Is the Xbox Console Line being Phased Out?
Microsoft caused quite a stir with its recent announcement that its game Quantum Break will come with several freebies if the game is pre-ordered. Groups of fans are highly concerned that Microsoft is transitioning their games to be more PC oriented, and thus ceasing the need for the console altogether.
One would expect that freebies with any pre-order of a game, are considered a great thing. However, when Remedy Games announced that Quantum Break would come with a free copy of the Windows 10 PC version, fans everywhere were outraged. The argument has been that Microsoft is on the verge of phasing out the console, making their PC versions of games more appealing. Quantum Break, being their lead example, is allowing cross-platform saves: this meaning you could play your save on the Xbox One and resume your game on your PC platform. Others are predicting that the upcoming games Forza Motorsport 6 and Gears of War 4 will also follow suite.
@The_CrapGamer I've said it over and over, we are focused on the best place to play for gamers, not about creating walls.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) February 11, 2016
Some fans are losing faith in Phil Spencer, the Head of Xbox. Websites, tweets, podcast discussions and even twitter feeds are filled with angered fans, believing that Spencer is blurring the lines between Console and PC gaming exclusives. Despite the anger that many fans have been exhibiting, Phil Spencer has maintained complete professionalism and has done his best efforts to address fans directly.
@PNF4LYFE Thanks. I know not everything we do will make you cheer. We listen to all of you and honestly do really appreciate the feedback.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) February 11, 2016
He urges that it is more for the benefit of the gamer that there is a free PC versions of the game and not because Microsoft “hates the Xbox”.
No further updates have been released on Microsoft’s intentions with the future of the Xbox, however, Xbox fans should do their best to trust that Microsoft will seek out what is most appropriate for their consumers and the console itself.
Below you can view the opinions of the story from the guys at The Know.
People seem to have forgotten what M$ said when the XBone was first announced, that ultimately they wanted games to be cross platform. So you can play on either XBone or PC. They’ve slowly been moving forward with this.
But lets face it, the XBone is a dead duck, despite having some better exclusive (whether times or pure) it’s still lost out to the PS4. And even adding in the backwards compatibility hasn’t been able to ressurect it from the dead.
Tomb Raider is a great example, since it was originally supposed to be a 6month exclusive to the bone, but it’s barely been a few months before it was released on PC because it sold so poorly on the bone.
Though i do like reading all the rage over Break coming to PC, since M$ said yonkers ago that they were going to bring it to PC, it wasn’t even a timed exclusive.