220°

Xbox One: Should We Be Worried?

Xbox One getting outsold by Playstation 4 at a 2-1 ratio.

Walmart, Target and are already putting out deals to make Microsoft Next-Gen console more attractive. Microsoft puts out a $25 Xbox One Headset adapter for its consumers. Is a price cut in order? I think so. Microsoft ever since its release has done nothing but disappoint many of its owners. It seems like the company did a role reversal with Sony. If you remember, Sony was the one that carried the “I don’t care about the gamers” attitude in the early lifespan of the Plastation 3. Once they saw that this marketing strategy wasn't working, they changed things up and now Microsoft is doing the same. How far will Microsoft take this strategy? Time will tell.

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strickers3713d ago

If you ignore PS4 sales figures ( fastest ever) , MS would take the sales they have. It's selling quite well and all likely hit sales estimates. No reason it can't be profitable and sell software.
Not being number 1 isn't always failure. I'm amazed anyone thought XB1 would out sell PS4. PS3 proved that Playstations sell more, even when they cost more and are late
to market

otherZinc3713d ago

And that "almost" 2 to 1 ratio was only for February. So anyone know what it was 140K to 200k? 145K to 230K? 1 month & it's only the 3rd month.

& software moves consoles, the XBOX ONE has some great ones on the way for 2014.

devwan3713d ago

@strickers "it's selling quite well". No, it sold quite well in the first 5 or 6 weeks on sale in the holiday period, since then though, no, it's not selling at all well, and there are no excuses of short supply as they're everywhere.

thorstein3713d ago

This is correct.

Look, it isn't good if the PS3 outsells the XBone. There is no way to spin it. The PS3 outsold the XBone by 9000 units two weeks ago.

The competition shouldn't be last gen systems. It should be current gen. With sales lagging (and they are lagging) the XBone may not outsell the Wii U.

n4rc3713d ago

No it isn't correct.. Sweet jebus Lol

Ms hasn't released any sales data for 2014 at all..

truefan13712d ago (Edited 3712d ago )

Don't worry XB1 fans all this outsold 2:1 4:1 crap will die down once March 11 comes. I played with guys who bought XB1's because they received a beta code, as word of mouth spreads the sales differences will shrink. All these ps4 fanboys want it to be a 3 month sprint and not a 4-5 year marathon. Not to mention the next 2 holiday seasons will be owned by XB1, Halo2 or 5 and Gears of War.

@Lukas don't confuse given away for free as sold. Each uncharted has been given away free in a bundle, but they still count those as sales. I have never seen a midnight launch for uncharted lol. PS you, yourself highlight my simple facts. The ps4 fanboy you are picked up an XB1 for Titanfall. many like you will do the same these gaps will start closing. Ps don't be naive all we have heard the last 2 months is once ps4 is launched in Japan it's over. Don't downplay Halo 2, that was easily one of the best console mulitplayer experiences ever. As I have said, wait until March all this talk will start to die down.

GarrusVakarian3712d ago (Edited 3712d ago )

@truefan1

"All these ps4 fanboys want it to be a 3 month sprint and not a 4-5 year marathon"

What?! That is literally the opposite of what PS fanboys have been saying. When people kept saying "PS4 has no games" the words i kept hearing from PS fanboys, myself included, was that it's a marathon not a sprint. So you are completely wrong there.

As for X1 owning the next 2 holiday seasons, you are high as a kite to believe that. If Uncharted doesn't drop this holiday season, it will drop the next, if that happens then all eyes will be on Uncharted, you ever been on the internet when an Uncharted game launches? Oh boy. Nothing else gets any attention or love.

And a Halo 2 remake being the cause for the X1 owning the holiday season? Oh please.....

pyramidshead3712d ago

Truefan1 bit by bit showing his true fanboy colours which is ironic because he used to 'act' neutral and complain about fanboys in general. lol.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 3712d ago
Automatic793713d ago (Edited 3713d ago )

I purchased the system and a ton of games, up to this date I am still not disappointed. Heck even the lineup of upcoming games are impressive but of course I will get disagrees due to me enjoying my system of choice.

Note: I have had every system so no need to label me a fanboy. I will purchase ps4 in a few years but there is no denying that Xbox One has the better lineup thus far. Time will tell if this changes in the future. To the gamers out there enjoy your system of choice and support gaming does not matter if the system is 400 or 500 support gaming.

MysticStrummer3713d ago

"there is no denying that Xbox One has the better lineup thus far."

PS4 had the better reviewed launch lineup and opinions about future games are just that.

otherZinc3713d ago

You guys are so eager to close the XBOX ONE out. PS4 won November, XBOX ONE won December. Now the PS4 wins a mediocre low sales volume month in February, a meaningless month and now the XBOX ONE is being outsold 2 to 1?

People take everything SONY as fact when they never show actual numbers. So now people come away thinking the XBOX ONE is being outsold 2 to 1 for its life when it's for 1 low volume sales month by shareholders.

March is more important as its the fiscal year end. March sales can erase January and February sales lead for the PS4 in the US easily as TitanFall will be here.

At the end of December the totals were 3.9 million XBOX ONE & 4.2 million PS4. Relax people.

GribbleGrunger3713d ago (Edited 3713d ago )

Of course you (and the guy in the Youtube video) are making exactly the same mistake people made last generation. The 2:1 sales ratio is for the US only. Are we going to see a repeat of last generation? It pretty much looks like it. If you want to ignore the 4:1 in Europe then go ahead, but it's a very weak point to be crowing from ... and that's IF the X1 improves in sales. As you can clearly see, it's currently being outsold even in America. And of course, you shouldn't ignore Japan either. World wide figures are where it's at, and always has been.

Is it worrying for gamers just yet? Not really, no, but what gamers should be worried about is Microsoft themselves. Their whole philosophy is one of 'monopoly' and without that in their arsenal the shareholders are going to be putting even more pressure on Microsoft to sell or shut down the Xbox division. So, the console is doing fine but without a monopoly MS won't think the same way as the gamers (or the press for that matter)

Don't be worried about the X1 sales, be worried about the company that makes them. They have always put earnings before gamers because they do not understand that putting gamers before earnings actually creates more revenue in the long run. Sony understands that which is why they support their systems longer and take risks with new franchises. Please the gamer and the money will come; please the shareholders and gamers will suffer in the long run.

amiga-man3713d ago (Edited 3713d ago )

GribbleGrunger
The 2:1 sales ratio is for the US only

And thats without taking into account the severe supply constraints the PS4 has in America

How well the xone is doing can be spun in many ways, it got off to a good start, but thats expected of any new console, but has fallen away dramatically which again is to be expected, but to lose in America by 2-1 has got to set off some alarm bells, especially as it was the only place apart from the UK the xbox sold in any great numbers, with the UK also seeming to have turned it's back on the xone, their really isn't that much for M$ to celebrate.

3713d ago
GribbleGrunger3713d ago (Edited 3713d ago )

I said BEFORE either consoles released, all Sony had to do is match the sales of the X1 in the US and it would win next gen easily. Well, it's currently outselling the X1 in the US. Like I said above, people shouldn't be worried about the numbers of X1s sold compared to the 'opposition', they should be worried about Microsoft's obsession with monopoly.

GribbleGrunger3713d ago

Correction to my first post: It's actually 5:1 in Europe.

Eonjay3713d ago

Gamestop just started another Xbox One promotion and has changed there twitter picture to an pic of the Xbox One. I have never seen such aggressive advertising.

devwan3713d ago (Edited 3713d ago )

@Eonjay When your stores are full of green boxes, you have to get creative in order to shift them and make room for items that will sell easier and make you more money. I bet they wish they were full of blue boxes instead, no offers and deals required there.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 3713d ago
DigitalRaptor3713d ago (Edited 3713d ago )

The differences between the aspects of consoles you guys parroted on about last gen are MUCH larger this time around, so you basically want us to quiet down on revealing the truth and having conversation about stuff that is actually not negligible and worthy of some conversation?

I can understand you want to prevent the Sony guys from doing what you did last gen, because you can't handle it, and it's a fair point. Hypocrisy after all - but after the bashing that PS3 got for less, I can hardly see that happening. Why should it?

strotee3713d ago

"At the end of December the totals were 3.9 million XBOX ONE & 4.2 million PS4. Relax people. "

3.9 = shipped, not sold

MightyNoX3713d ago

I swear, anyone who says XBone sold 3.9 million should have a bubble taken away from them.

MysticStrummer3713d ago

"3.9 = shipped, not sold"

Was just about to say that but thought I'd scroll down to see if anyone else had. As of a couple of weeks ago I read somewhere that the XB1 number was more like 3.3 mil, and it's on a pace to still be in the 3s at the end of March, while PS4 might possibly break 7 mil by the end of March.

DragonKnight3713d ago

"March is more important as its the fiscal year end. March sales can erase January and February sales lead for the PS4 in the US easily as TitanFall will be here."

LMFAO! I love how Xbox fanboys think Titanfall is the new CoD. I also love how that statement suggests the PS4 has no games coming in March. Haven't you learned what happens when you say a Playstation console has no games?

Blaze9293713d ago (Edited 3713d ago )

"I love how Xbox fanboys think Titanfall is the new CoD."

...because it is? Who plays CoD more than Xbox fans? If they are telling you it is, then it probably is. It's not about what game comes out in March, it's about the fact that Xbox gamers buy more games vs PlayStation gamers.

Titanfall will definitely move a lot of units. It's a shooter, nuff said.

DragonKnight3713d ago

"it's about the fact that Xbox gamers buy more games vs PlayStation gamers."

Lol, no they actually don't. They buy more of specific games because they are starved of content most of the time. Hence why games like Halo, Gears, and CoD sell a lot, but the rest of the games don't.

Playstation gamers have so much content to choose from that sales are spread out more and games have longer legs, just look at GT5 for proof of that.

"Titanfall will definitely move a lot of units. It's a shooter, nuff said."

Bzzzzt wrong. You don't have the authority to make that claim. Not unless you want to tell me Friday's winning lottery numbers along with it.

Automatic793713d ago (Edited 3713d ago )

I agree otherZinc

the problem also is that most are claiming victory when in reality the comparison is not equal. (Only 3 months) Most gamers in general (not just this site)don't think that if Xbox One sold in other regions it would not improve sales. There are a ton of gamers who purchase both, including myself, and a ton who are waiting on Xbox One. MS is making sure there is content and the online works well with Kinect in the other regions. Suddenly its a bad thing to put out a quality product and not repeat past mistakes. I don't get most of these fanboys hating when the pendulum can swing right back. Enough with the hate and lets speak about the great gaming experiences.

zerog3712d ago

The 3.9 was how many they shipped, not sold. Also numbers for February aren't out yet it was January that ps4 outsold x1 2-1. Between the end of December and the 1st week of February ps4 sold another 1.1 million according to npd bringing the total to 5.3 so if that's mediocre ok whatever dude lol. Doesn't change the fact that sony released units sold while ms only releases units shipped and in all likeyhood ps4 has a 30-50% bigger install base at present.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 3712d ago
n4rc3713d ago

Nope..

This isn't a head to head battle.. Its not like only one can win and the rest are losers..

Xbox one is selling great.. It makes no sense to think ~4m sales is bad because a competitor with a cheaper product sold 5.3m or whatever.. If sony only sold 3m would ms be allowed to be happy with the same sales that's apparently dooming them?

MasterCornholio3713d ago

Cheaper and more powerful product with the backing of Sony for exclusives. That's why the PS4 is selling so well it isn't just a price issue. Otherwise the Wii U would be selling more than both of them and that isn't the case.

Automatic793713d ago

The Wii U's problem is lack of software they decided to launch in 2012 and directly following the launch which had a nice lineup of games there were no post launch games. While ps3 and Xbox 360 continued to get the great games like TombRaider, Bioschock etc. I was going to purchase the Wii U but there were no games and the drought went on till mid summer of 2013. That is why you have to respect Xbox One and PS4 they are making sure to have titles available post launch Xbox One with Plants v Zombies, TitanFall, Kinect Sports Rivals and PS4 with Infamous, MLB the show and both are getting Thief, Metal Gear Solid and a few others. Hands down the lineup already is great.

n4rc3713d ago

I didn't say its just a price issue.. But being 25% cheaper is a big factor in the casual market.. Sometimes the only factor in some cases I'd assume (strict budget)

Its worth mentioning. Doesn't mean I'm trying to downplay your consoles popularity or anything.. Simply that Sony's sales don't change xboxs sales.. Just because one is selling more doesn't mean the other is doing bad..

Hicken3713d ago

That's not how investors see it. They want- like you do, I'm certain- to see Xbox in the #1 spot. To them- especially investors in a company like Microsoft- there's no point in competing if you aren't trying to be the market leader.

It makes PERFECT sense to think those sales are bad, ESPECIALLY when those sales were projected to be tops in the market. Somewhere within Microsoft, some people are being asked why their expectations were so low, why they didn't aim for the numbers the PS4 is putting out.

Being so off not just on your own projections, but on projections of the entire market is not a good thing.

I keep talking about investors here, and there's a good reason. See, when it comes to Microsoft, the opinions of shareholders are, unfortunately, more important than those of gamers. So even if YOU are happy, if those INVESTORS aren't happy, then Microsoft will have to make some changes.

They will not be happy with being outsold by so much, especially when they were supposed to be the ones doing the outselling, and even moreso that they're being outsold by an ever-widening gap.

Remember, it wasn't actually the Dreamcast itself that failed. Similarly, it won't be ACTUAL numbers that put the Xbox in danger; rather, it would be the perception that it's not doing well enough- and if the PS4 has doubled or even tripled its sales by the end of the year, and that seems possible at this point, that will be undeniable- that would prompt worry for the XB1.

jessupj3713d ago (Edited 3713d ago )

There's always so much truth to your comments, Hicken. You always nail it out of the park. I don't understand why you have only 2 bubbles. Guess a certain group just doesn't like hearing well rounded arguments against their console of choice.

Guess this isn't the sony haven site like a lot of people keep saying.

What I find amazing is the immense advertising campaign going on in the US right now for the xbone, but people aren't falling for it.

Looks like social media and word of mouth are winning the day. MS can give gamestop all the money they like, but it doesn't seem like it's going to trick anyone into buying their console, no matter how many big ass green signs they try to shove in peoples faces when they enter the store.

Hicken3713d ago

My third bubble just returned not too long ago, like about the time you made your comment. I get the feeling it may be gone by the end of the week, though, lol. Quite a few people don't like me, even when I'm being reasonable. Oh, well.

Yeah, marketing and a period of market exclusivity helped the 360 a lot, and the difference in popularity between the PS4 and XB1 may be showing just how important those things were to Xbox last time around.

I'm not gonna proclaim that the XB1 will fail, but looking at it from an investor's point of view, I can see how the system's current situation could be looked upon unfavorably. This might have been different if rumblings of said shareholders being displeased with the Xbox division didn't already exist, if rumors that the next Microsoft head (or the frontrunner at the time) was thinking about axing the division had never existed. But those things DO exist, so they should be taken into account.

Automatic793713d ago (Edited 3713d ago )

Hicken you make some valid points but ultimately its the long term that really is a bigger estimate 3 months to me is not enough time to really predict what investors believe. I am sure that MS has meetings as well as sony and they both want more then just initial core sales. When both systems show there true potential, for example, PS4 showing there must have games like Uncharted, Last of Us, Gran Turismo and MS with Titanfall, Halo, Gears of War and both have an excellent array of features like there older brothers have then we can see were it goes. This market is tricky and content is king.

Note: Not just gaming anymore but in all movies, apps, shows, online etc.

devwan3713d ago (Edited 3713d ago )

"~4m sales" you keep saying that, it won't make it true.

It was 3.9m SHIPPED.

You guys seem to have moved to the acceptance stage now, doing damage control by saying 2nd place isn't so bad and can still be a success... but you're not seeing the bigger picture.

Being an increasingly distant 2nd place means the money hats you've filling up and throwing at 3rd parties for exclusivity - they're going to have to get bigger and bigger to compensate for more and more missed ps4 game sales you are depriving the developer of.

xblg subscriptions - these are a constant and highly reliable source of income for microsoft... or at least they were with the 360 - when your platform isn't the default best place to play console games, you're going to see a lot less of this and sell a lot less 3rd party games on your platform, it all adds up.

Being 2nd isn't great. being an increasingly distant 2nd creates all kinds of knock-on effects, ones that will have ms investors shaking their heads. As jessupj mentioned above... look what it cost to get Sony where they are - only their good will and reputation. Look what it cost microsoft to get to 3.9m+ "shipped" - a hell of a lot of advertising that seemingly isn't resonating with the audience.

NeloAnjelo3713d ago (Edited 3713d ago )

2:1 in NA, but 5:1 in Europe.
10:1 in Japan Soon?

Even if NA sales catch up, worldwide won't. Look at the PS3 for instance.

The PlayStation isn't out a year late any more, it here and now, more powerful and cheaper.

No amount of MS money will change that.

cyhm31123713d ago (Edited 3713d ago )

In japan, it is more like 50 :1, USA will be soon 5:1, Europe will be 10:1, Worldwide will be about 10:1, it will be pretty devastating for MS but funny for us to watch. I agree with you for the rest.

Kiwi663712d ago

you must be from the future given that the xbox 1 isn't even being sold in japan yet well not as of 24/2/2014 so your statement is pretty pointless i guess logic isn't your thing huh

Blaze9293713d ago

Xbox One isn't even out in Japan...so how can it be x: anything? dat logic

Ruggadagod3713d ago

The fact that soon the PS4 will outsell the Xbone 6:1 in places like Europe or even 11:1 in Japan or places means that no matter how hard it tries to catch up, it never will.

Show all comments (65)
280°

Xbox's Preservation Step Sets A Much-Needed Example, Especially For Nintendo

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?"

purple10110d ago

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 ☝️

Zeref9d ago

It's better than what Nintendo and Playstation is doing. It might not be perfect but at least they are TRYING. Unlike the others.

DarXyde9d ago

Trying? Take off the blinders for a moment, mate.

1. A failure to preserve games is just that: a failure to preserve games. Don't try to sugarcoat it: NO ONE is doing it properly. Better than awful is nothing to write home about.

2. At the time of this comment, isn't it the case that you need an internet connection to play Xbox games even if you buy physical discs that are hardly in circulation anymore? I don't have a Series X and I can't verify, but I think that is correct. I'm fairly certain you can at least play PS5 games at version 1.0 (not much of a win really when many games require day one patches). I think Microsoft's all digital, licensing approach is by far more aggressive than anyone else's. They really try to push you to game pass where you lose your entire library by umm.... Skipping a month of payments.

I don't think anyone is doing it right whatsoever. Don't get me started on Nintendo, who goes after anyone looking to preserve their games better than they ever would with extreme litigation.

Don't be a simp for any of these companies. Get it together.

PhillyDonJawn9d ago (Edited 9d ago )

@DarX never speak on Xbox again. You lost all credibility with your internet connection comment. Smh you have 0 clue and misinformed yet speaking on something you don't no squat about.

Einhander19729d ago

What has Sony done exactly? You guys keep deflecting to Sony but I am not actually seeing any results, and ai am certain nothing that you can come up with even comes close to what Microsoft has done and what they have tried and failed to do, like tie all your disks to your account on xbone.

Microsoft removed their whole indie section when they moved to the xbone because they were going to only allow games on the service that came from a publisher, id@xbox started after xbone launched and it only exists because Sony embraced indie and Microsoft was forced to cancel their plans and reverse course.

And every single game that was part of games for windows live including disk games (I have gta 4 on disk that won't work) so hundreds of games that use that DRM no longer work unless the company themselves patched it out which of course very few did.

MrBaskerville9d ago

Not trying. Tried. they killed of the backcomp program years ago. They set something up again, but sounds like it's more of an attempt to save the current library on whatever they are planning next. With luck they save everything and more, but let's see. I could see them killing off parts of the OG xbox and 360 libraries. Can't imagine that they would allow us to play Forza 5-7 in the future.

With that said, I do like what they've done and really wish they could have done more.

shinoff21839d ago

Zeref

So killing off physical media is trying what exactly. Ms don't really give a fk if you think they do your kidding yourself.

Profchaos9d ago

They are not trying this team is established for forward compatability the team is. It interested in preserving Xbox or 360 games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 9d ago
isarai10d ago

Is that why Hellblade 2 is digital only?

Zeref9d ago

Just because it's digital only doesn't mean you can't preserve it. Just put it on an external and you have the exact same functionality of what a disc does.

MrNinosan9d ago

Guess you're trolling, but if you actually think that's how it works, I'd recommend buying some braincells.

mkis0079d ago (Edited 9d ago )

Volitile vs nonvolitile data. A disc will not corrupt either. A drive can be corrupted.

Einhander197210d ago

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.

10d ago Replies(3)
Einhander197210d ago

Anyone remember xblig which Microsoft removed their whole 360 indie section removing hundreds of games from people?

10d ago
10d ago
Zeref9d ago

Do you know you can put your games on an external and preserve them that way? There are no benefits to discs. ZERO. Idk why some of you are still obsessed with them.

DarXyde9d ago

Because games like Persona 5 exist. It's STILL V1.00. On Playstation, that's a win because 1.00 is installed on the disc—no need to download anything.

If a game does not require any updates, it's all on the disc.

Extremely low bar in the modern era, of course. It's not much of a win by any stretch.

But for now, physical media does have a purpose, at least on Playstation.

Einhander19729d ago

That is factually not how game licensing works, try plugging your hard drive into someone else xbox, It's not going to work, and it won't work if the licensing servers ever go down.

Einhander19729d ago

Anyone remember games for windows live.

I have around a dozen games, some on Steam itself that will not work because Microsoft shut off the licensing servers.

BehindTheRows9d ago (Edited 9d ago )

I do. I STILL have games (Gears of War being the big one) I cannot access because Games for Windows LIVE is total garbage and no one has held Microsoft accountable.

Zeref9d ago (Edited 9d ago )

You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership.

Chevalier9d ago

"You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership."

Damn how many times do people got to explain your idiocy to you? You can take a copy of Persona 5 like someone used as an example and play that game on ANY console WITHOUT logging in which means I can lend the game to a friend without internet and they can play my game. Can you lend your hard drive to anyone without logging in for them to play? NOPE. That is a huge difference and if you think otherwise then sorry you're an idiot.

Tacoboto9d ago

"No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft."

Ubisoft is literally erasing games people bought from their libraries... My PS1-3 discs are useless on modern hardware. Nintendo's re-published and resold almost their entire Wii U library, and the eShop is completely dead with no BC mechanism in the Switch software. Microsoft publishes everything they make today day one on Steam and Xbox/Windows. Sony only brings to PC the titles they think you might want some years later and Nintendo won't even design a functional long-lasting joystick.

You're absolutely trolling and not serious if you think Microsoft today is the worst offender.

shinoff21839d ago

Yay steam

Not everyone fks with computers though. The disc is still the best way as a console player. Period.

Tacoboto9d ago

How do Sony and Nintendo feel about these discs from 2001-2013?

Don't be stupid, you know Xbox is the best at this today.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 9d ago
Hofstaderman10d ago

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?

crazyCoconuts9d ago

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.

Xeofate9d ago (Edited 9d ago )

That is not their plan, their plan is to transfer users accounts to the cloud.

Phil Spencer himself said as much a few months back, plans could have changed but I think people are reading way too much into one statement where Phil said he would allow Epic on xbox because he wants to be able to sell xbox games directly on other platforms. Aka, instead of selling Sea of Thives through PSN he wants to have an xbox store to sell his games on PlayStation without giving PlayStation any money.

Again, it's extremely unlikely that Phil plans to put PC on xbox and licensing would prevent them from just giving out other publishers games purchased on xbox copies of thier games on PC, Microsoft does not own their games.

crazyCoconuts8d ago

The thing that doesn't align with the cloud strategy is the giving up on exclusives. You'd still need strong exclusives for cloud streaming - it's still a "platform" , just with a lower upfront hardware investment. I feel like they've learned what PS learned with PSNow long ago. We're not ready to stream games and it's only gonna lose them money to try at this point

FinalFantasyFanatic9d ago

I would love that, I'd buy up some of the Xbox games if they could run on PC, like the Rare Replay, Lost Odyssey and Dead or Alive Ultimate, probably a pipe dream though.

Show all comments (43)
280°

Sony Taps Bungie's Head of Revenue to Lead Live-Service Games

Sony has recruited Bungie's head of revenue Jaremy Rich to head up its live-service gaming division, Rich has announced on social media.

Read Full Story >>
techraptor.net
ChasterMies19d ago

Please do not put Destiny’s monetization into Sony’s first party games. The monetization is what’s driving players away from Destiny.

just_looken19d ago

The new temp boss is the sony cfo bean counter so i can see this being a thing get every penny.

Cacabunga19d ago

PlayStation officially losing it.. fans will never support gaas games

just_looken19d ago

@car

The new boss did a interview in japan he wants to tap into the mobile market like nintendio so he give 0 fucks about gamers/fans

https://www.pushsquare.com/...

Redemption-6419d ago

@Cacabunga
You only speak for you and those who think like you, but most fans will support what they want. Playstation and PC fans are literally supporting Helldivers 2 and that is a gaas. Maybe you wouldn't, but many more would if they like it.

Huey_My_D_Long19d ago

@Redemption-64
Look, Im not making any judgement calls about this guy, but I will say that Helldivers 2 GaaS model is unique to Helldivers, and legit the only other game I can think of thats similiar was the Avengers game except HD2 pass is still better.
The fact that you can earn in game currency in a way that doesnt make you feel like you have to grind forever, as well you being able work on that pass that you bought...on your own time without a time limit...that right there is fucking huge to me, and I can't name any game other than avengers that avoided trapping players with FOMO logic...I think GaaS on HD2 shouldn't be compared to the rest of the industry...it should be copied.

Einhander197219d ago

Cacabunga

Helldivers 2...

Redemption-64

In Europe it's a 60 40 split favoring PC.
In the US its a 60 40 split favoring PS5.

So PlayStation owners supported the game just fine, it's not getting carried by PC or anything like that.

FinalFantasyFanatic19d ago

@just_looken,
I'm perfectly fine with the way Nintendo entered the mobile market, I never touched their mobile games, meanwhile, the console/handheld stayed the way it is. As for being a bean counter, he's probably going to reel in these massive budgets that Sony's studios have had lately, I haven't played Spiderman 2, but I cannot see how they almost tripled the budget for that game.

@Redemption-64,
That's an exception to the rule, I'm expecting a lot of these GAAS games from Sony to fail, to be fair, they only need a few to succeed, but I would have preferred that they put more of their resources into other types of games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 19d ago
DivineHand12519d ago

True their monetization is driving players away and at the same time, their decision to chop out content and convoluted systems is keeping new players away from the game.

Joe91319d ago

I don't think that will happen based on how things worked out at Naughty Dog now that we know what we do, seems they had the option to fully commit to live service games or stay making single player experences so they gave up on their live service game. We are not sure how things came about with Bend making a live service game but I hope that was not a forced situation. Sony doesnt seem like they are forcing studios to switch up but we will see, Sony's bread and butter is single player games it is how they dominated the console market.

Obscure_Observer19d ago

Yeah, I though Sony learned something from all their failures in the LS segment under Bungie´s disastrous leadership and supervision which led to games been cancelled, studios closed and all the people laid off.

Looks like Bungie still plays a major role in Sony´s LS initiative and Sony is not backtracking on their GaaS plans.

S2Killinit19d ago (Edited 19d ago )

Are we forgetting that Destiny is also a highly successful franchise? I feel like that definitely deserves mention here.

Besides, there is no reason why a person cant learn from past experiences.

Joe91318d ago

I agree, people act as if Destiny flopped when it came out lol it took 9 to 10 years for the numbers to fall yet people are still playing it add the success of Helldivers 2 no wonder Sony is going forward down this path.

S2Killinit18d ago

Personally, I see no problem with Sony also having service games as long as they make good ones, and more importantly they deliver the AAA story driven games that they are known for. So yeah, I agree 100% with you.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 18d ago
Christopher19d ago

I mean, this person made some pretty bad decisions at Bungie. I hope they've learned from them because I definitely don't see those type of ideas as good for PlaySation in general.

CrimsonWing6918d ago (Edited 18d ago )

Honestly, what’s to learn from? How to make people happily continuously dump money into a single game over its life-time? Buy season passes continuously for several years with a smile on our faces?

GaaS is a design decision that is everything wrong with this industry. The fact that Helldivers 2 did so well and people defend the monetization because it was $40 and is a fun game, scares the sh*t out of me to see that the door is open and all shift will probably be to replicate that in future games. We already know the ROI for traditional game dev cost isn’t doing it for them.

I thought with Jimbo leaving we’d see a change for the better… I’m not so sure now.

S2Killinit18d ago

Service games are being offered by everyone. Sony cannot afford to only create single player AAA games. No one can. They already said they will be doing both.

Abnor_Mal19d ago (Edited 19d ago )

Ps5 gamers in 2023 seemed to play more live service types of games, so regardless to how people feel about them, numbers don’t lie and Sony is going where the money is. I mean look at the excitement around Helldivers2, people are showing that they want live service games.

Christopher19d ago

They play long-time existing live service games like CoD, Fortnite, Apex Legends, Destiny 2, and the like. Mass majority of new live service games are considered failures and aren't moving gamers away from older games.

just_looken19d ago

Yep the huge issue with live service is they need paid players along with a reason to play them.

You forgot mobile market that also taps into that player base as well as the eve online style games there is only a certain amount of krakens/whales blind supporters compared to the amount of live service games we have its not sustainable math wise.

700 restaurants making food for every seat for 1000-3000 eaters just does not work out

Einhander197219d ago (Edited 19d ago )

Christopher

I am not a big live service fan and literally own zero of the games you listed, but that is not true, unless you call games that aren't the top games to be failures.

There are tons of live service games that are profitable.

Games don't have to be the biggest game ever they just need to make more than they cost.

I challenge you to show professionally prepared data that shows that more live service games fail than make enough to keep going.

Because all the data that I have seen shows that live service is less of a gamble than making a big AAA budget game which needs to survive off retail sales.

FinalFantasyFanatic19d ago

I sometimes wonder if we're at saturation point, where it's hard for a new game to join those ranks unless it's particularly exceptional, people only have so much time and money to devote to these types of games.

romulus2319d ago

Correction, they have no issue playing good live service games

shinoff218319d ago

Lol it's not even a quarter of the ps5s sold. Helldivers may have been a hit but let's not say most are enjoying it because truth is most(the real most ) don't care about it.

S2Killinit18d ago (Edited 18d ago )

I play what is fun. If a live service game is good I’ll play it as long as its not a money scheme which Helldivers is not.

And Im a single player gamer.

mastershredder19d ago

How do you kill a franchise that already been killed?
Destiny’s grind, cash-in-on-playbass-cha-Ching, and pop-culture-insertion mainstream-me-too bs totally killed any rep Bungie had. Sony/Bungie, if you are doing this to ward-off players, it’s already working.

crazyCoconuts19d ago

Headline truncated:
"... off a cliff"

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370°

Could Xbox Soon Become The Next Dreamcast?

Microsoft's future in the video game space is murky right now, so let's break it all down.

Read Full Story >>
thegamer.com
ApocalypseShadow22d ago (Edited 22d ago )

Not anytime soon. But they're on that path.

One thing not mentioned in the article is Microsoft's money bags. If Sega had Microsoft's money, they would have still been around as a hardware manufacturer. Xbox as a platform only survives because of the money bags. They can continue making consoles for the core and port to PC.

The multiplatform strategy is only the result of arrogance and misguided leadership that blew up in their face. They thought gamers would jump on Xbox in droves if they knew that many of their favorite games would be only on Xbox. But that's not happening at all. Sales didn't increase. They decreased. Why? Because the dumb asses thought giving away these expensively made games in a cheap service would also turn the tide.

Gamers on other platforms are willing to buy quality. They don't need to be handed nearly free games in a service that aren't even finished and sometimes average in their development. Gamers buy Nintendo games. They buy Sony games. Microsoft groomed their base to not buy games. Even the quality ones. It has always been their plan to go digital. But most gamers still like single player gaming. Still like physical releases.

Microsoft's problem has always been that they don't produce high quality games at the same output as Nintendo and Sony. Actually, they should be producing quite a lot more because they're worth over 2 TRILLION. How they don't have more is ridiculous and no excuse. Buying publishers to take away from competition only backfired. Because it still takes millions of dollars to continue to make those games from the publishers they snatched. Their only choice was to crawl back to their competitors to help sustain those developers because Nintendo and Sony platforms were the ones buying games.

Am I sorry for Microsoft? Hell no! They deserved last place for putting in the least effort. They deserved the fallout for buying up the industry and didn't make a single blip on the radar against their competitors where they now need those same gamers they took away games from to support them. Part of it may have been to cash in on their competition. But the result is the slow death of their platform. They may go 3rd party. They may keep making hardware. I don't give a shit about them to worry about it. I only give a shit about the destructive nature of their industry moves that only negatively affect gamers. They could sell and drop out of the industry and I wouldn't blink. Probably laugh. But not blink. They deserve whatever comes to them. At least Sega put in the effort when it came to games. They just had poor leadership. Microsoft has poor leadership and barely makes memorable games. That's a killer combination. And not in a good way.

Cacabunga22d ago

That would be an insult to Dreamcast.. it had a crazy line up of legendary critically acclaimed games.

Crows9022d ago

I was thinking the same. Dreamcast had incredible games in such a short amount of time. It was truly exceptional.

darthv7221d ago

...and yet all those great games were not enough to sway people from the looming release of the PS2 at the time. Sony just has that kind of brand loyalty.

Cacabunga21d ago

Darth

I do not agree.. Sony had even better games thanks to an unprecedented 3rd party support..
DC had amazing lineup but 90% were arcade games..

88321d ago

@darth:
And Sony showed off "The Emotion Engine" and their real time demos that made everyone think they would miss out on REAL next gen 128bit magic if they jumped in before PS2s polygon pushing monster (and early lack of anti-aliasing with a healthy heap of shimmer + DVD playback) stepped up. PS2 was a fantastic system though with amazing games.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 21d ago
blacktiger22d ago

That's not true. Just because Microsoft has the money doesn't mean Microsoft can allow xbox to bleed entire Microsoft money. It doesn't work like they. Also SEC will be watching and investor won't allow it. Lot of reasons why Microsoft can not continue even if they wanted to. SEC regulations is expensive.

fr0sty22d ago (Edited 22d ago )

Exactly this... Microsoft is a publicly traded company, mostly owned by their shareholders (Approximately 59.24% of the company's stock is owned by Institutional Investors, 7.73% is owned by Insiders and 33.03% is owned by Public Companies and Individual Investors.). Their shareholders call the shots on the business decisions, and their shareholders want one thing and one thing only, for their stock price to go up. Losses do not make stock prices go up... so if the division continually posts losses on hardware, but shows profits on software and services (which has been the case with Xbox its entire lifespan, for over 20 years now), the shareholders are going to grow impatient and demand they stop making hardware and focus on the only thing that has ever made them money, software and services.

When Microsoft bought Blizzard and Activision for almost 100 billion, I knew that was the nail in the coffin for Xbox as a console... as the shareholders were going to expect a quick return on that investment, and when it didn't materialize, they were going to be out for blood... out to force Xbox to sell those games on as many consoles as possible, "and while you're at it, sell those first party exclusives that aren't selling well on other consoles as well... hell, just stop making consoles and sell games."

If there is another Xbox console generation, it will definitely be the last, but I doubt there even will be one at this point. I think the Xbox division planning on it just in case, but I don't think the project has been greenlit from Microsoft itself. The rumors that they have not yet even secured the chips needed from the chip fabrication facilities ties into this.

shinoff218322d ago

While I usually agree with you . Alot of what was said can just also be asked before any of that.

How long will the shareholders wait? It doesn't appear long at all

Babadook721d ago

I think I get your point. Like just because MS has money does not mean they are content to throw it away on a dying ecosystem. Xbox has to be profitable or “what’s the point?”

ifinitygamer22d ago

Money bags, yes, but are we ignoring that Xbox actually makes a profit on games and GamePass? Hardware is often a loss leader, and they're probably making profit 4 years into the life cycle, but games and services revenue have been very profitable while other parts of Microsoft's business is struggling. Say what you will about the quality of those games, of course, but this is kind of a reverse Dreamcast situation, where the console was dragging down the company and put it at risk of shuttering entirely. Killing that console saved the business and allowed it to continue to make games on multiple platforms. In this case, the service is very profitable, as are the games, and they're also double-dipping into Multiplatform to extend this further, while their hardware is just sort of what they believe to be the best for gamers and their own titles (whether that is the case or not...)

fr0sty21d ago (Edited 21d ago )

The issue is, they aren't selling enough hardware to make their exclusives profitable, and now that they've bought half the gaming publisher/dev industry, they have no choice but to go third party to make a profit... and that is making their shareholders take a real close look at their hardware division under the microscope... why keep making the hardware if the software is all that is making them money, and they continually, generation after generation come in dead last with hardware sales?

Look at a game like Spiderman 2... if it had been an Xbox exclusive, with the amount it cost to develop, it would have been a huge failure... simply not enough consoles out there to sell it on. They would have been lucky to break even.

ifinitygamer21d ago

@fr0sty agreed completely, which is why they're hedging by releasing other games to multiplatform, plus they have PC to make up for the difference in a lot of ways, which is why their games are not complete money pits. It brings up the question of whether or not those exclusives would drive sales of consoles, though. Let's say Spiderman 2 was an Xbox exclusive, it would certainly have pushed console sales, though who's to say how much is anyone's guess.

fr0sty21d ago

That's why you can't rely on just one exclusive, Sony has always delivered on a wide range of solid exclusives, even this generation (even if they haven't been strong on the first party exclusives, they've made up for it with third party). They don't rely on just one "system seller", they have a portfolio of them.

21d ago
JBlaze22621d ago

ApocalypseShadow To be honest Sony has more of a chance to go 3rd party because like you said Microsoft has money, Sony does not. Sony does not have games, Only games they have come from 3rd party. Sony has been losing money for years and you. Saying Microsoft has been putting the least effort just proves you have no idea what's been going on. All Sony has done is repeat and recycle, never innovating or doing something new. All Sony has is brand loyalty nothing else and it shows.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 21d ago
LG_Fox_Brazil22d ago

Not sure about that. It's been two decades and I still think about Power Stone, Shenmue, Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Seaman and others, but I'm not sure I'll remember Xbox Series X/S games in a few years from now... Maybe I'll remember about the franchises that the Xbox brand spawned, but I don't believe that the Xbox Series lives up to the late Dreamcast or even to the Xbox name itself. I do have great memories about the 360 with Blue Dragon, Gears 2 and Lost Odyssey though

isarai22d ago

Nah, sega actually makes good games

Becuzisaid22d ago

No, Dreamcast was ahead of it's time and most still have very fond memories of it that had one. It also had some good games on it even in it's short lifespan. Xbox has none of these qualities.

Profchaos22d ago

I remember it coming out at the time in a really bad place they hit the market before the PS2 but it was during this transitional time when Sony was promoting the power of the PS2 and so many of the Dreamcast games were awesome but often third parties simply ported the PS1 version increased resolution and performance but rarely fully utilise the capabilities of the console.

I think in the end bad marketing done it in and like the GameCube so many people are fond of it now but at the time it was looked at in the lense of the day and it didn't stack up.

Personally I miss Sega in hardware they took risks that many companies won't

Becuzisaid22d ago

I never owned it, and got the PS2 right when it launched. But there were certain games it had that I was always jealous of that I didn't have access to - Sonic adventure, crazy taxi, power Stone, code Veronica, shenmue, skies of Arcadia. I always thought it was a really cool machine though. I've never heard a bad thing about it though from those that had it.

FinalFantasyFanatic21d ago

I only ever saw one Dreamcast, and that was one my friend owned, pity I never got to play it, I wonder what games he had for it?

It would be nice if some of those games got ported to modern systems.

Profchaos22d ago

Oh man sonic adventure on the Dreamcast made me so jealous as a huge sonic fan on the mega drive who also moved to PlayStation 2 I never got the chance to play it back in the day either. The Dreamcast in Australia where I am was always relegated to the smallest corner of EB Games it was kind of a strong first indicator that things were not going well at the time.

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