How could Xbox and PlayStation choose to compete against each other in the next generation? Despite the online discussions, the console wars are over. I want to say that they are for Microsoft. Why? Because Xbox will be utilising PC-console hybrid across the board a lot more next generation, as the gaming media have been rightly suggesting. However, there are plenty of things not being discussed about how they’re going to actually make those generations count for each other on a business basis. I want to get into that a lot more today.
As we know, Microsoft and Xbox Game Pass are massive for Xbox. Microsoft has shown in the past that they’re not afraid to soak up the costs of their first-party titles by going Day One on Game Pass for their subscribers. Effectively, what we’re seeing is something pretty exciting going on here. Xbox is going all-in on PC. However, to what extent? I think we’re going to see a free online. I think PC game prices will reflect the same for their Xbox counterparts as well through that deeper PC shopfront integration. You want to be able to have the PC experience fault-free? That place will be an Xbox on console, but just in a way you’ve never seen before.
For those people saying that the subscription method of Game Pass cut into their costs. I do not think Microsoft is that bothered. After all, if Microsoft can have all its first-party games on day one and they’re willing to do that. It’s effectively making that kind of point irrelevant. Then, you can add that Microsoft is very much more open in allowing other services to run alongside them anyway. When we’re seeing selected games coming to PlayStation in that first-party at dates of their choosing, I might add also, and to massive success. That factors in as well.
Forza, for example, up there with pre-orders of the new Assassins Creed game this month. Not bad, hey, for a few-year-old game? We’ve made the point that Microsoft is not that bothered about eating costs. I think it’s important to note that they’re obviously benefiting substantially from getting a lot of lost revenue back, so that’s shaping their whole vision also.
We’re now seeing Microsoft play a very different game with Xbox. It’s worth pointing out that how Sony responds to this will be through bringing back their back-catalogue games of bygone previous generations that have long been out of sight for a while now. There are rumours of Killzone and potentially even Resistance being made as we speak at this moment.
However, this new direction will leave Xbox charting its own course in very much a way that Nintendo is doing. Just in a very different way. I expect some great things to come out of it, and I still think that the competition with what Microsoft is doing with Xbox will fundamentally shape the choices and actions of what Sony does next also. Especially if Xbox makes really pro-consumer choices that ultimately make gaming better for everyone. No competitor is ever not going to respond to that in the right way. Because ultimately, they will not have a choice in the matter.