Microsoft repeatedly makes it hard to be an Xbox fan. With its track record of stellar games like Halo: Combat Evolved, Gears of War, and Fable, one would think it would be easy to retain fans. This may have been true of the console back in the day. Back when its brand represented boldness, it competed with Sony and Nintendo. But now, Microsoft is stumbling, potentially repeating critical mistakes that doomed the Xbox One. Mistakes that could see the Xbox Series X be its last console and seal its fate in the gaming industry.
Videos by ComicBook.com
During the Xbox One era, Microsoft lost the plot. It had a confusing reveal, an obsession with V integration, perhaps most damning of all, a restrictive always-online policy. These alienated fans and nearly cost Microsoft even diehard Xbox fans. Thankfully, it was course-corrected in time to save the console, but somehow, years later, it is going down that same path with the Xbox Series X.
From Pro-Consumer Pioneer to Policy Regression
It wasn’t that long ago that Xbox was one of the most pro-consumer names in the gaming industry. When Game Pass first launched, it felt like the future: a bold way to make games accessible and affordable. The Play Anywhere feature also garnered a lot of goodwill among gamers, and backwards compatibility furthered this. It seemed like Microsoft was shifting Xbox toward a player-first strategy.
But that goodwill started to erode. In recent years, Game Pass prices have risen significantly, while the cost of Xbox consoles has also gone up. These seem to indicate Microsoft is prioritizing monetization. Meanwhile, the constant restructuring, layoffs, and studio closures show a company tightening its belt rather than investing in the creativity it once had.
It feels like an echo of the Xbox One launch philosophy. Microsoft’s belief that players will simply adapt to and accept whatever structure it uses for the Xbox is causing dissent among fans. As the Xbox begins to become more anti-consumer and shuts down or cancels beloved games, many are making the switch to Nintendo and Sony.
A Platform Without True Identity — or True Exclusives
Perhaps the biggest mistake Microsoft is making is its failure to define what makes the Xbox Series X essential. It is a powerhouse of a console, but without eye-catching exclusives, what is it for? Where are the games that make it indispensable? I can’t count on one hand the number of first-party exclusives on the Nintendo Switch or PlayStation 5, but my mind draws a blank when it comes to Xbox’s worthwhile exclusives.
The Xbox One struggled from the start because it didn’t have the exclusives to compete with Sony. Halo 5 and Crackdown 3 failed to resonate, leaving series like Forza Horizon and Gears of War to carry the brand themselves. With the Xbox Series X, fans hoped things would be different. But even after numerous acquisitions of studios like Bethesda and Obsidian, the best players got were Starfield and Avowed, two lackluster titles.
Even among its exclusives, what few there are, Microsoft lacks the consistency seen by Sony. It may release a hit title here and there, but most of Sony’s exclusives are considered console pushers. God of War, Horizon: Zero Dawn, The Last of Us, and Ghost of Tsushima are just a handful of these. Microsoft has lost its magic, and these business decisions continue to show that.
The Cost of Losing Focus and Trust
The irony is that Microsoft has already gone down this road before and learned these lessons. The Xbox One had a disastrous launch and took years to rebuild its brand. It took transparency, player-first initiatives, and consistent delivery to restore faith in fans. But now, these actions are being forgotten as Microsoft repeats these mistakes today.
Subscription fatigue is real, even before all the increasingly greedy price increases. This may have been okay if the content saw an increase in value, but it’s not. To top it off, beloved studios like Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks are being shut down, showing that first-party titles won’t be coming from these studios. These layoffs not only harm the employees, but Xbox players as well. We are even seeing companies move away from stocking Xbox consoles.
Microsoft’s messaging seems equally as tone-deaf as during the Xbox One era. If Xbox is to continue, the overall image needs work. A return to what players want rather than corporate greed is needed to save Xbox. Overconfidence was Microsoft’s downfall once, and it’s heading down this road again. The Xbox Series X isn’t doomed, but Microsoft needs to make changes now, before it is too late, especially if there is to be a new Xbox.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Courtesy of Toei Animation
