40°

Xbox One: Microsoft must prove its indie commitment

GI.biz: Developers and analysts give their take on the significance of everything Microsoft has--and hasn't--said about its new next-gen policies

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gamesindustry.biz
no_more_heroes4359d ago

"So ensuring there are actually people in place to reach out, evangelize, and educate the independent community about how to get onto their platform is something I would like to see."

Microsoft actually created a whole department that addresses this in their organizational reshuffle. Don't remember the long and winded title, but "evangelism" is in it.

dedicatedtogamers4359d ago

"Microsoft must prove commitment" should be the tag on every single piece of positive news regarding Xbox One. They can announce exclusive DLC or "me too!" features all they want.

But when you take a shovel and scoop away all the PR drivel, Xbox One is a console with a confused vision from a company with its sights on non-gaming competitors with a brand that has been going downhill over the last few years with a track record that should terrify any gamer who takes off the blindfold and actually looks at Microsoft's past behavior.

creatchee4359d ago

@dedicatedtogamers

Past behavior? By your logic we should be afraid that Sony is going to remove certain functionalities on the PS4 since they got rid of OtherOS on the PS3.

dedicatedtogamers4359d ago

@ creatchee

Yes, people should be have a dose of suspicion for Sony, too. You forgot to mention how they removed backwards compatibility for PS2 games (well, not really "removed". More like "stopped offering").

But I don't see much of anything that Sony is saying now for the PS4 that they could flip-flop on.

creatchee4359d ago

@dedicatedtogamers

I dunno - I don't think we should hold either of their histories against them. Maybe I'm an optimist :)

The_Sneauxman4359d ago

To prove indie commitment takes time and as of late MS seems to lack a clear vision (at least to me). This is going to take years to accomplish. If they have any hopes of securing the indie market they have to mean it, not just slap a sticker on the sticker wall

Thatguy-3104359d ago

It's basically a case of monkey see, monkey do. Wonder how things will come together now that the xbox one isn't what is supposed to be. All of these announcement are good but they're basically being made to stay competitive against Sony. The whole PR disaster that they went through from the beginning of the year is what they're trying to fix. Let's see what the future holds for the Xbox one.

dark-hollow4359d ago

All the three companies are guilty of this "monkey see monkey do"

MS and Sony followed the motion craze of the wiimote with kinect and move.

Sony improves the psn greatly by following ms footsteps like achievements and party chat.

So don't pretend that's something that only ms does. They are competitors. Of course they gonna react to each other's offerings. In the end it is better for all kind of gamers either if you are PS, Xbox or Wii u gamer.

Thatguy-3104359d ago

@dark-hollow
Those are features you're talking about. It's obvious I'm talking about the policies. Like I said the xbox one is a whole new console and it was built to run and be a certain way but their vision has changed because of the negative backlash. Like many people have said it seems like Microsoft doesn't have a clear vision on what they want. Just makes me think how things will come together ones the console releases

YNWA964359d ago

Errr, they did have a clear vision, lay the groundwork for the future of video gaming. It was hard to swallow, but what they had in mind, will be done by everyone eventually. You think Sony can keep giving away free games all the time and survive? They will be looking for other sources of income too, as will all publishers.... we have simply been spoilt for a long time....

BattleTorn4359d ago

Let's face it - there's is a lot yet to be proven to gamers.

Gridloc4359d ago

Now that MS allows self publishing, will there still be regular published indie games as well? If so self published titles will be the red headed step child and will have poor visibility to consumers unless they pay for advertisement.

n4rc4359d ago

Am I the only one that thinks nobody has to prove anything to these devs?

They are insignificant and should have little to no influence over the platforms design.. Microsoft is providing tools and services to them..

They don't have to use them.. Or they can.. It literally should be take it or leave it

No_Limit4359d ago (Edited 4359d ago )

It is funny when during the early years of the Xbox 360 existence, when Indie developers were given tons of resources to get the attention from gamers, people didn't care much then and have little regard to them. Now, all of a sudden, when Sony announced their support for Indie games and self-publishing, Indies development are being taking seriously from gamers. Hmmm, I wondered why?

As for me, I have never bought an Indie game and really don't have much interest in them. Not then and not now. Too many good big-budget games that require my attention. I also considered Xbox Live Arcade games as the better alternative to Indie games in a sense.

WrAiTh Sp3cTr34359d ago

I totally agree! Read some of my comments.

jessupj4358d ago

Thanks god you weren't in charge of creating the PS4. You would have ruined gaming for me.

n4rc4358d ago (Edited 4358d ago )

And I would have cried myself to sleep every night about it.

Beggers can be choosers it seems.. This is business.. These devs are a drop in the bucket and will not make or break any platform. They should not have the kind of influence they are seeking

Show all comments (22)
190°

Xbox Mass layoffs Are Expected To Hit On July 2, 2025

The previously rumored mass layoffs at Xbox are expected to happen on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, according to a new rumor.

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twistedvoxel.com
13h ago
lukasmain9h ago(Edited 8h ago)

They will have fired close to 20,000 people all up after this round of lay-offs coming, since the ABK deal announcement in January 2022. Shocking really

January 2023:
Microsoft laid off 10,000 employees, which was a significant workforce reduction.

January 2024:
Approximately 1,900 gaming employees were laid off following the Activision Blizzard acquisition.

May 2025:
Microsoft announced a further 6,000 layoffs as part of an organizational shift.

June 2025:
Additional layoffs, including 650 in the gaming business, focused on corporate and support functions

7h agoReplies(2)
Obscure_Observer7h ago

"They will have fired close to 20,000 people all up after this round of lay-offs coming, since the ABK deal announcement in January 2022. Shocking really"

It's not that shocking considering these numbers aren't just Xbox numbers as you're deliberately trying to make it seem for some reason.

Interestingly, another no shocking fact is that whenever Microsoft releases its quarterly earnings reports, you're quick to point out that those numbers aren't exclusive to Xbox. Yeah... go figure.

Ganif5h ago

They also fired around 2500 people across Microsoft's gaming divisions and Zenimax shortly after buying it, and before they closed down 4 studios including Arkane and Tango.

I remember Satya boasting about how compassionate he was for splitting the list 50/50 across the two companies.

5h ago
Obscure_Observer3h ago

"They also fired around 2500 people across Microsoft's gaming divisions and Zenimax shortly after buying it"

Bring your sources. I´ll wait.

1dmj1h ago

He doesn’t have any sources lol

He also forgot that Sony does layoffs too

Hereandthere6h ago

Let's hope its not as bad as socials are making it, good luck to those that unfortunately lose their jobs.

6h ago
Lightning775h ago

Could be not as bad could be horrible. But it's Ms so I'm expecting the absolute worst.

-Foxtrot5h ago

Sometimes I feel like they brought in Sarah to take the heat away from Phil.

Phil has always stuck his nose into everything Xbox related when it's something positive or at least neutral but as soon as they went the multiplatform root he's stood back and let Sarah do most of the talking in terms of PR. Now they are doing the same with layoffs.

The person who should be let go is Phil himself.

RhinoGamer882h ago

Phil and his inner circle of circle jerk bros like AG.

Obscure_Observer2h ago

"Phil has always stuck his nose into everything Xbox related when it's something positive or at least neutral but as soon as they went the multiplatform root he's stood back and let Sarah do most of the talking in terms of PR. Now they are doing the same with layoffs."

You have no idea what you´re talking about.

*IF* Microsoft decides to address the upcoming layoffs, Matt Booty will be the one in the spotlight since he is the president of XGS.

Phil will probably be on some bs drama later doing interviews telling people how "devastated" and "sorry" he is for those affected while wiping away his tears with money.

Sarah is the President of Xbox (hardware) so she will be better off taking care of hers business and let both Matt and Phil face the backlash.

Show all comments (19)
240°

‘I think Xbox hardware is dead’, says Microsoft gaming veteran

One of the founding members of the Xbox team has questioned Microsoft’s multiplatform gaming strategy, and said they believe the Xbox hardware business is effectively “dead"

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videogameschronicle.com
2d ago Replies(3)
Goodguy012d ago

Think that rumor that they'll still make a new console but at a profit at $1000 will be true though. The series consoles will remain their cheap alternative throughout next gen I would say. Keep in mind that game pass and pretty much going 3rd party is their main focus. They want to bring xbox everywhere.

2d ago
GamerRN1d 9h ago

If they don't maintain some kind of console presence, I think they will lose gamepass subscribers and just become a 3rd party publisher who eventually sells everything off

Cacabunga1d 8h ago

Xbox games are releasing on all platforms. Who needs this hardware? PS or PC is all you need

Flewid6381d 7h ago

I've never owned an Xbox in my life and I have GamePass.

thorstein1d 6h ago

The only Xbox I owned was the 360. I have gamepass for my PC.

GamerRN1d 1h ago

Majority of Gamepass users are currently on console...

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 1d 1h ago
crazyCoconuts1d 7h ago

Even if they could get it down to $800 for a box that can run with comparable performance to a PS6 (at, say $200 cheaper) the population of people willing to buy such a thing would be so limited.
It would be the worst of both worlds.

2d ago
Futureshark1d 18h ago

A slow, painful and public death too.

Show all comments (66)
300°

Looming Xbox layoffs threaten Microsoft's reputation

Even as the company sets out to overhaul the very definition of Xbox, cuts at its studios risk creating a negative image reminiscent of EA's worst era

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gamesindustry.biz
Jingsing4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

I appreciate the article but this guy must be living in a delayed universe, The reputation was ruined 10+ years ago and hasn't recovered since. As such people have voted with their wallets and stopped buying Xbox products in large amounts.

YourMommySpoils3d ago

Their reputation was lost way before that. From the moment Microsoft said they entering the console business, we all knew it would be a downgrade.

Bathyj2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

That's not true at all the OG Xbox had drive and they had hunger and they wanted to accomplish something. It was a great console.

they didn't quite reach their goals and they gave up prematurely because they couldn't win. It was halfway through the Xbox 360 when kinect released and that was when they lost their way and we're a rudderless ship ever since

Agent752d ago

In all fairness, Xbox had some great games with online play, Xbox 360 even better. Xbox consoles started to die with the Xbox One. Ditch consoles for the PC and PS.

YourMommySpoils2d ago

@Bathyj hard to compute ay. Xbox was never better than a PC and that's all they ever were. A demo box. Doesn't get more true than that.

4d ago Replies(1)
isarai4d ago

What reputation is this threatening exactly? 😂

Lightning774d ago

Rumors of Turn 10 being either shut down or hit with massive lay offs is on the horizon.

The issue is MS will do something right only to do something very, very wrong. And they do this what seems calculative at this point. Doesn't matter what they do the Investors and leadership want more and more money an endless bottomless pit of purr insatiable greed. A company that acts like it's broke or hurting is what really, really infuriates me. They've surpassed apple again well over 3 trillion who acts like they're a million dollar company is fk stupid. Pivots and changes for no reason and can't do things for more than a year with out a pivot or changing their metrics.

Christopher3d ago

That would be really bad since Phil just hyped up next year as a big Forza year at Summer Game Fest.

1Victor3d ago

@christopher: “ That would be really bad since Phil just hyped up next year as a big Forza year at Summer Game Fest”
The key word big can be ether good or bad 🤷🏿only time can tell

DarXyde3d ago

First Forza being generated entirely via AI?

If any company would do it, it'd be them.

Nacho_Z2d ago

Isn't the point that it's irrelevant how profitable MS is, the suits have decided it's time that the Xbox division started making them money. Hence the layoffs, the pivots.

hennessey862d ago

That wouldn't surprise me, as motorsport has been heading down hill since the great number 4. Where as playground have consistently put out better games. I think the two studios will be merged under playground games banner.

3d ago Replies(2)
Show all comments (63)