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Last week during my brief sojourn away from work, Microsoft debuted its new ad campaign for Xbox.
I even wrote an editorial last week abouthow Microsoft has some amazing Xbox momentum as it closes out 2024.
Microsoft says a bunch of devices that can’t run 99% of Xbox games are Xboxes, apparently.
I love that there are dozens of games that support cross-buy and cross-progression via Xbox Play Anywhere.
The issue is that it’s so,sopiecemeal.
I’ve also written only recently about how theXbox app experience on Windows PC is still sub-par.
Microsoft’s “This is an Xbox” campaign patronizingly showcases products that aren’t an Xbox for some reason.
The big claim earned an immediate grimace from me in multiple directions.
What is the general public, to whom this is targeted, supposed to take away from this claim?
Has Xbox itself forgotten what an Xbox actually is?
Even still, it’s not like any of those features are actually showcased in this ad here.
What game can you realistically play from yourlapon the Xbox app anyway?
Am I expected to run Halo Infinite ranked with the trackpad here?
Even some of Microsoft’s own games, like Diablo 4, aren’t available on Xbox Cloud Gaming thanks to licensing commitments —at least today.
All this is without mentioning the fact that it barely runs any Xbox games.
In what timeline, realistically, is a Samsung Galaxy Fold an Xbox?
Certainly not the one I’m living in.
Why is Microsoft confusing people into not buying an Xbox in the run up to Christmas?
you could argue the execution has been less-than-stellar though.
“I’m not sure I’d have a particularly compelling answer for them.
The Xbox game store for Android and iOS was supposed to launch this quarter, but now isn’t.
Like I said earlier, the vision is awesome.
The vision is excellent.
But why market to avisionthat isn’t fully realized?
Why denigrate the premiere Xbox experience as it exists today?
Theonly placewhere you might get a true, full-fat Xbox experience is Xbox Series X|S.
It showcases where Xbox is going.
It showcases what the future of gaming in general will look like.
Microsoft is good at predicting the future.
Ten years later, people are increasingly preferring all-digital.
The problem is, like in 2013, you’re free to’t tell people what theyshouldlike orshouldwant.
I love the direction Microsoft is heading towards.
We’re years away from that future, if indeed it materializes at all.
I have faith that it will, but we’re nowhere near there right now.
So why tell every day people that Xbox has already reached that destination?
Microsoft’s “This is an Xbox” ad campaign is great on paper.
It’s just absolutely the wrong time to be making the claim.
The vast majority of developers opt out of Xbox Play Anywhere between PC and Xbox.
The vast majority PC developers don’t support the Microsoft Store ecosystem without a Game Pass tie-in.
