120°

MS: We need to put more resources behind PC gaming

Xbox 360 manufacturer says it will support both platforms in the future.

units4960d ago

start buying or building more studios then

toaster4960d ago

MS doesn't care about PC gaming, it probably just wants to port over Kinect so it can buttrape stupid people into buying Kinectimals.

GFWL is a joke, it's been broken and annoying since it was launched. Nothing good has come from Microsoft's attempt to gain PC fans. It'd just be better if MS stayed out of PC gaming altogether.

wwm0nkey4960d ago (Edited 4960d ago )

The new Age of Empires is pretty good, im loving the beta so far.

imvix4960d ago (Edited 4960d ago )

Lol true.

While Microsoft has been battling Sony. Both of them have been incurring nothing but losses.

Valve on the other hand has been quietly building and making PROFITS at the same time. Steam alone has reached a point where nearly 3million users are online at the same time, that easily rivals XBL. Steam numbers have significantly grown compared to the start of this year, where we hardly used to see 2.2-2.3 million people online at the same time.

Microsoft and Sony can keep making losses, the only real winner here is Valve. I already forsee next gen consoles launching in the next few years, with a reset base from 0. Steam on the other hand will just keep growing.

Games4M - Rob4960d ago (Edited 4960d ago )

Why would next gen consoles restart their live service from scratch ?

Live started on the original xbox and ported its userbase across.

PSN covers PS3 and the PSP.

All online services will continue to grow. I actually wouldnt be surprised if the PS4 used Steam as its community infrastructure - Sony and Valve seem to be pretty chummy these days.

Calm Down Sunshine4960d ago

Perhaps even Sony, Valve & Google, what with the new TV partnership.

One console to rule them all..

imvix4960d ago

@Games4m

Will PS4 games work on the PS3? nope they wont. Thats a base reset.

With PC you hold onto your older titles when you upgrade. Even if you dont upgrade there always is the opportunity to play next gen games at lower settings, something Consoles will never get. Hence when the Steam user base grows they have a good chance of keeping their older games (older games will even work on higher resolutions with newer hardware). While console gamers lose out on BC and face a situation where they need to build a library from scratch.

Dont give me the crap that you can keep multiple old consoles. No ones gonna be having a PS2, PS3, PS4 plugged on the same tv at the same time. Never mind the fact that hardware eventually gets old and fails. So will console gamers then keep rebuying older consoles or keep paying Sony and micro for upressed rehashes?

Games4M - Rob4960d ago

"Will PS4 games work on the PS3?"

I dont know and neither do you so your point is moot.

I think that its highly likely that they will because Sony has had a lot of critiscism over the lack of BC in most PS3's.

Still that just my speculation and im not going to use it as the foundation for an argument based entirely on assumption and neither should you.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4960d ago
gauntletpython4960d ago

Classic instance of a publisher saying one thing ("We support PC gaming!") and then doing another (Closing Ensemble, not porting Xbox games like Halo and Alan Wake, etc).

NegativeCreepWA4960d ago

Esemble was turned into two studios so really they created a studio, fact your straight.

Tony P4960d ago

Sure, MS. The problem is, when you "support" PC gaming you tend to turn that word into a double-edged sword.

evrfighter4960d ago (Edited 4960d ago )

As a pc gamer I can say. They don't have to. Blizzard and Valve (Especially), Have done a fantastic job filling the Void M$ left when it went into the toy business.

Also as a pc gamer. when I see "support both consoles". All I see is "make better optimized ports" -_-.

Truth is they saw how much Sc2 sold at launch and kicked themselves in the a$$.

If they want to get back in the pc gaming industry they need to get in good with Gabe as they can't compete with Steam. Gabe won't allow that until they get rid of the restrictions on xbox.

I guess in the end pc gamers really are the console gamers last bastion of defense against the suits that keep bending them over.

Sarcasm4960d ago

It would have been nice to play Alan Wake in HD

Apotheosize4960d ago (Edited 4960d ago )

PC gaming doesnt want you Microsoft. I'm glad that you see which is the superior platform, but were not taking you back, while youre still cheating on us with the 360.

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290°

More Job Losses At Xbox, “There’s More To Come”: Paul Thurrott

Paul Thurrott in a recent episode commented on the on-going Microsoft fiasco hinting at more job losses and that "there's more to come".

Read Full Story >>
spieltimes.com
Sonic18811d 20h ago (Edited 1d 20h ago )

There won't be no more acquiring game publishers from Microsoft in the future . Xbox has to pay Microsoft back. It might take two decades to do that.

sagapo1d 17h ago (Edited 1d 17h ago )

I don’t understand what you’re saying. Xbox IS microsoft so there’s no “paying back “.
And MS gross profit in 2023 was over 140 billion dollars so forget your 2 decades.

Unless you mean the money MS invested in Xbox (acquisitions included) and the time it will take for xbox as a brand to gain that money back on it’s own, then yeah, that could take a while.

romulus231d 10h ago

The better term to use might be return on investment, xbox is simply a division of Microsoft one that MS can easily do away with if profit margins are not met. So in that regard he's right, if xbox isn't showing the expected return on investment the higher ups are expecting than it's unlikely Microsoft will acquire any other studios any time soon, especially if they are spending billions buying developers just to shut them down in the end.

MrBaskerville1d 3h ago (Edited 1d 3h ago )

Xbox is a division that they discussed shutting down but doubled down on after Gamepass was pitched.

It needs to make money at some point. Big money.

KwietStorm_BLM1d 2h ago

So you do understand it or..?

rokos1d 1h ago

According to Statista the net income of Microsoft is about $72.4 billion dollars which is a bit lower than last year profit. That is almost as much as Activision's acquisition but I assume that would be a one off since it costs so much plus I see how their focus has been shifted to AI, thus any major future investments will probably be in that area.

Markusb331d ago

i think you are really missing the point

VariantAEC14h ago

@romulus23
That is not why MS buys studios. They might continue to buy because it's about taking that sweet sweet IP out of the corporate husks of their acquisitions.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 14h ago
SonyStyled1d 16h ago

“There won't be no more acquiring game publishers from Microsoft in the future”

No bro, there do be is for Microsoft not acquiring for what is now if not what it be is 😂

1d 14h ago Replies(2)
ChasterMies1d 4h ago

Xbox isn’t a separate company from Microsoft. It’s all Microsoft.

Abear2122h ago(Edited 22h ago)

Let’s be real, this is the media spinning all the acquisitions and liquidations of said developers and spinning it to make M$ the villain.

This was bound to happen, a bigger slice of pie and cut costs, when the games come they stand to make more and that’s their agenda—it was the writing on the wall when the sales went through and legally all those who approved the sale and mergers knew this would happen.

Snowflakes need to realize business is ugly and you can cry all you want but this is how capitalism works. And it works.

That said, M$ needs to steer the narrative and grab hold of all this, make their plans known, hype the hell out of all those dead IP’s they plan to revive, and be honest about the timeline. This is likely to involve mobile and IP on other consoles, and most people realize that.

The problem is this company is incapable of being transparent and seems to often want to dissuade and confuse is customer base. The lack of E3 has hurt Microsoft and I don’t think they know how to properly or effectively market their brand anymore.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 14h ago
jwillj2k41d 20h ago

There really needs to be a class action lawsuit here. You buy these companies just to put people out of jobs. And it’s not like something happened to derail their plans this WAS the plan. Microsoft has no business in this space at all.

franwex1d 19h ago (Edited 1d 19h ago )

Microsoft has been doing this for years. They simply want the IPs. Look at Nokia. Look at Skype. This time it simply expanded to games. Gaming is not as important to Microsoft’s executives as it was to the founders too. Bill Gates was willing to sell the og Xbox at a loss. Steve Balmer approved the red ring of death fiasco. This CEO isn’t really a gamer.

-Foxtrot1d 18h ago

Maybe it's time though to put a stop to it and use a big giant like Microsoft as a huge example to the rest of these big companies.

There has to be a line drawn somewhere.

People like the FTC and the like went against Microsoft yet their Actvision deal was still allowed to go through yet look what's happened...it's not even Acitivisions studios aswell, it's Bethesdas.

VariantAEC14h ago

Years?

Try several decades, and in the gaming space 2.3 decades.

Jon6158623h ago

You do realize this happens in ALL industries? Or are you just saying this because it is Microsoft? In any case I feel for those that are being let go but the trch industry is suffering right now.

jwillj2k418h ago(Edited 18h ago)

This absolutely does NOT happen all the time. Let me know the last time 1 company with a terrible product track record spent 100 billion onto acquire MULTIPLE successful companies in under a year only to shut them down and stop making their products regardless of how successful they were. Not merge them, completely shut them down.

And you can’t use Microsoft in your example.

Notellin19h ago(Edited 19h ago)

Class action lawsuit? The law is on their side and protects them at all costs. There are no rules to protect the people at the bottom.

jwillj2k419h ago

Not true when it comes to mass layoff do your research.

RNTody1d 19h ago

Ninja Theory, Perfect Dark, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Wolfenstein 3, Dishonored, Prey, Doom, Quake... something tells me that bad things are going to happen to these entities under Microsoft.

MrDead1d 8h ago

ID software, the makers of Doom and Wolfenstein that have been with us since 1991 could be gone and MS will keep the IPs.

I hope some of these studios can buy their freedom from MS otherwise this is going to be even more devastating for the industry and gamers.

Yui_Suzumiya1d 6h ago (Edited 1d 6h ago )

That's exactly what I'm worried about. I've been a fan of id since Wolfenstein 3D and I'm honestly afraid.

lodossrage1d 2h ago

Toys for Bob saw the writing on the wall and bought themselves out.

Wouldn't be the first time a company did that under MS either. Bungie and Twisted Pixel did the same. Considering what just happened, I can see some other devs trying to buy themselves out too.

anast1d 18h ago

Good thing the bosses of all those small studios made their money.

glenn19791d 18h ago

they cant do it right now they will get burned

XiNatsuDragnel1d 9h ago

Phil and his team need to be gone

lodossrage1d 2h ago (Edited 1d 2h ago )

Won't make a difference.

The whole structure needs to be overhauled. Anyone that replaces Phil will be no different than him, Mattrick, or anyone else.

Until the company changes how they go about business, nothing will change

glenn197923h ago

I just don't have any idea what they would do , they have done sooo much damage on their xbox brand, they have a show at July or June I think, but will it even matter even they show amazing games, idkn

lodossrage1d 2h ago

True,

But they may as well get it over with. Whether it happens now or later, the burning is going to hit the same.

Reality is the ONE move that can alleviate a lot of this is the one move they can't make. Remove day 1 from gamepass.

Show all comments (68)
90°

Microsoft Opening Xbox Mobile Game Store in July

The Xbox brand is expanding, as an Xbox mobile game store is opening this coming July where Microsoft will brings its "first-party portfolio."

Jin_Sakai3d ago (Edited 3d ago )

“Bond adds that they will start on the web”

This will go nowhere.

Nice knowing you Xbox. This is what happens when the house never gets cleaned.

MrDead3d ago

The only this MS is expanding is the amount of feculence it sprays on everyone who just want to enjoy gaming and make games.

The best thing MS can do for the gaming industry is leave and never return.

XiNatsuDragnel3d ago

Good luck with this even it might not succeed.

Show all comments (7)
210°

Microsoft once tried to nab LittleBigPlanet from Sony after a few drinks

It turns out that many moons ago, Microsoft once had its eye on the Sony published LittleBigPlanet series.

Read Full Story >>
eurogamer.net
XiNatsuDragnel4d ago

Microsoft had a good idea but fumbled it again.

Cacabunga2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

Project Spark idea was decent but they quickly gave up ..
LBP was wonderful

ApocalypseShadow3d ago

Microsoft in a nutshell. Always tried to poach Sony employees, games, 3rd party games and devices like the depth camera that was turned into Kinect but was running on PS2 before Xbox 360. Wouldn't be surprised they wanted LBP. Just like they worked behind the scenes pushing the MLB to bring Sony's baseball game to Xbox instead of making their own.
https://www.playstationlife...

They didn't spend years trying to develop their own baseball game. They wanted Sony's game.

They're scum.

Zachmo1822d ago

Microsoft didn't force MLB on Xbox. MLB gave Sony 2 options either go multiplat or risk losing the license.

Rynxie2d ago

And why do you think MLB said that? I believe Ms approached MLB.

ApocalypseShadow2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

Totally ridiculous comment.

The only exclusivity Sony had was to their own creation of The Show. Microsoft could have paid the MLB for the license just like Sony did and made their own baseball game.

Microsoft instead, groomed MLB for years in trying to poach Sony's game and bring it to Xbox. They're worth 3 TRILLION dollars. You think that's not enough money to make their own baseball game? Don't be delusional.

Microsoft spun it like they always do and told the media that they had to trust Sony with their hardware. After they put Sony in that position of not having a choice. Either go multiplatform or stop making one of their successful games. That's a no win scenario.

And what did Microsoft do? They didn't try to sell the game to the Xbox community. They put it on game pass to hurt Sony. Pushing the idea of why buy games that are $70 when you can play them in their cheap service for $10. It was a dirty tactic.

You fell for the Kool aid drink Microsoft served you instead of spitting it out. Hope it tasted good because you were fooled by Phil and the gang.

2d ago
Hereandthere2d ago

Xbox executive Sara Bond has told Axios that Microsoft spent a number of years trying to get MLB The Show onto Xbox consoles. And when it finally succeeded in breaking off PlayStation’s long-held exclusivity, the company had to “trust” Sony with pre-release Xbox Series X/S consoles.

Bond revealed that MLB The Show “always came up” in conversations between Microsoft and the Major League Baseball organization. “We always said, ‘We love this game. It would be a huge opportunity to bring it to Xbox.'” she recalled. However, when Microsoft’s efforts materialized, it put the company in an awkward situation where it had to send in pre-release consoles to a rival company.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 2d ago
Notellin2d ago

"Microsoft instead, groomed MLB for years in trying to poach Sony's game and bring it to Xbox."

Take a nap, conspiracies are rotting your brain.

2d ago
Hereandthere2d ago

Xbox executive Sara Bond has told Axios that Microsoft spent a number of years trying to get MLB The Show onto Xbox consoles. And when it finally succeeded in breaking off PlayStation’s long-held exclusivity, the company had to “trust” Sony with pre-release Xbox Series X/S consoles.

ApocalypseShadow1d 11h ago

Lying to yourself is unbecoming.

Article link tells you all you need to know in Sarah Bond's own words.

Hereandthere2d ago

They were too cheap/inept/lazy to develop their own mlb game, so they port begged for years and bribed the mlb to make the show multiplatform. Like i said many times, xbox brought nothing to the table their 24 years, ZERO.

ApocalypseShadow1d 11h ago

At least you and others get it. Note drank the Kool aid and asked for seconds thinking it was refreshing.

Most don't even know how it all played out but it's there in black and white for all to see. Microsoft brought it up for years until the MLB forced Sony's hand. It was a win win for Microsoft. Kill one reason to buy a PlayStation or kill the game by dropping it in a cheap service to kill Sony's sales numbers on PlayStation.

OtterX2d ago

"However, Healey said Media Molecule wouldn't have felt right doing that, adding it would have been "morally corrupt"."

Major kudos to Media Molecule for being an upright studio with principles.

Cockney1d 6h ago

They chose well, Sony gave them the backing to pursue their dreams with no restrictions even tho their games especially dreams have very niche appeal. Media molecule and Sony deserve respect for this in an age of risk averse publishing.

RNTody2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

Great, more stories like this please. Show the last of the zombies holding the line what we've been saying for years: Microsoft is anti competition, anti industry and has no interest in making games at all.

But hey, at least there's an Xbox Games Showcase to look forward to, right?

Inverno2d ago

Well considering SONY just killed the series, LBP would've been dead by now either way. Though MM probably wouldn't exist by now either, so I'm glad they stayed with SONY, hopefully they don't get shut down any time soon or ever honestly.

Inverno2d ago

They shut down the servers, that's millions of user created levels gone. That and dead are pretty much the same, it's also been years since 3 and they cancelled HUB soooo.

2d ago
fsfsxii2d ago

They shutdown the servers because no one was playing, no one in the community cared about the user created levels so why keep them up? Wtf you guys would never succeed in running a business.

Inverno2d ago

Yea dood no one was playing so they shut off the servers. Cause people with enough common sense can't just Google why they were actually shut of, right?

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