(Business Perspective) Does MS really need Xbox Hardware?

[Pemalite]

Azzanation said:

Disagree. Not all competition is good. You think Epic Games Store entering the PC space was great competition for Valve? It caused more of a problem with consumers than gains. Nintendo and Sega were doing quite well to before Sony entered, adding that 3rd player which ended up killing Sega.

Epic entering the PC space was great for us, the consumers.

We get free games frequently.

Valve has also invested more time and effort into it's store.

The difference between before Sony entered the console market verses today is that the console market is FAR larger and FAR more mature.

Back around the mid 90's the console market was about $35 billion. - Today? $140 billion.

The 4th gen consoles finished the generation with less than 100~ million consoles across the Super Nintendo, Sega Mega Drive, PC Engine, Neo Geo, Phillips CD-i.

Fast forward to 8th generation and the Switch (122.5)+Playstation 4(106)+Xbox One(58.5) is at a combined 287 million.

And you want to try and convince the world there is no room for 3 competitors?

In an even split each manufacturer should be able to achieve 90~ million consoles in a perfect world which is perfectly healthy.

And you want to try and convince the world there is no room for 3 competitors?

Come on.

Azzanation said:

I would rather see a healthy 2 platform console race than 3. Xbox is literally wasting resources in a industry they cant compete in. Set the full focus on making great games and remove the focus on hardware. Go back to full PC development and put games on the high selling consoles to increase overall sales and IP popularity.

Microsoft is doing fine.

If you don't like their consoles for whatever reason... Then that is your prerogative.
But you don't speak for everyone.

Microsoft actually has dedicated game developers and hardware developers, taking the hardware away isn't going to change how Microsoft develops games... But it does take away potential for Microsoft's hardware teams to do cool and unique things... And they absolutely have in the past.

Azzanation said:

This also doesnt damage me the slightest as a consumer. Only benefits me. It means MS can focus solely on building the best games again without the distractions of hardware.

Yeah. Nah.

It does damage you as a consumer, reduced competition breeds complacency. - We need all three manufacturers to be healthy, to be competitive.