And there are “no red lines” on its multi-platform roll-out.
What is an Xbox?
It’s a pretty straightforward question, right?
It is a console, or is it?
Microsoft begs to differ with its latest, remarkable messaging.
A desktop PC is an Xbox.
A laptop or PC handheld is also an Xbox.
Looking at the market from a meta perspective, it’sgotto work.
Xbox needs to reach out beyond the existing pool of console gamers.
The basic economics are simple.
In the meantime, the cost of making games is getting ever more expensive.
In acquiring a greater split of the existing, static market, it has failed.
Therefore, a new strategy was required.
To Xbox diehards, this looks like a marginalisation of the console as the home of the platform.
The thing is, the marketing is not really aimed at the core audience.
Microsoft has wider horizons.
The truth is, the nature of the market is changing.
The console audience may not be growing, but people are still enjoying games in record numbers.
PC continues to be highly popular and gaming laptops in particular are shifting serious numbers.
That may be somewhat alarmist as Microsoft is committed to new hardware.
And from there, the overall importance of the console starts to diminish.
But this is a transitionary period and the pace of change has been quite astonishing.
Indiana Jones on PlayStation?
On that latter point, I feel there’s a huge amount of work to do.
Whatever Microsoft is planning with Xbox and Windows, an upgraded app would be the bare minimum.
It sounds challenging but it can be done.
