1 Impromptu Survey Shows the Mountain Xbox Has to Climb to Regain Any Semblance of Support
It's not a great time for the Xbox, with many gamers wanting more from Microsoft's beast of a console.
Microsoft’s Xbox has been a constant presence in the gaming industry, looking to be an alternative option to Sony’s PlayStation. However, the rise of other consoles like Nintendo’s Switch and the introduction of Steam for PC players has created a lot of competition in the space.
While the company’s flagship Xbox Series X and its lower-end option Series S are capable consoles in their own right, Sony’s PlayStation 5 seems to have overtaken them with exclusive features like haptic feedback on its DualSense controller and a host of console-exclusive titles.
Is Microsoft Moving on From Consoles?
The Xbox’s low sales in comparison to its rivals, the PlayStation and Switch among them, could be in part due to the pushback against console-exclusive titles being led by Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer. Despite Xbox titles outperforming PlayStation exclusives on the PS Store, Microsoft’s sales numbers on its hardware continue to baffle the company.
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However, it could also present an opportunity to explore revenues from other channels such as live-service titles, which would require onboarding as many players as possible in order for them to be profitable. While Microsoft’s strategy remains a mystery, its clear that the company has some work to do in order to regain its footing in the console space.
Xbox Struggles to Remain Relevant
The Xbox’s low sales are reflected in the opinions of gamers from around the world. A recent survey about console preferences has brought that problem to the forefront.
In the post below about which two options a player would prefer between Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, and Steam, it’s clear that many players find alternatives to Xbox a lot more appealing.
Despite the original poster choosing PlayStation and Xbox, several responses on the post raise a lot of valid points about why the latter would not be their console of choice. For instance, one user brings up the presence of many successful franchises on Nintendo and PlayStation as a reason for their choice.
Brand loyalty seems to influence another user’s choice, but even they could not deny the value of Steam’s relevance to gaming.
Other users placed a greater emphasis on PlayStation and Nintendo, not even considering the Xbox and Steam as viable competitors.
Another user was a little more eloquent in defending their choices and introduced a nuanced argument in their explanation, highlighting how gamers are looking for innovative experiences from their games.
While different users had their own reasons for their choices, the Xbox’s noticeable absence from their preferences is definitely a cause for concern. It showcases just how much Microsoft needs to do in order to address a declining player base and share of the console market if it wants its consoles to stay relevant.
However Microsoft decides to move forward in the next few years, it’s clear that the road is going to be a long one with a few twists and turns along the way.
