Xbox Business Update Podcast | Xbox Everywhere Direction Discussion

[Cyan]

One thing that I find concerning is it wont have a devkit but target specs. I think this is going to be very interesting but it sounds like it will be either a pain for devs to pass all requirements or it will be a pain for consumers to get running with the myriad of hw.

if they fit it with an OS adapted and friendly for casual gamers, being a PC underneath, it won't be limited by the policies of console manufacturers that mean that almost no games are released for them. More games are released for PC in one year than for a normal console in 6. Finally, we'd have a console with a decent catalogue and not the mini-catalogue that consoles offer today, which don't come out with a huge amount of games. We'll have the PC catalogue, in plug and play format for console dummies and with decent power, not like consoles that always offer technology from 3 or 4 years ago.

 

[Nisaaru]

I wish they would separate MTX from DLC. To me a DLC *and* a Season Pass is *not* MTX only because I bought it digital.

P.S. I buy everything digital anyway.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

if they fit it with an OS adapted and friendly for casual gamers, being a PC underneath, it won't be limited by the policies of console manufacturers that mean that almost no games are released for them. More games are released for PC in one year than for a normal console in 6. Finally, we'd have a console with a decent catalogue and not the mini-catalogue that consoles offer today, which don't come out with a huge amount of games. We'll have the PC catalogue, in plug and play format for console dummies and with decent power, not like consoles that always offer technology from 3 or 4 years ago.

Consoles have thousands of games. PC has tens of thousands, most of which go unplayed, almost none of which get finished. Is 'more games' really a need for consoles? Particularly when the best PC titles tend to get ports?

 

[Johnny Awesome]

This is an interesting direction if it's true.

My biggest reservation is that I don't know if they can get as much hardware in the box for the same kind of money that a PS6 will be. Sony should have at least a $100 advantage in efficiency by making 50+ million of the same PS6 box, compared to an Xbox Prime "PC/Console" if released in the same time frame. Yet, maybe that's why they want to launch staggered from PS6. Maybe it doesn't matter if the Xbox Prime is as good as the PS6 if the console wars are over. It just has to make GP subscribers happy. One of the cool advantages of the hybrid is that Sony PC games will work on it. That definitely boxes Sony in a little bit. Another advantage is that it assures support in a world where Xbox might not sell enough units to justify ports. It takes the pressure off hardware sales for MS.

Btw, even if every single MS Xbox game is released for PS, Xbox still has the best console exclusive in gaming - Game Pass. I think the Xbox Prime lives or dies by how much current GP subscribers really want it and GP. All the GP subscribing Series owners I know are definitely geeked for more Xbox hardware.

 

[Cyan]

Consoles have thousands of games. PC has tens of thousands, most of which go unplayed, almost none of which get finished. Is 'more games' really a need for consoles? Particularly when the best PC titles tend to get ports?

it's like buffet food. how many games do you get a year? On console or on PC, and from which genre? Do you have a huge uncompleted backlog?

not everyone has the same taste of games, some like RTS, tactics, fps, adventures, narrative stuff, puzzle, erotic stuff, visual novels, platforming, racing, sports.....

For consoles though, it might be a different model, except of the Switch 2 the controls are pretty much a gamepad all the time, which is a boon for certain games and genres but is difficult to adapt to others. Xcom 2 or maybe Shadow Tactics -dunno about this one- made their way into consoles.

one of the reasons why I want to get new games despite having an unfinished backlog is because I want to be involved in the "current" conversation, although I feel less pressured to do that over time, since most AAA games aren't catching my attention as of late.

the backlog of games I have is really huge, I could almost play those games for the rest of my life. To give some order to how one plays games, I created a "Games I Want To Complete" collection on Steam, and I only have Xcom 2 there now, and I am on the way to complete it.

the best thing about Steam is imho, the infinite catalog of games. If I bought a new console, I'd never be able to play amazing games of the past like Xcom 2 WOTC or Shadow Tactics Blades of the Shogun, etc. At high resolutions those games still look fine and can be a blast to play, regardless of the era.

also, I've noticed that if a game doesn't get me hooked after the first 3-4 hours playing it, I don't bother to continue playing it and remove it from my favourites list.

 

[rntongo]

if they fit it with an OS adapted and friendly for casual gamers, being a PC underneath, it won't be limited by the policies of console manufacturers that mean that almost no games are released for them. More games are released for PC in one year than for a normal console in 6. Finally, we'd have a console with a decent catalogue and not the mini-catalogue that consoles offer today, which don't come out with a huge amount of games. We'll have the PC catalogue, in plug and play format for console dummies and with decent power, not like consoles that always offer technology from 3 or 4 years ago.

Not sure it will be as simple as that. I think a PC Xbox will more likely to eat into the current PC gaming market than say Consoles or creating a new market.

 

[see colon]

I wish they would separate MTX from DLC. To me a DLC *and* a Season Pass is *not* MTX only because I bought it digital.

P.S. I buy everything digital anyway.

What if a season pass is just a bunch of Microtransactions?

 

[Nisaaru]

What if a season pass is just a bunch of Microtransactions?

The games I pay for the season pass mostly avoid that or at least add something you can't get otherwise. In case of Division I don't buy any MTX but pay the season pass mostly to show support for the franchise to avoid a shutdown.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Does it change the argument? Ongoing monetisation seems a significant income source, more than selling titles, and so if selling games allows for subsidising hardware, ongoing monetisation, whether MTX or DLC or BBQ, should enable the same to the same degree or maybe even more. I think that nullifies that specific argument about choices in developing new hardware compared to historical strategy.

 

[iroboto]

View attachment 13291
That's 2021. Given sales of games is decreasing as more time is spent on black-hole games than new games, and yet revenue is increasing, spend in IGCs must be even bigger now.

Also:
View attachment 13292

Yea i can see where the graph is that MTX makes the most. But if we look at net sales of hardware for instance. Now imagine also taking a $100 loss per console, maybe $150.
Suddenly that’s eating heavily into your profits from your MTX. We’ve come to the same conclusion here for different reasons, for me this reads, as long as hardware is sold at a profit instead of a loss this graph looks good. But if you are selling for a loss, than this graph looks pretty bad.

It may be related to wanting a smaller player base that’s willing to pay more, but I have my doubts on that since the newer kids generation don’t have as much money as the adults

 

[rntongo]

Xbox's hardware fightback begins with a gaming handheld planned for later this year, with full next-gen consoles targeting 2027

Microsoft's first full foray into PC gaming handhelds begins with a partner device set to launch later this year, with its own Xbox Series X|S successors now fully in production.

www.windowscentral.com

Yeah as I thought 2026 would have been a disaster to launch a new device. 2027 isnt bad, but will give PS6 some advantages if Sony launches in 2028.

 

[Johnny Awesome]

I don't think either year is disastrous if the tech is ready since MS isn't trying to outsell Sony in console hardware anymore. Of course, the tech is more likely to be ready for 2027 than 2026.

The real question MS has to ask themselves is: "What is the best strategy to get 30+ million Xbox GP users to keep their subs?" Part of the answer to that is new console hardware that the hardcore GP fan will be exited about. It doesn't have to be better than PS6, since PS6 won't have GP.

I see a future where MS has 40 million GP users on consoles (S, X, Prime) and another 10+ million on PC and is selling boat loads of games to 150 million gamers on Switch 1 & 2 and PS5 &6. Believe me when I say that PS gamers want Forza Horizon, Gears, Fable, Elder Scrolls, Call of Duty, Diablo etc.... It's money in the bank.

Btw, a GP subscriber for 7 years is equivalent to an attach rate of 21. It's ridiculously good. That's why MS loves GP.

 

[rntongo]

I don't think either year is disastrous if the tech is ready since MS isn't trying to outsell Sony in console hardware anymore. Of course, the tech is more likely to be ready for 2027 than 2026.

The real question MS has to ask themselves is: "What is the best strategy to get 30+ million Xbox GP users to keep their subs?" Part of the answer to that is new console hardware that the hardcore GP fan will be exited about. It doesn't have to be better than PS6, since PS6 won't have GP.

I see a future where MS has 40 million GP users on consoles (S, X, Prime) and another 10+ million on PC and is selling boat loads of games to 150 million gamers on Switch 1 & 2 and PS5 &6. Believe me when I say that PS gamers want Forza Horizon, Gears, Fable, Elder Scrolls, Call of Duty, Diablo etc.... It's money in the bank.

Btw, a GP subscriber for 7 years is equivalent to an attach rate of 21. It's ridiculously good. That's why MS loves GP.

Biggest thing will be what software does the new machine have? What titles would make consumers want one. I think Sony releasing at the end of 2028 would give it a business and technical advantage. I think MS should be greenlighting as many titles as possible 2025 that can release by 2028 in time for their next gen machine. Otherwise if it lacks the software then consumers will just buy current gen consoles. Switch 2, PS5 slim, PS5 pro, Series X.