Because I learned my lesson. They had next to nothing compared to Ps3 between the years of 2010 and 2013, and they promised the next gen would be better. I bought an Xbox One hoping it'd have the momentum and quality and variety of the first 4 years of the Xbox 360's life cycle...but the entire generation was crap. The Xbox One has virtually nothing of value on it I can't get elsewhere on consoles I actually play on. I trusted them, and I got burned for it. what makes you honestly think that the exact same thing won't happen again? nothing has changed, just the number of bought companies. If anything, things are even worse now than they were in 2010-2013, because it's been even longer since Microsoft was a driving force in the industry. 

CAN they turn it around? sure, of course they CAN. sony fucked up in Gen 7 and they turned it around. The thing is, they have done nothing to give me that impression. 

Last generation I went into it with cash to spare and a willingness to give them the benefit of the doubt. I'd gotten over the 7th gen console wars and decide I was going to 'have it all, baby' (As my signature suggests). Therefore, there were no sides. I was on everyone's side as long as the games kept coming. but they didn't. This gen, I'm poor as fuck and have to pick sides. PS5 has loads upon loads of amazing games I want to play already, is backwards compatible to the generation I actually like, and has a history of delivering the goods throughout and trying new things. Xbox has a history of failing to deliver, underdelivering on what promises it does make, failing to make anything of acquired studios, and a general shit mentality to consoles. 

I don't WANT to pick sides, but I have to and it ain't Xbox. Them having one good franchise in Elder Scrolls is a loss for me, not a reason to get a console. they need a lot more to make it worth my time and money. Until then, it's just a loss for me and anyone else who can't be bothered to buy a historically poor brand. 

Oh, it is. that's why it hurts so much and why I'm booing so loudly. I always secretly and quietly hope they turn it around, because one thing you and I agree on is that Microsoft does well it's good for everyone. If Microsoft makes great games, it's good for everyone. I just don't have any history to pull from that indicates to me that they're going to do that. My expectation based on past history is that it's just 5 outstanding franchises going to die on a console that has basically nothing else. 

Assuming they're going exclusive (they'd be dumb not to, given the circumstances), that just brings Microsoft's trinity to include Doom, Wolfenstein, and Elder Scrolls. So...two more shooters and a western RPG. the brand as a whole is still stunningly American-Centric. That's not bad, but it's still only one marketplace. Elder Scrolls and Fable are Western Fantasy RPGs. Forza is a racing game (which while very American actually is the most international of their brands). Halo, Gears of War, Doom, and Wolfenstein are all western shooters. I like Doom, but not enough to buy a console. I love skyrim and it's almost enough to make me want to buy a console for its sequel. nothing else matters, but losing Elder Scrolls hurts. 

I can still buy it on PC but hot damn my PC is not strong enough to run a next-gen game. 

Point is, I'm just blathering like a baby here because I'm grumpy that Xbox won so hard with this acquisition and I don't get to benefit from it. 

You are simply insulting Microsoft without even looking at the facts.

Last gen response to issues with Xbox One:
1. They brought in GamePass as a make-good for not having as many major exclusives and own title to rival the competition. They brought in great third party games in the service that brings value to their customers at no extra costs. They really focus on bringing compelling games for their players when you look at their console exclusives and game that joined game pass. 
2. Last gen Microsoft decided to fund third party studios instead of investing in their own studios and that was a failure with low-quality titles or cancel projects.  Crackdown 3; Scalebound, many low Metacritic games, and I bet there are a bunch of unknown deals that also failed.  
3. They responded to the lack of internal studios growing from 8 to 15 internal studios,  they even built one studio from the grounds up in the initiatives.
4. They are leading the way in terms of backward compatibility and enhanced older games to play on current-gen consoles. 
5. Drop and stop support useless tech that was Kinect 2.0 and the customer clearly did not want. 

This gen:
1. They responded by giving us the most powerful consoles at a very competitive price.
2. They also giving you the most affordable console (Xbox Series S), which really decreases the barrier to entry.
3. They just bought Zenimax, which has been in the work since 2018.
4. They continue to bring more value to game pass by adding titles and making a deal with EA.
5. Unlike Sony they have always been upfront about supporting the last-gen consoles that are tremendous value for people that can't afford to make the jump right away. 

What has Sony has done this generation lock away exclusives, they increased game price at $70, and lied about being all about believing in Generations with misleading marketing. 

Well at least you are being honest with this. Many would put on a fake face and twist the narrative if they didn’t like this news. Props to you on that. 

go, watch it!

Been trying to be honest and forthright as I can. Have I ever given you the impression I don't say exactly what I mean? 

Honestly, I think we'd all be better if we just outright said that 90% of our comments come from a place of bias. I wasn't biased last gen because I had both consoles - Microsoft just wasn't doing it for me and their sales numbers indicate I'm not the only one - but this generation I don't have that luxury. 

First world problems, I know.

My responses to this are strictly selfish. I'm not gonna pretend this is bad for Microsoft OR for Bethesda. I'm not going to go on some stupid rant about how this is anti-consumer or try to act like I wouldn't be cheering if it was my 'side' that did the same thing. I'm not going to whine and cry about how this is some karmic justice against Sony or how this is offensive or try to push false narratives about various factors. My stance is simple: I'm getting a PS5, I can't afford to get an XSX as well, so any games that are exclusive to the XSX are essentially lost to me. That sucks. when Sony loses out on something, I lose something as well. I want Sony to 'win' because it means I win by proxy and get more games. 

I still think Sony has a far, FAR stronger lineup and I can live without doom or Wolfenstein or Dishonoured or whatever, but man that Elder Scrolls is a hell of a loss. Kudos to your team. 

Well, I believe Phil has already answered how exclusivity will be handled. I believe he said it would be on a per-game basis, so that should tell you that some games may be exclusive and others may be multiplatform. The huge games like Fallout or Elder Scrolls I could see MS keeping multiplatform but then others like Doom, Wolfenstein, and Dishonored, etc... being Xbox/PC only. So I guess.... nobody really knows how MS will handle it, maybe everything will end up being Xbox/PC only or maybe everything stays multi-platform or like I said, maybe a mixture of exclusivity and multi-platform.

Honestly wouldn't bother me personally if they went exclusive, doesn't really affect me as a PC gamer.

One of the largest criticisms that people leveled against the Xbox 360 in it's later years and definitely the Xbox One... Was that the Xbox "lacked exclusives" and that it was just a "Forza, Gears, Halo" console.
It's an opportunity to turn that relevant criticism around entirely on it's head.

My initial thoughts after seeing the acquisition news was that the games would release day one on Gamepass and on the PS5 for $70 as Xbox users gain massive benefits from having all these in Gamepass day one and PS5 users can still pay them a premium to play it and everyone wins and plenty of $$$ is made.

but now after a few days I'm not so sure if that will be the case realising that Elder Scrolls and Fallout are now potentially the two biggest platform sellers that Xbox currently have in their library.

The first option of putting them everywhere will make the most money in the short term for sure but the second option of bringing in more people to the ecosystem either on console or PC via Gamepass subs or profits from the 30% cut from third party game sales will likely be the strongest plan in the long term.

What makes you think "more people" is "more enough" to offset the $7.5B + the running costs for all the new people/real estate?

There seem to be too many people thinking "MS buys studios - MS gets more gamers" is a proven concept. But is it, really? For me, I have the nagging feeling that, once again, MS had to bail out the XBox group.