200°

Hardware vs. Software: What Really Sells a Console?

A brief discussion and overview of the hardware and software of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and which really determines console sales.

Read Full Story >>
gamersector.com
Ezz20133941d ago

Hardware and price
and then i look at the first party studios and what they offer or will offer and multiplat games

and Sony got all those things

ShugaCane3941d ago

For me it's the games, and games only. A console can have tons of revolutionnary features, I'll never buy it if it has no game I'm interested in. On the other hand, if a console has only one feature : Playing games, but offers good games and franchises that I like, then I'll buy that one for sure.

mewhy323941d ago

I think that it's really a combination of both for the hardcore informed gamer and just games for the casual uninformed gamer. If you don't really know about hardware specs then hardware really doesn't matter. But if you know anything about hardware then you want the most power for you money.

Utalkin2me3940d ago

I agree. But for some people it is restrictive policies and the lack of what consumers want. Err.... wait it's not restrictive policies and try to keep up with the Jones.

3940d ago
jeffgoldwin3940d ago

"For me it's the games, and games only."

So your still playing on the playstation 1 then? Since you said hardware doesn't matter.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3940d ago
dedicatedtogamers3940d ago

For me, the crux is neither software nor hardware (though of course those play a role).

My #1 concern is the company's track record. The hardware might be super-powerful, but does the company have a track record of making reliable consoles, or do their consoles break? There might be more than a dozen launch titles in the first year, but does the company have a track record of supporting the console over the long haul? Does the company have a track record of creating new IPs or just milking the same old IPs?

FanboyCrusher3940d ago

a company's track record? Are you serious? You may as well say I'm a fanboy and I'm never open to change. I also never take into account that Sony had a monopoly on the industry and that it was hard far anyone to get in with a console, especially with the PS2. When somebody has a lot longer to acquire studios, and experience in general, of course they're going to do well, but we're going to dismiss other company's because of that? You're pathetic. You aren't dedicated to gamers, you're dedicated to kissing Sony's ass.

dedicatedtogamers3940d ago

Wow, what an overreaction. Where did I even mention Sony?

I've been a PC gamer since MS-DOS. I've owned consoles and handhelds from Sony, SEGA, SNK, Nintendo, Atari, Microsoft, and Commodore.

So, yeah. Keep on trollin'

3940d ago
jeffgoldwin3940d ago

@dedicated

It was almost if you cut and pasted that customized stealth troll. 2/10

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3940d ago
AngelicIceDiamond3940d ago

If history's proven anything its software.

Doctor_Freeman3940d ago

Both

Can't have one without the other.

Tsar4ever013939d ago

Sony is best & owns the HARDWARE front, Microsoft has the best experience & controls the SOFTWARE front. Their the perfect competing polar opposites companies that actually need each others *specialties to succeed and win over the masses. Especially since both consoles being allot more than just gaming devices.

People will decide which console is best with their wallets, word of mouth & the internet.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 3939d ago
Thepharaoh3940d ago

Software obviously. If it weren't for software we would be unable t communicate with the console in the first place. Besides who wants to buy a overpowered box if it doesn't have any thing worth powering it up for?I'd be like buying a retarded horse in your current town when there isn't a single race track for miles

JBSleek3940d ago

Software. What's good hardware without software.

But good software can help hardware.

Show all comments (44)
220°

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.

Read Full Story >>
theverge.com
darthv7218h 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.

solideagle5h ago

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

Sonic18812h ago

I thought darthv72 and Obscure_Observer already work for Microsoft 🤔

dveio2h 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:

Cacabunga4h 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.

shinoff21833h 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.

Cacabunga2h 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

purple1017h ago

Xbox hardware revenue tanks to lowest point of Xbox Series generation

Profchaos7h ago

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

XBManiac6h ago

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

SimpleDad6h ago(Edited 6h 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.

purple1015h ago

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

Microsoft: "why's that"

Activision: "to carry yo' weak ass'

Profchaos5h ago(Edited 5h 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

Kornholic3h ago

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

Show all comments (21)
150°

Sony Patents To Prevent You From In-Game Harassment By Reading Your Emotions

A new patent recently published by Sony wants to gather biometric data of gamers to track whether one is being harassed using AI tools.

Profchaos1d 7h ago (Edited 1d 7h ago )

I hope this is one of those patents that never comes to fruition.

I already dislike the fact you can pay a significant amount for a online service buy associated games and content on said service and get banned from that service over potentially a misunderstanding the bans are already handed out for flimsy reasons

I'd rather see money invested in a ban that simply removes the offensive players ability to communicate with unknown players allow them to continue party chats with friends but not with Joe blow on cod.

exputers1d 3h ago

Agreed. Blizzard recently banned a college Overwatch 2 player who's dependent for saying "shit." Pretty harsh.

Profchaos12h ago(Edited 12h ago)

How rediculas really. You can't say a word that's allowed in most PG films and prime time TV but the game is based around killing the enemy team using guns, explosives etc.

It's just backwards.

just_looken14h ago

What your talking about is called block list

In 2006 a spaceship dropped of the playstation 3/xbox 360 i say that that generation was the last great gen with game functions/tech that has yet to comeback

Anyhow the playstation 3 if you block listed a id they could not talk to you in chatroom with either text or voice. But that was pre mind fucked 2018 when people were more human than sheep.

But hey gta 6 is coming out billion dollar budget without a single player custom character creator and without singeplayer coop off/online something saints row 1-3 had on the xbox 360.

z2g23h ago

Take my social security and bank account numbers too! Here’s a picture of my wife and our address.

phoenixwing23h ago

Cmon where's the pictures of your children. Don't hold out on them.

H923h ago

At this rate I feel Sony will eventually sell a room to play games in it where they can monitor your every breath

jambola19h ago

I genuinely get a bit worried sometimes when a friend says something that could be offensive In a party
Because I have no trouble believing some bans would happen when in a private party for saying something wrong

SegaSaturn66922h ago

I want them to censor erotic content by measuring my groin temperature so i dont get too distracted while playing black ops 2.

Popsicle22h ago

Terrible idea. Not only do I not consent to providing my biometric data, the potential for mishandling biometric data is almost a certainty. Positive stress and negative stress can produce similar changes in biometrics. Interpreting the precise emotion a person is feeling is not only invasive but could be easily misconstrued. I hope this never comes to fruition.

Show all comments (14)
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

Read Full Story >>
insider-gaming.com
Hereandthere1d 14h ago

Microsoft should have left them stay 3rd party

GamerRN1d 12h ago

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

Barlos1d 9h ago

Yeah, they're also jobless.

GamerRN1d 2h ago

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

peppeaccardo1d 4h ago

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

ChasterMies1d 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 14h ago (Edited 1d 14h 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 12h ago

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

Mr Logic22h ago

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

Crows9021h ago

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

Profchaos1d 14h ago (Edited 1d 14h 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 13h ago

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

Profchaos1d 13h ago

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

Yi-Long1d 10h ago

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

XiNatsuDragnel1d 13h ago

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

Profchaos1d 11h ago (Edited 1d 11h ago )

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

TheColbertinator1d 12h 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)