Will the Xbox Series X and S be Microsoft's last consoles? The question of the future of the Xbox in the video game market is not new and continues to grow in recent times. While the shelves dedicated to this ecosystem continue to shrink in supermarkets and other specialized stores, gaming on this platform continues its dematerialization. Players are now betting on the Game Pass, accessible on console, PC and even from the cloud. While this new way of consuming video games has proven to be more than beneficial for gamers, it could well cost Microsoft its place as a manufacturer.
At least that's what new rumors shared by journalist Chris Dring of GamesIndustry.biz suggest. Following a few discussions with industry insiders at the Game Developers Conference, Dring learned of the reluctance of some major studios. Speaking to GI Microcast, he explains that “Xbox is in big trouble as a manufacturer” and that developers are starting to realize it. “A major company that released a major game last year told me, ‘I don't know why we bothered supporting them’ (Xbox, editor's note)“ he reveals. Still according to him, the export of Xbox licenses to PlayStation is also a source of concern and anxiety for the manufacturer's partners.
A strategy that does not meet with unanimous approval
In mid-February, Microsoft made official the arrival of four of its exclusives on its competitors' platforms. While this news did not fail to delight gamers, it seems that it has shaken the industry from the inside. Still according to Chris Dring and his information gathered at GDC 2024, “the majority Xbox games” should be exported to other consoles, as long as the first attempt currently underway bears fruit, which Xbox would believe wholeheartedly.
However, a free-falling dynamic on the hardware sales side (also reported by Dring) worries developers about the interest in continuing development on Xbox. This loss of power common to all manufacturers seems all the more fatal for Microsoft, where gamers prefer to rely on Game Pass via different platforms.
“Another thing I kept hearing at GDC was ‘what's going on with Xbox?’ Because, of course, from Xbox's perspective, it's about growing the market through other platforms, services, etc. It’s not just about the console under the TV, and in fact, that console under the TV is probably a very small part of their business. But from their partner’s perspective, it’s a key part,” says Chris Dring. If Xbox is no longer a priority for Microsoft, why should it be for development studios? There’s no doubt that the Redmond firm is playing a dangerous game, and its new ambitions could cost it the support of major industry players. The next few years will therefore be decisive for the manufacturer's future on the market. Watch this space.
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