Microsoft Xbox Discussion Part II

[Blitzkrug]

Agreed, it makes no sense

Octopath Traveler is even more bizarre.

The first game came out on Xbox One, Switch and for some reason skipped PS4/PS5 despite the latter being essentially Square Enix's home console.

Octopath Traveler II skipped xbox initially to come to Switch and PS5, only for them to change their mind and port it to Xbox anyway (slated for Q1 2024. Best guess is after rebirth) but yet the PS5 is still left without the first game.

And then Square wonders "how come our shit doesn't sell?" Releasing stuff consistently and logically would probably help a bit. That and their ridiculous expectations since Octopath II apparently moved a million units and now they're taking about downsizing their game lineup.

Maybe next time don't blow AAA budgets on absolute garbage like Forspoken.

 

[JimmyApples]

With Xbox announcing three AAA games coming in 2024, including the release date for 3 of them, I wonder what will be shown at the “E3” show this summer and what will be announced.

Obsidian remaster, Fable gameplay.

I wonder if FH6 gets a 2024 release date? Any update on Perfect Dark or Everwild? Square Enix/Sega/Atlas? Kojima game?

 

[Jussi]

With Xbox announcing three AAA games coming in 2024, including the release date for 3 of them, I wonder what will be shown at the “E3” show this summer and what will be announced.

Obsidian remaster, Fable gameplay.

I wonder if FH6 gets a 2024 release date? Any update on Perfect Dark or Everwild? Square Enix/Sega/Atlas? Kojima game?

I'd imagine anything that was expected last year or two but has been postponed/delayed but is now closer to release, would be given the spotlight. Above all, I expect them to outline what happens with Activision Blizzard King and when all the old CoD games will be on Game Pass.

 

[JimmyApples]

I'd imagine anything that was expected last year or two but has been postponed/delayed but is now closer to release, would be given the spotlight. Above all, I expect them to outline what happens with Activision Blizzard King and when all the old CoD games will be on Game Pass.

For sure. But there’s usually some surprises/release dates.

My big question is if they’re gonna do FH6 this year or next. They’re due for one but FH5 still feels kinda new?

 

[Jussi]

For sure. But there’s usually some surprises/release dates.

My big question is if they’re gonna do FH6 this year or next. They’re due for one but FH5 still feels kinda new?

I think it's too soon for Horizon 6. Maybe announce when it's coming out?

 

[Mikeaveli]

We'll see more Avowed and Flight Simulator 2024 for sure. I would like to see more Clockwork Revolution and Fable but those may not be there.

As for unannounced stuff, I think we will see either the Fallout 3 remaster or Oblivion remake. Possibly a new Quake as this was alluded to during the developer direct. I would love to see FH6 as well.

 

[JimmyApples]

I think it's too soon for Horizon 6. Maybe announce when it's coming out?

I think Q1/Q2 is more likely for FH6. I really don’t think we need it this year, honestly.

 

[Hammettf2b]

Microsoft to share details on bringing Xbox games to PlayStation next week

 

[GreytWun]

Microsoft to share details on bringing Xbox games to PlayStation next week

Phase one into getting out of consoles and moving into subscription model.

 

[Knave]

Phase one into getting out of consoles and moving into subscription model.

Nobody sees a problem with PlayStation being the only option for consoles (you look at any regulator during the ABK merger and they discounted Nintendo's console as being for another market while Xbox and PlayStation were competing) assuming this is true?

I thought we were all worried about competition in the marketplace when the ABK merger was taking place.

 

[93LEAFS]

Nobody sees a problem with PlayStation being the only option for consoles (you look at any regulator during the ABK merger and they discounted Nintendo's console as being for another market while Xbox and PlayStation were competing) assuming this is true?

I thought we were all worried about competition in the marketplace when the ABK merger was taking place.

I see problems with it. But, Microsoft seems to have spent so much on their gaming division that they needed to go multiplatform to recoup their investments in a reasonable time. That's sort of self-inflicted. Microsoft could have attempted slow organic growth but they spent such a ridiculous amount of money they now need to justify it unless they just want to keep Xbox around as a passion project.

Microsoft hasn't said they are leaving the console business though, granted, with the public knowing most MS games will eventually come to Playstation and Switch 2, that likely will kill their console sales.

 

[Knave]

I see problems with it. But, Microsoft seems to have spent so much on their gaming division that they needed to go multiplatform to recoup their investments in a reasonable time. That's sort of self-inflicted. Microsoft could have attempted slow organic growth but they spent such a ridiculous amount of money they now need to justify it unless they just want to keep Xbox around as a passion project.

Microsoft hasn't said they are leaving the console business though, granted, with the public knowing most MS games will eventually come to Playstation and Switch 2, that likely will kill their console sales.

I agree they'll stick around but I think it's bad if Microsoft is basically ceding the space more than they already have. I can see a future where Microsoft offers a budget console/streaming controller type thing and if you want high end performance your only option is PlayStation.

Nintendo has a lock on a market.
PlayStation could have a lock on a market.

I get this is video games and not say food prices or gas prices but at a certain point this needs to be looked at to foster some sort of competition.

I also think Steam's dominance is bad but that's probably unpopular everywhere. I just look at how the regulators rightfully treat Google, Apple and Microsoft in the OS space, the phone space, etc... and I wonder why it's not being maintained on them and then applied elsewhere.

 

[93LEAFS]

I agree they'll stick around but I think it's bad if Microsoft is basically ceding the space more than they already have. I can see a future where Microsoft offers a budget console/streaming controller type thing and if you want high end performance your only option is PlayStation.

Nintendo has a lock on a market.
PlayStation could have a lock on a market.

I get this is video games and not say food prices or gas prices but at a certain point this needs to be looked at to foster some sort of competition.

I also think Steam's dominance is bad but that's probably unpopular everywhere. I just look at how the regulators rightfully treat Google, Apple and Microsoft in the OS space, the phone space, etc... and I wonder why it's not being maintained on them and then applied elsewhere.

It's more that it seems mostly self-inflicted, so a natural monopoly occured, just like it did in handhelds.

Curious to see what they actually say next week, but they have a very pissed off rabid fanbase that they've cultivated that has now turned on them. They courted console warriors like Jez Corden, Timdog, etc, and these are the nut jobs leading the charge right now.

 

[Jussi]

I see problems with it. But, Microsoft seems to have spent so much on their gaming division that they needed to go multiplatform to recoup their investments in a reasonable time. That's sort of self-inflicted. Microsoft could have attempted slow organic growth but they spent such a ridiculous amount of money they now need to justify it unless they just want to keep Xbox around as a passion project.

Microsoft hasn't said they are leaving the console business though, granted, with the public knowing most MS games will eventually come to Playstation and Switch 2, that likely will kill their console sales.

And there seem to be very reliable reports that they are releasing a 2TB digital Series X this year.

 

[Hammettf2b]

And there seem to be very reliable reports that they are releasing a 2TB digital Series X this year.

I think the speculation is they won't be making a next generation console.

 

[Jussi]

I think the speculation is they won't be making a next generation console.

I thought there was some leak from the appeal court case documents that they had 2028 penciled in for the next gen console.

 

[Hammettf2b]

I thought there was some leak from the appeal court case documents that they had 2028 penciled in for the next gen console.

oh, i was under impression it was some sort of streaming console that was referring to. I admittedly haven't paid much attention.

 

[93LEAFS]

I thought there was some leak from the appeal court case documents that they had 2028 penciled in for the next gen console.

Who knows what they are planning. Even with all the documentation available from the Activision buy out, no one predicted what appears to have happened today. Something seems to have shifted at Microsoft since October. It seems to have gone from we'll give Sony COD for 10 years with nothing else (or 3 years of all ABK console titles), to now putting Hi-Fi Rush, Sea of Thieves, Starfield, and potentially Indiana Jones, Gears of War, etc. I know CMA went after them for Cloud leading to the Ubisoft deal, but signing an agreement with Playstation that gave them those titles plus COD for the next 10 years probably would have shut the FTC up in May.

 

[GreytWun]

MS is going gamepass. You buy a new TV gamepass is right there. It’s accessible on phones. It’s literally everywhere. Very smart business decision for them to capitalize on making a ton of money.

MS is a software company not hardware.

 

[93LEAFS]

MS is going gamepass. You buy a new TV gamepass is right there. It’s accessible on phones. It’s literally everywhere. Very smart business decision for them to capitalize on making a ton of money.

MS is a software company not hardware.

If people are willing to use cloud. The X cloud numbers haven't been great. A large part of this is they've been relying on Series S/X sales to get Gamepass subscribers as they aren't getting many subscribers purely for PC or Cloud. If enough people decide they just want a subscription service adn cloud they are in a great position, but that hasn't manifested itself yet, and it may take awhile to get there.

 

[GreytWun]

If people are willing to use cloud. The X cloud numbers haven't been great. A large part of this is they've been relying on Series S/X sales to get Gamepass subscribers as they aren't getting many subscribers purely for PC or Cloud. If enough people decide they just want a subscription service adn cloud they are in a great position, but that hasn't manifested itself yet, and it may take awhile to get there.

They used series s/x to get people into gamepass. Now they can move those subs into other avenues as well as move the games to PlayStation to generate even more money. MS in a decade won’t have consoles, will be completely software.

 

[93LEAFS]

They used series s/x to get people into gamepass. Now they can move those subs into other avenues as well as move the games to PlayStation to generate even more money. MS in a decade won’t have consoles, will be completely software.

or they lose their subscriber base. I have Gamepass on PC, and once my original deal runs out (I did the 3 year trick at the end of 2022) I may not renew. I would think there are a lot of people on those types of deals who haven't had their subscriptions run out yet. It's going to be interesting to see how this is navigated over the next couple years. Hopefully we get a deep dive from someone like Schrier who just finished up a book on the history of Blizzard on what happened here. Hard to see a bigger gaming story this year than Xbox deciding to publish AAA titles on Playstation.

 

[GreytWun]

or they lose their subscriber base. I have Gamepass on PC, and once my original deal runs out (I did the 3 year trick at the end of 2022) I may not renew. I would think there are a lot of people on those types of deals who haven't had their subscriptions run out yet. It's going to be interesting to see how this is navigated over the next couple years. Hopefully we get a deep dive from someone like Schrier who just finished up a book on the history of Blizzard on what happened here. Hard to see a bigger gaming story this year than Xbox deciding to publish AAA titles on Playstation.

If MS can deliver on 2 solid AAA games a year then gamepass is a no brainer for most people, they have the studios to do it. Also if they add COD to gamepass then it’s even easier decision for most.

 

[Hammettf2b]

If MS can deliver on 2 solid AAA games a year then gamepass is a no brainer for most people, they have the studios to do it. Also if they add COD to gamepass then it’s even easier decision for most.

The main reason I bought a Series X was Gamepass. I will say, I have been pretty disappointed with the releases I was excited for. Forza, Halo, Starfield ect.. Still a good deal but I find myself playing my PS5 more than my Xbox by a large margin. To expect 2 solid AAA games a year would be a stretch imo.

 

[Hammettf2b]

Next-gen Xbox is on track for 2026; features two SKUs including a Switch-like handheld, it's claimed