Geek-Grotto: Like most gamers, I have more than one console. Like few gamers, I have consoles that span decades! I have been gaming since the 80's, and with the exception of an Atari 5200 destroyed by a hurricane, I still own them all. A working Atari 2600, NES, SNES, N64, Gamecube, Sega Genesis, multiple working Saturns, Dreamcasts, PS Ones, Turbo Duo, TG-16 /w CD, 2 Neo-Geo MVS units and more! All with dozens of games, all work. What I have noticed is that with the last 2 generations aren't as "durable" as the consoles of the past.
For Xbox’s hugely expanded gaming division, anything that isn’t Call of Duty is now a failure, and that’s a problem
Honestly, If I worked presently for Microsoft's gaming division, I would update my CV and look for work elsewhere...
"Now"?
How about "ever"?
They closed so many of their dev teams during the second half of the Xbox 360 era. Have we forgotten history so quickly?
Dummy fake journalists acting so surprised over these recent closures, when this is something that's been going on for well over a decade now with MS.
"The sudden closure of several video-game studios at Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox division was the result of a widespread cost-cutting initiative that still isn’t finished.
This week, Xbox began offering voluntary severance agreements to producers, quality assurance testers and other staff at ZeniMax, which it purchased in 2020 for $7.5 billion, according to people familiar with the company’s plans. Others across the Xbox organization have been told that more cuts are on the way.
Speaking about the closures more broadly, Booty said that the company’s studios had been spread too thin — like “peanut butter on bread” — and that leaders across the division had felt understaffed. They decided to close these studios to free up resources elsewhere, he said.
Game Pass has not seen the massive growth that Xbox boss Phil Spencer may have been hoping for."
"Speaking about the closures more broadly, Booty said that the company’s studios had been spread too thin — like “peanut butter on bread” — and that leaders across the division had felt understaffed. They decided to close these studios to free up resources elsewhere, he said"
So what you're saying is...you bought all these studios and you guys can't run them.
Jesus.
Reports are suggesting that Game Pass will be getting a price hike soon and that Call of Duty may not be added to the day one offering. I honestly have a hard time believing this but it does beg the question why exactly did GP fail? I think the answer is that it just didn't get the growth that it anticipated. Jim was right but I wish he wasn't because at the end of the day, its gamers, devs and other front-line workers who have to absorb the blow for Spencer and team's miscalculations.
For all the armchair executives who were calling for Sony to release its big-budget AAA games on PS+, the same exact thing would have happened at PlayStation. Game Pass has killed Xbox. Congrats.
Twisted Voxel writes: "We've almost reached the end of the 1st half of 2024, and Xbox has had more studio closures than first party game releases in the year so far."
Hellblade 2, Indiana Jones, Avowed, Towerborne, and Call of Duty are still to be released this year. Marcus Fenix collection to be added to the list with the Xbox showcase, hopefully.
Sony doesn't have to bother fighting the next Microsoft acquisition. The massive layoff by themselves should be enough to get the next big buy blocked.
So if MS hadn't spent $80 billion consolidating the industry just think of all the games and jobs that would have saved.
MS is a drain on gaming and have been nothing but a negative.
The Lynx and several other early entries into CD tech were pretty much crap from what I recall.
And I've actually gone through two YLOD which were two too many. I did switch PS2s twice but only once because it was a bad launch system. Second time was just because the slim was a better DVD player.
Yes thats one thing i have been thinking about, i played the N64 all the way up until 2006 and the only reason i dont play it no more was cause i didnt take it when i moved out, if i could of i would of lol.
I've gone through 5Ps3s and 2 xbox360's and i don't see any of them lasting the span the n64 lasted me which is a shame the ps3 has some classic games, but im not going to keep buying old ps3's which will break when sony pack them in
Why not??? Cause tech is awesome and people are steadily trying to push the boundries of said tech. Keep it up...I want to see virtual helmets that put me IN THE GAME...360 degree immersed gaming before I die. Im 27...lets get it : )
I think game hardware lasts quite a while in terms of consoles.
Think of phones or laptops, I replace my phone every year and get a new laptop every few years, had my console a lot lot longer.
Mechanical parts and increased temperatures, that's why.