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Phil Spencer: announcement this week

HeisenbergFX4

Gold Member
You are becoming one of those people who are just teasing info all the time whenever I see your posts these days, say what you know or stop with the ‘I know this but can’t tell’ act.
Salute Aye Aye Captain GIF
 

XXL

Member
Quick question: if Xbox 'consoles' basically became gaming-optimized PC devices (NUCs, laptops etc.), based around some customizable specification that MS and OEMs could build at a profit (a base spec in line with future PlayStation hardware, roughly speaking), and running the latest Windows with desktop environment & Xbox UI 'Big Picture Mode' options available...

...by virtue of it basically now being a Windows machine, do you think devs would be as fussed about different SKUs since they already deal with various spec configurations on PC?
I would like to highlight this post, as 2 paragraphs from Thicc is considered a quick question and indeed is. Lol.
 
Some updates:




People keep ignoring that this situation is not a 'strategy'; it's a decision based on financial pressures, just like S SneakersSO has said, as well as some Xbox 'insiders' like Timdogo, RandAlThor, MAGG, Jizz, etc. But also, analysis/commentary coming from people like Colin or the Hardware dude. We also have statements from Zelnick, Kotick, Ryan about subscription services. Piscatella is talking about its stagnation and the constant state of Xbox hardware/Software sales. and of course the current state of the economy and gaming industry.

having all this infomation and kinda thinking about it. I trully believe xbox is so incredible fucked that is not even funny; it's like a scene out of a wild hentai with tentacles going in every hole.
  • Brand reputation is in the gutter.
  • hardware is not selling. GP is not growing and IS NOT sustainable
  • They have cultivated an ecosystem where people no buy games. affecting third party publishers sales in the procces.
  • They are not global; they are practically nonexistent in entire markets.
  • Their production pipeline still is shit...like c'mon!!!
  • They dont have another place to go, they are already on PC/their own Console and mobile via cloud.
...Let's remember that X-Cast interview. That was not normal. (Was it PR-vetted, or did Phil go rogue?) Some people dismissed or even applauded Phil's 'honesty,' but I cannot stress enough how bad it was from a PR point of view... You just don't do that. Now, as for next week, I wonder how casual or formal the announcement will be. Will it be a pre-recorded segment or a live interview with the Doritos Pope himself?.

I will be shocked if it's not a stark contrast to that X-Cast appearance, meaning the message will be incredibly well-crafted. People, especially Xbox fanwarrios (colt eats-wood), will feel such relief, almost like a second wind: "we are so fucking back...and fuck you sony you are evil!!!"...Success. This is the best case sceneario. but as we know, MS´s words tend to devaluete over time and the majoriry of normal people are just fucking done with thier bullshit. Coming back from this will take like 10 years of impecacble execution of this new vision....but you know what it will be?:

Having these massive ongoing/live games everywhere (WoW, OW, Diablo, CoD) and just resting on their laurels. Rings a bell, right? (Yep, Minecraft.) Easy money, no effort, CCU, MAU, and Engagement. That's it. All the smaller studios are going to be axed, more layoffs to try to be hyper-efficient and consolidate internally to enable the continued success of such games...Thats their fucking future and you will be happy.
 
To be frank, Phil has always come across as one of the biggest console warriors out there. The information from the FTC proceedings only served to confirm that. Given that, it's not surprising that decisions are being made over his head.

I hope there's another Xbox documentary. Only this time, about the BTS corporate politics leading to 2024 😁

I would like to highlight this post, as 2 paragraphs from Thicc is considered a quick question and indeed is. Lol.

Had an AI write it ;)

My guess is Phil will manage to put it in a way that may reel some of the fans back in but in the long run the cause and effect will be the same.

Yeah, next week will be about controlling the optics. Phil is a master of optics, have to admit.

But I think at least most of these rumors are definitely going to become reality, over a period of time. Maybe 1-2 years.

Like at first it's only a few choice older games getting late ports to PS/Switch, but by 2026 it could be most new releases getting Day 1 releases across Xbox/PlayStation/Switch 2/PC and probably mobile.
 

64gigabyteram

Reverse groomer.
From what I have heard, from folks who have worked with him and in his orbit, I was always led to believe that, if this day were to ever come, it would be a choice made for him, not by him.

Most folks will never understand how emotionally invested he seems to be in 'console war' nonsense.
the internal documents shown just how overly invested he was with winning and centered all the decisions around Playstation, yet never knew which were the right ones to take.
 

Jerm411

Member
It just *feels* like no one inside that building outside of a select few truly know what the hell is gonna happen….

I don’t know why you frame this meeting as an update on the “business” and wait a week to talk about it when the community is imploding.

I think everything is on the table but I don’t see this just being “HiFi and Sea of Thieves are coming to PlayStation…peace out”. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Wouldn’t surprise me if we got some sort of multi plat plan, hardware, and a revision of GamePass…you only get one shot at this.
 

XXL

Member
It just *feels* like no one inside that building outside of a select few truly know what the hell is gonna happen….

I don’t know why you frame this meeting as an update on the “business” and wait a week to talk about it when the community is imploding.

I think everything is on the table but I don’t see this just being “HiFi and Sea of Thieves are coming to PlayStation…peace out”. 🤷🏻‍♂️

dware, and a revision of GamePass…you only get one shot at this.
At this point...HiFi Rush and Sea of Thieves coming is a blog post, not business event with the Pope of gaming.
 

GHG

Gold Member
Considering the discourse since these rumours gained momentum and the subsequent response from Xbox (or lack thereof), I think they are pretty fucked regardless now.

Only their most hardcore fans will be willing to put trust in them and the platform going forwards.

It's insane to me how they have completely lost control like this over the past week and allowed things to get out if hand, but I think that's a direct consequence of them not having marketing and PR teams befitting of a division of their size.
 
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Heisenberg007

Gold Journalism
So just like what they're already doing with Minecraft, Cuphead, Ori, etc.
No. Cuphead was 3rd party. Minecraft was already multiplatform when they acquired it.

They did this with Ori (and, that, only on Switch) but then quickly backpedaled, acknowledging its negative impact. Phil Spencer even released a statement that this creates confusion for Xbox gamers, implying they wouldn't do it again.

Now they are (1) publishing XGS games, not just third-party, and (2) publishing them on PlayStation for the 1st time ever.

It's extremely different.
 
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They had it in the bag

How did they fuck it up so badly?

Honestly the whole E3 Debacle aside, they just never could get their games up to par as the 360 days

Nah, the rot began to set in before XBO. From 2010 onward, when MS stopped focusing on core-orientated exclusives for the 360 right as Sony was rebuilding the PS3 with tons of high-quality, core-orientated 1P and 2P exclusives.

Also 3P finally getting to grips with Cell and multiplats starting to look as good as or better than 360 versions didn't help, either. It was all a sign of things to come, but Kinect's breakout success distracted from the first signs of brand rot setting in.

SneakersSO point about the strain on 3rd party relationships has merit, and I would guess that’s why they told insiders to backpedal.

Yeah I saw Colin Moriarty and another person also talking about this, and it makes sense.

When SEGA basically blurbed out that the Saturn wasn't their future, 3P started cancelling in-development Saturn games en masse. It was nasty. Just tons and tons of games getting cancelled, shifted over to PS1 & N64, and in some cases to Dreamcast. That further damaged revenue SEGA got from the platform in 1997 and especially 1998; it basically accelerated its demise.

Microsoft would want to avoid a similar mistake with their console platform so even if they are planning to make a shift, they don't want 3P to get a whiff of it and start cancelling Xbox versions of their games, especially since I doubt Microsoft have communicated these plans with them yet (could be why the thing next week is a "business update", not just some regular public-facing stream or blog post).

They can't have Xbox revenue on the 3P front just completely collapse; even if it's been on the decline, there's still something present on that front. Best to just gradually communicate these plans over the long-term piecemeal when they get to those parts of the larger shift, and ease 3P and customers (particularly the diehard fans) into a state of acceptance and comfort with the changes.
 
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LordCBH

Member
Honestly the whole E3 Debacle aside, they just never could get their games up to par as the 360 days

It kinda makes sense in a way. Look at their big 360 franchises:
Halo - Bungie split from MS
Gears - Epic stopped making them after the third game (though IMO Gears is still really good, just not at the 1-3 level)
Forza - yeah still Forza. I’ve no idea how the new one is, but the Horizon series has been excellent and the main series that I’ve played has been good too
Fable - Lionhead dead, and everything after Fable 3 has either been Fable the Journey (dogshit Kinect trash) or just straight up deleted from time and space (that online one that never actually released)

And Rare never really found their footing w/ Microsoft, at least for me, but folks do seem to really love Sea of Thieves.

But a lot of studios who made those kickass games either moved on, or are dead.
 

kruis

Exposing the sinister cartel of retailers who allow companies to pay for advertising space.
They can't have Xbox revenue on the 3P front just completely collapse; even if it's been on the decline, there's still something present on that front. Best to just gradually communicate these plans over the long-term piecemeal when they get to those parts of the larger shift, and ease 3P and customers (particularly the diehard fans) into a state of acceptance and comfort with the changes.

Publishers will see through the charade even more clearly than the general public. They’ve got sales figures, they know insiders, they’ve seen the writing on the wall. MS won’t be able to fool them.
 

demigod

Member
Quick question: if Xbox 'consoles' basically became gaming-optimized PC devices (NUCs, laptops etc.), based around some customizable specification that MS and OEMs could build at a profit (a base spec in line with future PlayStation hardware, roughly speaking), and running the latest Windows with desktop environment & Xbox UI 'Big Picture Mode' options available...

...by virtue of it basically now being a Windows machine, do you think devs would be as fussed about different SKUs since they already deal with various spec configurations on PC?



He got yeeted into the banished lands. I did remind him on Twitter during all the ABK stuff, but I think I muted him after a while b/c he was getting worst than SoloKingRobert-ehm, Florian Mueller. I should prob DM him about it again but I'll wait 'till next week; been rough for him with all this turmoil, clearly.
He lost the bet and didn’t pay up? Didn’t he say he lost a bet with someone before and paid them? Damn what a loser.
 
Publishers will see through the charade even more clearly than the general public. They’ve got sales figures, they know insiders, they’ve seen the writing on the wall. MS won’t be able to fool them.

Guess we'll see. Yeah pubs have their data, that's for sure, but there's still a right and wrong way for a platform holder planning such a big shift to work with them. Microsoft can either bungle the messaging and alienate those pubs badly, or work with them in a transition that gives all parties time to make changes at a manageable pace.

I mean even if they aren't leaving hardware (and again, I don't think they are), they owe it to their 3P partners to try retaining whatever revenue streams they have on Xbox Series consoles as much as possible, and ween their customers over. They also owe it to their diehard fans. A 3P who took time to make Xbox builds of their games only to have MS poorly handle communication of big shifts in their gaming strategy, that then harm Xbox revenue for that 3P games, basically loses a lot of money and wasted time that could've gone towards more stable and lucrative platforms.

It's always better to gradually wind down and transition, rather than do it sharp and suddenly. All parties (MS, 3P, fans) would like to avoid something similar to what happened with SEGA, when they basically went all of 1998 and most of 1999 with virtually zero market presence outside of Japan. That actually hurt the Dreamcast long-term IMO, but that's something maybe only really noticeable in hindsight.
 

pixelation

Member
With the amount of titles I know are being ported, many of which have been named, some of which have not, along with the amount of titles whose dev pipeline switched from exclusive to multiplat, with more recent releases being timed purely from circumstance of relative timing, anyone who thinks that multiplat Xbox is off the table is living ina fantasy.

I have yet to hear a title named whose platform status is incorrect thus far. And on a long enough timeline, most titles you can think of will come over.
Kameo will (at long last) be mine.
 

reinking

Gold Member
You are becoming one of those people who are just teasing info all the time whenever I see your posts these days, say what you know or stop with the ‘I know this but can’t tell’ act.
He has been fairly open about the circumstances surrounding his info including where and when he gets it.
 
the internal documents shown just how overly invested he was with winning and centered all the decisions around Playstation, yet never knew which were the right ones to take.

I'm sure there were thousands of boring day to day business ones, those don't hit the news though.
 
I'm sure there were thousands of boring day to day business ones, those don't hit the news though.

Yeah but the Xbox ones that did showed he & others at the division were dead-set on gunning after some of Sony's strongest 3P partners for foreclosure strategies.

Despite in the past saying Google & Apple were their main competitors. You'd think some of those internal memo leaks would've mentioned M&As of companies Google & Apple valued, but they didn't. Only Sony/SIE 🤔.

Anyway it's all kind of moot at this point. But will always be interesting to know, at least at some point that was the real intent with them buying 3P publishers & specific studios even.
 
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Kusarigama

Member
People keep ignoring that this situation is not a 'strategy'; it's a decision based on financial pressures, just like S SneakersSO has said, as well as some Xbox 'insiders' like Timdogo, RandAlThor, MAGG, Jizz, etc. But also, analysis/commentary coming from people like Colin or the Hardware dude. We also have statements from Zelnick, Kotick, Ryan about subscription services. Piscatella is talking about its stagnation and the constant state of Xbox hardware/Software sales. and of course the current state of the economy and gaming industry.

having all this infomation and kinda thinking about it. I trully believe xbox is so incredible fucked that is not even funny; it's like a scene out of a wild hentai with tentacles going in every hole.
  • Brand reputation is in the gutter.
  • hardware is not selling. GP is not growing and IS NOT sustainable
  • They have cultivated an ecosystem where people no buy games. affecting third party publishers sales in the procces.
  • They are not global; they are practically nonexistent in entire markets.
  • Their production pipeline still is shit...like c'mon!!!
  • They dont have another place to go, they are already on PC/their own Console and mobile via cloud.
...Let's remember that X-Cast interview. That was not normal. (Was it PR-vetted, or did Phil go rogue?) Some people dismissed or even applauded Phil's 'honesty,' but I cannot stress enough how bad it was from a PR point of view... You just don't do that. Now, as for next week, I wonder how casual or formal the announcement will be. Will it be a pre-recorded segment or a live interview with the Doritos Pope himself?.

I will be shocked if it's not a stark contrast to that X-Cast appearance, meaning the message will be incredibly well-crafted. People, especially Xbox fanwarrios (colt eats-wood), will feel such relief, almost like a second wind: "we are so fucking back...and fuck you sony you are evil!!!"...Success. This is the best case sceneario. but as we know, MS´s words tend to devaluete over time and the majoriry of normal people are just fucking done with thier bullshit. Coming back from this will take like 10 years of impecacble execution of this new vision....but you know what it will be?:

Having these massive ongoing/live games everywhere (WoW, OW, Diablo, CoD) and just resting on their laurels. Rings a bell, right? (Yep, Minecraft.) Easy money, no effort, CCU, MAU, and Engagement. That's it. All the smaller studios are going to be axed, more layoffs to try to be hyper-efficient and consolidate internally to enable the continued success of such games...Thats their fucking future and you will be happy.
Which xcast interview? Link would be appreciated.
 
I really can't see them doing a business update that says "yeah we are going multiplat for some games, but haven't made the decision on which ones, but Sea of Thieves and Hi Fi Rush are what we're starting with"

Well, I guess I COULD see them doing that, but it really lacks conviction and transparency about their plans. They really need to lay it all on the table so people at least can feel confident one way or the other on their strategy and what they want to achieve in this industry at this point. Stepping your toes in the water just isn't going to work, and I don't know why they would give a shit about their hardcore fans that are probably the reason Xbox is doing so poorly.

At a bare minimum I expect Bethesda to go 100% multiplatform. Now the question is, does Halo and Gears, and others? I suspect they have to, if they wish to remain relevant.

So what does that leave us with? Keeping Avowed exclusive? Hellblade 2? The next Double Fine game? So those small studios must suffer? Nope. I don't get it.

Do it all. That's the only bold strategy that makes business sense, is consistent, and fair for what they need to do. If they announce that next week, everyone will at least feel confident in their decisions. If they don't, it's going to be a slow bleeding death and people are just going to expect their other games are coming anyways.
 
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Heisenberg007

Gold Journalism
People keep ignoring that this situation is not a 'strategy'; it's a decision based on financial pressures, just like S SneakersSO has said, as well as some Xbox 'insiders' like Timdogo, RandAlThor, MAGG, Jizz, etc. But also, analysis/commentary coming from people like Colin or the Hardware dude. We also have statements from Zelnick, Kotick, Ryan about subscription services. Piscatella is talking about its stagnation and the constant state of Xbox hardware/Software sales. and of course the current state of the economy and gaming industry.

having all this infomation and kinda thinking about it. I trully believe xbox is so incredible fucked that is not even funny; it's like a scene out of a wild hentai with tentacles going in every hole.
  • Brand reputation is in the gutter.
  • hardware is not selling. GP is not growing and IS NOT sustainable
  • They have cultivated an ecosystem where people no buy games. affecting third party publishers sales in the procces.
  • They are not global; they are practically nonexistent in entire markets.
  • Their production pipeline still is shit...like c'mon!!!
  • They dont have another place to go, they are already on PC/their own Console and mobile via cloud.
...Let's remember that X-Cast interview. That was not normal. (Was it PR-vetted, or did Phil go rogue?) Some people dismissed or even applauded Phil's 'honesty,' but I cannot stress enough how bad it was from a PR point of view... You just don't do that. Now, as for next week, I wonder how casual or formal the announcement will be. Will it be a pre-recorded segment or a live interview with the Doritos Pope himself?.

I will be shocked if it's not a stark contrast to that X-Cast appearance, meaning the message will be incredibly well-crafted. People, especially Xbox fanwarrios (colt eats-wood), will feel such relief, almost like a second wind: "we are so fucking back...and fuck you sony you are evil!!!"...Success. This is the best case sceneario. but as we know, MS´s words tend to devaluete over time and the majoriry of normal people are just fucking done with thier bullshit. Coming back from this will take like 10 years of impecacble execution of this new vision....but you know what it will be?:

Having these massive ongoing/live games everywhere (WoW, OW, Diablo, CoD) and just resting on their laurels. Rings a bell, right? (Yep, Minecraft.) Easy money, no effort, CCU, MAU, and Engagement. That's it. All the smaller studios are going to be axed, more layoffs to try to be hyper-efficient and consolidate internally to enable the continued success of such games...Thats their fucking future and you will be happy.
They are taking a week to prepare and refine the messaging. I 100% expect lots of bullshit and fake promises from Phil.
 
I really can't see them doing a business update that says "yeah we are going multiplat for some games, but haven't made the decision on which ones, but Sea of Thieves and Hi Fi Rush are what we're starting with"

Well, I guess I COULD see them doing that, but it really lacks conviction and transparency about their plans. They really need to lay it all on the table so people at least can feel confident one way or the other on their strategy. Stepping your toes in the water just isn't going to work, and I don't know why they would give a shit about their hardcore fans that are probably the reason Xbox is doing so poorly.

Trust, that is kind of what they're going to do. I mean the "toes in water" approach; again I think the rumors are pretty much 100% true or close to it. But Microsoft don't have a reason to communicate most of it upfront anytime too soon, at least with gamers.

Now BTS, they will probably be a good deal more concise with 3P devs/pubs and such, but probably handle that after whatever they say next week, and have them sign NDAs to not talk about any of it publicly. But for us? We'll probably have to slowly see more and more of the rumors confirmed over a period of the next 12-24 months, as they are gradually implemented.

That affords MS a way of controlling optics and easing things for the diehards, but with 3P and other platform holders (Sony, Nintendo and others I'm assuming), they are going to confide a lot more of the plans BTS but under strict NDAs or some stuff like that. Meanwhile, Microsoft will have Microsoft Gaming and Xbox implement everything that's been rumored a little bit at a time, over a period of time. And by the time everything from the rumors has been put in place, most won't have that big shock because it all just kinda creeped up on 'em.

It's a lot like how subscription services incrementally raise their prices over the years, until one day you realize the price is up by $15 from where it was at 10 years ago. Now just picture that as big changes with Microsoft's gaming division, and 10 years being more like 2 years (or maybe 18 months, or hell maybe even 12 months).
 

renzolama

Member
Finally, I've been waiting for years to see this guy be forced to acknowledge the results of his financially nonsensical claims about game pass sustainability and his constant efforts to spin the failure of one first party bomb after another. I can't believe it took this long for Microsoft to stop propping up his poor leadership

Imagine having a executive job where almost every project and directive you manage fails and you still get to stand up and spout nonsense to rapid applause year after year simply by making a few comments about games you like and wearing tshirts to press events.

And now in the end the great spin doctor Phil will preside over the firing of 2000 people and the sunsetting of his product. Maybe one day we will get to witness the same comeuppance for Kathleen, doubtful though, and since you can't fire strong women she will probably just get promoted to a position with higher pay but less influence. Phil will probably start doing twitch streams and then commit surprise seppuku live one day. No failing upward for him.
 
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Killjoy-NL

Member
I don't know why they would give a shit about their hardcore fans that are probably the reason Xbox is doing so poorly.
You hit the nail on the head.

It's precisely this reason why Xbox is moving towards 3rd party publishing.

The hardcore fanbase have been pushing GamePass so hard, they effectively helped run Xbox into the ground.

It's probably the main aspect why they're losing their minds and feel betrayed:
They realize they've been digging the grave for MS.
 
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