth from rumor.

NewMonday4024d ago (Edited 4024d ago )

Sweet Billy must really hate the internet now.

Ritsujun4024d ago Show
shivvy244024d ago

its really funny how people made memes and bag him out , but to lose a job over this is just sad

Blacktric4024d ago

RIP in pieces Sweet Billy

1532-3015

Taken from us so soon...

Gaming1014024d ago (Edited 4024d ago )

LOL seriously, that guy was relentlessly douchy, arrogant and belligerent, anyway, and if he's going to be mouthing off about details that haven't been confirmed by Microsoft yet, he deserves to be fired! There are obviously confidentiality agreements signed into everyone's contract, so you can't just go around divulging your company's 5 year plans to competitors, they have these things for a reason.

Ezz20134024d ago (Edited 4024d ago )

but he said the internet is awesome .....it killed his career :P

Blacktric4024d ago

I actually don't like reading news like this (someone getting fired from their job). But in this case, I'm extremely happy. He can go to hell for all I goddamn care. A man that forces their colleagues to call him Sweet Billy and ignores them if they don't, does not deserve to have a job anywhere.

EVILDEAD3604023d ago (Edited 4023d ago )

Microsoft had no choice in this case...

The funny part is we found out the bombshell that the Xbox 720 does NOT have to be online and it will play all 720 games offline whether new OR used.

It's the XBOX mini that does not have a disc drive and is competing with Apple TV that will have to always be online.

Probably the biggest news in the 720s existance since all of the 'always online' news and the Orth foul up.

Adam Orth unfortunately has to be the example for the silly tweets and loses his job. But, the crazy thing is he never had to defend the online stuff to begin with.

Xbox 720 will have Backwards Compatability through Xbox Mini

Xbox 720 will support used games

Xbox 720 will play games offline.

The plot has thickened

Evil

SilentNegotiator4023d ago

This news makes this picture from a few days ago sooooooo perfect.

blitz06234023d ago

If I had a twitter account I would tweet him #dealwithit

Why o why4023d ago (Edited 4023d ago )

wait a sec.....didnt greenberg say he didn't know that guy almost like he didn't exist. Maybe greenberg knew it was curtains for mr dwi

Grap4023d ago (Edited 4023d ago )

@Why o why
not everyone who work in the same company know each other microsoft isn't a studio has only 100 employ we are talking about thousands of people.

nveenio4023d ago

They've probably been waiting to fire this guy for a long time.

AtomicGerbil4023d ago

@shivvy24

Many companies are adopting social media policies now, you would be very much surprised what some people have been dismissed for.

In the case of Adam Orth, he really should have known better or read company policies.

Why o why4023d ago

@grap

oh I know that, I dont even know all the members of my family;)

I reckon he must of known or found out who he was before he came out of hibernation. Notice he didn't say this guy wasn't an ms employee, so again, I reckon he must of known something of the guys existence.

badz1494023d ago

will Greenberg admit that he actually knows this guy now?

Timesplitter144023d ago (Edited 4023d ago )

Someone has lost his job and is having actual real-life problems right now because some fatties (us) decided that we were very, very offended by someone talking about online connectivity in a video-game console.

I don't think this is right.

And I don't really expect the average N4Ger to understand why since they live in their imaginary magical kingdom where video game purity is the #1 concern and nothing else matters

nosferatuzodd4023d ago (Edited 4023d ago )

wow that's sad

zod the Immortal

+ Show (14) more repliesLast reply 4023d ago
ziggurcat4024d ago (Edited 4024d ago )

while it's all still just a rumour, orth's tweets do seem to imply that the next xbox will require an always online connection.

now, whether it's for something like the facilitation of system updates (which is useful, imo) or if it's required to be connected even for a single player game is another thing...

frankly, i'm surprised it took this long for MS to show him the door.

@ nukeitall "I still don't understand why people are so upset with Orth?"

because his tweets insulted anyone who either doesn't have access to or can't afford super high speed internet, and mocked peoples' concerns about having to be connected to play games that don't need an online connection to function.

Jek_Porkins4024d ago

Not really, if they were going to go with DRM console they would have kept him, firing him only makes sense if MS were going in a different direction.

The thing is, people can be confused when they think they are onto some supposed "fact", if it turns out this Xbox Mini that you need to play Xbox 360 games is always online, well there ya go, crisis averted, if it turns out your Xbox 720 needs to be online to use apps, well then...no shit....

MariaHelFutura4024d ago

No. They would fire him either way. 1) Because talked about an unannounced console on twitter. 2) Because he was a complete @sshole while doing it.

Saigon4024d ago

He broke the NDA. To me that is enough to fire him. Most likely to avoid any legal action they had him step down. From what I was told from a friend that knows someone that works at MS in Seattle. the employees are under a very strict NDA protocol when it comes to any new products for MS. they are pretty much not allowed to say anything in any hint or applied subject. i feel sorry for him but hey that's how the ball rolls.

hesido4023d ago

Yes, I know someone working at Microsoft. He said they hadn't received the next gen Xbox kits yet (working on different projects till now), but they were going to. When I asked him if he could give any tidbits, he said he might as well pack his stuff and leave Microsoft :)

syphon324023d ago

Its because internet providers aren't reliable and the internet tends to go out sometimes. No one wants that especially if you have a system that depends on it.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4023d ago
Pushagree4024d ago

Guess Adam will have to...*puts on shades* deal with it.

IIC0mPLeXII4024d ago

YAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! !!!!!!!!!!

knifefight4024d ago

Now that he doesn't have to go to work, he can REALLY be always online!

DarkBlood4024d ago

damn it you got to say that before i could lol

-Alpha4024d ago (Edited 4024d ago )

Well, I'm sure EA is hiring

http://i.imgur.com/WVJfyey....

tigertron4023d ago

"Now that he doesn't have to go to work, he can REALLY be always online!"
Not unless he can find a new job and pay for his internet bills. :P #dealwithit

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4023d ago
Cupid_Viper_34024d ago

Well I have to say I'm in a bit of shock to be honest. A lot of XBox fans on here came into every thread to explain to us why all of this "bad news" was actually really good news for MS. And that there's no such thing as bad puplicity.

So why would you fire a guy for supposedly "taking attention away from the PS4" as they guys on here put it?

Oh NVM, I just answered my own question. We actually live in reality, where overwhelmingly bad press about a product is a huge problem, hence why ad campaigns such as Mac vs PC were so effective. Or why presidential elections campaign normally do negative ad campaigns.

But you know what, idiot or not, I hope that this guy's family don't have to pay for his mistakes, and that he can get back on his feet as quickly as possible.

WrAiTh Sp3cTr34024d ago

"A lot of XBox fans on here came into every thread to explain to us why all of this "bad news" was actually really good news for MS."

Can you provide a link to these people you speak of?

LackTrue4K4024d ago (Edited 4024d ago )

I click agree with Cupid_Viper_3.

And click a disagree on WrAiTh Sp3cTr3, just cuz he knows his talking out of his a55 on asking for a link on the people hes talking BAD about Microsoft.

P.S. "RIP good grammar"

BitbyDeath4024d ago

@WrAiTh, first poster on this page still claims it as good publicity. LOL

ThatCanadianGuy5144024d ago

Really wraith? A link?

Just click through any submission and you'll be hard pressed to miss it lol.

KwietStorm_BLM4024d ago

You're gonna beat this publicity thing into the ground aren't you?

fr0sty4024d ago

Were they doing the right thing by sending the cops to raid a guy's house who was the first to leak this sort of thing out? All these actions do is give credence that Microsoft is very worried about this information getting out. If it were just a rumor that was not true, they would just do an interview and say "we have no intentions to force users to remain online while playing any of our consoles". They wouldn't even have to announce a new console to do that, and it would instantly crush the rumor. Sony did it when they registered that used game patent and the net went wild about it. They came right out and said "PS4 will play used games.".

So, I wouldn't assume they've done the right thing. If they really are trying to do this always on thing, this is not a good way to bring attention to it. They should either remain quiet or come out and debunk it. Trying to clamp down on the rumor starters with force is not a sign of confidence.

syphon324023d ago

I totally agree, being secretive about it isn't working. They should've got ahead of the rumor. Now potential customers investing into the next gen will probably lean towards ps4. Dispelling the "always online" rumor would've helped MS. It would've put the hearts and minds of those looking forward to the 720 at ease. They might not be talking about it because it's true and it's too late to rebuild. It's just speculation but in this case not saying anything isn't helping.

4024d ago
refocusedman4024d ago

Although it was a stupid/ignorant comment, at the end of the day he was just sticking up for MS and showing pride for the company that he works for. Do I agree with him, no but I also dont believe that he deserves to be fired. I dont know when this happened, but gamers have developed a scary sense of entitlement and very thin skin. From the threats written on n4g in response to his comments, to people voting EA the worse company in the US ( when you have companies like bank of america who caused thousands of hard working people to lose their homes). I just dont understand it. At the end of the day games are games and life is life.

superterabyte4024d ago

@shivvy24 really? telling your potential customers to 'deal with it'.

really annoyed me and to add salt to the wounds his analogy's just showed how much of an idiot he really was. comparing electricity outages to network ones is possibly the most idiotic thing I have ever heard form an employee in the technology business except maybe giant crabs being part of ancient Asian culture =D

No low level employee of any major company would get away with what he has done so don't feel sorry for him.

GenericNameHere4024d ago

Haha I knew it! I don't get enjoyment out of people losing their jobs and not being able feed themselves, but he should have known the consequences. Carefully watching what you write and post online is THE MOST BASIC of online business, yet this guy went on to say "Deal With It". That phrase may not mean much to him even if he's joking, but it's ALWAYS about the consumer. You tell the consumer to just take it and "deal with it"? Well, you don't have to be a freaking economics guru to figure out what happens next.

andrewsqual4024d ago

Or since the 2010 Kinect "Reveal" I still don't want to live on this planet anymore when anything related to Microsoft E3 Press Conferences is involved. I will wait until it is over and get the remnants of the news from Eurogamer lol.

chrismichaels044023d ago

"the publicity could do them a lot of good in the long run"? A guy just lost his job. The man has a family to support and all you ignorant fanboys care about is publicity for Microsoft? Yea because hearing a guy lost his job is always positive media coverage. Unbelievable.

Cryptcuzz4023d ago

He lost his job not because of a bad economy that forced his company to make cuts or anything else similar that would warrant empathy from the same people who he was being a smart ass too.

He lost his job because he is someone in the know that is under strict NDA disclosures that talked or. mplied about a product that is yet to be revealed or announced.

With your logic, we should empathize with criminals that will go to jail because they have committed a crime?

Maybe the guy is making 200k + a year and is never there for the family. Would you then feel the same way?

Maybe the criminal going to jail (that we should fee bad about based on your logic) is the one hurting the family and thus the reason why the criminal is going to jail?

Thing is you don't know all that. Neither do I, so let's leave it at that.

What you do need to know is those who dislike the guy, reason why all the jokes and memes about him going rampant are simply because of how he made smart ass comments on a subject that he should have never made comments about, and respect the NDA disclosure that I'm sure he has signed. Peace.

chrismichaels044023d ago

@cryptcuzz...i have to disagree with you buddy. You're argument makes no sense. How on earth can you compare someone getting fired with someone going to jail? Criminals go to jail for serious offenses. This guy got fired for making an idiotic statement. Where in your logic are the two comparable? I'm not saying he doesn't deserve to be disciplined, but a public apology and a suspension would have been enough.

What difference does it make how much money he earns? Doesn't change the fact that he is supporting himself and his family with an honest days pay. So we're only allowed to show sympathy for people...as long as they don't make past a certain amount of money? If he works long hours and never gets to see his family because of it, it just means he's making sacrifices for them.

Just because I don't like someone doesn't mean I'm going to take pleasure in their personal loss. Most people on here are quick to dismiss the possibility that Xbox is including an always online feature and are the first ones saying wait until MS announces something. If that's the mentality we're using, then we can't argue he deserves being fired for breaking confidentiality agreements either.

All we know right now is that he lost his job over a stupid comment. And certain people are celebrating his losing his job as "good publicity" for Microsoft. That's the part I disagree with.

4023d ago
marinelife94023d ago

People get fired all the time for making large stupid mistakes. I don't feel sorry for the guy.

TheXonySbox4023d ago

" every single gamer will tune in to Microsoft's reveal to hear truth from rumor."

Someone is out of touch with reality; newsflash majority of gamers arnt on N4G and they are busy with life. lol #fail

+ Show (13) more repliesLast reply 4023d ago
aviator1894024d ago (Edited 4024d ago )

I honestly don't know why ms hired him in the first place.
When he was a designer at Sony, he practically dissed Halo in an interview. Maybe he had some worthwhile abilities, but I wouldn't want to hire someone who can't respect the key franchise related to any certain company.

nukeitall4024d ago (Edited 4024d ago )

That is a good point, but MS might not have known about it. He does seem like an asshole similar to that other dude that made Twisted Metal, David Jaffe.

Yet, I can't help, but feel bad for the guy. His comments very pretty innocent, and that sort of thing I would have said as a joke.

Feel bad he no longer has a job regardless of being forced to resign/fired or resigning out of free will.

I still don't understand why people are so upset with Orth?

NYC_Gamer4024d ago

It's because his rant made the whole company[MS] look real bad

KwietStorm_BLM4024d ago

You may not like David Jaffe's personality, but I don't recall him ever taking jabs at anyone or joking about where people live. He's actually a very respectful guy, if you've ever spoken to him.

DeeZee4024d ago

Actually, Jaffe seems like a nice guy. I heard a lot of bad things about him, but after following him on Twitter for a while he seems like one of the nicest people in gaming. He talks about his kids and none of his tweets come across as arrogant.

Akin04023d ago

If you work for any corporation such as Microsoft there are policies in place for communication of company information / trade secrets. All employees are trained on these policies. Orth most likely violated those policies with his tweets even tho they were in jest. Given the secretness and sensitivity of the subject matter Microsoft deemed termination appropriate, and I would agree.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4023d ago
konnerbllb4024d ago

Looks like he's off to Nintendo now. Third times a charm.

JoGam4024d ago

I think this will really screw his chances with another company in gaming.

Condemnedman4023d ago

Ah there you go an ex sony employee. That explains the arrogance and bitterness lol

abzdine4024d ago ShowReplies(1)
coolbeans4024d ago (Edited 4024d ago )

A believe a toast is in order...

To the 'always-on...the hunt for a new job' Adam Orth. Cheers.

http://img.pandawhale.com/5...

DragonKnight4024d ago

Adam Orth disagreed with you.

coolbeans4024d ago (Edited 4024d ago )

To be expected. He isn't always-on his best behavior here. :P

DragonKnight4024d ago

He even disagreed with me about him disagree with you.

grayfoxx8814024d ago

This was most definitely a forced resignation, which is not the least bit surprising.

Show all comments (154)
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?"

purple1013d 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 ☝️

Zeref2d 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.

DarXyde2d 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.

PhillyDonJawn2d ago (Edited 2d 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.

Einhander19722d 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.

MrBaskerville2d 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.

shinoff21831d 22h 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.

Profchaos1d 22h 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 1d 22h ago
isarai2d ago

Is that why Hellblade 2 is digital only?

Zeref2d 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.

MrNinosan2d ago

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

mkis0071d 13h ago (Edited 1d 13h ago )

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

Einhander19722d 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.

2d ago Replies(3)
Einhander19722d ago

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

2d ago
2d ago
Zeref2d 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.

DarXyde2d 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.

Einhander19722d 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.

Einhander19722d 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.

BehindTheRows2d ago (Edited 2d 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.

Zeref2d ago (Edited 2d 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.

Chevalier2d 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.

Tacoboto2d 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.

shinoff21831d 22h ago

Yay steam

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

Tacoboto1d 20h 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 1d 20h ago
Hofstaderman2d 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?

crazyCoconuts2d 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.

Xeofate2d ago (Edited 2d 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.

crazyCoconuts1d 8h 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

FinalFantasyFanatic1d 16h 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.

Show all comments (43)
370°

Could Xbox Soon Become The Next Dreamcast?

Microsoft's future in the video game space is murky right now, so let's break it all down.

Read Full Story >>
thegamer.com
ApocalypseShadow15d ago (Edited 15d ago )

Not anytime soon. But they're on that path.

One thing not mentioned in the article is Microsoft's money bags. If Sega had Microsoft's money, they would have still been around as a hardware manufacturer. Xbox as a platform only survives because of the money bags. They can continue making consoles for the core and port to PC.

The multiplatform strategy is only the result of arrogance and misguided leadership that blew up in their face. They thought gamers would jump on Xbox in droves if they knew that many of their favorite games would be only on Xbox. But that's not happening at all. Sales didn't increase. They decreased. Why? Because the dumb asses thought giving away these expensively made games in a cheap service would also turn the tide.

Gamers on other platforms are willing to buy quality. They don't need to be handed nearly free games in a service that aren't even finished and sometimes average in their development. Gamers buy Nintendo games. They buy Sony games. Microsoft groomed their base to not buy games. Even the quality ones. It has always been their plan to go digital. But most gamers still like single player gaming. Still like physical releases.

Microsoft's problem has always been that they don't produce high quality games at the same output as Nintendo and Sony. Actually, they should be producing quite a lot more because they're worth over 2 TRILLION. How they don't have more is ridiculous and no excuse. Buying publishers to take away from competition only backfired. Because it still takes millions of dollars to continue to make those games from the publishers they snatched. Their only choice was to crawl back to their competitors to help sustain those developers because Nintendo and Sony platforms were the ones buying games.

Am I sorry for Microsoft? Hell no! They deserved last place for putting in the least effort. They deserved the fallout for buying up the industry and didn't make a single blip on the radar against their competitors where they now need those same gamers they took away games from to support them. Part of it may have been to cash in on their competition. But the result is the slow death of their platform. They may go 3rd party. They may keep making hardware. I don't give a shit about them to worry about it. I only give a shit about the destructive nature of their industry moves that only negatively affect gamers. They could sell and drop out of the industry and I wouldn't blink. Probably laugh. But not blink. They deserve whatever comes to them. At least Sega put in the effort when it came to games. They just had poor leadership. Microsoft has poor leadership and barely makes memorable games. That's a killer combination. And not in a good way.

Cacabunga14d ago

That would be an insult to Dreamcast.. it had a crazy line up of legendary critically acclaimed games.

Crows9014d ago

I was thinking the same. Dreamcast had incredible games in such a short amount of time. It was truly exceptional.

darthv7214d ago

...and yet all those great games were not enough to sway people from the looming release of the PS2 at the time. Sony just has that kind of brand loyalty.

Cacabunga14d ago

Darth

I do not agree.. Sony had even better games thanks to an unprecedented 3rd party support..
DC had amazing lineup but 90% were arcade games..

88314d ago

@darth:
And Sony showed off "The Emotion Engine" and their real time demos that made everyone think they would miss out on REAL next gen 128bit magic if they jumped in before PS2s polygon pushing monster (and early lack of anti-aliasing with a healthy heap of shimmer + DVD playback) stepped up. PS2 was a fantastic system though with amazing games.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 14d ago
blacktiger14d ago

That's not true. Just because Microsoft has the money doesn't mean Microsoft can allow xbox to bleed entire Microsoft money. It doesn't work like they. Also SEC will be watching and investor won't allow it. Lot of reasons why Microsoft can not continue even if they wanted to. SEC regulations is expensive.

fr0sty14d ago (Edited 14d ago )

Exactly this... Microsoft is a publicly traded company, mostly owned by their shareholders (Approximately 59.24% of the company's stock is owned by Institutional Investors, 7.73% is owned by Insiders and 33.03% is owned by Public Companies and Individual Investors.). Their shareholders call the shots on the business decisions, and their shareholders want one thing and one thing only, for their stock price to go up. Losses do not make stock prices go up... so if the division continually posts losses on hardware, but shows profits on software and services (which has been the case with Xbox its entire lifespan, for over 20 years now), the shareholders are going to grow impatient and demand they stop making hardware and focus on the only thing that has ever made them money, software and services.

When Microsoft bought Blizzard and Activision for almost 100 billion, I knew that was the nail in the coffin for Xbox as a console... as the shareholders were going to expect a quick return on that investment, and when it didn't materialize, they were going to be out for blood... out to force Xbox to sell those games on as many consoles as possible, "and while you're at it, sell those first party exclusives that aren't selling well on other consoles as well... hell, just stop making consoles and sell games."

If there is another Xbox console generation, it will definitely be the last, but I doubt there even will be one at this point. I think the Xbox division planning on it just in case, but I don't think the project has been greenlit from Microsoft itself. The rumors that they have not yet even secured the chips needed from the chip fabrication facilities ties into this.

shinoff218314d ago

While I usually agree with you . Alot of what was said can just also be asked before any of that.

How long will the shareholders wait? It doesn't appear long at all

Babadook713d ago

I think I get your point. Like just because MS has money does not mean they are content to throw it away on a dying ecosystem. Xbox has to be profitable or “what’s the point?”

ifinitygamer14d ago

Money bags, yes, but are we ignoring that Xbox actually makes a profit on games and GamePass? Hardware is often a loss leader, and they're probably making profit 4 years into the life cycle, but games and services revenue have been very profitable while other parts of Microsoft's business is struggling. Say what you will about the quality of those games, of course, but this is kind of a reverse Dreamcast situation, where the console was dragging down the company and put it at risk of shuttering entirely. Killing that console saved the business and allowed it to continue to make games on multiple platforms. In this case, the service is very profitable, as are the games, and they're also double-dipping into Multiplatform to extend this further, while their hardware is just sort of what they believe to be the best for gamers and their own titles (whether that is the case or not...)

fr0sty14d ago (Edited 14d ago )

The issue is, they aren't selling enough hardware to make their exclusives profitable, and now that they've bought half the gaming publisher/dev industry, they have no choice but to go third party to make a profit... and that is making their shareholders take a real close look at their hardware division under the microscope... why keep making the hardware if the software is all that is making them money, and they continually, generation after generation come in dead last with hardware sales?

Look at a game like Spiderman 2... if it had been an Xbox exclusive, with the amount it cost to develop, it would have been a huge failure... simply not enough consoles out there to sell it on. They would have been lucky to break even.

ifinitygamer14d ago

@fr0sty agreed completely, which is why they're hedging by releasing other games to multiplatform, plus they have PC to make up for the difference in a lot of ways, which is why their games are not complete money pits. It brings up the question of whether or not those exclusives would drive sales of consoles, though. Let's say Spiderman 2 was an Xbox exclusive, it would certainly have pushed console sales, though who's to say how much is anyone's guess.

fr0sty13d ago

That's why you can't rely on just one exclusive, Sony has always delivered on a wide range of solid exclusives, even this generation (even if they haven't been strong on the first party exclusives, they've made up for it with third party). They don't rely on just one "system seller", they have a portfolio of them.

14d ago
JBlaze22613d ago

ApocalypseShadow To be honest Sony has more of a chance to go 3rd party because like you said Microsoft has money, Sony does not. Sony does not have games, Only games they have come from 3rd party. Sony has been losing money for years and you. Saying Microsoft has been putting the least effort just proves you have no idea what's been going on. All Sony has done is repeat and recycle, never innovating or doing something new. All Sony has is brand loyalty nothing else and it shows.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 13d ago
LG_Fox_Brazil15d ago

Not sure about that. It's been two decades and I still think about Power Stone, Shenmue, Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Seaman and others, but I'm not sure I'll remember Xbox Series X/S games in a few years from now... Maybe I'll remember about the franchises that the Xbox brand spawned, but I don't believe that the Xbox Series lives up to the late Dreamcast or even to the Xbox name itself. I do have great memories about the 360 with Blue Dragon, Gears 2 and Lost Odyssey though

isarai14d ago

Nah, sega actually makes good games

Becuzisaid14d ago

No, Dreamcast was ahead of it's time and most still have very fond memories of it that had one. It also had some good games on it even in it's short lifespan. Xbox has none of these qualities.

Profchaos14d ago

I remember it coming out at the time in a really bad place they hit the market before the PS2 but it was during this transitional time when Sony was promoting the power of the PS2 and so many of the Dreamcast games were awesome but often third parties simply ported the PS1 version increased resolution and performance but rarely fully utilise the capabilities of the console.

I think in the end bad marketing done it in and like the GameCube so many people are fond of it now but at the time it was looked at in the lense of the day and it didn't stack up.

Personally I miss Sega in hardware they took risks that many companies won't

Becuzisaid14d ago

I never owned it, and got the PS2 right when it launched. But there were certain games it had that I was always jealous of that I didn't have access to - Sonic adventure, crazy taxi, power Stone, code Veronica, shenmue, skies of Arcadia. I always thought it was a really cool machine though. I've never heard a bad thing about it though from those that had it.

FinalFantasyFanatic14d ago

I only ever saw one Dreamcast, and that was one my friend owned, pity I never got to play it, I wonder what games he had for it?

It would be nice if some of those games got ported to modern systems.

Profchaos14d ago

Oh man sonic adventure on the Dreamcast made me so jealous as a huge sonic fan on the mega drive who also moved to PlayStation 2 I never got the chance to play it back in the day either. The Dreamcast in Australia where I am was always relegated to the smallest corner of EB Games it was kind of a strong first indicator that things were not going well at the time.

Show all comments (72)
80°

Microsoft Rewards app on Xbox and weekly streaks to be killed off soon

Microsoft has announced the Microsoft Rewards app on Xbox will be discontinued in April and has confirmed that weekly streaks will also be coming to an end.

Read Full Story >>
trueachievements.com