Microsoft: wrong communication?

Index

The Microsoft strategy Too many promises? What did we want from Microsoft I'm going to book Xbox Series X? Through the recent Xbox showcase, Microsoft wanted to show us how the work on video games coming in the near future on its platforms is progressing. At the end of the event, there were several criticisms, related both to the video games shown and to the Microsoft communication that is not exactly transparent. Having to get out of a situation of marked disadvantage compared to Sony's main competing console, perhaps more was expected from the giant of Redmond, at least as regards the promises made in the recent past on the relaunch of the Xbox brand and with Series X.

Microsoft's strategy

In the past few months, there have been several statements regarding the ambitious revenge of Xbox in the gaming market. After a decidedly subdued generation, Microsoft with Phil Spencer at the head of the gaming division wanted to overturn the cards on the table, proposing a respectable battle plan. The revolution started with the launch of the Xbox Game Pass, to try to propose an alternative model of video game use. A simple monthly "Netflix" subscription with hundreds of games, including many truly excellent ones, to be played at any time on your Xbox console or on any PC.

Subsequently they focused on the computing power of Xbox, offering the most powerful consoles on the hardware level and closing the power gap previously obtained by Sony. Finally, Microsoft wanted to say goodbye to the generational leaps between consoles we were used to in the past, promising to bring new video games compatible with both the old and the new consoles. In this way, the consumer can buy a video game for any platform and play it anywhere, thanks also to Smart Delivery and backwards compatibility.

The Microsoft strategy seemed pretty clear: have the best hardware in the business, giving continuity to the ecosystem of the Xbox through the generations, and to propose the games first party by using a excellent service as the Game Pass. It lacked only one thing: the games . Microsoft has started the acquisition of several development studios already in the middle of the current generation of consoles, trying to bridge the gap with the many exclusive Sony. High-quality games, however, do not stem from the morning to the evening, it takes time, in fact, Microsoft has immediately put her hands forward, saying that we will see the results of their acquisitions just with the arrival of the Xbox Series X. The recent showcase then had to be the perfect moment, the culmination of years of work where they could show how they earned efforts and investments of Microsoft in these new development team. However, something did not go as planned, but we try to understand what does not convince us of this situation.

Too many promises?

Since the arrival of Phil Spencer at Microsoft, the company has repeatedly said it would be clear and transparent towards the consumers. The few ideas and very confused at the launch of the Xbox One have led customers to lose trust in a big brand like Xbox. Phil Spencer has determined a strategy of respect, just as indicated in the previous paragraph, underlining repeatedly its strong points in various statements to the press. After the recent showcase, however, many prior statements were put into doubt, leaving the consumer uncertain about his future with the brand Xbox.

Just like in the showcase, we want to begin to discuss the subject, introducing one of the most eagerly awaited titles: Halo Infinite . Microsoft had stated several times how this game would have demonstrated immediately the real power of the Xbox Series X, marking a definite break technical with the past. The game has been in development for several years, with investment from dizziness. After the gameplay videos of the event, however, many were a little' with a bitter taste in the mouth. Certainly, the fluidity of the gameplay in 4K and 60 frames per second is excellent, but overall you can't say you've noticed a technical gap that is really important. In addition, as highlighted in our preview , the developers have voluntarily chosen a style that will remind you of the origins of this brand. This, however, does not justify the statements made by Microsoft, because they have promised so much from this video game and the first impact has not been so excellent, in fact.

another statement made by Microsoft is linked to the continuity of the family Xbox. Phil Spencer promised that for the next two years, all the video games first-party Series X, will also be available on the Xbox One's and Xbox One X, as well as on the PC. Great news for the current owners of the Xbox, that they will continue to receive many new titles to play even after the arrival of the next-gen. In the showcase, however, we discovered a sad truth: only Halo Infinite and a few other titles will also be on the console of the family's Xbox One. Probably, just because of the result that is hardly convincing, obtained from the Halo Endless, in spite of the investment giant, they realized that it is not possible to develop a title for several generations of console. In fact, in both Fable ii Forza Motorsport (both exclusive first-party) will arrive only on the Xbox Series X and PC. A recent buyer of the Xbox One X (console still respectable), despite the promises made by Microsoft, you might not have so many titles to play in the near future, if not third-party game available elsewhere.

just A few days away from the showcase, a spokesman for Microsoft said that the launch of the Xbox Series X will be the best ever made in the history of the console with many exclusive thickness. A few months after the arrival on the market we have, however, as the only certainty Halo Infinite, which, moreover, will be made available on the previous console, and then do not encourage you then so much the transition to next-gen.

After the several criticisms received for the last event, because of a little gameplay and a lot of computer graphics in the trailer shown, Microsoft in this showcase has not improved the way of presenting their qualifications. Aside from the gameplay of Halo Infinite, all the other video games were presented with a trailer in-engine, and with practically no sequence of gameplay. For securities that are definitely more expected as Forza Motorsport, Fable, Avowed (the new RPG Obsidian), Hellblade 2 is not seen practically nothing. This could be a sign of how these video games are still in the embryonic stage of development, and then will probably come just after two years or more from the output of the console (as it already confirmed some of them). Microsoft, however, had repeatedly promised the arrival of an exclusive thickness every three months from the launch of the Xbox Series X, but at this point, we strongly doubt this statement.

What we wanted from Microsoft

We have already exposed a great deal of criticism, but now we want to try to justify them, proposing what for us would have been a better way of approaching the next console generation, and the relaunch of brand Xbox. As mentioned earlier, the recent showcase was supposed to be (also according to what stated by Microsoft) is the culmination of the work done in recent years with the acquisition of development studies. Microsoft had to try to make us fall in love with their brand , to win you over emotionally with different thickness ready to be played on the Xbox. The goal was not to present a lineup of launch with five exclusive to the likes of Halo Endless, but simply to give us a taste of the specific titles such as Forza Motorsport, Fable, Avowed, Hellblade 2, State Of Decay 3 and not a simple trailer with no gameplay . You didn't even need to give us dates, but at least promise the games mentioned above within two years from the launch of the console. A little' as did Sony in that conference at E3 2015, where he had brought Final Fantasy VII Remake, The Last Guardian and Shenmue III, playing perfectly with the emotions of the players and gaining their trust in the brand Playstation. We were hoping for something like that, in a return to the old days when the Xbox 360 had so much to say with respect to Playstation 3, but there we found ourselves on a conference quite linear with lots of dead time dedicated to games like Desinty 2 or Tetris.

I'm Going to reserve the Xbox Series X?

We have therefore witnessed the many statements made recently, which have proven to be, at least, unclear. The transparency promised by Phil Spencer was not so clear, although there a few months before the launch of the Xbox Series X. Currently, however, although there are good projects for the future, the reasons to push for the purchase may be missing for different users. Sure, the Game Pass is an excellent service and the console undoubtedly has a respectable hardware. In view of the recent statements and the need to recover a bit of ground against the competition, we expected something more, at least as far as the many promises made, so we can live again for a generation at par, with a good fight to the sound of exclusives between Sony and Microsoft.