CCC Says: "Today is a historic occasion in gaming. As I write this, I can say I’m actually proud to have a job in gaming journalism that allows me to stand at ground zero of a console launch (instead of watching from the sidelines). Yes, the PlayStation 4 has already been on the market for little under a week (to huge fan fair and success I might add), but now, with the launch of the Xbox One, the next-gen is officially underway. This means, aside from officially referring to the 360 and PS3 as “last-gen” from now on, we’ll also have to consider a very different bio for when we look back on this launch period in gaming. Many had already written the PS4 into the record books as running away with the next-gen race at the start. Now, it appears that Microsoft will put up much more of a fight this weekend than many had expected."
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.
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.
Too expensive hardware when others offer the same or more for less? Good work, Green Team.
"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.
As part of its plans to cut 1,900 jobs, Microsoft has reportedly shut down operations at Bethesda France, letting go roughly 15 people
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
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
Tbh Microsoft I think Bethesda being 3rd party same with Activision would probably more competitive than thus scenario imo
The recently purchased Activision French offices might take over all the licensing and marketing for Microsoft in France from now on.
Hanzla from eXputer inquires: "If Xbox can care about preserving its games and legacy, what exactly is wrong with Nintendo, trying to kill game preservation single-handedly?"
Ahh yes the good old game preservation of saving all your games to a removable hhd on the Xbox 360, taking it round your mates house, setting up multiple tvs to
Be met with “save data corrupted, please re download”
Or how about removing 360 games
From the store
, download them now or else, and, better hope to god that save data doesn’t corrupt, or it’s lost for ever
Nice one ☝️
This is just a scammy PR move to distract from the fact they are going digital only and trying to push streaming and subscriptions only.
No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft.
Without discs there is no preservation, preservation can't be done by the rights holders it can only be done by the consumers, anything else is a lie.
Nobody wants this. Sales or the lack of it in the case of XBOX is very telling. I wonder how the adorably all digital series X will fare. Adorably dismal perhaps?
Only time will tell, but for from someone like me suspecting that Xbox is trying to gracefully exit the console market, that "forward compatibility" team is trying to get Xbox games playing on Windows PCs. I mean, it's nice that they're not planning on exiting with a "enjoy your games while the hardware still works" message, so that's nice. They still have a brand to protect via Microsoft so probably feel obligated to have a better exit strategy.
They may put up a fight this weekend but how many punches is sony going to have to throw before they crumble. :P
Competition is so necessary - for Sony and Microsoft - and all of us gamers. Should be a great and exciting generation.
I am pumped for the generation that is upon us. I like the rivalry. Not keen on the persnal attacks but apart from that everything else is just banter.
Microsoft will compete for the casual market who love tv and apps, and the Cod and Madden brigade who really don't have gaming experiences outside of those. There is no competition in the games department. Sony has the best first party developers on the planet (I don't include Nintendo as they are more kid focused) making mature experiences for the PS4. Microsoft can only compete by buying dlc or timed exclusive content, or desperately throwing around money for a title like TitanFall. As we have seen this gen, that is not a sustainable strategy. Where are the fantastic new ip's from Microsoft's own studios? Maybe we'll see something at the VGX's, but I know Sony will produce, because they've been producing for years and have many announced titles already announced that are very promising. I can only hope Microsoft steps their game up because I still haven't seen anything of note from them.
I guess, when they saw the numbers, they thought, "Microsoft is still in this." Which means they didn't consider that it took thirteen countries for the XB1 to do with the PS4 did it two.
That's not really competing, no matter how you slice it.