Microsoft discounting Xbox Series X following disastrous sales — is the console war already over?

Sales of Series X have been plummeting in Europe, and with so few must-play exclusives, it's not hard to see why.

[Jin_Sakai]

This is what happens when you don’t clean house. Microsoft give up on Xbox already hence the reason why they’re trying to become a major publisher. Phil Spencer was always bad for Xbox. Only fanboys could see past his snake oil.

[Lightning77]

By bringing more exclusives to the platform? How is that bad?

[neutralgamer1992]

Jin

Ever want to feel nauseated read the comments Phil get on X. His fanboys are like cult members man they praise him nonstop and he can do no wrong. That’s why Xbox brand is at its lowest right now

Atleast gates and matrick knew how to compete with PlayStation and atleast try while Phil is speaking from both sides of his mouth

Light

Simply buying 3rd party publishers and putting Microsoft games studio doesn’t mean much and most gamers see through that

Sparky

From the looks of Nintendo is the one holding Sony somewhat in check by the launch of PlayStation portable

Sony are becoming arrogant and I don’t like that but what can we do

[recoctimocassirnff]

"By bringing more exclusives to the platform? How is that bad?"

I know it's been said many times, but I'll say it again. MS buying up publishers and blocking games from releasing on PS5 IS NOT "bringing more exclusives".

[Kornholic]

How is it good? Xbox players are not getting any more games to play that way - the games would have come to Xbox regardless of the acquisitions.

MS bought major MULTIPLATFORM publishers.

[Rynxie]

@lightning
By doing what Ms does best when it can't compete, monopolize the industry or buyout it's competitors.

[Cacabunga]

Only console xbox was able to compete against was Ouya.. really made history!!

[XBManiac]

Exclusives that you can play on PC, cloud, TV sets... not only on Xbox Series two consoles? Where is the exclusivity?

[S2Killinit]

“More exclusives”? Xbox is in the saddest state its ever been. At this rate, they are only competing in some markets but not all, if that.

[sparky77]

I don't know why you Playstation guys are so desperate for MS to exit gaming, do you honestly believe Sony will become better when they have no competition?

[Jin_Sakai]

Because they’re the cancer of gaming. PlayStation was great well before Microsoft entered the gaming market

[Crows90]

Because they still dont have competition....you are pretending that somehow Xbox is keeping PlayStation on their toes...they aren't. Instead Xbox seems to be keeping gamers in their toes not knowing what kind of bullshit they'll pull next. The last few generations regardless of what the mainstream would say has been PlayStation functioning without competition.

[sparky77]

Well enjoy all those price hikes and GaaS games you will continue to get then :)

[crazyCoconuts]

I personally don't want them to exit gaming. I want them to compete by being a good gaming company. That's healthy competition.

[MrBaskerville]

It'll leave room for someone else to try.

[garos82]

no i dont believe sony will become better , but we want better competition , not a game developer graveyard where the only focus is game pass rather than the quality of actual games themselves

[DarXyde]

Let me ask you "Xbox guys": Do you honestly believe Microsoft purchasing major publishers is a good thing for the industry?

For the longest time, I felt that Xbox was necessary to make Sony do the right thing. That was true with PS3 and the very beginning of last gen with better online infrastructure, trophies, and DRM check-ins/used games market. For sure, all great things.

But after that? I don't think so at all. That was Sony being reactive, but Sony also implemented 3D on PS3 without any pressure. They integrated a touch pad into the DS4 and DualSense, and, of course, VR. If anything, Nintendo is the one they are really competing with—DualSense haptics as an answer to the Switch HD Rumble, VR in response to Switch immersion, and handheld platforms. They try to make underhanded moves every once and again, and they usually get slapped down by the fans. I can't even say MS has moved Sony at all on backwards compatibility. I'm fine with a more competent competitor coming along that has demonstrable passion for the medium. As long as it's not another soulless trillion dollar company, I'd embrace them. My biggest issue with Microsoft in gaming is that they have the capital to completely reshape the industry in their image and I hate it so much. We're in the era of subscription services, microtransactions, etc. I don't know that I would say Microsoft is responsible, but they were the first to do it and I think they bear responsibility for that.

More than anything, Sony is afraid of perishing. There are better phones, laptops (both of which were sold off) , TVs, and music players than what Sony offers. They need PlayStation and they're going to have to play nice unless they want to go bye-bye. I'm not that worried about them getting too big for their boots, but even if they're the only game in town with Nintendo, once they go rogue, I stop giving them money.

I don't like PSPlus price hikes and I know they're not coming back down. Guess what? I'm not paying for it anymore. Haven't had Plus in about a year. Didn't even get GT7 because they pissed me off in the early stages. This is a hobby, and I would cut this out of my life to focus more on other hobbies if Sony gets out of pocket. So it would be disappointing, but I would be fine with not doing any gaming on PlayStation if they go too far.

With or without Microsoft, personally, it is inconsequential. OD sounds very interesting and Blade sounds interesting too. Still not buying an Xbox for it and if I miss them, so be it.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

Xbox's best years are behind them, it ended when they dropped support for the 360, since then, they haven't been a thread to Sony, Playstation has just consistently steam rolled Xbox, Nintendo is more competition to Playstation than Xbox. Plus, since that gen ended, they also haven't added to gaming, if anything, they have made it worse.

At least Playstation has been reasonably consistent, even when they didn't have competition (e.g. it was just Sony and Nintendo), they still gave us a great time. I really can't see Xbox having staying power and being a last brand, they'll have a Sega death, minus having the good library of games.

[Einhander1972]

sparky77

"Well enjoy all those price hikes and GaaS games you will continue to get then :)"

Are you kidding, go buy some $20 Halo skins after you buy your battle pass... oh you like driving games too, how about $20 car DLC and yet another battle pass? Oh wait you like Diablo, cool how about $100 DLC?

Diablo 4 Survey Reportedly Asks Players If They'd Be Okay With $100 Add-On
https://www.thegamer.com/di...

Microsoft is hiking the price of Xbox Series X and Xbox Game Pass
https://www.theverge.com/20...

PHIL SPENCER SAYS FUTURE GAME PASS PRICE INCREASES ARE INEVITABLE
https://onmsft.com/news/phi...

It just blows my mind to see xbox fans talking about Sony making some live service games when nearly every game Microsoft has made for the last three generations has been live service filled with egregious DLC.

[Cockney]

Its 2 generations now without competition for Sony and they've given me some fantastic games yet im still hungry for more

[Aussiesummer]

It's definitely bad for gaming if sony have a monopoly, sony make amazing games and consoles but could you imagine the pricing if Microsoft actually left. sheesh.

[Crows90]

What gaas game has Sony put out?

[Zeref]

Apparently Holiday sales aren't allowed anymore? 😂

[neutralgamer1992]

They are allowed but when the best system sky already is around $200 going $350 for your premium sku doesn’t look good

We can try to change the goal posts again

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

It moreso an act of desperation on their part, they haven't done very well all gen, and they really want/need those Game Pass subscribers.

[RhinoGamer88]

Phil and his Executive team are masters at job security and self-promotion. MSFT is a data-driven company right?!
Their HW/SW sales performance data is terrible since 2017, 2023 game management was terrible with a turd in Redfall and a Starfield game full of issues.

[Abriael]

It's hilarious how ya'll fall head-first into every mindless clickbait "opinion piece" that gets dropped on this site. 😂

[Lightning77]

It's what happens when you're on a fanboy drenched website.

They care way more about the wellbeing of fanboys than security and stability of its users. Sad place this is.

[crazyCoconuts]

Slow news cycle. Got tired reviewing why GT beat Forza and had nothing else to talk about 😊

[Cockney]

@Lightning77
"They care way more about the wellbeing of fanboys than security and stability of its users"
"We" care way more about the wellbeing of fanboys than security and stability of its users"
There we are, no need to thank me

[Gamingsince1981]

Have you looked at the articles you submit ? Lol you can't talk 🤣

[Abriael]

Gamingsince1981: You mean actual news about a wide variety of games for all platforms? If only people who posted this silly flamebait were capable of doing that. 😂
Yes. Yes I can talk. Whether you like it or not. 🫡

[Lightning77]

"Simply buying 3rd party publishers and putting Microsoft games studio doesn’t mean much and most gamers see through that"

Uuh what? That means allot. If this was 2013 to 2017 where not a single studio was bought or opened byPhil that's not not doing anything. The very definition of it. What a dumb generalization WWE haven't even seen nearly have of what these studios can do to make a judgment.

Anyway this article is old with nothing new but of course we're gonna pass it anyway, because why not right? If this was anything else it would of gotten takin down already.

[Jingsing]

I agree that Phil Spencer has to go, the industry has transitioned leadership multiple times at Nintendo and Sony and Phil hangs around like a bad rash and everyone below him gets the chop for failure. The only clever thing he did if you can call it clever was to bait Sony into putting their games on PC (That will hurt Sony in the long run as a console maker) and then pretending Xbox would not be about exclusives anymore. Phil did a complete 180 on that as he always does.

[Indigon]

It does feel like karma after taking so many studio's out of multiplatform and claiming that it's good for the gamer.

[Sonic1881]

This will be the reason why Blade will be a multiplatform game. So that Microsoft can make money off it

[XiNatsuDragnel]

Microsoft publisher = confirmed lol

[Zeref]

Was it ever not confirmed that Microsoft is a videogame publisher?

[XiNatsuDragnel]

At this point nii San Microsoft is pretty geared up to transition to publisher. They can make more money doing that than selling consoles imo.

[Zeref]

I don't think you understand what a publisher is little brother 😂

[XiNatsuDragnel]

Nii San, a publisher is what Microsoft going to be, at this rate.

[ChasterMies]

Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s CFO, and Satya Nadella have all hinted that Microsoft would go full 3rd party, meaning no Xbox exclusives. Of course Xbox owners would still get all those games made by Microsoft Studios. They would lose nothing. But it would mean that after 2 decades of trying and failing, Microsoft would officially give up on taking over the living room via hardware. In 10 years we will be talking about how awful it is that Microsoft is locking games behind its subscription service and we can’t own games anymore.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

They are already a publisher.

[Lightning77]

Old data we already know they're down 52% in Europe.

[GamerRN]

They were up 235% overall the past month so this is an odd statement

[Einhander1972]

It would have been over 3 years ago if it wasn't for covid.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

Oh yeah, I forgot what a boost that was for Xbox, especially when a PS5 was a rare commodity, people were choosing Xboxes instead because Sony couldn't pump out consoles fast enough, and when they did, scalpers scooped them up;

[eagle21]

Microsoft ultimately trying to become the "NetFlix of gaming" is the dumbest decision they ever made. Gaming history hasn't taught them anything. Each generation is different for any company where maintaining the momentum of a previous generation has always been difficult. Microsoft can only "win" if gamer's completely ignore the consistent and amazing efforts of Sony and Nintendo games and hardware. That ain't happening anytime soon to be completely blunt. I thought they found their niche in the "Big 3" but since Xbox One launched...have reduced even that niche to abysmal levels in some regions. Sony's PlayStation and Nintendo are two of the most intelligent gaming brands in the history of the industry. Who can argue with that? Microsoft can throw all the money they want around but talent and intelligence simply can't be bought.

[darthv72]

Wish they would bring back the halo edition... that's one I still have yet to get for a reasonable price.

Regardless of the why its discounted... people should get an SX (or SS) just to have in addition to whatever else they play. Put aside your feeling for the company... the hardware is solid and the games are fun. GP can be addicting with lots of stuff to try before you buy.

[Crows90]

Much better to invest that money on a gaming laptop or PC....lots of good deals for those going on around right now.

[darthv72]

I have a steam deck... does that count?

[Destiny1080]

if your mummy still holds your hand as you cross the road, The S model is for you, but in saying that i cant think of any family friendly games on xbox, sony has spiderman / ratchet and clank / Astro's Playroom / little big planet / clearly the best version of harry potter / Kena: Bridge of Spirits / even this years call of duty runs much better on PS5

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

I know the hardware isn't bad, but between a Playstation and a gaming PC... That's Xbox's entire gaming library minus one or two games, throw in the Switch and you can play almost every game.

[darthv72]

I use my steam deck for PC stuff. Switch for switch stuff, PS5 for PS stuff, and Series for XB stuff. I like to play the field.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

@darthv72,
I just use the PC for everything now, Switch and PS4 for their exclusive games.

[crazyCoconuts]

If you already have a PS5 why would you get an Xbox when the very nature of Xbox exclusivity is currently in doubt?
If you have a PC, why bother?
If you don't have either, and couldn't afford a PS5, then sure, but the PS5 with innovative controllers, PSVR2, and better games is the natural winner if you have the $

[darthv72]

Having options is never a bad thing. sometimes you feel like playing a PS game... sometimes you feel like playing an XB game. And the price is cheap to have both.

Not everyone is into PC gaming... so they go with consoles as a cheaper entry point. There is no wrong way to play, everyone is different.

[ironmonkey]

Just can't get out of the trenches. Praying for a speedy recovery ;)

[Zeref]

If they were doing so bad in Europe that they need to discount it then why aren't these discounts happening in Europe?? 😂

I live in the EU. The price has barely changed at all.

It's almost like they're just typical US holiday sales aint it?

[TheEnigma313]

Cope

[Zeref]

Or actual logic? If they wanna sell consoles in Europe, they gotta discount them here.

[andy85]

They have. They've been 359 in the UK for a while.

[Hofstaderman]

It was over long ago.

[GhostScholar]

There never was a war. I’m a Microsoft primary player and I just enjoy playing games on all three systems. Most games I play on Xbox are from
Game pass. Playing sea of stars right now and loving it. The “war” is for the dumbass Sony and Microsoft fanboys that spend more time talking about the system they hate than the one they claim to love.

[Gabrielmpf]

Well said. Exactly my thoughts.

[ChasterMies]

If there was never a console war, then why did Microsoft say they lost the console war during the FTC trial?

[Cockney]

When two brands compete for the same customer a "war" is exactly what it is
Coke or pepsi?
Mcdonalds or burger King?
Apple or android?
Need i go on?

[Knightofelemia]

No exclusives to entice the gamer into buying your product well of course you're dead last in the water. I sold my Series X and just stuck with Nintendo and Sony. They are the ones with exclusives that at least entice the gamer into buying their product.

[gold_drake]

only xbox thinks theres a console war.

and only they are responsible for those disastrous sales , i highly doubt this is going to help them.

[darthv72]

Hold up... its been stated that only the ponies think there is a war. They gloat about every little thing while the bots dont give a shit.... they just play the games. Ponies care more about XB than bots do about PS. Which is about right, esp on this site.

Notice I only use the extreme fanboy monikers as anyone else who is reasonable knows there is no war. Friendly competition, but no "war".

[Cockney]

I think you're confusing fanboy war with console war, when 2 brands compete for the same dollar its all out war
Ios/android
Coke/pepsi
Macdonalds/burger King
Sega/Nintendo
I could go on but I'm guessing that's enough examples, feel free to add your own non existent wars

[darthv72]

^^... well yeah. Who else do you think these 'wars' are waged by? "Console wars", like "brand wars" was born from the fanboys.

[Chevalier]

"was born from the fanboys"

Says the fanboy making excuses for Xbox as usual. Calling people Ponies suggest you're not above being a petty fanboy now 🙄

[Knightofelemia]

Can't really be in a console war if you're dead last in sales and you have to discount your product. The console wars died during the XB360 and PS3 days. Best console war will always be between Nintendo and Sega.

[FatalityX77]

They are getting ready for the new models

[purple101]

New models

Haha
They can’t even shift the old ones

[Pyrofire95]

Any time an article put "Console war" in the title I just assume they were hit in the head with a shovel at some point.

[Abear21]

Guys, the next Xbox will be great, just watch. And if it’s not, it’ll still be the only place to play many games you used to play on any platform, so you’ll want one anyway. Problem xbox has now is that it’s pricey as Gamepass feels mandatory. I’m personally waiting for that must own 10/10 GOTY to drop on their platform before I enter the $15 a month for eternity ecosystem.

[purple101]

ahh yes, that "$15' a month - that they could raise at any time.

[rakentaja]

I'll say it again. In Europe, it will be a difficult task to increase the sales of Xbox, because the people there hate the consoles because of their limitations. Since everything can be played on a PC, buying an Xbox makes absolutely no sense. If Playstation games were a PC, the people there wouldn't buy it either. Living conditions have improved so much in recent decades that having a decent PC is not a problem for anyone.

[__y2jb]

Stupidest comment I’ve read in a while.

[rakentaja]

What's so stupid about PC preference over consoles in EU?

[EvertonFC]

They will always be 3rd place, Xbox is America and very little else. Nintendo and PlayStation are global have high sales in all regions.
It was game over for Xbox in 2006 imo when the 360 games started to dry up.
Those 3 fantastic 360 years is when MS should have put the foot fully to the metal but they've lost that momentum now and they'll never get it back.

[TheEnigma313]

Only reason MS hasn't folded xbox is because their ego and hard on for Sony won't allow them to.

[EvertonFC]

Plus 2 trillion helps

[TheEnigma313]

their ego.

[anast]

I knew this things was going on a deep sale.

[OptimusDK]

SONY is having discounts all over the place here in europe. Funny you dont get articles about how GAAS and no games are drinving SONY to do discounts.

PS% have been the mase or cheaper than xbox the last few weeks here.

[EvertonFC]

Playstation did the sales drops to get rid of the original ps5 off shelves before the ps5 slim released.
I see you don't keep up with gaming news.

[BehindTheRows]

Go home Optimus, you’re drunk.

[Haki1112]

Crazy how they hate xbox so much but beg for their games on Twitter and for them to become a publisher on N4G lmao!
This is a holiday sale.
N4G: Tomsguide "Microsoft discounting Xbox Series X following disastrous sales — is the console war already over?"
Also Tomsguide: "Huge holiday sale knocks Xbox Series X bundles to just $399"
Every other gaming website: "Microsoft Has Officially Discounted Xbox Series X Consoles for The Holidays"

[Cockney]

You think twitter is in any way related to reality?

[Npugz7]

Xbox has no exclusive which doesn’t bring people to buy an Xbox when you can buy a ps5 that has a lot of the same games and more exclusives

[Chocoburger]

Microsoft made history when they launched the Series X and S. It was the first time in our industry when a console launched without a single new game. The only thing they had on offer were last-gen games with updated visuals. And this was after a huge drought of first party games, which were mostly skipped during the One X lifespan (outside of Forza), and the latter half of the One lifespan (outside of Forza).

Microsoft only released their system in 2020 because Sony released theirs in 2020, they had to "keep up with the competition" and not get left behind. That right there was already a bad sign of a poor ecosystem. I'm honestly surprised how many Series X and S systems have actually sold, when there's so little reason to even bother with one since launch to this day.

To answer the question in the subject line, the console war isn't over, because it never began in the first place.

[Barlos]

Over? It never even started!

[Binarycode]

I get that people will say that without Microsoft, Sony will produce less.etc.

I'm not sure that's the way of looking at it, I think worldwide the fake economy is causing ppl to struggle and many big publishers are not knocking out games non stop, Still waiting for something from naughty dog.

and ffs Sony where is the Motorstorm and Resistance remakes. Just get a smaller company to do it.

What's happened in many ways is nobody is willing to take big risks with certain games, genres. Sadly the best time of the PS3. So much quality stuff everywhere you looked.

I'm glad Sega is making crazy taxi and Golden axe, I'll be getting them. Fun games.

I don't want remakes of games that came out on PS4, sorry I Just don't. They already looked good.

We want new stuff, new idea's.

I don't care about VR, or PS portable.

They should have made a PSP for the modern era. ppl would have loved that.

[Father__Merrin]

The only reason for xbox as it is is gamepass

[EvertonFC]

And even then you ONLY actually need it for about 3 months of the year.

[ocelot07]

The second hand market is great right for consoles right now. Helped my friend grab a series X for £260 yesterday from cash converters. That's cheaper than a new 1tb series s.

Even the older model ps5 digital can be had for less than £300 on the second hand market.

[Cockney]

You helped him get a series X? With friends like you who needs enemies

[ocelot07]

Yup we where out and about doing the bit of Christmas shopping. Went into a local cash converters. We seen 2 Xbox series X consoles. One for £260 unboxed and one boxed for £270.

He has a really good pc and a ps5 and switch. He was more interested in the backwards compatibility of the X just like I was when I got mine.

Long story short. He didn't have the full funds on him. Due to buying gifts. So I loaned him £100. Plus I bought him a copy of fallout 3 for 49p so he can see play it in 4k 60fps lol.

[gvrd0019]

I misread it as DISCONTINUED

Soon enough I guess xD

[DafunkyRebel]

its crazy how when you do a tear down of the XSX vs the PS5, you can clearly see how the X is so much better designed and is actually next gen in that design comparatively. When you open a PS5 up and see how they basically went with the safe easy option of flat motherboard with sinks, and the same heat diverting design decades past. Its almost like Sony didn't even try and simply threw something out there for their fanboys to lap up.

[BehindTheRows]

And yet, the PS5 is the one with actual next gen exclusives, an updated UI, a faster storage medium, a next gen controller, and with many multiplatform games that look and perform better.

I get struggling to accept Xbox's current position, but this a form of cope I haven't ever seen before.

[Cockney]

I'd say liquid metal is pretty next gen

[purple101]

I still remember the Mark Cerny quote

he couldn't talk about the features but he just said "I think youl be more than happy with our cooling solution"

yeh,, take a look inside its the biggest highest quality heatsink you've ever seen, with Liquid Metal replacing thermal paste, a high fan, and a 2 sided motherboard to keep certain components away from each other.

yes series x is a engineering marvel too, but to say ps5 is not, is simply not true.

[Chevalier]

Oh look the guy who pretended he owned a PS5 and had 'severe hand cramps' shilling for Xbox. Paint me shocked

[Agent75]

This gen has been a whitewash for releases, more so with the Series X. Never known a console gen like it. The Xbox One and PS4 still had a few years left in them. Microsoft are clueless. All they ever do is showcase games then that's it. This gen is nearly over. I don't understand why Microsoft bothers.

[Nintentional]

Idk, I love my series x. My Ps5 gets zero playtime mainly because I hate the stick placement, and had a 360 when PS3 was out. So my gamerscore/friends/achievement s are on there. Playstation had no noteworthy exclusives this year besides spiderman so I don’t know why the Sony drones on N4g defend them so much.