Topic: Xbox

[Darkness]

They won’t in the short term, I’ll be surprised if it goes up this year, beyond that I expect it to go up by maybe £4 to £14.99 (my guess would be Jan 2023) They have 25 million subscribers, when the Activision deal is finalised (still some way off) and the Bethesda deal results in games hitting the service day one (Starfield is due in November) I expect that number to go up.  I think Microsoft see Game Pass as their future revenue stream rather than the actual Xbox, that’s just a device to consume the product.

Pretty much this. I think they would happily put Gamepass on PlayStation if Sony allowed it not that they ever will.  Sony will always sell more consoles but Microsoft is going to have game pass users on multiple devices which is the main focus.

[Kashinoda]

Meh I'm not arsed I paid 60 quid for mine for 3 years and it's still got 2.5 years left. Also, we have heard rumours about a price increase for months now and nothing has happened.

On a side note Rawk seems very anti-Xbox, Sony and PlayStation can do no wrong but Xbox is shit Microsoft are evil e.t.c  It's just a video games deal no one has died with this news lighten up guys 

Think most are level-headed on RAWK to be honest, gets more heated on the PC gaming thread than it does on the console specific ones.

Whilst you on the other hand are posting in unrelated threads in the media subforum about how overrated the PS5 is. Either fishing or just a bit weird.

[Drinks Sangria]

Mass Effect is such a great series. The backlash over the ending of 3 really did dampen just how fantastic the games are.

Second to only the Elder Scrolls for me as my favourite games series of all time. Fallout and Fable get honourable mentions.

[Scottymuser]

Not sure really. Much like Nintendo rely on first party, Sony are just going to have to do that to a greater extent now. They've been investing more in that area. SSM are working on something new as well as the next god of war. Same for Naughty Dog and Guerilla Games are also doing the same. Firesprite have just took over development of a twisted metal reboot so there's quite a bit going on. If something like Call Of Duty leaves the service then they are just gonna have to come up with something to fill that space vacated.

There is no way MS shareholders would let COD leave the PS5.  PS6/Xbox Whatever the hell they call it - maybe?  But let's face facts - currently there is an "audience" (ignoring some people who have both) of 15m PS5s and 7-8m Xbox Ones for next gen gaming - or 23m.  MS have just spent $70B on the purchase - if they then announced that the next COD wasn't coming to PS5, the sales DROP 60%.  From the ONLY franchise A-B own who make any money from new sales (WOW does cost like $150 a year if you stay subbed for the whole year and buy it with real world money; but there are <5m players of that and dropping, and server costs are sky high, and a decent % of the base probably buys their subs through in game gold - also the first 20(?) are free so in that 5m will be players trying it for a month and quitting).  Their shareholders would be shitting bricks.

This isn't a situation like where MS bought Zenimax - they have far, far more profitable franchise, and are continually creating new games - the like of Dishonoured, Rage, Fallout, Evil Within, Deathloop, Prey, TES are all newer franchises or games than anything A-B have other than Overwatch (which is dying a death). And that only cost <12% of what A-B have cost, so the need to recoup the money through sales in the same way is less urgent (i.e. they could better afford to, say, keep TES PC/Xbox exclusive).

[AndyMuller]

Imagine the team we would have if Microsoft owned us.

[gerrardisgod]

Crash Bandicoot on the wing.

[AndyMuller]

Crash Bandicoot on the wing.

 

Tony Hawk left back along with Master Chief and Doom Guy centre half.

[ScottScott]

So

• Overwatch as an e-sport has drastically lost popularity, and as a result is in planned obsolence, development on the 2nd game has been slowed down and rumours are it will be simplified and dumbed down so they can release it on mobile platforms (and as a result, a Q4 2022 release date is looking increasingly ambitious).  If these rumours of graphical and design downgrades, so that they can release on mobile is true, then in the console space this is no longer a going concern for many
• Diablo has had 3 games in 25 years, the 3rd one came out in 2012 (and was disappointing to many fans), the 4th one was announced as being for PS4/Xbox One AFTER the PS5 and Xbox Series X, has been switched to this gen now, and has been confirmed as Q2 2023 at the earliest, and probably later.  Also hardly the sort of game that does well on consoles, this is more a PC game
• Star craft has basically had 2 games in 24 years, with the second split into 3 chapters (spread across 5 years, with 1 main game, a BIG DLC, and a stand alone smaller campaign), which is 100% a PC only game (being a k+m driven RTS), and there are still not even any hints that Starcraft 3 is in development.
• Crash Bandicoot is the only relevant one here - but given they only just released the new one, 15+ years after the last, and sold badly (worse on all platforms combined, than the remastered trilogy on PS platforms did on their own) and physical sales more than 80% LESS than the trilogy to boot, it is very unlikely that a sequel is high up the priority list.  Especially as the development studio who did the 4th has been placed 100% on COD Warzone support.

If that list seems bad, and there is not a huge amount of hope of big sales from them over the next 2-3 years, well that's because that is the case.  MS have to be hoping for BIG sales from COD as the only decent revenue stream from this purchase - and given the size of the PS5 market over the Xbox one, it would be stupid in the extreme for them to have bought AB in order to stop PS5 getting COD.

They also own King (Candy Crush) and that brought in more in revenue than COD. That will make MS a fuckload of money without them really having to do much else. COD is great and the money will be good but I think that is a massive part of the purchase after seeing Zynga getting bought for $12bn last week

[Scottymuser]

They also own King (Candy Crush) and that brought in more in revenue than COD. That will make MS a fuckload of money without them really having to do much else. COD is great and the money will be good but I think that is a massive part of the purchase after seeing Zynga getting bought for $12bn last week

I forgot that a little - but looking at the revenue streams - Zynga's revenue is about 80% higher than Candy Crush's - so a $12B sale of the former, based on revenue (and trying to recoup the investment back), is equivalent to about 7B of the 70B of the purchase of A-B.  Or we can compare how much A-B bought King for - in 2016 they purcahsed the company for $5.9B - back then, this would have been based on 2015 revenue of 2B (2014 was 2.26B, 2016 was 1.59B, 2017 back up to 2B) - since then the revenue has increased by 10% to 2.2B - very little growth given the wider mobile gaming market - and backing up my estimate of about a $7B component compared to the 70B for the entirity.

[scatman]

I assume WoW makes a decent amount a year too and there was a big update in 2021 wasn't there?

[Scottymuser]

I assume WoW makes a decent amount a year too and there was a big update in 2021 wasn't there?

As I posted above - about 4.8m subscribers at peak in 2020/2021 - if that many paid for an entire year's subscription with real life money (very unlikely, as some % will be free subscribers trying it out, some % will pay for some of the sub with in game currency) gives us around 720 million dollars a year.  There was Shadowlands in 2020, which cost, I think, 40 bucks (and there is one every other year) - so if EVERYONE of those 4.8m people bought it (unlikely) gives us a revenue stream, bi-annually, of c. 190m.

Put them together, and we're talking about 810m a year.

This makes sense - King's total revenue in 2020 was c. 2.1B; COD was c. 3.5B+, if WOW was then about 900m (accounting for all sales of the expansion that year, and then seeing a drop in 2021), then that wakes us to c. 6.5B.  That compares to a total revenue of about 8B  - COD is likely to be a bit more than the 3B to be honest - which leaves at max a total revenue of 2B from all their other games and franchises, as well as merchandise for WOW.  Crash Bandicoot, for instance, in 2020, probably had net revenue close to 100M. 

The worry for shareholders, as I said above, is COD - currently their biggest income stream with a total revenue of 3.5B annually across all platforms.  I don't think it is unfair to suggest a drop of 1-1.5B in those numbers if COD were to go Xbox/PC only, which would mean a drop from 8 to 6.5-7B annual revenue for the whole "Activision Blizzard" space under MS - which would certainly cause questions to Spector et al at the AGM if they saw that drop, given how much they paid for the company.  Their other big money producers are either mobile (King) or PC (WOW) - so if they try and take it off PS then it could really backfire.  Their other content? (Diablo/Overwatch) - probably less an issue (I would imaging both games having a TOTAL revenue of betwen 1 and 1.5B the year they came out, then dwindling to not much - so a lot less an impact losing 3-400 million revenue in one year, compared to 1-1.5B every year)

[Hedley Lamarr]

Xbox have already said COD will continue on Playstation. This is mostly about enhancing Game Pass, the 25m subscriber base should grow significantly once COD, Diablo, Overwatch and the Bethesda games start appearing.  Game Pass is now the product not the actual console.

[J-Mc-]

No idea why you are attacking me it's a discussion on video games or what you are on about I'm 31 thank you very much don't see why my age should matter.

Probably because you act 13.

[Jake]

Mass Effect is such a great series. The backlash over the ending of 3 really did dampen just how fantastic the games are.

Yeah the ending of 3 is what has stopped me from jumping back in.

[AndyMuller]

Xbox have already said COD will continue on Playstation. This is mostly about enhancing Game Pass, the 25m subscriber base should grow significantly once COD, Diablo, Overwatch and the Bethesda games start appearing.  Game Pass is now the product not the actual console.

Nah they said sort of the same thing when they announced the Bethesda acquisition and then when it was finalised months later confirmed everything will be exclusive. I imagine everything from Activision will be exclusive too.

[Scottymuser]

Nah they said sort of the same thing when they announced the Bethesda acquisition and then when it was finalised months later confirmed everything will be exclusive. I imagine everything from Activision will be exclusive too.

I disagree - for all the reasons listed above regarding financing - there is no way the shareholders would countenance a 1.5+ BILLION drop in revenue ANNUALLY (min.) unless the Xbox sales themselves start outpacing the PS5 ones. 

With Bethesday, as high selling a game as Skyrim is, it's not COD.  COD money dwarves TES - as it is an annual franchise that sales 20-30m copies - Skyrim sold 30m TOTAL across 10 years and 6 platforms, and doesn't have the tie in multi-player and micro transactions.  So for one game (in this case), which probably won't come out for 2-3 years, and has significantly less earning potential, AND it's the kind of game that will be better at selling Game Pass then COD where the majority of players don't really play other games (so wouldn't get any use out of game pass) - then it's going to be less egregious to the Shareholders to say we might drop half a billion, a billion on potential revenue for this one game - compared to we WILL drop a billion and a half EVERY year, just to stick it to Sony.

Also let's not forget TES is one of many franchises on consoles which Bethesda have made which make money - in terms of consoles, COD is the only one from A-B - and A-B's acquisition cost SEVENTY billion, ten times the amount of Bethesda, so finances will be even more important to justify that purchase to shareholders.

[darragh85]

Mass Effect is such a great series. The backlash over the ending of 3 really did dampen just how fantastic the games are.

Second to only the Elder Scrolls for me as my favourite games series of all time. Fallout and Fable get honourable mentions.

to this day, ill never understand why the developers didnt shut up about the ending and go with the indoctrination theory.

i still can believe that indoctrination isnt actually whats going on at the end. it seems so obvious. part of me wonders if they just said it wasnt out of annoyance that they had to actually explain it.

[Drinks Sangria]

to this day, ill never understand why the developers didnt shut up about the ending and go with the indoctrination theory.

i still can believe that indoctrination isnt actually whats going on at the end. it seems so obvious. part of me wonders if they just said it wasnt out of annoyance that they had to actually explain it.

Agreed. I think they mishandled and cocked it up. They tried to be clever with the writing (having lost the main writer of the series who plotted the story of 1 and 2 and a small part of 3 and wrote most of the lore) and then acted peevishly and defensive - they wanted to surprise and trick players but over the course of 3 fantastic games, facing withering odds, I think all anyone wanted was something definitive and satisfying.

People wanted the ending to A New Hope basically and we should've been given it. Maybe Mass Effect 4 will develop on the lore and storyline and frame it in a way that makes a lot more sense.

[J-Mc-]

Confirmed in a Q&A with AB that titles are remaining multi-plat.

The news comes from an employee Q&A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In a question asking how the deal between Activision Blizzard and Xbox will impact existing partner agreements, the company stated, "We will honor all existing commitments post close. As with Microsoft's acquisition of Minecraft, we have no intent to remove any content from platforms where it exists today."

https://www.ign.com/articles/activision-wont-remove-existing-games-playstation-xbox-acquisition

[ScottScott]

So, same as the Bethesda deal. Any existing contracts will be honoured and any existing games will get continued support (Warzone being the big one from a COD POV). You would imagine any new yearly COD versions would be Xbox exclusive (and on PC obviously) so the next Black Ops or whatever comes after Vanguard and so on

[darragh85]

Agreed. I think they mishandled and cocked it up. They tried to be clever with the writing (having lost the main writer of the series who plotted the story of 1 and 2 and a small part of 3 and wrote most of the lore) and then acted peevishly and defensive - they wanted to surprise and trick players but over the course of 3 fantastic games, facing withering odds, I think all anyone wanted was something definitive and satisfying.

People wanted the ending to A New Hope basically and we should've been given it. Maybe Mass Effect 4 will develop on the lore and storyline and frame it in a way that makes a lot more sense.

Didn't bioware say that Shepard will return in the next mass effect game?

[Drinks Sangria]

Didn't bioware say that Shepard will return in the next mass effect game?

I'm not too sure what they plan to do, they teased Liara finding the iconic N7 armour so maybe? I suppose Shepard is the face of the franchise as such, though the male avatar was pretty wooden.

[scatman]

COD is too big and makes too much money for them to restrict it to one platform. Just the battlepass and skins and all that shit makes them a shitload, never mind the game sales. in 2020 the modern warfare version + warzone made 3 billion, in 2021 the game was pulling in 5-10 million a day...

[ScouserAtHeart]

COD is too big and makes too much money for them to restrict it to one platform. Just the battlepass and skins and all that shit makes them a shitload, never mind the game sales. in 2020 the modern warfare version + warzone made 3 billion, in 2021 the game was pulling in 5-10 million a day...

They could split it up-- Warzone multiplatform and have the single player campaign Xbox only

[aka_da_saus]

i was waiting for offical xbox wireless headset but it will never be in stock at this rate. any alternative to it around same price ? with a working chat mix button would be great

[ScouserAtHeart]

i was waiting for offical xbox wireless headset but it will never be in stock at this rate. any alternative to it around same price ? with a working chat mix button would be great

Try looking for the wired one? That's usually in stock. It's pretty much the same except you hook it up to the controller

[GiorgosCarraGoonies]

i was waiting for offical xbox wireless headset but it will never be in stock at this rate. any alternative to it around same price ? with a working chat mix button would be great

Have you tried the stock checking apps/websites?

Download the Hot Stock app.  Also check www.stockinformer.co.uk

I managed to snag myself one and also get one for my mate.

The headset itself has mixed reviews - I don't get it, I think it's great.  Sure, some of the expensive 3rd party ones might have slightly better sound, but the design, ease of use and functionality of these is great.  The dial for chat mixing is really handy in particular.

[scatman]

i use a wired headset, think its much better personally than the xbox wireless one i had before

[ShatnersBassoon]

just ordered the series X. I was going to go for PS5 but gamepass has swayed it. at least until theres a new naughtydog game out

[I've been a good boy]

Is the Series X still hard to get a hold of? Not sure whether to go for the X or S. Bearing in mind I'll have to pay full price for games on the S but I only really play FIFA, COD, Battlefield, Forza etc so not sure how much they are on the Microsoft Store currently

[Hedley Lamarr]

Is the Series X still hard to get a hold of? Not sure whether to go for the X or S. Bearing in mind I'll have to pay full price for games on the S but I only really play FIFA, COD, Battlefield, Forza etc so not sure how much they are on the Microsoft Store currently

Forza is on Gamepass, FIFA, COD and Battlefield are all currently under £40.  Battlefield is rumoured to be free to play soon.

[cloggypop]

Is the Series X still hard to get a hold of? Not sure whether to go for the X or S. Bearing in mind I'll have to pay full price for games on the S but I only really play FIFA, COD, Battlefield, Forza etc so not sure how much they are on the Microsoft Store currently

It seems to be easier than a PS5 but still not readily available. Forza, FIFA and the older Battlefield games are all on Game Pass along with hundreds of other games. There are ways of getting Game Pass for dirt cheap.

[I've been a good boy]

Forza is on Gamepass, FIFA, COD and Battlefield are all currently under £40.  Battlefield is rumoured to be free to play soon.

Are the older CODs on there? Love playing those every now and then.

[I've been a good boy]

It seems to be easier than a PS5 but still not readily available. Forza, FIFA and the older Battlefield games are all on Game Pass along with hundreds of other games. There are ways of getting Game Pass for dirt cheap.

Through CDKeys?

[gerrardisgod]

Not yet, but will be next year once the Activision deal goes through.

[cloggypop]

Through CDKeys?

Or Eneba or whoever if cheaper. You can buy up to 3 years of Gold and convert it to Game Pass Ultimate. If you were to buy 3 years of Gold from say Turkey and use a VPN to log in on PC and enter the codes it works out very cheap indeed.

https://www.reddit.com/r/XboxGamePass/wiki/index/gold-ultimate-conversion

[J-Mc-]

Confirmed now, popular Activision Blizzard titles will stay multiplat.

https://www.ign.com/articles/micosoft-activision-blizzard-call-of-duty-playstation-sony-nintendo-contracts

[Malaysian Kopite]

Confirmed now, popular Activision Blizzard titles will stay multiplat.

https://www.ign.com/articles/micosoft-activision-blizzard-call-of-duty-playstation-sony-nintendo-contracts

Excellent news, this is a win-win for everyone and bodes well for inevitable future acquisitions.

[ScottScott]

So COD definitely getting released multiplat then, think most others will be exclusive (any new Crash game, any new Tony Hawk for example) but keeping the big MP ones on PS is a smart move. I'd imagine you'd get benefits on Xbox that you wouldn't get on PS to try and move some players

[ScouserAtHeart]

They couldn't say anything else. The merger hasn't been approved yet.