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Microsoft Looks to Innovate in 2015 and Beyond

Microsoft Looks to Innovate in 2015 and Beyond

A new day…a fresh new batch of plans from those on Team Xbox.

Seems like every week we’re reporting on a new concept or strategy Microsoft has brewing in hopes of turning their next-gen console into THE preferred system of gamers today. In many ways, it can be seen as their scramble to salvage their legacy while they still have the chance, instead of becoming just a footnote in the chapter soon to be written by the PS4. Luckily for them, their first year has just about come to a close, taking with it many of the growing-pains the company has struggled with during its initial launch.

So what was Microsoft’s take-away from this learning experience that can be beneficial to its strategy moving forward?

It would seem the lesson of the day is to never stop evolving. The One learned that the hard way, after being forced to backpedal and change course repeatedly in its early days (after numerous bad decisions led to public outrage on a myriad of fronts). Also, it would seem this is not a concept lost on their rival Sony, as services recently launched like the PlayStation Now and PSTV are continuing to move their brand upwards and onwards. However, the time has come for Microsoft to finally make some serious market headway of its own. With that nasty Kinect business behind them, Xbox Head Phil Spencer has big plans for the One that involve some non-conventional ideas. During a recent interview, Spencer touted a new IP currently in the works that will take them beyond just releasing “…another military space marine game.” When speaking with IGN, Spencer said “I think new stories, new characters give us a new canvas to try new things. Sunset Overdrive is a great example of that. It’s a game that isn’t like anything else in our portfolio, and I think that’s great. I want to continue to invest in things that push the boundaries…I don’t probably need another racing game. In terms of trying things that are new and have a unique reason to be in our portfolio, it’s gotta be a commitment from us as a first-party, absolutely.”

But can next-gen dominance really be achieved by simply churning out another new franchise?

Let’s first address the elephant in the room in regards to Mr. Spencer’s comments above. All this talk about setting the Xbox world on fire with a brand-new, never-before-seen IP sounds a little familiar right? In fact, it sounds an awful lot like what their former comrades Bungie just did with Destiny (once they left the mothership). While Destiny was a great first outing for the developer’s debut/solo album, I’m not sure a small-scale success such as this will act as the big-bang catalyst a company like Microsoft really needs. I mean, let’s face it…the Xbox One is in pretty deep shit right now. That’s why looking to a single new title (in the hopes they’ll again catch Halo -lightning in a bottle) is short-sighted at best and a gross miscalculation at worst. For my money, technological advancements beyond their software library are where Microsoft’s future lies. At this point, I just don’t see them going toe-to-toe with Sony on the game selection front alone and coming out on top. It’s not that you can’t get the same stuff on both systems, because you can. With all things being equal, let’s ask this question: if people can play the same game on the PlayStation (and get more services in the process), what possible motivations would they have NOT to join team blue instead? I doubt even a set of killer Xbox exclusives can change a mindset like that. It’s simply not 2001 anymore.

Microsoft Looks to Innovate in 2015 and Beyond

The secret to a successful Xbox One five years from now is simple: a foundation of solid titles supporting an infrastructure of online services combined with a set of must-have hardware options. They thought cramming motion-sensing technology down our throats early on was a quick path to accomplishing this. Obviously they were dead wrong. On the flip side of that coin, people WILL gradually begin adopting things like PlayStation Now, PSTV and even the Morpheus 3D headset in time, because they’ll absolutely want to remain on the cusp of such ground-breaking new experiences (meaning the tech will sell itself). This is an area in which Microsoft really should focus its resources ASAP (as it has little-to-no options in that regard).

The folks in the R&D department better kick into high-gear soon, as a few new IPs likely won’t withstand the weight of placing an entire console division on their shoulders.

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