July 11th 2024.
The Xbox Series X and S consoles haven't been as popular in Europe compared to other regions. There seems to be a major shift in Xbox's strategy, with rumors circulating that Microsoft may stop promoting their hardware in certain markets. This news has been building up since the beginning of the year, as it's clear that Xbox is going through some major changes and even Microsoft is still figuring out what those changes are. Their multiformat strategy is still a bit unclear, and this week's announcement of a price increase for Game Pass and the removal of day one releases on the cheapest tier is a significant change in approach.
But that may not be all, as a new rumor suggests that Microsoft will focus solely on Game Pass, cloud gaming, PC, and Xbox controllers, and will no longer market the Xbox console in certain markets in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. We've already seen some evidence of this with the recent promotion of cloud gaming through Amazon Fire sticks, and the availability of the Xbox app on high-end Samsung TVs. It seems that Microsoft is shifting their focus away from selling consoles outside of the Americas.
The report on The Verge mentions that the specifics of which countries will be affected are not clear. However, it's no secret that the Xbox has never been a top-selling console in Europe, including major markets like Germany and France. So it's uncertain how much of an impact this decision will have. But the UK is the second-largest market for Xbox outside of the US, so it's hard to predict the extent of the changes that might happen there.
The Verge also admits that they haven't been able to fully verify the story, but they suggest that fewer consoles will be allocated to Europe as a result of these changes. It's unclear whether there will be more marketing efforts for Game Pass and other non-console options, but many European gamers have complained about the lack of effective marketing from Microsoft in their region. There have also been complaints about poor localization, such as the translation of the Xbox interface into other languages, which is now mainly done by AI.
From the beginning, Microsoft has struggled to make a mark in markets beyond North America and the UK. While the Xbox's poor performance in Japan is well-known, many people don't realize how poorly it sells in mainland Europe. Despite this, just a few months ago, Microsoft denied rumors that they were withdrawing from the hardware market and stated that they were moving full speed ahead with their next-generation hardware, promising a significant technological leap.
But with these new rumors, it's unclear what Microsoft's plans are and how they intend to market a next-generation console in Europe, given their lack of success in the region. It almost seems like Xbox is preparing for a "Xbrexit," distancing themselves from the European market. If you have any thoughts on this matter, you can email us, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign up for our newsletter. And to make it easier for our readers to submit letters and features, we have a Submit Stuff page available.
In other news, it's now possible to enjoy Xbox Game Pass without even owning a console, thanks to the Amazon Fire stick. Also, Xbox Series X sales have fallen behind the Xbox One in the US, but the PS5 is still ahead of the PS4. And finally, a new Xbox dashboard has been leaked by Top Gear, and it looks like it's designed for a portable device. If you want to stay up to date with all the latest gaming content and releases, make sure to sign up for our newsletter. Your privacy is important to us, and this site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
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