I recently read with some dismay that MS intends to end Xbox rather than finish off the new generation they’ve been working. Doesn’t make sense to me, but stranger things have happened. 
 

here’s an interesting take on why the “news” might have gotten it wrong after all:

https://simulationdaily.com/editorials/microsoft-sunsetting-xbox-nonsense/#
 

it’d be a shame to see the most cost effective flight sim hardware go EoL/EoS. 

Well,

Seamus created one of my most admired flight simulatores EVER - FLIGHT UNLIMITED (1)  *circa 1995

He's a tallented developer and for sure a very inteligent and knowledgeable person, so, I have to read about what he said with concern, looking at what this "change of the chairs" at the top of MS can represent for us simmers, in as far as MSFS's future...

OTOH I have been really tempted to leave Windows out for good and finally go at home the same way I have long gonne at my day work - Linux...

Each time I read this type of news, the stronger the will to fully migrate to Linux grows in me 😕

Edited February 27Feb 27 by jcomm

I was hoping they would bring a newer and more powerful Xbox console than the X.

A short while ago, I was reading an article that said, "The next-generation Xbox, expected around 2027, is shaping up to be a high-end, premium "hybrid PC console" designed to merge the power of a gaming PC with the ease of a console."

Not sure what that is or how it will exactly look like. It's all about money and revenue, if it does not make money, they will remove it from their product line.

Let's see. 

 

Gaming "journalists" are a joke.  There will be a next generation Xbox, they've already announced it to gamers and more importantly, shareholders.  There's a Youtube video with the announcement.  Just go into Youtube and type "next gen xbox" lol.  

It is more likely that everything is getting delayed due to the insane hardware price increases.  It is strongly rumored that both Sony and MS are pushing launches back.  2027 was likely going to be a rough date, but that's probably not happening, at least until prices come down.  

 

 

 

15 minutes ago, kerosene31 said:

Gaming "journalists" are a joke.

Had no idea people still follow and read any of these digital paywalled clickbait gaming media platforms anymore.

The demand for the major console games is down, way down. Not because the idea of gaming is less attractive. Nor that people are tired of gaming. It's a disappointment in the new versions of old games and in the new games. Check the stock values of the major game publishers. 

Meanwhile Steam rolls along nicely. With a bazillion smaller games in the same genre as the old major games favorites. This makes for choice and a realistic chance of making every gamer somewhat satisfied. 

For MS to invest in a new version of the old idea of a console in this environment is high risk, low reward. But an Xbox with a stable but unchangeable hardware and running on PC Windows is a much safer bet. They would need to make it so this new thing will run old Xbox games too. 

There would be way more games available this way, something for everybody. Maybe not in theory but in practice, yes. 

Of course MS has bad many a session considering ideas like these above. A choice of two paths. The bottom line is that major console game releases have disappointing sales. And it is in my opinion foolish to imagine that young people are now tired of gaming. They are not, just the opposite, and more desiring to be inside the house than outside. 

Looking at the "ratios" on Youtube of positive and negative reactions to movie, streaming, TV, gaming trailers tells the story. There are lots of "votes", proof that the market is still potentially huge. And lots of negative thumbs down, proof that they don't like what they are being given. 

I use "Youtube Dislike Counter" addon for Firefox. I can see all the upthumbs and downthumbs for every video on YT that allows any kind of vote totals to show. 

There’s always PlayStation.  

Edited February 28Feb 28 by RobJC

1 hour ago, UrgentSiesta said:

I recently read with some dismay that MS intends to end Xbox rather than finish off the new generation they’ve been working. Doesn’t make sense to me,

I'm not a console person, but I can certainly understand the market reach/potential it has ... even more so under the current RAM/GPU situation and the now deemed illegal US Tariffs.  But I'm optimistic, the RAM situation isn't going to last forever. 

However, with the departure of Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond and being replaced by an XBOX executive with zero game industry experience, it could lead to a rocky road forward.  I can certainly see a delay but complete abandonment I'm not sure ... Microsoft are very capable of just "ending" things, they've done it before many times.

Now that gaming is becoming more platform independent and streamed, there is little "need" for Microsoft to produce dedicated hardware ... it's all about profit margins which XBOX apparently isn't providing a large enough margin.   I do have a hard time understanding just how much of a margin Microsoft need and where does that end ... or does it just go the same direction to eventual unaffordability for the masses?

Microsoft's quest for every bigger profit margins will likely fall inline with what other companies do (they want into TVs) ... bring advertising into gaming to supplement the profit margin.  Of course it will be sold as a "win win" but only if you have the stomach for endless advertising (which apparently many do since it's a formula that seems to work).  Personally, my time is FAR more important than wasting it on watching ads so as to get a slightly less expensive service.  The average person spends 6.5% of their life watching ads.

I recall a friend that was working on apps for Apple iOS device asking in the the Apple Developer Forum if their was a way to use the iPad/iPhone camera to track a user's eyes to see if they were looking forward (at the Ad) ... this apparently has been accomplished and is old news now.

 

1 hour ago, kerosene31 said:

There will be a next generation Xbox, they've already announced it to gamers and more importantly, shareholders.

Those shareholders do not give me any hope... most do not care about Xbox or any of Microsoft's other products, they're just looking for unsustainable double-digit growth at any cost. MS doesn't seem to be as much of a slave to its shareholders as some companies out there, but I'm sure we can all point to companies that became shells of their former selves due to their incessant, obsessive focus on "shareholder value" above any values that made the company successful in the first place.

It's funny though, as it seems we've come full circle. First PC gaming was supposedly dead, now console gaming (or at least Xbox) is supposedly dead... it seems pretty obvious though, gamers flock to where the content is. I think one reason PC gaming made its resurgence is due to competitive multiplayer and viral indie games along with the easy access to social platforms (communication via Discord, uploading clips to TikTok, etc). That social aspect is one that hasn't really been replicated/utilized on console, so this would probably be an area where MS would be wise to make the Xbox platform more PC-like. Mobile is another area with huge growth potential... Sure, there is the Steam Deck and its alternatives, but none have come close to the success of Nintendo's Switch.

2 hours ago, Funky D said:

Those shareholders do not give me any hope... most do not care about Xbox or any of Microsoft's other products, they're just looking for unsustainable double-digit growth at any cost. MS doesn't seem to be as much of a slave to its shareholders as some companies out there, but I'm sure we can all point to companies that became shells of their former selves due to their incessant, obsessive focus on "shareholder value" above any values that made the company successful in the first place.

It's funny though, as it seems we've come full circle. First PC gaming was supposedly dead, now console gaming (or at least Xbox) is supposedly dead... it seems pretty obvious though, gamers flock to where the content is. I think one reason PC gaming made its resurgence is due to competitive multiplayer and viral indie games along with the easy access to social platforms (communication via Discord, uploading clips to TikTok, etc). That social aspect is one that hasn't really been replicated/utilized on console, so this would probably be an area where MS would be wise to make the Xbox platform more PC-like. Mobile is another area with huge growth potential... Sure, there is the Steam Deck and its alternatives, but none have come close to the success of Nintendo's Switch.

You're missing the entire point.  Lying to shareholders is a bad thing.  Kind of a legal gray area, but still generally not a good idea.  

You nailed it though, "they" have reported PC gaming dying, and look how that turned out.  

That's exactly what MS is doing - they've said it will support "multiple stores" not just be tied to MS alone.  

9 hours ago, RobJC said:

There’s always PlayStation.  

I own the MS license for PC/Xbox. 
not sure that carries over- or any addons?

1 hour ago, UrgentSiesta said:

I own the MS license for PC/Xbox. 
not sure that carries over- or any addons?

Good question.

I own licenses to both Xbox and PS5. No, let me correct…I bought both the licenses, but someone else in the house actually owns the PS5 console…🙂…and in friendly negotiation, I own the Xbox.

What I’ve heard from the other party (not interested in MSFS) is that some of the (non-MSFS) games (e.g., warrior types) can carry over. However, my MSFS and MSFS add-ons will not (do not) carry over (they being distinct ecosystems in this regard).

I do not own/have MSFS in PS5. 

After all that's gone into MSFS and how fabulous it is today I can't imagine MS dumping it outright anytime in the next several years.  And even if they didn't develop next gen Xbox, there are still lots of Xboxes and Playstations out there and those won't disappear.  As they continue to polish the product, and that's ultimately what's called for not any kind of major overhaul, I would hope they would continue to support it thru subscription fees if that's what it takes to keep the servers alive and keep some 3rd party devs afloat and I would happily pay to play...but I'm an FS fanatic.  I would love to know how many fanatics are out there committed enough to MSFS who would pay to play. In the past 24h there were 11K users on SteamDB and even it were only them that comes out to $220K/month if they charged what Netflix charges which seems like it might be enough to keep it alive, not developing it further, just keep it alive.