440°

Microsoft's Lack of Xbox One NPD Figure Response Confirms Xbox One Sales Against PS4 Are "Mediocre"

Today, Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg gave a strange reason for the lack of Xbox One NPD figures, "Summer is always Slow, main focus is Holiday". Can it be taken as a direct confirmation that Xbox One sales has been mediocre, and it is losing the sales battle against PlayStation 4. This is a complete opposite approach, in last-gen, Microsoft used to post/share Xbox 360 NPD sales figure every single month.

AngelicIceDiamond3510d ago

Yeah, it was pretty obvious when he made the statement.

SoapShoes3510d ago

Funny this comes right before the August NPD report. I'm guessing they already have the numbers and got slaughtered after TLOU released and the price drop bubble burst.

iamnsuperman3510d ago

I have no idea why he is even talking about this. Any response would come off too PR like but this one is something special. It doesn't even make any sense. It was a twitter question which are easy to ignore. Talking about it brings more grief. Aaron has not though it through

Enemy3510d ago (Edited 3510d ago )

Well, they'll be covering up more truth for the rest of the year now that the Destiny white PS4 bundle is dropping tomorrow.

September is going to be a massacre.

SoapShoes3510d ago

Yeah that white destiny bundle has been selling steadily since E3 and now is a top seller at several retailers. Once people pick it up in tomorrow, all of those sells since June will count for September. Plus the regular PS4 sells which are still high.

nX3510d ago

He really went full retard by replying to that tweet. How stupid can one official representative (who's being followed closely by the media of course) be? I actually find it hard to believe that he still kept his job after so many fiascos.

Magicite3510d ago

new sku = not price drop; kinect bundle = still same old price.

jmac533510d ago

@SoapShoes I know 3 people who were holding off and are now getting the white destiny bundle tomorrow. I'm sure there will be a pick up for Xbox in October with sunset overdrive but September is Sony's for sure.

ABizzel13510d ago

Aaron Greenburg: “Summer is always slow, like pre-season. We tend to focus on holiday when it really counts!,”

June 2009
http://www.pcworld.com/arti...

June 2010
http://www.examiner.com/art...

I'm sure there's more if you search through his twitter. I don't know why they keep this man around, he Larry Hryb and Albert Pennello are all expendable IMO, due to their antagonizing behavior towards gamers showing any kind of concern regarding Xbox. Phil is the only semi-decent one there.

stuna13510d ago

@Abizzle

Aaron says the summer months are always slow, but it gives them a chance to see how well they've done the first half of the year!? Unless he's the last person on earth, even the most diehard fans are giving themselves multiple facepalms lol.

Some things people in authority don't need to comment on, and this is one such case! It comes off as them thinking they are talking to a bunch of fools.

MrPink20133510d ago

Sony was very quiet last generation when it came to NPD sales because the Xbox 360 was beating the PS3 in the USA. We all know the Xbox One is getting outsold all over including the USA so now they will remain quiet. Nintendo is also quite reluctant to give actual hardware sales of the Wii U. This is all PR as they don't want to appear weak.

A lot is riding on the Xbox One to sell this holiday. It will do OK but I don't think it will beat the PS4 any month unless we see some major price drop of $350 or less. The PS4 has the momentum and most realize the PS4 is more powerful and has a more robust line up of 1st party developers in comparison. The Wii U by comparison will remain slow with a few bumps when a big have comes out like Smash.

Dee_913510d ago (Edited 3510d ago )

I really wonder what they can do to increase sales? I really thought the price drop and removal of kinect would increase sales a lot.I always thought that if 360 and PS3 released on the same day PS3 would have outsold 360 from the begining. This "slaughter" kind of confirm that in my opinion.. that and or MSFT anti consumer policies really left bad taste in a lot more people than just the core gamers and internet users mouths, but also some of the more casual crowds.

SilentNegotiator3510d ago (Edited 3510d ago )

@ABizzel1

Those must be fake. Didn't you read his Tweet? Microsoft/Greenberg only focus on the holidays!

lol

ABizzel13510d ago

@SilentNegotiator

LOL, Maybe he has a clone......created by a wizard..........from the moon!

Withdreday3509d ago

Greenberg has to be the biggest assclowns in the industry with the BS that spews from his mouth.

Talk about a guy who needs to STFU...>_<

+ Show (10) more repliesLast reply 3509d ago
Mikelarry3510d ago (Edited 3510d ago )

Aaron should be banned from public speaking on ms behalf, while they are at it also ban

Yusuf mehdi
Albert Penello

You know what they should leave all public speeches to phil spencer

Pogmathoin3510d ago

Yeah really.... This guy must go...... Last remnants of a disastrous launch...... Let new young gamers take over..... When I turn on my PS4, a kick ass console boots.... When I turn on X1, a great console plus so much more boots..... But it should have been so much more......

jjonez183510d ago (Edited 3510d ago )

It's starting to seem like MS is just passing the time until the holiday season starts. You can almost sense an air of desperation in their PR guys' quotes. We will most likely hear something more concrete when 1) They win a npd month 2) They have a respectable hardware/software numbers to present

PR guys like Aron and Yusef should'nt be saying anything until they have something worth saying.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3509d ago
MasterCornholio3510d ago

I agree otherwise they woukdnt have a problem announcing them like they did with the 360.

Greenberg is just being Greenberg.

stuna13510d ago

Yeah for 36 straight months they announced sales! Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall for three consecutive years! Nowhere in there did they give a reason for why they wouldn't give numbers. Until Sony broke their streak. Then all you heard and saw was apologist exuding so much salt that they were literally making snowmen out of it.

amiga-man3510d ago

Even VGchartz cant cover up the PS4's dominance,

CaptainObvious8783510d ago

I suspect they'll do their earnest when they release new figures soon. They can say whatever they like for those new territories because we don't have any previous sales data for the new console, so I suspect they'll state the biggest numbers they can get away with.

Forn3510d ago

Yikes, looks like the Xbone can't catch a break.

UltraNova3510d ago

And it never will judging by their nonstop PR f***ups.

Majin-vegeta3510d ago

Correct if I'm wrong but the only time MS mentioned NPD for this gen.Was last Holidays when they outsold the PS4 due to lack of supply right?

GiggMan3510d ago (Edited 3510d ago )

They mentioned leading in combined software sales back in April I think. That's the last that I remember hearing anything from them NPD wise.

http://n4g.com/news/1511244...

Last gen they didn't miss a month. The official Xbox site, major Nelson, Aaron Greenberg etc. would all post victory numbers.

Flamingweazel3510d ago

They would even gloat, MS is so easy to hate. You dont see sony gloating.

AndrewLB3510d ago

FlamingWeasel- Perhaps you missed Sony recently bragging about hitting 10 million in sales? Or bragging about "we don't know why it's selling so good"....

when you say stupid stuff like "sony doesn't brag", it just makes you fanboys look ridiculous.

Btw... judging by your posts, you'd hate Microsoft no matter what they did.

ShadowWolf7123509d ago

@Andrew

Oh no, they dared report 10 million sales qt a games conference, such terrible bragging. Especially since they didn't drag out their opponent's numbers for comparative embarrassment.

Also, if you seriously think that them saying they don't know why it's selling so well is bragging... get help. They were actually admitting that as being problematic for their marketing department as they don't know what to keep doing to keep those numbers up or replicate them in the future. It's nice to have good will on your side, but it makes marketing folks sweat as one wrong step could lose it and they don't really know what that could be. lol

Only thing they've bragged about or fired shots at MS about are utterly ridiculous policies that should have never been considered.

Show all comments (107)
320°

Xbox Game Studios Publishing Team Visits Kojima Productions to 'Kick-Off an Exciting Journey'

Kojima Productions' Hideo Kojima and Microsoft's GM of Xbox games marketing Aaron Greenberg via Twitter revealed the Xbox Game Studios Publishing teams have visited Kojima Productions.

"Our first visit to Kojima Productions with our Xbox Game Studios Publishing teams," said Greenberg. "Bringing engineering, cloud, marketing & production teams together to kick-off an exciting journey ahead."

Read Full Story >>
vgchartz.com
Obscure_Observer414d ago

Definitely curious to know more about this game.

Probably a survivor horror game powered by Azure just like Flight Simulator.

porkChop414d ago

He had a cloud-based horror title in development at Stadia but Google cancelled the project. Idk. He could bring that to Xbox but he also might be making something else. I just don't know what cloud would bring to a horror game.

Obscure_Observer414d ago

"I just don't know what cloud would bring to a horror game."

It´s Kojima. He can create a cloud-based Pac Man. Lol.

Tbh, If you tell me MS were planning to release a cloud-based Flight Simulator a few years back, I wouldn´t know what to expect either.

He´ll be working with Kim Swift (Portal creator) so I´m expecting something big!

EvertonFC414d ago

Can you offload things like lighting or RT etc to cloud?

fr0sty414d ago

RT, not really, as we expect 60fps,and low input lag, and good luck getting pings good enough to refresh that.

cthulhucultist413d ago

I can think 3 possible uses, although I could be wrong:

1. Dynamic weather and time of day depending on your region. For instance real-time weather and time-of-day information, which can be used to create dynamic environments that change depending on the weather and time of day. In addition various festivities (such as halloweed) can be tracked to add additional background features such as new times, layout and decorations.

2.Cloud-based servers can facilitate shared experiences in horror games so that players can share real tine journals around the world for other players to find (similar to demon souls messaging system)

3. Crowd-sourced decision making when it comes to important world altering decisions. In that way players can decide using polls, on the direction of certain events.

All the above apply to multiplayer horror game scenarios

porkChop413d ago

@cthulhu

I see where you're going but those 3 scenarios don't actually need cloud technology. We could already do those things with an online connection. For Kojima to say it's a game he's always wanted to make but that it isn't possible without cloud... Idk man it sounds like he's talking about some wild shit lmao. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Obscure_Observer413d ago

@EvertonFC

"Can you offload things like lighting or RT etc to cloud?"

Yes, you can offload anything CPU-intensive to the cloud. Xbox Game Studios already confirmed that Ray Tracing is coming to Flight Simulator at some point with the DirectX 12 Ultimate update.

I_am_Batman413d ago (Edited 413d ago )

@Everton: Offloading part of the rendering pipeline to a remote server isn't a viable solution for latency sensitive real time applications like games. Bandwidth isn't high enough and latency is way too high. There is a reason why GPUs have multi-level cache hierarchies. Local cache/memory latency is measured in nano seconds, a server ping in miliseconds. You're talking orders of magnitude difference in both latency and bandwidth. At that point you'd be better off letting the server do all the computation and streaming the finished frame which would just be plain old game streaming.

fr0sty413d ago (Edited 413d ago )

It's SO obvious which people in this conversation have any idea how game development works... lol.

No, you cannot do cloud assisted ray tracing. 60fps updates every 16ms. So, within 16 ms, your must tell the server you need a frame, and what that frame needs to be, Then the important part... the server has to have the time needed to render that frame, and then it has to be able to send that frame back to you. A perfectly average ping in the year 2023 is 20-50ms... and even if you get lower than that sometimes, you won't stay that low all the time... especially when connecting to servers over large distances. see the problem there?

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 413d ago
blackblades414d ago

Bad quality photo, like show some respect to the guy. Can report for bad quality picture.

Stanjara414d ago

Photo probably taken with Kinect.

onisama413d ago

the original on twitter kojima with the team xbox, this photo is zoomed

YourMommySpoils414d ago

Phil is going to start slapping and spanking Kojima, when he finds out the developers have been working on a Sony game this whole time, instead.

Aloymetal414d ago (Edited 414d ago )

Lol, well you're kinda right since he's been working on DS2 aka his baby and I say his baby because it is his main priority plus when I saw the tour he made of his studio in Japan, everything inside is decorated with Death Stranding and all that stuff. Amazing studio by the way.
https://www.youtube.com/wat...

Obscure_Observer414d ago

"Lol, well you're kinda right since he's been working on DS2 aka his baby and I say his baby because it is his main priority"

Lmao! Sure... whatever helps you sleep at night, dude. XD

Kojima wants his new game on Xbox to bring a revolution! From the man himself:

“It’s almost like a new medium. If this succeeds, it will turn things around – not just in the game industry, but in the movie industry as well,”

"Kojima: I tend to get easily bored. Part of why I've been able to make games for 30 years is because new technology replaces the old so quickly. The tech you use today may not be applicable tomorrow, and I'm interested in figuring out ways to incorporate the new. Making the wrong choice can result in failure, of course. It's a bit like a space program in that way. The project we're working on with Microsoft is one I have been thinking about for five or six years already. The project required infrastructure that was never needed before, so I discussed it with lots of different big companies and gave presentations, but they really seemed to think that I was mad. It was ultimately Microsoft who showed that they understood, and now we're working together on the project, including the technology front."

“It’s a completely new game, one that no one has ever experienced or seen before. I’ve waited very long for the day when I could finally start to create it.”

https://www.ign.com/article...

mkis007413d ago

Sony would normally accept anything kojima would put out if they were even one of his potentials. Leaves me with 2 options: Sony literally couldn't say yes to it or 2 it is more unusually than death stranding.

Obscure_Observer413d ago

@mkis007

"2 it is more unusually than death stranding."

He said that every publisher which he proposed his new game (Sony included), says he gone mad except Xbox Game Studios.

If this game is not been in development for the PS5, Sony is the one to blame.

sadraiden413d ago

@obscure_observer

always take Kojima's hyperbole with several thousand grains of salt. He famously said DS was a new game genre. Turns out it was a 3rd person action game with asynchronous multiplayer. Still fun and engaging, but not really as innovative as he was pitching it.

DOMination-413d ago

DS is the only game they’ve released isn’t it? I have a feeling that’s the most logical reason why tue studio is filled with stuff from that game

YourMommySpoils413d ago (Edited 413d ago )

In other words, there is no Xbox game. "!" over the head.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 413d ago
sadraiden413d ago

Phil never put a ring on it. Kojima is his own publisher. I think he holds most of the leverage, and in this case Xbox wanting their own Kojima exclusive is exactly the reason why he won't spank him.

Traecy414d ago

They want to follow in Sony PS footsteps...lol. Smh.

Show all comments (53)
370°

Aaron Greenberg Promoted To Xbox's VP Of Games Marketing

If you're a close follower of the Xbox team, you'll be well aware of Aaron Greenberg. He's a really nice guy who is always busy promoting the latest game and hardware.

It seems he's recently been promoted - with his LinkedIn profile revealing how he's gone from Xbox Games Marketing General Manager to Xbox Games Marketing Vice President.

Read Full Story >>
purexbox.com
Knushwood Butt585d ago

'He's a really nice guy who is always busy promoting the latest game.'.

He's had a quiet year then.

-Foxtrot585d ago

Just spinning on his chair randomly thinking "I wonder who can swim faster, a horse or a dog"

585d ago
NotoriousWhiz585d ago

^ While that's a funny thought. The facts are that the more people that like your favorite plastic box, the more people that will spend money on the plastic box, and the more money spent on that plastic box, results in more support going to that plastic box, which ultimately results in more games for you to play on your plastic box.

So that bit of marketing does help you in the end. But don't let those facts get in the way of a good funny.

*takes off nerd glasses*

MoonConquistador585d ago

Lol.

I like many people, probably overuse lol's in my online messaging, but I genuinely laughed aloud with that comment.

MadLad585d ago

2023 is coming.
The tone of this place will go from "Xbox has no games" to trying to explain why everything they release is terrible. No matter the reviews or sales. Or trying to convince everyone how Gamepass is killing the industry.

Aloymetal585d ago

''2023 is coming''
I know right, I've been seeing the same slogan since 2014.

585d ago
neutralgamer1992585d ago

Lad

Man stop it as a Xbox fan I am tired of waiting till next year. It's time to have some amazing games that are high in quality

CrimsonWing69585d ago

I feel like they said that back in 2021, then 2022, and… well you get the picture.

585d ago
STARS585d ago

@MadLad

2023 is coming, in three and a half months. What about in the entirety of 2022, or in the last 10+ months? How have those award winning, MS studios been looking in that time frame? 🤔 Yeah, no matter the reviews or sales, sounds a lot like TLoU Part 2 from you for 2 years running. 🤡

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godofboobees585d ago

So it's no longer "wait till e3" but so and so date is coming? Gotcha

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Hofstaderman585d ago

E3 is also coming. What a joke.

+ Show (18) more repliesLast reply 585d ago
Automatic79585d ago (Edited 585d ago )

@knushwood

Depends what quiet year means to you.

Didn't he just finish promoting this summer E3, High on Life, Naraka Blade Point, As Dusk Falls, Forza Horizon 5 HotWheels, Redfall, Starfield, Pentiment and Grounded. Plus he was Gamescom with games like Lies of P, The Case of Benedict Fox and more. I don't consider that a quiet year.

Congratulations Aaron.

Elda585d ago (Edited 585d ago )

Lies of P is a multi-plat game with no release date. The other games you've mentioned are mostly low-budget/AA lackluster looking games with the exception of Forza. Redfall & Starfield have no release date. As an XBSX owner that's nothing to be excited about.

darthv72585d ago (Edited 585d ago )

@elda... so you upgraded your free xmas party series s to a series x now? Gamepass has a way of doing that. And lies of P is a nice get for the service. Of course Greenburg will promote games and the service.its his job.

Lightning77585d ago

I'm not a Greenburge fan myself but whenever someone lists the games. It's always "AA low budget lack luster games" but yet go crazy over a Cat game that nobody's talking about anymore. AA is only OK if it's only exclusive to their platform, anywhere else it's lackluster.

#Hypocrites

585d ago
XiNatsuDragnel585d ago

@lighting
The problem most of these are timed exclusives or multiplats. Not AAA or AA, I care about exclusives which the competitors have.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 585d ago
deadfrag585d ago ShowReplies(2)
XiNatsuDragnel585d ago

Oh congrats Aaron but imo I want a new team rather than the same people start fresh.

Si-Fly585d ago

Yeah why aren’t they promoting an intern to VP?

XiNatsuDragnel584d ago (Edited 584d ago )

Or fresh blood

ED-E585d ago

Can't really tell how Greenberg is today, but back in my Xbox360 days (oof, we're talking 10+ years ago), he had such a pervy douchey vibe, I couldn't stand him. So I might have been wrong all along.

God, I miss my Xbox360 days, but I hated the Metro-UI change in 2012(?) so much. It was one of the reasons I switched to Playstation with the next generation.

MadLad585d ago

It might be time to switch back, honestly.
I'm mainly a PC gamer, but I've owned every Playstation console since the PS2.
I was one of the few that managed getting a PS5 day one.

They've been anti-consumer idiots this generation. I don't want to support them as a company at this point. I've been buying used anything that I want to play.

I'm watching Microsoft improve their games division in many ways, while watching Sony test how much they can fleece their dedicated fanbase.

Aloymetal585d ago

''I don't want to support them as a company at this point. I've been buying used anything that I want to play.''
Don't do that, PS needs you, they'll be doomed if you don't support them...

Elda585d ago

At least Sony continues to release AAA exclusives,they've released AAA exclusives throughout this year whereas XB has not...not one.

MadLad585d ago

@aloy

Whatever you insist, guy. I know the drill. Everything Microsoft does with their games division is trash.
Everything Sony does with their games division is totally amazing. It's actually kind of creepy.

Doesn't matter what Sony does, and it doesn't matter the improvements Microsoft is making.

The PS6 could announce at $1000, the games could now be $80, they could double the base price of PS Plus, and you would be doing your best to celebrate and defend it.

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Crows90585d ago

Name me one game this supposed games division improvement has created.

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Gamingsince1981585d ago

MS haven't improved their games division at all, they have spent more money than anyone else on buying up studios and still have nothing to show years on. Gamepass is rubbish and that's all they have.

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gold_drake584d ago (Edited 584d ago )

"been watching them improve their games division in many ways"

really? might be time for some glasses then ha.

AmUnRa584d ago (Edited 584d ago )

Here whe go again....but but but i have always own a PS, but Sony are anti consumer idiots. Dude give it a rest whe dont believe your drivel time for the mods to do theyr job.

+ Show (21) more repliesLast reply 584d ago
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220°

Xbox Games Marketing Boss Debunks Speculation About Event Coming Soon With Big World Premieres

There has been speculation floating around about an Xbox event, especially in relation to a reveal of From Software’s Elden Ring. Turns out it's false.

jairusmonillas1145d ago ShowReplies(2)
Orchard1145d ago (Edited 1145d ago )

Honestly, after all of the rumors from “insiders” about the Nintendo & Sony events being false - I’ve given up believing any of these rumors - just wait for the real event to take place - otherwise you’ll likely be disappointed.

lifeisgamesok1144d ago

Fake insiders and hype from MS tricked me for many E3's until I said enough is enough

Viking_mo1144d ago

Game awards is what made me say enough is enough. God of wsr debut gameplay, silent hill trailer and MGS trailer too.

lifeisgamesok1144d ago

@Viking_mo I remember the Uncharted 4 and Spider-man demos made me so envious of Playstation fans before I got my PS4

moriarty18891144d ago

talk is cheap.....put up,or shut up.

bleedsoe9mm1144d ago

Could be lying like he did before the game awards

AngelicIceDiamond1144d ago

He smartly swerved everyone at the VGA's. Who knows if he's doing it here as well but my expectations are extremely low anyway.

bleedsoe9mm1144d ago

Better is over deliver than under deliver