Week in Views – Xbox App Store appetite, Zuck’s Vision Pro diss and Japan goes g | Pocket Gamer.biz

Microsoft’s app retailer intentions, new {hardware} and an Xbox Cloud Gaming app on iOS?

 All of the speak going into Xbox’s enterprise replace final evening had been with reference to Microsoft doing the inconceivable and ditching platform particular exclusives. Being born in an age the place Sonic was Sega, Mario was Nintendo and Sony was… what was Sony once more?… So Xbox – Microsoft’s first console – had its Halo.

The prediction was that within the wake of changing into swollen with Activision Blizzard multi-platform video games (and promising that Name of Obligation would stay on different platforms to be able to dodge monopoly bullets) that Xbox was about to throw open its doorways and throw its fanboys to the wolves.

And with all their video games all over the place, and far of the final 12 months’s Aquiblizz chat being slowed down in cloud gaming debate, would they even trouble making one other Xbox once more?

Within the occasion, whereas the multi-platform unique query did come up because the entrance and centre subject, the reveal of their plans was restricted to the truth that sure, 4 video games which can be at the moment Xbox exclusives can be shifting to as but unannounced rival consoles. At a time that once more, is at the moment unannounced. They usually couldn’t title the 4 video games in query.

Um… Thanks for the replace.

Way more attention-grabbing was the facet chat regarding the truth that new {hardware} IS on the best way (and all of the bets are on a Xbox Cloud Gaming participant/transportable) and that the Xbox App Retailer is definitely now solely whisker away following the EU’s physique blows to Apple.

That $68 billion for Sweet Crush, Diablo Immortal, Name of Obligation and extra is beginning to seem like cash effectively spent.

Embracer sees file $1.2 billion in Q3 earnings after axing 1,400 workers

Embracer’s troubles want little introduction. This week, the writer stated its restructuring program has resulted in roughly 1,400 job losses – round 8% of its world workforce. On the similar time, the corporate posted file income of $1.2 billion in Q3. But it surely’s nonetheless forecast to be off beam for reducing web debt and is contemplating promoting off property, consolidating current groups and probably shedding extra workers..

The corporate is sitting between a rock and a tough place solely of its personal design. But it surely provided a very callous manner of overlaying its errors and desperately making an attempt to persuade shareholders {that a} brighter future awaits.

“Our overruling precept is to all the time maximise shareholder worth in any given scenario.”

Embracer Group CEO Lars Wingefors touted in an earnings name, courtesy of In search of Alpha, how vital it was it posted file income throughout a interval of great restructuring, and that this was “an achievement we ought to be happy with”.

However absolutely that highlights the issue: regardless of file income it nonetheless isn’t making sufficient cash. And that may be a consequence of a technique of development in any respect prices.

Regardless of the corporate’s collapse, Wingefors stays as CEO. It may very well be that traders and the board do belief his imaginative and prescient to show the corporate round, whereas capitalising on the all IP it has scooped up. Notably, these traders embody Lars Wingefors AB, the non-public funding firm based by Wingefors himself, which is the only largest shareholder in Embracer Group at 19.6%, whereas holding a 37.76% share of voting rights.

However that Embracer ever obtained into this place within the first place must be seen as an indictment on the best way it has carried out its enterprise, with builders sadly bearing the brunt of these expensive selections.

Zuckerberg tries Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional: “Quest 3 is the higher product. Interval.”

After all, it was solely a matter of time earlier than Zuckerberg had his say on the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional, and actually, it might be weirder if he stated something aside from “our product does it higher”, however is there any reality in what he has to say?

I discover the VR market attention-grabbing and one with a number of potentialities. I perceive how individuals can get carried away and begin pondering that someday it’ll be Prepared Participant One, however for actual (minus the real-world chaos, please). However in all honesty, I don’t know if VR is as far alongside because it seems to be. Sure, the expertise is spectacular, nevertheless it’s getting individuals to need to and even be capable to use it often, and that’s the center of the difficulty.

This brings me again to Zuckerberg’s factors. I’m not a VR skilled or a Zuckerberg fan, however he does carry up some good factors. He cannot outright declare it’s the higher product total because the Professional has some nice options, however with individuals returning the Imaginative and prescient Professional as a result of simplest of causes, such because it being uncomfortable to put on and generally tough to navigate you must surprise if the lighter Quest 3 with it’s hand-tracking controller assist and naturally a lot lower cost level will be the VR product that extra individuals steer in the direction of.

I believe the important thing to the VR {hardware} market gained’t essentially come all the way down to who has the general higher high-end product; it’ll be the one which does all the easy issues effectively and at a sensible worth level.

Japan generates 50% of worldwide geolocation sport spending

Ever because the 2016 phenomenon that was Pokémon Go, numerous builders have tried to take a slice of the location-based pie, however solely few have succeeded. Go stays the most well-liked within the West and continues to make Niantic its hundreds of thousands, however 2023 noticed its second main success with Monster Hunter Now.

One other Japanese IP, Now understandably took off in Japan and rapidly surpassed $100 million in income, whereas additionally changing into one of many 5 greatest geolocation video games in its IP’s house nation.

Sq. Enix’s Dragon Quest Stroll along with Niantic’s two titles made up the highest three location-based video games in Japan final 12 months, whereas the highest 5 generated $620 million in income. It’s a hefty sum, and doubly spectacular contemplating it accounts for half of the style’s world income final 12 months – displaying simply how prepared Japanese gamers are to get outdoors and stroll.

It’s additionally simply the newest little bit of proof of how prepared they’re to spend…