They are better off going 3rd party and having an xbox service for windows PCs for the high end specs and release a controller and lower specs for PS and Nintendo. Remove all their games from other services like steam and put it on their own one that comes with windows.

Xbox is 3rd party now.

But they still need a gamepass delivery machine.

Nice try, Hermen Hulst

Only if they care more about growing gamepass for its potential.... which is many many years down the road in the future,
than actually profits from selling software/games can generate (here and now).

Its like that they don't.... well of course they care.... but not to the degree they are willing to give up making money (that just being a 3rd party publisher could bring in).

As it stands, now. I think they care more about their big publishing studios and their potential to sell games,
than they do about gamepass or their own console hardware.  That's basically what I'm trying to say.

So right now, xbox priorities are like this:
big publishing houses doing well (selling as 3rd party) > game-pass potential in future > console hardware.


If game-pass or consoles sales get in the way..... they could be cut.
That is how I think xbox views things, after spending those $70-80bn on building up their studios.
The value of their studios, currently is more important than anything, for xbox.

So basically, if they get things going at a good pace, software wise and selling games.
They won't give two sh*ts about game-pass imo.

How many projects have Microsoft closed down? Who's to say that game-pass won't just be another one such?

MS is all about subscriptions to maintain revenue. But they're finding out now it's much easier to keep companies subscribed than fickle consumers that can't simply write off subscriptions as business expenses and subscribe selectively.

Selling games is still more profitable than renting them out when people subscribe for a month here and there. It's fine for older games but day 1 releases on rental services is shooting yourself in the foot.

So they might drop day 1 access first and/or raise the prices further, which will shrink interest in gamepass. But as long as they can get sales from other platforms gamepass will survive. Kind of a contradiction, more gamepass growth, less revenue for new releases.

NO, but really, if Sony sells his next console (or next PS5 revision) for 666,000 Dollars, man, than would be AWESOME!. Really!

Think about that.

The lack of visual upgrades and peoples awareness of this is a big reason why I don't think MS would go the route of $1000 range console. Everyone learned during the 2020 lead up and launch that paper specs don't mean near as much as they used to, and can flat out lead you to believe more power means more better (visuals) and that's not necessarily the case in the grand scheme of things with console competition. You've also got big names in the news saying the visual console wars are over and something else will have to be the goal going forward. All the hardcore console gamers know this, and few casuals care about high end console hardware, so this ultra high end console route is something that would be very niche, so to me it makes little sense for MS to take this approach next gen.

I'd also say if MS were going to sell $1000 range console, then it has to be the only SKU. If they try and sell an ultra high end model, plus another S model, or even worse a handheld model, that they're going to end up with the same or even worse problems as Series S/X. MS knows that's a problem they need to solve for devs, so to me, in this case, it's either go ultra high end only, or go low end only. A handheld and S model with very similar hardware and performance fixes that problem and allows MS to keep their foot in the console door, while sticking their other foot in the handheld door. Those doors also have mass appeal, and allow XB the opportunity for far more sales potentially, if priced reasonably (low) enough. Pro and X models don't sell that well, where as S models have sold ok enough and Switch sales are incredible.

You're XB Play and XB blade idea are original enough that perhaps that's something MS could work with. I don't see it having mass appeal, at least not at first, but potentially much more appeal than simply a $1000 range console next gen. It ties into their play anywhere marketing nicely as well.

IF they make an new Xbox they should do a premium console with exchangable parts. GPU, CPU, RAM, Cooler... you just name it different than in the PC business like "Blocks" and brand them in the Xbox way. Make Xbox compatible with AMD/ nVidia GPUs so this "Master Race" bullshit stops. But market it as a console. Unfortunally MS won't use a DD anymore wich will cost costumers like me but they could add the Steam store to make it more apealing even for PC gamers. The possibility to upgrade your console could make it more powerfull over time, especially if the PS6 really was more powerfull, so it could also be interesting for PS6 users. Upgradable options could get PCgamers in (of course Mouse and Keyboard support stays). The only way you could reject it then would be if someone is a real fanboy of another brand or hardcore MS hater no matter what they do... Of course changing their charity way of gaming back to full exclusivity would be a necessary step! If i was in charge, i would do it...