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Kotaku UK Rumor: Xbox One, Windows 10, Halo 5, & Minecraft notably below expectations
- Thread starter Nirolak
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RealityCheque
Banned
Defintely concur with the statements about the windows 10 store. It's a mess.
I have a 4690k and a 970 and it tells me that I don't have the minimum specs to run GOW, Quantum Break, ROTR and most other "AAA" games on there. It won't even let me buy them and when it does (minecraft win10 edition), it has endless problems with installing updates. Fuck that thing.
I have a 4690k and a 970 and it tells me that I don't have the minimum specs to run GOW, Quantum Break, ROTR and most other "AAA" games on there. It won't even let me buy them and when it does (minecraft win10 edition), it has endless problems with installing updates. Fuck that thing.
Welfare
Member
Honestly, it does kinda sound like these people are throwing Microsoft under the bus because they got fired. Both Xbox and Win10 underperforming by 50% is so random because there is no timeframe for when that was decided to be their internal targets and Minecraft of all things being below expectations is crazy.
"Everything is on fire and we got caught in it, not because of our product", essentially.
Lucas has 2 billion in shares and 2 billion in cash I believe
Even still Disney will make that money back quickly because the movies gross so much and they sell a shit ton of merch. MS needs to start doing similar things with the MC IP if they expect more money
And MS being a analytical company, it's probably right on par to what they thought it would sell.
AnthonypUK
Member
People don't get the type of returns corporations want when acquiring things.
And also as impressive as 50 million is(sold since acquisition), with the price range that minecraft goes for thats probably "only" $500million, without taking into consideration costs.
for something like $2billion, you expect 2 or 3 times your return within 3-5 years, at that rate your not going to get much of a return.
And also as impressive as 50 million is(sold since acquisition), with the price range that minecraft goes for thats probably "only" $500million, without taking into consideration costs.
for something like $2billion, you expect 2 or 3 times your return within 3-5 years, at that rate your not going to get much of a return.
This is kinda where I'm leaning. I absolutely believe Halo 5 underperformed but has done OK on the microtransaction side with the REQ packs and such. Minecraft underperforming seems strange because it has sold a ton of copies since the Microsoft purchase as well as what I would assume is a very successful endeavor in selling skins and texture packs to the console and mobile versions. I so expect Microsoft to talk Minecraft at E3 as well.
ThoughtsOfSpeaking
Banned
Windows 10 installs among people who can run something a bit more intensive than solitaire is probably not quite what Microsoft is hoping for.
The steam hardware survey might be miss leading in that regard as you cant work out who is running windows 10 AND got enthusiast class graphics hardware.
As for Minecraft, it's very possible the underperformance comment relates to the windows store version.
dead monkey uk
Member
Is this still true, surely for the 360 to reach over 80M sales must have sped up. Are Xbox One sales not around 20M
CassidyIzABeast
Member
Windows 10 Store*
Minecraft Windows 10 Edition*
Minecraft Windows 10 Edition*
No doubt Minecraft has continued to be a huge success after MS acquired it.
The point is that likely the majority of that success came from direct sales of the java version, iOS, Android, and the existing consoles versions across Xbox, Playstation and now Nintendo.
MS have gained little to no strategic advantage from the acquisition. They have not succeeded in bringing users over to the Windows App Store.
The point is that likely the majority of that success came from direct sales of the java version, iOS, Android, and the existing consoles versions across Xbox, Playstation and now Nintendo.
MS have gained little to no strategic advantage from the acquisition. They have not succeeded in bringing users over to the Windows App Store.
xabbott
Member
Other than the Halo 5 projections none of the other ones seem anywhere close to reality. It would imply they expected to sell as many consoles as Sony which wouldn't be reasonable. Even if MS kept it's 360 lead in the US it would have still been behind Sony and they wouldn't be 2x the amount of xboxes.
The Windows 10 installs have been going as well as they can. Probably way more than most expected due to the basically deceptive manner in which they are getting people switched over.
Minecraft continues to sell consistently and its merchandise continues to fill the toy sections of big box retailers. I think a lot of people expected more of a decline without a sequel vs what we have now.
Finally the idea that Lionhead would be saved if Microsoft was willing to give up the Fable IP is a bit of a leap. When Sony shutdown Evolution Studios it didn't stop Codemasters from snatching up the talent.
The Windows 10 installs have been going as well as they can. Probably way more than most expected due to the basically deceptive manner in which they are getting people switched over.
Minecraft continues to sell consistently and its merchandise continues to fill the toy sections of big box retailers. I think a lot of people expected more of a decline without a sequel vs what we have now.
Finally the idea that Lionhead would be saved if Microsoft was willing to give up the Fable IP is a bit of a leap. When Sony shutdown Evolution Studios it didn't stop Codemasters from snatching up the talent.
TimeEffect
Member
Holy. Halo 5, Xbox sales, and Minecraft all below??
It's crazy that they expected twice as many Xboxes on the market. Failing to meet that must put a lot of things in perspective. Perhaps the ex-employee was carelessly exaggerating?
I feel like Minecraft can get a big jump with a sequel... but that would never happen, would it? A "Minecraft 2" sounds like it would piss a lot of people off. It seems to continue to sell well, but it's a PC game, unless MS can make the Xbox version equal to the PC version.
As for Halo, it was never going to reclaim its old glory. But I'm surprised that it's way off from their expectations. What exactly did MS expect?
It's crazy that they expected twice as many Xboxes on the market. Failing to meet that must put a lot of things in perspective. Perhaps the ex-employee was carelessly exaggerating?
I feel like Minecraft can get a big jump with a sequel... but that would never happen, would it? A "Minecraft 2" sounds like it would piss a lot of people off. It seems to continue to sell well, but it's a PC game, unless MS can make the Xbox version equal to the PC version.
As for Halo, it was never going to reclaim its old glory. But I'm surprised that it's way off from their expectations. What exactly did MS expect?
that's just the game though. Minecraft has a ton of merch and in-game stuff which you have to assume they get a fair cut of. Also there's deals like that Nintendo pack on the Wii U. Anyone who thinks Minecraft isn't raking it in is mad.
AnthonypUK
Member
Yeah i'm not saying its not racking it in, but its not taking it in at the speed these corporations want/expect, for another example, see Disney infinity making money, but not enough money.
Audioboxer
Member
Big Don absolutely destroyed MS. I mean, seriously. I'm sure he had many on board behind him but jeez what a fucking wrecking ball that keeps on giving even now.
I've always thought paying Notch what MS did was completely ridiculous as well. They got played. Even if making a profit talk about a resource hog and time commitment to turn that transaction deal around.
Obliterator
Member
That's not how it worked they only needed Minecraft to make 25 million in cash in order for it to break even on a GAAP basis
Minecraft is already a profitable venture for them.
Combichristoffersen
Combovers don't work when there is no hair
Minecraft failed expectations? What were they expecting, a fantabajillion sales/installs?
Ricky Ricardo
Member
See, as a business major, this is interesting to me. When we did Performance Evaluation using Variances in Accounting, it was stressed the setting standards that were unrealistic did a lot more damage than needed.
So my thing is, what is the nature of the projections being placed on IP and ... is common sense not being used? Do they not have analysts in these meetings evaluating the downward or upward trends in market reception/brand engagement/sales performance data and making extrapolations based on that data?
I'm just interested in the science, mang.
Yeah, this sounds more like shop-talk and post-hoc exculpation.
As for Minecraft in particular: they could have a bunch of discrete goals with Minecraft that aren't being met: Xbox One sales, or DLC tie rates, or whatever.
There was a article recently about lionhead where it was said that employees there were shocked that evolution studios people were able to get hired so quickly.
They didn't buy Minecraft for huge profits. They bought Minecraft because it's a tireless brand. It's a platform for kids to grow up on a MS product.
Ghost Slayer
Member
Make you wonder if Minecraft 2 happened, they would release it on many platforms as possible or just MS platforms.
Where are you getting $500m? 50m*$15 (after 30% cut) that's $750k, and it should be more than that since they get the full $20 plus the $30 editions on WiiU/Xbox/Etc.
They'll make it back whenever they plop out a sequel, I'd hope MS didn't expect to make 2-3x it back in a few years on the same game.
ethomaz
Banned
It is not like that.
You have a time after the purchase to change the management of a company from one hand for another hand... after that MS needed some time to make a new Forecast and then show what they expected from Minecraft.
I think the first Forecast for Minecraft after MS was made for the next fiscal year... that means for July 2015 to June 2016 (that is my guess part but it is reasonable to think that).
So after July 2015 how much Minecraft sold?
That is the mistake you did here... you based the sales in a old new... 54m is too old to be used to gauge expectations.
There is more than enough Xbox's and Windows 10 machines out there for a F2P audience. Making a game noone wants however is a bigger problem for reaching an audience. (Not the devs fault, I actually thought the game was pretty fun, but it's obvious what everyone wants from the Fable IP)
Audioboxer
Member
He gave Sony PS Home and then left. Guy gives no fucks lol.
Welfare
Member
Yes it is and the 360 picked up in sales in 2010.
This is what I dont get. You go buy Minecraft for a gajillion dollars then just repackage it in different ways for your platforms when there is already enough versions out there to suffice. For instance, the regular minecraft pc version vs the windows 10 version.
If youre gonna buy the biggest IP in decades, you might want to do something with it like make a sequel.
ProvenDeadly
Member
343 simply can't wrap their head around what the fans of the series want from a Halo game.
Electric Eye
Banned
It sounds like MS has unrealistic expectations about all its products and thats probably because of a mentality that desktops and laptops will contunue to grow in sales when that hasnt been the case in years.
They don't want to dilute the brand, and if it's selling why change it?
I remember that too. I had fun in Home as well and wanted to see what else they would do with it. Man, fuck that dude. I can only hope for a Fable 4 in like 5 years. Hopefully Sea of Thieves can be successful.
Ricky Ricardo
Member
ethomaz
Banned
The first forecast for Minecraft after MS happened for FY July 2015 to June 2016... the news now is because MS is ending this FY.
How much they sold from July 2015? That is the number you need to use.
Halo 5 is pretty great, slightly disappointing story aside.
Ghost Slayer
Member
OT, your avatar makes your post more believable
I'm sure a sequel is coming but at the same time you have to be careful to not damage the brand either, when the game is selling 50k a day would you release a sequel?
I wouldn't be surprised if they're already working on it just waiting for sales to slow down before they announce it.
KinofChaos
Banned
Windows 10 <> Windows store, and x1 will fall way below 360, way below......
tareqsalah1
Member
Somehow i actually think xbox one is a bigger disaster than the wii u.
JumPeRJumPzZ
Banned
Im surprised hearing this about Minecraft, isnt this selling like bonkers?
Not surprised about Halo 5...
Not surprised about Halo 5...
Nightengale
Member
For some Windows 10 context, MS said they're hoping for 1 billion W10 devices by 2017/18.
One year in, despite it being free to upgrade on many hardware... we're at 200 million.
From an outside-in perspective, 200 mil makes sense for where MS is at.
But clearly they don't think that way. To them, their competition is Facebook, Whatsapp, Google, etc which boast billions of users. That's why they're super aggressive to push upgrades.
One year in, despite it being free to upgrade on many hardware... we're at 200 million.
From an outside-in perspective, 200 mil makes sense for where MS is at.
But clearly they don't think that way. To them, their competition is Facebook, Whatsapp, Google, etc which boast billions of users. That's why they're super aggressive to push upgrades.
Obliterator
Member
Diprosalic
Banned
XB1 sales were higher than 360 at the release of Halo 3.
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