Major Nelson just retweeted this article... Thoughts?

"The console war is over" https://t.co/YXVXVeAiZ8

— Larry Hryb (@majornelson) July 24, 2020

The console war is over

Let's take Xbox. The company's current strategy is really not compatible with trying to out-sell PlayStation 5. The company is making all of its first-party exclusive games available via PC, its streaming service xCloud, and -- for a few years at least -- its current (and much cheaper) Xbox One device.

Xbox boss Phil Spencer told us earlier this month that he finds it "counter to what gaming is all about" to "force someone to buy my specific device on the day I want them to go buy it".

The fact that there will be no fully exclusive Series X games takes away one of the big motivating factors behind buying the console. It has also sparked a conversation around whether first-party studios will feel able to make the most of the new machine if they need to keep the old one in mind when developing their games. Microsoft feels strongly that it won't be an issue, but even if it is, in the minds of Spencer and his team, that small negative is more than offset by the benefits of being available across platforms.

Game Pass subscribers, which now total more than 10 million customers. If Microsoft turns around to those 10 million people and says that they have to buy an expensive new box in-order to access the next set of big Xbox games, that might result in decent console sales, but will likely hurt its subscriber base. That isn't an acceptable outcome to the company.

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-07-23-the-console-war-is-over-opinion

This is like me posting PS tweets as thread topics. Immediately suspicious.

Edit: Having read it, it’s obvious it’s about MS flipping the board game and not playing by traditional rules. We all know PS brand is too strong globally for Xbox to move more consoles in total. However they can find success by tapping into different markets. Console, PC, Subscription models, and Streaming to multiple devices. Only then can Xbox find it’s audience and truly compete on a global stage, on their terms. 

Then why make a console at all?

Consoles are the main source of GP subscribers. Console allows easiest marketing and access to the subscription and what it offers VS checking via phone or PC. Previous gen gamers move on eventually and it’s their choice to provide cross gen support in year 1. Many people are console gamers only. Xbox One has a “taint” associated with it, next gen feels (and is) new and full of potential. 1st and 3rd party digital game sales (because not everybody will use GP and still have options to buy whenever they want). 

That enough reasons? 

So, it's saying that Microsoft would be better off going third party? That's certainly the vibe I got from the article.

Yup. Saying this is him saying. We don't know why we made a console. You don't need to buy it. Reminds me when Nintendo said Gamecube had no competition. We're not competing but made a console to compete anyway was the jib they gave in 2001. Seeing it again with MS.

No the point is Xbox's main platform is now Gamepass not Xbox consoles. They are gonna combine Game pass and xcloud as well soon. And the console is just for people who like consoles since there are a lot of those. Why deny yourself any potential customers? It's more money for them.

Like I said, in regards to dropping their console, it’s about all those 3rd party game sales they’d be missing out on. Hundreds of millions of copies sold over the course of several years. It’s...not the best idea to give it up to Sony. 

Also everywhere they would put GP on a competing platform they have to give a cut. Think that’s why GP isn’t on Steam as of yet and if they did put GP somewhere else it would be Steam. Because Steam isn’t a console and Xbox would still be unique in offering GP. Better to take the whole $10 per month then give a competitor a portion. Better to keep your best card to yourself where it matters (consoles). 

And considering most current subs come from Xbox consoles, it’s in MSs best interests to keep making consoles and control the platform to best market the service how they want.

But I imagine all of this is falling on deaf ears and this thread will go back and forth for at least a week. Ok, see you tomorrow for the daily grind (uses console war punch clock, clocks out for the day).