PS5 vs. Switch vs. XBOXSX - THUNDERDOME Version 2.0

[Vinny01]

I have read some continue to think this is a deliberate play by Spencer to make Microsoft seem significantly inferior and a distant third so their acquisition of Activision/Blizzard gets past regulators.

[Sr. Mints]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I have read some continue to think this is a deliberate play by Spencer to make Microsoft seem significantly inferior and a distant third so their acquisition of Activision/Blizzard gets past regulators.

That was my first thought

[Russic]

I love the honesty and definitely think it'll get him canned. He makes a great point though. Ya, generations have seen consoles trade crowns, but since the tail end of PS3, Sony has kinda run away with it. At this point my Sony library is massive. I can't imagine a scenario where they screw up so badly that I abandon all that. That simply wasn't the case before the PS4.

[Max Cow Disease]

Originally Posted by Russic

I love the honesty and definitely think it'll get him canned. He makes a great point though. Ya, generations have seen consoles trade crowns, but since the tail end of PS3, Sony has kinda run away with it. At this point my Sony library is massive. I can't imagine a scenario where they screw up so badly that I abandon all that. That simply wasn't the case before the PS4.

Exactly. Last generation saw the widespread introduction of digital libraries, and this generation saw the advent of continuity/playability of those libraries through to the next generation. With online gaming being so prolific people will also just tend toward the ecosystem where their friends have played and will play. It isn’t a “new hardware=clean slate” world any more. We’re so used to hearing bull#### from corporate executives that people are equating Spencer’s simple observation of this fact as a throwing-in of the white towel for Xbox. The guy’s always said candid stuff like that.

To that point- you really think he’ll get canned? Xbox has never really “won” a console generation unless you count the 360’s successes in North America. What about the state of the brand would make one think Spencer’s on his way out? It’s making a bunch of money, the Series line of consoles has sold fairly well, Gamepass/cloud initiatives, a bunch of studios acquired and working on different games. I don’t think Satya Nadella was waiting to drop the guillotine on Spencer’s neck on the basis of Redfall’s review scores…

[Russic]

Originally Posted by Max Cow Disease

Exactly. Last generation saw the widespread introduction of digital libraries, and this generation saw the advent of continuity/playability of those libraries through to the next generation. With online gaming being so prolific people will also just tend toward the ecosystem where their friends have played and will play. It isn’t a “new hardware=clean slate” world any more. We’re so used to hearing bull#### from corporate executives that people are equating Spencer’s simple observation of this fact as a throwing-in of the white towel for Xbox. The guy’s always said candid stuff like that.

To that point- you really think he’ll get canned? Xbox has never really “won” a console generation unless you count the 360’s successes in North America. What about the state of the brand would make one think Spencer’s on his way out? It’s making a bunch of money, the Series line of consoles has sold fairly well, Gamepass/cloud initiatives, a bunch of studios acquired and working on different games. I don’t think Satya Nadella was waiting to drop the guillotine on Spencer’s neck on the basis of Redfall’s review scores…

I certainly hope not, it's a breath of fresh air to hear somebody speak openly. I thought the interview was killer, but the lasting taste it seems to have left with most is "we aren't turning this thing around with great games." If I'm an Xbox fan, that's not exactly what I want to hear. They have a gap in quality exclusives and it doesn't sound like that's in the crosshairs to be addressed.

I'm probably way off, as I don't know that "success" to Xbox looks like. Maybe they're completely fine making money in 3rd... maybe they're just biding their time before they can integrate Bing into a game engine and make a Skyrim adventure with AI characters that allow for a true Choose Your Own Adventure experience. No idea what they're up to.

[chemgear]

No Switch Pro on the horizon.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1655929868356558849

[photon]

I guess I don't care, the next Zelda game probably won't be until there is new hardware and I gave up on Pokemon games on this Switch they're just too brutal.

[SuperMatt18]

Honestly I think that is a bit of a miss by Nintendo.

This Q3/Q4 would have been the perfect launch window for a Switch 2.

Sony and XBox are a bit sleepy and could have made a splash.

[Mazrim]

The Switch is definitely showing its age. I don't think a Pro version would make sense unless they released it a year or two ago. They're probably just trying to get production started on a new console instead. Maybe an October 2023 announcement and April 2024 release?

[Since1984]

The EU has approved the Microsoft - Activision/Blizzard purchase, citing that with the latest concessions offered by MS the deal would offer more games to more people on more machines; the complete opposite of the reason why the CMAUK rejected the deal.

I find it funny that the ~$300 million cloud gaming portion of the deal is the hitch in all the investigations, when the $6 billion console market is no ones concern but Sony.

The CMA of course tweeted a response and is sticking to it's guns:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1658131200181952516

https://twitter.com/user/status/1658131203000614916

https://twitter.com/user/status/1658131206007844867

https://twitter.com/user/status/1658131209057189889

https://twitter.com/user/status/1658131211967971328


With all other regulators passing the purchase so far it looks like the CMA and the FTC will be battling with Microsoft in court. Which currently bodes well for the purchase based IMO.

[photon]

"competition in cloud gaming"

lol

[chemgear]

https://mobilesyrup.com/2023/06/21/m...crease-canada/

Starting August 1st, the 4K-capable console will cost $649 CAD, a $50 hike from the current $599 price tag. In a statement to The Verge, the company said it’s “held on our prices for consoles for many years and have adjusted the prices to reflect the competitive conditions in each market.” It’s worth noting that a price increase will not go into effect in U.S., Japan, Brazil, Chile and Colombia.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by chemgear

https://mobilesyrup.com/2023/06/21/m...crease-canada/

Starting August 1st, the 4K-capable console will cost $649 CAD, a $50 hike from the current $599 price tag. In a statement to The Verge, the company said it’s “held on our prices for consoles for many years and have adjusted the prices to reflect the competitive conditions in each market.” It’s worth noting that a price increase will not go into effect in U.S., Japan, Brazil, Chile and Colombia.

When you're getting crushed in sales, the obvious solution is to raise the price of your product. Genius stuff.

[Sr. Mints]

Originally Posted by rubecube

When you're getting crushed in sales, the obvious solution is to raise the price of your product. Genius stuff.

No kidding. I'm guessing it's more nuanced than that. But from my perspective, Starfield is the first thing to get me excited about an Xbox since the 360, then they take the wind out of their own sails.

[Since1984]

Originally Posted by rubecube

When you're getting crushed in sales, the obvious solution is to raise the price of your product. Genius stuff.

Xbox commented last year when Sony increased the PS5 price from $599 to $649, that they were postponing their own price increase until a later date.

Looks like August 1, 2023 is that date. Only 11 months after Sony's price increase.

[chemgear]

https://www.gamesradar.com/microsoft...qn6Xxe-opv8vNY

Microsoft admits Xbox "lost the console wars"

Today marks the beginning of the US's Federal Trade Commission versus Microsoft case, as the latter battled the regulator to approve its attempted acquisition of Activision Blizzard King. In the process, Microsoft is keen to show Xbox is in third place, thus making it look less dominant in acquiring the company.

As part of this strategy though, Microsoft admits that Xbox "lost the console wars." As reported by The Verge, Xbox states that in 2021 it had just 16% of total console sales, and that same year, it had just 21% of the total console install base. We don't know whether this is just in the US, or around the world.

[Since1984]

Originally Posted by chemgear

https://www.gamesradar.com/microsoft...qn6Xxe-opv8vNY

Microsoft admits Xbox "lost the console wars"

Today marks the beginning of the US's Federal Trade Commission versus Microsoft case, as the latter battled the regulator to approve its attempted acquisition of Activision Blizzard King. In the process, Microsoft is keen to show Xbox is in third place, thus making it look less dominant in acquiring the company.

As part of this strategy though, Microsoft admits that Xbox "lost the console wars." As reported by The Verge, Xbox states that in 2021 it had just 16% of total console sales, and that same year, it had just 21% of the total console install base. We don't know whether this is just in the US, or around the world.

Lot's of info coming out of the FTC v. Microsoft ABK court hearings over the last couple of days, including the above.

Which has been pretty well known for awhile that Xbox was in third in the console market.

I guess the biggest thing to come out of the actual precedings is that Jim Ryan's taped deposition has already pretty much been impeached due an email he sent out internally stating the following about the MS ABK merger:

It is not an exclusivity play at all. They’re thinking bigger than that and they have the cash to make moves like this. I’ve spent a fair amount of time with [Phil] Spencer and Bobby [Kotick] and I’m pretty sure we will continue to see Call of Duty on PlayStation for years to come.

We have some good stuff cooking. I’m not complacent, I’d rather this didn’t happen, but we’ll be OK, we’ll be more than OK.

Also to come out of the hearings....the FTC's case is terrible and has been ridiculed by many legal pundits.

Many of Sony's...err the FTC's own witnesses contradict themselves and don't provide any factual evidence to their case. Where in actuality a lot of the data points to increased competition within the console space due to this type of horizontal acquisition. Also, in a lot of cases the arguments made and questions asked by FTC lawyers mirror exactly what Sony is actively doing with PlayStation. In one instance the lawyer asked about not being able to have a cool skin in COD because it was locked to XBOX users only......how clueless can you actually be???

The biggest thing though IMO is Phil Spencer under oath promised to continue releasing COD to PlayStation in complete parity multiple times.

I would not be surprised to see the Judge all together throw out the lawsuit and completely rule in favor of the merger.

[Erick Estrada]

Merger is going to happen. This case is a big waste of time.

[Since1984]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Merger is going to happen. This case is a big waste of time.

I couldn't agree more, the longer the court hearings go the more it goes in Microsoft - ABK's favor.

[Hack&Lube]

I'll play Diablo when it's on PC Game Pass!