3 ms·

"It just looks as if they _want_ to avoid success at all costs" Microsoft owns how many gaming properties and technolgy stacks at this point? Despite that, App

"It just looks as if they _want_ to avoid success at all costs" Microsoft owns how many gaming properties and technolgy stacks at this point? Despite that, Apple beat all other companies to the $3T market valuation in January this year (AAPL at $2.2T, MSFT at $1.9T today). I fail to see where Apple is "avoiding success" in this scenario. They have clearly shown that one need not appeal to the gamers to find success. Though I am a PC gamer, I kind of get it TBH. The variety of motherboards/GPUs/CPUs/APIs etc are kind of bewildering and having something that "just works" (or at least aspires to that goal) is appealing.

behnamoh 4y ago
That's not a fair comparison as Apple and MS are totally different companies. By "avoiding success" I meant "game success", not profitability or some number on the NASDAQ.
- ChristopherDrum 4y ago
  Apple's mobile strategy has about 15% market share but generates almost 60% of the mobile game revenue. I just can't see that as "avoiding success" in gaming.
belltaco 4y ago
>Microsoft owns how many gaming properties and technolgy stacks at this point? Despite that, Apple beat all other companies to the $3T market valuation in January this year (AAPL at $2.2T, MSFT at $1.9T today). The reason is that Windows, unlike iOS, allows Steam, GoG etc. and non-Store games run on it without having to pay MS for the privilege. Imagine MS' market cap if it took 30% of all PC gaming revenue. And because it's impossible for Apple to take their 30% cut of all games, they ignore/deprioritize it and focus on making more money than try to provide more value to Mac users who want to game. Microsoft essentially built the new era of PC gaming with DirectX back in the mid to late 90s, and that helped them sell more Windows licenses on home PCs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirectX#Development_history https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirectX#Development_history
- behnamoh 4y ago
  That's what I think too. For all the hatred MS gets, at least some of their actions benefit customers despite making almost zero $ for MS. Apple is clearly different.
  - spacemanmatt 4y ago
    Apple isn't different. MS tried and sorta-lost-sorta-won, in a different market and a different era, while Apple was actually pretty miserable in the market.
- ChristopherDrum 4y ago
  Well, first you're cross-comparing mobile iOS with desktop Windows. Steam exists for macOS and does not take shuttle any revenue to Apple. Microsoft did everything it could to lock developers into the Windows ecosystem because their focus was on Windows. And it worked, on the desktop. I sincerely don't doubt they would have done what Apple did with an app store cut had they figured out a way to do it. They were ruthless back then and were almost broken up for their monopoly. They certainly didn't develop the Windows-only DirectX out of the goodness of their heart. It was to sell Windows. They got their cut, make no mistake, even if they didn't cast as wide a net as Apple. Getting back to the mobile side, for which Microsoft never could decide on its strategy, I still don't see how one can say that Apple is "trying to fail" at gaming. They account for 15% of the mobile market, but generate 56% of the mobile game revenue (data from here: https://www.businessofapps.com/data/app-revenues/ https://www.businessofapps.com/data/app-revenues/) . That just doesn't sound like anything resembling failure to me.

behnamoh 4y ago

That's not a fair comparison as Apple and MS are totally different companies. By "avoiding success" I meant "game success", not profitability or some number on the NASDAQ.

ChristopherDrum 4y ago
Apple's mobile strategy has about 15% market share but generates almost 60% of the mobile game revenue. I just can't see that as "avoiding success" in gaming.

belltaco 4y ago

>Microsoft owns how many gaming properties and technolgy stacks at this point? Despite that, Apple beat all other companies to the $3T market valuation in January this year (AAPL at $2.2T, MSFT at $1.9T today). The reason is that Windows, unlike iOS, allows Steam, GoG etc. and non-Store games run on it without having to pay MS for the privilege. Imagine MS' market cap if it took 30% of all PC gaming revenue. And because it's impossible for Apple to take their 30% cut of all games, they ignore/deprioritize it and focus on making more money than try to provide more value to Mac users who want to game. Microsoft essentially built the new era of PC gaming with DirectX back in the mid to late 90s, and that helped them sell more Windows licenses on home PCs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirectX#Development_history https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirectX#Development_history

behnamoh 4y ago
That's what I think too. For all the hatred MS gets, at least some of their actions benefit customers despite making almost zero $ for MS. Apple is clearly different.
- spacemanmatt 4y ago
  Apple isn't different. MS tried and sorta-lost-sorta-won, in a different market and a different era, while Apple was actually pretty miserable in the market.
ChristopherDrum 4y ago
Well, first you're cross-comparing mobile iOS with desktop Windows. Steam exists for macOS and does not take shuttle any revenue to Apple. Microsoft did everything it could to lock developers into the Windows ecosystem because their focus was on Windows. And it worked, on the desktop. I sincerely don't doubt they would have done what Apple did with an app store cut had they figured out a way to do it. They were ruthless back then and were almost broken up for their monopoly. They certainly didn't develop the Windows-only DirectX out of the goodness of their heart. It was to sell Windows. They got their cut, make no mistake, even if they didn't cast as wide a net as Apple. Getting back to the mobile side, for which Microsoft never could decide on its strategy, I still don't see how one can say that Apple is "trying to fail" at gaming. They account for 15% of the mobile market, but generate 56% of the mobile game revenue (data from here: https://www.businessofapps.com/data/app-revenues/ https://www.businessofapps.com/data/app-revenues/) . That just doesn't sound like anything resembling failure to me.