May 11th 2024.
Wow, what a week it has been! First, we had the exciting announcement of the Nintendo Switch 2, and then we were treated to a free clown show by Xbox that seemed to go on for days. It's safe to say that we can no longer ignore the fact that Xbox has become a laughingstock in the industry. Not only are they incredibly incompetent, but they are also a parasitic blight upon gaming. In fact, they may even be responsible for destroying the entire console industry.
Now, I don't want to come across as biased, so I must also mention that PlayStation is not much better. While they may be slightly more competent, their lack of action has contributed to dragging gaming into the dirt. It's almost as if they have given up on everything they have built over the last 30 years as soon as things became difficult. However, the main reason they have not caused as much damage as Xbox is simply that they don't have the same financial resources.
When I try to understand Xbox's goals and actions, I am reminded of a quote from Game of Thrones, where Varys talks about Littlefinger: 'He would see this country burn if he could be king of the ashes.' In the world of Xbox and PlayStation, Phil Spencer takes on the role of Littlefinger. However, unlike Littlefinger, who was cunning and strategic, Phil Spencer and his executive team are simply incompetent.
Now, don't get me wrong, I do believe that Phil Spencer genuinely loves games. However, his love for money may overshadow his love for games, and as an executive, he would probably do anything to climb the corporate ladder. But even back when he first started as the boss, he probably believed he could do better for Xbox and the gaming industry as a whole. However, the last decade of failure has proven that he is unable to do so.
As previously pointed out, the main issue with Xbox is that they are always looking for a shortcut instead of putting in the hard work to create great games. They believe that purchasing companies that Sony cannot afford, or focusing on TV integration, backwards compatibility, streaming, or Game Pass, will allow them to catch up with PlayStation. But the truth is, the key to being a successful console manufacturer is simple: make good games. Games that are so good, people will want to buy your console just to play them.
Nintendo, who has been in the gaming business longer than both Sony and Microsoft, understands this secret. They have faced challenges and setbacks, but they have always managed to make a comeback by simply shutting up and making great games. And customers quickly return.
But Microsoft has never had the patience for this approach, and now, after spending over $75 billion on acquiring developers, they have run out of time. While they may have the financial resources for such acquisitions, they also expect to see a return on their investment. And when dealing with such large sums of money, they want it back with interest. It's like borrowing from your parents, they may forget a few small loans, but when it comes to significant amounts of money, they want it back... with interest.
So, what can Xbox do now? They still don't have any exclusives on the horizon that will entice people to buy their consoles, and the companies they have purchased don't release games very often. What is Blizzard even working on, and how long will it be until we see The Elder Scrolls 6 or Fallout 5?
Sure, they now own Activision, so they have the Call of Duty money coming in, but they can't make it exclusive to Xbox without losing out on the potential profits. And will they even make it available on Game Pass on day one? I have my doubts. Xbox is left with no other option but to shut down studios and run their business the same way Activision Blizzard did before they were acquired.
As I write this, I realize that I am not sure which is worse: Xbox or PlayStation. Xbox may be more reckless and clueless, but PlayStation is in a similar position and has given up on what Xbox has always been desperate to achieve. They have stopped making games and are now focused on live service titles and little else.
This is how the death of video games occurs. Publishers concentrate on one or two live service games until they eventually wither and die, leaving us with nothing but Candy Crush and gacha games. And it's not just Xbox and PlayStation. 2K recently had layoffs, and they now focus solely on GTA, Red Dead, and their microtransaction-filled sports games.
It's safe to assume that EA, Ubisoft, and others will follow suit, leaving us with only indie games, Nintendo, and a few other Japanese developers. Maybe the impending extinction of the gaming industry won't be so bad after all. Especially since the victims brought it upon themselves.
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