Anyone else notice Microsoft cutting back on a lot of ‘consumer friendly’ incentives this year?

[Gediminas]

I love that they tried score points by not raising their prices to $70 but then had pretty much nothing to release until they raised their price to $70 anyway.

I also love how the most hardcore Xbox fanboys were all into this type of stuff, exploiting 1$ tricks, bragging about how they could pirate Nintendo and Sony games on the Series S, grinding MS rewards point so they wouldn't have to pay for Gamepass and so on.

My hope is that it will only get worse for Xbox fans, they deserve what is coming for them.

Problem, they gonna drag all that shit into gaming.

 

[Gamernyc78]

Companies who are underdogs give you everything from good sales, prices to the kitchen sink. It's the Trojan horse until they are in and boom all that disappears. In this scenario thy aren't fully in yet but they won't be ever so they need to cut down on expenses eventually so I guess this is the time.

 

[Swift_Star]

The emulator is funny because a lot of xbots used this to play Playstation games and shit on PS+ Premium.

Like playing old games on emulators was a selling point of Series L because they have nothing else to play.

Why would anyone buy a new console to play old emulated games? Makes no sense

 

[ksdixon]

Why would anyone buy a new console to play old emulated games? Makes no sense

serious question?

 

[Swift_Star]

serious question?

Serious question. Your main focus for buying a console should be new games, the emulation should be an added bonus. If the main selling point of your console is old games, you’re failing hard at it.

 

[Vertigo]

The emulators were available directly from the store!? What the fuck?

So desperate for software they promoted users to steal it …

 

[Nhomnhom]

The emulators were available directly from the store!? What the fuck?

So desperate for software they promoted users to steal it …

As soon as the an Xbox emulator showed up they shut it down, as long as people were just emulating Nintendo/Sony console MS had no problem with it. Xbox is all about devaluing games and trying to undermine their competitors.

 

[Yurinka]

Well, at the end of the day they are a company, can't be burning many dozens of billions and at some time they have to recoup their investments at least partially and if possible even to get some profit.

So at some point they were going to end the great deals and start to rise prices of their consoles, games, game subs etc.

Regarding the emulation, I think that probably Nintendo asked them to block it if don't want to be sued. For me this emulation point is the worst one, because I think that for me personally it was the best perk the console had.

Why would anyone buy a new console to play old emulated games? Makes no sense

Because some people wants to play old emulated games on their tv. Some people even buy consoles that only play old emulated games. See all these cases of the "minis" and "classics" plus the ones like Evercade, Hyperkin or the chines ones, etc.

 

[Swift_Star]

Because some people wants to play old emulated games on their tv. Some people even buy consoles that only play old emulated games. See all these cases of the "minis" and "classics" plus the ones like Evercade, Hyperkin or the chines ones, etc.

But that's not at all the main point of a Series S, quoting myself:

Serious question. Your main focus for buying a console should be new games, the emulation should be an added bonus. If the main selling point of your console is old games, you’re failing hard at it.

 

[Remember_Spinal]

they just killed sub stacking in Argentina and Turkey for more than 13 months. Probably so people can’t abuse regional pricing, I wouldn’t be surprised if they implement this more laces

 

[Zeroing]

The lesson here is do not trust any company, specially one that has history of being hostile and has tons of money.

But alas over and over people scream MS are the good guys. It’s ridiculous

 

[Old Gamer]

My hope is that it will only get worse for Xbox fans, they deserve what is coming for them.

Heh, don't care happens to them, as long as I don't get dragged down with this crap.

 

[Lord Mittens]

My hope is that it will only get worse for Xbox fans, they deserve what is coming for them.

 

[Nhomnhom]

Heh, don't care happens to them, as long as I don't get dragged down with this crap.

I want them to suffer in game subscription/GaaS Hell. Xbox fans just make things worse for everybody, it was like that with paid online, paywall, Series S and now they are cheering MS removing games from PlayStation and turning everything into a sub.

 

[Yurinka]

But that's not at all the main point of a Series S, quoting myself:

Yes, I saw your personal opinion. I posted mine, which is that there are people who likes to play old games or at least to have the possibility. And that not only new games are involved in their decision of buying a console. Some people also consider emulators or BC, sometimes even as their main or only reason to buy a console.

 

[Swift_Star]

Yes, I saw your personal opinion. I posted mine, which is that there are people who likes to play old games or at least to have the possibility. And that not only new games are involved in their decision of buying a console. Some people also consider emulators or BC, sometimes even as their main or only reason to buy a console.

but the problem is that people were saying the reason for buying a series s was emulation and that’s not a good point for selling a console. It’s not opinion, it’s facts. Do you think Microsoft positioned series consoles to be an emulation machine? If all a user can say about the console is that it’s a good emulation machine, you’re failing hard at selling your product. Nobody buys ps5 or switches with playing old games in mind even if they’re available. The focus is always news games.

 

[anonpuffs]

Yes, I saw your personal opinion. I posted mine, which is that there are people who likes to play old games or at least to have the possibility. And that not only new games are involved in their decision of buying a console. Some people also consider emulators or BC, sometimes even as their main or only reason to buy a console.

You shouldn't even consider consoles for emulation, becaused they're closed ecosystems where the platform holder can take away your content at moment's notice because you're not actually an owner of the software you have, just a licensee. If you want to emulate, you get a pc.

 

[Yurinka]

You shouldn't even consider consoles for emulation, becaused they're closed ecosystems where the platform holder can take away your content at moment's notice because you're not actually an owner of the software you have, just a licensee. If you want to emulate, you get a pc.

There are consoles that only have emulated games. And the MS, Sony and Nintendo consoles sell emulated games.

but the problem is that people were saying the reason for buying a series s was emulation and that’s not a good point for selling a console. It’s not opinion, it’s facts. Do you think Microsoft positioned series consoles to be an emulation machine? If all a user can say about the console is that it’s a good emulation machine, you’re failing hard at selling your product. Nobody buys ps5 or switches with playing old games in mind even if they’re available. The focus is always news games.

I assume that MS temporally played that card because they didn't have an appealing exclusive lineup until pretty likey Nintendo shuted it down. As one of several selling points that every console has. Obviously wasn't their only selling point and never was their intention to have it as only selling point. And obviously nobody buy a console for a single selling point, people always buy a console for a combination of different reasons.

And again, all the 'Classic' and 'mini' consoles, plus many other ones like RetroN and similar consoles, or other ones like Evercade or Pocket Analogue, or the chinese pirate consoles are only emulation machines. And part of the catalog of Switch, Xbox and PS are emulated games from their previous platforms, specially to play games they already bought in previous platforms. Or for many one of the main selling points of PC handhelds like Steamdeck is their emulation capabilities. You may not like emulated games or these platforms, but many other people do.

 

[anonpuffs]

There are consoles that only have emulated games. And the MS, Sony and Nintendo consoles sell emulated games.


I assume that MS temporally played that card because they didn't have an appealing exclusive lineup until pretty likey Nintendo shuted it down. As one of several selling points that every console has. Obviously wasn't their only selling point and never was their intention to have it as only selling point. And obviously nobody buy a console for a single selling point, people always buy a console for a combination of different reasons.

And again, all the 'Classic' and 'mini' consoles, plus many other ones like RetroN and similar consoles, or other ones like Evercade or Pocket Analogue, or the chinese pirate consoles are only emulation machines. And part of the catalog of Switch, Xbox and PS are emulated games from their previous platforms, specially to play games they already bought in previous platforms. Or for many one of the main selling points of PC handhelds like Steamdeck is their emulation capabilities. You may not like emulated games or these platforms, but many other people do.

That doesnt change my point. You only own a license on a console emulator, unless it's like an arcade emulator that's strictly offline. Your shit can get shut down. The only way to truly preserve games is via pc or owning the original hardware with physical media.

 

[Yurinka]

That doesnt change my point. You only own a license on a console emulator, unless it's like an arcade emulator that's strictly offline. Your shit can get shut down. The only way to truly preserve games is via pc or owning the original hardware with physical media.

This is wrong, it isn't the case of any console. You don't get any license to use emulators and the only emulators that require online are the ones running under game subs or cloud gaming as the ones inside PS cloud gaming or Game Pass Ultimate, or the ones played on websites (not only arcade ones, there are also of computers and consoles).

'Classic' and 'mini' consoles, portables or computers (SNES mini, PS Classic, C64 mini etc) or the Chinese clone consoles include emulators and emulated games, and in some cases they oficially allow you to insert your own games. You buy these devices, own the consoles and the embedded games, and you'll be able to play them forever, they won't be removed.

Consoles like RetroN or Pocket Analogue have emulators to allow you run original physical retro games that you own and will be able to play forever. In PC handhelds like Steamdeck you can officially install emulators. In Xbox, PS or Switch you can buy emulated games in their oficial stores and like any game you buy, you own it forever. None of these cases will be removed or shut down.

The only thing that in a few cases has been/can be removed or blocked from consoles is the access to install unoficcial, unsigned apps as can be emulators. Like when now in Xbox they removed it from retail mode in their consoles or then in PS3 they removed the Other OS. They do it to block the usage of pirated games on that hardware.

A separate story is, both in the case of emulating in PC or console (or any device), when using pirated games or console/computer bios downloaded from internet that you don't own. Depending on the case you or who provided these pirated (non free) games could get in legal trouble depending on the case, country, etc. But this is a separate topic.