Microsoft Unveils Xbox Series X, The Next Generation Xbox

[Mirishka]

Sony execs are like, "Shit, they are only charging $300 and $500??!?!?!"

Im still getting a Playstaton but you know Sony is scrambling right now.

Man we live in a world where the most expensive piece of hardware are friggin smartphones that barely last 2 years before their batteries start to crap out.

I keep seeing people say things like this and I'm like, why are they scrambling? Why are they panicking? As a brand Playstation has utterly pulverized Xbox, both financially and in terms of providing unwavering first-party support, for years now.

Why does a budget Xbox Series X 'change the game'? Do people honestly think Sony was going to release a $600-700 dollar console?

[Onikaroshi]

See this is the part I don't think MS gets and a LOT of people are going to feel the same way. All of these moves they are going has a really good chance of biting them right in the ass.

I mean... I find it REALLY hard to believe that no one over there is thinking about the fact that putting all 1st parties on the game pass might effect sales of the system. They must have some end game in there somewhere.

[bloodwulf]

See this is the part I don't think MS gets and a LOT of people are going to feel the same way. All of these moves they are going has a really good chance of biting them right in the ass.

In my eyes, the only thing Microsoft as is the combo deal that allows you to purchase a console like a cellphone. You pay a monthly fee and you get the console and gamepass, and sure, that is a great plan for people who don't want to pay outright and more power to them. But for anyone with a PC built in literally the last 3-4 years, i can't imagine justifying even considering an Xbox over the PS5. Gamepass will get all the first party titles on PC. And all thirdparty and Sony Exclusives will be on the PS5. So assuming you have a decent PC, you really only need to buy one console (PS5) this gen to get access to all titles (this is excluding Nintendo, because as of yet they are not competing this gen).

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I mean... I find it REALLY hard to believe that no one over there is thinking about the fact that putting all 1st parties on the game pass might affect sales of the system. They must have some end game in there somewhere.

I truly believe they want to be a ecosystem instead of strictly a console manufacturer. Hardware sales are likely not a huge meaningful percentage of a company like Sony or Microsoft video game revenue, so they are likely trying to get their games in front of everyone. By saturating their games by making them playable on literally anything they will get more revenue long term. Hell early on with Game Pass, Phil Spencer was pushing to get it available on Nintendo devices, and even said he would be interested in having a conversation with Sony.

[kaelleria]

I mean... I find it REALLY hard to believe that no one over there is thinking about the fact that putting all 1st parties on the game pass might effect sales of the system. They must have some end game in there somewhere.

Hardware sales aren't a big driver of actual revenue... Services and digital purchases are. Even Sony makes the majority of their revenue from software sales.

[Onikaroshi]

Hardware sales aren't a big driver of actual revenue... Services and digital purchases are. Even Sony makes the majority of their revenue from software sales.

We all know systems are sold at a loss at the start and that software drives profit, I guess I'm trying to figure out what the end game is of even staying in the console market is at this point, bragging rights? I guess there is SOME small number of people out there without decent pcs who stick specifically to xbox. (my brother is one)

[bloodwulf]

We all know systems are sold at a loss at the start and that software drives profit, I guess I'm trying to figure out what the end game is of even staying in the console market is at this point, bragging rights? I guess there is SOME small number of people out there without decent pcs who stick specifically to xbox. (my brother is one)

There is still profit to be made on hardware sales. The consoles themselves are sold at a loss at lot of times, but all the First Party accessories like controllers and stuff, very large markup. So if it is still a net gain, its likely worth doing. Especially if they are not prepared to put all their eggs in the Game Pass basket and bow out. Now depending on the success of Gamepass and how much money they make this generation, I think it is entirely reasonable they may consider not participating in the next generation.

[Onikaroshi]

There is still profit to be made on hardware sales. The consoles themselves are sold at a loss at lot of times, but all the First Party accessories like controllers and stuff, very large markup. So if it is still a net gain, its likely worth doing. Especially if they are not prepared to put all their eggs in the Game Pass basket and bow out. Now depending on the success of Gamepass and how much money they make this generation, I think it is entirely reasonable they may consider not participating in the next generation.

Oh yea, those freaking 60+ first party controllers and super expensive headsets that you can get cheaper of just by shopping around lol.

We'll have to see, I think sony is poised to completely mop the floor with this one too (nintendo plays their own game IMO)

[Edge-]

We all know systems are sold at a loss at the start and that software drives profit, I guess I'm trying to figure out what the end game is of even staying in the console market is at this point, bragging rights? I guess there is SOME small number of people out there without decent pcs who stick specifically to xbox. (my brother is one)

Probably a handful of reasons -

1. There's still plenty of money to be made, the 360 generation was pretty damn good for Microsoft.
2. The Xbox brand, even if the division isn't making money, is incredibly valuable and maintaining that brand matters.
3. Microsoft probably doesn't want to take another hit to their reputation by axing a division which has been pretty significant (publicly) for the company.
4. I imagine they can grab a huge amount of user data that they can use for their internal products across the board.

It's not like they're hurting for money and looking to cut losses or that the Xbox division has been a disaster like their attempts at a Windows phone.

[oplawlz]

I keep seeing people say things like this and I'm like, why are they scrambling? Why are they panicking? As a brand Playstation has utterly pulverized Xbox, both financially and in terms of providing unwavering first-party support, for years now.

Why does a budget Xbox Series X 'change the game'? Do people honestly think Sony was going to release a $600-700 dollar console?

I think you vastly underestimate the number of people who only buy consoles to play the yearly AAA third party titles, which will all run beautifully on xbox. There's a reason sports and cod make so much money year over year.

[Onikaroshi]

I think you vastly underestimate the number of people who only buy consoles to play the yearly AAA third party titles, which will all run beautifully on xbox. There's a reason sports and cod make so much money year over year.

But why buy an xbox over a PS5 for that? Arguably PS has generally had better first party titles, specially recently, and third parties will be available everywhere.

[Traveler Voltin]

But why buy an xbox over a PS5 for that? Arguably PS has generally had better first party titles, specially recently, and third parties will be available everywhere.

Because i hate Sony playstation fanboys and Xbox games interest me more.

[Jtbrig7390]

1. There's still plenty of money to be made, the 360 generation was pretty damn good for Microsoft.

Actually it wasn't. They made almost nothing from the 360 generation (lots due to RROD) and share holders have requested time and time again to sell off the Xbox Division.

[kaelleria]

We all know systems are sold at a loss at the start and that software drives profit, I guess I'm trying to figure out what the end game is of even staying in the console market is at this point, bragging rights? I guess there is SOME small number of people out there without decent pcs who stick specifically to xbox. (my brother is one)

Hardware is still the easiest current gateway into the Xbox ecosystem.

[Mirishka]

I think you vastly underestimate the number of people who only buy consoles to play the yearly AAA third party titles, which will all run beautifully on xbox. There's a reason sports and cod make so much money year over year.

I'm entirely aware of the sales of series like CoD, thanks. And that those games will look/run great on the next-gen consoles.

But the nearly 3-to-1 ratio of PS4 sales to XB1's is proof that more power doesn't automatically = more sales. 3rd party games 'running beautifully' on XB1 sure didn't do much for that console in the long run. Hell, Nintendo Switch has less than a quarter of XB1's power (and less 3rd party games) but has outsold it many of the months since its release.

So my point is, what is going to change this time around? Game Pass? That's been around for over a year and hasn't created any kind of notable surge in XB1 sales, and EA Play comes from one of the most hated companies in gaming.

And recent polls on sites like IGN about 'which next-gen console are you going to buy?' cite a huge preference toward PS5. For example this one, in which 75% of nearly eighty thousand people chose it.



But sure, lets run with the 'omg Sony is panicking now!' narrative.

[FluFF]

But why buy an xbox over a PS5 for that? Arguably PS has generally had better first party titles, specially recently, and third parties will be available everywhere.

It's not because every Sony published game hits 85+ on Meta or that Sony fans constantly talk about every single exclusive that everyone in the world thinks they got the better first party titles or that everyone in the worlds wants to play them.

I'm pretty sure you wanna put me in a psych ward for saying this but I'm more on board for another Fable or that Avowed game they showed then I am for ratchet or for Horizon 2, yes i know bonkers isn't it ?
Also in general I like xbox more for multiplats, mainly due to controller but I also know some US people ( I'm EU ) I play with and they are on Xbox.

[oplawlz]

But why buy an xbox over a PS5 for that? Arguably PS has generally had better first party titles, specially recently, and third parties will be available everywhere.

Because we're in the middle of a worldwide economic crisis and you can get a next gen xbox for 300 bucks. I'm not trying to make any hard predictions here, and I have no bone to pick since I think all consoles are for peasants, but it seems like this is going to make some serious inroads for microsoft amongst people that already have proven they don't actually care about perfomance by playing on consoles to begin with.

[Mirishka]

Because we're in the middle of a worldwide economic crisis and you can get a next gen xbox for 300 bucks. I'm not trying to make any hard predictions here, and I have no bone to pick since I think all consoles are for peasants, but it seems like this is going to make some serious inroads for microsoft amongst people that already have proven they don't actually care about perfomance by playing on consoles to begin with.

Sony also has a less-expensive, discless PS5 coming.

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It's not because every Sony published game hits 85+ on Meta or that Sony fans constantly talk about every single exclusive that everyone in the world thinks they got the better first party titles or that everyone in the worlds wants to play them.

I'm pretty sure you wanna put me in a psych ward for saying this but I'm more on board for another Fable or that Avowed game they showed then I am for ratchet or for Horizon 2, yes i know bonkers isn't it ?
Also in general I like xbox more for multiplats, mainly due to controller but I also know some US people ( I'm EU ) I play with and they are on Xbox.

I'd love a next-gen Fable, but Microsoft has cancelled/killed so many first-party games in recent years - I'm not holding my breath for anything that isn't Halo until it actually releases.

[bloodykiller86]

We too were once like you. Seeing everything through the lens of naivety. I hope that the game is as good as you think it will be.

I severely doubt it will even be close.

i mean if anything you're being naive if you also think that game hasnt changes from an early alpha that showed practically nothing lol

[Onikaroshi]

Sony also has a less-expensive, discless PS5 coming.

I was going to say I highly doubt sony doesn't have an answer to S, but I didn't have any info.

[kaelleria]

I was going to say I highly doubt sony doesn't have an answer to S, but I didn't have any info.

I very much doubt the Discless PS5 will be under $400. Component cost for the PS5 is rumored to be $450+