Submitted 2 days ago by commander@lemmy.world to games@lemmy.world
Valve has become everything Xbox should have been.
What’s the point now?
Just another publisher?
3rd tier storefront?
Commoditized hardware?
They almost got a viable game subscription model but with pricing that was incompatible with expensive studio acquisitions.
I’m glad their subscription service failed. It is Microsoft’s attempt to capture the market and become the sole gatekeeper by undermining stores like Valve. If it succeeds MS will have all the leverage to decide how much a developer gets paid and which games will get released instead of letting the market decide.
Basically the Silicon Valley playbook, lure in creators with bags of money and entice customers with low subscription rates. Once customers are used to the service increase the subscription rates and lower the fees and royalties the creators gets. It’s what Uber and Netflix have done.
I feel like the issue with doing it is that XBox development is subsidized by Windows gaming development. I don’t know how you cut what parts of development go into Windows and XBox.
They are only considering it now as they have driven the XBOX brand to an all-time low. Would have been best if they did this before all the weird PC branding* and Series X stuff. Made the entire brand a confusing mess.
Why does the ROG XBOX ALLY not play XBOX games?
Why does Windows have XBOX plastered all over it when it doesn’t play XBOX games?
Since the XBOX consoles are literally just PCs under the hood, why not actually unify XBOX games?
This would be difficult because the identity of X-Box is hardwired to Microsoft since the beginning. It’d be hard to imagine who else would have the financial backing and the knowithall as to what to do when it comes to production and marketing.
Microsoft would have to pawn off XBox to Nintendo or Sony who have knowledge in the gaming industry, but I am hard pressed to see that happening.
I would hope it would go to neither. Sony already owns basically a monopoly on the premium console market. Both Sony and Nintendo practically monopolize their software. Xbox was the only one that didn’t, and that removed reason for people who didn’t have an Xbox to buy an Xbox.
Why buy an Xbox if I can buy a PlayStation and have all the Sony exclusives AND all the Xbox games?
Why is anyone treating this as shocking news ? It’s been a consideration since 2017
And I hope they do …
Businesses consider things all the time. Why is this any special or different, other than clickbait doomposting?
thingsiplay@lemmy.ml 2 days ago
I feel like operating XBOX independent from Microsoft could give them more control and focus on gaming, without permission from Microsoft CEO. On the flipside XBOX would be very fragile without the financial backing of Microsoft.
Could XBOX become third party publisher only and then Microsoft does the hardware and operating system?
Peffse@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Microsoft doesn’t seem to be interested in making the hardware though. Microsoft wants further integrate of Game Pass and Xbox cloud streaming into the Windows Microsoft Store.
That’s what got them where they are now. Dilution of the Xbox brand and an aimless hardware strategy.
thingsiplay@lemmy.ml 2 days ago
Microsoft does not need to build the hardware themselves, it could be something like the a cooperation with ASUS or the likes. Microsoft handles the operating system and the hardware stuff, and XBOX does the games only. Even if its for streaming only. And for the moment Microsoft seems to continue with hardware and next console / pc hybrid.