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Forums - Microsoft - I think the Next Xbox should be a premium price console

DroidKnight said:

An entry level and mid-range option will give options to the consumer who may not be able to afford a high-end console. 

That's Series S and X all over again!

If you think repeating the same losing strategy next generation is a good idea then you are out of your mind.

Xbox needs a bold new direction and create a new market.  I truely beleive they can do this with a premium console.  If they Made a high end Game Pass/Steam console and then market it as PC gaming but without that nonsense; they could be on to a winner.

But repeating the same mistakes that has lead then to last place is stupid.

DroidKnight said:

 Over 30 million consoles sold so far, over 21.5 billion dollars in revenue for 2024 up from 15.4 billion revenue from 2023.  

The jump is because of the Activision buyout and game pass price hike, not becuase they suddenly sold more consoles or games on the platform.

Source: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/xbox-q2-hardware-sales-down-29-as-game-pass-experiences-record-growth



Sony want to make money by selling art, Nintendo want to make money by selling fun, Microsoft want to make money.

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I’m not sure about the price being that high but if Microsoft continues to make hardware then I do see it being released at higher profit margins. If you can’t win marketshare then you need to make sure your hardware is profitable.

However, I don’t see hardware being the main focus for Microsoft going forward. Between pushing Game Pass, purchasing Activision & Bethesda, releasing their games on Sony/Nintendo devices and “This is an Xbox” marketing, it’s pretty clear that they are transitioning to a future not dependent on hardware and instead getting their software & services on as many devices as possible.

They can and likely will continue to make hardware but it has to be profitable and act as an extra revenue stream rather than being the main focus of the division. Games & services is going to be the focus.



When the herd loses its way, the shepard must kill the bull that leads them astray.

zorg1000 said:


They can and likely will continue to make hardware but it has to be profitable

This is pretty much the key point.

This was the starting point and I just went in my own direction with this.



Sony want to make money by selling art, Nintendo want to make money by selling fun, Microsoft want to make money.

only777 said:

That's Series S and X all over again!

If you think repeating the same losing strategy next generation is a good idea then you are out of your mind.

But repeating the same mistakes that has lead then to last place is stupid.

I did state the differences from the current generation.  No longer selling hardware for a loss.  They don't have a handheld device this generation.  They don't have a proper entry level device with proper minimum specks.  They don't have a high end device this generation.  The only thing the same would be the mid level entry device on par with a PS6.  The other major difference if it is implemented would be the duel Steam/Xbox OS.  

If you think I mentioned them repeating the same strategy, then you are out of your mind. 



...to avoid getting banned for inactivity, I may have to resort to comments that are of a lower overall quality and or beneath my moral standards.

DroidKnight said:

I did state the differences from the current generation. Â No longer selling hardware for a loss.

Great, so they can sell a lower powered device for more money than Sony will sell the PS6 for.

I'm sure people will jump at that bargin!



Sony want to make money by selling art, Nintendo want to make money by selling fun, Microsoft want to make money.

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only777 said:
DroidKnight said:

I did state the differences from the current generation. Â No longer selling hardware for a loss.

Great, so they can sell a lower powered device for more money than Sony will sell the PS6 for.

I'm sure people will jump at that bargin!

They don't care about Sony, other than putting their games on as many devices as they can. You appear to be under the belief that Xbox will try to compete with Sony's hardware division.  Xbox themselves already stated that is no longer their strategy.  

edit:  If the next boxes have the duel OS, then there is a reason to pay more money. 

edit #2: I'm also not sure why you think the Xbox entry level device would cost more than the PS6.

Last edited by DroidKnight - on 28 February 2025

...to avoid getting banned for inactivity, I may have to resort to comments that are of a lower overall quality and or beneath my moral standards.

At this point I would agree with you Xbox is now like a console steam at this rate.



BiON!@ 

I've complied all my thoughts into 6 minutes.

I don't expect anyone to agree with me, and that's fine.

But in 2027 I can come back and show I was right....again.



Sony want to make money by selling art, Nintendo want to make money by selling fun, Microsoft want to make money.

Currently, given the shitshow that is PC GPU market, $1000 XBOX console that can run Steam with reasonably high settings sounds like quite a good deal.

But then again, PC has one key advantage over consoles and that is upgradability, so I'm not so sure how many PC gamers would buy system that is not upgradable.



only777 said:

I know most people don't want to see an Xbox cost $1000, but I think it's for the best; here's why.

I have a theory about the next Xbox console with Microsoft say they are making. First lets add up what we know for sure:

1) They have said it'll be the biggest leap ever in tech terms
2) They are putting their games on PS5/Switch 2 as well
3) Sales for Xbox hardware has fallen off a cliff
4) Some 3rd parties (like Capcom) are starting to skip releasing Xbox versions of games because of the low sales numbers.
and
5) A rather long point, but important. Sony/Nintendo/Xbox sell their consoles at a loss or break even because they make the money back on game sales. This is the current business model and why consoles are cheap to buy considering the bill of materials to make them.

If Microsoft release yet another console, same sort of Spec as PS5 Pro/PS6 we know its going to bomb hard, and I'm sure Microsoft know this.

I really doubt a handheld device is really a viable business for Microsoft. If they can't get people to buy their home console, why would someone buy their handheld over a Switch 2 or Steamdeck? Also it's worth noting that even the Steamdeck has only sold around 5 million units.

So what market if left for Xbox to sell in?

I think if they are smart they will create a new market; a premium console market.
They could create a very high powered box and sell for around $1000-$1200.
Now clearly this is not a mass market device, but they have alread failed in that market so why try again?

No, I think the only viable business Xbox hardware can be in is a premium market. A high powered box, that gives users access to Gamepass, but also Steam.
Hopefully they could cut some sort of deal with Valve, to get an "Xbox certified" tag added to Steam games much in the same way you have "Steam Deck certified".

This way, they can make a profit on the hardware sold rather than on games, because lets face it, they are not making money on Xbox games.

I'm just saying.....



Sony want to make money by selling art, Nintendo want to make money by selling fun, Microsoft want to make money.