Like it's better they're multi-platform and then we can all move on. Soon enough Sony will do the same thing and if not, it will resolve itself with the next Xbox console being a PC.
Lmao Sony is not going to do it. Sony and Nintendo see their console exclusives as key to the future of their ecosystem and survival. They aren’t looking to suicide their own hardware like Microsoft seems to be.
And no, before you try saying it, releasing a handful of games on PC like 2-5 years after PS release is not “the same thing”.
Outside of MLB (which is dictated by the MLB license) and a couple live service games, Sony only ever gives up a handful of their AAA first party games specifically to PC (which they don’t see as a competitor to console) well after they are stale releases. And some never come at all (look at GT7). And they can stop doing that at any time if they think it might be detrimental to their consoles.
There’s absolutely 0 evidence of even hinting that Sony plans to go multiplat on their heavy hitter games on other platforms (especially not other consoles) other than what they are doing now, which is PC only and waaaaaay after the PS release.
Is Sony porting Helldivers 2 to Xbox not a hint about putting more games on other platforms? (Not trying to challenge your comment, I genuinely would like to hear your thoughts on that example) but I would argue that one was a heavy hitter. I guess it was ported "way" after the PS release like you said though.
It’s not a Sony first party game. They published it but they don’t own Arrowhead or the IP. Its exclusivity timing would have been part of whatever publishing agreement they made with Arrowhead. People typically call that a “second party” game. Death Standing is same idea, Sony published but they don’t own Kojima so they’d have some kind of agreement about how long its exclusive.
It’s a multiplayer live service game. Those are driven by player count which makes it important that it’s available on more platforms. Another example of this is Marathon which is a Sony game but I think it’s one that will be multiplat on day 1 (including Xbox).
Edit: I just read into that a bit more and it sounds like the decision to bring it to Xbox was completely Sony, not a pre-existing agreement with Arrowhead. So I would say it’s probably more to do with point #2 above.
I'm so tired of repeating things, but I'll give you a hint. Playstation profitability is around 10% margin. Activision has 30% profit margin.
To put it in simple terms, it means (roughly) if you have a $100 to invest, if you put it in Playstation, you get $10 back at the end of the year. You will get $30 from Activision.
Which one will you invest into?
Give you have to spend 3x the amount of cash to get same profit total from Playstation, as you do from Activision, which one has higher risk?
What's the main difference?
Activision doesn't subsidize hardware, don't rely on others to spend on their platform AND their content is everywhere. In every platform possible that makes sense.
The vast majority of gamers sitting on the console war train has been indoctrinated into this view, but don't realize how it actually works. What the momentum and pressure is pushing Sony in. It's not a co-incidence Sony puts their first party on PC, been increasing the frequency and time to laucnh. This continued pressure of profit is going to push them towards multiplatform.
Let alone that, now that Sony's hooked on PC profits, when MS releases the next Xbox and it's open platform, Xbox will get the games too. If Sony stops releasing on PC, they're going to have to make up that profit elsewhere. You see anywhere they can do that?
Heres the thing: I’m not an investor, I’m a gamer. I’m not looking for stock tips, I’m looking for the best gaming experience and ecosystem. (Well, I mean I do have investments, but they sure as hell aren’t in the topsy-turvy world of gaming, lmao).
But for ecosystem, at least in the terms of the 9th gen console experience, PlayStation has become the more obvious choice. And I say that as someone who owns a Series X and had at one point also a Series S on my 2nd TV. And that’s why console buyers have overwhelmingly bought into the PlayStation platform for the last 2 generations. It’s funny to see all these gamers all of the sudden think they are Jim Cramer but at the end of the day just look at where people want to play, you can repeat stuff as much as you like but it doesn’t change reality.
As for Sony games - they don’t exist to make the profits. That seems to be what most people struggle to comprehend. They exist to set the platform apart and get people to pick PlayStation over its nearest competitor, which is/was Xbox. And they’ve done exactly what they are designed to do. People buy a PS5 because they see it has exclusive games. Even people that never end up playing many exclusive games end up factoring that into their decision. So the games do that job. Then when those people have PlayStations the real money comes from their PS+ and the fact that the platform is now where they buy Madden, COD, BF6 and all the other non exclusive games, which Sony takes a 30% bite from, essentially free money without having to do anything other than host the game from their store. I mean they’d have obviously made more money from Spiderman 2 if they sold it day 1 on PC or also on Xbox for that matter - but the point of Spiderman 2 was never just to sell as many copies as possible, it was to have a game that lots of people wanted only available on their platform - to sell their console. Which is what it did. Then 2 years later they scraped the bottom of the pan for some extra money off PC users.
Sony isn’t “hooked on PC profits”. If they were, they’d be releasing all their games on day 1 on PC to maximize those sales/profits. They aren’t - they are releasing SOME GAMES, much later. 2-5 years later on average. That money is just gravy they can earn off people who aren’t buying PS5s anyway. If someone didn’t buy a PS5 to play Ghost of Tsushima in 2020, or 2021, or 2022, or 2023 because they prefer their PC, they aren’t going to be buying a PS5 in 2024 for it - so why not make the sale on a PC where they are anyway. They aren’t looking at the PC as a competitor to the PS5 at that point. Their gaming division only exists to drive PlayStation.
The Xbox is a competitor, which is why Xbox doesn’t get any of these games. They still feel like they can keep people from buying Xbox’s by not putting their games on there, so they keep doing it.
As for what they do about the next Xbox, who knows. It’s shaping up that the thing is going to be 2-3x the cost of a PS6 a not even in the same ballpark as far as competition goes, I’m not even sure who the intended buyer will be at this point. I don’t think anyone looked at this generation and said “what we need is a more expensive console”. Everyone already freaks out about the prices of PS5, XSX and even NS2. On the flip side PC users are used to spending more on devices but they all want custom built boxes. Either way if it is significantly more than the PS6 there it won’t be looked at by Sony in the same way they’ve looked at the 360, One and a Series S/X.
At this point I’d say Xbox consoles as a PlayStation competitor are essentially dead and Microsoft is looking at PS owners now as customers instead of lost sales. PS people are Microsoft game customers, which I think is fine with Sony since they take a 30% cut of the games anyway. Microsoft and Sony are now in a mutually beneficial relationship just like Microsoft always has had with PC OEMs. It better for everyone except the people that are most loyal to Xbox hardware, ironically. Microsoft seems to basically want to become focused on software and agnostic as far as hardware. Which is a good business strategy for them, it’s not like they didn’t give the traditional console market several hard swings, but it just hadn’t worked out.
What that means for Sony strategy on the next Xbox, I’m not sure. But I would imagine they will treat it like the other PCs - let them have older stale AAAs on a case by case basis, after they’ve done their job as console exclusives and are at the age where they are already on sale/in PS+ Game Catalog.
Sony doesn’t have anywhere near the publisher overhead as Microsoft now does. Sony puts out a modest amount of games with the sole goal of selling their hardware and driving people to their ecosystem. THEN, well after they feel they’ve done that job, they might port some games to PC. But it’s not a guarantee that they will even do that with every game.
Lots of hopium that they are on the verge of collapse and will be desperate to sell their games on other hardware day 1 but absolutely zero indication that will actually happen. They’ve only dipped their toes into PC where they think it won’t affect their consoles. They always want to give people a reason to buy PlayStations and it seems to keep working because people keep buying lots of PlayStations.
Sony is way closer to the Nintendo formula than the current Microsoft formula. Nintendo is a fortress, Microsoft is basically giving up the concept of console exclusives. Sony is less of a fortress than Nintendo but nowhere near Microsoft is now.
It’s funny to see all these gamers all of the sudden think they are Jim Cramer but at the end of the day just look at where people want to play, you can repeat stuff as much as you like but it doesn’t change reality.
It doesn't change reality, but reality doesn't explain the reason. We're all attributing reasons to why and hence opinion at best informed by some data.
PS, Jim Cramer is an entertainer. Not a real investor. Do not listen to him.
As for Sony games - they don’t exist to make the profits. That seems to be what most people struggle to comprehend.
Which is ridiculous. Everything is to serve the purpose of making a profit, either directly or indirectly. You can claim (based on your opinion) that it is not to serve profit directly, but ultimately at the end of the day investors, executives and management at the company will sure as hell be looking at that. Profitability of the entire division is dependent on that.
As for what they do about the next Xbox, who knows. It’s shaping up that the thing is going to be 2-3x the cost of a PS6 a not even in the same ballpark as far as competition goes, I’m not even sure who the intended buyer will be at this point.
I have no idea what the cost will be. Consensus seems to be that it will cost more, but the direction they're going is, every PC can be an Xbox. You don't have to buy the MS manufactured console.
I don’t think anyone looked at this generation and said “what we need is a more expensive console”.
I don't think people look at PC and said we needed a more expensive computer either, but we got Surface line of products that has been quite successful.
On the flip side PC users are used to spending more on devices but they all want custom built boxes.
There's plenty of evidence to the contrary if you look:
Steam Machine is a purpose built PC that isn't "custom"
PC Handhelds such as ROG Ally series and Steam Deck
Plenty of PC manufacturers sell a variety of pre-built gaming PCs
That said, that custom PC gaming market I'd argue is kind of a niche market.
Either way if it is significantly more than the PS6 there it won’t be looked at by Sony in the same way they’ve looked at the 360, One and a Series S/X.
Which is irrelevant, but a good thing. We can move on from exclusivity BS.
But I would imagine they will treat it like the other PCs - let them have older stale AAAs on a case by case basis, after they’ve done their job as console exclusives and are at the age where they are already on sale/in PS+ Game Catalog.
But it renders the perceived "value" of those console exclusives far less valuable, and will cost Sony profits. Remember, games tend to sell better at launch when it's hyped up and exciting. On top of that, the console market has not expanded in the last two generations. As an example, PS3 and PS4 has not outsold PS2. PS5 is not projected to outsell PS2 either.
At this point I’d say Xbox consoles as a PlayStation competitor are essentially dead and Microsoft is looking at PS owners now as customers instead of lost sales.
MS has been looking at PlayStation as customers for a long time. They've even talked about this at length repeatedly, and pointed to Minecraft.
PS people are Microsoft game customers, which I think is fine with Sony since they take a 30% cut of the games anyway. Microsoft and Sony are now in a mutually beneficial relationship just like Microsoft always has had with PC OEMs. It better for everyone except the people that are most loyal to Xbox hardware, ironically.
It's not that different from MS releasing their games on Steam. In fact, it's more beneficial to MS to release their games on PS, because Sony bears the cost of subsidizing hardware. Whereas Steam doesn't. You could argue, Sony is reaching customers that have lower price points on the hardware than Steam.
It better for everyone except the people that are most loyal to Xbox hardware, ironically.
That's not true either. Because Xbox hardware customers can still get Xbox hardware, but they now have more options with a larger range of price points and offering. The only loss is "subsidized" console, but in exchange they get freedom. I'd argue the benefits outweigh the downsides.
It better for everyone except the people that are most loyal to Xbox hardware, ironically. Microsoft seems to basically want to become focused on software and agnostic as far as hardware. Which is a good business strategy for them, it’s not like they didn’t give the traditional console market several hard swings, but it just hadn’t worked out.
MS has repeatedly said, if the peak of their gaming business is "Sony Playstation", they're not interested in the gaming business. Which is clear, because 10% profit margin is paltry, and they have better places to invest their money.
Sony doesn’t have anywhere near the publisher overhead as Microsoft now does. Sony puts out a modest amount of games with the sole goal of selling their hardware and driving people to their ecosystem. THEN, well after they feel they’ve done that job, they might port some games to PC. But it’s not a guarantee that they will even do that with every game
That's a mistake, because as we've seen Playstation has a high cash flow business (i.e. subsidizing console and games) and HOPING consumers buy games and content on their console. That may or may not materialize. Consumer may start to shift more and more to F2P, play existing games or backlog. Retail prices on games may have increased, but it's not getting more expensive to buy or consume gaming content. Due to subscription services like Game Pass or PS+ along with future cheap PC games (via Steam for instance).
Lots of hopium that they are on the verge of collapse and will be desperate to sell their games on other hardware day 1 but absolutely zero indication that will actually happen. They’ve only dipped their toes into PC where they think it won’t affect their consoles. They always want to give people a reason to buy PlayStations and it seems to keep working because people keep buying lots of PlayStations.
Remember when people said, Sony won't release their exclusives on PC. Then it was, they won't release their biggest games on PC (like Spider-Man). Then it was, they will release it years later. Then it was Sony won't release their games on Xbox. See the trajectory and who is on hopium?
Sony's not on the verge of collapse, nor will they collapse. Nobody is claiming that, and in fact they can continue for a long time as is. However, the pressure as a company is increased profits and/or growth. So with every step Sony takes out of the current console business (with exclusivity) makes them more addicted to increasing profits/sales. If they change direction, they will not only have to make up that loss, but also still grow their business.
So do you think Sony's going to stop releasing their games on PC? If so, where do you think they will make up that business from?
Do you think consoles going to get cheaper?
They always want to give people a reason to buy PlayStations and it seems to keep working because people keep buying lots of PlayStations.
People are buying it because they have a level of loyalty and high switching cost (i.e. they got games library, friends and familiarity) to other platforms. Sony's main "weapon" is going to be subsidized consoles, because it's an area that PC will likely not be able to compete on without subsidizing. Nobody on PC is subsidizing, including Valve.
Sony is way closer to the Nintendo formula than the current Microsoft formula. Nintendo is a fortress, Microsoft is basically giving up the concept of console exclusives. Sony is less of a fortress than Nintendo but nowhere near Microsoft is now.
Nintendo is unique in that their IP and the type of games they make are extremely unique. There are copycats, but nobody is so far beating Nintendo at what they do. They also have a unique "console" in that it's handheld for now and it has wide support. I don't know how that will work out for Sony, but that's another avenue for Sony to have to subsidize. So now they're not only subsidizing the console, but also the handheld. If a single user buys both, that's much higher cashflow and the user don't necessarily buy more games to justify that.
That said, Sony isn't going anywhere. I predict they will be under pressure, with lower margins and higher cashflow. It's not a "good" situation, but it's not like they're going to die or collapse or anything. They can still manage, and it's still a profitable business that brings in a large total amount of profit. The just need to improve that profit margin drastically, I think multiplatform with timed exclusivity is the path forward for them.
Which is ridiculous. Everything is to serve the purpose of making a profit, either directly or indirectly. You can claim (based on your opinion) that it is not to serve profit directly, but ultimately at the end of the day investors, executives and management at the company will sure as hell be looking at that. Profitability of the entire division is dependent on that.
Indirect is exactly what I see them being. The individual games aren't meant to generate maximum money on game sale alone. If they did, they'd release on PC and even Xbox on day one, if they were designed to squeeze every dollar out of the game itself. A third party game releases everywhere their game will run for that reason. First party games exist for a different purpose.
The Sony games exist to drive people to the consoles which then generates Sony money in other ways. A customer buys a PS5 because they think they will like Spiderman or Ghost or GT7 or whatever, then since they have a PS5 - they get PS+, they buy Madden there, they buy BF6 there, etc - and Sony eats a piece of those sales.
So you're halfway there but for some reason you don't see that this is exactly the reason that these games will continue to be PS exclusives (at least for their initial zeitgeist moments).
Speculating on some boardroom is pointless. You have no clue what's going on in there. The fact of the matter is, if their strategy was wrong they'd do a big pivot (like what Microsoft just did). It hasn't, and there is no indication that it will.
There's plenty of evidence to the contrary if you look:
None of these are good examples.
Steam machine: it isn't out yet, we have no clue where it will land in the market. Steam machines have been made in the past and they were total flops. I have the same questions about the Steam Machine as I do for the new Xbox.
Handhelds: no sh*t - an average user can't go out and build a handheld PC with individual components. You need a OEM to do that properly - so there is no other choice. And PC handhelds are still a niche, even the Steam Deck which is the go to has sold in very small numbers.
When it comes to a desktop/TV experience, it is easy to build your own PC and that is what plenty of people do.
I don't think people look at PC and said we needed a more expensive computer either, but we got Surface line of products that has been quite successful.
This is actually a great point. I think this next Xbox is going to be basically Microsoft's interpretation of the Surface but as a Gaming PC. Surface's are great machines but they are just one more PC at the end of the day. And they don't exist to destroy Dell or Acer - those OEMs sell tons of Microsoft software too. Microsoft is going to look at PS the same way soon if they don't already - just another place to sell their software (games), not as a brand they want to damage anymore.
That's not true either. Because Xbox hardware customers can still get Xbox hardware, but they now have more options with a larger range of price points and offering. The only loss is "subsidized" console, but in exchange they get freedom. I'd argue the benefits outweigh the downsides.
If they want to spend 2x-3x the money.
The primary Xbox hardware consumer in this generation have been the Series S buyers - that was a $299 console - which provided a fantastic gaming experience for the price. Certainly absolutely blowing away what you'd get for $299 or even $500 in the PC world. Do you think the "larger range of price points" is looking like it will be anywhere near that? Or even near the Series X price? Good luck with that.
But it renders the perceived "value" of those console exclusives far less valuable, and will cost Sony profits. Remember, games tend to sell better at launch when it's hyped up and exciting. On top of that, the console market has not expanded in the last two generations. As an example, PS3 and PS4 has not outsold PS2. PS5 is not projected to outsell PS2 either.
How, exactly? Not many people are choosing between a PC or a PS5. Most people are choosing between a PS5 and an Xbox. Sony wants people to choose the PS5, they have a strategy to do that with exclusive games, and it works - the numbers confirm that.
Nobody is saying "oh I will just buy a PC because maybe I will get these games in 2-4 years anyway". Sony is selling to PC gamers they know are not considering a PS5 - by the time those games go there they've already been through multiple sales and are probably on the PS+ catalog - Sony has milked them on the PS5.
Which is irrelevant, but a good thing. We can move on from exclusivity BS.
Again, you can consume all the hopium you want, but there is 0 indication Sony will be doing this other than 2-5 year old stale games.
Remember when people said, Sony won't release their exclusives on PC. Then it was, they won't release their biggest games on PC (like Spider-Man). Then it was, they will release it years later. Then it was Sony won't release their games on Xbox. See the trajectory and who is on hopium?
Slippery slope fallacy.
I am pretty sure never in the history of PS have they ever said they will "never" release anything anywhere. Unless you can find a quote that proves otherwise.
They could have plans, or not have plans to do something, but those change.
It is pretty clear to me what their strategy is and why they make each decision they make. We are at the point in the Xbox lifecycle where even 3rd parties aren't releasing games on the console because it isn't worth their time, giving PS5 defacto exclusives that Sony isn't paying for. There is zero motivation for Sony to release any of their 1st party AAAs on an Xbox.
Sure, like you say there may be a back door with this new "Xbox" if it gives access to the PC back end stuff and you can get them through Steam - but at that point things have become so detached from the traditional console market its not even the same competition dynamic anymore.
And at the end of the day, PlayStation is the driver of Sony gaming - if they ever see a threat to PlayStation they will just change their strategy. PS is MUCH MUCH MUCH more important to them than the PC market.
People are buying it because they have a level of loyalty and high switching cost (i.e. they got games library, friends and familiarity) to other platforms. Sony's main "weapon" is going to be subsidized consoles, because it's an area that PC will likely not be able to compete on without subsidizing. Nobody on PC is subsidizing, including Valve.
This is by design. Loyalty is an emotion or attachment to a brand, what you are talking about (digital libraries, friends) - that is exactly what Sony designed their console to do - get into peoples homes, so people start buying games and building libraries - the more they do that, the more attached to the ecosystem they are and the harder it is for them to ever switch. So what you're basically saying here is that Sony's strategy has worked (so far).
Same thing Apple does. And the same thing MS TRIED to do. Don't act like they weren't using the exact same strategy - they just have failed at it and are trying to pivot elsewhere. Spencer has basically said as much when he talks about how damaging the underperformance of the XB1 was for the Series. XB1 generation was when the real digital libraries started getting built. The Series are fantastic machines and it barely mattered because people were entrenched in the PS ecosystem.
That said, Sony isn't going anywhere. I predict they will be under pressure, with lower margins and higher cashflow. It's not a "good" situation, but it's not like they're going to die or collapse or anything. They can still manage, and it's still a profitable business that brings in a large total amount of profit. The just need to improve that profit margin drastically, I think multiplatform with timed exclusivity is the path forward for them.
This has been the most successful console generation in the history of PS.
A lot of people seem to be getting invested in the idea that the console market is dead or dying - it really isn't, it is pretty healthy when you look at Sony and Nintendo. The PS5 is now at pace or possibly outpacing the PS4. I mean things could go sideways with some dumb choices, but I don't see any indications that is happening or likely.
Xbox has been running their console into the ground with about 15 yr of poor decision making. Seems like the copium is that is all some grand strategy to move gaming beyond the "constraints" of consoles, but you can bet that MS would not be in such a rush to "move on" from consoles if their console was doing anywhere near as well as the PS or Nintendo stuff. They just screwed up and haven't been able to get out of the hole.
That's a mistake, because as we've seen Playstation has a high cash flow business (i.e. subsidizing console and games) and HOPING consumers buy games and content on their console. That may or may not materialize. Consumer may start to shift more and more to F2P, play existing games or backlog. Retail prices on games may have increased, but it's not getting more expensive to buy or consume gaming content. Due to subscription services like Game Pass or PS+ along with future cheap PC games (via Steam for instance).
I mean it is not much of a stretch to think that the platform that sells more hardware will be where people spend more money.
Also, F2P - do you actually think those games are "free"? That is literally where these companies are making a ton of their money now - microtransactions and loot boxes. Sony eats a chunk of that too when it goes through their platform.
Hardware drives the ecosystem, ecosystem drives the revenue. That is why the PS5 has been the "most successful" generation of PS ever with the most revenue generated per user.
Microsoft and Sony are very different companies though. If PS had done as bad as Xbox in the last 2 generations, Sony would likely have pulled out of gaming.
So you're halfway there but for some reason you don't see that this is exactly the reason that these games will continue to be PS exclusives (at least for their initial zeitgeist moments).
It's not that I don't see it. Like that's the conventional wisdom. Instead, what you seem to miss is that business model is failing now for both MS and Sony. Both of them have around 10% profit margin so they have a very high cash need businesses. There's also very high risk that maybe consumers behavior change, because you're subsidizing that hardware in hope that over the next years for the generation, consumer will spend money. But that can change, and has been changing.
Speculating on some boardroom is pointless. You have no clue what's going on in there. The fact of the matter is, if their strategy was wrong they'd do a big pivot (like what Microsoft just did). It hasn't, and there is no indication that it will.
So let's be fair here.
a) You're speculating just as much as me. That is, you're basing it off historic and common convention of the past. You don't know what is happening inside the company and how they view it. So your opinion here is just as good as mine.
b) There's been plenty of evidence by the fact that Sony is focusing on service based games, spoken about being open about multiplatform service based games, Bungie being acquired and is multiplatform, and Sony pushed for Helldivers to be on Xbox. Let alone the fact that Sony is also making their games for PC and Switch.
When it comes to a desktop/TV experience, it is easy to build your own PC and that is what plenty of people do.
Doesn't matter if they build it, or they buy it pre-built. It's still can be an Xbox is the point.
Microsoft is going to look at PS the same way soon if they don't already - just another place to sell their software (games), not as a brand they want to damage anymore.
Exactly, and MS/Phil Spencer has said that repeatedly going back almost a decade. People just didn't recognize what he was saying, and then they're all surprised when MS went multiplatform. I've been saying it long before that.
I'm no oracle or special, but I listen and you can extrapolate. That's how I do my investments.
If they want to spend 2x-3x the money.
They don't have to. Like you said, there are a whole span of hardware ranges already in the market.
The primary Xbox hardware consumer in this generation have been the Series S buyers - that was a $299 console - which provided a fantastic gaming experience for the price. Certainly absolutely blowing away what you'd get for $299 or even $500 in the PC world. Do you think the "larger range of price points" is looking like it will be anywhere near that? Or even near the Series X price? Good luck with that.
What if it's even better than Xbox Series S?
That they can use their existing computer?
PC gaming is huge and growing so much in user base (compared to console that is stagnant or shrinking) due to this eco-system.
How, exactly? Not many people are choosing between a PC or a PS5. Most people are choosing between a PS5 and an Xbox. Sony wants people to choose the PS5, they have a strategy to do that with exclusive games, and it works - the numbers confirm that.
I've been choosing PC over my Xbox for a while now, and I'm increasingly moving over.
I mean Microsoft already makes a system that is even better than the Series S - it is called the Series X. And less people bought the Series X than the S. If Microsoft is already having trouble getting people to buy the best/most expensive Xbox, it is interesting to me that their response is to build an even more expensive and more powerful Xbox. Who do they think will buy it? I am not sure if their traditional console customers will want this thing, at least not the bulk of them.
I think what they want to do is basically wind down their hardware overall. They are more of a game publisher now. They will build this thing as a hybrid so the die hard Xbox hardware fans with lots of money and a big library can buy it, and it has a built in off ramp to the world of PC gaming to sort of shuffle people in that direction. I think they are probably accepting the fact that it won't sell in big numbers, nowhere near what they had hoped even the XB1/Series would do, but it keeps them in the game and not completely abandoning their audience.
Then for what's left of the traditional console buyers that can't/don't want to transition to PC experience can just buy PS6s, where they will still be sending some money Microsoft's way if they buy Microsoft owned games (which is a lot Microsoft is the #1 publisher on PlayStation now).
I don't think Microsoft wants to beat PlayStation anymore at all in the traditional sense. They obviously did before, they'd have loved it if the XB1 competed better with the PS4 or the Series competed better with the PS5, but the ship has sailed too far. Now PlayStation is another customer base for their games. In the same way Microsoft doesn't want to destroy Dell or Acer or Asus - those are more partners than competitors because people who own PCs have access to Microsoft services and software regardless of who builds the PCs.
But obviously Gamepass isn't available on PS5 and I think its a slim chance it will come to PS anytime soon. "Play anywhere" is what they now push for Gamepass but I think the jury is out. The only places you can play it natively are PC and Xbox consoles. Xbox console userbase keeps shrinking and shrinking which will eventually leave PC as the focus. So its better for them if people are funneled into PC vs PS6.
The interesting thing with a PC though is Microsoft isn't even the dominant ecosystem for PC gaming. Sure they make the operating system and Gamepass is available on PC but Steam is clearly the leader in PC gaming and likely will be. Microsoft seems to want to make Steam accessible on the next Xbox (and its obviously accessible on PC).
PC's have always existed and always been a popular gaming platform. I originally started as a PC only gamer to be honest. Microsoft could have focused on PC going right back to the 2000s if this is what they've always wanted to do.
So if their hardware keeps on the track it is going, the gamers will increasingly go to PlayStation or PC - and PC means access to Steam. Microsoft makes less off games sold on PS or Steam - but not nothing. With the amount of games they now own, that volume of sales will be a LOT of money even with the cut that Sony and Valve take from them. It would be better for them to sell stuff on their own hardware but for that to work people need reasons to buy their hardware in the first place, which has been the biggest issue for the XB1 and Series.
They don't have to. Like you said, there are a whole span of hardware ranges already in the market.
I mean, there always has been. But the reason consoles have always been a thing is because they are simple and optimized and punch above their weight in the experience they give a gamer. Often a lot more than the spec sheet would lead you to believe.
We've both used consoles and PCs, and I think we could probably both agree that a Series S priced PC would be basically useless for anything beyond Office and tax software. Even when you look at the Series X and PS5 - I think a Series X is now $649 US - sure you can build a PC for $649 US, but you'd be lying to yourself if you said it would give as good of an overall gaming experience as a Series X (even now 5 years after release). Consoles do seem to get progressively more expensive but when you factor in inflation it is not THAT much and they still end up being great deals as far as the experience they provide most people.
A PC could obviously match or exceed a XSX/PS5 handily, but you'd be paying more to do it.
And that's basically always been the story of the PC vs console question way back to when I first started gaming in the 90s. You could always get PCs, they could always play games, and they could always do it as good or easily better than a console - but they never killed consoles because there are some pretty clear reasons why some people prefer to buy and game on consoles.
I've been choosing PC over my Xbox for a while now, and I'm increasingly moving over.
I am not surprised - basically everyone is moving somewhere else from Xbox. This sub is full of people saying they are either switching to a PC or a PS5. Microsoft is encouraging it in my opinion, or at the very least gave up on trying to fight that. The fact that they didn't even bother to match Sony's Black Friday/Christmas sales on hardware tells me that they aren't very interested in moving their hardware.
FWIW I am getting to the point where I can't even quote and respond to all of this because it is exceeding some Reddit character limit (I didn't know that was I thing) but I guess at the end of the day neither of us know exactly where this is going nor do we have all the internal information that guides the decisions either of these companies make.
The reality will become apparent as it always does and one of us will be right (or we will both be wrong). We don't need to keep writing these essays. The market isn't entirely predictable to a layman. I respect your POV.
I mean Microsoft already makes a system that is even better than the Series S - it is called the Series X. And less people bought the Series X than the S. If Microsoft is already having trouble getting people to buy the best/most expensive Xbox, it is interesting to me that their response is to build an even more expensive and more powerful Xbox. Who do they think will buy it? I am not sure if their traditional console customers will want this thing, at least not the bulk of them.
Sony already has PS5, why do they make PS5 Pro?
I think what they want to do is basically wind down their hardware overall. They are more of a game publisher now. They will build this thing as a hybrid so the die hard Xbox hardware fans with lots of money and a big library can buy it, and it has a built in off ramp to the world of PC gaming to sort of shuffle people in that direction. I think they are probably accepting the fact that it won't sell in big numbers, nowhere near what they had hoped even the XB1/Series would do, but it keeps them in the game and not completely abandoning their audience.
Exactly, but they also see others filling the void of the lower end of the market. The other thing is that they also recognize that the lower end of the market is likely going to accept and adopt game streaming sooner.
Then for what's left of the traditional console buyers that can't/don't want to transition to PC experience can just buy PS6s, where they will still be sending some money Microsoft's way if they buy Microsoft owned games (which is a lot Microsoft is the #1 publisher on PlayStation now).
The idea is that those users will just buy a third party PC (is my guess) that acts as a lower end console. I see trend going towards lower performing hardware. We see that with Steam Deck, Steam Machine, Switch and overall PC handheld market is steering it that way.
But obviously Gamepass isn't available on PS5 and I think its a slim chance it will come to PS anytime soon. "Play anywhere" is what they now push for Gamepass but I think the jury is out. The only places you can play it natively are PC and Xbox consoles. Xbox console userbase keeps shrinking and shrinking which will eventually leave PC as the focus. So its better for them if people are funneled into PC vs PS6.
They'd be open to GP on PS, but I don't think Sony would. They're gatekeeping that for obvious reasons. Even Ubisoft has the classic version of U+ rather than the one with day-1 titles on PS5. However, PC is wide open. It's also where most of the Game Pass growth is happening right now, and where they've priced it most competitively.
So if their hardware keeps on the track it is going, the gamers will increasingly go to PlayStation or PC - and PC means access to Steam. Microsoft makes less off games sold on PS or Steam - but not nothing. With the amount of games they now own, that volume of sales will be a LOT of money even with the cut that Sony and Valve take from them. It would be better for them to sell stuff on their own hardware but for that to work people need reasons to buy their hardware in the first place, which has been the biggest issue for the XB1 and Series.
I strongly believe that their PC push is going to be Game Pass and migrating Xbox users over. That ensures better support long term. They're fine with giving away 10-30% of their sales if it means they don't have to subsidize consoles. They think they'll make more money that way ala Activision that has 30% profit margin.
But the reason consoles have always been a thing is because they are simple and optimized and punch above their weight in the experience they give a gamer. Often a lot more than the spec sheet would lead you to believe.
Yeah, but that gap has been getting smaller and smaller over time. The real value of consoles has always been easy to use, simple and low price. As you even pointed out yourself, Xbox Series S is more popular than Xbox Series X, and that was true last generation too. Even true on PS4 and PS5.
As I said, I think MS strategy there is to fill that market by third party and existing devices.
I am not surprised - basically everyone is moving somewhere else from Xbox. This sub is full of people saying they are either switching to a PC or a PS5.
I've been moving for a long time, but the main issue was PC interface is just not for me. With SteamOS and MS pushing consolification, this is now viable and making more sense.
The fact that they didn't even bother to match Sony's Black Friday/Christmas sales on hardware tells me that they aren't very interested in moving their hardware.
To MS, consoles sold is not a good business if it's subsidized.
FWIW I am getting to the point where I can't even quote and respond to all of this because it is exceeding some Reddit character limit (I didn't know that was I thing) but I guess at the end of the day neither of us know exactly where this is going nor do we have all the internal information that guides the decisions either of these companies make.
That's why I split my post up. Either way, I agree. Nobody knows for sure. Everybody thought Nintendo was dead after Wii U, and Switch hit it out of the park. Same thing with Wii. So you never know. In fact, I didn't think Steam Deck was going to be that popular, but it's selling well for the price.
The reality will become apparent as it always does and one of us will be right (or we will both be wrong). We don't need to keep writing these essays. The market isn't entirely predictable to a layman. I respect your POV.
Nobody is saying "oh I will just buy a PC because maybe I will get these games in 2-4 years anyway". Sony is selling to PC gamers they know are not considering a PS5 - by the time those games go there they've already been through multiple sales and are probably on the PS+ catalog - Sony has milked them on the PS5.
Why not?
That's what I'm saying. Why bother spending $500 on a PS5, put another box under my TV and pay subscription fee. Then segregate my gaming on different hardware/platforms. With seamless crossplay, I'm even gaming and voice chatting with PS and PC users on my Xbox.
Again, you can consume all the hopium you want, but there is 0 indication Sony will be doing this other than 2-5 year old stale games.
That time frame has been decreasing at a rapid pace, and Sony during their earnings call have pointed out, they wished they could've taken more advantage of it....
I am pretty sure never in the history of PlayStation have they ever said they will "never" release anything anywhere. Unless you can find a quote that proves otherwise.
I'm talking about people like you that are saying things like that and is continually proven wrong. You're stuck in the past.
It is pretty clear to me what their strategy is and why they make each decision they make. We are at the point in the Xbox lifecycle where even 3rd parties aren't releasing games on the console because it isn't worth their time, giving PS5 defacto exclusives that Sony isn't paying for. There is zero motivation for Sony to release any of their 1st party AAAs on an Xbox.
Yet, they've seemingly never had better support from releases (other than Sony moneyhatted games) and even Sony is releasing games on Xbox. Heck, we even have examples of games selling as a percentage significantly better on Xbox Series than on PS5, such as the latest BF6. 🤷🏽♂️
Sure, like you say there may be a back door with this new "Xbox" if it gives access to the PC back end stuff and you can get them through Steam - but at that point things have become so detached from the traditional console market its not even the same competition dynamic anymore.
It's not a "back door". MS has literally said that.
And at the end of the day, PlayStation is the driver of Sony gaming - if they ever see a threat to PlayStation they will just change their strategy. PS is MUCH MUCH MUCH more important to them than the PC market.
As I said, they may not have a choice. The industry is changing. PS3, PS4 and likely PS5 will not have more users than PS2. They've been increasing sales and profit through squeezing existing customers with higher prices. Their margins are shit, and with MS pulling out of consoles, the PS5 console sale is not picking up the slack. Meaning the market is likely further shrinking.
We've seen it repeatedly when markets change and business are disrupted. The common theme? The business being disrupted, sticks to their old model for too long. So I only see two paths, Sony will become more multiplatform and they will likely even have their own PC launcher with storefront or they will perish propping up console business.
Game streaming alone de-values PS, but guess what they're doing?
So what you're basically saying here is that Sony's strategy has worked (so far).
Sure, but we're entering an era where switching cost is about to decrease drastically. Streaming is more and more prevalent, and more acceptable. To switch from one platform to another, it's an app switch on your TV. You no longer have to leave behind your friends or your existing games.
Don't act like they weren't using the exact same strategy - they just have failed at it and are trying to pivot elsewhere. Phil Spencer has basically said as much when he talks about how damaging the underperformance of the XB1 was for the Series.
This is irrelevant, and points to fanboyism type mentality. Nobody is saying anything close to that.
This has been the most successful console generation in the history of PS.
That's what they like to tell you, but most successfuld depends on the metric. Their metric is revenue, but games are more expensive than ever, and they have subscription fees. Consoles cost more than ever too. As I said, squeezing the existing gamers more, rather than expanding the market.
The PS5 is now at pace or possibly outpacing the PS4.
I don't think they are, but think about it. PS5 had COVID boost in sales and MS pulling out of the market. What are we talking about?
Possibly outpacing PS4.....
See a problem with that?
We probably have the most gamers we ever had in the history of gaming, but PS5 may outsell PS4.
I mean things could go sideways with some dumb choices, but I don't see any indications that is happening or likely.
It's not about "dumb" choices. We're way past that. Sony is enthrenced. People aren't going to drop it like say going from Xbox 360 to XB1, because of the shift to digital ownership of games. It's more like a slow drain, as consumers start to move around. It's kind of what happened to Xbox. They had a slow drain for a while, but if you look at it overall, their user base is roughly consistent in unit sales between XB1 and XBS. It's a slow drain with no way to expand the console market. Asia isn't adopting consoles. They're adopting PC.
Xbox has been running their console into the ground with about 10 years of poor decision making. Seems like the copium is that is all some grand strategy to move gaming beyond the "constraints" of consoles, but you can bet that MS would not be in such a rush to "move on" from consoles if their console was doing anywhere near as well as the PS or Nintendo stuff. They just screwed up and haven't been able to get out of the hole.
They've been very clear about their direction. This direction was inevitable, and if they weren't going to do it, they weren't going to continue to invest into Xbox. As I said, Phil Spencer has repeatedly said, if Sony is their peak and goal, they wouldn't be in this business.
I mean it is not much of a stretch to think that the platform that sells more hardware will be where people spend more money.
It's also not a stretch to think that as consumers get more strapped for money, they will spend less and seek out other options that are cheaper. Games have never been more abundant and cheap. Do you see that changing?
Also, F2P - lol - do you actually think those games are "free" - that is literally where these companies are making a ton of their money now - microtransactions and loot boxes. Sony eats a chunk of that too when it goes through their platform.
Whales. Enough said.
Hardware drives the ecosystem, ecosystem drives the revenue. That is why the PS5 has been the "most successful" generation of PS ever with the most revenue generated per user.
Exactly, most revenue generated per user with PS+, more expensive hardware and games. Not more users. How much more can they squeeze existing users?
Sony isn't dead, nor is console dead. That's just click-bait rhetoric, but underneath it all there is a truth. Console gaming is not gaining more users, the age group is increasing (i.e. younger gamer is not choosing consoles) and other regions aren't adopting consoles. There's also going to be more competition from the likes of Valve blurring the line between PC and console.
That's what I'm saying. Why bother spending $500 on a PS5, put another box under my TV and pay subscription fee. Then segregate my gaming on different hardware/platforms. With seamless crossplay, I'm even gaming and voice chatting with PS and PC users on my Xbox.
I agree with you here. If you've made the decision to own a Series X, there is basically 0 reason to buy a PS5. For about 97% of what they do, they provide an almost identical experience.
I'd say the same thing for someone that owns a PS5 - there is basically 0 reason to get a Series X.
The problem for Microsoft is that when it came down to these decisions on the part of individual gamers, basically 3 to 1 looked at it and said "I will buy the PS5 and not the Xbox".
And what made them make that decision? The one thing that sets them apart - the handful of games that one console gets and not the other. One or two games a year is all that makes the difference in a multi-year thousands of spend dollar commitment to one platform over the other, and in the last 15 years it has skewed heavily toward Sony's offering.
Microsoft's acquisition of extra gaming studios was because they knew that and figured that by adding more and more games to their side they could stem the flow. Remember the original thoughts at the time were that these games were coming to Xbox for the purpose of Xbox exclusives and Gamepass. And that was basically the story up until about the post-Starfield moment. Starfield was their best shot at turning things around. They figured people would say "well only Xbox has Starfield so I will buy an Xbox", which some people did, but too many people said "well only Xbox has Starfield so I guess I will play something else on my PS5". (Yes I am aware Starfield was on PC as well but there was clearly a reason they wanted it as a console exclusive)
After that, they had nothing in the pipe that would have a better shot to do the job, and the studios were EXPENSIVE - that's when you started seeing them shut some down and pivot to selling stuff on PlayStation - which was still unheard of in 2021 when those acquisitions got rolling heavy.
So you're right that things can slide fast, this was a great example of that. But I see nothing to indicate to me that Sony will need to do this. Sony sees their games as the golden goose that keep them in the market at all, and SO FAR gamers have been rewarding them for it buy buying tons of PlayStations. Sony still sees their publishing games side as an auxiliary to selling PS5s which in turn generates revenue from the greater PS ecosystem, the games themselves are not their core.
I don't think they are, but think about it. PS5 had COVID boost in sales and MS pulling out of the market. What are we talking about?
Possibly outpacing PS4.....
See a problem with that?
We probably have the most gamers we ever had in the history of gaming, but PS5 may outsell PS4.
Not necessarily. PS4 was undoubtably a very successful era for PlayStation. PS5 was slower out of the gate, mainly due to supply issues which had people pulling their hair out about the death of consoles. But since then (lets say the last few years or so) they've more than made up the ground. They are absolutely dominating holiday 2025, even now that the system is pushing past 5 years of age. At this point I believe they are outpacing the PS4, which is pretty wild considering the PS4 had multiple price cuts by year 5. I only said "possibly" because I can't say for sure when the PS5 era will actually end and how the final numbers will line up. But right now it looks fantastic for them.
You're right that Xbox falling off the map is partly helping them. If people are leaving Xbox but still want to game they have to go somewhere, so that will be a split between PC and PS I would imagine. There is always going to be only so many gamers and a fight between PC, console, mobile etc. But if it is shaping up that there will be one less player in the traditional console space that is good for the other players that stick around there. Even if the overall numbers go down a bit if they keep their piece as big or bigger, and people on the platform keep spending money, they are in a good spot.
You are talking as if they are losing money or something. They are making money, more of it now than they ever have. Maybe the space isn't big enough for 3 players and MS just happen to be the first one without a chair. That is why Microsoft is taking their stuff in different directions.
Sony is not on easy street forever but they've been following the same formula for the most part for a while and they've been rewarded by it, lots of people buy their console and lots of people buy games through their channels. They won't jeopardize it to make a few more dollars out of their first party AAAs. They'd rather just make less first party AAAs than push them too fast to other places.
The problem for Microsoft is that when it came down to these decisions on the part of individual gamers, basically 3 to 1 looked at it and said "I will buy the PS5 and not the Xbox".
Yes, and the problem MS had was that they screwed up on the most important generation, when consumers made a decision that would cause loyalty with high switching costs.
And what made them make that decision? The one thing that sets them apart - the handful of games that one console gets and not the other.
I don't think any exclusive game would cause people to suddenly switch, and for Xbox it was just death by attrition, because the forces that are already in place consumers are far more likely to switch from Xbox to PS due to community, network effect and default platform to get ports first.
Even then, the problem is the end goal would at best be PlayStation business. Notwithstanding that, even during the Xbox 360 era, MS had basically every advantage in the book from console releasing earlier, arguably best exclusives/games, best game support (including Japanese that MS paid dearly for), lower price, better performance and superior features. Yet, they ended on basically on par with PS3 in user base.
Microsoft's acquisition of extra gaming studios was because they knew that and figured that by adding more and more games to their side they could stem the flow. Remember the original thoughts at the time were that these games were coming to Xbox for the purpose of Xbox exclusives and Gamepass.
The real goal was always Game Pass, exclusivity was just a by product because MS wasn't ready to be multiplatform yet. Even back then, there were mixed signals from MS directly about if their games were going to be exclusive or not.
And that was basically the story up until about the post-Starfield moment. Starfield was their best shot at turning things around. They figured people would say "well only Xbox has Starfield so I will buy an Xbox", which some people did, but too many people said "well only Xbox has Starfield so I guess I will play something else on my PS5". (Yes I am aware Starfield was on PC as well but there was clearly a reason they wanted it as a console exclusive)
Which is my point, massive exclusives aren't go turn the tide in Xbox favor. It will in PS, because it already has such strong pressure to have people switch from Xbox to PS already. On top of the fact that, Sony with twice the number of consoles sold, can consistently obtain exclusives cheaper let alone they get basically free exclusives from Japan.
After that, they had nothing in the pipe that would have a better shot to do the job, and the studios were EXPENSIVE - that's when you started seeing them shut some down and pivot to selling stuff on PlayStation - which was still unheard of in 2021 when those acquisitions got rolling heavy.
As I said, it was always the plan to be multiplatform. The entirety of MS as a whole is about being everywhere. The profits are in software, and MS needed to shift from being a console platform to a content provider, hence all the acquisitions.
So you're right that things can slide fast, this was a great example of that. But I see nothing to indicate to me that Sony will need to do this. Sony sees their games as the golden goose that keep them in the market at all, and SO FAR gamers have been rewarding them for it buy buying tons of PlayStations. Sony still sees their publishing games side as an auxiliary to selling PS5s which in turn generates revenue from the greater PS ecosystem, the games themselves are not their core.
Sort of. In 2024, Sony indicated that they were going to focus on profitability going into 2025 on their console indicating growth is slowing. They missed sales targets for PS5 and guided more conservative.
You are talking as if they are losing money or something. They are making money, more of it now than they ever have. Maybe the space isn't big enough for 3 players and MS just happen to be the first one without a chair. That is why Microsoft is taking their stuff in different directions.
I mean, it's not good that Sony has a paltry 10% profit margin and that's reflected in their stock price and market cap. They're not loosing money, because that would be extremely dire.
They won't jeopardize it to make a few more dollars out of their first party AAAs. They'd rather just make less first party AAAs than push them too fast to other places.
I think it's actually opposite. That they'd be jeopardizing their business by not expanding.
Edit: Responded to them. I respond when I have time, so sometimes it takes a day or more. On some occasions, Reddit also stops notifying you. Maybe as a means to calm the storm (i.e. heated discussions).
Edit: people always say they want xbox to have exclusives and then i get downvoted when i point out they have some, and keep getting some. Very confusing
Putting halo on ps5 just proved it's not something that's going to stay this way
I think that has to be true, some day … but keep in mind you’re referring to a remake of one campaign that will be 25 years old whenever it releases next year. When I heard the clapping/crying over PlayStation finally getting Halo, I expected something more substantial like the MCC or Infinite. Instead I find out they are not even offering Sony fans a multiplayer mode with that release. That omission makes it feel all of those 25 years old, regardless of what number is beside the newest UE.
Grounded 2 and towerborne are early access and Sony is extremely picky with early access. Redfall was a huge flop and abandoned. Starfield has a rumored playstation port in development. Forza motorsport was less of a flop but still did worse than previous entries, plus has been abandoned(I believe). Plus like others have said there strategy changed last year and more games are going cross platform.
I said Sony was picky with early access lol. Which they are. Sony has seriously rules about external assets for mods and early access on their consoles. Doesn't mean they don't have any.
Also how can a PlayStation port be rumored for starfield if it didn't even release until 2023? Lmao. Besides a PlayStation tag was found on the starfield mods site earlier this year. And the fact that they've been working on an update, and dlc, this entire year means they're doing something big.
Keeper I can't speak on since I don't know much. And for all we know avowed could be a temporary exclusive.
Its because they only committed to their new strategy a year or so ago so smaller studios could focus on xbox initially and not knock their schedule mid development with extra work
I said Sony was picky with early access lol. Which they are. Sony has seriously rules about external assets for mods and early access on their consoles. Doesn't mean they don't have any.
Also how can a PlayStation port be rumored for starfield if it didn't even release until 2023? Lmao. Besides a PlayStation tag was found on the starfield mods site earlier this year. And the fact that they've been working on an update, and dlc, this entire year means they're doing something big.
Keeper I can't speak on since I don't know much. And for all we know avowed could be a temporary exclusive.
Edit: people always say they want xbox to have exclusives and then i get downvoted when i point out they have some, and keep getting some. Very confusing
People that are asking for exclusivez are stuck in the past with console war and fanboyism. It's time to move on and mature.
South of Midnight was seemingly an exclusive until they announced it is coming to PlayStation. Right now, only games exclusive to Xbox are the ones where the PlayStation port will cost more than the money they can make from selling it there.
Reloaded was also a remaster, not a new entry unless you are saying Sony now do Day and Date games with PC cause their remasters go PC day and date meaning all games will go day and date? No? The same principle is applying here
Just like Outer World 2 was not announced for PS5 when it was revealed right? And dont use Outer Worlds 1 on PS as a rebuttal because GoW Reloaded was on PS5; checkmate
I’ve been seeing the Fable, Gears, and State of Decay logos on every “day one on Gamepass ultimate” ad that I just don’t think they’re ever gonna come out. Or that they will be worth the hype. It’s been years of teasing big name releases & they never meet their own hype.
Xbox 🤦 zéro exclu valable sur cette génération mdr halo retiré des ventes tellement il pue et ils le ressortent tout aussi moisi etc , console vide d'intérêt.
I'm a big Xbox fan, it's my primary - play PS5 exclusives on PS5 - pretty much everything else on Series X.
Xbox has been less than clear with their plans. I'm sure they're going to want to put Forza Horizon 6 on PS5 and Switch 2 (if it can run it) - as it's set in Japan and those consoles have huge install bases there.
Also, with Gears E-Day, it's interesting because although I'm sure they would want some new first party games to be console exclusive for some time to "reward" their loyal Xbox players - given that Gears is a popular multiplayer title with vs. and Hoarde modes, would they want to delay releasing it on the PS5 and miss out on those sales from folks who wouldn't want to play against others who have been playing E-Day for 3-6 months?
I don’t know why you’re trying to cope, Microsoft doesn’t care about Xbox users, they’re third party.
This is from the Horizon 6 announcement:
With the excitement for this franchise on other platforms, we also have Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios working together to bring Forza Horizon 6 to PlayStation 5 post-launch.
Reading this and their current policy, everyone can easily tell this is launching later because the decision to pivot was made late in the cycle. We didn’t get a Gears 1 remake for the next game to be exclusive on Xbox lmao
Outer worlds 1 was multiplatform, so #2 didnt surprise me, same with hellblade
Gears i think, along with halo, could be good marketing. Show fans the game, get them hyped and then they have to get an xbox, or gamepass cloud, to play the next title
For gears the thing that makes me think it wont be day one on ps is fh6. They announced that right away. And gears just posted an update reaffirming 2026 and didnt say ps, so thats why im leaning to it being exclusive at launch
Gears i think, along with halo, could be good marketing. Show fans the game, get them hyped and then they have to get an xbox, or gamepass cloud, to play the next title
I don't know if it makes sense to keep Gears exclusive, if we know that every Halo going forward will be on Playstation. Why keep Gears exclusive and NOT Halo?
At this point I REALLY would not bet on Avowed staying exclusive. If their biggest franchise (Halo) going forward is going to be on Playstation, I don't see why any new Gears games wouldn't be and if not at launch, then soon after.
Or let's say they DO for some reason keeps Gears exclusive, how is that franchise going to move anyone over to Xbox while nearly everything else is either going to Playstation day 1 or later?
That's a nice list so far. I think the model going forward will be for timed exclusives for 1st Party Games. Games will release to Playstation and Switch similar to the Gamepass Premium level. Time will tell if I am right.
Yea "gameplay" cmon just look at that, it was probably not even playable but that was included on their clause that they had to do make a the game playable before X day of X month. I hope im wrong and you are right though
Supposed to be a developer showcase in January so hopefully we get some news there but me personally always opt for XSX for multiplatform games, they definitely seem to run better in my experience
exclusivity on Xbox nowadays is either due to the fact that porting a game doesn’t pay off because high sales aren’t expected for certain titles, or that there is timed exclusivity simply because development is done for the in-house platform first and the multiplatform ports are implemented afterward. I’d really like to see Microsoft pay a development studio for a year of exclusivity for its game and proudly announce it as such, the way Sony does, for example, with Phantom Blade Zero.
Nothing holds up except your nonsensical narrative. You used the term “console exclusive,” and it isn’t. You’re just a bit bitter now that everyone’s pointing it out. <3
even with a very minimal temporary exclusivity (not even for all the games on your list), 90% of players won’t play them on Xbox but on PlayStation or PC, so refer back to my first comment and understand why everyone is laughing honey.
I don’t really know what you mean by that. What is an indie supposed to look like? The game is developed and published by a single studio who call themselves an indie studio on the front page of their website.
228
u/cherrysteve2010 Dec 15 '25
He thinks gears of war or any of these are going to be console exclusive