XBOX live prints money, so they are going to continue.

I think they will do one more generation before they call it quits. Microsoft might just produce that living room pc theyve always been talking about instead of dedicated gaming hardware and leave that to sony. But I think they will do one more full gen of dedicated gaming hardware after the Xbox One X.

And how do they get all those console buyers to purchase live.  MS want both worlds, they want the PC and the console crowd.  How do they get a device into the center of people entertainment which is the TV.  No matter how popular PC ares, they are still very scant in the living room.  Even still, MS need to do some real work on the windows store because right now its not the place to be for any serious gamer.

I'd imagine them to stick around. Xbox One family is likely to live on for several years and reach at least 40 million.

They aren't exiting the console race. They are trying to merge the console and PC realm with their one unified application of Xbox which no longer just denotes consoles but their gaming division as a whole under a multiplatform application. Sony marketshare upon entrance to the industry compelled them to join. It's also what will demand them to stay. As far as I've seen micorsoft is likes to compete with other brands that have multimedia devices and challenge their marketshare so they can be the end all be all. Problem is they are losing on almost all fronts outside of windows itself and that's Pretty much a monopoly on PC.

I don't know if they'll ever really have another generation, I could see them just making updates and revisions, and moving towards something like a Steambox.

Last week I was at a con, and I saw the store struggle to sell 30 XBox One S with 1TB HDD, Forza Horizon 3 and extra game at 149,98 euros to a crowd of gamers that had come to buy lots of discounted games and hardware.

The offer started soon after I walked in.
On the speakers: "You already have a PS4, give the XBox a try, it's good!"

After looking at all the offers, chatting around, getting a couple games, I got in the queue.
On the speakers: "You can gift it to a friend!"

After the queue, I got to the register and paid for my games. I asked the cashier:
"You still have those XBoxes?"
"Yes... you want one?"
"No thanks, I already have one"

I headed for the exit.
On the speakers: "At this price you can still sell it and make some money!"


I largely thought that XBox's was only uncommon among my group of friends, but it really seems to be a larger problem.
I know this is only Italy, but I don't think this is true only of where I live: Microsoft has a popularity issue.

It's not about whether this will be XBox's last gen, it's about how many would care if it were, and Microsoft needs to address this.

No companies want another generation when their current console stops has decling sales. It's similar to why Apple keeps making new iPhones. They want people to fork out hundreds of dollars to upgrade.

No. At least the scenario when they switch from console to PC only is impossible. If they leave console market, they will leave gaming as well. Xbox Live subscriptions, third-party games money, they will all lose this if they go PC only. Right now they make money from every game sold on Xbox. If they go PC only, they will probably only get money from their exclusives - the games that they spend money to make. It doesn't make any sense. Because I don't see Windows Store becoming popular among PC gamers. It can't compete with Steam at all. But if I'm wrong and it becomes successful I still think that MS will keep making Xbox consoles but they will reposition them as an Apple TV like entertainment system for living room for those who are onboard with Windows 10 ecosystem. AppleTV is not a very popular product but it is a very nice addition for those who use Apple products. So, I think the same will be for Xbox.

Do you really wonder why when they keep lying to and deceiving their customers over and over?! 180s here, consumer unfriendly behaviour there and above all no dedicated game support.