PlayStation and Xbox are both dead, they just don’t realise it yet – Reader’s Feature – Metro.co.uk

Following Xbox’s mass layoffs and PlayStation’s perplexing physical media annoucement, a reader argues that both formats are ill-equipped to survive the next 10 years.

We’ve all seen the news this week about Xbox: 1,200 developers laid off already, another 1,200 within 12 months, and 9,000+ in total over the last three years. Five studios sold off or going independent and all the ones that are left losing people. Thanks to the rumours we knew it was going to happen, so unlike the Sony bomb drop last week, about no more physical media, you had time to get used to the idea, but it’s still horrible.

What’s just as bad, in my view, is how much Microsoft obviously don’t care and how random the layoffs are (I agree that it was probably organised via AI), with veterans being cut as if they were expendable interns. I bet the exec salaries for one year could pay for all the people they let go, but of course they’d never do that.

The other thing that disturbs me is how little many of my fellow gamers seem to care. They’re much more upset that The Elder Scrolls 6 might be delayed some more, or that Blade game from Arkane might not happen, than they are about the livelihood of the people that make the games they love. And no, they can’t just get another job easily, not in the games industry anyway, because Microsoft is far from the only one going crazy with layoffs at the moment.

A year or two ago anyone who suggested that Xbox was on the edge of total collapse would’ve been shouted down as a fanboy and being part of the console wars. Even though it was obvious the direction things were going it’s really only now that people are beginning to accept that Xbox is on the ropes.

But still there’s fans saying that they can make a comeback, but by doing what? Releasing a new Halo? A new Gears Of War? It’s not 2005 anymore, nobody cares about those franchises anymore, or at least not enough people to make any difference. Yes, it’s possible that some new sequel could have some amazing new change of direction, like God Of War or Zelda, but Gears Of War: E-Day is obviously not that and I have extreme doubts that the next Halo will be either.

Fans need to accept that Xbox’s situation is terminal. There’s a good chance Microsoft already does, and this is just them trying to do a graceful exit or performing for investors or whatever, but there’s no saving Xbox as anything other than just a third party publisher, in my opinion.

At this point I don’t feel that’s too controversial a thing to say, but I also feel PlayStation is in terminal decline too. It’s got further to go than Xbox but it’s still suffering from the same kind of bone-headed execs and a complete disconnect from the fans. All we want is more first party games and that sense of excitement back, of PlayStation leading gaming into a healthy future.

You don’t get that anymore though. No exec ever appears in public – I have literally no idea who’s in charge at the moment – and new games get announced at a snail’s pace. There’s no excitement and no sense of interaction with fans, as every important annoucement is made with just a bland tweet or blog post.

PlayStation 5 is the only choice now for high-end games, but it doesn’t feel like it’s leading anything, it’s just the default, the only option, and Sony are taking that as a reason to do as little as possible, while constantly increasing prices.

The increasing prices is nobody’s fault, even if the idea of making less profit doesn’t seem to have even occurred to Microsoft and Sony, but I feel this is going to be the death of traditional console gaming (baring Nintendo, who I’ve not mentioned as they always do their own thing – and usually know to keep prices low, because they have said they’re taking more of a hit on the Switch 2 now).

Nobody’s going to buy a £1,000+ PlayStation 6 or whatever Project Helix turns out to be. Nobody’s going to pay £80 or more for next gen games either, if they do the obvious thing and increase the price for them and PS Plus/Game Pass. Gaming is just too expensive now and while Sony and Microsoft could’ve survived that if they were at the top of their game, with amazing new exclusives and plenty of communication from the people in charge, explaining what they’re doing – but that’s not how they’ve played it at all.

In 10 years’ time I would be surprised if gaming was anything other than PCs and Nintendo consoles, with Xbox and PlayStation either gone completely or only third party publishers. It’ll be a miserable end for them, but they’ve only brought it on themselves with their arrogance and greed.

By reader Wotan

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