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Sea of Thieves on PS5 reveals Microsoft's Trojan Horse to turn millions of PS5 users into Xbox users

But that's not what the OP said / the thread was about.


Nobody is denying that Sea of Thieves is an XGS game. But PS gamers playing an XGS game on a PS does not make them an "Xbox user". Neither is it the same thing as "playing it on Xbox."
And to add “Trojan horse” like it will bring down the whole PlayStation wall or something, is asinine. I love ManaByte ManaByte OPs normally, but this thread legitimately stirred me up on Sunday, it was an incredibly strange way of making a point, when there really isn’t one. And what makes it worse, is he was in the SOT thread heavy making it sound like he was excited for ps players to come on board and to help them figure out the nuisances of the game. Thisssss, this, is exactly why I don’t trust folks who try to push agendas on other consoles when they try to act like they are trying to help me. Let’s get real, this is a console agenda pushing thread now, no matter how Mana tries to play it.

Sad man…I expected better from you.
 
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The truth is that Sea of Thieves's engagement numbers are increasing due to being on PlayStation. That PS gamers are playing on Xbox is the lie. That's what Heisenberg007 Heisenberg007 quoted from the OP and what mckmas8808 mckmas8808 was agreeing with.
Xbox is technically a platform, agnostic, of what machine it’s on. No need for feelings to get in the way. Same will go for Sony on PC, no doubt.
 
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Topher

Gold Member
Xbox is technically a platform, agnostic, of what machine it’s on. No need for feelings to get in the way. Same will go for Sony on PC, no doubt.

Sea of Thieves on PlayStation is running on the PlayStation platform. Not Xbox. Seems feelings got in the way with the creation of this thread with this weird "trojan horse" characterization as it wasn't thought through very well.

And to add “Trojan horse” like it will bring down the whole PlayStation wall or something, is asinine. I love ManaByte ManaByte OPs normally, but this thread legitimately stirred me up on Sunday, it was an incredibly strange way of making a point, when there really isn’t one. And what makes it worse, is he was in the SOT thread heavy making it sound like he was excited for ps players to come on board and to help them figure out the nuisances of the game. Thisssss, this, is exactly why I don’t trust folks who try to push agendas on other consoles when they try to act like they are trying to help me. Let’s get real, this is a console agenda pushing thread now, no matter how Mana tries to play it.

Sad man…I expected better from you.

A good thread would have been one that pointed out the fact that trophies and achievements will sync for those who own the games on both platforms. OP was playing mental twister with the simple concepts of cross-progression and synchronization unfortunately.
 
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Heisenberg007

Gold Journalism
It's almost tragic. Chasing meaningless metrics seems to be the only goal there now. Or rather, I expect, whatever ever changing metric/hotness is tied to their bonus in that particular year.
It's a white-collar crime, my man.
  • Step 1. Make up meaningless metrics that do not have any meaningful impact on profits.
  • Step 2. Tie up executive bonuses of millions of dollars with these meaningless metrics.
  • Step 3. Give executives said bonuses, while reducing dividend payout (which is profit based) as well as firing thousands of employees.
 
To be dismissive of this move by MS is to be either naive as shit or complicit in their strategy.

Dummy Feeling Dumb GIF
 
Nobody tell some of the tinfoil hatters in this thread that Sony-developed MLB The Show is available for Switch and Xbox and has been for several years now
 

geary

Member
EXACTLY! Not sure how MS thinks they'll be able to trick shareholders and video game media with this lie.
Where did you get an official stand from MS doing what you say? All this drama and fingers pointed at MS because one user interpreted something wrong.

If you see MS promoting the raise of Xbox MAU based on this, than call them out.

If the promoting a raise of SoT MAU, nothing wrong in that.
 
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DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
Normal third-party publishers don't also have their own platform to support. Third-party publishers do benefit from releasing games on PlayStation. Microsoft does benefit from having their games on PlayStation in some ways, but it also hurts them in other ways (less percentage from sales, a loss in hardware sales, and a loss in the ecosystem as those playing on PlayStation won't be using Game Pass or the Microsoft storefront).

It isn't a 1:1 comparison between Microsoft and, say, CD Projekt Red.

Xbox console sales are flatlining. They are selling more on pc.

So it's either.

1 sale or 0 sales. If people are happy with their ps5 and not wanting to buy an Xbox...why not sell to them?

So in that scenario it is exactly the same as cd project red or any other publisher.

I'm sure microosft have made the decision to have +1 sales over 0 sales and it looks like, in the case of sea of thieves. Playstation 5 owners are lapping it up.
 
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Sea of Thieves on PlayStation is running on the PlayStation platform. Not Xbox. Seems feelings got in the way with the creation of this thread with this weird "trojan horse" characterization as it wasn't thought through very well.



A good thread would have been one that pointed out the fact that trophies and achievements will sync for those who own the games on both platforms. OP was playing mental twister with the simple concepts of cross-progression and synchronization unfortunately.
I don’t know, something tells me you will be collecting Xbox achievements as well as trophies. Not to mention cloud bard progression.
 

IFireflyl

Gold Member
To be fair, what makes Fortnite, Xbox, Take2m, EA Play and Uplay not platforms? They each need an account, with their respective publishers.

The platform is where the game is played. Xbox (console) is a platform. PlayStation (console) is a platform. Linux is a platform. Windows is a platform. PC is a platform. Smartphone is a platform.

Fortnite is a game. Xbox (as you're describing it) is a brand. Take-Two is a brand. EA play is a subscription service. (EA itself is a brand.) Uplay (now Ubisoft Connect) is a software hub. (Ubisoft itself is a brand.)

EDIT: I originally said Linux is a platform, and Windows is a platform. This was incorrect. These are both Operating Systems, not platforms. The platform is PC (or Mac, although I think that acting like a Mac isn't a PC and is somehow its own thing is disingenuous).
 
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Topher

Gold Member
I genuinely don't understand this thread. So PS gamers are getting previously exclusive games on their system of choice, but they're upset that MS might count them as customers?

Agree with Unknown? Unknown? . I don't think anyone has suggested Sea of Thieves or other MS gamers on PlayStation are not MS customers. That would be factually untrue.
 

wolffy66

Member
No investor would be fooled into thinking a sudden jump in mau's was real if they count these numbers. If they did count investors would discount them. There is a reason why they have money to invest in the 1st place.

This is a kinda silly thread imo.
 
The platform is where the game is played. Xbox (console) is a platform. PlayStation (console) is a platform. Linux is a platform. Windows is a platform. Smartphone is a platform.

Fortnite is a game. Xbox (as you're describing it) is a brand. Take-Two is a brand. EA play is a subscription service. (EA itself is a brand.) Uplay (now Ubisoft Connect) is a software hub. (Ubisoft itself is a brand.)
I don't feel like that's inherently true anymore. A platform can be an OS, but is not limited to that. If I were to install Steam on said OS, wouldn't Steam be a platform with it's own set of rules and policies? Couldn't the same be said for GOG, Epic Games Store, Xbox, and so on? What makes them not platforms? To expand on that, wouldn't Spotify, Pandora, and Apple Music be their own platforms? Let's also consider social media, agnostic of OS, each is their own platform. A platform is a place to regulate your own set of rules and quite frankly, signing into Xbox regardless of hardware, forces you to follow their rules and policies, therefore puts you into the Xbox Platform that Sony does not govern.
 

jwaxeman

Member
Having to make a account sucks, but I don't think it really matters if it's just there to make shareholders happy, so be it.
Shareholders don't care about that, they care if it translates into profit. It's why Microsoft doesn't care about how many consoles it moves. But yes, theoretically more people in your ecosystem means more people spending money on you; it's still positive growth, but Microsoft has moved the goalposts pretty dramatically with Xbox.
 

IFireflyl

Gold Member
I don't feel like that's inherently true anymore. A platform can be an OS, but is not limited to that. If I were to install Steam on said OS, wouldn't Steam be a platform with it's own set of rules and policies? Couldn't the same be said for GOG, Epic Games Store, Xbox, and so on? What makes them not platforms? To expand on that, wouldn't Spotify, Pandora, and Apple Music be their own platforms? Let's also consider social media, agnostic of OS, each is their own platform. A platform is a place to regulate your own set of rules and quite frankly, signing into Xbox regardless of hardware, forces you to follow their rules and policies, therefore puts you into the Xbox Platform that Sony does not govern.

This is one of those, "If everyone is extraordinary, then nobody is extraordinary," situations. According to you, everything is a platform. Therefore, the word "platform" (in the context of gaming) loses all meaning. Subscription services are now platforms. Storefronts are now platforms. The games themselves are now platforms. Let's take this a step further: none of this would work without hardware. Hard drives are now platforms.

Words have meaning. Your argument is to destabilize the meaning of the word. Why would we need to do that? Right now, "platform" (as it pertains to gaming) is a very simple concept. Why on earth do you think we need to complicate this? We're not talking about genders here. You don't just get to make stuff up.

EDIT: I edited my previous post as well. Windows and Linux are not platforms; they are Operating Systems. The platform is PC. That's where the games are played, not what software the games run on.
 
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Topher

Gold Member
I don't feel like that's inherently true anymore. A platform can be an OS, but is not limited to that. If I were to install Steam on said OS, wouldn't Steam be a platform with it's own set of rules and policies? Couldn't the same be said for GOG, Epic Games Store, Xbox, and so on? What makes them not platforms? To expand on that, wouldn't Spotify, Pandora, and Apple Music be their own platforms? Let's also consider social media, agnostic of OS, each is their own platform. A platform is a place to regulate your own set of rules and quite frankly, signing into Xbox regardless of hardware, forces you to follow their rules and policies, therefore puts you into the Xbox Platform that Sony does not govern.

Software applications can have its own rules and policies. That doesn't make it a platform. IFireflyl IFireflyl is right. Calling everything a "platform" simply robs the word of any meaning at all. Games have been referred to as "multiplatform" for decades now and we all know what that means. That meaning did not change simply because Microsoft decided to publish some of their games to PlayStation.

PlayStation gamers playing Sea of Thieves do not sign with their Xbox account. They sign in with their Microsoft account. Synchronizing data to another platform does not change the platform where the gamer resides. And Sony absolutely does govern what happens on their platform regardless of what secondary account gamers sign into.
 

DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
There seems to be quite a few people that are even double dipping on the PS5 when they own it on Xbox, and or PC. So there's even a small percentage of people double dipping, making two sales from one user.

It's like the Sony, PC strategy.
 

reinking

Gold Member
There seems to be quite a few people that are even double dipping on the PS5 when they own it on Xbox, and or PC. So there's even a small percentage of people double dipping, making two sales from one user.

It's like the Sony, PC strategy.
Or, are they abandoning the Xbox/PC in favor of the PS5? 😜


You know I am joking. I kind of expected some diehard fans to double dip for the exclusive content. As crazy as that sounds.
 

Havoc2049

Member
That's cool and all, but a MAU on PS5 is worth less than one on Xbox. 30% less on the software side, and 100% less on the hardware side. In an industry that is so oversaturated that turning a profit is far from guaranteed, it's surprising that Microsoft wouldn't have any kind of perks for playing first party games on their console over PS5.
Microsoft has Game Pass Ultimate (GPU) perks, and Sea Of Thieves gives out perks to GPU members. The seasonal Plunder Pass in SoT is only $9 for GPU members, instead of $10 and Rare will give out free cosmetics to GPU members every few months. A PS5 SoT gamer, who also subscribes to GPU I guess can take advantage of these perks, as you don't need an Xbox console. A Plunder Pass can be bought online through the MS Store and same with accepting GPU perks. That's how it works for PC, Cloud and Xbox gamers anyways for SoT and all the MS games. Not sure if PS5 SoT and the other MS games on PS5 are walled off from the Microsoft Store and GPU perks or not.
 

mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
Where did you get an official stand from MS doing what you say? All this drama and fingers pointed at MS because one user interpreted something wrong.

If you see MS promoting the raise of Xbox MAU based on this, than call them out.

If the promoting a raise of SoT MAU, nothing wrong in that.

I'm expecting MS to do it. They haven't yet. But I'll leave out hope MS won't stoop this low.
 

NEbeast

Member
Op definitely hasa twitter account and posts dumb shit on there too. After reading some of your replies you're either trolling or genuinely happy about this, which is weird as fuck.
jimmy fallon no GIF by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
 

mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
Shareholders don't care about that, they care if it translates into profit. It's why Microsoft doesn't care about how many consoles it moves. But yes, theoretically more people in your ecosystem means more people spending money on you; it's still positive growth, but Microsoft has moved the goalposts pretty dramatically with Xbox.

Funny thing is, MS does care about console sales. Phil literally says it every quarter, yet nobody listens to him. Nobody in the media or gamers don't believe that he and Microsoft cares about console sales. But they do. ALOT!
 

TheTony316

Member
Who cares?

How is this any different from Uplay, EA, GoG, R* launcher or any other third party platform that requires an account?

I can sync my PSN to Steam but that doesn't make me a PC gamer.
 
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jwaxeman

Member
Funny thing is, MS does care about console sales. Phil literally says it every quarter, yet nobody listens to him. Nobody in the media or gamers don't believe that he and Microsoft cares about console sales. But they do. ALOT!
Perfect world yes, they'd be up, and Microsoft would be cooking in-house. What i mean is, in light of bad console sales, the priority (make money) has shifted to the better financial opportunity elsewhere, which is selling games on competing hardware. Console sales matter, for sure, except clearly not as much as making money, otherwise they wouldn't have killed any incentive to stick with an xbox (first party killer app exclusives).
 

LegendOfKage

Gold Member
"You’ll need a Microsoft account to create an Xbox account. A Microsoft account is not the same thing as an Xbox account, although you can use the same email address for both."

Creating an Xbox account is a step after creating a Microsoft account. PlayStation only requires a Microsoft account for Sea of Thieves.

You must have a Microsoft account. Not Xbox account. Entirely different things.

See the fun thing is you need a Microsoft account to play Xbox games. You DONT need an Xbox account.

I'll admit that I wasn't sure which way this would go, but having now created an account to play Sea of Thieves, I have to say it.

ManaByte ManaByte was completely right.

You cannot use the game itself to create a "Sea of Thieves" account or a Microsoft account. When you start the game for the first time, the game requires you to use a phone, laptop, or computer and go to the Microsoft website to create an account. I used a chrome book that had never so much as gone to a Microsoft website before, so it's not a matter of the game or MS recognizing an existing account. Immediately after creating a new Microsoft account, you are required to use the in-game code to connect your new MS account to the service.

This last part is what really matters, though. After you create the Microsoft account and link it to the game, but before you're able to start playing, you're then required to select an Xbox avatar and create a gamertag. This is separate from your Microsoft account. As a new player, you are not able to play Sea of Theives on PS5 without creating an Xbox account.

As Microsoft strategy adjusts from a focus on hardware to a focus on the Xbox platform, they will absolutely count PlayStation users towards claims of "monthly active users on the Xbox platform," and they'll be able to do so because every one of them will be playing their games using an Xbox account.
 

Topher

Gold Member
I'll admit that I wasn't sure which way this would go, but having now created an account to play Sea of Thieves, I have to say it.

ManaByte ManaByte was completely right.

You cannot use the game itself to create a "Sea of Thieves" account or a Microsoft account. When you start the game for the first time, the game requires you to use a phone, laptop, or computer and go to the Microsoft website to create an account. I used a chrome book that had never so much as gone to a Microsoft website before, so it's not a matter of the game or MS recognizing an existing account. Immediately after creating a new Microsoft account, you are required to use the in-game code to connect your new MS account to the service.

This last part is what really matters, though. After you create the Microsoft account and link it to the game, but before you're able to start playing, you're then required to select an Xbox avatar and create a gamertag. This is separate from your Microsoft account. As a new player, you are not able to play Sea of Theives on PS5 without creating an Xbox account.

As Microsoft strategy adjusts from a focus on hardware to a focus on the Xbox platform, they will absolutely count PlayStation users towards claims of "monthly active users on the Xbox platform," and they'll be able to do so because every one of them will be playing their games using an Xbox account.

ManaByte ManaByte claimed a Microsoft account and an Xbox account were the same thing. That is what I was pointing out that was incorrect.

We’re now in the land of delusion where Microsoft accounts are not Xbox accounts. It’s he same thing.

Having said that, I don't know about Sea of Thieves profile setup. I'm going strictly by what Microsoft's support pages state. If the game requires creating a gamertag then fair enough, but that doesn't make the claim that MS and Xbox accounts are the same any less wrong. As is this claim that any of this magically transforms the PS5 into a Xbox platform. That's still nonsense.
 
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Humdinger

Member
The linguistic gymnastics are pretty strange. Who cares what it's called? We know that Xbox exclusives are getting ported to Playstation. We know that PS owners can play Xbox exclusives on their Playstation -- a few at the moment, and surely many more to come -- without having to buy an Xbox. That seems like the relevant bit of information.

If you want to call me a "Microsoft customer" when I buy one of these games, that's fine with me. That's true in the sense that I have purchased a Microsoft game, and 70% of my money will go to MS. Of course, I'm also a Sony customer at the same time, since 30% of my money is going to the platform it's being published on.

If you want to call me an "Xbox customer," that's fine, too. "Xbox" is becoming a third-party brand, detached from the console, and so I'm not sure the distinction makes a whole lot of difference. And again, I'm also a Playstation customer at the same time, because 30% goes to Sony.

In the end, I don't like either corporation much, and I don't have an allegiance to either. I'm happy that I only need one console to play games, though. I have wasted plenty of money in the past buying a second console and then regretting it. I'm really a one-console kind of guy.
 
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