That's why it's called a prediction.  He's estimating that if MS hadn't made the missteps that they would be in much better position now and going forward.  That if things continue the way they have been, that they will have missed out on $1B dollars in revenue.

Ms can afford it lol

i'm sure MS doesn't mind throwing a few billion here and there to keep xbox afloat.

may:P... even it happens...she has windows and software section...

While it's true that Microsoft can absorb the loss, it seems like people are trying to marginalize that loss. It's like saying you can lose a kidney because you have another--it's still a very bad thing.

Worst case scenario, Microsoft gets out of the core gaming business. Yes, it's way to soon to be thinking about that but imagine if Sony keeps doing things right and the Xbox brand never recovers. I don't think Microsoft management is committed to Xbox the way Sony is to Playstation. They'd certainly cut it loose if it became dead weight.

I don't think that will happen but it would also be foolish to pretend like Microsoft isn't watching Xbox performance closely. I promise you, they aren't simply going to blow off heavy losses with, "It's OK, we can afford it."

Yeah....i know what a prediction is. And whats fun about them is when people make a bunch and are wrong we get to criticize them for continuing to make them especially when they dont include nuances, rationale, logic or numbers.

Also my 2 year old niece could "estimate" that if MSFT (or any living being/entity for that matter) didnt make missteps they would be in "better" positions. This isnt an estimate. It is a statement about the facts of the universe. IE: If someone makes better more desirable decisions, in hindsight they would be better off because the nature of a misstep is that of not stepping appropriately, thus....duh?. Great defense for Pac you have there. Again he is regurgitating novice things and is labeled a professional or even dare I say an "expert" for such "estimations"

So I am guessing you either don't know who Pachter is and his history or are just happy to see what he is saying and choose to ignore the source. I would imagine if someone "predicts" a company to lose 1 billion dollars (where did he get that number from) then they might want to offer some insight as to how they arrived at that sum. Pachter never does this. He has no idea.

Again. Pachter. 

Yes but companies are formed to make money, not make it and then lose it.  A loss is a loss, and either way it could lead to no new xbox generations....

Exactly.

Just because MS has the money doesn't make it anymore okay.

Exactly this.  I'm apalled to hear people say that it is okay to lose $1 billion, even though they can afford it.