The Rise and Fall of Microsoft: My Opinion on the company's shortcomings

[Alantor32]

Microsoft is trying to acquire Activision Blizzard for a huge ass sum of money. Plus, there are some troubling and questionable decisions made by the Xbox juggernaut.

 

• https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-execs-private-sting-show-davos-before-mass-layoff-announcement-2023-1?r=US&IR=T

   

Mass layoffs, price increase in Japan, and now it's facing an anti-trust warning over the Activision Bilzzard deal.

 

Back then, I used to own Microsoft laptops before I realized how crap they are and switched to Apple Macbook. I also used to own an Xbox 360 before I realized the Microsoft console doesn't have good games other than boring Halo and Gears of War imo.

 

I now focus my enjoyment on Nintendo Switch and PS5 for my Japanese needs. But it is sad to see Microsoft go down a dark road. Again, just my opinion on this take.

 

What are your thoughts about this?

[Infected Elite]

i own them all and don't care what any company does

[Darling Baphomet]

Microsoft is still an absolute juggernaut and is buying not one, but two of the biggest publishers in the AAA scene, so unless any of these anti-trust probes & warnings amount to anything, it's safe to say it'd be more accurate to title this topic, "the rise and rise of Microsoft".

 

Also, the good thing about Windows computers is that since Windows is just an operating system and not a closed environment there are many different manufacturers to go to. Whereas since everything Apple is made by Apple, they can get away with absolutely ridiculous shit like removing headphone jacks and forcing people to use their overpriced ass ear buds. Macs are also incompatible with most games and a lot of the useful software you'd be able to get on Windows. If you're a casual user with money to spare, they probably work well enough, but you'd have a hard time convincing me they're an objective upgrade.

[Alantor32]

1 minute ago, Darling Baphomet said:

Microsoft is still an absolute juggernaut and is buying not one, but two of the biggest publishers in the AAA scene, so unless any of these anti-trust probes & warnings amount to anything, it's safe to say it'd be more accurate to title this topic, "the rise and rise of Microsoft".

 

Also, the good thing about Windows computers is that since Windows is just an operating system and not a closed environment there are many different manufacturers to go to. Whereas since everything Apple is made by Apple, they can get away with absolutely ridiculous shit like removing headphone jacks and forcing people to use their overpriced ass ear buds. Macs are also incompatible with most games and a lot of the useful software you'd be able to get on Windows. If you're a casual user with money to spare, they probably work well enough, but you'd have a hard time convincing me they're an objective upgrade.

Uh... Microsoft is laying off lots of its employees. How can you say that when the company has gone to hell with laying off its employees and trying to buy AB when they got slapped with an anti-trust warning by EU?

[Infected Elite]

1 minute ago, Alantor32 said:

Uh... Microsoft is laying off lots of its employees. How can you say that when the company has gone to hell with laying off its employees and trying to buy AB when they got slapped with an anti-trust warning by EU?

 

Companies almost always have layoffs. Cant keep everybody employed forever. Its a revolving door. 

[KingGuy420]

1 minute ago, Alantor32 said:

Uh... Microsoft is laying off lots of its employees. How can you say that when the company has gone to hell with laying off its employees and trying to buy AB when they got slapped with an anti-trust warning by EU?

Most tech companies are laying off mass amounts of employees right now. It's in preparation of the inevitable crash that's coming due to inflation. Has nothing to do with these companies struggling.

[Elvick_]

The industry is fucked regardless. That anybody is okay with MS gobbling up massive publishers and development studios speaks for itself how lost consumers are in regards to their own well being. Same people cry about Disney's stranglehood, but jerk off to MS because they're mad at Sony for censoring or whatever their issue is (main popular console always gets hate, some valid; a lot not). 

Sooner the industry crashes the better. But at this rate, I don't expect it to happen. MS in particular can bleed money (as it did with Xbox for many years, idk if they have ever been profitable, I know that they weren't by the tail end of 360 despite knocking Sony down a peg or twelve). 

I don't trust the government to stop what they should as they haven't before. They don't care to protect consumers or the best interests of an industry's health. Disney shouldn't have been allowed to buy Fox, and MS shouldn't have been allowed to buy Bethesda, let alone Acitivision Blizzard potentially happening. I think the only reason it's managed to be so up in the air is that Sony is actively doing something there. 

The more megacorps own, the worse it is not just for consumers but the overall quality of the work itself and the work environments.

[Alantor32]

Just now, KingGuy420 said:

Most tech companies are laying off mass amounts of employees right now. It's in preparation of the inevitable crash that's coming due to inflation. Has nothing to do with these companies struggling.

Ouch. That is sad to hear.

[Darling Baphomet]

2 minutes ago, Alantor32 said:

Uh... Microsoft is laying off lots of its employees. How can you say that when the company has gone to hell with laying off its employees and trying to buy AB when they got slapped with an anti-trust warning by EU?

 

Tons of companies are having mass layoffs right now, especially in the tech industry. Corporations are greedy and will do whatever they can to increase profits.

[TheBlaskar]

i feel like 50% of companies are either going through the process of, or highly deliberating, laying off people right now. Microsoft doing so is more of a reflection of the economy than their current success in the various industries of which it's a giant. 

 

Companies, businesses, and industries fluctuate like crazy. This may be a rough period but they'll be aight

[Alantor32]

1 minute ago, Elvick_ said:

The industry is fucked regardless. That anybody is okay with MS gobbling up massive publishers and development studios speaks for itself how lost consumers are in regards to their own well being. Same people cry about Disney's stranglehood, but jerk off to MS because they're mad at Sony for censoring or whatever their issue is (main popular console always gets hate, some valid; a lot not). 

Sooner the industry crashes the better. But at this rate, I don't expect it to happen. MS in particular can bleed money (as it did with Xbox for many years, idk if they have ever been profitable, I know that they weren't by the tail end of 360 despite knocking Sony down a peg or twelve). 

I don't trust the government to stop what they should as they haven't before. They don't care to protect consumers or the best interests of an industry's health. Disney shouldn't have been allowed to buy Fox, and MS shouldn't have been allowed to buy Bethesda, let alone Acitivision Blizzard potentially happening. I think the only reason it's managed to be so up in the air is that Sony is actively doing something there. 

The more megacorps own, the worse it is not just for consumers but the overall quality of the work itself and the work environments.

...You're not saying because you want mankind to fall, do you? And I seriously doubt the same people left Sony because of the stupid censoring fear mongering. Then again, your thoughts are extreme to a point that I disagree with you saying the industry should crash or whatever nonsense you spew.

[DaivRules]

They’ve got a pretty solid lineup with VS/VS Code, and their acquisition of GitHub. Their Azure offerings are pretty decent, but only compelling when you bundle a bunch of other services and generally only at pretty big scales. 
I really don’t like their pivot many years ago to SaaS for Office, although competitors have been eating Offices lunch for many years now. And I’ve had a lot of people raving about OneNote, but I still haven’t tried it out. 
Bing is lagging in a lot of areas, but it’s pretty established where it is and I don’t think any amount of brand changes is going to break people’s Google habit so it’s probably best they just work organically on its growth and take advantage of any more missteps if they intend to grow it further. 
They recently changed to an unlimited time off model for employees, but coincidentally it was right before their layoffs and wouldn’t you know if people have no time off banked because it’s just “unlimited”, they don’t have to pay out any banked time off! How great?!

Their Xbox division historically has been pretty inconsequential, but their recent string of acquisitions and attempted acquisitions show they’re trying to grow it, but obviously not organically. But very little of MSs history is organic growth so it’s not surprising. 
MS used to make really great keyboards and mice. I’m not sure if they do any more PC hardware, but I’m still using a 20 year old wired MS mouse and it’s still great. 
I was impressed by Windows 7, horrified by 8, and I’ve grown to accept 10, but haven’t dove into 11 yet and I’ll be waiting that one out. 
Their Surface Pros are really great tablets and their Surface laptops are at least a generation behind every time they launch, but they’re solidly built and they influence design decisions of other laptop makers, so I appreciate their attempts. 
 

 

[Infected Elite]

Unless you work for MS directly, who cares about layoffs. Every company trims the fat so to speak as a cost cutting measure. Especially before a potential sale or acquisition. It's honestly just part of any industry.

[Alantor32]

1 minute ago, DaivRules said:

They’ve got a pretty solid lineup with VS/VS Code, and their acquisition of GitHub. Their Azure offerings are pretty decent, but only compelling when you bundle a bunch of other services and generally only at pretty big scales. 
I really don’t like their pivot many years ago to SaaS for Office, although competitors have been eating Offices lunch for many years now. And I’ve had a lot of people raving about OneNote, but I still haven’t tried it out. 
Bing is lagging in a lot of areas, but it’s pretty established where it is and I don’t think any amount of brand changes is going to break people’s Google habit so it’s probably best they just work organically on its growth and take advantage of any more missteps if they intend to grow it further. 
They recently changed to an unlimited time off model for employees, but coincidentally it was right before their layoffs and wouldn’t you know if people have no time off banked because it’s just “unlimited”, they don’t have to pay out any banked time off! How great?!

Their Xbox division historically has been pretty inconsequential, but their recent string of acquisitions and attempted acquisitions show they’re trying to grow it, but obviously not organically. But very little of MSs history is organic growth so it’s not surprising. 
MS used to make really great keyboards and mice. I’m not sure if they do any more PC hardware, but I’m still using a 20 year old wired MS mouse and it’s still great. 
I was impressed by Windows 7, horrified by 8, and I’ve grown to accept 10, but haven’t dove into 11 yet and I’ll be waiting that one out. 
Their Surface Pros are really great tablets and their Surface laptops are at least a generation behind every time they launch, but they’re solidly built and they influence design decisions of other laptop makers, so I appreciate their attempts. 
 

 

I see. I'm glad to hear you have a good time with Windows despite the problems it has. I will always love my Macbook Air since I can play most mobile games on it. And I have given up on Xbox because it doesn't have good Japanese games or platinum achievements.

[Elvick_]

6 minutes ago, Alantor32 said:

...You're not saying because you want mankind to fall, do you? And I seriously doubt the same people left Sony because of the stupid censoring fear mongering. Then again, your thoughts are extreme to a point that I disagree with you saying the industry should crash or whatever nonsense you spew.

Learn to fucking read, Yevon. Literally just made up a bunch of shit to be mad about.

[DaivRules]

12 minutes ago, KingGuy420 said:

Most tech companies are laying off mass amounts of employees right now. It's in preparation of the inevitable crash that's coming due to inflation. Has nothing to do with these companies struggling.

Not so much an inevitable crash that’s coming, nor a reaction to inflation, but more so the spigot of free money for rampant expansion over the last three years got cut off 6 months ago and they’ve come to accept its not coming back on. Joma just did a really easy to understand explanation that directly explains why and relates to Microsoft’s cuts:

 

 

[Alantor32]

2 minutes ago, Elvick_ said:

Learn to fucking read, Yevon. Literally just made up a bunch of shit to be mad about.

Uh... I was just saying and you got defensive about it. I may think you have anger issues.

Just now, DaivRules said:

Not so much an inevitable crash that’s coming, nor a reaction to inflation, but more so the spigot of free money for rampant expansion over the last three years got cut off 6 months ago and they’ve come to accept its not coming back on. Joma just did a really easy to understand explanation that directly explains why and relates to Microsoft’s cuts:

 

 

Oh my god, that's awful. Then again, I never owned a Chromebook or anything like that. But still, that is sad to hear.

[DaivRules]

1 minute ago, Alantor32 said:

Oh my god, that's awful. Then again, I never owned a Chromebook or anything like that. But still, that is sad to hear.

Do you use Chrome or Google Maps or Gmail or YouTube? These larger tech companies are much larger than just one product or division. 
 

[sepheroithisgod]

Microsoft is great outside of their Xbox Division in my opinion. Xbox has done a lot for gaming like introducing the achievement/trophy system, popularize/normalize online gaming, introduce online chat, and probably more, and most recently the game pass yet, they have really done a horrible job at managing their IP in the last decade.

They have released pretty much nothing of note over the last decade from their own studios. And much of what they release is usually broken or empty at launch. Lately, they seem to just be flailing about and trying to buy out the competition and pad the gamepass. It's extremely concerning that no one questioned the acquisition of Bethesda before this, as I felt that was far too big of an acquisition on its own. The Activision/Blizard one is even worse. Microsoft has shown they are not good at managing IP, so I really hope that deal falls through as there is a lot of great IP in there that I don't want to be touched by Microsoft.

I honestly think the only way they could even get this deal passed would be to exit the hardware market (i.e no more Xbox and just operate as a publisher with gamepass as their service, but available on everything).

[Alantor32]

I use Chrome, Gmail and YouTube @DaivRules And you have a fair point. Still, I am grateful for Google for giving us Chrome, Gmail and YouTube. I use YouTube to watch funny vids or video game walkthroughs.

[Floorkiller74]

Always good to make a fanboy post out of nowhere to get people riled up. If the OP were at least pretending to be objective this might have led to an interesting debate, instead it will bring out the usual Gears/Forza/Halo sucks responses.

 

You lost me at Apple laptops are better than....anything. 

 

That said, they do need to work on their exclusives. It is time for something new/exciting. Games like State of Decay are great but they are not blockbusters. 

Edited February 6, 2023 by Floorkiller74

[Alantor32]

I didn't mean to turn this into a fanboy thread. So I am locking this thread to prevent any flame wars and other troublesome posts.