Microsoft's Original Xbox One Goal Was To Sell 200 Million Consoles

Megalith

Megalith

24-bit/48kHz
Staff member
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
13,000
They’ve got a long way to go if that is true, since the console may have only passed 20 million units this year. This would explain why they were obsessed about making the Xbox One an all-encompassing media box of sorts.

The goal that the team had was to figure out how could we sell 200 million game consoles," Spencer explained. "We've never seen a console sell that many units. The biggest individual console, the PS2, did 120 million or something like that. [Ed. Note: Sony announced in 2011 that the PS2 had shipped 150 million units worldwide]. The approach the team took was people are moving to OTT Video Services [over-the-top, like Netflix and Stan] and television’s getting disrupted--and if we could build a console that could be at the center of this transition and really embrace not only people playing video games, but also people with the changing habits in television, you really take the console market and the gaming market and you expand it potentially."
 
All ruined by one man...

xbox-one-drm-quote21.png
 
Yes I need a cumbersome controller and a power hogging console to watch netflix, hulu, and amazon...I mean it's not like someone invented a 5 watt remote controlled device for $50 that did the same thing that you can access via smart phone...oh wait.
 
That was the goal? Talk about shooting yourself in the foot before even loading the gun. The Xbox One can serve as a case study on how to completely bungle a product launch.
 
DigitalGriffin said:
Yes I need a cumbersome controller and a power hogging console to watch netflix, hulu, and amazon...I mean it's not like someone invented a 5 watt remote controlled device for $50 that did the same thing that you can access via smart phone...oh wait.
Click to expand...

Not to mention I've been watching all my streaming services on my PS3 that I've had for the last decade, and it's still chugging along to this day. On my third 360. And...my first XBone. Which, I will admit, I have enjoyed for the games...but how in the fuck are they still needing that enormous brick that makes my Alienware m18x adapter look small?
 
Also remember that they wanted to kill pre-owned sales, but only reverted their disastrous decision due to (immediate) consumer backlash.
 
lilbabycat said:
Also remember that they wanted to kill pre-owned sales, but only reverted their disastrous decision due to (immediate) consumer backlash.
Click to expand...

That's cool, I am sure you local Gamestop or BestBuy with give you $2.00 for that Madden 2017 you just bought a month ago. Yay, GO USED SALES! On the other hand, Gamefly does have some good used sales so there is that, if you want the game on disk. So, what will be done when the disk drive is no longer offered in a few years?
 
They wanted it to be an all in one entertainment center and capture people using streaming services/cord cutters. Except the entertainment center cost $500, and at the time, required a xbox live gold subscription to use any of those services. They wanted to capture that audience so bad that they didn't really focus on marketing it as a gaming console to the gaming audience either.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Madoc
like this
-PK- said:
They wanted it to be an all in one entertainment center and capture people using streaming services/cord cutters. Except the entertainment center cost $500, and at the time, required a xbox live gold subscription to use any of those services. They wanted to capture that audience so bad that they didn't really focus on marketing it as a gaming console to the gaming audience either.
Click to expand...

Yeah, they could have done both but missed the boat on the initial release.
 
Microsoft would much rather have consumers on a locked-down XBone than on a PC.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Madoc
like this
Wasn't the president in charge of the entertainment division (XBOne) let go?

I remembered the interviews with Major Nelson. You could tell he was tense when reporters "asked the wrong questions." In fact he seemed down right mad. You could quite literally see jaw clamping in his cheeks, a raising of the rear jaw line, and temple movement indicating pressure and stress. His tone would change and he would talk a little quicker.
 
It was my goal to fuck at least 100 supermodels by the time I reached 25. Care to guess how that turned out?
 
Microsoft has been trying to sell people a proverbial shit sandwich* the whole time, so what would you expect. They launched a console that made Sony's "we'll just make a more powerful PS3" idea look like a champ. Microsoft basically made a bunch of terrible decisions and went from 1st place in the console market to a distant second in one generation. They've been trying to battle back by reversing those terrible decisions one by one but they've lost a lot of mindshare. I the Xbox One Pro or whatever they call it turns out to be an attractive product I can see them making a comeback, because the PS4 Pro looks pretty lackluster, Sony's not taking any chances at all. All I know is since the Xbox One's announcement where they barely mentioned games and talked about milking customers of every cent I haven't been interested in it.

*By a shit sandwich, I mean a product that isn't really want people want. Not that it's a truly poor product.
 
This doesn't surprise me too much. I hope Microsoft continues to invest in the XBOX PC platform. Then for those that desire more powerful hardware have options. Releasing FORZA HORIZON 3 this way is a huge milestone in my opinion. It really helps blur the lines between console and PC and gives consumers choice. I hate buying games for more than one platform...

I still use my XBOX ONE daily. The same can't be said for my PS4 which hasn't been powered on for like 3 months after my PSN subscription failed to auto renew because if Sony's crappy website. I updated my billing info but their auto renewal system apparently didn't pay any attention to that...

Also the KiNect was AA complete failure. I have only ever used mine for voice commands. Also the auto pkayer assignment it tries to do for FORZA multiplayer always screws up and makes things confusing as hell. That was a huge mistake with XBOX ONE...

I wish they could optimize the UI on the XBOX ONE too. It seems to have gotten slower and slower... I was really hoping they could fix that. It's way slower than the PS4 interface.., Plus what's up with no 60fps support in YouTube when the PS4 can do it?
 
Quix said:
Microsoft has been trying to sell people a proverbial shit sandwich* the whole time, so what would you expect. They launched a console that made Sony's "we'll just make a more powerful PS3" idea look like a champ. Microsoft basically made a bunch of terrible decisions and went from 1st place in the console market to a distant second in one generation. They've been trying to battle back by reversing those terrible decisions one by one but they've lost a lot of mindshare. I the Xbox One Pro or whatever they call it turns out to be an attractive product I can see them making a comeback, because the PS4 Pro looks pretty lackluster, Sony's not taking any chances at all. All I know is since the Xbox One's announcement where they barely mentioned games and talked about milking customers of every cent I haven't been interested in it.
Click to expand...

Yep. THis mentality that MS have with taking away features and user choices is just ridiculous. Go and look at a first gen XBOX 360 tittle... take GRAW for example. I'll never forget playing that game because when i tried to do all the things i wanted.. that game let me do it! e.g. LAN play with multiple consoles and 4 players per console AND then allow WAN clients to connect! i was like "finally!!! no stupid limitations like consoles have, this is how every game needs to be minimum"

Enter XBone. No options. No features. No functionality. Aside from bulllshit marketing fluff bullet points that are as useful as pokemon themselves. Voice control. FFS how about giving me basic functionality from the 360 first! Takes them years to implement basic functionality that should be BUILT IN from the get go. Its astonishing how people just ignore this disregard for the customers experience and the items worth.

I never supported the "new" consoles. Not only because they are the first ones to release underpowered hardware thats barely worth the title of "upgrade" but also because the games themselves seemed to go the way of pathetic shels of their former selves. No options available.. less user choices etc the same as the hadrware/firmware.

The first consoles i have not bought since i got into consoles from the NES.

Plenty of learning and fishing happening now! Currently 3D Printing like a bawssss!
 
they forgot they have competitors and wanted to be all in one entertainment center
still on the ps3 and not paying for annual subscriptions
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top