Xbox 调查玩家是否应将《辐射》《上古卷轴》甚至《我的世界》改为独占

According to a report from Windows Central, with images verified by reporter Jez Corden, Xbox is polling some of its users on whether it should make franchises like Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, or even Minecraft console exclusive.

The surveys – distributed to select Xbox Insiders, apparently – poll players on purchasing intent should any of the abovementioned franchises be removed from other platforms.

The questions explicitly reference both PlayStation and Nintendo, and ask users to “imagine” a scenario where the series would only be available on Xbox and PC.

Looking at the responses available, the company is trying to understand whether this would motivate consumers to upgrade their Xbox, move across to PC, or skip the titles entirely.

One option ponders how respondents would behave if all Microsoft-owned content went console exclusive, with the exception of Call of Duty. (Which must continue to release on PS5 for several more years, due to regulatory requirements.)

It reads:

“Imagine it was announced that all future title releases from every Xbox-developed gaming franchise except Call of Duty will be console exclusive to Xbox. For Minecraft only, existing titles would no longer be available for purchase on PlayStation or Nintendo consoles, and would not receive any new content updates. However, there is no impact to any of the existing titles or content you already own. Nothing changes on PC in this announcement.”

Xbox has, of course, indicated that it’s eager to pull its properties off PlayStation, beginning with this month’s Gears of War: E-Day.

According to the latest information from Alinea Analytics, the release is estimated to have sold just 310k copies across Xbox and PC – although many more have played it via Microsoft’s Game Pass subscription.

I find all of this discussion quite fascinating personally.

On the one hand, you’ve got new CEO Asha Sharma absolutely cutting the Xbox division to ribbons through unprecedented rounds of layoffs, as it wrestles with a department that – by her own admission – is not making anywhere near enough money.

Then on the other hand, you’ve got the bluster of an organisation seemingly willing to remove juggernaut franchises like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout from some of its biggest markets.

I understand the intent is to attract players back to Xbox in order to make money through subscriptions and third-party software sales, but the console is widely unavailable around the globe, and even in the US, the brand is posting the worst numbers in its 25-year history.

I’m also not entirely sure I understand how valuable the responses from Xbox Insiders are going to be here. I’d imagine the majority of those users are hardcore Microsoft fans, and are going to err in the direction of exclusivity, obviously.

Let’s see what happens here.

My personal view is that if you take franchises like Fallout and The Elder Scrolls away from PlayStation, you’re only going to diminish the value of the brands. But let’s wait and see.

[source windowscentral.com]