Predicting All the Ups and Downs of Microsoft’s 2017

Games

While we are only a few weeks into 2017, it’s clear that Microsoft is off to a rather troublesome start thanks to the loss of their highly sought after title Scalebound. Now with only three major exclusives lined up for this year (Crackdown 3, Sea of Thieves, and Halo Wars 2) the pressure is on Microsoft to deliver more titles to their fans. It’s clear that Xbox’s head Phil Spencer understands the importance of first party titles, so it’s more than possible that some new IPs will be revealed at this year’s E3.

However, given Microsoft’s track record, most of their newly announced titles don’t release at least until the following year. This means it’s quite possible that outside of some extra independent titles, Microsoft might be stuck with their rather small line-up of exclusives. However, we do think this will put pressure on Microsoft and force them to secure more exclusive deals with third party developers in terms of DLC content and expansions. If they don’t obtain additional support from outside creators, then the Xbox One will have a far harder time competing with Sony’s PlayStation 4’s library.

Indie games will continue to be supported on the Xbox One, with bigger and more known titles like We Happy Few getting the most attention. We also suspect that a large variety of their current exclusive line-up will be updated to perform better on Xbox’s Scorpio. There’s also a chance that they will release a new exclusive to coincide with the release of this system. However, if the Xbox One doesn’t gain more third party support, they will certainly have some trouble competing with Sony this year.

Hardware

2017 is Microsoft’s year to lose when it comes hardware as the many prominent figures with the Xbox team have been touting how impressive this upgraded system is. The Scorpio will need to exceed many fans expectations and offer enough of a change that it feels like a true next-gen system. However, this is a very delicate balancing act that Microsoft needs to perform. If they formally announce the system at E3, then they will need to make sure there is enough time spent on games, as well. However, Microsoft should follow in Sony’s footsteps and set aside time outside of this major conference to fully detail what the Scorpio will offer consumers.

Price is also an important factor, since upgrading to a new console for many Xbox owners could be rather pricey. Once again, the Scorpio either needs to follow Sony and price their system at $399 or undercut their competition and sell it slightly cheaper. Given the Scorpio is not entirely new, an upgrade in hardware should not cost an extreme amount of money. Thankfully, the Scorpio won’t have to directly compete with Sony this year, as the PlayStation Pro released late last year. This gives Microsoft ample time to examine what works and doesn’t work with Sony’s updated console and enhance these changes.

In fact, the only new major hardware that Microsoft needs to truly compete with is the Nintendo Switch. Despite this system having a rather hardcore fanbase, there is still some serious doubt and questions swirling around this new system. The Switch won’t become a problem for Microsoft unless Nintendo either alters some of their policies or manages to knock it out of the park with game reveals during E3. As it stands, the Scorpio will probably be left unchecked during its release.

Conclusion

Microsoft has a chance to gain some ground within the console market thanks to the eventual release of the Scorpio. Yet, one cannot help but worry at their lack of exclusives and third party support which is dwarfed by Sony’s own line-up. While they do need to show off a plethora of new titles at E3, most of the focus will be around the eventual release of their newest system.

If they can manage to release the Scorpio without any issues, then they will easily take over the holiday system in terms of actual console sales. However, their biggest problem is themselves and a lack of reasons for people to play their games on Xbox. Given most of their exclusives are also available on PC, Microsoft needs to offer better incentives and reasons for players to spend their hard-earned cash on Xbox One titles and not just buy their PC equivalents.

It’s going to be an interesting year for Microsoft regardless of the outcome, especially given they won’t have any direct hardware competition from Sony. While Nintendo may still be the wild card in this 2017 prediction, we can only hope that Xbox fans get the great games and system that they deserve.