MSFT's 1st-Party Strategy Won't Include Desktop Gamers

[abbadon_34]

After 30 years, I cry and say goodbye

 

[jack1982]

Windows 8 told me everything I needed to know about Microsoft's attitude towards us desktop users. Seems their games division has exactly the same attitude.

 

[ojas]

Would be fun if Sony comes out in support of PC gaming 😀

 

[velocityg4]

I don't really get why MS treats Windows gaming and the XBox as separate and competing entities. Why not instead make them complementary? Making it so that Windows just simply can run XBox One games.

Instead make it so that XBox One and each console iteration thereafter sets a standard for Microsoft gaming. That way any game with an XBox One label will achieve a standardized minimum acceptable framerate on any XBox one at 1920x1080 at medium settings and 2x AA or something along those lines. Then if a gamer has a computer that can blow the doors of the XBox one they can play the game on Windows instead at much higher settings or if their computer is worse they can play at lower settings assuming they meet the minimum requirements. If a gamer doesn't want to worry about specs or spend a bunch on a gaming computer they can just get the XBox One and XBox One labeled games.

MS can still get it's money by only allowing MS signed titles play on the XBox One. That way they still get the same compensation per game that they receive now. This would probably be better for MS in a lot of ways as they won't lose a bunch of money on consoles as they are sold below cost for a couple of years. While more games will sell as hardcore PC gamers will have more titles to choose from and others with great computers will have more money to spend on games.

Plus now you'll have more potential gamers. Those with computers powerful enough or just need a video card but can't afford a new XBox one. Meaning even more XBox One game sales which MS gets a cut of.

 

[poik]

I don't really get why MS treats Windows gaming and the XBox as separate and competing entities. Why not instead make them complementary? Making it so that Windows just simply can run XBox One games.

Instead make it so that XBox One and each console iteration thereafter sets a standard for Microsoft gaming. That way any game with an XBox One label will achieve a standardized minimum acceptable framerate on any XBox one at 1920x1080 at medium settings and 2x AA or something along those lines. Then if a gamer has a computer that can blow the doors of the XBox one they can play the game on Windows instead at much higher settings or if their computer is worse they can play at lower settings assuming they meet the minimum requirements. If a gamer doesn't want to worry about specs or spend a bunch on a gaming computer they can just get the XBox One and XBox One labeled games.

MS can still get it's money by only allowing MS signed titles play on the XBox One. That way they still get the same compensation per game that they receive now. This would probably be better for MS in a lot of ways as they won't lose a bunch of money on consoles as they are sold below cost for a couple of years. While more games will sell as hardcore PC gamers will have more titles to choose from and others with great computers will have more money to spend on games.

Plus now you'll have more potential gamers. Those with computers powerful enough or just need a video card but can't afford a new XBox one. Meaning even more XBox One game sales which MS gets a cut of.

That's far, far, far too progressive for MS. Valve has done this with PS3 when they released Portal 2. I ended up buying the PS3 version because it was the same price but with the PS3 version it was linked to Steam and available on your PC Steam account. Just install it when you log into Steam next time. It was great. I'd love to see EA or Activision do this but I doubt it would ever happen. They'd rather pull every last penny out of you than allowing you to use your purchase how you see fit.

 

[mcaalrington]

Anyone else think that the x86 consoles will be much easier to port, even without official blessings?

 

[Phillip Wager]

what PC gamer would pay for a xbox live account (besides somebody who already has an xbox) microsoft is not interested in selling you a game or even a console they are interested in selling you an xbox live account. they make a few measly dollars off the consoles and maybe even the games sure but the xbox live account is the bread and butter. that is why microsoft wont release pc games because it would force you to buy an xbox live account and then it would be a WORSE scandal. I say good riddence microsoft exclusives suck balls anyways.

 

[gel214th]

Even less reason to support the console, or to switch to Windows 8 if you haven't already.
There's clearly no "strategy" for Windows 8 gaming. I have iOS and even Facebook for those "casual" games.

 

[John Hadley]

The time where there was a distinction between game console and computer has pretty much passed. They are the same now and it makes little to no sense to have a gaming console separate from your desktop computer unless its a handheld gaming device. Either the gaming console will become the new PC or the PC will become the new gaming console. What is the point of having two devices that do the same thing? Its just VHS vs BetaMax or HD DVD vs BluRay.