460°

Spencer: Xbox Brand Is Iconic in Console Gaming; Xbox Live Is Our Most Critical Asset

Phil Spencer said the Xbox brand is now iconic in console gaming, which he believes to be a critical customer segment for Microsoft.
He also said that Xbox Live is the most critical asset owned by Microsoft.

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2486d ago Replies(10)
tyasia02486d ago (Edited 2486d ago )

I'd just like to let everyone know I am declaring myself an iconic poster on N4G.

No, I don't need anyone else's approval to say that and now that I have said it it's fact. I expect that you will all refer to me as "The Iconic tyasia0" but since I am nice I'll also accept "Your Highness tyasia0"

Shadowlee2486d ago

You are an iconic poster, your trolling is one the tops

tyasia02486d ago

Aw thanks but you forgot to address me properly.

EatCrow2486d ago

That only works with people who agree with the gender politics fiasco.

No

Shadowlee2486d ago (Edited 2486d ago )

Sorry, Mr. 💩. you are iconic with your legendary trolling.

rainslacker2486d ago (Edited 2486d ago )

Too bad you don't have any critical assets. :-P

Anyhow, I'm not sure why MS or Phil considers XBL a critical asset. An important one sure, but critical? The number of people that have live accounts dwarfs the XBL user base by a large margin. If the whole thing went belly up tomorrow, MS would only lose the money from subs, which is not that much compared to their overall yearly revenue. As far as connection to customers, there are very few places where Live in general doesn't have a part in a huge number of people's lives.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 2486d ago
XiNatsuDragnel2486d ago

Agreed and disagreed. There are iconic, but as not as Nintendo and Sony.

If so bring some Xbox only only games on the platform not some pseudo stuff.

Diverse array of IPs. Make people attracted to Xbox.

timotim2486d ago

I don't think Phil stated that Xbox is as or more iconic than anyone...just that Xbox was...and he is 💯 correct. Remember that Xbox is the newest out of the other two you mentioned.

InTheLab2486d ago

Decades into it now. Can't call them new since it's been 18 years

F4ctory_Reset2486d ago

@InTheLab

He didn't say new, he said newest out of the three. And that's a correct statement.

EatCrow2486d ago

Okay so you're fine with the pc people being kept out of the loop.... Becauseee why?

Seafort2486d ago

Don't bother this is a console only website and PC gamers are kept muted along with the PC gaming news.

Hence your downvotes just for mentioning PC. I'll probably get some downvotes too :)

EatCrow2486d ago

@seafort

If they want to keep it console only then they need to stop bringing the pc and pc gamers into the silly console war whenever they talk about exclusives.

They can ignore pc if they want. But then ms has a ton of true exclusives.. So that doesn't entirely work for their agenda.

yeahright22485d ago

I need to disagree. If you have to use a MS platform to play the game, then it's still an exclusive in my mind. Much like if you want to play the last of us you have to go through playstation. So to me, a title like gears 4 is an MS exclusive, but not quantum break since you can get it on steam. So even if I can play uncharted on my PC through PS Now, by the same logic, I still consider it a playstation exclusive. I think what we all really mean by these terms is just "you can't play it on X console." everything else is just semantics.

Rimeskeem2486d ago

Oh Xbox live, the reason console gamers have to pay for online now.

LexHazard792486d ago

Sony didnt have to go the same route...

Rimeskeem2486d ago

It's called business. They saw what Thur competition could do so they did the same but slightly cheaper (at first). If Xbox live was free I can guarantee Nintendo and Sony wouldn't charge for online.

jmetalhead778122486d ago

@Rimeskeem

Did Sony just start charging for it, or did they make changes to improve their service? Obviously if you invest into a product, you'd like to see a return. I also like how people complain about $4-5 a month. Really??? Maybe you need to find a new hobby

jrshankill2486d ago

Rimeskeem "Oh Xbox live, the reason console gamers have to pay for online now."

and then one hour later

Rimeskeem "It's called business."

Christ.

yeahright22485d ago

@rime then fair is fair, I assume you saw no issue with early xbox one policies? that was just business as well.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 2485d ago
Gazondaily2486d ago (Edited 2486d ago )

No. Xbox Live....the reason why PSN is actually half decent now

iDadio2486d ago

Double edged sword, you can't charge for a pile of ass network (and the PS3 was completely incompatible with VoIP) so improvements had to be made or there would be meltdowns.

Eldyraen2486d ago

People can disagree but beyond the paying for online (an undeniable negative even if it helped build the infrastructure somewhat), XBL made online consoles what they are today. Others have followed suit and built on its system but MS and XBL laid the foundation with consoles in particular.

That's what made them an icon imo and is their biggest influence on the gaming world.

Dark_Knightmare22486d ago (Edited 2486d ago )

Live and psn are pretty much at parity this gen but you're right let's live in the past and say it's only half decent

IGiveHugs2NakedWomen2486d ago

PSN is better because PlayStation fans demanded it, not because Microsoft charged for it. Just ask yourself when was the last time you noticed a problem with PSN? February? March? The outages are now few and far between, but that doesn't mean that anyone should expect an online network to be completely invulnerable because the idea of online invulnerability is ridiculous and it doesn't exist.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 2486d ago
Automatic792486d ago

@Rimeskeem

You set yourself up. Just take L

PhoenixUp2486d ago

You had to pay for online on Dreamcast before Xbox ever arrived

EatCrow2486d ago

Let's see.. How do we make and online service that doesn't suck. Dedicated servers... Gold came to be.

On the other hand....
How can we keep our service the same but charge for it anyways.... Psn paid subscription came to be.

If I want to play online... Most games I'd do that are on pc so I'd buy it on pc. Done.

Imalwaysright2486d ago (Edited 2486d ago )

The reason why you have to pay for it is because Sony made that decision. Blame Sony for it.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 2485d ago
FallenAngel19842486d ago

A brand doesn't sell over 100 million units and not be considered iconic

LexHazard792486d ago

Jim Thome hit over 500 homeruns. Does that make him Iconic.

jmetalhead778122486d ago

@Lex

Upvote just for the Jim Thome reference

PhoenixUp2486d ago

@ Lex

Jim Thome isn't the third most successful baseball player in that industry

yomfweeee2486d ago

Microsoft is 3rd.... out of 3.... you call that Iconic?

EatCrow2486d ago

@yomfwee

Someone hasn't been gaming for long.

PhoenixUp2486d ago (Edited 2486d ago )

@ yom

No 3rd out of the numerous hardware manufacturers that had entered the industry in its entire 45 year existence.

Companies such as Magnavox, Atari, Fairchild, Coleco, Mattel, Commodore, Interton, Sega, NEC, Philips, Bandai, Tiger Electronics, SNK, Panasonic, Pioneer, Apple, Nokia, & Valve have never had nowhere near the amount of success in the dedicated gaming hardware market that Microsoft has been able to attain for itself.

The fact that Microsoft is widely recognized as part of the Big 3 is blatant proof that their gaming brand is already iconic. It's pure delusional to think otherwise after its hardware's long lasting 16 year presence in this industry(which is 1/3 of how long the gaming industry has been around), especially when you yourself just counted them amongst the Big 3. That's as ridiculous as saying that any company included in the Big Six major movie studios can't be considered iconic.

yomfweeee2486d ago

Just because you're in the game for a long time doesn't prove anything. The only reason why they are still here is because Microsoft was one of the biggest companies in the world before they even got involved.

Their billions of dollars got them through the financial disasters that the OG Xbox and 360 were. They've brought no innovation other than Live.

PhoenixUp2485d ago

@ yom

Yes it does. The very fact that one brand can stick around as long where various others have failed shows that the brand has accumulated a lot of success to sustain itself.

Did you conveniently forget how other big companies tried to enter the gaming industry and failed to gain a strong foothold?

You need billions and billions of dollars to Big a big player in any industry. You also need a loyal fan base of consumers and publishers, which Microsoft was able to attain, even being able to outperform longtime veteran Nintendo with its first console outing in that generation.

You seem to be under the notion that randomly throwing money at something will automatically make it successful, which couldn't be any further from the truth. Microsoft invested heavily into Zune and that ended up flopping, so there goes your flawed theory.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 2485d ago
FallenAngel19842486d ago (Edited 2486d ago )

@ Lex

Poor analogy dude.

Are you trying to imply that a gaming brand selling over 100 million does not instantly make iconic? Are you trying to say it's a small negligible feat that any hardware manufacturer can do in this industry?

In fact let's expand beyond gaming. There isn't any industry brand that has sold over 100 million units and isn't considered iconic. I dare you to name a few if that weren't the case.

@ Dark

Who else?

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 2485d ago
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390°

Former Blizzard President Suggests Players Should Have Option to Tip Developers

Former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra recently suggested an interesting concept that has sparked a debate among gamers - the idea of being able to tip developers after completing a game.

LG_Fox_Brazil5d ago

If I had a 100% way to be sure that this money would go to a fund or a reserve dedicated only to the guys who develop the games, be them designers, artists, programmers and so on, I could think about it.

But we all know that this 'tip' would only end up in a publisher's CEO pocket to buy a new yacht, so, no, I ain't tipping anyone anytime soon on this industry

neutralgamer19924d ago

Exactly these companies were raising money for good causes and gamers were donation and come to find out they are keeping a good chunk of be pie

PapaBop3d ago

Yeah tip your developer, 5% proceeds go to developer, 95% to the publisher or whoever. Isn't tipping for staff not making minimum wage? How about they just pay their developers properly and like you know, give them fair bonuses? Too much to ask from Blizzard these days, Kotick saw to that and is now laughing all the way to the bank.

MrDead4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

It's the t**ts at the top looking at ways to cut devs wages and get the players to tip them like waiting staff, and I'll guarantee a percentage is skimmed and kept by Activision Blizzard. This is 100% for shareholder and CEO playouts.

Popsicle4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

I have to agree with this. On the surface tipping devs sounds like a great idea, but in the end it leads to pay cuts and subsidization of pay. Tips then become an expectation or the devs “can’t make a living.” Lastly, especially in the US, tip culture has gotten out of control, and it serves as an excuse not to properly pay employees. Sounds good but doesn’t end well.

drizzom3d ago

@ Popsicle

I think your right on the nose with how much tipping has become rampant. Instead of it being a relationship directly between the customer and the developer or employee, it now has a middle man ingrained in the system. DoorDash is one example. It ends up becoming a metric where the company can measure 'just how much more money you are willing to part with' before raising the price on the main product.

1Victor4d ago

Uh so they’re trying triple dip or more we buy the game that they’re already withholding/cutting content for dlc we was told that season pass would help the developers thrive we felt for it.
Now on top of all that plus their sales bonus they want tips enough is enough whatever happens to you create/built a good game get a bonus for sales milestones you care about your game and community we reward you with more sales not for doing 3/4 of a game then save the other 1/4 for dlc and passes after

raWfodog3d ago

The 'tip' is me buying your game in the first place.

S2Killinit3d ago

Very well said. If it was possible to send the money to either the developer or some organization for the betterment of gaming, sure. But we all know that will not be the case.

Rynxie3d ago (Edited 3d ago )

No, it would go to those on the top. They will still fire developers, have a bunch of microtransactions, raise prices of games and so on.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 3d ago
H94d ago

So they eventually don't pay their workers and depend on our tips to pay them like the case with waiters!

Deeeeznuuuts4d ago

That kind of practice is only normal in the states, as far as I know anyway, what a backwards system

H94d ago

No it's as well in a every country that wants to amercanize

bloop4d ago

Ireland is literally the first stop across the pond and we don't have a tipping culture. The only establishments here that would expect a tip are the tourist haunts that Americans visit. Other than that, you might tip in a restaurant as a sign of gratitude for great service and waiting staff would be paid a full wage anyway.

Rebel_Scum3d ago

Tipping is not customary iin most countries dude. Get a passport lol.

Jin_Sakai4d ago

Is this a joke? How about the big wigs giving up some of their pay for their hard working developers.

MrBaskerville4d ago

Maybe the CEO could earn his money based on tips.

mastershredder4d ago

good god. The devs are not baristas dude. Total 1% ideals. Fing Chadosaurus.

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90°

The Reason Sega Lost The 32-Bit War? The 32X, Says Yosuke Okunari

"The company was unable to focus enough on its main hope"

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ApocalypseShadow8d ago

Nope. Going back to the 32X as the reason Sega lost that generation doesn't go back far enough before the Saturn.

Sega executives need to blame themselves as to why Sega lost that generation. Not Saturn. Not 32X. Not Sega CD. Nope. Executives were the reason why. It wasn't the hardware. Those devices were either dropped early or released to soon resulting in a developer backlash the hurt the game catalog. They really shouldn't have been made at all because they should have planned their next move more carefully. It has nothing to do with the devices. Poor leadership decisions and lack of unity within the company are what happened.

Love how blame is always shifted away from what is the truth. Writing a book placing the blame on the 32X isn't the truth.

solideagle8d ago

I am pretty sure there are documentaries (Youtube) around it which highlights these points. I had Sega Mega drive and NES growing up but that's about it. I didn't even know there was a war going on between these companies but I do remember thinking why I can't play Sonic cartridge on Nintendo or Mario on Sega :D

FinalFantasyFanatic8d ago

I had the Genesis and the Saturn, also had the SNES and 64, I never got a Dreamcast for some reason, but I never saw one in the stores either.

60°

Talking Killer Klowns From Outer Space With The Chiodo Brothers

Chris D. Spoke with the Chiodo Brothers at PAX East about Killer Klowns From Outer Space: The Game and their Career.