My personal opinion: Keys to Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Success.
Please note that I know a lot of this is expensive for the company Microsoft but this is just thoughts on how to gain market share and sales, not necessarily money. Although I do believe that these steps could gain Microsoft money in the long run. These steps are made to benefit the Xbox 360 so while it may benefit Xbox 360 sales and users it may hinder or displease other users and consoles. Please don’t look at it that way.
I don't know why every number is the number '1'. Please ignore that distraction and read regardless. Enjoy guys.
First Party Games
- Acquire close 3rd party partners. Companies like Valve and Epic would look great under the belt of Microsoft Game Studios. A couple of these companies have already hinted towards interest of being bought out by Microsoft. Essentially start rebuilding the first party studios with studios that fit and work well with your company like the two previously mentions.
- Buy out companies for Xbox Live Arcade. Digital Distribution is becoming more and more popular and it shows no signs of slowing. Preparing a strong line up of exclusive online games for your console might be the next necessary step. Having companies like The Behemoth, Twisted Pixel and others only producing content for your platform is a great thing to have and for other consoles to covet.
Xbox Live
- Make it free. Hear me out on this one though. Drop the silver membership and upgrade everybody to Gold. This means everyone will be able to play online for free. All Gold members prior to the upgrade will be upgraded to a Platinum status. The Platinum status users will be able to get Downloadable content before gold users, invites to betas to games and dashboard update betas and other perks a long those lines. With making Xbox LIVE free right out of the box you literally open potential online buyers to millions of people. These people will be more likely to buy add ons, map packs, etc if they are able to play online for free. This, Advertisements and optional platinum status membership subscriptions will off set the cost of it being free. Or at least in theory.
- Make more content free. Don’t be too stingy with the downloadable content being free. Every now and then surprise your consumer with some free content that they would expect to be free. The users will like this and pay attention to the marketplace more often. The money they didn’t spend on the free content, they will spend on something else on the marketplace so you will eventually get the money one way or another.
Hardware
- Its time for a revamp and that means natal + slim. Ditch the disc tray, include internal wi-fi, include a hard drive with every 360, wireless controller with play and charge pack and bundle in Natal. With every 360 including Natal, Wi-Fi, hard drive and free online the sales will jump tremendously. Users will easily and literally be able to “Jump In” and only for a flat cost. This may be very expensive for Microsoft, but you’re competing for market share. At the end of the generation people are going to look at how many consoles you sold not how much money you made to determine a successful console. I think it will eventually pay off and be worth it in a long run. You have to spend some money to make money.
- Make the hardware reliable. You have improved vastly over the years but still not yet to the point where it is acceptable. Improve the boards and make a better image for yourself to everyone.
- Slash the price of accessories. The accessories for the 360 are massively over priced. The consumer is looking to have the most fun at the least possible price. Having them buy the basic console for cheap and then making everything else extremely over priced really does scare away a lot of people. Balance out your prices more and make them fairer.
Japan
- Follow the previously mentioned hardware revamp. This will be a big hit in Japan.
- Start scoring quality games. Make talks with companies like Capcom to score actual “exclusetivity” of games like Monster Hunter and Sega with games like Yakuza. With just one of these gamer permanently exclusive with your new hardware model you could gain a lot of market share. On the same note, start getting your own exclusive RPGs like Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon. Don’t settle for time exclusive games, make experiences for Japanese users truly “Only on Xbox”.
All and all Microsoft needs to just spend some money in departments they have kind of neglected for other things. All my suggestions are highly costly for Microsoft but if they played their cards right they could end up being very profitable and in a much better position in the console race. I do not claim to be smarter than the people working at Microsoft, nor do I have any experience in business. They know a lot better than I with how to run a business and things a long those lines. These are merely just observations of a fan. Please do not flame, troll, etc. Post constructive criticisms, improvements and in the rare occasion agreements to my post. Thank you for having the attention span to read all of this. Keep gaming guys. -SMC
