Xbox Might Be In A Position To Win the Next Generation
After years of unexpected decisions, and many exclusives jumping to rival consoles, Xbox's grand plan might finally be coming together.
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Xbox is making a pretty good case for itself lately. They will be the first to it they lost the most important console generation, which saw players settle into their digital libraries which now carry over to new consoles. The physical hardware may be on the decline, more players on PC, and as more and more previously exclusive titles announce they are coming to rival consoles, Xbox is quickly becoming the largest video game publisher on the market.
Xbox might actually be putting itself in a strong position for the future of gaming
The recent Developer_Direct last month signaled several changes in Xbox’s recent strategies. First, the games are looking good. Not only are they looking good, but they are releasing. Xbox fans have four great games to look forward to from now through May, and probably plenty more after that. Although, of the five games shown during that showcase, four of them are also coming to PlayStation. Ninja Gaiden 2 remaster, are also available on the Sony console. But is that a bad thing?
With the growth of PC Game , and many Xbox studio games finding success on Steam and PlayStation, not to mention the Activision Blizzard under their umbrella and funding the AAA titles that fans look forward to are not getting any less expensive either. Sending exclusives to other consoles and increasing the value of Game are great ways to make that money back and ensure it pays forward to more great games.
The end of the console wars
In recent years, I have mostly avoided picking sides between PlayStation and Xbox. I was happy with my Nintendo Switch and my Steam library, content to watch the console wars play out while I enjoyed playing the new Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, and Super Smash Bros. games. But now, as the fire that fuels that ancient war seems to be smoldering, I am surprised at what I see.
Today, I came across a Fable, and how much they enjoy the Cloud. It was unbelievably refreshing to see such healthy discourse in the gaming space.
Many responses also discussed their hope that Xbox continues to make hardware. A year ago, I might have scoffed at the prospect of an Xbox console a generation or two from now, but I think I am changing my tune. If Microsoft and Xbox play their cards right in the next few years, they could turn things around. There have been rumors about a handheld Xbox console, which would be great, just look at the sales of the Switch and Steam Deck. If the next Xbox hardware, whatever it ends up being, is something accessible for many prospective gamers, it could make a huge difference.
Thinking about accessibility
It's easy to laugh at Xbox’s recent marketing campaign “This Is an Xbox,” but compare that to Sony’s recent announcement of the most expensive console to date, the PlayStation 5 Pro. One of these two is thinking more about accessibility than the other. The next slate of Xbox hardware could be a mix of options. A classic box for the console fans, a handheld for a more general audience, and maybe something even smaller that plugs into the TV. At that point, with more and more players g up for Game to play the new exciting titles, they don’t need to have the number one best-selling console to be on top. They are steadily making it more and more true that there’s more than one way to play on Xbox.
So what if Xbox games launch on other consoles? They don’t need to be exclusive to one box to be successful. As long as Xbox continues to make their hardware the best place to be, which means continuing to create great games and continuing to make Game easily accessible in multiple ways, they can pull this off. Xbox, not just Xbox Game , can become the best value in gaming.
On a slightly different note, earlier this week, ID@Xbox announced a new indie game showcase for the end of February. I looked at the lineup of developers participating and it essentially confirmed that this will be a showcase to watch. Chances are that many of the indie games shown during this presentation will end up Game , which adds to the already great indie library. Having these smaller games the service is a great way to keep people subscribed between the more spaced-out larger releases, especially if one of them isn’t exactly what someone is looking for. Subscriptions are great, but you need games to keep people subscribed. Indie games help make Game valuable for the widest audience.
Xbox is far from perfect, and they have made plenty of Hi-Fi Rush. But there is always something in me that is interested to watch an underdog’s plan start to come together.
Of course, this is mostly speculation. More of a feeling or a sense of the landscape than anything concrete. But as that reddit post showed, I’m not the only one that’s starting to feel optimistic.
