By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
Machiavellian on 18 July 2014
Edit Thread
Burek said:
Machiavellian said:


What do you mean that the Xbox is not integral to MS.  Where are you basing this information from.  So are you telling me that MS does not want a console on the market with an established fanbase to still conbat their competitiors like Amazon, Google and probably Apple at some time.  So you are saying that MS still does not want to have a presense within the Home and have a footprint on the number one entertainment hardware which is the TV.

The reality is  who cares if the Xbox division is vital to MS business. MS sell a lot of products and spend billions on them that are not vital to their business.  As long as MS is willing to continue to fund development and growth within the department, that is all that is needed.  If MS is willing to fund 1 billion or better to keep the department running smooth so that Phil has the resources to continue to make a solid if not great product then where is the problem.  The confusion is most people posting here thinking that the Xbox division has to be vital to MS but instead, the Xbox unit needs to be revelant to MS and also stand on its own.  

Neither Apple, Google or Amazon really have a gaming console. Especially not a $500 behemoth. They have a small, neat box for about $99 that can be used for TV and Candy Crush.

Sony gets it with PSTV, although I think that it will not be a success for them. XBox brand can still be salvaged in the US, and probably by going smaller. But, as usual with hardware, they are just too late to the party, and will probably stay a bit player in the TV accessory/streaming business.

As I said in another thread, MS is slowly starting to divest XBox console from their portfolio, first by declaring it non-essential, then by shutting down its TV/Entertainment branch, and today by scaling down its presence outside of North America. 

Its not what Apple, google or Amazon have today, its what their future endevors will be in the future.  No corporation waits to see what their rivals will do but instead plan years ahead on how they will impact the market.  MS knows their rivals will have entries into the market.  Right now, Amazon and Goole have what I call entry level products, priced very low and only seen as very budget devices.  MS and Sony have the high end which are consoles that do the same thing but have a more richer development and higher end software.  Sony also have their low end budget device as you mentioned and I am going to assume that MS will also deliver such a device as well or concentrate more to add that functionality within a phone (which is probably the best way to go if you ask me).

@Bolded:  How is it that MS shut down the TV part of the Xbox them divesting in the console.  If anything, it shows that they are going to a stragety that was promised by Phil.  The TV/Entertaiment branch was Don M ideal.  Phil has stated they are going to concentrate on games and more core games.  Every move he has made can be reflected on his statments.  Close down TV arm, not core to gamers.  Move kinect from Bundle, not core to gamers.  Staff more people in their 1st party Developers.  The fact that MS is still hiring developers to their first party studios, filling out roles for their next iteration of the Xbox hardware sure does not look like they are divesting or scaling down the Xbox division, instead they are putting the resources where it couts.

Scaling down people in Europe is not scaling down what they do there.  This is a misconception from people who do not understand how big MS as a company is.  I already made a statement on this point so I will not go back into details but until people know how the distribution of resources will be done, only speculation can be made.

Edited for errors