120°

The future of gaming is … social?

Now that the E3 and its aftermath is behind us, we can focus on what is really going on with these new consoles. Sure, the buffed graphical output and new IP are all that developers and gamers are raving about; but the real milestone here is social gaming.

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worldsfactory.net
Timesplitter143956d ago (Edited 3956d ago )

Only if it's well implemented. Games that just post updates on your twitter or facebook are the worst. Nobody wants to see that

Alexious3956d ago

Yes, likely there will be a much tighter integration in next-generation.

GDDR6_20143956d ago

That's one aspect that I just care about at all, just like trophies and motion control this gen

FSThree3956d ago

I for one am not an avid participant in social when it comes to games. I tend to let my Raptr go buck wild and delete a few posts here and there out of respect for my friends and followers.

However, the Miiverse made the social aspect quite inviting - each game gets a 'community' and you can simply ask about titles you're interested in w/o having to go to obscure forums. And, as the article says, Nintendo has sited the Miiverse as why they're going to deliver Earthbound to the US and EU Virtual Console markets.

If I feel empowered, that I can influence publishers and developers on what I want to see in games, I will participate. I am very interested in whether PS4 and XBX can replicate this, as they should.

guitarded773956d ago

I love the social aspect through apps. I want to share my screenshots, gameplay vids and achievements with my friends on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. I'm excited for the new features on PS4 and XBOX One. I just wish Nintendo would get on board with external social sites. If they would add a trophy/achievement system, and the ability to take screenshots and share them on Facebook and Twitter without going through Miiverse, they'd be doing themselves a huge favor. Everytime an "achievement earned" notification pops up on Facebook or Twitter, it's free advertising... Evey time someone posts a screenshot to the same sites, it's free advertising. Iwata has publicly said that he personally is not interested in suck things, but there are millions, if not billions that are. So just because he has no interest, the rest of us should do without.

_LarZen_3956d ago

Personally I love the social functions that are coming on the next consoles. But I understand that many do not care about it at all.

So there should always be a choice, forcing something on people never goes well.

guitarded773956d ago

Well, yeah, but how is it forcing people. It's optional to use these social features. I had to manually set my PS3 to update Facebook, and I have to manually share my achievements on XBOX. It's completely optional.

With the latest PS3 patch, users can turn off trophy notifications. I never really understood how someone can hate trophies so much. I can understand not caring, but if I really didn't care, then I wouldn't care.

Abriael3956d ago (Edited 3956d ago )

Oh hell no. At least not always, hopefully.

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270°

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
darthv721d 2h 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.

solideagle13h ago

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

Sonic188110h ago

I thought darthv72 and Obscure_Observer already work for Microsoft 🤔

dveio10h 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:

Lightning775h ago

What he said was facts. How he plays games is no concern of you. Don't get too mad about it.

Cacabunga12h 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.

shinoff218311h 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.

Cacabunga10h 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

itsmebryan6h ago

@shin
Well keep it simple Sony 's operating income is down 26% and Microsoft's is up 32%. No MS spin there, just facts. 😉
Cheers

romulus235h ago

Odd that a company that touts you dont need the hardware to play is already touting another console in the works.

darthv725h ago

They are not reliant on the HW but still want to maintain a presence (no matter how small) is a good thing. It shows commitment to the craft. It reminds me of SNK and how they made games for their own hardware (Neo Geo) while also making them for others because they knew there was a market to do so. They knew they would sell more to others but also sell to their own niche fan base.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 5h ago
purple10115h ago

Xbox hardware revenue tanks to lowest point of Xbox Series generation

Profchaos15h ago

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

DOMination-4h ago

In the last two years they've started exiting the consumer market altogether. All of the newest Surface products are business models only. They can't seem to work out what they want to do with it.

XBManiac14h ago

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

SimpleDad14h ago(Edited 14h 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.

purple10113h ago

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

Microsoft: "why's that"

Activision: "to carry yo' weak ass'

Profchaos13h ago(Edited 13h 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

Kornholic11h ago

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

MrDead5h ago

The only growth MS will get out of the console industry is if it supports it's rivals platforms. Xbox is a pointless machine now. I can see them on a big push for live next, and they won't give up on trying to buy Steam.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 5h ago
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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 22h ago

Microsoft should have left them stay 3rd party

GamerRN1d 20h ago

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

Barlos1d 17h ago

Yeah, they're also jobless.

GamerRN1d 10h ago

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

peppeaccardo1d 12h ago

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

ChasterMies1d 8h 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 22h ago (Edited 1d 22h 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 20h ago

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

Mr Logic1d 6h ago

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

Crows901d 5h ago

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

blacktiger2h ago

You own nothing snd be happy. I'm sure you heard that

Profchaos1d 22h ago (Edited 1d 22h 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 22h ago

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

Profchaos1d 21h ago

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

Yi-Long1d 18h ago

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

XiNatsuDragnel1d 21h ago

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

Profchaos1d 19h ago (Edited 1d 19h ago )

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

TheColbertinator1d 20h ago

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

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80°

Nintendo's Massacre Of The 3DS And Wii U Is Finally Complete, Regrettably

Hanzala from eXputer: "The cruel hammer of Nintendo has fallen. Farewell, 3DS and Wii U, you surely brightened my life and many others; you won't be forgotten."