Xbox Business Update Podcast | Xbox Everywhere Direction Discussion

[Dominik D]

If the Polish wouldn't buy an XB even with good reason, is it really abysmal strategy to abandon that market?

I'm not sure how Microsoft's generally poor strategy hurts Polish market alone.

 

[Charlietus]

Don't know about Spain, but console = PlayStation was so ingrained in Polish psyche that even when Xbox (any edition) had great games, people wouldn't buy it on principle. So now that Xbox struggles thanks to abysmal strategy and overspending on acquisitions sales are pretty much nonexistent. On the other hand the only thing that seems to help with Nintendo sales in Poland is that Nintendo base is so devoted, most people have more than one console from each generation (many of my friends have 3 Switches for instance).

Same situation in Italy. The console is "la play", even with Nintendo selling really well. Xbox is disappearing from physical stores.

 

[QPlayer]

Same situation in Italy. The console is "la play", even with Nintendo selling really well. Xbox is disappearing from physical stores.

Yes, but the new Xbox Series X version was recently presented. What is the logic in not selling it in physical stores?

Speculations that they are creating their own online stores and that's the only way we can buy Xboxes in the future could easily be true. That's the only reasonable explanation.

 

[Seanspeed]

This said, I think it’s very telling that the only time this was ever attempted was a massive failure and Valve hasn’t tried to replicate it since. SteamOS 3 remains locked to Steam Decks only and Steam Machines never got a refresh. I don’t think there is a market for ‘kind of like a console but more open but costs more’.

The original Steam Machines failed quite predictably cuz SteamOS wasn't good back then. Linux gaming still sucked quite bad, and they also didn't have a coherent strategy in terms of hardware specs or anything. Nor were Valve offering a sort of fixed spec device ala Steam Deck.

All these factors are very different nowadays.

I don’t think there is a market for ‘kind of like a console but more open but costs more’.

Dont get me wrong, I dont think market is massive either, but it's exactly what is being proffered up here as Xbox's supposed future strategy.

My only point is that whatever MS/Xbox can do in this area, Valve can also do the same, and likely do it better, leveraging not just their dominance in the PC space, but also their simply much superior user interface experience. I dont like to idolize any company, but Valve are one of the closest we've ever had to a truly pro-consumer company that is largely competent and does things right, while also having the popularity to throw their weight around meaningfully.