Is Microsoft still committed to the Xbox brand?

In this weeks Episode of The Analog Circle Podcast Episode 17 we will be discussing the latest gaming news from Microsoft,Sony and Nintendo, talking about the closing of Lionhead Studios,going over the answers from the N4G community for last weeks question,and asking the question Is Microsoft still committed to the Xbox Brand?

[lelo2play]

"Is Microsoft still committed to the Xbox brand?"

No. They are mostly interested in pushing Windows 10. That's where the money is.

[Hoffmann]

PFFF never. Windows is totally comitted to the Xbox brand as the recent developments and their actions cleary show.

They said that not even all xbox one games by them and their bought or hired studios will get windows 10 ports.

This means the xbox continues to have a few exclusive games.

Thats proof enough to know that MS is very committed to the Xbox brand.

[Hoffmann]

Edit, typed a terrible typo in the first line, meant Microsoft of course and not Windows ;-)

@URNightmare I suppose you are a very sarcastic person!

[DragonDDark]

You forgot this "/s"

[Hoffmann]

Pssss/sst @DD

[sonarus]

Not so sure how committed they were to begin with.

[agame914]

@hoffman I'm sorry man but your delusional

[whitesoxfalife1976]

listen to major nelson podcasat phil kinda clears it up for us.....
http://majornelson.com/podc...

[NukaCola]

When we first saw MS walk into the scene ages ago many thought that was their moment to monopolize the gaming industry and bring it to PC exclusively. Well it appears as though this generation was supposed to be in as last generation the 360 took control America. However its not working out so well the way they wanted with how far they are lagging behind and how many poor choices are making along the way. The PC community is the Steam Community and as Games for Windows failed, so will this.

[hells_supernova]

I do not mean to burst your bubble but the next Xbox will run windows 10 and be a living room PC. Love it or hate it that is the future of xbox.

Hopefully they pull off some cool modular pc build and give people options on specs etc but in an easy to handle console style package

[-Foxtrot]

I think they are trying to bow out slowly.

[rainslacker]

I think they're currently leveraging Xbox to gain support for Windows, and the Xbox brand will turn into a service going forward. Many Xbox fans seem to be OK with this, so more power to them I guess, even though I am unsure if they realize that's what's happening.

I doubt the console hardware itself will cease to exist, although it may not exist in the same form as it is now...but only time will tell how that plays out.

[Gazondaily]

Highly doubt they'd like to 'bow out' at all.

Crazy isn't it; they make a PROPER commitment to PC and the doom and gloom brigade chime in instantly.

[miyamoto]

Just as I predicted. PlaySaviour 4 is saving the gaming industry as we speak.

[tuglu_pati]

As a brand, yes.

As a console, no.

[Free_Fro]

Simple and short answer: Yes.

There are games in the pipeline. .

This question isn't for Xbox fans tho'...
We know who the target audience is, to get that attention ^_^

--
xoxo

[Cdn_Seahawks_Fan]

The Xbox brand won't be going away anytime soon, and MS is still committed....to the Xbox BRAND. Now, some people have concerns about the Xbox CONSOLE, but only time will tell. I personally look forward to see what MS will do here.

[wakeNbake]

They can keep their commitment as long as I get to play Gears of War 4 in 1440p ultra settings.

[GameBoyColor]

Hopefully it will be optimized and without gimpworks unlike UE

[link2Dpast]

Microsoft will forever be a house hold name and will for ever be here, Xbox on the other hand, No. I just can't understand some gamers before Xbox it was ps , sega, Nintendo , I thought that was the cream of the crop. They all were unique in their own way, play station was just straight up for gaming;no gimmicks, sega had some great games and mascots and just like Nintendo tried to keep it different like the Dreamcast and it being online and its unique memory card, as for Nintendo no need for explanation. Xbox should become software only, PlayStation came before it did and there literally the same damn system, same ganes same everything

[jmc8888]

Microsoft is interested in creating value for shareholders. In order to do that they realize they need to leverage all their assets to their maximum ability.

Xbox brand + Windows 10 PC gives BOTH the best chance to succeed and make money for Microsoft. Anyone who can't handle that needs to go buy some pampers.

They aren't betraying you. They aren't screwing you over. They are actually making moves that will make things better and help avoid a potential sudden break up sometime down the road.

Remember all that talk of Microsoft spinning off Xbox brand? It was possible. It could be possible again. BUT, with leveraging both sides TOGETHER, you create a situation where one needs the other in order to better survive. What people are complaining about 'losing exclusives' might just keep the whole Xbox brand alive.

For any corporation it's not about YOU. It's about THEM. Sony. Nintendo. Microsoft... WHOEVER. In the videogames business the THEM is making money off YOU buying their goods and services. Of course they want you to have fun buying their goods, because that's how they survive. But ultimately it's about THEM first, YOU second.

If it doesn't work for THEM, YOU won't be buying ANYTHING. This is the way it'll work for them best, and thus, you too.

People should be more confident that the Xbox brand will survive. The only ones who are hurt by this are either acting childish or had their heads in the clouds.

[frankdrebin72]

As JMC says above.
Xbox isn't going anywhere.

I think the reason so many fanboys are rabid about the news of Microsoft closing down studios is that they forgot about how Sony "Trimmed the fat" from their books.
Its business, plain and simple.
As for Lionhead, and Micros opinion to cancel Fable Legends, its unfortunate, but obviously something happened. No one knows the real reason.
Yet for all the negativity on how micro have stopped Fable legends, depriving gamers of a game they had a beta in, you make it think like it was owed to you all.
Deprive...heck Sony deprived the PS4 players of EA Access, maybe you should all get on that band wagon as that's an option SONY stopped you from getting as it didn't meet with there business plan.

Xbox as stated in JMCs post will continue to exist,.evolve and be part of the market share.
You really need to ask yourself if Xbox ceased to exist,..then what are you going to whine, leap to illogical conclusions about, shoot down in flames,troll, see what you want to see in statements etc etc.

Xbox may not be your console of choice, but without xbox, sony would monopolise the market, and as everyone and their dog states this is a bad thing.

[Ricegum]

Sony monopolising the market isn't bad thing. I miss the days of the PS2, when there were no shoddy exclusive deals for scraps of content to one up each other, Sony not having to bring over a lot of these boring FPS games to satisfy certain fans. The only good thing about the competition with Microsoft is that PSN might not be where it is today without Xbox Live. But I for one wouldn't mind at all if Microsoft exited the console market.

[Inzo]

Where the money is, that is where MS's commitment will be, as it is with any other company.

[Godmars290]

Xbox the brand is not Xbox the physical console. By all real counts it could become another Zune, which turned into a service from the physical music player.

[HaHa_Ostrich]

Prepare yourselves for the new WinBox! A console/PC hybrid by Microsoft.

[Inzo]

A type of Steam Box would be closer to that fact.

[SynestheticRoar]

The BoxWindow is more like it.

[LNDCalling]

I posted this nearly five years ago and appears to be as true as ever:

"Wouldn't supprise me, always imagined that MS were trying to converge Console Gamers and PC, and 360 is so close as to be a simple low spec gaming only PC :/

If they can get Console Gamers on to PC then its all good for them and shareholders as it will mean additional sales of Windows and thats where the money is. Its why MS havent bothered with 1st party studios..."

http://n4g.com/news/803480/...

[Picnic]

Absolutely- but as a service across both console and PC and, hopefully, with the ability to make your console up to the level of a PC.

So many people say they don't need that, as if making gaming rigs isn't a bit daunting to the average person who nevertheless wants to spend the money to have the best possible console graphics on a unified brand so they can know that everything will work and be on a par with many other people.

[Relientk77]

They are committed to Windows 10 brand

[shankentertainment]

Sega should see this as an opportunity to get back in the console race...Microsoft continues to shit on people that buys xboxes

[NotAfanBoyy]

OMG Not Dreamcast 2 again! lol

[shankentertainment]

Not Dreamcast 2 but something else SEGA console related, but youre saying that like xbox isnt a copy of the first dc... And nobody has a long library of IPs like they do that can be done proper and sell well along with the right hardware and a way to watch blu rays on it....... It wil sell

[DarXyde]

These articles are getting a little out of hand.

Why do I suspect the people with a negative opinion on the issue neither own nor have any intention of owning an Xbox One?

The console came out not even 3 whole years ago. It's not Windows Vista. It's actually a pretty decent console that's outselling the Xbox 360. Do I prefer the PS4? Yes, but I also believe Microsoft will at the very least still support Xbox One for the duration of a standard generation.

You don't pump out backwards compatibility, regular updates, an elite controller, and so on to just ditch.

Stop the madness.