Hmm wouldn't Xbox fitness, Skype subs and Xbox video highly suggest MS is superbly focused on selling subs and therefore it's highly unlikely they want to remove the golden goose of Xbox Gold?
Everything Microsoft does suggests that it's not even something in consideration. But my question is this: Let's say it was a good strategy for getting some return customers. Let's say that if they dropped XBL Gold paywall for multiplayer, they'd gain X amount of new customers who go buy-in at a one time price of however much the system is at the time + games. In my opinion, there is no way the number of new customers who would come in would be enough to even make a significant dent in their deficit against the PS4, let alone compensate for the loss in profits due to XBL Gold paywall for multi ending. So, given what we know about Microsoft's internal debates going on about its devices & services strategy, and their seeming mandate to ensure Xbox division starts becoming consistently profitable, would they even be willing to do that? What would they use to replace that lost profit?
Some of you are killing the Vita but with a new version coming out it was bound to lose some sales. Still, it isn't exactly selling like hotcakes and there doesn't seem to be any major games coming out for it anytime soon in the west so I dunno what to make of it. I love my little vita guy and hopefully the Vita 2000 BL2 bundle helps it gain some traction.
Yea, that's right. I may have the platform the game is on currently, but I can at least admit that if I had a different platform, say, a PS4, and was waiting for the game to arrive, I'd be pretty disappointed to learn that a big exclusive deal was made after the fact. Yea, the sequel is coming, but nobody likes to miss out on that first game on their preferred platform, so I totally get that.
Yeah but being multiplayer only will, in my opinion, lessen the blow of missing out on the first title. It's basically maps you miss and not a coherent story that would carry over into sequels.
First let me say that I like the charts! That said, the scientist in me is totally balking at taking inputs with 1-3 significant digits and outputting 4 significant digits. :lol
Some of you are killing the Vita but with a new version coming out it was bound to lose some sales. Still, it isn't exactly selling like hotcakes and there doesn't seem to be any major games coming out for it anytime soon in the west so I dunno what to make of it. I love my little vita guy and hopefully the Vita 2000 BL2 bundle helps it gain some traction.
Microsoft could drop Gold for multiplayer tomorrow, if they wanted. It was a system that made sense when they were on the top of the industry, but if they're below the ladder on Sony who keeps kicking dirt on to them, then why even have it?
I'm sorry, but when, exactly, was Microsoft on "top of the industry," again? Distant second vs. PS2, distant second vs. Wii (I know, I know -- they'll outsell Wii soon!!11111); and -- surprise -- a distant second now.
I'm just curious as to what phase this was. Or is this part of the "Wii doesn't count/didn't win/it's just damn casuals" line?
so i have been thinking about this. as a proud new owner of xbox (and PS4), i have to ask, should i be worried about the developers now shifting their focus from the xbox one and only on PS4 ?so we will stet getting bad ports etc ?
i mean, i really love my ps4. but i am honestly currently enjoying the xbox way way more than with titan fall, forza and KI. i have Infamous but i am not playing it much.
and this kind of sales figures worries me. considering that i honestly believe MS should have and must have won march sales. it was only fair. lowering the price and including the biggest game.
titalfall to be honest in my eyes is the best fps game i have ever played. that includes COD and BF. not about the graphics of course but the fun and the bass in this game is just god damn amazing.
Why would you be worried if you own both and developers focus goes to PS4? PS4 have consistently provided better multiplattform games so you should be glad if they spend even more time to polish that version. It is not like MS first party will not give it all to get the most out of the Xbox for their games.
And fair? What was fair about trying to force DRM and all those other stupid ideas including kinect on people. MS did this to themselves it is not the consumers fault.
I'm sorry, but when, exactly, was Microsoft on "top of the industry," again? Distant second vs. PS2, distant second vs. Wii (I know, I know -- they'll outsell Wii soon!!11111); and -- surprise -- a distant second now.
I'm just curious as to what phase this was. Or is this part of the "Wii doesn't count/didn't win/it's just damn casuals" line?
I like that FFX charted, hopefully SE will follow through n their promise to remake XII on PS4.. although I'm not sure that game had the popularity that X did.
i dont understand this whole sony should pay se to make ffxv exclusive stuff, what is the point to it? 80% of the sales will prob happen on sony platforms anyway so what would be the point of making it exclusive except to satisfy the needs to fanboys when making list wars?
Answered a bit in my previous post, but I'll expand on that. It's not about list wars, but rather generating that mind share of "well I can only play X, Y and Z games on PS4 " even though Joe Casual may not have explicit interest in buying games X Y or Z. Sony severely lacks that kind of mindshare anymore with only a handful of high profile first party titles from ND and GT that can actually pull it off.
If future multiplats go on to sell maybe a third or less on the Bone, Sony spending that $20-30 mil to snatch up exclusivity may not be a bad deal at all. Yeah they have no money and are bankrupt, etc etc but clearly they still have some speculative cash lying around as we see with SE shares and blowing $100m on Stig's project.
I believe the intention of Sony WWS is good, but really, they haven't shown to be a guaranteed hit factory outside of ND. MS has the right idea snagging up a few exclusives as they've already sold more that half of retail titles over PS4 LTD despite the user base disparity.
I still kind of find the later full exclusivity deal a tad odd. I mean if they had a years exclusivity than TF1 would come out on PS4 in 2015. By that time with the larger libraries it's debut would be severely muted in comparison. I can only assume that MS saw informed customers realize that the game was likely coming to PS platforms and wanted to change that?
I mean after March HW numbers I think MS likely would've preferred not going for full exclusivity on it. Maybe it was cheap though, hmm...
I think they believe in the legs the game will orcan have. And, you know, I don't think they're entirely crazy there. It does feel like a game that could have some serious legs. The game is damn good. It continues to be a lot of fun and feel pretty fresh, even now. Yes, it's also on the 360, but as a game on the Xbox One, and with the way Respawn are updating it, I wouldn't be surprised to see this thing getting serious play, and thus continue chipping away at new buyers (admittedly in far less attention grabbing numbers compared to launch) well into the middle of next year. Who knows for certain, but just trying to imagine their thought process here, and I'm sure wanting everybody to know the first game was staying on Xbox One and wasn't coming to other next gen systems anytime soon, or ever, was a big part of it, but I also think trying to preserve those late to the party buyers is also part of their calculation. Less people would keep buying the Xbox One version if it were announced that a PS4 version were on the way April of next year or something with all sorts of extra content.
I think it's all about pulling in as much of that crowd of gamers that really loves themselves some shooters from a very early stage. And considering how popular shooters were last gen, that's probably not such a terrible idea. Those gamers tend to spend quite a bit on their software. I mean, look at the Gears purchase they made, that's yet another obvious play for that kind of gamer. They're going to have to convince me on the gears purchase, to be honest, as I wasn't as excited as others were to see that push aside a team's new IP, but if they can manage to do something really interesting with it that I can get excited about, then great. But as it currently stands, I've only loved and enjoyed one Gears of War game, the first one. I also didn't really like the multi-player. I just liked the campaign.
Yeah but being multiplayer only will, in my opinion, lessen the blow of missing out on the first title. It's basically maps you miss and not a coherent story that would carry over into sequels.
I agree 100%. It will absolutely lessen the blow of missing out. I went out of my comfort zone with Titanfall. I haven't seriously played an MP shooter to the degree I'm playing this for god knows how long, because I'm someone who largely only buys a lot of shooters nowadays for their campaign. All Halo games were bought for the campaign, every last one. I have never played more than 2 hours of Halo or COD MP. All COD games up to Modern Warfare 2, bought for the campaign. Gears of War 1 and 2 (didn't buy 3) for the campaign.
The Metal Gear GZ next gen split is really interesting. I hope Kojima sees that and focuses TPP at next gen more. I dont expect it to be canned on old gen but they need to make the next gen version more "next gen"
I know that this is the NPD thread, but I actually think that both Microsoft and Nintendo are going to continue to get beaten out by Sony until they start understanding that video games are a worldwide market and that focusing on a singular market will kill their popularity everywhere else. Pretty much the only system this generation that is positioned for most of the worldwide market is the PS4. Beyond the PS4, the current generation systems that are successful, the 3DS and the XB1, are only really successful in the one market that said companies focus on. Meanwhile, Wii U and Vita aren't even successful in the market they are focused on. Nintendo is too focused on Japan and Microsoft is too focused on America to such an extent that it has hurt them in every other territory. Meanwhile, Sony with the PS4 focuses on the markets which need the most focus, namely America at the moment given XB1 is most competitive there. As for the Vita, it has been successful in Japan, but only in Japan and not to the levels that the 3DS was successful.
Or you know the people who have already bought the machine love it?
I think its the best system on the market today but I realize its completely fucked. Always has been, it never really had a chance and SCEA has gone out of their way to ensure it would fail at every single opportunity.
Give me a break, I own a Vita and it's good but i don't think it's great and not to the extent that the hardcore Vita fans think it is. Do you think retailers want to stock something that doesn't sell well and most of the sales are digital? My Best Buy vita section is abysmal and they rarely restock games.
Everything Microsoft does suggests that it's not even something in consideration. But my question is this: Let's say it was a good strategy for getting some return customers. Let's say that if they dropped XBL Gold paywall for multiplayer, they'd gain X amount of new customers who go buy-in at a one time price of however much the system is at the time + games. In my opinion, there is no way the number of new customers who would come in would be enough to even make a significant dent in their deficit against the PS4, let alone compensate for the loss in profits due to XBL Gold paywall for multi ending. So, given what we know about Microsoft's internal debates going on about its devices & services strategy, and their seeming mandate to ensure Xbox division starts becoming consistently profitable, would they even be willing to do that? What would they use to replace that lost profit?
Even though it's not a great value I imagine a number of people would sub just to have access to their entertainment apps, fitness, NFL stuff, etc. That being said, there is no plausible way for Microsoft to make multiplayer free of Gold without compromising the service entirely. The only thing I can think of is a service similar to Playstation Now with 360/OG Xbox games and maybe some PC that would definitely leverage their marketing strategy with the cloud as well.
this idea, but you'll see. when you've got your holographic Boo urging you to keep running and burning off them calories, everyone is going to want one.
November 2015: Nintendo returns.
Quixz said:
1 v 100 can fix this problem. Do it Microsoft! Lol
All joking around aside that would be a HUGE incentive for me. That was one of the best things they ever did to add value to XBL Gold. I was crushed when it left.
thebigmanjosh said:
Even though it's not a great value I imagine a number of people would sub just to have access to their entertainment apps, fitness, NFL stuff, etc. That being said, there is no plausible way for Microsoft to make multiplayer free of Gold without compromising the service entirely. The only thing I can think of is a service similar to Playstation Now with 360/OG Xbox games and maybe some PC that would definitely leverage their marketing strategy with the cloud as well.
I agree they'd net some new people, but again they don't exist in a vacuum. PS4 already gives you access to those apps without a sub, and it's a cheaper system and more powerful. Again, the value proposition still suffers in the shade of PS4. What they need to do is find a way to make the service BETTER to such a degree that it becomes a system seller in of itself. 1v.100 is a great idea, for example. They need a return to bold ideas like that.
this idea, but you'll see. when you've got your holographic Boo urging you to keep running and burning off them calories, everyone is going to want one.
After reading the Final Hours thing, it's crazy impressive. When you see the game legitimately only ended up with 12-14 months of solid development because of the legal battles, it makes me really excited for what Respawn can do with 2+ years without the major lawsuit looming over more than half the company.
I seriously am just going mad with anticipation of knowing what "non-wearables/QOL" means to Nintendo. I cannot imagine how bonkers weird this next year is going to be for Nintendo fans like me. I just hope it's not another turn away from hardcore gamers. They haven't been very satisfactory to me on Wii U yet, still with the endless franchise whoring and party game tripe. They really should be bolder and more creative with their Wii U development. What do they have to lose at this point?
I love my Wonderful 101 and Pikmin 3, and I'm not surprised. Wonderful 101 feels fresh and also plays great, and Pikmin 3 hardly ever has a new entry in the series so feels relatively fresh next to the rest of the library. And it's no surprise Bayonetta 2 and X are my most anticipated Wii U games (as well as some of my most anticipated games period), because Bayonetta 2 is part of a fast becoming irrelevant genre that just had a heart breaking victim (Devil May Cry) and X is a all new spiritual successor to one of the best Wii games.
Bolder, fresher. IPs with all new worlds and characters and stories, but with marketing budgets comparable to Mario Kart or Zelda or whatever. Budgets that are higher than A grade or indie grade. They need to aim for the stars!
What is going to be seriously fascinating the next few months is how severely Xbox One drops off. It's going to be a real test to see just how much Titanfall really was propping the system up.
I really don't understand why so many people are confused about the PS4's success.
I think it has GREAT games. I got the system for Christmas and have enjoyed it far more than the PS3 and Xbox 360 at launch.
Resogun was such an incredible surprise. Free with PS+, I became addicted to the game and platinumed it. SO fun. Then I played AC4, which looked beautiful on PS4 in 1080p. Cross-gen game, sure. But who cares? I was able to play the definitive version on my PS4 and it was a phenomenal game. Next up was BF4, which was great on PS4 as well. Then came Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition. After that? Outlast for free on PS+. LOVED it. My favorite horror game of all time. And then not far behind that was Infamous. Another amazing game. On the horizon is TLOU Remastered, Watch Dogs, Wolfenstein, Transistors, Destiny, AC: Unity, The Order: 1886, Driveclub, etc. As far as I'm concerned, that's an amazing first year.
This isn't even taking into account all the enjoyment I've received from watching the streaming on Live from Playstation. And the AMAZING DS4 controller. And the snappy UI, multitasking between Netflix and games, etc.
1. Regions
Microsoft launched in every significant region they're siginificant in.
I doubt that more regions would change anything for MS. Those 60(or so) missing regions compared to the PS4 would give them maybe 100.000 sales more in total at most.
2. Price
Of course price is a huge deal, but wasn't the Titanfall bundle sold at 450$ almost everywhere? 450$ with a games is Ps4 price region.
3. Supply Constraints
Well the XboxOne sure as hell ain't supply constrained, otherwise MS wouldn't have given us "shipped to retailers" numbers.
I don't know how the Ps4 situation is in the US, but in the EU its definitely heavly supply constrained. You can't go out and buy a Ps4 here.
4. Numbers are good compared to previous consoles
Yes.
5. Titanfall wasn't supposed to change anything.
Yes it was. Its a strawman to say it was supposed to close the 2mil sales gap, but it was supposed to at least close the gap in the US a bit.
It didn't do that, in fact the gap widened in march by 60k.
WOW. That article is missing the mark by so much that I actually can't believe it. The fact that Ryan thinks it's great is disappointing to me; I thought he was more in tune with the realities of the video game market than that. As usual, Colin is on point, though.
Microsoft is going to be silent on hardware. They always have been. Shouldn't expect any different this time around.
Gamers are looking at games. And the games tell the story.
First party - MS has the edge. Forza, Ryse, Titanall, Killer Instinct, Dead Rising, they are hands down the best first party games that have come out for next gen thus far.
Knack. laughable. Killzone. Even the SDF hated it. Infamous. It was decent. Short though. Nothing really awe inspiring. Eyecandy for powers. The city was pretty. But in all honesty, it was an upgraded PS3 game. There was no 'Wow' moment like when you see the THOUSANDS of zombies for the first time in Dead Rising. Or when your family walks into the room and asks what movie your watching when your playing Ryse or Forza. Or when you punch a hole in a Mech and pull out the pilot for the first time in Titanfall, and then crush him in your hand.
Multiplat - sure, PS4 has shown us the old way of programming is easier on their machine. They have an edge on the old shooters, old Assassins, and even Tomb raider and motocross games that were specifically designed for the old game engines and old gen consoles.
Is it upsetting? Sure. PS4 has shown us games over and over in higher res and frames on their system than ours. That SHOULD be upsetting. Anyone looking at any product wants to compare and prove they have the best one. That's human nature.
YES, we compare sales numbers. We always have, because we want to see what the market mindshare is like.
It shouldn't be a surprise by now, the current market is not on the X1 favor. Look at ALL of the games news media sites. They troll X1 rumors, and praise Sony at every turn. They ban pro X1 members, and allow SDF to post what they want pretty much. Look at the sales numbers, consumers believe they are buying a superior product for a lesser price. Honestly, all things considered the two consoles are neck and neck, X1 being at a higher pricepoint and less markets makes a huge difference. It's amazing they have done as well as they have honestly.
But does the market see it that way? Of course not. PS4 is in the lead in sales. Their games consistently are higher res and higher frame rate. And they are still a lower price point. (Even thought the Titanfall bundle pretty much evens it out)
What does this say to the average consumer? PS4 is better.
...
But that's not the whole story is it?...
Which console offers a better value? Which console offers a better experience? Which console offers better and more innovative games? Which console is backed by pockets deep enough to make next gen actually happen?
I won't answer these, because the answer is obvious.
We are in an in between stage right now. Next gen is 'Still Coming' imo. Developers are just barely touching the surface of what these consoles can do. We are still getting what we want, games, but they are still in the 360/ps3 port stage. Most of the next gen multiplats especially, are just reskinned last gen games thus far.
A storm is on the horizon. It's bringing something huge with it. It's confirmed, and it IS the secret sauce.
It's called DX12, and mark my words, when that hits is when Next gen will truly be here. And Holliday 2015, they will just be scratching the surface.
In the next expanse of time and space in the gaming timeline, X1 is going to be showing us exactly what next gen looks like. And it will be glorious. 1080p will be a topic to laugh about. Believe me.
Against the odds, we are in fact the underdogs here.
Everyone likes a good underdog story.
I'm hoping this post becomes a new meme here on GAF, I took it from THAT blog
Microsoft would rather eat a portion of the cost of the unit over reducing their subscription base by 80 percent or more. That would be about 800 million per year, every year.
Give me a break, I own a Vita and it's good but i don't think it's great and not to the extent that the hardcore Vita fans think it is. Do you think retailers want to stock something that doesn't sell well and most of the sales are digital? My Best Buy vita section is abysmal and they rarely restock games.
The Vita is best as a download-only system. It's no surprise retailers aren't pushing it. If the US market can't move away from retail, the Vita will always do terribly there.
I hope Nintendo releases updated European hardware sales along with their next quarterlies. I get the impression brick-and-mortar-free shopping is a much bigger thing in Europe, which should put the Vita on a more level playing field vs the 3DS at least.
I seriously am just going mad with anticipation of knowing what "non-wearables/QOL" means to Nintendo. I cannot imagine how bonkers weird this next year is going to be for Nintendo fans like me. I just hope it's not another turn away from hardcore gamers.
I think a non-wearable QOL platform is pretty much guaranteed not to be aimed at hardcore gamers, no? Also wtf is non-wearable? A suppository is in fact non-wearable so I'm not writing that off just yet..
Bolder, fresher. IPs with all new worlds and characters and stories, but with marketing budgets comparable to Mario Kart or Zelda or whatever. Budgets that are higher than A grade or indie grade. They need to aim for the stars!
When I inevitably get a Wii U, Pikmin 3 holds my interest as does Bayonetta 2 and probably Mario Kart. Wonderful 101 I will likely try but no expectations on that one
Nintendo is fairly risk averse so I'm not expecting break out new IPs from them tbh
What is going to be seriously fascinating the next few months is how severely Xbox One drops off. It's going to be a real test to see just how much Titanfall really was propping the system up.
I'm curious to see the PS4 drops compared to XB1 drops relative to previous sales [i.e. who will have large MOM drops and by how much] PS4 should hold much better I think especially in may
Oh, for sure ... and I think it's highly possibly both PS3 and 360 will end up outselling Wii WW, since Nintendo just dropped it like it had never existed. (And with Gold, MS may actually have been the most profitable, in the long run.)
I used to believe PS3 at least could possibly post 100M when all is said and done by last gen is dying at a remarkable pace. 90M would be good for it I think
I just get tired of the "Wii doesn't count" bullshit. Whether you liked it or not, it was games machine that sold games for gamers that played games. It was an option last gen, even though it was not as technologically advanced as the HD Twins. MS is only on top if you qualify it, and that's piss-poor.
Oh, for sure ... and I think it's highly possibly both PS3 and 360 will end up outselling Wii WW, since Nintendo just dropped it like it had never existed. (And with Gold, MS may actually have been the most profitable, in the long run.)
I just get tired of the "Wii doesn't count" bullshit. Whether you liked it or not, it was games machine that sold games for gamers that played games. It was an option last gen, even though it was not as technologically advanced as the HD Twins. MS is only on top if you qualify it, and that's piss-poor.
1. Regions
Microsoft launched in every significant region they're siginificant in.
I doubt that more regions would change anything for MS. Those 60(or so) missing regions compared to the PS4 would give them maybe 100.000 sales more in total at most.
2. Price
Of course price is a huge deal, but wasn't the Titanfall bundle sold at 450$ almost everywhere? 450$ with a games is Ps4 price region.
3. Supply Constraints
Well the XboxOne sure as hell ain't supply constrained, otherwise MS wouldn't have given us "shipped to retailers" numbers.
I don't know how the Ps4 situation is in the US, but in the EU its definitely heavly supply constrained. You can't go out and buy a Ps4 here.
4. Numbers are good compared to previous consoles
Yes.
5. Titanfall wasn't supposed to change anything.
Yes it was. Its a strawman to say it was supposed to close the 2mil sales gap, but it was supposed to at least close the gap in the US a bit.
It didn't do that, in fact the gap widened in march by 60k.
I've said this before, IGN's PS crew is great at calling things as it is, as evident by
their extensive criticism of all things playstation and Sony. The Xbox crew at IGN
is a joke in comparison, thanks in large part to the incredibly biased duo,
McCaffrey and Dyer.
Nah, the only significant one this year that remains is November NPD result. Spring/Summer ones will be interesting to see how MS will fare, but without Titanfall-grade game, there will be not a lot of commotion. MS lost this year.
Nah, the only significant one this year that remains is November NPD result. Spring/Summer ones will be interesting to see how MS will fare, but without Titanfall-grade game, there will be not a lot of commotion. MS lost this year.
These guys will never stop the fight and somehow I admire them for it. They get crushed over and over by the success of the PS4 and their theories being debunked but still they continue to hope and invent new theories and dates for the inevitable rise of the Xbox over the Sony ponys =P
Microsoft is going to be silent on hardware. They always have been. Shouldn't expect any different this time around.
Gamers are looking at games. And the games tell the story.
First party - MS has the edge. Forza, Ryse, Titanall, Killer Instinct, Dead Rising, they are hands down the best first party games that have come out for next gen thus far.
I'm hoping this post becomes a new meme here on GAF, I took it from THAT blog
Multiplat - sure, PS4 has shown us the old way of programming is easier on their machine. They have an edge on the old shooters, old Assassins, and even Tomb raider and motocross games that were specifically designed for the old game engines and old gen consoles.
Is it upsetting? Sure. PS4 has shown us games over and over in higher res and frames on their system than ours. That SHOULD be upsetting. Anyone looking at any product wants to compare and prove they have the best one. That's human nature.
A storm is on the horizon. It's bringing something huge with it. It's confirmed, and it IS the secret sauce.
It's called DX12, and mark my words, when that hits is when Next gen will truly be here. And Holliday 2015, they will just be scratching the surface.
In the next expanse of time and space in the gaming timeline, X1 is going to be showing us exactly what next gen looks like. And it will be glorious. 1080p will be a topic to laugh about. Believe me.
Against the odds, we are in fact the underdogs here.
Everyone likes a good underdog story.
I'm hoping this post becomes a new meme here on GAF, I took it from THAT blog
First of all, the PS4's model pretty much identical to current embedded linux/unix systems - which is state of the art ATM
There is no good reason to add CPU overhead on system calls and sacrifice cache/context predictability for a locked down system where all games are from verified parties. I mean sure it's handy to have them available for indies/apps but forcing it on all games is a completely bone headed decision.
Secondly DX12 will have minimal effect on XB1 if any.
The XBO doesn't even use regular DX11 right now - it uses DX11.X where X is for Xbox. DX12 promises better low level access/control but DX11.X is already incredibly low level and has all the hardware compatibility abstractions ripped out so in theory it should already much faster than DX12 can ever be on identical hardware.
Sure they can do some more assembly level optimization in the Xbox's version of DX12 (12.X?) but there's nothing stopping them from doing that right now.
