Microsoft Exec: Offline Gamers Should Stick With Xbox 360

[J Tyran]

No argument that "screw you, look somewhere else" is a bad business model but trying to market a still profitable device is not.

Unless you're doing it at the expense of the device you're actively trying to market.

Like, for example, here.

Not really, even if the Xbone was console Jesus its market penetration would be slow at first. Some people cant or wont afford one, others might want to sit on the fence for a bit and see which console gets the best support. Other gamers might want to avoid that horrible post launch drought of releases, if both the 360 and the Xbone are profitable it doesn't really matter. Except the Xbone wont be profitable for years, each console will be sold at a loss and not enough people will have the console to make huge profits on the games.

The 360 will make them a lot more money over the first 12 months after the Xbone launch, it seems Microsoft has learned from Sony in that regard.

 

[dpixie]

Okay, you know what? No. No I will not stand around and take this. I was thinking 'okay, I've got a decent enough connection that checking in every 24 hours isn't a problem. The whole "used-game fee" sucks but that just means I'll really have to do some research and make sure I'll like the game before I buy it. Hell, this might even save me money from not buying games I'm unsure about and end up sucking! And some of those exclusives do look nice...'

But this? This is the fucking line. This is what made sit down and think, in the whole 360 life-cycle there have been only 3 games that have been exclusive to it that I've really wanted. 3! Fable 2 and 3 and the first Mass Effect. All other games (and there's quite a few of them) I could've also gotten on the PS3. So why was I being so loyal?

And now they've shown how little that loyalty means to them, how little all their customers mean to them I'm going to take his advice. I'm going to use my 360 until the bitter end. And then?

I'm getting a PS4.

 

[shrekfan246]

But this? This is the fucking line. This is what made sit down and think, in the whole 360 life-cycle there have been only 3 games that have been exclusive to it that I've really wanted. 3! Fable 2 and 3 and the first Mass Effect. All other games (and there's quite a few of them) I could've also gotten on the PS3. So why was I being so loyal?

And the funny part is that only one of those is actually still exclusive... Mass Effect and Fable 3 both came to PC a little over half a year after their respective Xbox versions, and ME recently came to the PS3 with the trilogy collection.

OT: Microsoft... I have no words. This is probably going to be the first console generation since Sega's departure where I won't have all of the consoles. Had the Xbox, PS2, and Gamecube, had a Wii (for a while), PS3, and Xbox 360 along with a PC, and I see myself getting a PS4 and Wii U, but I just can't come up with any reasons to buy an Xbox One.

 

[ResonanceSD]

"don't buy our new console" that's what i heard there.
this guy sounds like a right mook.

"In news today, Microsoft shares hit rock bottom in the space of 15 seconds".

 

[Saika Renegade]

...eeeyup, that's going to reflect well on Microsoft.

And they wonder why they tanked in Japan.

 

[Gormech]

Guys (and gals), I think I've found a way to make sense of all of this.

Microsoft has given up and doesn't want to pay for handling all of the hardware.
They also don't want Sony/Nintendo picking up the rest of the customers so they're kinda trying to stay in the game just t o detract a few sales.

The biggest thing is that by doing all of this, they are making consoles in general look bad.
That means people go to pc gaming.
They own a huge part of that market.

THEY ARE TRYING TO TRICK YOU INTO BUYING INTO THEIR COMPUTERS!

 

[Taylortron5000]

I see this story and I'm reminded of a similar one. It takes place about seven or eight years ago, except instead of Microsoft sounding arrogant like they'd already won the competition, it was Sony. It was Sony that had come right out and said that 700 Dollars (American) would be alright, people like Sony products and would continue to like Sony products, so the people will continue to BUY Sony Products.

And it bit them in the ass. Lots of dropped 3rd party support (the back bone of any console, even the Wii U is going to have to deal with that elephant sooner or later), stalled consumer base until... what, two years ago? Admittedly, they had exclusives that I was interested in more than on the Microsoft side of things (Infamous and Uncharted intrigued me more than Halo and Gears of War), but their stance on "people are going to buy it anyways" annoyed me. The 360 got way more game time / game purchases on my end. I liked their earlier exclusives that WEREN'T the two I mentioned above (Mass Effect, Fable 2, Forza for some strange reason as I usually hate Sim racers and prefer things like Burnout), and any multi-plat game that came out I picked up for 360 for achievements. Not loyalty, but a freaking number.

Sony saw what happens when a console company makes regulations and restrictions on what the consumer can do, and decided that it wasn't actually a foregone conclusion that people would buy PS4, so they made it more attractive by having no online check ups or extra fee's for used games (online passes are still allowed but hell, for some reason they're allowed now so that's not a change, that's just keeping current instead of changing), and truth be told, a lot of the arrogance of a few years past has left. Instead, the people buying the systems showed them that competition exists and that the 360 could hold it's own against the juggernaut of Sony's Playstation.

It reminds me of something that Paul Heyman once said: Sometimes you need to get your ass kicked. Because then, you know what you're capable of, you're going to come back hungrier, and not quite wanting to get your ass kicked again. Sony learned.

And Microsoft picked up on Sony's arrogance and self-delusional "They'll buy it for the brand name instead of what the actual content is" mentality. The mirror image from the last gen's announcements just astounds me to no end.

 

[DracoSuave]

Okay.... the problem is he hasn't actually gotten the MESSAGE we've been trying to tell him.

Having a console CAPABLE of connecting every 24 hours and download constant updates, etc etc? Yes. That's a GOOD thing. PS+ customers have had that for a while... they have that option available to them should they decide to use it, including cloud saving etc.

Consumers don't have problems at all with the BENEFITS of it, and many are willing to pay for the BENEFITS that creates.

The PROBLEM is that consumers want an OFF SWITCH so that they can have the option of NOT doing this, should they want it. Are you offering a means to -turn this OFF-? No? Then talking about the benefits [which we can already get if we want] means you're ignoring the issue. If we can get the benefits, today, without the hassle of being unable to turn it off or decide the level of control over it, then where is your justification for not including the OFF SWITCH, which we ALREADY HAVE.

 

[Asuka Soryu]

No, no, Mattrick, you got the name of the console wrong. People looking to play on a console with no internet should buy a PS4/Wii U. I can see how you could be confused, with your head shoved so far up your ass.

 

[zinho73]

Apparently defending Microsoft with calm rationale is seen as being a blind fanboy. I certainly don't like the idea of any of this. Part of me just hopes that there's actually going to be a reason for all of this in the end.

I guess you can be calm, but not very rational. The reasons to buy an Xbone are as follows:

1. You love their games and couldn't care less about their policies.
2. You are pretty sure their policies will not affect you negatively - you do not plan on hold onto games for over 10 years, you do not sell or buy used, your internet is spotless and you believe MS will keep their serves online and protected at all times and so on.
3. You have blind faith on the company (also known as fanboyism).
4. You disagree with their polices and know things should be different, but you cannot resist Halo because you are weak (I've been there).
5. You have lots of money and don't think about reasons to do something. If you want it, you buy it.


The most rational is number 2, but it is also kind of naive.

 

[Demolition_Human]

So basically, what you are telling your potential customers is...

Okay Microsoft, but you're wrong though. There is another system that is offline capable and its the PS4. I already have a PS3 and it looks like I'm staying Sony this upcoming generation and will get a WiiU down the line. And to leave it off, I say screw you Microsoft, screw you.

 

[Headdrivehardscrew]

What boggles the mind is to watch this shit going on and realizing that Microsoft could have taken this generation in stride.

Instead, they seem so intent on digging their own grave it's not even funny. Maybe I'm mistaken, and their bouquet of bullshit business model will be very, very successful.

I just still don't want anything to do with it.

Best PR of the day: You don't like it? Keep using that old crap, then! We don't need your stinking, offline money! We don't even want to sell you our new console! If you don't let us have our way, you ain't part of our transparent and quantifiable horders of money on legs! Go away!

 

[Two-A]

Or I could just buy a PS4.
Or play on my PC.
Or buy a Wii U if I'm really desperate.

To be honest, I think the 360 is the first and last MS console I'm buying.

 

[DoctorImpossible]

Let me see if I've got this straight: He's basically saying that, if you don't have a stable internet connection, "We at Microsoft still want your money, we just don't want your poor-ass, non-internet having hands all over our new toy. Here take our last generation model as a consolation prize and kindly fuck off."

How's that, am I paraphrasing that correctly?

Go to hell Microsoft.

That's exactly what it sounds like. "If you're poor, rural, or live outside the US, then stick with the old model, loser."

 

[Mr.FrigginMarvelous]

At least they're being blunt about it.

 

[Strazdas]

Though this comes off as super arrogant, I get what he's trying to say. The 360 is a great console, and they're releasing a new one, so they're obviously still intending to support it for some time. Microsoft is really trying to get people to get behind this cloud idea, and though I'm still skeptical, I honestly hope in the end I can go "yeah, I see why they've done this." Their stance might just be too firm, but I understand what they're trying to do here.

so basically you are buying it because you are hoping that MS will magically after decades of bad practice actually start doing things better than promised?
im sorry for your upcoming dissapointment.
and you seem to ignore all the reasons for not buying it.

Oh, I'm not saying I agree with what they're doing at all, and I'm certainly going to hold off on buying it at the very least. I'm just one of the few people willing to give Microsoft the benefit of the doubt here. If it's complete shit, it's complete shit, and I won't be surprised, but I think Microsoft is hoping that people will understand what they've been going for.

Apparently defending Microsoft with calm rationale is seen as being a blind fanboy. I certainly don't like the idea of any of this. Part of me just hopes that there's actually going to be a reason for all of this in the end.

if it looks liek a car, sounds like a car, drives like a car and has been a car for the last 15 years, its probably a car. Sure it may turn into a truck tomorrow, but how realistic is it?

People understand what MS is going for ever since Win8 announcement. and they are not happy.

Calm rationale, and arguments based on unrealistic hopes are not always the same thing you know.

That's exactly what it sounds like. "If you're poor, rural, or live outside the US, then stick with the old model, loser."

Oh, the old "hur dur im so ignorant i think other countries have no internet" speech again? US internet is bad. real bad.

 

[GonvilleBromhead]

There's a term in Britain, "the Ratner effect" or "Doing a Ratner"(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1573380/Doing-a-Ratner-and-other-famous-gaffes.html), that seems the most appropriate way of describing Microsoft's Policy.

 

[garbutt]

"Offline gamers should stick with the Xbox 360"?

Don't worry Microsoft, I plan to...

 

[Something Amyss]

Not really, even if the Xbone was console Jesus its market penetration would be slow at first. Some people cant or wont afford one, others might want to sit on the fence for a bit and see which console gets the best support. Other gamers might want to avoid that horrible post launch drought of releases, if both the 360 and the Xbone are profitable it doesn't really matter.

Which would be great if those were the people Microsoft was addressing.

You don't need to make excuses for them.

 

[Masterdebator]

I fail to see why everyone's so upset.

Mattrick just saved us 500 dollars.

That's a nice guy in my books.