Bonum Certa Men Certa

Another Microsoft Cancellation as Xbox Struggles, Loses Windows Games Compatibility

Stop sign



Summary: Some of the most recent Xbox 360 news, including the realisation that Microsoft is attacking its own customers now

XBOX LOST several billions of dollars, which made it quite a failure from a business perspective. Like PlayStation 3 and unlike the Nintendo Wii, Microsoft plays a losing game, but it can't quit now, only the management can. Yes, managers of Xbox left the company, but there are still signs of life in this division, even if in addition to many dead products we now have this revelation that, according to Joseph Tartakoff [1, 2], "Microsoft cancels its TV-style game show on the Xbox."



Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) is canceling 1 vs. 100, the live game show it launched for its Xbox Live online gaming service a year ago, which was a pioneer in bringing TV style entertainment to video game consoles.


This was also covered in [1, 2, 3].

Dead products or dead features are never a good sign and Xbox Live turns out not to be open enough for developers. It's also too expensive, just like the peripherals which Wii buyers get for 'free'. In addition to this, there is a rumour that "Microsoft killed X-platform play because console gamers suck" (this headline was later changed to "HP man slams Microsoft for PC gaming fail"). "Cross Platform" means Microsoft and also Microsoft within this context (Xbox and Windows). Also in the news:



According to this, "Last month there was much excitement as the newly redesigned Xbox 360 seemed to launch a sales Renaissance in Japan. According to the latest numbers the console has dropped from 17,370 units in sales two weeks ago to 7,303 units this past week. Ouch. Unfortunately, it seems that Microsoft may have a hard time ever breaking into the Land of the Rising Sun. [...] This latest info seems to tell us that, barring some sort of major turnaround, Japan just isn't that interested in the Xbox 360."

Microsoft tried to hype it up in Japan while it lasted (very briefly). These are old PR tricks.

“Not so long ago it was revealed that pre-orders of Kinect were too few.”As we noted earlier, peripherals for Xbox 360 are too expensive to be competitive (consider the price of a Wii) and the name "Kinect" is problematic now, due to Kin dying (more on that later in the week). Some say that Kinect does work when sitting down -- a claim that's disputed by Microsoft, obviously.

In an open letter titled "Dis-Kinection: How Microsoft Has Lost Focus," Gamasutra shows its pessimism. In another Web site, Microsoft is accused of using sexual provocation to sell Kinect (and doing it badly). Not so long ago it was revealed that pre-orders of Kinect were too few.

Microsoft's struggle is even described by CNBC ("Can Sony and Microsoft Replicate Wii's Success?"), which is typically sympathetic towards Microsoft, maybe because of MSNBC. Not good, not good at all.

To make matters even worse, Microsoft is insulting the best customers and banning innocent ones. As The Consumerist put it, "Zach's Xbox 360 opted to play for Miami rather than Cleveland, but what he expected to be a routine repair has turned into a standoff. He says Microsoft accuses him of modding his console despite Zach's contention that the unit, which he says is clean, shows no physical signs of being modded."

That's just an overall bad "engagement" with fans. Here is another:

Microsoft – Rare blocks fan site’s documentary project



Microsoft owned studio Rare was once a mighty force in the video game industry, with iconic titles such as GoldenEye 007. The studio had a decent following from the fan community. One fan site will be closing its doors after Rare blocked the fan project.

[...]

Apparently talks between the site and Rare/Microsoft on creating a documentary started going bad. Rare/Microsoft finally put the kibosh on the project by stating that the film wouldn’t be “on message.”


Microsoft has turned hostile even towards the few who still support it. Who does it think it is, Apple? The stigma of arrogance will stick.

Recent Techrights' Posts

Bailing Out GAFAM, Giving Taxpayers' Money to Failing Companies, and Trying to Outlaw Lawsuits Against Them
What would the late Lincoln have said?
 
The Register MS Has Apparently Shut Down Its Office
It is basically a fake address on the face of it
There Are Also Expectations of IBM Layoffs Very Soon With "Narrative Control."
Some of them mention Red Hat and how IBM failed to achieve anything substantial with that acquisition
After at Least Two Rounds of Mass Layoffs in August Microsoft Said to Have "September Layoff Confirmed - Performance Based"
Those "M5 level meetings" sound plausible
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, August 25, 2025
IRC logs for Monday, August 25, 2025
Slopwatch: Slopfarms All Over Google News and Real News Sites Pushed Out of Visibility
Google News is dying (as a tool of value)
Gemini Links 25/08/2025: Numeric-only VM and Alhena 5.3.0
Links for the day
Links 25/08/2025: ‘Panama Playlists’ and Live Nation/Ticketmaster Suit Aims at Class Action
Links for the day
Gemini Links 25/08/2025: Empathy Towards Autistic People and Old Gadgets
Links for the day
Links 25/08/2025: Datacentres Versus Water Supplies and "The IPv6 Divide"
Links for the day
Links 25/08/2025: Data Breaches, Politics, and Financial Strain
Links for the day
GNU/Linux Distros Ought to Replace Firefox (and Firefox ESR) With Something Like LibreWolf
Perhaps it's come to replace Firefox
Father of Julian Assange Said the US Government Was Trying to Bankrupt WikiLeaks, Now the Assange Family Promotes Fake Currencies
Using the name for bad purposes?
Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC) Inc. Lost 2 Million Dollars Last Year and Its Chief Took a Salary Increase of Almost $6,000
Another year or two like this... and the SFC will be bankrupt [...] Hallmark of mismanagement
The "New Techrights" Turns Two Very Soon
Accomplishing something each year is what's important, not merely "finishing" another year
Gulf Nations Leave Microsoft Behind
How much lower will Microsoft stoop in an effort to raise money from oil-rich lenders?
How to Combat IRC Trolls (in Our Experience)
Today I want to share my experience (or knowledge) of how to deal with IRC trolls
The Register MS Needs to Stop Participating in the "Hey Hi" (AI) Hype, But It Gets Paid to Participate in This Hype
the publisher (The Register MS) wants to have it both ways
Gemini Links 24/08/2025: Living With Your Parents, Zürich Zoo, and Macondo
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, August 24, 2025
IRC logs for Sunday, August 24, 2025
Gemini Links 24/08/2025: Signal on OpenBSD and Keyboard Layouts Compared
Links for the day
Men Who Abuse Women Should Never Spend Over 3 Years of the UK High Court's Time
This demonstrates that we need a reform in the UK
Links 24/08/2025: Microsoft Settles Data Breach Lawsuits and Climate Change Causes Heatwaves, Water Shortages
Links for the day
CachyOS is Rising Fast, But Slopfarms Are 'Googlebombing' It
CachyOS receives more media attention
No Reason for Red Hat Relief Yet (Layoff Rumours)
the execution could be stalled, delayed, or scheduled for some time after people come back from holiday
GNU/Linux 6%, Windows 60% in Venezuela, Suggests statCounter
The cash cows are dying
Mass Layoffs Continue at Microsoft This Month (Remaining Workers See Conditions That Deteriorate)
So far this month (one week remaining) we saw at least two waves of layoffs at Microsoft
How SPAM E-mails With Windows-Centric Files Get Twisted as Linux Threats, Then Slopfarms Spread the Word
Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt/Fear-mongering/Dramatisation
Links 24/08/2025: Heatwaves Threaten Workers, Maldives Versus Press freedom
Links for the day
Gemini Links 24/08/2025: Digital Cameras and Printers
Links for the day
Links 24/08/2025: GAFAM Lie About Pollution and Slop's Carbon Footprint, The Guardian Says Slop ("Hey Hi") is a Bubble That Will Send Stock Markets Into a Freefall
Links for the day
80% of the Sponsored (Fake) Articles in The Register MS Are Promotions of Ponzi Schemes (Unethical Money), the Rest is Banned Chinese Business
Is that an ethical way to make money? No.
The UEFI Restricted Boot 'Time Bomb' is About to Go Off in a Few Weeks
Garrett was the first person to face sanctions (like muting) in our IRC channels because of his abuse; worse yet, he hijacked other people's names and then locked them out of their own accounts
Should Currys PCWorld Start Voiding Warranties of Users of Vista 11?
If a person's laptop has a mechanical issue, should this person replace GNU/Linux with Vista 11 for the repair shop? Only to damage the SSD?
Newer is Not Always Better, and It's Possible That 'Peak' is the Past
People creating their own platforms means progress, whereas centralisation (like moving from blogs to social control media) is the opposite of progress
LLM Hype is Sowing Destruction: It Contributes to DDoS Attacks and Makes the Web Less Accessible (JavaScript "R U Human?" Tests)
If it was googlebot, it would be possible to argue that you'd at least then get referral traffic from Google Search. With LLMs, all you get is plagiarised.
Links 24/08/2025: New York Times Talks About Hey Hi (AI) Bubble
Links for the day
Gemini Links 24/08/2025: Upgrading Debian and Mobile-indifferent Design
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, August 23, 2025
IRC logs for Saturday, August 23, 2025