MS bringing Gamepass to The Switch? (and perhaps other consoles?)
- Thread starter TeKPhaN
- Start date
You know, I have a feeling if MS publishes Ori on Switch, then they would then purchase the dev Moon Studios...or would they have another studio develop it for the Switch, maybe one that’s already ported major games for other publishers???
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https://www.gameinformer.com/2019/0...ging-game-pass-and-published-titles-to-switch
In talking with our own sources, it has been suggested that the announcement of Game Pass on Switch could come as soon as this year.
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https://www.gameinformer.com/2019/0...ging-game-pass-and-published-titles-to-switch
In talking with our own sources, it has been suggested that the announcement of Game Pass on Switch could come as soon as this year.
I have trouble believing Nintendo would be willing to put their games on Xbox and for good reason.
I’d be down with Game Pass games on the Switch.
I’d think that the big 1st party exclusives (Newest Halos, Gears, Forzas, etc) might be absent from the Switch styled Game Pass though
I’d think that the big 1st party exclusives (Newest Halos, Gears, Forzas, etc) might be absent from the Switch styled Game Pass though
I haven't bought into the Game Pass yet, because I usually get whatever game I want. However, this may make a case for me to purchase it. It depends on what the library is like. I would love to play the next Ori on my XBox, but then pick it up on the Switch and continue. It's sort of like the Switch concept, but with XBox games. Plus, I never really dock my Switch to play on the TV.
I agree to a point. I don't think we'll see anything newer than N64 on the Xbox. But I also think they realize their older games, particularly the NES and SNES library where they have released the games so many different times on Nintendo systems (plus the classic consoles) and are so easy to obtain via roms, need to find new avenues for distribution.
Op-ed:
https://www.windowscentral.com/why-...r-systems-smart?amp&__twitter_impression=true
Why Microsoft NEEDS to bring Xbox Game Pass to Nintendo Switch
Rumors abound that Microsoft is planning to expand its games portfolio to Nintendo Switch, and maybe other platforms.
Here's why that would be a (very) smart move.
Jez Corden22 Feb 2019
In the console-war world, fanboys/girls of all stripes still rage over hardware sales and figures, pouring over who "won" the NPD Group sales race in the U.S. When in reality, a major upheaval could be on the way for console gaming, as tech heavyweights Google and Amazon are gearing up for their grand entrances. The landscape, and what determines "success," is going to look very different as a result. These cloud-oriented giants are not beholden to any platform or plastic box, and that could give them a major advantage over platforms that still confine themselves to a specific hardware ecosystem.
There are rumors Microsoft will soon put more of its exclusive titles onto other systems, as the company already does with Minecraft. By far the company's most successful game, Minecraft has been described to me by Microsoft sources as a "business unto itself," owing to the licensing empire and its completely platform-agnostic nature. This is ultimately the future of gaming, with access to software and services completely circumventing (but not replacing) the need to sell console hardware.
Here's why Xbox Game Pass hitting other systems would be smart.
Xbox Game Pass on Switch?
For $9.99 a month, Game Pass gives you access to dozens of quality games.
I've been hearing for almost a year that Microsoft was aiming to put Xbox Game Pass on Nintendo Switch, and even PlayStation 4, though at first, I didn't fully believe what I was hearing. At a surface-level, why would Microsoft want to reduce its own console business by removing the need to buy Xbox hardware to play Xbox games? Well, Microsoft has already committed to putting Xbox exclusives on PC, and despite that, Xbox hardware sales have continued to trend upwards, because Xbox One X is truly the best place to play many of those big-name multiplatform titles in 4K.
The thing is, this rumor isn't exactly news. Xbox head Phil Spencer said last year in (via GameSpot) that this has always been the plan:
Ori and Cuphead on Nintendo Switch?
The source of this recent rumor is a relatively small YouTube Channel with a few thousand subscribers, but it caught fire because if you've been following what Microsoft has been doing in this space recently, it's a no-brainer.
Wait. But WHY?
Microsoft's ambitions have shifted away from the small slice of the gaming industry that represents home consoles. The big players, namely TenCent, prioritize mobile as their platform du jourand reach insanely huge audiences as a result. When you think of Xbox competing with Sony's PlayStation, Microsoft as a company is really competing with large tech corporations like Google and Amazon, which are gearing up their own sizable cloud platforms for game-streaming services of their own. If Microsoft's sits around doing nothing, competing with PlayStation on the small scale, Google and Amazon could muscle in and eat their lunch. This is about long-term thinking.
In 2019, 5G wireless connections are going to begin rolling out across Microsoft's traditional market territories, and while it could take years for the super-charged wireless speeds to truly proliferate, they ultimately will. Microsoft, with its own Project xCloud game streaming service, will be ready and poised to take advantage of this wireless revolution, which should make streaming 1080p gaming to any device, anywhere, a reality.
It would be irresponsible of Microsoft to not explore putting its services on other platforms given the threat from Google and Amazon. Why spend hundreds of millions, maybe billions, trying to build a home console service when they can just put their services on existing platforms? And sure, maybe this whole streaming thing doesn't take off. Blockbuster video (RIP) said the same thing about Netflix.
The point? It most likely will take off.
But OMG what about Xbox hardware?
Xbox hardware isn't going away. There are more engineers, more developers, and more investments going into making Xbox hardware and accessories than ever before, and simply having a home console experience and install base in addition to a large external service audience is going to give Microsoft an advantage.
Every single damn time Microsoft mentions Project xCloud, they always bring up "future Xbox hardware" which should serve as a large billboard to anyone worried or concerned about Xbox hardware falling by the wayside. Much like how Microsoft built up and enjoys having a high-quality line of Surface products to showcase the best of Windows, they will continue to build up an industry-leading line of home consoles to showcase the best of Xbox gaming.
This is an Anaconda, and he loves Xbox consoles.
Microsoft is working on multiple next-gen Xbox consoles, according to our sources. Under the codename "Scarlett," its double SKU strategy will come with the codename "Lockhart," aiming to be the lowest-price entry to next-gen consoles, and codename "Anaconda," which Microsoft hopes will become the obvious choice for gamers wanting the most powerful home console, outside of highly-expensive custom Windows PC rigs.
Flagship products, including high-quality Surface hardware and Xbox hardware, drive what the industry calls a "halo effect" across their product ecosystem, which solidifies consumer loyalty. Microsoft isn't about to sacrifice the goodwill it has built up over the years as a leader in the console space simply because it is exploring 1080p streaming to mobile devices, nor is it going to abandon its customers who simply want that experience.
No downsides
The console-faithful are already crying doom and gloom over this whole scenario because they can't see the bigger picture. Microsoft would be missing out on a huge opportunity if it didn't chase at least some degree of platform agnosticism.
That said, Microsoft also failed to bring decent mobile hardware and OSes of its own to market fast enough, pushing it into a corner with Office. They're also facing stiff competition from Google's Chromebook platform in the education space because Microsoft didn't bring out cheaper alternatives fast enough.
Microsoft doesn't have to make the same mistakes with Xbox, which is why they'll continue to invest in both hardware andservices. That's why Lockhart will compete on the affordable end, Anaconda will compete on the high-end, and Xbox Game Pass and xCloud will compete with Google and Amazon for customers who probably weren't going to buy Xbox hardware anyway. Microsoft needs to bring its services to other platforms, because anywhere they aren't present, is a foothold for its competitors to gain, and potentially win.
At the end of the day, all of the cash Microsoft makes with this agnostic push will be reinvested in gaming, its customers, and the growth of the platform. There are absolutely no downsides.
https://www.windowscentral.com/why-...r-systems-smart?amp&__twitter_impression=true
Why Microsoft NEEDS to bring Xbox Game Pass to Nintendo Switch
Rumors abound that Microsoft is planning to expand its games portfolio to Nintendo Switch, and maybe other platforms.
Here's why that would be a (very) smart move.
Jez Corden22 Feb 2019
In the console-war world, fanboys/girls of all stripes still rage over hardware sales and figures, pouring over who "won" the NPD Group sales race in the U.S. When in reality, a major upheaval could be on the way for console gaming, as tech heavyweights Google and Amazon are gearing up for their grand entrances. The landscape, and what determines "success," is going to look very different as a result. These cloud-oriented giants are not beholden to any platform or plastic box, and that could give them a major advantage over platforms that still confine themselves to a specific hardware ecosystem.
There are rumors Microsoft will soon put more of its exclusive titles onto other systems, as the company already does with Minecraft. By far the company's most successful game, Minecraft has been described to me by Microsoft sources as a "business unto itself," owing to the licensing empire and its completely platform-agnostic nature. This is ultimately the future of gaming, with access to software and services completely circumventing (but not replacing) the need to sell console hardware.
Here's why Xbox Game Pass hitting other systems would be smart.
Xbox Game Pass on Switch?
I've been hearing for almost a year that Microsoft was aiming to put Xbox Game Pass on Nintendo Switch, and even PlayStation 4, though at first, I didn't fully believe what I was hearing. At a surface-level, why would Microsoft want to reduce its own console business by removing the need to buy Xbox hardware to play Xbox games? Well, Microsoft has already committed to putting Xbox exclusives on PC, and despite that, Xbox hardware sales have continued to trend upwards, because Xbox One X is truly the best place to play many of those big-name multiplatform titles in 4K.
The thing is, this rumor isn't exactly news. Xbox head Phil Spencer said last year in (via GameSpot) that this has always been the plan:
So we built Xbox Game Pass – it started on console, it will come to PC, and eventually it will come to every device – we use the flywheel that we have with customers on an Xbox to start the growth in Xbox Game Pass. But as somebody sitting back and taking a longer-term view of where our business is going, you should look at that as a business model that we think scales to billions of people not hundreds of millions of people like retail does.
I've also heard games like Ori and the Blind Forest and Cuphead may be test-cases for the new Xbox Live SDK for third-party developers, which will facilitate Xbox Live-services on Nintendo Switch and mobile devices, features which were previously restricted to Microsoft internal titles like Minecraft.Ori and Cuphead on Nintendo Switch?
The source of this recent rumor is a relatively small YouTube Channel with a few thousand subscribers, but it caught fire because if you've been following what Microsoft has been doing in this space recently, it's a no-brainer.
Wait. But WHY?
Microsoft's ambitions have shifted away from the small slice of the gaming industry that represents home consoles. The big players, namely TenCent, prioritize mobile as their platform du jourand reach insanely huge audiences as a result. When you think of Xbox competing with Sony's PlayStation, Microsoft as a company is really competing with large tech corporations like Google and Amazon, which are gearing up their own sizable cloud platforms for game-streaming services of their own. If Microsoft's sits around doing nothing, competing with PlayStation on the small scale, Google and Amazon could muscle in and eat their lunch. This is about long-term thinking.
In 2019, 5G wireless connections are going to begin rolling out across Microsoft's traditional market territories, and while it could take years for the super-charged wireless speeds to truly proliferate, they ultimately will. Microsoft, with its own Project xCloud game streaming service, will be ready and poised to take advantage of this wireless revolution, which should make streaming 1080p gaming to any device, anywhere, a reality.
It would be irresponsible of Microsoft to not explore putting its services on other platforms given the threat from Google and Amazon. Why spend hundreds of millions, maybe billions, trying to build a home console service when they can just put their services on existing platforms? And sure, maybe this whole streaming thing doesn't take off. Blockbuster video (RIP) said the same thing about Netflix.
The point? It most likely will take off.
But OMG what about Xbox hardware?
Xbox hardware isn't going away. There are more engineers, more developers, and more investments going into making Xbox hardware and accessories than ever before, and simply having a home console experience and install base in addition to a large external service audience is going to give Microsoft an advantage.
Every single damn time Microsoft mentions Project xCloud, they always bring up "future Xbox hardware" which should serve as a large billboard to anyone worried or concerned about Xbox hardware falling by the wayside. Much like how Microsoft built up and enjoys having a high-quality line of Surface products to showcase the best of Windows, they will continue to build up an industry-leading line of home consoles to showcase the best of Xbox gaming.
This is an Anaconda, and he loves Xbox consoles.
Microsoft is working on multiple next-gen Xbox consoles, according to our sources. Under the codename "Scarlett," its double SKU strategy will come with the codename "Lockhart," aiming to be the lowest-price entry to next-gen consoles, and codename "Anaconda," which Microsoft hopes will become the obvious choice for gamers wanting the most powerful home console, outside of highly-expensive custom Windows PC rigs.
Flagship products, including high-quality Surface hardware and Xbox hardware, drive what the industry calls a "halo effect" across their product ecosystem, which solidifies consumer loyalty. Microsoft isn't about to sacrifice the goodwill it has built up over the years as a leader in the console space simply because it is exploring 1080p streaming to mobile devices, nor is it going to abandon its customers who simply want that experience.
No downsides
The console-faithful are already crying doom and gloom over this whole scenario because they can't see the bigger picture. Microsoft would be missing out on a huge opportunity if it didn't chase at least some degree of platform agnosticism.
Microsoft would miss a huge opportunity by not exploring platform agnosticism.
When Microsoft presented Office for iPad, it was a huge deal, because for years Microsoft had tried to use Office to force its customers to choose Windows above all other platforms. By opening up Office to every platform, Microsoft has effectively destroyed competition from Google Docs and similar competitors. Office now remains a mammoth part of Microsoft's diverse business, because of that forward-facing decision.That said, Microsoft also failed to bring decent mobile hardware and OSes of its own to market fast enough, pushing it into a corner with Office. They're also facing stiff competition from Google's Chromebook platform in the education space because Microsoft didn't bring out cheaper alternatives fast enough.
Microsoft doesn't have to make the same mistakes with Xbox, which is why they'll continue to invest in both hardware andservices. That's why Lockhart will compete on the affordable end, Anaconda will compete on the high-end, and Xbox Game Pass and xCloud will compete with Google and Amazon for customers who probably weren't going to buy Xbox hardware anyway. Microsoft needs to bring its services to other platforms, because anywhere they aren't present, is a foothold for its competitors to gain, and potentially win.
At the end of the day, all of the cash Microsoft makes with this agnostic push will be reinvested in gaming, its customers, and the growth of the platform. There are absolutely no downsides.
I disagree that there are "absolutely no downsides." That is rarely true, of any big decision -- there are always upsides and downsides, to just about everything. One obvious downside is that people would have one less reason to buy an Xbox. Another is that it dilutes the identity of the Xbox brand. A third is that it contributes to the perception that they don't have any exclusives. A fourth is that they may open themselves up to criticism and complaints because some games may run poorly on Switch or simply be unavailable.
If it were true that there were "absolutely no downsides," you'd see MS bringing Gamepass to PS4/5, too. They aren't going to do that, because it would kill their console business. After all, who's going to bother to buy an expensive next-gen Xbox console when they can get a 2 in 1 deal with a PS5? They're (rumored to be) doing this with Nintendo because Nintendo isn't a direct competitor the way Sony is. They're minimizing their risk.
If it were true that there were "absolutely no downsides," you'd see MS bringing Gamepass to PS4/5, too. They aren't going to do that, because it would kill their console business. After all, who's going to bother to buy an expensive next-gen Xbox console when they can get a 2 in 1 deal with a PS5? They're (rumored to be) doing this with Nintendo because Nintendo isn't a direct competitor the way Sony is. They're minimizing their risk.
I agree with ya...I wanna say if game pass were to come to Switch then I kinda feel Nintendo may pay back the favor with something, maybe with streaming games to Xbox or something near and dear to Nintendo but not new, like releasing VC games for it. But I can’t see GP coming to PS, after EA initially wanting to release Access and getting denied by Sony
The upside outweighs the downside. Sony won’t loose much marketshare next gen as long as they have backwards compatibility. They own the traditional space.
The only reason Nadella has investors on board with gaming is because it ties into their core cloud business. If the cloud thing fails, Xbox will he spun off. Nadella has made it public he’s only interested in markets where they can innovate, lead and push growth and adoption. He’s gotten rid of stagnant Microsoft products where they were fighting over pieces of industries that weren’t growing. He’s even pushed Windows into a corner and doesn’t want it to be a drag on other products.
So this was part of the plan when Spencer was promoted and they invested in studios. If Microsoft can’t get its services onto other devices, it would be a bad sign. This is good for Xbox.
I don’t think there is much downside long term because this is the brand they are trying to establish long term. Hardware is just one leg of the stool.
Nintendo doesn’t need to pay back Microsoft with anything else. Being on Switch means engagement with Xbox Game Pass and Xcloud will go up. Subscriptions go up. Mindshare improves. Microsoft has access to consumers in markets they never had before. Suddenly investing in Japanese or other Eastern developers doesn’t seem like a lost cause.
The only reason Nadella has investors on board with gaming is because it ties into their core cloud business. If the cloud thing fails, Xbox will he spun off. Nadella has made it public he’s only interested in markets where they can innovate, lead and push growth and adoption. He’s gotten rid of stagnant Microsoft products where they were fighting over pieces of industries that weren’t growing. He’s even pushed Windows into a corner and doesn’t want it to be a drag on other products.
So this was part of the plan when Spencer was promoted and they invested in studios. If Microsoft can’t get its services onto other devices, it would be a bad sign. This is good for Xbox.
I don’t think there is much downside long term because this is the brand they are trying to establish long term. Hardware is just one leg of the stool.
Nintendo doesn’t need to pay back Microsoft with anything else. Being on Switch means engagement with Xbox Game Pass and Xcloud will go up. Subscriptions go up. Mindshare improves. Microsoft has access to consumers in markets they never had before. Suddenly investing in Japanese or other Eastern developers doesn’t seem like a lost cause.
But if it is streaming to those other devices I don’t see it as a big deal. Most people don’t stream their games when it comes to consoles and PC. I can’t imagine the population of gamers streaming games in PS Now is very big.
Microsoft likely sees their future as game pass and not making consoles. As for it being on Playstation the only reason it will be on Switch and not Playstation is Nintendo saying yes and Sony saying no.
If you put Halo on a Switch then it becomes a competitor. Microsoft doesn't care because they are checking out of the console wars.
How do you know that? Afaik, there has been no word on them approaching Sony about this. Even the Nintendo thing is just a rumor at this point.
I think Sony would jump at the chance. It would end the next gen console wars before they even began. They could also take a piece of MS's profit stream while doing it.
Nah. MS would be r******d to not care about Xbox hardware install base. That's their primary platform.
Wouldn't they be able to download the games, as you can do on GP? Not just stream? I guess it's unclear, because we don't know what the service would actually look like on the Switch. Would it include all the games? Including Day 1 on big, first-party exclusives? Downloads or just streaming? What level of visual downgrade are we talking about in either of the Switch modes? Etc.
Well I am just speculating but if they are going to Nintendo they are at least willing to go to Sony. I don't believe Sony would say yes yet. Sony isn't going to want a competing service to PS Now.
Microsoft cares about the Xbox base now but if they want to be Netflix of games then they have to move beyond just Xbox
I’m thinking that Gamepass would be streamed on Switch. But that would be a barrier if you’re not around WiFi.
I think Sony would say sure, assuming the terms were acceptable and they could work out any network issues. It would be a way of killing the Xbox hardware install base. You think this gen was a blowout, just imagine if MS ceded the home console field to Sony (which is what they'd be doing). Who's going to buy a next-gen Xbox for $500 when they can get all of MS's games, plus all of Sony's games, by purchasing a PS5? That wouldn't make sense to anyone but the most hardcore Xbox fans. And meanwhile, Sony takes a percentage of GP sales.
Personally, I'd love it if MS would offer GP on the PS5. It would save me the trouble of having to decide whether I'm going to buy a next gen Xbox. I just don't think it will happen, though. Although they're moving toward cloud-based gaming, subscription/streaming services, etc., for MS to put GP on the PS5 would be like sticking their arm in the mouth of a shark. It's not going to end well. Their hardware install base is still too important, and these other sources of revenue (PC GP subs, Switch subs) are too secondary. Maybe later, once those other sources of revenue prove themselves and their hardware business declines, but not any time soon.
Well Nintendo would need to switch to a Windows operating system. Unless MS went full on Minecraft and made their games for all operating systems.
Assuming they don't do that, would that mean GP on Switch would be restricted to streaming only? If so, I wonder what sort of visual downgrades and limitations to online gaming we're talking about. Pretty significant, I imagine.
Well there are a lot of things Sony has done or not that might seem obvious but they might not see getting a cut as all that valuable when they could get the entire cut of PS Now.
They are secondary now. We are talking about their long term plans of it being on everything and them having loads of subscribers. That is when Xbox consoles don't really matter. That is a long way off.
My comment about the cut of GP is just an add-on, a minor point. The main point was in what preceded that -- that it would kill the Xbox hardware business. Not a smart move for MS.
If you're saying that any approach to Sony is many years away, I agree with that.
Nah m8, GP is essentially MS Word on IPad, even though they have a pretty big lineup up hardware like the surface, surface studio and surface headset.
If they bring it to Sony(if Sony even wants it) it will kill Xbox and that's why its not happening.