The fact that Microsoft put 1st party titles on PC should tell you all you need to know about how Microsoft views the console war.

I saw this before the current generation even started. With the original Xbox MS exclusives consisted of Sega games, and ported PC titles. PS2 couldn't and didn't get any of MS's games simply because PS2 wasn't powerful enough to play them at the time. When gen 7 started the 360 had the same advantage. Games like Oblivion, Bioshock, and Mass Effect were still exclusive to the Xbox brand. Sony slowly recovered from it's early PS3 mistakes and started getting these games too. Once that happened Microsoft had lost most of it's exclusive franchises. Around the time that MGSIV came out the writing was already on the wall. Sony was getting all the non-nintendo exclusives developed in the east, and all the western developed AAA games to boot. 

So there we were with Microsoft in a bad position towards the end of gen 8. And how did they choose to recover from this position? They announced the XB1 would be $100 more than the competition with possible DRM the likes of which not even PC gets. 

The console war between Sony and MS ended with the XB1 reveal. We've just been watching a slaughter ever since. MS is in just as bad a position right now as Nintendo was with the N64. 

When I say "given up" I think.... trying to really push sales, for this generation.

I dont think MS will drop out as long as they see profit in staying around.

Its like after they stumbled out the gate, they decided to cut back on costs for xbox.

Maybe next gen, with Xbox Two, they ll dedicate more to trying again.

The problem with it thouh is it will not sell very well which will lead to very little unpaid support. They already have an issue with disc based games from xbox one not working on it. How many versions of a game are developers supposed to make?

Wait what? is that true and how do you know so?

Funny how that list includes Dead Rising 4 which is timed, but doesn't include all the timed exclusives they showed this year.
TO answer your question they did the best they could with what they have right now.

Sony's endgame died? Explain. 

Yeah MS got into the bussiness to ward off Sony from intruding on their PC bussiness right? Also I agree that MS is after "games as a service" type profits, and that they won't try to launch another console after Scorpio. 

Microsoft's end game has not died. They're actually turning in a profit with the xbox one which is all they need to stay relevant.

Fans can only hope they treat their remaining franchises with as much respect as possible and at the same time not pander too much.

Halo Wars 2 was solid, but a sales disaster. Less of that, more quality games that people ask for. People want a quality Conker game, so go make it. People want Halo to go back to its roots, so go do it.

MS can't afford to game with crap like Scalebound / recore.

Microsoft is pretty much just carving their own niche at this point. Gone are the days of trying to wrestle the market to themselves. Sinking billions into a console war with no returns doesn't seem to be the MO anymore. "Xbox" is a platform now, really. If they can continue to make money with it, then I'm sure that's the bottom line now.