Microsoft (and other large game companies) are trying to do the gaming industry what Spotify did to the music industry. Blow the bottom out of it, get consumers used to subscriptions where money goes to massive companies not the artists actually doing the work, and when it all collapses in a heap Microsoft can then do whatever they want because workers in the game industry have zero leverage left to dictate a higher quality of life because the path to profit has been carpet bombed by the finance industry.
Comment on Xbox is still committed to making consoles, says boss Phil Spencer
echo64@lemmy.world 4 months ago
The writing is on the wall here, and it’s plain to see. Also, you really can’t trust anything that comes out of Phil Spencer’s mouth.
If the goal is indeed for Xbox games to be on all platforms, then the Xbox platform is the only place they don’t make money. Super low third-party sales, zero first-party sales. Only gamepass subscription money, which can’t pay for all of their company buyouts, never mind paying off the 65 billion actiblizz purchase.
If gamepass is everywhere, then Xbox has no value to Microsoft, it only harms them.
It also exists to weaken any argument they might have to get governments to forcibly allow Microsoft stores on other platforms like the eu apple ruling.
dumpsterlid@lemmy.world 4 months ago
esc27@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Windows is everywhere but the Microsoft Surface products still have value to Microsoft. Or for that matter, Steam is everywhere but Valve still made the steam deck. There seems to be some value to software companies making hardware if only to help set the tone and introduce features or ideas they hope other companies who use their software will follow.
That said, I wonder if we won’t see the Xbox brand transition to software only with a line of gamer targeted Microsoft surfaces advertised as Xbox ready.
Omegamanthethird@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Those are the standards and those products have value. Buying an Xbox when Playstation has all games for both consoles makes no sense unless you just have to have Gamepass, specifically.
Shadywack@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Also, you really can’t trust anything that comes out of Phil Spencer’s mouth.
That’s really not a Phil Spencer thing, and more of a “You can tell any executive is lying, because their lips are moving” thing.
echo64@lemmy.world 4 months ago
When a nintendo executive I generally trust that theirs truth somewhere past the branding. With Phil Spencer talks I’m just assuming the opposite of everything he says. It’s a different thing, he really goes for the lies, to you, to the ftc, everyone
Shadywack@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Satoru Iwata said they don’t do layoffs, he even took pay cuts to attempt to balance their budgets and keep people on…then he died in 2015. Now Nintendo’s credibility is in the toilet with the rest. The mistake you’re making is trusting a company with shareholders, you really need to learn how this works…executives of publicly traded companies=fucking liars.
BorgDrone@lemmy.one 4 months ago
It’s almost as if Microsoft is a software company at heart and just wants to sell as many copies of their software as possible.
ripley@lemmy.world 4 months ago
It doesn’t even matter if Gamepass or Xbox is currently profitable or not. It’s about whether it can be more profitable. They originally thought the path to that was through exclusivity - now they don’t (just as Sony changed course in regards to putting stuff on PC). Anyone who thinks that corporate decision-making is ever based on anything else is being naive.
The practical concern here for me is at what point does MS find it most profitable to stop supporting my ability to use my accumulated physical and digital xbox software. Another reason walled gardens suck.