Following Xbox's mass layoffs and PlayStation's perplexing physical media announcement, a reader argues that both formats are ill-equipped to survive the next 10 years. The reader, Wotan, notes that Xbox has laid off 1,200 developers this week, with another 1,200 expected within 12 months, totaling over 9,000 in the last three years. Five studios have been sold off or gone independent, and remaining studios are losing staff.
Xbox's situation described as terminal
Wotan says that while rumors had prepared gamers for Xbox cuts, Sony's recent announcement that it will cease physical media production came as a shock. He criticizes Microsoft's apparent indifference and the randomness of layoffs, suggesting AI may have been used to select victims. "Veterans being cut as if they were expendable interns," he writes. He adds that executive salaries for one year could pay for all those laid off, but that would never happen.
The reader expresses dismay that many gamers care more about game delays than the livelihoods of developers. "They're much more upset that The Elder Scrolls 6 might be delayed... than they are about the livelihood of the people that make the games they love." He notes that finding another job in the games industry is not easy, as Microsoft is far from alone in conducting layoffs.
PlayStation also in decline, says reader
Wotan argues that PlayStation is also in terminal decline, though it has further to go than Xbox. He cites bone-headed executives, a disconnect from fans, slow game announcements, and a lack of public appearances from leadership. "I have literally no idea who's in charge at the moment," he writes. The PlayStation 5 is the only choice for high-end games, but it feels like a default option rather than a leader, with Sony doing as little as possible while constantly increasing prices.
He warns that rising costs will kill traditional console gaming, except for Nintendo, which keeps prices low. "Nobody's going to buy a £1,000+ PlayStation 6 or whatever Project Helix turns out to be," he predicts. He also expects next-gen games to cost £80 or more, and subscription services like PS Plus and Game Pass to rise further.
Future of gaming: PCs and Nintendo only
Wotan concludes that in 10 years, gaming will consist of only PCs and Nintendo consoles, with Xbox and PlayStation either gone or reduced to third-party publishers. "It'll be a miserable end for them, but they've only brought it on themselves with their arrogance and greed," he writes. The reader's feature does not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.
