Will Microsoft survive to make another console?

[Stavros Dimou]

Of course they won't stop to make consoles. They make each day more than you and all of your friends will make on your whole lives.

 

[Pingieking]

Umm... Sure.
The X360 is running at about the same pace as the PS3, which means it's doing quite well. XBL is also doing very well, so the only blemish they possibly have is kinect. But even then kinect has sold something like 10 million units by March 2011. An attachment rate of approximately 20% in 5 months is quite impressive.

Basically, is Microsoft finished or do they still have enough fire power left to start a new generation of consoles (depending on what you consider the Wii U to be since it doesn't seem to have any new tech besides the controller that other consoles already have) and will their new console succeed or fall on its face?

The thing is, they've already made their next gen system. Both MS and third party developers have started hiring for software development on the next gen system. This means that MS either already in the later stages of finalizing their hardware, or they are at least set on the line of processors.

My money is on MS unveiling their next gen system in 12 months time at E3 2012. Market release around Nov 2013.

 

[Marmooset]

OK, look. The thing is, Microsoft hasn't actually made any money yet from Xbox so far.

And, you know what's really funny?

According to some rumours, they may not even care.

Why? Because the Xbox isn't about the Xbox.

It's about protecting Microsoft from attacks that could undermine and erode it's core assets. Which is, windows PC's, and their sales to business.

The worst thing for microsoft is losing business sales because people start to see viable alternatives to windows PC's.

That means protecting Windows by any means nessesary.

Notice the Xbox & Xbox 360 both use the same dev tools as windows games do?

Building an Xbox game is at a basic level almost as easy as changing the compiler settings.
It's more complicated in practice, but mostly because of optimization issues.


Anyway, Somehow I'm not sure Xbox even matters to Microsoft one way or the other.
Of course they want it to make money, but if there's one thing that Microsoft has that few others do, it's deep pockets.

This isn't just because they're a big company, but because they literally are totally paranoid about money.

A lot of businesses barely have any cash reserves, and their only easy cash may be entirely from loans.

Microsoft was so concerned about it's survival that a long time ago they instituted a policy where they needed to have enough cash reserves to survive an entire year without having to shut down anything, or fire anyone.

And not just an entire year making a loss. No.

They decided they needed to be able to survive an entire year without making any income.

That means, Microsoft, as a general business strategy, has enough cash lying about to pay ALL their bills for an ENTIRE YEAR, even if NOBODY buys anything at all from them the whole time.

Anyway, what that means, is that amongst other things, for them to shut down Xbox division it would have to be costing them so much money that it's disrupting every other part of their business very badly, and doesn't show any signs of accomplishing anything useful in the future.

That seems... Unlikely.

Remember, Both Microsoft and Sony do other things besides gaming. The success or failure of their respective consoles isn't going to kill them unless they do something colossally stupid.

I don't think you

need

that many paragraphs.

Not every sentence is earthshaking.

 

[Pingieking]

The thing is, they've already made their next gen system. Both MS and third party developers have started hiring for software development on the next gen system. This means that MS either already in the later stages of finalizing their hardware, or they are at least set on the line of processors.

My money is on MS unveiling their next gen system in 12 months time at E3 2012. Market release around Nov 2013.

funny because everyone outside and inside Microsoft has been talking 2015 for the next xbox up until this point.

What I've seen them say is that X360 has a ten year life cycle (2015), I have not seen any reports of MS coming out and saying that there will not be a new console before 2015 (please correct me if I'm wrong on this).
Knowing that, and knowing how the industry operates, I think it's a very safe bet to say that MS will drop the Nextbox by 2013. Next gen systems almost always come onto market when the previous models lived through 2/3 to 3/4 of their life cycle. The current gen machines are powerful enough that the developers haven't squeezed all they can out of them yet, so the next gen machines are actually going to arrive late.

 

[Gunjester]

No one's been able to stop them, and they won't, it'll just be a bumpier, more annoying-to-hear-about ride...yeah...PS3 fan here by the way...

Sorry to go off topic here (would just edit this into my last post, but for some god forsaken reason I can't highlight to copy your quote..), but you do realize that, as a PS3 fan, you have a lot to lose by Sony losing major competition, right? The three companies competing with each other keeps their prices honest, and I sincerely doubt that Sony would sell PS3's at a lose if the 360 didn't exist.

That, and you're just being a bit of a jerk to 360 owners, but I guess that's the whole point of console fanboyism. Just thought I would point out how pointless and downright idiotic the whole idea of it is, because I felt like it.

Umm, no I'm not, I own all three consoles. I just like the games for the PS3 more and happen to enjoy the configuration and overall strategies used in making and defending it.
Saying "Fan" doesn't mean "Fanboy" and I wasn't insulting anyone with my comment, merely saying that no, I do not think Microsoft is going away. It's not annoying-to-hear-about because I don't like them, it's because it's all anyone will talk about anymore...SO maybe ask a question before accusing someone of an opinion they don't have, sir.

 

[MaxwellEdison]

How would Microsoft die?

The premise of your thread confuses me.

 

[SeaCalMaster]

Both Luigi's Mansion and Pikmin have sequels in the works.
I'm curious as to why you think Wii Sports isn't very original. Of all the criticisms you could level at it, that's the one that makes the least sense. I can tell you have an issue with the game because it's "casual." While we're on that point, I've got some questions for you: What does "hardcore" mean, exactly, for games and for gamers? Is there a hard-and-fast distinction? (Bonus points if you can come up with a meaningful definition that doesn't include Twilight Princess or Corruption, for example.) Do you think that a "casual" gamer can become a "hardcore" gamer?

You are certainly entitled to your opinion about the relative quality of the companies' offerings. In case you hadn't noticed, though, this thread is about predicting those companies' relative successes in the next generation of consoles. In that context, stating that Nintendo is in the weakest position because you don't like their games is rather disingenuous.

P.S. In case you hadn't worked this out yet, Wii U is the HD-upgraded Wii. It's an actual new console.

yeah i know they have sequels in the works now, but i was asking for examples of brand new series' from Nintendo that debuted on the Wii. Pikmin and Luigis mansion do not fit into that category, and Luigi is even a character from a previous series, so that game might not count either way.

and i dont have a problem with Wii Sports because its casual... im saying i wouldnt accept it as an addition to the small list of new series' that Nintendo released on the Wii. i say that because it is just a sports montage-type game that incorporates the Mii's. thats all its meant for. its interesting, but it isnt an idea that took any thought whatsoever. MS did the same thing with Kinect Sports, which is why i dont think that game would qualify either.

as for what i think a casual gamer is, its kind of hard to say. its not someone that is just into kiddie games and exercise games and only owns a Wii, because the people on Xbox and Playstation that play nothing but the most popular or unoriginal titles are casual gamers too, in my opinion. if someone plays nothing but Call of Duty, Madden, or Guitar Hero, i would consider that person a casual gamer. these are examples of games that the majority of players only play it because they are very popular franchises with plenty of sequels that dont innovate very much. thats just what i think.

and dude, i may not like Nintendo's games, but thats not why i think they are in the weakest position right now. i think they are in the weakest position because they REFUSE to change, and appeal to ALL kinds of gamers.

im just an example of the kind of gamer that Nintendo doesnt appeal to AT ALL.

1. i dont like motion control, and Nintendo doesnt allow traditional controls for nearly all of their games.

2. although i enjoy kid-friendly and cartoony games, i enjoy gritty, M-Rated games more. Nintendo has very few of these.

3. i also like to play a lot of third-party games from EA and Ubisoft, among other 3rd party publishers... the only problem with that is that their best games cannot be released on the Wii without a significant decrease in quality, and im not going to play the worst version of the game.


im just saying that all Nintendo would need to do to be in better shape, in my opinion, is release an ENTIRELY NEW console (not an addon to the Wii) that offers BOTH motion control and traditional controls for almost EVERY title, and that is at least close to being graphically capable of what Microsoft and Sony's consoles are... that way, when we see beautiful-looking games, we can stop expecting them to be released on PC, PS3, and 360. i would like to see Nintendo's next console on that list as well, so that everyone can enjoy the games.

if you think i just dont like Nintendo, youre wrong. i grew up playing SNES and N64 before any other console. i just do NOT like the direction they have been taking over the past 6 years or so, thats all

Alright, I'm going to stop having this discussion with you because you're clearly not paying attention. I'll say it again: Wii U is an entirely new console.

However, there's one area where I need to respond. Are you involved in software development or design? If not, you have no right to determine which ideas took thought and which ones didn't.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Microsoft isn't going to bow out of the console market anytime soon. Too much money to be made there.

 

[Vykrel]

Alright, I'm going to stop having this discussion with you because you're clearly not paying attention. I'll say it again: Wii U is an entirely new console.

However, there's one area where I need to respond. Are you involved in software development or design? If not, you have no right to determine which ideas took thought and which ones didn't.

Wii U is an entirely new console? lol if you say so.

and i was talking about ONE GAME: Wii Sports. you cant honestly believe that it took any thought whatsoever to come up with that one.

they came up with avatars for their new console (Mii's) and they probably felt they needed to not only incorporate them into certain games, but that they need their own games as well... "Hmm... Let's make them play sports." thats not hard to think of. dont kid yourself, and dont talk down to people on the internet because they have a different opinion than yours. thats pathetic

 

[Sinclair Solutions]

I think so. Someone just needs to remind them that people want other things besides Kinect and Halo.

 

[whiteshark12]

i don't understand how people can think that the creators of the primary OS used in computing around the world might fail because of... lack of console exclusives?

XBOX 360 must have raked in massive amounts of money already, discounting the monthly fee paid my millions. It obviously will make another console.

ideas of sony going bust are ridiculous too, they do make things other than games consoles - I bet you are playing your xbox on a sony TV screen!

 

[hexFrank202]

And for that matter, will there be a PS4? Well maybe not. Not if all these bad things continue happening to Sony.

You mean the one hack on PSN? Has that happened about 5 times and I've simply been on a coma?

Well that, and the added bad press they've been getting. And their less-than-terrific game sales numbers. And the money they keep losing on their consoles at first. And the fact that they've been hacked or had trouble with hackers way more than one time. I just see that they've been really down on their luck lately, and if by some cosmic coincidence it continues consistently for the next few years...

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

How would Microsoft die?

A mutated strain of the measels, obviously.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

I think so. Someone just needs to remind them that people want other things besides Kinect and Halo.

Yes, they also want Gears of War and Madden.

 

[00slash00]

i thought microsoft did pretty well this year. will they survive? its fucking microsoft, they arent exactly struggling for money. i mean, if nintendo could survive after the failure that was the gamescube (regardless of your opinion of the console, its popularity was mostly limited to nintendo fans and wasnt very successful, overall) then i think microsoft will be fine. they certainly wont go under before they release the xbox 720

 

[orderwiiu]

Microsoft will always have a strong userbase. Chance of dieing is quite small.

 

[AssassinFisH]

Sony could bring out another console alongside Nintendo's Wii u, and the Xbox360 would still continue to dominate both. I could easily see MS, revealing a new console at next years E3 for a 2013 release.

 

[LightningBanks]

Microsoft makes stuff other than consoles, you know.

I hear they make a thing called a OS that most people are using to access to website..strange

 

[Giantpanda602]

So after all the Microsoft hate after E3, the general dwindling of 360 exclusives, the rising popularity of the PS3/PSP/Vita, and the 3DS/Wii/Wii U games, do you think Microsoft will be able to make a new console or will they die before then? How would their next console do? When do you think it would be released?

I just want to mention that it seems like Microsoft is doing the best right now out of the three titanic console developers. Sony is dealing with this huge hacker scandal indicating both that the fan base is becoming disenfranchised and that they aren't willing to protect either their employees or their users. Wii just announced a stupidly named console that looks like the gaming equivalent of the iPad. Furthermore, many of the people I know (including myself) admit to owning a Wii and having not touched it in years. In light of all this, I personally predict that Xbox is going to really take the lead soon.

 

[CrystalShadow]

Spoiler: This is long. Unspoiler it at your own peril.

OK, look. The thing is, Microsoft hasn't actually made any money yet from Xbox so far.

And, you know what's really funny?

According to some rumours, they may not even care.

Why? Because the Xbox isn't about the Xbox.

It's about protecting Microsoft from attacks that could undermine and erode it's core assets. Which is, windows PC's, and their sales to business.

The worst thing for microsoft is losing business sales because people start to see viable alternatives to windows PC's.

That means protecting Windows by any means nessesary.

Notice the Xbox & Xbox 360 both use the same dev tools as windows games do?

Building an Xbox game is at a basic level almost as easy as changing the compiler settings.
It's more complicated in practice, but mostly because of optimization issues.


Anyway, Somehow I'm not sure Xbox even matters to Microsoft one way or the other.
Of course they want it to make money, but if there's one thing that Microsoft has that few others do, it's deep pockets.

This isn't just because they're a big company, but because they literally are totally paranoid about money.

A lot of businesses barely have any cash reserves, and their only easy cash may be entirely from loans.

Microsoft was so concerned about it's survival that a long time ago they instituted a policy where they needed to have enough cash reserves to survive an entire year without having to shut down anything, or fire anyone.

And not just an entire year making a loss. No.

They decided they needed to be able to survive an entire year without making any income.

That means, Microsoft, as a general business strategy, has enough cash lying about to pay ALL their bills for an ENTIRE YEAR, even if NOBODY buys anything at all from them the whole time.

Anyway, what that means, is that amongst other things, for them to shut down Xbox division it would have to be costing them so much money that it's disrupting every other part of their business very badly, and doesn't show any signs of accomplishing anything useful in the future.

That seems... Unlikely.

Remember, Both Microsoft and Sony do other things besides gaming. The success or failure of their respective consoles isn't going to kill them unless they do something colossally stupid.

I don't think you

need

that many paragraphs.

Not every sentence is earthshaking.

Why,


Thanks


for that





Brilliant


piece

of editorial insight. ;p

(Honestly, the escapist has more grammar & spelling nazis than any other place on the internet I've ever come across. >_<)