GIbiz: Diverging paths: Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo's radically different visions

JayWood2010 · Apr 19, 2019

Sony and Microsoft are still extremely similar as shown by their libraries. The only difference is Xbox is emphasizing Game Pass, and more options to play their games (PC, Console, mobile).

Whether you want to play on the most powerful console, a budget-friendly one, a PC, or even on a phone in the future, they will allow that.

If you just focus on their consoles, they are extremely similar other than Sony has more Japanese games. Both are putting heavy emphasis on their first party next generation.

SturokBGD · Apr 19, 2019

What is "traditional"? Microsoft diverged from "traditional" the day Xbox Live launched.

Deleted member 51848 · Apr 19, 2019

Thought I'd go back and watch the Giant Bomb reaction to the launch of the Xbox One and their adventure through the xbox one DRM policy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1StPJgWkN-U

Whatever xbox does it should never try to do this again.

FoolsMilky · Apr 19, 2019

There will be a next Microsoft console and a next Nintendo console, but they won't compete directly with the next Sony console; the traditional console market, as it has been for such a long time, is now in essence the PlayStation market.

Now the diverging visions of the platform holders are suggesting an entirely different way forward; not the death of the console, but the evolution of the console and the diversification of its form and concepts. And with it, perhaps, a return to the kind of market growth the core industry used to boast about in the 1990s and 2000s.

Hm, alright. I think I fully agree with the second quote, but I may be out of the loop on the first quote.

Are people not predicting a still large amount of competition, and direct competition for that matter, between the next XBOX and Playstation systems? Maybe it's as the article implies, that Sony is doing so well that they continue to exist in that part of the environment and that Microsoft will diversify.

I think it's a well-thought out article especially with its notions of "less" competition and the big 3 moving even more into their roles in the ecosystem of gaming. But as stated, Nintendo pretty much already did that, it's more a statement on Microsoft's diversifying. I just don't know if we still aren't going to see good old console warring and direct competition out of the next-gen systems. IE: Microsoft wants a direct competitor AND their services AND their digital consoles, etc. Not instead of a "traditional console"

Also if the current Digital XBOX One experience is being used to imply that the next-gen XBOX is going towards all-digital, I really do wonder if this next gen is the one to embrace that.

ModularBen said:
Thought I'd go back and watch the Giant Bomb reaction to the launch of the Xbox One and their adventure through the xbox one DRM policy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1StPJgWkN-U

Whatever xbox does it should never try to do this again.

In the all-digital future, it might be harder to pirate XBOX games since you can only get them from one place ;)

Euler.L. · Apr 19, 2019

I like how the company with the market leading streaming service isn't ready for streaming.

Filth_Flannigan · Apr 19, 2019

Pancakes R Us said:
I'd agree to some extent, but I think the same will be said about Sony soon enough. The gaming landscape is changing, and with streaming products coming up, who knows how the landscape will look like in the next 5-10 years. I think traditional consoles are going to disappear at some point, or just become an option if they remain.

Yeah, Sony really should have jumped on the Streaming Bandwagon and created their own streaming service. They are going to get left behind by the companies starting to push their own streaming services to the public in the near future.

Deleted member 5159 · Apr 19, 2019

hmm they have a streaming service already, psnow

Remo Williams · Apr 19, 2019

Filth_Flannigan said:
Yeah, Sony really should have jumped on the Streaming Bandwagon and created their own streaming service. They are going to get left behind by the companies starting to push their own streaming services to the public in the near future.

It's not about the streaming service itself, although having the tech and the infrastructure is also very important, obviously (mind you, there's still the question of how successfully they can scale it up). It's about the business model, and Sony's is currently very different to what Google and Microsoft are proposing. They could change it, of course, but will they, and when? They're not showing any desire to do so just yet, although the (partial) addition of downloads to PS Now at least demonstrates that they're not oblivious to others' advances.

12Danny123 · Apr 19, 2019

Filth_Flannigan said:
Yeah, Sony really should have jumped on the Streaming Bandwagon and created their own streaming service. They are going to get left behind by the companies starting to push their own streaming services to the public in the near future.

Well....pretty much everyone ignores PSNow. They only focus on XCloud and Stadia at this point.

12Danny123 · Apr 19, 2019

Oklusion said:
God I hope not, I hate the idea of streaming games. I want it to fail so bad.

It's inevitable, the hardcore market doesn't decide the future, the casual market will and it's very likely that the casual market will move onto streaming in the future and the console market will decline in casual market share.

ItAintEasyBeinCheesy · Apr 19, 2019

ModularBen said:
Thought I'd go back and watch the Giant Bomb reaction to the launch of the Xbox One and their adventure through the xbox one DRM policy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1StPJgWkN-U

Whatever xbox does it should never try to do this again.

And you'll always have people who won't forget that either and won't go back. Imagine having that coming of the heels of RROD, a lot of tarnish.

Acorn · Apr 19, 2019

Sony and ms are doing the same stuff just placing emphasis differently. Xbox looks likely to focus on streaming and being available on anything but with a better experience on their premium console. Sony looks likely to place emphasis on their console offerings with psnow also available for others.

Same stuff different emphasis. Dunno about Nintendo for the future, not familiar with their thinking on this.

Acorn · Apr 19, 2019

12Danny123 said:
It's inevitable, the hardcore market doesn't decide the future, the casual market will and it's very likely that the casual market will move onto streaming in the future and the console market will decline in casual market share.

Consoles will never disappear and the point streaming overtakes them is a long way away. Not saying you're saying that just that others seem to think streaming will happen over night and then there will be no consoles from anyone.

12Danny123 · Apr 19, 2019

Acorn said:
Consoles will never disappear and the point streaming overtakes them is a long way away. Not saying you're saying that just that others seem to think streaming will happen over night and then there will be no consoles from anyone.

I or anyone never said that consoles will fully disappear. People are saying that consoles will decline in relevancy, that's not disappearing. Consoles will exist for hardcore gamers and old fashioned gamers and no one else. The brand new and younger demographics will come from Streaming.

blackmass · Apr 19, 2019

Filth_Flannigan said:
Yeah, Sony really should have jumped on the Streaming Bandwagon and created their own streaming service. They are going to get left behind by the companies starting to push their own streaming services to the public in the near future.

Sony is the only competitor of the big three, who already started his streaming service with PS Now, but nobody knows, it seems. Sony is doing something wrong in this case.

Kenjovani · Apr 19, 2019

Euler.L. said:
I like how the company with the market leading streaming service isn't ready for streaming.

Lol it's eye opening and really baffling how so many ppl commenting act like it doesn't exist lol yet it's making money for Sony, has hundreds of games, been out for years and works pretty good. I call it "the blind fanboy disease"

Knight613 · Apr 19, 2019

I think Microsoft would probably be the first to tell you that Sony isn't their main competitor.

Even if the masses see it that way.

I don't think it's wrong to say that their strategy now is to play a pretty different game.

dragonflys545 · Apr 19, 2019

JayWood2010 said:
Sony and Microsoft are still extremely similar as shown by their libraries. The only difference is Xbox is emphasizing Game Pass, and more options to play their games (PC, Console, mobile).

Whether you want to play on the most powerful console, a budget-friendly one, a PC, or even on a phone in the future, they will allow that.

If you just focus on their consoles, they are extremely similar other than Sony has more Japanese games. Both are putting heavy emphasis on their first party next generation.

If anything the library is clearly showing that they are different. MS focus is on MP GAAS experiences, while sony's focus on single player experiences.

ImaginaShawn · Apr 19, 2019

dragonflys545 said:
But they are different. MS is goin

g

If anything the library is clearly showing that they are different. MS focus is on MP GAAS experiences, while sony's focus on single player experiences.

Yeah, that is why they bought so many single player studios.

Anthony Hopkins · Apr 19, 2019

"By contrast, Microsoft and Nintendo are moving in quite different directions. Microsoft's removal of physical media support from the new Xbox One S is both a statement of intent and a toe in the water. It speaks to the company's vision of Xbox as a gaming platform that spans across devices, powered through a combination of local hardware and Azure cloud services, with physical Xbox consoles being just one mode of access for an Xbox "experience"

This bit makes no sense when Sony actually did cloud gaming first....

the traditional console market, as it has been for such a long time, is now in essence the PlayStation market.

Oh dear this guy...
Imagine saying this at the end of the PS2 gen. The gaming business is one of the most unpredictable, nothing happens as people expect it to.

ccieag · Apr 19, 2019

The minute that PS4 BC was announced, the race between MS and Sony was over for next generation. It's smart for MS to explore other avenues, because Sony has the next generation race already locked up

Digital and BC changed the game this time. All those new PS4 owners are simply going to trade up, and keep playing their existing library

And Nintendo learned long ago to go their own way - the only gaming manufacturer that truly can due to software

Dekuman · Apr 19, 2019

Article is talking about divergent visions. I don't get many takes here implying MS has conceded or that Nintendo isn't even playing in the same space. Seems self congratulatory for the team you like.

The next gen consoles won't be launching for another 12 months. MS could have a blowout at E3 or in the fall and still launch in 2020.

Ascenion · Apr 19, 2019

Andri said:
Like what ?

Xbox was never popular outside its core anglophone markets, so it never had any chance of "winning" any generation on a global scale.
Even the very successful 360 didnt outsell PS3 by that much, and had to offset its meh global performance with its huge lead in the NA region.

And what is the second paragraph even about ?
If MS did everything right with X1, didnt want to make much money with XB Gold and somehow solved people being jerks on the internet they would have won the generation ?

Nintendo didnt leave the living room console space, they just expanded to cover every room in the house(and everywhere else too) by going full into what was always their best selling hardware(handhelds) and making it strong enough to support their home console software.

Besides that, they have enough money in the bank/in assets to survive literally more years with the losses they had in the wiiu years than MS has been in the console market.
And keeping high margins on their hardware would not even be the way to make the most money, since the vast majority of money in the vg space is made in Software and its margins.

Microsoft can succeed globally. The effort just wasn't there before. They focused too much on the dying Japanese market instead of elsewhere. Mexico is big on Xbox. They could've put efforts there, I'd love to see what a Mexican dev studio could do or games catered toward that market. The UK supports it's own, Rare and Playground should be leveraged for that reason alone. They could've tried to break into the Middle East or into South Africa, or into Veitnam, Korea or more earnestly into China to help foster creativity. They had a way forward they just stagnated.

Loxley · Apr 19, 2019

Folks acting like Microsoft's inevitable Halo Infinite + NextBox bundle at launch won't sell a shitload of consoles right out of the gate. But anyway, I wouldn't call their strategies drastically different. They're both putting out new consoles, both will play games and do everything the current ones do - just better. MS is working to expand the Xbox as a service platform across multiple devices but I wouldn't consider that to be their main focus at all.

Microsoft has a real chance to match Sony next gen in terms of sales, especially once those first-party games start rolling out from all of their newly acquired studios. Of course nothing is guaranteed and either MS or Sony could fuck things up for themselves (since both have in the past).

Aadiboy · Apr 19, 2019

I mean, it's true. MS is focusing on mutiplayer/GAAS, subscription services, and streaming. Sony is focusing on first party cinematic experiences, and being a gaming powerhouse first and foremost. Nintendo offers a hybrid with first party and indie offerings, and soon will be offering a cheaper console to have a bigger hold on the kids market. Even if there is overlap, they are all on divergent paths.

Deleted member 18379 · Apr 19, 2019

Seems true that Sony will continue to dominate and the other two need to reach further out of the box to find their audience. Still waiting to see what is unique about Xbox this gen and whether their new studios can compete with Nintendo and Sony. Nintendo seems to have a cozy spot with Switch.

Deleted member 12352 · Apr 19, 2019

Pretty much.

KtSlime said:
Every new gen is a new start.

This is going to be less true than ever next gen. Not much is gonna change from what we have now.

Beastlove · Apr 19, 2019

MS seem to have all the chips on the table for the next gen. I imagine we will get a streaming service, a low priced console and an absolute beast of a console as well as more commitment to PC gaming. It is a great strategic move if they can back it up with games. Neither Sony or Google can offer the same.

DrainedSpirit · Apr 19, 2019

GIbiz said:
Yet that's not really a fair or reasonable way to look at the story. If anything, it's a testament to Sony's success that it dominates the traditional console model so utterly that both its major rivals are effectively ceding that territory. There will be a next Microsoft console and a next Nintendo console, but they won't compete directly with the next Sony console; the traditional console market, as it has been for such a long time, is now in essence the PlayStation market.

That last paragraph, hinting that both Nintendo's and MS' current strategies are direct answers to Sony's success with the PS4 is a bit disingenuous. Nintendo has been doing the Blue Ocean since the Wii and has struck gold again with the Switch. The Switch is also the answer to their long struggle with supporting both handheld and home-console. Microsoft's recent focusing on services with Gamepass, Play Anywhere, xCloud and XB1SAD is probably the only way Phil Spencer could sell big first-party spending on the Xbox project to the service-focused Nadella after the Xbone launch-fail. That together with Microsoft's Azure network and server-resources makes their strategy a natural fit. Meanwhile, Sony's PlayStation is steeped in the traditional console-game and has seen major success doing it so no wonder they keep perfecting the formula.

vivftp · Apr 19, 2019

The article seems to imply that Sony won't also be aiming to capture its share of the cloud streaming market, which is just silly. They've already got their foot in the door and that will only grow once next gen hits. PS Now will have revamped hardware, be in more countries, on more devices and will likely have an updated business model to go along with next gen.

Mass Effect · Apr 19, 2019

Loxley said:
Microsoft has a real chance to match Sony next gen in terms of sales, especially once those first-party games start rolling out from all of their newly acquired studios. Of course nothing is guaranteed and either MS or Sony could fuck things up for themselves (since both have in the past).

I don't see how this is possible without Microsoft massively expanding in non-US territories -- something they've struggled with in the past.

Detective · Apr 19, 2019

Man
Those articles before the new Gen starts.
Damn!

Bruceleeroy · Apr 19, 2019

Bgamer90 said:
I'm noticing that a good amount of people are looking way too deeply into the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition and are predicting next gen Xbox plans on what's simply a late gen SKU that will be a cheap option for people that still don't have an Xbox One (or modern console period).

The PlayStation brand I guess is more "traditional" out of the three in terms of sticking to what many adult gamers are used to when it comes to console gaming, but even they are branching out into making their games playable on other devices via PS Now. I have a strong feeling that next gen will be heavily about services and the ability to play games outside of one's console with other people, regardless of how Sony will advertise/push the PS5 before its launch (and probably during its first year or two).

Aww Bgamer haven't seen you in a minute. Always enjoy your posts bro.

Crayon · Apr 19, 2019

This is what I've been trying to tell you.

Armaros · Apr 19, 2019

Detective said:
Man
Those articles before the a new Gen starts.
Damn!

The start of the new console war on a forum. And this is without anything concrete yet.

Detective · Apr 19, 2019

Armaros said:
The start of the new console war on a forum. And this is without anything concrete yet.

Still waiting on those doom articles.
It's not next gen until one of those hit.

Chaos2Frozen · Apr 19, 2019

The console wars are finally over.... But at what cost?!

Mr. Pointy · Apr 19, 2019

Microsoft aren't really diverging though? They're just making a couple of extra variations of their super power box.

Hucast · Apr 19, 2019

Only counts for nintendo which has been the case since n64 anyway

EBomb · Apr 19, 2019

People cite to Sony's early presence in streaming to discount streaming as a competitive differentiator, however, its really about how streaming is monetized. The vertical integration of MS and Google may give them the ability to offer streaming as a free add on to digital game purchases, which would be far more impactful than a monthly sub to play legacy games.

If Xbox can market a neXt box where digital games can be played on local hardware and streamed for little additional cost (e.g., as a part of Gold or free) that would certainly be a different vision.

Nolbertos · Apr 19, 2019

Gaming as an industry still exists. The traditional model of high end specs doesn't appeal to Nintendo anymore and in the end, they don't see greater returns on hardware and software. Nintendo is doing its own thing and its working, MS doing its own thing and seems to be generating money. What the article should've asked if the traditional model will work once Google and Apple join in or will Gaming industry overall lean towards a new model of gaming

AudioEppa · Apr 19, 2019

This is PlayStation's fucking world. Feel any type of negative way about that, It won't change a goddamn thing. Some people mistaking a few rough years with PS3 as the downfall of no return. Sony took an L and flipped it into a learning experience to make themselves even stronger than before. This pre-gen hype for PS5 isn't some odd timeline. It's the reality of how much PlayStation means worldwide.

Bgamer90 · Apr 20, 2019

Bruceleeroy said:
Aww Bgamer haven't seen you in a minute. Always enjoy your posts bro.

Hey man! Thanks. Pretty excited for what's coming soon. Doesn't seem like that long ago in which we were discussing early PS4 and Xbox One details.

Backwards compatibility pretty much being confirmed for both means that I'll have the PS5 and Next Xbox pretty early since I won't miss out on any games that come out late in their predecessors lives. I may even get both when they release.

I have some plans in 2020 that go alongside the upcoming gaming gen — got to get out of my current toxic job situation though. 😬

GIbiz: Diverging paths: Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo's radically different visions

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