It's a Bob OP but it's still a valid question. Not sure how I feel about it so I'm going to go back to the IP that MS own and Master Chief some fools into a sticky paste.
Microsoft clearly won’t be happy until they’ve hoovered up most of the game devs they can get their mitts on. I don’t like it. That kind of dominance, that kind of imbalance is never ever a good thing.
So I think we have the golden era for now on GP. But prices will have to rise over the years once they have dominance. That’s my only fear. But I guess people will vote with their wallets at that point. I’m guessing it will max out at Netflix pricing levels. At that point I then consider if I start to buy Xbox games rather than GP cos I’m not playing enough of what I have already.
They don't necessarily have to rise.
More users doesn't add considerably more cost.
My guess would be that MS are making little to no money right now but this is a growth phase. If hypothetically they are breaking even at 25mil subs then the profit comes from growing the same offering to 50mil+. They are still buying the same studios and producing the same games with the same costs involved but more people are putting money in the pot.
Additional overheads per customer will be small, some extra bandwidth and server space.
I can’t see it not happening. Capitalism. MS are seen as the friendly chaps right now because underdog status. They’ll come back strong once on top. Profit is king (well King if Candy Crush has anything to go by) and shareholders will expect payback on those investments.
It'll probably happen to some extent but probably about the same way Netflix has gone. An extra quid or two per month once every few years.
Peanuts compared basically everything else we have to buy these days. Apparently my gas bill is of a similar value to Activision Blizzard because I wanted to dry a towel.
Yep Netflix levels is pretty much what I said above so agree there. Would be interesting to see if anyone else (Amazon or Apple etc.) look at these acquisitions. Amazon at least seem a little interested in games and they definitely have the capital.
I've only one fear for the future: that we can't buy games individually any more. That was fine with Sky in the '90s when we paid a tenner per month, but look at their nonsense now.
It's well on record I wouldn't pay normal price for GPU, but so long as I can still buy the handful of games I want without it (or PSN), no drama.
Tbh im happy as a gamepass ultimate subscriber. I buy the new COD every year and now i dont have to.
Now where this becomes good for MS is when they start to go the first and best route. So no more PS COD exclusives. It kinda brings back the seperate gen and console brands, this gen it is a bit of a samey soup accross ps4 /5/X/S. I like the fact i can only play this game on that system as it adds value to my purchase of a specific brands console box and the next generation.
I agree that GP prices will rise, but not by much. Maybe a few quid. Again im happy with that.
Bethesda felt like a natural fit for MS, and it filled a (or several) hole/s in their first party. This doesn’t feel quite the same. I’m not cheering this, although I can’t claim to be hugely upset by it either, it’s more value for my GP sub at the end of the day.
But the truth is that Tencent and the Embracer Group have been buying up huge chunks of the video game industry, and probably would have bought Acti if Microsoft hadn’t. Consolidation is happening regardless of Microsoft’s moves. It’s capitalism at work, it always tends towards monopolies.
Still, I might try and move up a PS5 purchase in light of this. Sony being squeezed out of the hardware business would be terrible for everyone.
I don’t think Sony will die at all tbh. Even after the acquisition MS will still be behind Sony and Tencent as the biggest game publisher. But Sony do need to respond and hopefully their plans for a GP competitor can help here.
Sony still, for me at least, have the most exciting release schedule in 2022. But I also realise I’m not the CoD/FIFA/Madden mass consumer.
It’s difficult to see how Sony retains its market leading position if CoD goes exclusive, and a lot that makes Sony’s release schedule look interesting is down to that market leading position. If Xbox starts outselling PS5, you’ll likely start seeing far fewer PS5 exclusives and more Xbox ones.
Absolutely Sony need to look at it. But I assume the financials for Sony are mainly down to it’s own IP. I’m guessing percentages from CoS store purchases factor in but can’t be that high.
If I was Sony and had the money I would seriously buy EA. That would give protection for much of their top ten sales.
He could've just said they came from another planet but seems keen to convince people with his bullshit pseudoscience that he knows stuff. I wouldn't trust him with my lunch. - SG