Famitsu] Interview with Jim Ryan: Importance of Japanese market and games, Spider-Man 2 on PS5, PSVR2, PC ports 2-3 years after release

24 Jun 2022
3,079
5,225
What are the Series consoles sales up to now? Cite your sources.

If I can chime in for a second...personally I would've pegged Xbox Series sold-through at between 17.4 million - 17.8 million by end of 2022. I know Ampere put out a report with 20.5 million at the start of this year, but I think that was in accordance with sold-in (to retailer) numbers. Extrapolating from IDG's own numbers which Brad Smith used in their presentation to the EC a few months ago, nets Xbox Series numbers notably below 20.5 million for EOY 2022 when accounting for other data known for XBO. At current (as of May), if they are tracking behind XBO in key markets then most likely they are also tracking behind it globally. XBO sold 26 million systems by end of 2016; if they reached around 18 million by the start of 2016, that means they sold 8 million units globally that year.

IF Xbox Series were tracking at XBO levels, and my EOY 2022 estimates were correct (or close to it), then they'd reach 25.8 million by the end of this year. However, Xbox Series are actually tracking lower than XBO. In fact, some people like our very own @Welfare have mentioned Series tracking at OG Xbox levels in NA for the past few months now. We actually have sales data for OG Xbox and in 2004 (it's 3rd year on the market), OG Xbox sold 6.2 million units worldwide.

We don't know if Xbox Series are tracking at OG Xbox levels globally, though it definitely seems to be doing so in other major markets like Japan. If the trend continues for the rest of the year, then IMO Xbox Series will tap out at 24 million units sold-through lifetime by EOY 2023. However, if they start tracking at XBO levels again, then I think we can go with a revised yearly total that's between the OG Xbox and XBO amount, or 7.1 million, which could put Xbox Series lifetime by EOY 2023 up to 24.9 million best-case.

Even that considered, though, we're looking at a staggering possibility of < 25 million Xbox Series up against 55+ million PS5 install base. Anyone under the illusion that Xbox is performing better against PS this generation sales-wise needs to give up that fantasy because reality isn't bearing it out.
 

Systemshock2023

Veteran
8 May 2023
1,362
1,065
There's no way that the series consoles sell at OG Xbox levels. The market was way different back then. Much smaller and only the first Xbox which you could barely get outside the anglosphere.

If the clusterfuck that was the Xbox one sold between 50/60M the series consoles can't sell half of that.

That would mean that the overall console market is having a significant decrease in size (it actually is from the 00s but not that steep)

Wish MS had the balls to release the sales numbers. What if you are "losing" the console race?. Own that failure and improve.
 
  • haha
Reactions: Cool hand luke
24 Jun 2022
3,079
5,225
There's no way that the series consoles sell at OG Xbox levels. The market was way different back then. Much smaller and only the first Xbox which you could barely get outside the anglosphere.

If the clusterfuck that was the Xbox one sold between 50/60M the series consoles can't sell half of that.

That would mean that the overall console market is having a significant decrease in size (it actually is from the 00s but not that steep)

Wish MS had the balls to release the sales numbers. What if you are "losing" the console race?. Own that failure and improve.

I'm just going off what trends can be seen in places like Japan, and the fact we've had a few other people previously mention it (Xbox Series) was tracking at OG Xbox numbers in NA at least for a few months. The difference in sales between OG Xbox and XBO for their third year isn't even that large: 1.8 million difference at best.

So if we were to say Xbox Series is tracking at OG Xbox levels globally, then they'd just finish at most 1.8 million behind the XBO by EOY. If we were talking about a system like PS5 coming that short of say PS4 by EOY sales totals that wouldn't be too alarming, because of the sheer amount of systems they sell per year. Same goes for the Switch. But with Xbox that's an almost 25% reduction comparatively to XBO in 3rd year selling rates.

I think we also need to consider the market differences here. Remember in 2016 XBO's only competition was PS4; Nintendo was still MIA aside from 3DS due to Wii U's failure, and Microsoft had only just started their Day 1 to PC push. Most of PS4's biggest hitters hadn't even released yet by 2016, which is when that started with games like UC4. Basically, XBO had a lot more actual value to the console market relative to what Xbox Series has today, because Xbox Series is in a much worst competitive state. PS5 has had several big releases within its first three years and carried over PS4's momentum perfectly, Nintendo is back in great form with the Switch, PC gaming itself has grown and MS's Day 1 on PC policy has been in effect for several years.

All of these factors have reduced Xbox Serie's actual value on the console market to the typical gamer a lot lower than what XBO's perceived value was in 2016. Another thing I'd add, is that for the first few years XBO not only had actual exclusives but a few big games. They had an arguably stronger launch lineup than PS4, had the hottest new fighter on the market with Killer Instinct reboot, had Titanfall, had Quantum Break and in 2016 they were going through with Rise of the Tomb Raider as a timed exclusive. That's in addition to still having COD marketing rights up until Fall 2015.

Xbox Series has had none of these benefits, and "cheap pricing value" in Series S nor Game Pass have been anywhere near suitable substitutes. I'm not saying Xbox Series end up selling OG Xbox numbers; they at the very least will outsell that system by the end of this year no problem. But if they don't have a big turnaround near the end of the year, and 1P AAA releases continue to be middling to only "good" at best, and 3P AAA exclusivity and marketing deals continue to be weak...I think they'll end up selling less overall than XBO, certainly.

It's basically a mathematical game. 2004 was OG Xbox's peak year in sales rate; 2005 it dropped from 6.2 million to 4.1 million. However in 2003 they did 5.7 million. So if Xbox Series had a worst-case and continued tracking at OG Xbox pace globally, then for at least the next 3 years we'd probably see it do around 6 million each year. If they pace at OG Xbox for the rest of this year, which gives them (going off estimates I gave earlier) max 24.9 million by EOY, by end of 2026 they'd be at 42.9 million.

Then they'd probably start dropping for 2027 and 2028 as the next Xbox would be gearing up for release, and maybe they end up with a lifetime around 53 million. Which would edge them a few millions above XBO (I personally think XBO had a sell-through of under 50 million but most give it "around" 50 million anyway), but not by much. That's a bit interesting if it were to happen considering they'd of been tracking at OG Xbox levels but thanks to tracking ahead of 360 & XBO for a period of time particularly in late 2021 and early 2022, they'd still get (marginally) more units sold through than XBO.

That's a very worst-case though, and I'd say ends up happening if Starfield doesn't hit, as that sets the tone for what most of the market expects from the Xbox brand for the next several years. If MS don't manage to acquire ABK, I think that would also be a setback but can be nullified in part if Starfield is very clearly a great game with critics and gamers, and also does well in revenue (in terms of B2P sales and what boosts it brings to console sales and Game Pass subscriber increases). If Starfield does great and MS's other AAA games can maintain roughly similar quality and market success, and help grow the brand, then they can probably start returning to XBO sales rate pacing by sometime early 2024, and maybe start outpacing it sustained by 2025. By how much, I think wouldn't be too much, say 25%, but if XBO was doing roughly 8-9 million per year for a big period, that would translate to 10-11.25 million for Xbox Series annually. And, they'd probably be able to maintain that for 2025 and 2026, then probably dip to around 10% ahead XBO for 2027 and 5% ahead XBO for 2028 as the next Xbox is coming out.

So, again, if they were at best 17.8 million sold-through EOY 2022, then are tracking closer to OG Xbox for most of this year until Starfield, and Starfield gives them let's say a 10% boost, then they could reach 24.62 million EOY. 2024 could hit around 9.8 million (15% ahead 8.5 million), 2025 they could do a max 11.25 million or something like that, and again for 2026, then 10.625 million 2027 (8.5 * 1.25) and 8.8 (8 *1.1) million 2028. That's a lifetime total of 76.35 million which would be...much better than XBO, and only less than 10 million below 360 (which BTW needed Kinect to help provide a sales boost, as they were roughly around 40 million sold-through by the time Kinect came out, or the year before).

I think ~ 76 million would be a best-case for Xbox this gen but it requires they DON'T drop the ball with Starfield, AND that they build on that momentum with their other AAA games for the rest of the generation. However, it also probably requires they do end up acquiring ABK, otherwise without ABK I'd probably roll it down closer to (24.62 + 9.2 [8 * 1.15] + 9.775 [8.5 * 1.15] + 10.35 [9 * 1.15] + 9.35 [8.5 * 1.1] + 8.4 [8 * 1.05] =) 71.695 million units. Still much better than XBO, but about 13+ million less than 360. Still, it'd show clear upward momentum and would probably convince Microsoft to do an actual 10th gen console on the traditional console business model.

That said they could already have a backup strategy of transitioning Xbox away from such a model by that point in time, and I think whether they start shifting that sooner vs. later does come down to how Starfield performs, and if the ABK deal is successful or not in getting pushed through. It's the combination of those two things; if both turn out bad, Microsoft are going to transition Xbox away from the current business model much sooner, and 10th-gen Xbox "consoles" will in fact be mini PC NUC-style gaming devices with Windows, hardware under the Surface division, and MS going all-in multiplatform. We would start seeing that transition as soon as mid-late 2024 and then rolling out features like a paid upgrade to Windows for Series S & X owners to act as a transition, in 2025. Personally I think Xbox benefits much better as a brand pivoting to this direction for multiple reasons, and it does much better for Microsoft's gaming bottom line too, but that is a slightly different discussion.

If only one ends up going bad, in this case say the ABK deal not going through, but the AAA 1P starts hitting hard starting with Starfield, then MS will stick with the current business model, make some adjustments to things like Game Pass as needed, and see overall install base growth of 20 or so million over XBO, and that sets them up well for a 10th-gen console. If the ABK deal goes through but Starfield is a bust, they're going to take a heavy rep blow (heavier than they currently already have) and will probably need to do some additional heavy price cuts and maybe a streaming-only Xbox system for true mass-market in order to get anywhere near 70 million lifetime install base or even 65 million. But, they would probably still stick to the console business model so they can leverage ABK content for 10th-gen console.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: Gods&Monsters

Cool hand luke

Veteran
14 Feb 2023
2,020
3,872
I'm just going off what trends can be seen in places like Japan, and the fact we've had a few other people previously mention it (Xbox Series) was tracking at OG Xbox numbers in NA at least for a few months. The difference in sales between OG Xbox and XBO for their third year isn't even that large: 1.8 million difference at best.

So if we were to say Xbox Series is tracking at OG Xbox levels globally, then they'd just finish at most 1.8 million behind the XBO by EOY. If we were talking about a system like PS5 coming that short of say PS4 by EOY sales totals that wouldn't be too alarming, because of the sheer amount of systems they sell per year. Same goes for the Switch. But with Xbox that's an almost 25% reduction comparatively to XBO in 3rd year selling rates.

I think we also need to consider the market differences here. Remember in 2016 XBO's only competition was PS4; Nintendo was still MIA aside from 3DS due to Wii U's failure, and Microsoft had only just started their Day 1 to PC push. Most of PS4's biggest hitters hadn't even released yet by 2016, which is when that started with games like UC4. Basically, XBO had a lot more actual value to the console market relative to what Xbox Series has today, because Xbox Series is in a much worst competitive state. PS5 has had several big releases within its first three years and carried over PS4's momentum perfectly, Nintendo is back in great form with the Switch, PC gaming itself has grown and MS's Day 1 on PC policy has been in effect for several years.

All of these factors have reduced Xbox Serie's actual value on the console market to the typical gamer a lot lower than what XBO's perceived value was in 2016. Another thing I'd add, is that for the first few years XBO not only had actual exclusives but a few big games. They had an arguably stronger launch lineup than PS4, had the hottest new fighter on the market with Killer Instinct reboot, had Titanfall, had Quantum Break and in 2016 they were going through with Rise of the Tomb Raider as a timed exclusive. That's in addition to still having COD marketing rights up until Fall 2015.

Xbox Series has had none of these benefits, and "cheap pricing value" in Series S nor Game Pass have been anywhere near suitable substitutes. I'm not saying Xbox Series end up selling OG Xbox numbers; they at the very least will outsell that system by the end of this year no problem. But if they don't have a big turnaround near the end of the year, and 1P AAA releases continue to be middling to only "good" at best, and 3P AAA exclusivity and marketing deals continue to be weak...I think they'll end up selling less overall than XBO, certainly.

It's basically a mathematical game. 2004 was OG Xbox's peak year in sales rate; 2005 it dropped from 6.2 million to 4.1 million. However in 2003 they did 5.7 million. So if Xbox Series had a worst-case and continued tracking at OG Xbox pace globally, then for at least the next 3 years we'd probably see it do around 6 million each year. If they pace at OG Xbox for the rest of this year, which gives them (going off estimates I gave earlier) max 24.9 million by EOY, by end of 2026 they'd be at 42.9 million.

Then they'd probably start dropping for 2027 and 2028 as the next Xbox would be gearing up for release, and maybe they end up with a lifetime around 53 million. Which would edge them a few millions above XBO (I personally think XBO had a sell-through of under 50 million but most give it "around" 50 million anyway), but not by much. That's a bit interesting if it were to happen considering they'd of been tracking at OG Xbox levels but thanks to tracking ahead of 360 & XBO for a period of time particularly in late 2021 and early 2022, they'd still get (marginally) more units sold through than XBO.

That's a very worst-case though, and I'd say ends up happening if Starfield doesn't hit, as that sets the tone for what most of the market expects from the Xbox brand for the next several years. If MS don't manage to acquire ABK, I think that would also be a setback but can be nullified in part if Starfield is very clearly a great game with critics and gamers, and also does well in revenue (in terms of B2P sales and what boosts it brings to console sales and Game Pass subscriber increases). If Starfield does great and MS's other AAA games can maintain roughly similar quality and market success, and help grow the brand, then they can probably start returning to XBO sales rate pacing by sometime early 2024, and maybe start outpacing it sustained by 2025. By how much, I think wouldn't be too much, say 25%, but if XBO was doing roughly 8-9 million per year for a big period, that would translate to 10-11.25 million for Xbox Series annually. And, they'd probably be able to maintain that for 2025 and 2026, then probably dip to around 10% ahead XBO for 2027 and 5% ahead XBO for 2028 as the next Xbox is coming out.

So, again, if they were at best 17.8 million sold-through EOY 2022, then are tracking closer to OG Xbox for most of this year until Starfield, and Starfield gives them let's say a 10% boost, then they could reach 24.62 million EOY. 2024 could hit around 9.8 million (15% ahead 8.5 million), 2025 they could do a max 11.25 million or something like that, and again for 2026, then 10.625 million 2027 (8.5 * 1.25) and 8.8 (8 *1.1) million 2028. That's a lifetime total of 76.35 million which would be...much better than XBO, and only less than 10 million below 360 (which BTW needed Kinect to help provide a sales boost, as they were roughly around 40 million sold-through by the time Kinect came out, or the year before).

I think ~ 76 million would be a best-case for Xbox this gen but it requires they DON'T drop the ball with Starfield, AND that they build on that momentum with their other AAA games for the rest of the generation. However, it also probably requires they do end up acquiring ABK, otherwise without ABK I'd probably roll it down closer to (24.62 + 9.2 [8 * 1.15] + 9.775 [8.5 * 1.15] + 10.35 [9 * 1.15] + 9.35 [8.5 * 1.1] + 8.4 [8 * 1.05] =) 71.695 million units. Still much better than XBO, but about 13+ million less than 360. Still, it'd show clear upward momentum and would probably convince Microsoft to do an actual 10th gen console on the traditional console business model.

That said they could already have a backup strategy of transitioning Xbox away from such a model by that point in time, and I think whether they start shifting that sooner vs. later does come down to how Starfield performs, and if the ABK deal is successful or not in getting pushed through. It's the combination of those two things; if both turn out bad, Microsoft are going to transition Xbox away from the current business model much sooner, and 10th-gen Xbox "consoles" will in fact be mini PC NUC-style gaming devices with Windows, hardware under the Surface division, and MS going all-in multiplatform. We would start seeing that transition as soon as mid-late 2024 and then rolling out features like a paid upgrade to Windows for Series S & X owners to act as a transition, in 2025. Personally I think Xbox benefits much better as a brand pivoting to this direction for multiple reasons, and it does much better for Microsoft's gaming bottom line too, but that is a slightly different discussion.

If only one ends up going bad, in this case say the ABK deal not going through, but the AAA 1P starts hitting hard starting with Starfield, then MS will stick with the current business model, make some adjustments to things like Game Pass as needed, and see overall install base growth of 20 or so million over XBO, and that sets them up well for a 10th-gen console. If the ABK deal goes through but Starfield is a bust, they're going to take a heavy rep blow (heavier than they currently already have) and will probably need to do some additional heavy price cuts and maybe a streaming-only Xbox system for true mass-market in order to get anywhere near 70 million lifetime install base or even 65 million. But, they would probably still stick to the console business model so they can leverage ABK content for 10th-gen console.
I appreciate your analysis. I believe the trajectory Xbox is on is not one they can recover from. The 360 performance is closed to them. The Xbone performance is closed to them. Starfield is available on PC and will do little to turn around Xbox's fortunes even if it's phenomenal because Xbox can't operate in a vacuum - Spiderman is going to mop up mindshare this holiday season alongside a potentially cheaper PS5.

The declines seen YOY are likely set to continue as the chasm between the consoles grows. In recent months, they're being outsold 150:1 in Japan, >4:1 in Europe, 4-6:1 in the States and 2:1(?) In the UK. That momentum comes with exponential mindshare, lopsided software sales ratios (6-8:1 in the UK for big multiplat titles) and can conceivably result in a scenario where Xbox falls off a cliff and Microsoft pulls the plug, especially with no plan B for the failed ABK acquisition, which truly isn't a matter of if - it has already failed with no chance of recovery.
 

anonpuffs

Veteran
Icon Extra
29 Nov 2022
7,565
8,719
I appreciate your analysis. I believe the trajectory Xbox is on is not one they can recover from. The 360 performance is closed to them. The Xbone performance is closed to them. Starfield is available on PC and will do little to turn around Xbox's fortunes even if it's phenomenal because Xbox can't operate in a vacuum - Spiderman is going to mop up mindshare this holiday season alongside a potentially cheaper PS5.

The declines seen YOY are likely set to continue as the chasm between the consoles grows. In recent months, they're being outsold 150:1 in Japan, >4:1 in Europe, 4-6:1 in the States and 2:1(?) In the UK. That momentum comes with exponential mindshare, lopsided software sales ratios (6-8:1 in the UK for big multiplat titles) and can conceivably result in a scenario where Xbox falls off a cliff and Microsoft pulls the plug, especially with no plan B for the failed ABK acquisition, which truly isn't a matter of if - it has already failed with no chance of recovery.
They keep losing staff too. They keep trying to grab a bigger piece of the gaming pie through buyouts but as soon as they get their hands on something it crumbles and falls through their fingers like sand. I honestly think their company culture just isn't conducive to a strong content pipeline.
 
24 Jun 2022
3,079
5,225
I appreciate your analysis. I believe the trajectory Xbox is on is not one they can recover from. The 360 performance is closed to them. The Xbone performance is closed to them. Starfield is available on PC and will do little to turn around Xbox's fortunes even if it's phenomenal because Xbox can't operate in a vacuum - Spiderman is going to mop up mindshare this holiday season alongside a potentially cheaper PS5.

The declines seen YOY are likely set to continue as the chasm between the consoles grows. In recent months, they're being outsold 150:1 in Japan, >4:1 in Europe, 4-6:1 in the States and 2:1(?) In the UK. That momentum comes with exponential mindshare, lopsided software sales ratios (6-8:1 in the UK for big multiplat titles) and can conceivably result in a scenario where Xbox falls off a cliff and Microsoft pulls the plug, especially with no plan B for the failed ABK acquisition, which truly isn't a matter of if - it has already failed with no chance of recovery.

It's true that MS having all their games on PC does act as a long-running deterrent towards Xbox Series hardware sales. Considering Microsoft also heavily prioritize Game Pass subscriptions, though, I guess that is another metric they would want to measure.

That said, subscription rates are slowing down in the industry as a whole, and I think if MS do make the right moves with their AAA 1P and don't mess anything up, they can probably grow Game Pass numbers to ~ 54 million by 2028. If they also manage to get ABK and pull that off, then maybe closer to 61 million. Else if they just end up with ABK but the quality & consistency (and mass-market impact) of their AAA is not there, then probably just anywhere between 45 million - 50 million.

Their bigger issue would be ARPU for sub revenue; looking at some other sub numbers I figure Game Pass did roughly $2 billion in revenue for 2022. This was done while looking at some data @Heisenberg007 provided and looking at some other sources of data. That's ~ $80 annual revenue per user. So at 61 million, if that ARPU were to hold, Game Pass would generate $4.88 billion in revenue. However it also would require things in terms of subscription rates, offers/deals, stacking etc. to remain the same. Any changes that are too big and too negative an impact would bring down that ARPU regardless of sub growth, meaning less overall revenue.

No actual telling what their Game Pass profits would be in that scenario, but from Google's leaked documents late last year, Azure had an operating margin of 34% relative the revenue, which was under $29 billion (I got $26.6 billion). Let's assume that with the various licensing costs, plus the operating costs to manage whatever hardware Game Pass runs on, that the costs for operating Game Pass are similar. So $2 billion in revenue looks more like (at most) $1.32 billion in profits. Which looks pretty good, but it doesn't mean Xbox division profits are going to add a lot more to, or even 2x, that. There's the $100-$200 losses being taken from hardware being sold, the decreasing B2P sales of 1P and 3P games, lower MTX and IAP amounts, etc. and that's before even considering whatever portion of the investment/debt Xbox needs to account for with the Zenimax and (if approved) ABK acquisitions.

So at a possible peak of 61 million subscribers by 2028, Game Pass profits could look something like $3.22 billion, but that only looks particularly good (or even possible) if overall Xbox division revenue grows, or make necessary changes to hardware in case downward sales trends continue, otherwise there are going to be lots of losses chipping away at the subscription profits. That's one big reason MS are hoping for Game Pass growth on non-Xbox systems, and why they desperately want into mobile for the service, because those are devices they don't need to actually make themselves, so no costs for manufacture or marketing, distribution, QA, logistics etc. But they also don't want to give those other platform holders their 30% cut which is inhibiting their goals in that direction.

They keep losing staff too. They keep trying to grab a bigger piece of the gaming pie through buyouts but as soon as they get their hands on something it crumbles and falls through their fingers like sand. I honestly think their company culture just isn't conducive to a strong content pipeline.

Also this. People hate to hear it, but Phil Spencer, Matt Booty, Aaron Greenberg...it's probably time they all stepped aside and some fresher heads take their places.
 

Yurinka

Veteran
VIP
21 Jun 2022
5,268
4,624
I love the mental meltdowns of this PC lunatics. Nothing better to see Master Racer suffering. :D

The funny thing is that when they release a game that isn't a several years old game of a 2013 console and is something newer they cry because doesn't work as they expect in their PC.

So for PC players it's better to get ports of old PS4 games, and wait several years until the PC hardware improves enough (for most players, not a 1% of the high end players with top hardware) to start getting PS5 only games that moderately take advantage of the console.
 
  • haha
Reactions: Nhomnhom

Swolf712

Veteran
29 Jun 2022
623
835
Wisconsin, USA
This meltdown of PC gamers in nothing compared to when Bloodborne was revealed only for PS4
That was the greatest salt mine ever produced. They felt betrayed and wrote a petition:
Shoot, Mircosoft is still salty about it. They're accusing Sony of paying to block it on Xbox even though Sony created and owns the IP. 😂
 

Cool hand luke

Veteran
14 Feb 2023
2,020
3,872
This meltdown of PC gamers in nothing compared to when Bloodborne was revealed only for PS4
That was the greatest salt mine ever produced. They felt betrayed and wrote a petition:
I've invested heavily in salt futures so for my sake I hope when the Bloodborne remaster is announced it skips PC again.
 
  • Like
Reactions: On Demand

Satoru

Limitless
Founder
20 Jun 2022
6,756
10,208
As someone that plays primarily on PC: Fuck PC port beggars. Buy the fucking console if you want it's exclusives. I'm tired of games being compromised by shitty CPUs, HDDs or slow SSDs, and crappy graphics cards. My PC is "more powerful" than a PS5 and I'd still rather Sony didn't port anything and instead use the console to the full extent of its capabilities.
 

Swolf712

Veteran
29 Jun 2022
623
835
Wisconsin, USA
They are still pissed on how they rejected BOTH SPIDERMAN IP and GENSHIN IMPACT EXCLUSIVITY. THEY WERE APPROACHED FIRST AND STILL SAID NO
Well, not the Spider-Man IP directly, anyways. An exclusive Marvel game of their choice though? That they did, to their detriment.

Might be seeing Wolverine dropping on Xbox instead if they'd not insisted on sole control of the game.
 

Swolf712

Veteran
29 Jun 2022
623
835
Wisconsin, USA
Sony always uses the console to its fullest extent in their first party AAA. Not sure what you are talking about.
Because they make it for their consoles with only their consoles in mind. They design around a fixed hardware point. The moment they have to account for much lower common denominators and compatibility across multiple setups and device types, that will likely change unless they have two separate teams working on two separate versions, which would eat up more resources to boot.

This is avoidable with the current model. They can perfect the console version, then have time to make a great port. Everyone wins.

EDIT: Case-in-point, look at HFW (still gorgeous btw) vs Burning Shores. They could do things with the DLC focusing on the PS5 only that they just couldn't DO having to design around the PS4 too.
 
  • brain
Reactions: Bryank75

Systemshock2023

Veteran
8 May 2023
1,362
1,065
Because they make it for their consoles with only their consoles in mind. They design around a fixed hardware point. The moment they have to account for much lower common denominators and compatibility across multiple setups and device types, that will likely change unless they have two separate teams working on two separate versions, which would eat up more resources to boot.

This is avoidable with the current model. They can perfect the console version, then have time to make a great port. Everyone wins.

EDIT: Case-in-point, look at HFW (still gorgeous btw) vs Burning Shores. They could do things with the DLC focusing on the PS5 only that they just couldn't DO having to design around the PS4 too.

Point is, you are overreacting for something that has not happened. The PC ports are just that. Ports. They do not interfere with the development of the console version of the game.

Also if it were to happen: MS day and date releases from their most capable teams like Coalition and Playground/Turn 10 still manage to run stellar on PC whole getting the most out of even the base Xbox one. (FH3/Gears 5) so it'd not something impossible.

That being said, development in tandem of PC/PS5 first party games should end up happening with MP oriented games.

And if Sony is planning to focus on being successful on the GAAS front having their own Fortnite/apex/CSGO, they will have to plan around lower specs and high framerates. Destiny 2 looked great and could run on absolute toasters of PCs even Intel integrated graphics from 2017.
 
  • brain
Reactions: Gods&Monsters