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Xbox + Microsoft FY24 Q1 Results: Total Gaming +9%, Content and Services +13% (1st Party and Game Pass growth) Hardware -7% | Next Q guidance +45-50%

Inclusion of ABK data will make comparaison with previous years almost irrevelant for next quarter for content and services.

For Xbox Hardware, I feel like the trend for the Xbox Series is to be even more North American focused than the Xbox One.

Given Revenus in September were the highest since 2014 in the US, I don't think decline for the quarter was that high in North America.
It could have been close to be flat.

However big decline in Europe has probably lead to this -7% result.
 
So it makes sense to still get numbers one last time. Otherwise it's hard to compare the corresponding MSFT quarter next year for investors.
Makes sense to get it but I just don't know if they have to/will. It might just be we have to wait for a revision of these numbers in jan/Feb.
 
Inclusion of ABK data will make comparaison with previous years almost irrevelant for next quarter for content and services.

For Xbox Hardware, I feel like the trend for the Xbox Series is to be even more North American focused than the Xbox One.

Given Revenus in September were the highest since 2014 in the US, I don't think decline for the quarter was that high in North America.
It could have been close to be flat.

However big decline in Europe has probably lead to this -7% result.

Its highly unlikely to be flat unit wise.
This is revenue. Last year there was a far bigger Series S ratio than there is now with more Series X stock. So revenue should naturally be increasing.

For there to be a revenue decrease despite more Series X shows a notable unit decline. We have unit data in the big regions (US is NPD estimated).

Points to a 15-20% decline in unit sales, so something like 1.8M -> 1.5M

% YoY EUUKUS
July??-30-40
August-12-30-20
September-35-135
Q3 total??-22-15
 
Its highly unlikely to be flat unit wise.
This is revenue. Last year there was a far bigger Series S ratio than there is now with more Series X stock. So revenue should naturally be increasing.

For there to be a revenue decrease despite more Series X shows a notable unit decline. We have unit data in the big regions (US is NPD estimated).

Points to a 15-20% decline in unit sales, so something like 1.8M -> 1.5M

% YoYEUUKUS
July??-30-40
August-12-30-20
September-35-135
Q3 total??-22-15


Series X wasnt constrained by late 2022 IIRC. Heck even PS5 came into full stock by early 23. series x was much earlier than ps5.
 
Not a month if it's through 09/30. It was 10m on the 19th (up from 6m on the 7th) so it'd be 1m new players in 1.5 weeks but we need clarification.

10 million was announced on 19th Sep. at 11.30pm. That is almost 20th Sep. 11 million on Tuesday on 24th Oct. So, yes, I've rounded that to a month. Few days here and there
 
10 million was announced on 20th Sep. 11 million on Tuesday on 24th Oct. So, yes, I've rounded that to a month. Few days here and there
You're misunderstanding, need confirmation if this is ltd or just covering the quarter like the rest of the call. When it was announced isn't what was covered necessairily.
 
You're misunderstanding, need confirmation if this is ltd or just covering the quarter like the rest of the call. When it was announced isn't what was covered necessairily.

Welfare said on previous page Starfield was played by 11 mil. players to date. As like that was said on meeting
 
Oh, I missed that part. Then yes, it's basically 1m in the next month, putting it slightly behind FH5 aligned.

Yes. There is a comparison too with FH5 in Starfield thread.
 
Oh, I missed that part. Then yes, it's basically 1m in the next month, putting it slightly behind FH5 aligned.
If 11 million players is „to date” meaning Oct 24th, than Starfield is falling behind FH5 more and more since two months after launch on Jan 10th 2022 FH5 reached 15 million players. In the same timeframe Starfield will reach 12 million, maybe.
 
If 11 million players is „to date” meaning Oct 24th, than Starfield is falling behind FH5 more and more since two months after launch on Jan 10th 2022 FH5 reached 15 million players. In the same timeframe Starfield will reach 12 million, maybe.
Release timing will play into this too though. 2 Months after FH5 launch was after the holiday season while 2 months after Starfield will be early November. This probably already had an impact on the current aligned numbers as FH5 would be into the holiday season now aligned. Starfield could potentially "catch up" once it also hits the Black Friday into Holidays stretch.
 
Release timing will play into this too though. 2 Months after FH5 launch was after the holiday season while 2 months after Starfield will be early November. This probably already had an impact on the current aligned numbers as FH5 would be into the holiday season now aligned. Starfield could potentially "catch up" once it also hits the Black Friday into Holidays stretch.
Maybe, but I personally don’t see that big of a corelation between players and holiday season.
 
Release timing will play into this too though. 2 Months after FH5 launch was after the holiday season while 2 months after Starfield will be early November. This probably already had an impact on the current aligned numbers as FH5 would be into the holiday season now aligned. Starfield could potentially "catch up" once it also hits the Black Friday into Holidays stretch.

I have doubts since the current word on Starfield isn't great. I only see the numbers going up when they release a patch.
 
Maybe, but I personally don’t see that big of a corelation between players and holiday season.
I mean... really?

I have doubts since the current word on Starfield isn't great. I only see the numbers going up when they release a patch.
Technically the complaints are few and far between, Starfield is pretty much the best shape BGS has ever launched a product in. A patch won't change the sort of response to the game you're talking about, it'll take an expansion or probably just time.


That said, yes as the holiday season comes so will players and sales to some degree. This is such a basic phenomenon I'm sort of astounded people are actually arguing against it? Like, how do you even respond to that?
 


Bunch of organisational changes.

Still trying to parse it all but it seems like marketing consumer retail now reports into Phil.

Zenimax is reporting to Matt Booty and Sarah Bond is getting a promotion
 
As expected, with a big launch (Starfield) software and gamepass revenue would go up. HW continue to be a problem.

Overall for Microsoft was a stellar quarter.

Why is HW a “problem” if you now operate across multiple platforms?

They are more successful now than the xbox360 years. More successful than Sony during the ps3 years.

This isn’t a “problem” lol
 
I mean... really?


Technically the complaints are few and far between, Starfield is pretty much the best shape BGS has ever launched a product in. A patch won't change the sort of response to the game you're talking about, it'll take an expansion or probably just time.


That said, yes as the holiday season comes so will players and sales to some degree. This is such a basic phenomenon I'm sort of astounded people are actually arguing against it? Like, how do you even respond to that?

Which as many people pointed out, that isn’t saying much. There’s reason why it’s sitting in the 70s on Steam and the Reddit had dozen of threads about the technical issues. It’s just not Redfall’s pre-patch levels.

And I meant I don’t expect the holidays to massively increase Starfield’s sales until a lot of Starfield’s issues are address. Not that no increase at all will happened.
 
Which as many people pointed out, that isn’t saying much. There’s reason why it’s sitting in the 70s on Steam and the Reddit had dozen of threads about the technical issues. It’s just not Redfall’s pre-patch levels.

And I meant I don’t expect the holidays to massively increase Starfield’s sales until a lot of Starfield’s issues are address. Not that no increase at all will happened.
Technical issues aren't what's bringing it down. It's better than Oblivion, FO3/4, Skyrim, etc, in that respect.
 
Why is HW a “problem” if you now operate across multiple platforms?

They are more successful now than the xbox360 years. More successful than Sony during the ps3 years.

This isn’t a “problem” lol

Operating across multiple platforms is what a multiplatform publisher does, like ABK.
If MSFT wants to stay in the console business then they need to pay attention, and are, to Xbox sales.

Network effects mean as digital libraries and MTX get bigger, and the larger brand presence your competitor gets, the barrier to switch gets higher, not lower.
 
Technical issues aren't what's bringing it down. It's better than Oblivion, FO3/4, Skyrim, etc, in that respect.

You just have to read the Steam reviews to see that a lot of people’s issues are the technical shortcomings. And using Beth’s other games isn’t a good defense because it is well-known that almost all those games released as buggy mess with the PS3 versions of Skyrim becoming unplayable past a certain point.

The difference is that until 76, Beth could released buggy and broken games and not lose a pointed on MC or even with gamers because the bugs where seen as necessary to push the genre.

In short, while Starfield is polished by Beth’s standards, those standards are so low that they went from D+ in QA to a C and people think they should have a cookie.
 
You just have to read the Steam reviews to see that a lot of people’s issues are the technical shortcomings. And using Beth’s other games isn’t a good defense because it is well-known that almost all those games released as buggy mess with the PS3 versions of Skyrim becoming unplayable past a certain point.

The difference is that until 76, Beth could released buggy and broken games and not lose a pointed on MC or even with gamers because the bugs where seen as necessary to push the genre.

In short, while Starfield is polished by Beth’s standards, those standards are so low that they went from D+ in QA to a C and people think they should have a cookie.
Bugs aren't the reason for Starfield's low scores, Bethesda's issue is the they're still making games as if it were 2010 and the genre's moved on. BG3 is a buggier game tbh, it doesn't matter.
 
Bugs aren't the reason for Starfield's low scores, Bethesda's issue is the they're still making games as if it were 2010 and the genre's moved on. BG3 is a buggier game tbh, it doesn't matter.

BG3’s Act 3 is buggy and incomplete. Act 1 is extremely polish and so is Act 2 to a lesser extent. It isn’t more buggy than Starfield.

Again, the majority of the Steam reviews is about performance. A game on Steam don’t score in the 70s for being outdated.
 
BG3’s Act 3 is buggy and incomplete

How is Act 3 incomplete? I enjoyed it more than Act 2 and about the same as Act 1

I feel like there’s been some overblown narrative regarding act 3 due to people being salty the game received such high accolades, because im on my 3rd playthrough and it’s nothing like how people describe.
 
How is Act 3 incomplete? I enjoyed it more than Act 2 and about the same as Act 1

I feel like there’s been some overblown narrative regarding act 3 due to people being salty the game received such high accolades, because im on my 3rd playthrough and it’s nothing like how people describe.

The entire upper city was cut which was found in the datamined, the upper city was shown in marketing, and several characters’ quest lines are tied to the upper city. Particular one character that possibly could be saved as was hinted throughout the game, but since the last leg of her quest line is in the cut upper city, you get the default/bad ending for her.
 
How is Act 3 incomplete? I enjoyed it more than Act 2 and about the same as Act 1
Going what I remember at launch.
Several Companions have no quest arc in Act 3 (Karlach and Halsin) or they are just super oddly put together (Astarion’s master’s mansion has an entrance on an enforcement wall and you teleport to the tower for Gale because for both they cut the upper city). Astarion’s questline doesn’t even tie into the game proper. Karlach’s is bad given how you keep getting those hell metals but the quest can be completed in act 1 leaving you with nothing to do for two acts. Which given the game mentions several ways to fix Karlach but you can’t blatant. Heck they mention wish but you meet a famous wizard who can do that lol.

Orin has a lot to do in the lower city but Gortash does not. He sits in a fortress, as archduke of BG, that is outside BG proper (look at the map) and just does nothing even after destroying his factory and taking his hostages back which he knows about. Not to mention his form change sucks compared to Orin and Ketheric. This contrasts Orin who has a lot going on in the lower city in terms of interacting and then having her base in the bowels.

The endings we were promised are ME3 tier of chose either side with A or B (honestly poorly written given your mindflayer friend has a meltdown over the Geth, who turns around and says we cool) and then Betray or stick to the path. No epilogues of real note (at least for the baalspawn CaC). I guess Gale variant does count but that’s not what people had in mind with these choice based endings.

No reward or consequences story wise for using/refusing tadpole powers, despite the story saying as much. Raphael goes from offering you the ability to remove it to just a completely different questline for a hammer to free prince geth.

The lack of a legendary longsword is glaring, but this is more personal I guess. There’s others/more to say but it’s been so long I need to gather the rest of my thoughts. I didn’t do an evil run obviously, but I did read that it was a bit lacking as well.
The entire upper city was cut which was found in the datamined, the upper city was shown in marketing, and several characters’ quest lines are tied to the upper city. Particular one character that possibly could be saved as was hinted throughout the game, but since the last leg of her quest line is in the cut upper city, you get the default/bad ending for her.
Just to note they didn’t datamine the entire upper city, that was a misnomer. They did find tags though. The marketing though was clear.
 
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You just have to read the Steam reviews to see that a lot of people’s issues are the technical shortcomings. And using Beth’s other games isn’t a good defense because it is well-known that almost all those games released as buggy mess with the PS3 versions of Skyrim becoming unplayable past a certain point.

The difference is that until 76, Beth could released buggy and broken games and not lose a pointed on MC or even with gamers because the bugs where seen as necessary to push the genre.

In short, while Starfield is polished by Beth’s standards, those standards are so low that they went from D+ in QA to a C and people think they should have a cookie.
Bugs aren't the reason for Starfield's low scores, Bethesda's issue is the they're still making games as if it were 2010 and the genre's moved on. BG3 is a buggier game tbh, it doesn't matter.
I haven't read Steam reviews exactly, but I've happened to watch quite a few long form video essays on Starfield, most of them criticizing the game. In each of them, a significant amount of time is focused on the outdated game design that fiendcode suggests (though it's not the only problem). What was revolutionary in 2011 is no longer impressive, especially with so many other games doing what Bethesda does but better in certain aspects.

I can list the videos I've watched below if you want. It's definitely less people than Steam reviews, but looking at the views and likes on these, they're surely resonating with many.
 
PC Game Pass's potential damage to Call of Duty revenues feels like a giant risk in particular.

Call of Duty's engine is so good that it can run on any PC.

It feels like releasing Avatar 2 directly to Disney+.

It can be a huge boon for gamepass revenue and microtranaction revenue though

And they also have Playstation and Nintendo they will be putting COD games on.
 
BG3’s Act 3 is buggy and incomplete. Act 1 is extremely polish and so is Act 2 to a lesser extent. It isn’t more buggy than Starfield.

Again, the majority of the Steam reviews is about performance. A game on Steam don’t score in the 70s for being outdated.


Not only this but Spiderman 2 has a lot of crashes from reading the internet. Yet is generally skating by without the buggy label. Although too be fair it seems almost disliked on twitch. The Destiny streamers that I see do variety content that tried to hype Spiderman, seemed to get about half the view count as with other non-destiny games they delve into (specifically thinking of Gladd here, who was streaming Spidey to only 1k viewers quite low for him around half his normal 2k on non destiny games iirc). Suggesting twitch viewers are actively avoiding Spiderman 2. edit: same with frostbolt half normal viewers. ~500

People are really subjective with how they apply the buggy judgement. The BG3 devs bragged about 1k bug fixes in the first patch. The fact you had 1k bugs to patch to begin with is not something to brag about LOL. But because BG3 just has this shine about it it doesn't get the harsh criticism.
 
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Not only this but Spiderman 2 has a lot of crashes from reading the internet. Yet is generally skating by without the buggy label. Although too be fair it seems almost disliked on twitch. The Destiny streamers that I see do variety content that tried to hype Spiderman, seemed to get about half the view count as with other non-destiny games they delve into (specifically thinking of Gladd here, who was streaming Spidey to only 1k viewers quite low for him around half his normal 2k iirc). Suggesting twitch viewers are actively avoiding Spiderman 2.

People are really subjective with how they apply the buggy judgement. The BG3 devs bragged about 1k bug fixes in the first patch. The fact you had 1k bugs to patch to begin with is not something to brag about LOL. But because BG3 just has this shine about it it doesn't get the harsh criticism.
That just reinforces @fiendcode's point, people wouldn't complain as much about technical issues in Starfield if they liked the game more!
 
Operating across multiple platforms is what a multiplatform publisher does, like ABK.
If MSFT wants to stay in the console business then they need to pay attention, and are, to Xbox sales.

Network effects mean as digital libraries and MTX get bigger, and the larger brand presence your competitor gets, the barrier to switch gets higher, not lower.

Naw.

Apple wants to stay in both the hardware and content business.

Sure, apple wants to sell as many Apple TV 4K devices as they can…it’s built in content consumers… but what’s more important is how many Apple TV+ subscribers there are. If it’s through smart tvs or web browsers, that’s ok.

Again, this is the proper way for a 3rd party console content provider to do it. Again, Microsoft is more successful now than ever.

The number of Xboxes sold don’t really reflect much about that in this day and age.
 
I haven't read Steam reviews exactly, but I've happened to watch quite a few long form video essays on Starfield, most of them criticizing the game. In each of them, a significant amount of time is focused on the outdated game design that fiendcode suggests (though it's not the only problem). What was revolutionary in 2011 is no longer impressive, especially with so many other games doing what Bethesda does but better in certain aspects.

I can list the videos I've watched below if you want. It's definitely less people than Steam reviews, but looking at the views and likes on these, they're surely resonating with many.

I've seen the same long-form videos and I've also talked in length about how Starfield is outdated. However, you don't get in the 70s on Steam because your game is outdated. And even in those long reviews, bugs are mentioned like NPC floating off into space, breaking quest chains along with bugs that has existed since at least FO3 still being present.

Here is the TLDR version of what the online community thinks of Starfield:


Not only this but Spiderman 2 has a lot of crashes from reading the internet. Yet is generally skating by without the buggy label. Although too be fair it seems almost disliked on twitch. The Destiny streamers that I see do variety content that tried to hype Spiderman, seemed to get about half the view count as with other non-destiny games they delve into (specifically thinking of Gladd here, who was streaming Spidey to only 1k viewers quite low for him around half his normal 2k on non destiny games iirc). Suggesting twitch viewers are actively avoiding Spiderman 2. edit: same with frostbolt half normal viewers. ~500

People are really subjective with how they apply the buggy judgement. The BG3 devs bragged about 1k bug fixes in the first patch. The fact you had 1k bugs to patch to begin with is not something to brag about LOL. But because BG3 just has this shine about it it doesn't get the harsh criticism.

BG3 avoids the bug label because most of its bugs are in Act 3, which takes the average players dozens of hours to reach. By that point, very little is going to sway a player that a game is bugged even when the game crashes on them if they had no issue for over 50 hours.

That said, consumers are forgiven of buggy messes if they feel the game is great or is ambitious, which is how Beth originally got away with their half-baked launches and how Pokemon S/V are well-regarded by general audience despite it needing at least another four months in the oven. Same with Jedi which still doesn't run well on PC.
 
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Apple wants to stay in both the hardware and content business.

Nothing like Xbox.
Apple has the most successful hardware business in the world.

The number of Xboxes sold don’t really reflect much about that in this day and age.

Incorrect.
Again, if MSFT want to remain in the console industry then it does. Even beyond that:

85% of GP subs (25M Xbox, 5M PC) are from Xbox
90% of their 3rd Party revenue ($6.6B) is from Xbox (PC is $1B total which includes 1st party titles)

As a 3rd party publisher they are not dependent on Xbox.
As an ecosystem, they are incredibly dependent on Xbox.
 




I think I more or less get what Benji means here. Its a great result, but its very different from the typical "great result" youd expect from a console maker. Especially in comparison to the PS5.


This post has been edited to include the respective tweet's text transcriptions, but let's try as much as we can (this isn't directed just at the poster in question, it's a general recommendation) to include such transcriptions right from the original posting (and translation of the original text if it's not in English). This precaution is for archivial purposes, given the fact that we cannot totally exclude the worst-case-scenario where the original sources disappear in one way or another, especially in the case of Twitter (yes Twitter, not X) given all the recent events (including episodes of major instability).

This is actually a forum's guidance has been introduced a few months ago, as can be seen here
 
Nothing like Xbox.
Apple has the most successful hardware business in the world.

That has nothing to do with what we are talking about.

I never suggested the majority of Microsoft revenue/profit comes from hardware sales (it doesn’t).

I’m stating the opposite.

The comparison I was making to Apple was content streaming vs hardware. I’m not comparing Surface pro sales to IPhone sales. I’m comparing between hardware that is sold to be a content driver. Which is Xbox and Apple TV represent to both companies.

In this area, it’s similar.

You want to argue that Microsoft doesn’t sell phones…ok, whatever. It’s a specious argument.



Incorrect.
Again, if MSFT want to remain in the console industry then it does. Even beyond that:

85% of GP subs (25M Xbox, 5M PC) are from Xbox
90% of their 3rd Party revenue ($6.6B) is from Xbox (PC is $1B total which includes 1st party titles)

As a 3rd party publisher they are not dependent on Xbox.
As an ecosystem, they are incredibly dependent on Xbox.

Great.

Would you like to explain to me why Xbox is pulling wayyyy more revenue and profit now than they were during the xbox360 years despite selling half the number of Xbox consoles?

I think as you try to explain this to me, you will understand what I’m saying.
 
Microsoft's direction IS Game Pass. Not a console that becomes outdated the moment it releases with an expiration date which in this case will be eight years. Microsoft doesn't need to be #1 or even #2 in consoles to be more successful than their competitors because they care about getting you into the eco-system which is console, PC, cloud, mobile, TV apps, etc. and Game Pass is the driver to all of them.

People talk about Starfield being outdated or whatever yet these same people believe that only console sales matter like it's 2005 which is true if you're Sony or Nintendo but in no way, shape or form does this apply to Microsoft.

Microsoft will always be #3 in consoles because it's not their focal point where as for Sony and Nintendo it is. Microsoft wants to, already is and will continue to grow bigger than they've ever been before including during their best generation which was Xbox 360 because their direction isn't dependent and reliant on a box with 130m console sales maximum give or take like the other two hardware manufacturers are which to me is truly what's old, outdated and obsolete because instead of growing, expanding and becoming bigger, they want to believe that they can somehow grow the console business yet no one has come close to the PlayStation 2 life time sales of around 155m and granted, a lot of those sales were because of the DVD player at the time being one of the cheapest on the market.

I will truly never understand why so many people put the focus on consoles and despite being a console only gamer, business wise, staying with only console is asinine, nonsensical and simply put, not forward thinking. Microsoft has different avenues of revenue and profit with gaming, Xbox consoles, PC via the Windows Store, Steam, I think Epic as well and that's before including Game Pass on both console and PC. Then you add in ABK, mobile, cloud and trying to get Game Pass on as many devices as possible, this is truly how you run a gaming division which is now the most important division in Microsoft ahead of even Windows. Never thought I would see that happen and if they stayed with only consoles, I wouldn't have but thankfully, Phil Spencer and everyone else there saw a vision that expands beyond the box that has a set life cycle and resets once that life cycle ends.

As an Xbox fan, I love Microsoft's direction because despite not giving two shits about PC, mobile or cloud, the more revenue and in turn profit Microsoft makes for their gaming division as a whole is great for me because I will get more acquisitions, more games in general and best of all, more day one first party and third party games on Game Pass which as a consumer first and gamer second, oh man, give me more baby!! :)
 
I've seen the same long-form videos and I've also talked in length about how Starfield is outdated. However, you don't get in the 70s on Steam because your game is outdated. And even in those long reviews, bugs are mentioned like NPC floating off into space, breaking quest chains along with bugs that has existed since at least FO3 still being present.

Here is the TLDR version of what the online community thinks of Starfield:




BG3 avoids the bug label because most of its bugs are in Act 3, which takes the average players dozens of hours to reach. By that point, very little is going to sway a player that a game is bugged even when the game crashes on them if they had no issue for over 50 hours.

That said, consumers are forgiven of buggy messes if they feel the game is great or is ambitious, which is how Beth originally got away with their half-baked launches and how Pokemon S/V are well-regarded by general audience despite it needing at least another four months in the oven. Same with Jedi which still doesn't run well on PC.

I'm late to this, but looking at the reception for Star Wars Jedi Survivor, and remembering the launches and initial reception of both Pokemon Scarlet and Violet and Cyberpunk 2077... I can definitely see your point now even if I disagree to some extent.
 
Microsoft doesn't need to be #1 or even #2 in consoles to be more successful than their competitors because they care about getting you into the eco-system which is console, PC, cloud, mobile, TV apps, etc. and Game Pass is the driver to all of them.

Xbox console IS the main driver for Gamepass. If Xbox hardware fails completely, so it will Gamepass
People talk about Starfield being outdated or whatever yet these same people believe that only console sales matter like it's 2005 which is true if you're Sony or Nintendo but in no way, shape or form does this apply to Microsoft

Starfield is outdated, though. Engine especially. Anyway, just few months ago Phil Spencer said that Xbox console is critical to Xbox.
 
Microsoft shipped like ~10 Million Xbox Series in 2021 and 2022. That's enough to keep the platform viable.
 
Should be between 8~9 Million this year. That's not "dramatically".

How sales plundered throughout this year.... and last 4 quarters Xbox Hardware : -7% Q1/FY24, 13% Q4/FY23, -30% Q3/FY23, -13% Q2/FY23

And i believe holiday sales will be close to from last year. Yeah, i don't expect 8 million this year at all. Last year holidays were bad for Xbox.
 
Starfield's reception is interesting because BGS' most dedicated fans (including most game reviewers) loved their games more than like the Assassin's Creed RPGs because they thought BGS managed to craft games that had a strong sense of place and were about exploring places instead of going to do stuff on a checklist.

And then Starfield explicitly rejects that praised design philosophy they praised to have a very not interconnected game that cares much less about establishing a sense of place.

And hence the reviews are so much worse for Starfield than prior BGS RPGs.

But I'm not sure that casual fans have cared that much about the change.
 
Xbox console IS the main driver for Gamepass. If Xbox hardware fails completely, so it will Gamepass

It is now but it's also very close. PC Game Pass isn't that far behind Xbox Game Pass. Xbox hardware isn't failing though. People just look at what Sony is doing and believe that Microsoft needs to equal it to be successful when in reality they don't. Microsoft used a lot of Series X consoles for their cloud setup which backfired and they don't have as many Series X consoles as they do Series S which while great early on, I believe the majority that want an Xbox console, want the Series X, not the Series S.

People put way too much emphasis on consoles when that's NOT Microsoft's business model or focal point. They're the complete opposite of Sony in this regard where all Sony cares about is the console. As usual, people always put the emphasis on the console because let's be honest, that's the only thing people can latch on to because Microsoft is blowing away every other metric that THEY USE for success and will continue to do so but yet, everyone wants to focus on just the console aspect while ignoring everything else that Microsoft is doing.

If anyone truly believes that the hardware is going away or that they will leave or any of this other bullshit because their console sales are half of PlayStation 5, then in all honesty, they haven't been paying attention to what Microsoft has been doing the last 5+ years.

Starfield is outdated, though. Engine especially. Anyway, just few months ago Phil Spencer said that Xbox console is critical to Xbox.

I don't think Starfield is outdated at all. Game looks great and I get the complaints but in no way, shape or form do I want BGS sacrificing what they do in their games just for better visuals and animations. No thanks. I have so much variety in Starfield and so many different things I can do that I don't want them changing anything just because people want the games to look like Sony's games. I don't. I have Sony's games for that. I don't want BGS or Microsoft's studios to just copy Sony and give me these best of the best visuals and animations.

I like Phil Spencer but let's be honest, as we all know, behind the scenes, he's a ruthless business man like he should be so what he says and what Microsoft does could very well be two different things. We already know that they have a mid-gen slim/refresh coming in a year and their next gen console is already in R&D.

I believe that Microsoft will always have a gaming console in their eco-system but they don't need to match or even come close to Sony or Nintendo in order to be profitable and successful which they already are.

But in time, we'll see how it all plays out. All I know is that for me personally, I love Microsoft's direction and am super hyped for their future and have no worries or concerns whatsoever.
 
I believe that PlayStation 5 Pro will sell around 10M consoles which will be similar to PS4 Pro. The casual market won't care about it and if it's really $600+, then only the hardcore PlayStation fans will buy it.
 
I don't see PS5 Pro selling like hot cakes. You can't sell Pro to mass consumer market.

And what do you mean by "no big games"?
No it won't sell crazy numbers, but it will pull in power users without console yet or Series X owners.

Hellblade 2, Avowed, FlightSim are not big games.
I believe that PlayStation 5 Pro will sell around 10M consoles which will be similar to PS4 Pro. The casual market won't care about it and if it's really $600+, then only the hardcore PlayStation fans will buy it.
I actually think it'll sell better than PS4 Pro if it has a substantial Raytracing Boost.
It also will have no competition in the Pro console space.
 
I actually think it'll sell better than PS4 Pro if it has a substantial Raytracing Boost.
It also will have no competition in the Pro console space.

Maybe but the PS4 Pro launched at $400 while PS5 Pro is looking to be $600+ unless Sony drops the price of the base PS5 to $400 next year and puts the Pro at $500 which would still be $100 more than the PS4 Pro. As for Ray Tracing, in all honesty, I see it as I saw HDR last generation - a generation too early across the board for consoles on both sides. Only a high end powerful PC is running Ray Tracing at a high level.
 
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