My Startling revelation of Microsoft’s true ambition.
For many it has been a mystery why Microsoft chose to delve into the video game console market, first with the Sega Dreamcast then with their own console. What was to gain? Why lose money forcing their way into an extraneous market when they were already kings of their own respective markets? As many have already surmised, Microsoft’s prime ambition in entering the Video Game Console market was to impede Sony’s expansion into other markets which threatened Microsoft’s own ambitions for expansion and pre-existing monopolies. This is no surprise of course.
The Xbox was never meant to turn a profit or be a resounding success, it was merely but the foot in the door as was even said by Microsoft themselves. The real contender came with the Xbox 360 which with its pre-emptive early launch baited Sony into playing Microsoft’s game of “build the biggest box” resulting in the disaster which was the PlayStation 3. The 360 didn’t fell the PS3, the PS3 felled itself tricked into a contest of disruption market tactics and trying to win over niche demographics instead of the market as a whole… the 360 simply just had to lap up the wounded PS3’s blood steeling its franchises and titles.
But many of you are probably wondering, if Sony is out of the Video Game Console picture, what will Microsoft do then? Nintendo is no threat and no concern. There is no money in Video Game Consoles for Microsoft, both the Xbox and 360 have cost them significantly and its unlikely they’ll ever produce a console that will reward them with the same profits and market control they have in their other fields. Quite honestly, do I really need to spell it out for you? The Answer is, take everything they’ve invested in developers, infrastructure and technology for the Xbox line and simply move it over to where their real money is, the PC.
Imagine it, Microsoft saying the next step forward in the Xbox line being a new take on PC gaming, perhaps an Xbox service exclusive to their latest version of Windows, what about an disc external drive to play the next generation of Xbox games and even old 360 and regular Xbox games, imagine instead of buying a bulking failure rate ridden console you simply buy a few peripherals for your PC, the possibilities and combination of potential ideas are nearly limitless. They’re already pushing Console Gaming in the direction of PC gaming, the step would be fairly obvious and with a ready and willing consumer base created with the Xbox line and developers at their calling, Microsoft could easily make this happen.
Not only was the Xbox intended to cock block Sony’s ambitions, but it could easily someday transfer the dynasty it has created to the PC and Windows breathing new life into the once stagnant PC gaming market.
