260°

Epic Games Store On Xbox Would Benefit Gamers, Phil Spencer Says

The Microsoft Gaming CEO wants consoles to be more like PCs.

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gamespot.com
Petebloodyonion30d ago

This is actually an interesting proposition.
Apple is currently facing some legislation issues for exactly that.

crazyCoconuts30d ago

Read between the lines. The next "Xbox" will be a PC. Of course it'll support the Epic store.

--Onilink--29d ago (Edited 29d ago )

There is no need to read between any lines… he was asked especially if it could happen and he said yes, comparing how its already done on PC, not everything is some sort of double meaning or hint to what they want to do, sometimes its just a straightforward question and a straightforward answer

And given how the EU is basically pushing against basically all sort of walled gardens more and more, I would not be surprised if this is what will eventually happens for all consoles anyway

crazyCoconuts29d ago

There's no logical reason to put an Epic store on an actual Xbox. Epic only has PC games anyway, which the XSX can't run. This is trying to sell the future of them getting out of the console business. Xbox branded stuff that runs on a PC. There's been a lot of signs pointing to this lately

--Onilink--29d ago (Edited 29d ago )

“There's no logical reason to put an Epic store on an actual Xbox. Epic only has PC games anyway, which the XSX can't run.“

Mmm what???

You do understand those storefronts could literally be selling any kind of game version? Its just game files and keys on a server, they dont sell console versions of games because there is no (legal) way to play them on PC…. Not because they can only sell PC games

Epic games (or any other storefront) on Xbox (or any other platform) would simply license with the publishers for whatever games will be in that store and you would download the version for that particular console from their servers….

Its literally just a storefront…

crazyCoconuts29d ago

Dude I don't know how to say this any other way... There is literally no reason to put an Epic storefront on an Xbox console. Every game that can run on the Xbox console is already on the console store and MS has nothing to gain by disintermediatiing their own damn store.
Epic store = PC. That's what he's saying

MrBaskerville29d ago (Edited 29d ago )

And if the current xbox gets Epic store, you will probably only be able to play games allready ported to xbox. Unless they have some magic software that can solve the porting issue.

This would also be kinda cool, because there would be more competetion on digital sales. But I think a lot of people dream of other things when they hear "Epic or Steam on xbox".

blacktiger29d ago

Not that simple buddy. You still need developers permission for any version you sell. Epic games do not own games other than selling specific version which epic games of pc that's all.

fr0sty29d ago

They're just throwing Hail Marys at this point.

Cacabunga28d ago

With his broken logic it would actually benefit PlayStation games even more when you see the gap in sales

SprigganN4G27d ago

Hope so, the final stage to consoles is evolve to PC. Nintendo wont do it they like to mantain all tight in control, Sony well... PlayStaion will be over in a couple of years, no innovation, no games, 35.000M debt.

Market will be:
1. Nintendo
2. PC/Xbox (with Epic, Steam, GamePass, even PlayStation App and other lauchers all in one, thousands of combinations and choices from Xbox to PC, Laptop, Steam Deck, ROG Ally, MSI Claw, etc )
3. Streaming platforms like XCloud, PlayStation Now, GeForce Now, Amazon Luna, Apple Arcade those being the biggest.

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 27d ago
Christopher29d ago (Edited 29d ago )

It's only interesting to Epic if they can get all the profits. Just look at how they treat iOS/Android. It's interesting to Microsoft solely because they know Sony wouldn't allow it at the level Epic wants and this would be a reason for people to move over to their console/hardware instead of Sony.

But, yeah, you know, Microsoft totally isn't competing with Sony. Totally.

Petebloodyonion29d ago

It's an interesting proposition for the consumer period.

Apple is currently facing justice for monopolistic practices related to the Iphone despite owning about half of the market share of Smartphones.
https://www.nytimes.com/202...
What's the difference between Apple and Sony when Sony controls the majority of the market share in high-end consoles?
What's the difference between Apple's practice of making sure other devices have a harder time with an iPhone
And Sony's practice of paying for exclusivity when looking at the lawsuit " tthe company had violated antitrust laws with practices that were intended to keep customers reliant on their iPhones and less likely to switch to a competing device." ?

What's the difference between the IOS store and the Playstation store?

Christopher29d ago

***What's the difference between the IOS store and the Playstation store? ***

Nothing. And it's not about market share since more money is made on Android devices than iOS. It's about the validity of a closed hardware and software system to remain as such.

theindiearmy28d ago (Edited 28d ago )

The main difference between iOS store and Playstation store is physical/retail games still exist. So publishers and consumers have another option when it comes to offering/buying games on Playstation.

Lightning7730d ago

Since they restricted me from commenting on the last major article I was gonna say Phil wants multiple store fronts on their console. Which would give the console more games, options and different ways to buy and consume.

He talked about a handheld

Expansion and meeting where Gen Z wants to take their games where ever, download somewhere and go and connect with their friends.

"This notion that Xbox can only be this one device that plugs into a television isn’t something we see in the Gen Z research. Because nothing else is like that for them,” he said.

“Some of them will have an iPhone, some will have an Android, but all the games and everything is the same. I can still get to TikTok on both of them, at least for now.

“All of their stuff is available wherever they want. So for Xbox, our brand pivot — as we attract and maintain relevance with a younger audience — is ‘Xbox is a place where I can find the great games I want to.’”

How is plus this any different than what they've been doing? They're targeting Gen not millennial and definitely not Gen X as they're old and are car from the demo. It's Z, instant access, multiple devices, f2p (sadly)

helicoptergirl29d ago (Edited 29d ago )

Sony owns a 1.25 Billion dollar stake in Epic games. First it was 250 million, then after they bought into Epic for another 1 Billion. Not to mention some of their games are sold on that store, as well as Steam. I don't see how any of this will work in regards to Steam and epic on the Xbox. Even just every PC only games will have to be optimized for console.

This all seems like a really tall order. Maybe they make a PC Xbox, but the Steam consoles didn't go well when they released them. Sony are just going to allow their games to be played on an Xbox through Epic? Maybe Sony will allow it if it's true that the majority of Xbox games are indeed going to go to playstation. Then Sony might think, well, Xbox are similar to PC now, they are not our immediate competition anymore. I don't know.

Christopher29d ago (Edited 29d ago )

***Since they restricted me from commenting on the last major article... ***

Last restriction 200d ago for 1 day. Been a lot of chances to discuss this since then. You have an alt account we should talk about?

***Phil wants multiple store fronts on their console. Which would give the console more games, options and different ways to buy and consume. ***

Phil wants to drown platforms with as many games so that the industry can move to subscriptions since platforms will no longer matter. It will also move further away from ownership and competition and let Microsoft utilize their IP power to get more for their games rather than pay platform holders for hosting and providing them, much like they did when signing agreements with UK cloud streaming companies (0% profit for the streaming companies, 100% for Microsoft).

Lightning7729d ago

"Last restriction 200d ago for 1 day. Been a lot of chances to discuss this since then. You have an alt account we should talk about?"

Why the hell would I waste my time on a stupid alt account? I'm sayin the last article I couldn't comment anymore.

I'll Leave the money, profits and what not to the company's. For Xbox users it'll mean more games, deals, discounts and more ways to consume from. Various store fronts.

Christopher29d ago (Edited 29d ago )

Just so you know, words matter.

***Since they restricted me from commenting on the last major article***

Is not the same as

***I'm sayin the last article I couldn't comment anymore. ***

And regarding:

*** I'll Leave the money, profits and what not to the company's. For Xbox users it'll mean more games, deals, discounts and more ways to consume from. Various store fronts. ***

Hey, good on you for being an ill informed consumer who will have to accept the future that the companies decide for you, not the consumers themselves.

Lightning7729d ago

You speak as if MS is the only Platform out there. There's also Sony, there's checks and balances MS moving away from ownership would kill what little they have left already. Especially knowing Sony will do pro consumer moves (like owner ship) MS can't be that dumb to have 0 ownership across everything and subscriptions only games.

Christopher29d ago (Edited 29d ago )

***You speak as if MS is the only Platform out there. There's also Sony, there's checks and balances MS moving away from ownership would kill what little they have left already.***

I spoke about Microsoft's plan to undermine Sony. Literally brought it up in my first comment to you above. Please, read all my stuff, not just part of it.

***Especially knowing Sony will do pro consumer moves (like owner ship) MS can't be that dumb to have 0 ownership across everything and subscriptions only games. ***

Unchecked, Sony would do the exact same thing. Let's not be ignorant here. Everybody needs to compete in the same market, not try and create new markets by undermining the market that exists, leveraging your massive market in cloud services, and throwing money at the situation to get people to move towards the Netflix of games and the new market of video games rather than the hardware market.

And, the big block Microsoft has isn't even Sony, it's Valve. Valve will be the holdout for their goals. Sony will eventually either lose enough market share to not be able to produce hardware, because they are a small company by far compared to Microsoft and gamers go where it's 'cheap and affordable' because they're dumb and are easily led astray by companies selling worse products, or they'll cave in and will allow Microsoft's content and continue to be fighting on hardware but lose out on profits from Microsoft games (and likely as well as companies like Epic or whomever else forces Sony to do what they want).

In the end, this is all profit seeking companies fighting each other, but right now, the lesser of all these evils is the system we have now. The one where publishers rely on hardware but don't dictate it and where hardware manufacturers are actually competing instead of letting one monopolize entirely and decide what is best for consumers.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 29d ago
Einhander197229d ago

More lies, Phil you don't care about gamers.

You want Epic on xbox because no one buys games on your platform so you have nothing to lose, and your long term goal is to force other platforms to accept other stores on their platforms including yours, lowering their own revenue while you subsidize your own xbox business until all your competition can no longer maintain themselves.

I have said from the beginning the FTC is fighting the wrong fight, instead of trying to block Microsoft from buying publishers what they need to do is force Microsoft to split up and divest its hardware and it's cloud business from it's PC software (windows) business.

Countries have laws that prevent people from dumping cheap grain or iron ect. into markets and making it so other companies can't compete, this is exactly what Microsoft is trying to do, flood the market with cheap games and hardware until no one else can compete.

crazyCoconuts29d ago

The government doesn't need to break MS up as long as they keep making the decisions they have been. They're failing just fine on their own

CrimsonWing6929d ago

You get a full steam library on your console and I’ll bite.

CrimsonWing6929d ago (Edited 29d ago )

I don’t know, maybe like that 30% of sales thing marketplaces do? 🤷‍♂️ or whatever Epic is doing do the same with Steam?

CantThinkOfAUsername29d ago

I'd love for that to happen, but looking at it realistically I doubt Valve is willing to split its 30% cut (or 20% if a game sells +1M copies) with Microsoft unless Xbox is generating a significant amount sales. On the other hand, given how cheaper older games are on Steam compared to consoles, I doubt Microsoft are willing to lose their 30% of game sales on their own store either. Anyone betting on the future of Xbox should be concerned with Phil's strategies (or lack thereof).

CBaoth29d ago

MS could've spent of third of what it cost them to acquire Activision and bought Valve for almost 3x their market value and at least have an identity. Would've never worried about royalties going this route. The reason Steambox failed was Valve's stupid decision to open license OEM companies to produce their very own steambox. Same goddamn reason Trip Hawkins failed with the 3DO. MS will never top Sony in the console space but it could've secured a spot for decades to come. Now, apparently the grass is greener in mobile pastures! Have fun with that Phil.

neomahi29d ago

Of course he would, this would get Xbox games tbag publishers wouldn't ever consider Xbox for, but, it would also get him PlayStation games, he wants sore badly, because PlayStation publishes their games to Epic Games store so, he's trying to find work arounds to get games devs don't want to publish on Xbox. Read what Euro game devs are saying about Xbox, they're getting ready to abandon it and Game Pass is showing the truth, it's flopping there too. Euros are smart, they don't want any of it..These are Phil's final attempts to see what he can do to stay relevant in the hardware market, he's desperate here, big time but this is a desperate attempt and a way to try and land games publishers don't trust Xbox with, he's a deceitful one, but it's only going to make publishers more mad because now you're insulting them and trying to pull the wool over them. By their honor they're seeing this and you'd find how honorable they are. This is also showing just how well Game Pass is really doing. (It's not). He wants Steak for the same reason. Microsoft may as well go back to making and selling PCs at this point. Phil, gave it, dude. Ya failed

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90°

The Epic Games Store Has Two More Freebies this Week

It's time to add two more games to your library for free from the Epic Games Store.

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terminalgamer.com
290°

Microsoft’s Surface and Xbox hardware revenues take a big hit in Q3

Microsoft just posted the third quarter of its 2024 fiscal financial results. The software maker made $61.9 billion in revenue and a net income of $21.9 billion during Q3. Revenue is up 17 percent, and net income has increased by 20 percent.

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theverge.com
darthv721d 10h ago

Xbox content + services up 62% while hardware down 31%... seems about right with the way they tout you don't need the hardware to play. People can play on their phones or smart tv or other means. I don't hardly play on my consoles directly since getting devices like the logitech g-cloud and ps portal. Which is to also say I have been playing more digital than physical because of these devices.

solideagle21h ago

you should apply in MS PR team buddy, I think you will do a great job in my humble opinion :)

Sonic188118h ago

I thought darthv72 and Obscure_Observer already work for Microsoft 🤔

dveio18h ago

MS: "Xbox services and content without AB up 1%, with AB up 62%. Hardware down 31%. In total a loss of 350 mill."

darthv72: "Seems about right."

MS: "Excuse m ..."

darthv72: "I don't hardly play on my consoles directly."

MS:

Lightning7713h ago

What he said was facts. How he plays games is no concern of you. Don't get too mad about it.

Cacabunga20h ago

I can tell people like you are an absolute minority..

If service is up means their fans and fanboys accepted this model and subscribed to it. The near future you will see a big decline because the service is saturated.

darthv726h ago

to you it may seem like the minority... but your bubble is shrinking because more and more are following suit. convenience is a hell of a drug and its also why physical sales only amount to 30% of overall game sales. times are changing, you either get with them or you get left behind.

neutralgamer19921h ago

Darth

30% physical sales: yet Phil and xbox division are in a rush go give up on that 30%. they don't have any right to give up any piece of the pie since the control such a little of the pie to begin with

also, the market is clearly speaking that the model Xbox is pushing isn't working right now the keyword being right now. you are right about freedom to play anywhere so i hope they put their games on steam

shinoff218319h ago

But that's been ms for years. When things aren't going their way they try to change the way things are said. For instance console sales are down, they stop telling how many sold instead telling us how many hours spent in halo or headshots. So it makes sense console sales down just say people are playing on more devices then previous. What they won't say is how many xbox players jumped ship to ps5.

Cacabunga18h ago

Hardware sales are so bad that Sony and Nintendo are blowing the sales off the water with their hardware.

If Xbox are losers, others aren’t..
Xbox already tried everything with Xbox live then subscriptions went down so much that they had to find something else. Their fans subscribed then reached saturation rather quickly.

Hardware and exclusive games is where it’s at! Keep gamers excited, announce decent software and people will support you

itsmebryan14h ago

@shin
Well keep it simple Sony 's operating income is down 26% and Microsoft's is up 32%. No MS spin there, just facts. 😉
Cheers

S2Killinit7h ago

MS is after diminishing consoles as a medium. They want to destroy this market because they couldnt win. MS’s vision is to dissolve console gaming.

romulus2313h ago

Odd that a company that touts you dont need the hardware to play is already touting another console in the works.

darthv7213h ago

They are not reliant on the HW but still want to maintain a presence (no matter how small) is a good thing. It shows commitment to the craft. It reminds me of SNK and how they made games for their own hardware (Neo Geo) while also making them for others because they knew there was a market to do so. They knew they would sell more to others but also sell to their own niche fan base.

TheEroica7h ago(Edited 7h ago)

Perfectly reasonable post down voted by insecure corporation friendly folk.... But not gamers. Real gamer want accessibility and ease of acquisition for all.... Company shills are the only ones still telling us that hardware locking people from games is good for us.

Chevalier1h ago

@Darth

You should stop parroting metrics like an idiot without context.

"Xbox content and services revenue grew 62% in Q3 from a year earlier, “driven by 61 points of net impact” from the purchase of the third-party video game giant, Microsoft said."

61 of the 62% was from their merger so net increase is ONLY 1%

https://www.mesaonline.org/...

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 1h ago
purple10123h ago

Xbox hardware revenue tanks to lowest point of Xbox Series generation

Profchaos22h ago

I'm not surprised surface is struggling they aren't relevant anymore

DOMination-12h ago

In the last two years they've started exiting the consumer market altogether. All of the newest Surface products are business models only. They can't seem to work out what they want to do with it.

XBManiac22h ago

Too expensive hardware when others offer the same or more for less? Good work, Green Team.

SimpleDad22h ago(Edited 21h ago)

"Despite some early successes for Xbox games on rival platforms, Xbox hardware is down by a massive 31 percent this quarter."
"Without Activision Blizzard, Microsoft’s overall gaming revenue would have actually declined this quarter."
"Xbox content and services would have only been up a single percent without Activision Blizzard..."
"It looks like next quarter is going to be a similar story for gaming at Microsoft, too."

That is crazy... so A/B/K is carrying the whole Xbox gaming.
Oh and Microsoft will be fine. Windows, Office and Cloud are growing with each pc purchase.

purple10121h ago

Activision: "we gonna need a bigger rucksack/backpack please"

Microsoft: "why's that"

Activision: "to carry yo' weak ass'

Profchaos21h ago(Edited 21h ago)

Top brass have also wanted to start seeing returns on the 100 billion they have put into various Xbox related moves so seeing more multiplatform games is highly likely especially from abk

It's basically saying that PlayStation is the reason Xbox is afloat right now thinks to Ps5 versions of COD

Kornholic19h ago

So basically PS and PC gamers' money is keeping Xbox on life support.

MrDead12h ago

The only growth MS will get out of the console industry is if it supports it's rivals platforms. Xbox is a pointless machine now. I can see them on a big push for live next, and they won't give up on trying to buy Steam.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 12h ago
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70°

Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors: "I deserve a lot of criticism."

Embracer CEO demonstrates a masterclass in mental gymnastics in latest interview.
"I'm sure I deserve a lot of criticism, but I don't think my team or companies deserve all the criticism. I could take a lot of that blame myself. But ultimately I need to believe in the mission," he said.

Read Full Story >>
gamesindustry.biz
on_line_forever1d 17h ago

OK give us Kingdoms of Amalur 2 with AAA budget and we will accept your excuse

kaos891d 15h ago (Edited 1d 15h ago )

The king of the studio asset flip scheme that failed.

badboyz091d 14h ago

What kind of name is Lars?