Will the Xbox Series X and S be Microsoft’s last consoles? The question of Xbox’s future in the video game market is not new and continues to gain momentum in recent times. While the departments dedicated to this ecosystem continue to shrink in supermarkets and other niche brands, gaming on these platforms continues its dematerialization. Players are now banking on Game Pass, accessible on consoles, PC and even from the cloud. If this new way of consuming video games proves more than beneficial to gamers, it could well cost Microsoft space as a manufacturer.
At least that’s the new rumor shared by journalist Chris Dring GamesIndustry.biz. After some discussion with industry insiders during a Game Developers Conference, Dring became aware of the reluctance of some major studios. on the microphone GI MicrocastHe explains that “Xbox is in deep trouble as a manufacturer” and developers are starting to take notice. “A major company that released a major game last year told me: ‘I don’t know why we bothered to support it’ (Xbox, NLDR).“ It reveals. However, according to him, the export of the Xbox license to PlayStation is also a cause of concern and concern for the manufacturer’s partners.
A strategy that is not unanimous
In mid-February, Microsoft formalized the arrival of four of its exclusives on its competitors’ platforms. If this news did not fail to cheer the players, it seems to have shaken the industry from within. Still, according to Chris Dring and his information collected at GDC 2024, “most Xbox games” should be exported to other consoles, as long as the first effort currently underway bears fruit, which Xbox believes as hard as iron.
However, the declining momentum in hardware sales (also noted by Dring) worries developers about interest in continuing to develop on Xbox. This loss of power common to all manufacturers seems even more fatal for Microsoft, where players choose to rely on Game Pass through various platforms.
“Another thing I heard at GDC was ‘What’s going on with the Xbox?’ Because, of course, from Xbox’s point of view, it’s about growing the market through other platforms, services, etc. It’s not just about the console under the TV, and in fact, the console under the TV is probably only a small part of their business. But from their partner’s point of view, it is a key element” says Chris Dring. If Xbox is no longer a priority for Microsoft, why should it be for development studios? It is certain that the Redmond firm is playing a dangerous game and its new ambitions could cost it the support of the big players in the industry. So the next few years promise to be crucial for the manufacturer’s future in the market. can continue.
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