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Rumor 2.0 – Xbox for sale?

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Xbox for sale

It’s the time of year again when speculation flies about how long Microsoft will hold on to the Xbox brand. This isn’t the first time rumors have swirled and it probably won’t be the last. Is it a case of typical rumors or should we follow that “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” belief?

According to Games Industry, the Xbox One isn’t doing as poorly as everyone seems to think.

While the Xbox One looks like it’s struggling, it’s actually doing markedly better than the Xbox 360 was at the same point in its lifespan – by my rough calculations, Xbox One is about 2.5 million units north of the installed base of Xbox 360 at the same point. Oddly, that makes it more comparable with PS3, which was, in spite of its controversy-dogged early years, a much faster seller out the door than Microsoft’s console. The point stands, though, that in simple commercial terms Xbox One is doing better than Xbox 360 did – it just happens that PS4 is doing better than any console has ever done, and casting a long shadow over Microsoft’s efforts in the process.

Okay, so if the Xbox isn’t doing as poorly as people seem to think, why would Microsoft want to sell it? Well, it’s really the same old rumors all over again. Microsoft’s primary business is enterprise, and with a shift away from focusing on Windows Phones or Surface, it makes sense that Xbox One would also lose some attention. Of course, they argue, Microsoft might still feel it needs a beach-head in the living room, but if Xbox One isn’t selling as well as PS4, it might not really be up to that task.

Increasingly, the philosophy at Microsoft is to accept people on the their platform of choice, and get them to use Microsoft services instead of forcing them to use their hardware, too. We could see a similar approach to this in the gaming sphere, but only if they can divorce themselves from the Xbox brand. Of course, if they want to sell it off, they will need a buyer – but who? Games Industry says it best.

None of Xbox’ rivals would be in the market to buy such a large division, and no game company would wish to lumber itself with a platform holder business. Neither Apple nor Google make the slightest sense as a new home for Xbox either.

We might see a heavyweight like Amazon try to pick it up, or maybe another tech company. It just doesn’t seem to fit any company’s model, including Microsoft’s. So, Xbox probably isn’t going anywhere, even if rumors continue that they are looking for a buyer. No one will want to take Xbox off of Microsoft’s hands, which means that they will just have to keep throwing money at the division to try and make it work. The connection with Windows 10 should help and public perception of the console is improving. Even if it doesn’t fit with Microsoft’s business model, I hope that Xbox stays where it is – for the good of the industry.

Last Updated: March 20, 2015

37 Comments

  1. Blood Emperor Trevor

    March 20, 2015 at 14:32

    If they were thinking about it I doubt they would be pushing Win10 integration.

    Reply

    • Alessandro Barbosa

      March 20, 2015 at 14:39

      My thoughts exactly. If Microsoft really wanted to sell Xbox, they would done so soon after the new CEO was appointed.

      Reply

    • Gremoire

      March 20, 2015 at 15:05

      I was at the Microsoft DevDay in Cape Town earlier this week. Even there they talked about the XBOX ONE and Windows 10 “accross-all-devices”, the integrated Microsoft Store, for phone, desktop and XBOX, purchase games once, and enjoy on any supported platform (at the publisher’s discretion of course), and developing apps that will run on the XBOX ONE.

      So, I don’t see Microsoft selling the XBOX brand off any time soon.

      Side note: Personally I can’t wait for Windows 10. We’ve been told at the event that Win 10 will be a free upgrade for anyone who has a valid Windows 7 / 8 license within the 1st year of release, Enterprise customers excluded.

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief

        March 20, 2015 at 15:17

        Enterprise excluded?

        Good thing we have software assurance!

        Reply

        • Gremoire

          March 20, 2015 at 15:29

          I think that is why it is excluded form Enterprise, for the Software Assurance portion. 😉

          Reply

      • Pariah

        March 20, 2015 at 15:21

        • Gremoire

          March 20, 2015 at 15:31

          Don’t know exactly how the upgrade is going to work, maybe your license key needs to be verified, or an in-place upgrade. Still a sweet deal, I think.

          Pirates, will be pirate though….

          Reply

          • Pariah

            March 20, 2015 at 15:33

            Yeah pirates. ARRRR how they frustrate people.

            Either way, I have a legit Win7, so the day Win10 goes live I’ll be upgrading. 😀

      • Blood Emperor Trevor

        March 20, 2015 at 17:32

        Yes that news made me pretty happy. I was planning on getting 8 for my new PC, now I can just hang on to 7 for a couple of months instead.

        Reply

  2. Admiral Chief

    March 20, 2015 at 14:40

    With DX12 and W10 on the way, they would be seriously DOF to do it

    Reply

  3. RinceThis

    March 20, 2015 at 14:48

    I doubt it.

    Reply

  4. Admiral Chief

    March 20, 2015 at 14:51

    In related news, Trevor got a girlfriend! Rince got a soul! JJ stopped wearing make up! Gavin became fluent in Afrikaans! Zoe renounced all things Mac! Hammersteyn stopped upvoting! Darryn hates Batman!

    Reply

    • Dutch Matrix

      March 20, 2015 at 14:51

      Admiral was demoted to Able Crewman!

      Reply

      • RinceThis

        March 20, 2015 at 14:52

        Admiral doesn’t correct his spelling mistakes when he’s caught out *RUNS

        Reply

    • RinceThis

      March 20, 2015 at 14:52

    • Blood Emperor Trevor

      March 20, 2015 at 14:53

      Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      March 20, 2015 at 14:57

      And Admiral makes grammar mistakes………oh crap, that actually happened today 😛

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief

        March 20, 2015 at 15:00

        *spelling

        Not grammar

        You twit

        Hmmmm, the lack of upvotes can only mean one thing….

        Reply

        • Blood Emperor Trevor

          March 20, 2015 at 15:01

          OMG They killed Hammer! You bastards!

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            March 20, 2015 at 16:25

            *Respawns

  5. Hammersteyn

    March 20, 2015 at 14:58

    They can’t sell something no one wants to buy.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      March 20, 2015 at 15:00

      I’d buy that for a dollar!

      Reply

  6. Pariah

    March 20, 2015 at 15:18

    Xbox One Owner. Amirite?

    Reply

  7. CAE9872

    March 20, 2015 at 15:25

    What is possible, is that with the latest line of thinking at MS with regards PC integration again, that maybe this is the last ever console from them? So they will continue to support it to a point, and then simply go PC only again, assuming their experiments in Win10 go according to plan of course.

    I would much prefer Xbox to be around personally as Sony needs the competition to keep them on their toes.

    Reply

    • Pariah

      March 20, 2015 at 15:39

      Maybe Nintendo should buy it. That way we get great games from Nintendo, on a console that’s actually decent.

      MWAHAHAHA

      Reply

  8. Pieter Kruger

    March 20, 2015 at 15:32

    Oh gawd not this crap again……

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      March 20, 2015 at 16:24

      But you always revel in bad news/rumors………….oh wait this isn’t a Sony article….

      Reply

      • Pieter Kruger

        March 20, 2015 at 16:53

        Yeah but I really think Zoe should abstain from writing anything remotely related to MS or Xbox One! Writing up a whole article on this while there’s plenty of good MS and plenty of bad Sony articles over the net in the last 48 hours not getting touched? LOL!

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          March 20, 2015 at 17:25

          Wouldn’t that be biased?

          Reply

          • Pieter Kruger

            March 20, 2015 at 17:39

            ROFL! ????????????

  9. Pieter Kruger

    March 20, 2015 at 17:45

  10. lygamnt

    March 20, 2015 at 19:13

    There is no way Microsoft will sell off the Xbox Division. With Windows one unified platform for windows 10, See some of us Xbox players also use Microsoft phones, tablets and PC’s for work. Having everything everywhere is just good.

    Reply

  11. Revolver Ocelot

    March 22, 2015 at 08:03

    With any luck.

    Reply

  12. z1n

    March 23, 2015 at 09:43

    Steve Balmer has left so, no. They probably won’t sell Xbox. Also they might start getting Windows/Office right eventually.

    Reply

  13. Slapshotsaint

    April 13, 2015 at 16:06

    Sold my XBOX ONE. First two games we tried to sit as a family and play wouldn’t allow us to couch coop,:( 360 does? There are no great games for it and not a single game I can think of coming out for Xbox one.

    I’m not a Sony fan but my Blu Ray player was better on Ps4 and my games looked and played better..

    Reply

    • Bramstons

      April 24, 2015 at 12:05

      You are actually the biggest Sony fanboy around.

      Reply

  14. Slapshotsaint

    April 13, 2015 at 16:07

    Plus I hate the whole Microsoft infrastructure. I hate using it and being subject to it.

    Reply

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