(Business Perspective) Does MS really need Xbox Hardware?

[Zippy6]

IcaroRibeiro said:

Azzanation said:

Wanted to bump this thread off the recent rumors.

How are people feeling of MS leaving the physical and possibly soon the console hardware market? 

Sad. I don't want to pay 700 USD in my next Playstation 

 I don't understand responses I have seen from many people like this, expecting Sony to run rampant with horrific negative consequences for consumers. If Xbox left the console hardware business it would not give Sony free reign to do whatever they want and screw over consumers however they wish. Negative decisions that are harmful to their userbase will hurt Sony regardless of if Xbox consoles exist or not. Gaming is a massive industry and there will always be competition from other platforms and services whether that is from traditional console hardware or something else. Where there is opportunity someone will take it and providing a poor level of value to your customers greatly increases that opportunity for others.

There will always be competition in some form because there will always be companies looking for opportunities to make money.

Steam have basically a monopoly on PC gaming, but they haven't become horrifically anti-consumer. Why? Because they won't stay at their incredibly dominant position for long if they start screwing their consumers over.