Schell: Microsoft should have held its nerve on Xbox One
Jesse Schell, games designer and professor at Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center, believes a firm nerve is necessary in order to reinvent established businesses.
"Your customers want you to stay the same, even if it drives you into the ground," Schell told GamesIndustry International.
"The reality is that companies can't do what the customers want," he said, in reference to Microsoft's extraordinary volte-face on Xbox One's pre-owned and always-online policies.
"Basically, Microsoft said 'we're going to be Steam. You like Steam, don't you?' They said, 'we're gonna do this new thing', and the customers said no we don't want that, we hate that, even though it's what they really want and what they will ultimately buy."
"So now Microsoft has had to say they won't do all that stuff, but someone will. That's how it always goes. This is the lesson of the innovator's dilemma. Why is it that big companies fail when the technology changes? It happens in every industry, so what's the pattern? What are they all doing wrong?
"Everyone says, 'Oh, it's because they're stupid. Big companies are stupid.' They can't be stupid. How did they get that big and stay that big if they're stupid? Microsoft isn't stupid.
"There's one mistake that they all make, and that mistake is listening to their customers.
"The problem is that the hardcore folks always want the same thing: 'We want exactly what you gave us before, but it has to be completely different.' When you want to do something really different - the solution to the innovator's dilemma - you can't take your big brand and say it's going to be completely different."
Xbox One pre-orders are said to be roughly double that of the Xbox 360 at launch, according to Ubisoft chief executive Yves Guillemot. The same is said for Sony's PS4, a demand that has led to PlayStation Europe capping its guaranteed launch day pre-orders.
Nevertheless, Schell believes the growing and diversifying competition to games consoles will have a noticeable effect on their market share.
"E3 convinced me that they are going to be struggling," he said.
"I haven't seen anything that made me think, yeah, you're gonna get that market share back. I'm convinced that all [of the consoles] are going to have a gradually eroding market share over the coming years. Because tablets are going to be eating their lunch more and more, and other platforms are going to start to take off and catch fire."
Posted:
Related Forum: Xbox Forum
Source: http://www.computerandvideogames.com/422580/schell-microsoft-should-have-held-its-nerve-on-xbox-one/
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LWTPosted:
UNDERWORLDHYBRD "There's one mistake that they all make, and that mistake is listening to their customers. are u **** serious the only reason game devs want the old policy back is so they can get a cut of used game sales thats what it all boils down to
true very true.
I think its a big mistake.
//LWT
CadizPosted:
-LOST- I think the kinect was a deal breaker for a lot of people. It just jacked up the price too much.
Agreed, and if you are some that is in like FaZe or Soar something like that, it is just a waste because you will never use it.
CadizPosted:
Give Defiantly staying with PC
A pc will always out rank a console, because there are no limits there really.
CadizPosted:
alexv1994 the whole internet connection was dumb i mean what if i go to my lake house and in my down time i decide that i wanna play but i wouldnt be able too because of that
and theres some people that wont buy it for online at all, but then its just a waste of money there.
CadizPosted:
MitzzLIVE looking at the picture the xbox one design look simple but I think it's a box with holes haha
Doesnt really do much with the topic, but if you think about it wouldnt a regular xbox 360 be just a box with holes
CadizPosted:
Boar When will people leave them alone for god sakes.
First off, its all bad change it, they change it, you shouldn't have changed it.
-.-
People tend to do that a lot, they take something that is perfectly fine and they feel they have to change it, then it all goes down hill.
CadizPosted:
Purity That would suck to have preordered it then it changed for the bad ):
I preordered it, but they shouldnt be able to do something like that to make people want to change their mind but cant. that sucks
CadizPosted:
_Bale Hmm, Unlucky for the people who pre-ordered it.. Most likely getting PS4..
I know :( i preordered but i will still play it and enjoy it.
CadizPosted:
NirelandFuracityCarbvnSuckima420r "There's one mistake that they all make, and that mistake is listening to their customers."
This is one of the dumbest things I have ever read. I really hope no one takes this drivel seriously.
Haha I agree with you
Lol, that is by far the dumbest quote I've ever heard in my life though ahha
Whoever came up with that quote is dumb all I have to say.
probably some over paid idiot
whatever happen to "the customer is always right" a lot of successful businesses have been following that and they are still on top. The whole reason anyone is successful is because of the costumers anyways.
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