230°

Podcast Unlocked Episode 102: Smarticulate

IGN - Editors explore the latest in Xbox news, including an exec out the door, headset adapters, and Kinect's new features.

dedicatedtogamers3965d ago (Edited 3965d ago )

I know the canned answer is "LOL jumping out of the sinking ship amirite?"

But a more realistic reason is that Microsoft is currently undergoing a massive reorg and the Xbox division is likely getting split between two divisions or at least tucked deeper into a larger division.

Mattrick once reported directly to Ballmer. After the reorg, the new Xbox boss will likely have one or two bosses between him/her and Ballmer. Maybe he didn't want to deal with that.

Lovable3965d ago

LOL jumping out of the sinking ship amirite?

pompombrum3965d ago (Edited 3965d ago )

I think the more logical answer being that he was the scapegoat in the xbox 180. Someone's head had to roll after that shambolic unveiling and embarrassing backtrack. Who knows and who cares though, he's gone and is now working for a company I have no interest nor need to have an interest in.. it's a win win situation as an Xbox gamer.

Aaroncls73965d ago

I agree he was the scapegoat MS needed to initialize the facelift of the Xbone.

We can only assume, of course; but either Matrick was smart enough to immediately look for a back up plan, or he had an offer already, or MS gave him the chance to be honorable discharged.

Either way, I don't think all the wrong things about the Xbone's deplorable reveal and subsequent fails were entirely the responsability of Don Matrick.

In fact, what MS really revealed was a lack of real connection to the modern consumer mindset; and a scary, tyrannical ambition.

PFFT3965d ago

Sinking......nope not really.

MariaHelFutura3965d ago (Edited 3965d ago )

Because the Xbox One is going to fail to outsell the Playstation for a 3rd time in a row. They needed someone to blame and Don is perfect candidate because he has a been a PR nightmare. They're getting crushed by the media, online polls, preorders, pricing and specs comparisons. Things aren't looking good, considering they could even outsell the PS3 w/ a year head start, crazy advertising budgets and the media backing them.

dedicatedtogamers3965d ago

To be fair, Microsoft aims to beat Apple and Google to the punch. They're not necessarily competing with Sony or Nintendo.

NihonjinChick3965d ago (Edited 3965d ago )

Do you think Microsoft can actually compete with Google?

Omran3965d ago

if they are not compete with
sony and nintendo why they made
a console ?!

mcstorm3965d ago

@IncredibleGamerChick Microsoft walk all over Google in every area but Mobile and Search and Youtube.

What I find funny is people seem to forget sony had a slow start with the PS3 and if MS have one with the xbox one then it is not over they can turn things around just like sony did plus I am not expecting the PS3 and xbox one to have massive sales like the Wii did when they come out as times have changes since then and the 360 and PS3 are still selling well with big name games like BF, COD, Fifa, GT ect.

dedicatedtogamers3965d ago

@ mcstorm

"people seem to forget sony had a slow start with the PS3 and if MS have one with the xbox one then it is not over they can turn things around"

Sure, they CAN turn things around, but it's a different situation. You can't say "PS3 had a slow start too" as if that means - automatically - XBox One can recover. PS3's recover took years of devoted effort from Sony plus several price cuts.

tehpees33965d ago

"They're not necessarily competing with Sony or Nintendo."

Xbox is a game console so they are competing with Sony and Nintendo first and foremost. If they forget that then gamers will jump out and never look back.

Saksoy3965d ago

lol that's like, M.City saying they are not competing with M.United for the EPL title.

Enigma_20993965d ago (Edited 3965d ago )

@dedicatedtogamers

... so they are in the gaming business because?

3964d ago
+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 3964d ago
MariaHelFutura3965d ago (Edited 3965d ago )

Don was the head of the Xbox division. But I agree, they would have actually beat them (once) for it to considered a competition.

http://i.imgur.com/amn36.gi...

Kanzes3965d ago (Edited 3965d ago )

Xbox One is like the PS3 back then, high prices and the whole internet hates it. But, that doesn't stop PS3 to become successful like right now.

NatureOfLogic3965d ago

The Xbox brand doesn't have as much pull as the Playstation brand. Name me one Xbox that has sold 100m. I can name two Playstations and soon maybe three. Xbox original failed. No Playstation console has ever failed. Xbox is simply not on the same level of successful recognition as the Playstation. When MS smokes the competition twice like Sony did, then we can consider them possibly making a comeback after a bad start, until then, I don't think the Xbox name is strong enough now.

Kanzes3965d ago (Edited 3965d ago )

^so you're saying that the PlayStation 3 is saved by merely because the PlayStation "brand"?

I think brand is not the problem, the problem is the quality of exclusivity and services..

PS3 is become more and more successful when games like Uncharted 2 and MGS4 are released only on PS3, and with the help of PS+ feature too.

NatureOfLogic3965d ago (Edited 3965d ago )

@ Kanzes, OK..... My point still stands, which is, MS has yet to prove themselves. If we go by MS's track record, we can all clearly see where MS is headed when comes to exclusives. They simply can't compete with Sony by buying third party timed exclusives and content. They tried it last gen and still failed to out sale their competition. From E3 it's clear that they're taking the same approach with the X1 and no one is impressed. So why go this same route? Everyone comparing PS3 bad start to Xbox one is just wrong. PS2 dominated, Xbox 360 not even close, and even with the one year headstart, Playstation 3 has sold more at faster rate than Xbox 360. With PS3 out selling Xbox 360, It shows that Xbox is not strong enough to withstand a bad start like Sony's Playstation. Lets not forget that PS3 also introduced blu-ray.

dedicatedtogamers3965d ago

That's a (mostly) false equivalence.

PS3 was the follow-up to the two highest-selling consoles of all time. Xbox One is not.

PS3 had a high price but a lot of goodwill. PS2 was still loved and games were still coming out for it. Not so when it comes to the 360 for a lot of people.

And lastly, Sony had to fight for YEARS to win back consumer trust and respect. Will Microsoft invest the same amount of effort and dedication when they've proven they only stick to gaming in the short-term?

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3965d ago
fermcr3965d ago

Sales only matter for fanboys, bragging rights. What matters to companies is ... did it make money?

Microsoft made quite a lot of money with the X360, in spite of the RROD debacle.

Sony had heavy losses with the PS3.

devwan3965d ago

Microsoft's xbox division is still $3bn in the red over the last 10 years, it hasn't made money, it has haemorrhaged it.

http://www.neowin.net/news/...

Their current idea is to make a box that will appeal well beyond the console gamer crowd, but trouble is they're even failing to hit the spot there and that part has to be in place for the rest to follow. Oh dear...

ThatCanadianGuy5143965d ago

Where do you keep pulling these random bits of imaginary information from?

MS is not making money from xbox.It's their least profitable division by far."Microsoft makes more than 75% of its profits from Windows and Office. Less than 25% comes from its vaunted servers and tools. And Microsoft makes nothing from its xBox/Kinect entertainment division, while losing vast sums in its on-line division (negative $350M-$750M/quarter)."
http://www.forbes.com/sites...

Not only that but they've lost 3 billion in the last 10 years because of it. http://www.neowin.net/news/...

No wonder investors want them out of the gaming biz.

warewolfSS3965d ago

Your a sad dude. You tirelessly go into every single thread that had to do with Microsoft and repeat the same, tired mantra of better graphics, sad Microsoft, pr nightmare, no games , inferior hardware, no exclusives. ALL for a company who could care less about you. Grow up kid. I'm getting both consoles DAY 1, and if you are to than awesome.

Kanzes3965d ago

It's like they're paying for him lol

5eriously3965d ago

Just how is the Xbox360 outselling the PS3. Once an fanboi always an idiot I presume.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 3964d ago
maniac763965d ago (Edited 3965d ago )

Cause ms is gy...doh
Edit lmao

EXVirtual3965d ago

I'm pretty sure this Zynga deal was considered for a while but the bad PR probably influenced his decision. Really, I don't think the Xbox is competing with Sony and Nintendo. I think they're trying to beat Apple and Google. They wouldn't win in either situation though.

Show all comments (51)
260°

More Job Losses At Xbox, “There’s More To Come”: Paul Thurrott

Paul Thurrott in a recent episode commented on the on-going Microsoft fiasco hinting at more job losses and that "there's more to come".

Read Full Story >>
spieltimes.com
Sonic188118h ago(Edited 18h ago)

There won't be no more acquiring game publishers from Microsoft in the future . Xbox has to pay Microsoft back. It might take two decades to do that.

sagapo15h ago(Edited 15h ago)

I don’t understand what you’re saying. Xbox IS microsoft so there’s no “paying back “.
And MS gross profit in 2023 was over 140 billion dollars so forget your 2 decades.

Unless you mean the money MS invested in Xbox (acquisitions included) and the time it will take for xbox as a brand to gain that money back on it’s own, then yeah, that could take a while.

romulus238h ago

The better term to use might be return on investment, xbox is simply a division of Microsoft one that MS can easily do away with if profit margins are not met. So in that regard he's right, if xbox isn't showing the expected return on investment the higher ups are expecting than it's unlikely Microsoft will acquire any other studios any time soon, especially if they are spending billions buying developers just to shut them down in the end.

MrBaskerville1h ago(Edited 1h ago)

Xbox is a division that they discussed shutting down but doubled down on after Gamepass was pitched.

It needs to make money at some point. Big money.

SonyStyled14h ago

“There won't be no more acquiring game publishers from Microsoft in the future”

No bro, there do be is for Microsoft not acquiring for what is now if not what it be is 😂

12h agoReplies(2)
ChasterMies2h ago

Xbox isn’t a separate company from Microsoft. It’s all Microsoft.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 44m ago
jwillj2k418h ago

There really needs to be a class action lawsuit here. You buy these companies just to put people out of jobs. And it’s not like something happened to derail their plans this WAS the plan. Microsoft has no business in this space at all.

franwex17h ago(Edited 17h ago)

Microsoft has been doing this for years. They simply want the IPs. Look at Nokia. Look at Skype. This time it simply expanded to games. Gaming is not as important to Microsoft’s executives as it was to the founders too. Bill Gates was willing to sell the og Xbox at a loss. Steve Balmer approved the red ring of death fiasco. This CEO isn’t really a gamer.

-Foxtrot16h ago

Maybe it's time though to put a stop to it and use a big giant like Microsoft as a huge example to the rest of these big companies.

There has to be a line drawn somewhere.

People like the FTC and the like went against Microsoft yet their Actvision deal was still allowed to go through yet look what's happened...it's not even Acitivisions studios aswell, it's Bethesdas.

RNTody17h ago

Ninja Theory, Perfect Dark, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Wolfenstein 3, Dishonored, Prey, Doom, Quake... something tells me that bad things are going to happen to these entities under Microsoft.

MrDead6h ago

ID software, the makers of Doom and Wolfenstein that have been with us since 1991 could be gone and MS will keep the IPs.

I hope some of these studios can buy their freedom from MS otherwise this is going to be even more devastating for the industry and gamers.

Yui_Suzumiya4h ago(Edited 4h ago)

That's exactly what I'm worried about. I've been a fan of id since Wolfenstein 3D and I'm honestly afraid.

lodossrage9m ago

Toys for Bob saw the writing on the wall and bought themselves out.

Wouldn't be the first time a company did that under MS either. Bungie and Twisted Pixel did the same. Considering what just happened, I can see some other devs trying to buy themselves out too.

anast16h ago

Good thing the bosses of all those small studios made their money.

glenn197916h ago

they cant do it right now they will get burned

lodossrage7m ago(Edited 7m ago)

Won't make a difference.

The whole structure needs to be overhauled. Anyone that replaces Phil will be no different than him, Mattrick, or anyone else.

Until the company changes how they go about business, nothing will change

lodossrage5m ago

True,

But they may as well get it over with. Whether it happens now or later, the burning is going to hit the same.

Reality is the ONE move that can alleviate a lot of this is the one move they can't make. Remove day 1 from gamepass.

Show all comments (46)
90°

Microsoft Opening Xbox Mobile Game Store in July

The Xbox brand is expanding, as an Xbox mobile game store is opening this coming July where Microsoft will brings its "first-party portfolio."

Jin_Sakai2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

“Bond adds that they will start on the web”

This will go nowhere.

Nice knowing you Xbox. This is what happens when the house never gets cleaned.

MrDead2d ago

The only this MS is expanding is the amount of feculence it sprays on everyone who just want to enjoy gaming and make games.

The best thing MS can do for the gaming industry is leave and never return.

XiNatsuDragnel2d ago

Good luck with this even it might not succeed.

Show all comments (7)
210°

Microsoft once tried to nab LittleBigPlanet from Sony after a few drinks

It turns out that many moons ago, Microsoft once had its eye on the Sony published LittleBigPlanet series.

Read Full Story >>
eurogamer.net
XiNatsuDragnel3d ago

Microsoft had a good idea but fumbled it again.

Cacabunga1d 19h ago (Edited 1d 19h ago )

Project Spark idea was decent but they quickly gave up ..
LBP was wonderful

ApocalypseShadow2d ago

Microsoft in a nutshell. Always tried to poach Sony employees, games, 3rd party games and devices like the depth camera that was turned into Kinect but was running on PS2 before Xbox 360. Wouldn't be surprised they wanted LBP. Just like they worked behind the scenes pushing the MLB to bring Sony's baseball game to Xbox instead of making their own.
https://www.playstationlife...

They didn't spend years trying to develop their own baseball game. They wanted Sony's game.

They're scum.

Zachmo1821d 17h ago

Microsoft didn't force MLB on Xbox. MLB gave Sony 2 options either go multiplat or risk losing the license.

Rynxie1d 8h ago

And why do you think MLB said that? I believe Ms approached MLB.

ApocalypseShadow1d 7h ago (Edited 1d 7h ago )

Totally ridiculous comment.

The only exclusivity Sony had was to their own creation of The Show. Microsoft could have paid the MLB for the license just like Sony did and made their own baseball game.

Microsoft instead, groomed MLB for years in trying to poach Sony's game and bring it to Xbox. They're worth 3 TRILLION dollars. You think that's not enough money to make their own baseball game? Don't be delusional.

Microsoft spun it like they always do and told the media that they had to trust Sony with their hardware. After they put Sony in that position of not having a choice. Either go multiplatform or stop making one of their successful games. That's a no win scenario.

And what did Microsoft do? They didn't try to sell the game to the Xbox community. They put it on game pass to hurt Sony. Pushing the idea of why buy games that are $70 when you can play them in their cheap service for $10. It was a dirty tactic.

You fell for the Kool aid drink Microsoft served you instead of spitting it out. Hope it tasted good because you were fooled by Phil and the gang.

1d 2h ago
Hereandthere23h ago

Xbox executive Sara Bond has told Axios that Microsoft spent a number of years trying to get MLB The Show onto Xbox consoles. And when it finally succeeded in breaking off PlayStation’s long-held exclusivity, the company had to “trust” Sony with pre-release Xbox Series X/S consoles.

Bond revealed that MLB The Show “always came up” in conversations between Microsoft and the Major League Baseball organization. “We always said, ‘We love this game. It would be a huge opportunity to bring it to Xbox.'” she recalled. However, when Microsoft’s efforts materialized, it put the company in an awkward situation where it had to send in pre-release consoles to a rival company.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 23h ago
Notellin1d 4h ago

"Microsoft instead, groomed MLB for years in trying to poach Sony's game and bring it to Xbox."

Take a nap, conspiracies are rotting your brain.

1d 2h ago
Hereandthere23h ago

Xbox executive Sara Bond has told Axios that Microsoft spent a number of years trying to get MLB The Show onto Xbox consoles. And when it finally succeeded in breaking off PlayStation’s long-held exclusivity, the company had to “trust” Sony with pre-release Xbox Series X/S consoles.

ApocalypseShadow9h ago

Lying to yourself is unbecoming.

Article link tells you all you need to know in Sarah Bond's own words.

Hereandthere23h ago

They were too cheap/inept/lazy to develop their own mlb game, so they port begged for years and bribed the mlb to make the show multiplatform. Like i said many times, xbox brought nothing to the table their 24 years, ZERO.

ApocalypseShadow9h ago

At least you and others get it. Note drank the Kool aid and asked for seconds thinking it was refreshing.

Most don't even know how it all played out but it's there in black and white for all to see. Microsoft brought it up for years until the MLB forced Sony's hand. It was a win win for Microsoft. Kill one reason to buy a PlayStation or kill the game by dropping it in a cheap service to kill Sony's sales numbers on PlayStation.

OtterX1d 20h ago

"However, Healey said Media Molecule wouldn't have felt right doing that, adding it would have been "morally corrupt"."

Major kudos to Media Molecule for being an upright studio with principles.

Cockney3h ago

They chose well, Sony gave them the backing to pursue their dreams with no restrictions even tho their games especially dreams have very niche appeal. Media molecule and Sony deserve respect for this in an age of risk averse publishing.

RNTody1d 20h ago (Edited 1d 20h ago )

Great, more stories like this please. Show the last of the zombies holding the line what we've been saying for years: Microsoft is anti competition, anti industry and has no interest in making games at all.

But hey, at least there's an Xbox Games Showcase to look forward to, right?

Inverno1d 19h ago

Well considering SONY just killed the series, LBP would've been dead by now either way. Though MM probably wouldn't exist by now either, so I'm glad they stayed with SONY, hopefully they don't get shut down any time soon or ever honestly.

Sheppard7t31d 17h ago

How did Sony kill the series?

Inverno1d 17h ago

They shut down the servers, that's millions of user created levels gone. That and dead are pretty much the same, it's also been years since 3 and they cancelled HUB soooo.

1d 2h ago
fsfsxii1d 4h ago

They shutdown the servers because no one was playing, no one in the community cared about the user created levels so why keep them up? Wtf you guys would never succeed in running a business.

Inverno1d 3h ago

Yea dood no one was playing so they shut off the servers. Cause people with enough common sense can't just Google why they were actually shut of, right?

Show all comments (29)