couchmonkey said:
I am with Jumpinbeans, sure Phil is not saying Xbox as a console is unimportant, but you can see the platform MS cares about is shifting to Live/Gamepass. Gamepass is the play to create a Netflix of gaming, and if successful, the exclusives will shift from hardware to online services. You will need the Apple service, the MS service, the EA service, the Sony service, etc to get at each company’s exclusive content. |
I ask the question, what moves gamers, is it the hardware or the games. The hardware is the vehicle to the games but MS isn't putting all their ducks into that one vehicle. They have at least 3 platforms that they are trying to take advantage of and the thing that binds them all together is gamepass. So you have PC, Xbox, Android and soon to be IOS. MS bought studios not to just limit their ecosystem to just one hardware platform but to utilize them all. Yes, MS would love for you to purchase their hardware just like they would love for people to purchase their surface devices because they spent money making them but the real prize is getting you within their ecosystem where you use all or some of their services.
You are correct that the nature of the business is changing and the big players are coming whether you like it or not. You either adapt or fall behind but what you do not do is let your competition get a leg up on you and it takes you years to claw back if ever. Sub services are coming to games, this much we know because MS and Sony has them and you can believe at some point so will Nintendo. Now you have the other guys coming, Apple, Amazon, Google, Netflix and who knows who else. You already have these services on the PC with EA, Uplay, Humble Choice. The thing is the market is already headed this way with subscription services. The thing is who will come out on top. Amazon present a good case as they are willing to bolt on other subs to their main service. MS marriage with EA Access says they probably willing to do the same. I can see MS doing a different tier where they add UPlay and other services onto Gamepass to rule them all like cable TV. Its definitely looks like that is what Amazon is trying to do with their Uplay sub add on.
