Hey, Microsoft, it's time to take Xbox localization seriously

Source: Windows Key

In contempo interviews, Microsoft has talked up its intentions to reach the wider gaming market, comprised of "two billion gamers," it says, equally it looks beyond its Anglocentric U.S. and Britain markets. Microsoft points to platforms like Project XCloud and Windows PC for future growth in its gaming business. The company has said that selling home consoles to all two billion individuals in the current and future gaming market is impossible, and that may well be true. Merely one could argue Microsoft has barely even tried.

Recently, I spoke to more than a hundred Xbox fans on Twitter, after asking for opinions on how well Xbox handles localization in their region, outside of the U.S. and the U.k.. I expected a couple dozen responses on minor bug, and I had no idea how poorly Microsoft approaches its global production efforts, speculatively representing decades of self-approbation born of its Windows PC monopoly.

If Microsoft truly is serious about creating a platform where developers tin can access a market place share comprised of billions, information technology needs to start accepting that there is a earth beyond the U.s.a..

Is Microsoft serious about 'two billion gamers'?

Source: Windows Cardinal

Recently, nosotros wrote most all the successes Microsoft has seen in gaming nether the leadership of Phil Spencer, rebuilding a brand that had been dilapidated by a tone-deaf Xbox One launch campaign back in 2022. Every bit Microsoft looks ahead to the future of its business, it will take to navigate encroaching threats from the Eastward, from Chinese tech giants like Tencent, and the ever-present PlayStation.

Speaking to The Guardian in 2022, Phil Spencer reiterated Microsoft's goal to bring the Xbox platform to two billion gamers across the earth:

Our focus is on bringing panel-quality games that you come across on Tv set or PC to whatever device. I want to see the creators that I take relationships with accomplish all two billion people who play games, and non have to turn their studio into something that makes match-3 games rather than story-driven single-player games. Because that'south the but way to accomplish a bigger platform. That is our goal: to bring high-quality games to every device possible on the planet.

Project xCloud game streaming is indeed showing promise equally a viable portable gaming companion, especially on tablets and low-power PCs which have the screen real estate to remain ergonomic. As of today, the text is only likewise small on most games to provide an enjoyable experience on mobile phone screens, non to mention the less-than-convenient reality of having to acquit a video game controller around with you. Even so, both of these issues are things Microsoft wants to solve, with bespoke affect controls and APIs for making Xbox games viable on mobile devices expected in 2022. xCloud game streaming is only function of the strategy.

Source: Windows Key Project XCloud could attain millions of new customers... in theory.

Microsoft is also looking to expand its aspirations on Windows PC to build its concern and reach consumers. The "Game Core" developer environs will provide creators with a unified codebase for making games that run across cloud, Xbox consoles, and PC with minimal piece of work required to cater to each platform. Microsoft has besides been lamentatory upward its own offering on PC, with Halo: Reach dominating Steam sales charts, and Xbox Game Pass for PC winning new customers for the ecosystem at big.

All of this is proficient, only it fails to address the difficult reality that Microsoft remains an Anglocentric visitor that seems blind to the world exterior of the U.S.

Xbox is surrendering global viability

Source: Windows Central

Gamers' habits aren't necessarily changing, but the way the manufacture views the market at big certainly is. Console gaming only makes up a tiny piece of the overall industry pie, with mobile and PC dominating the East.

Microsoft has long seen opportunities in these regions, only has yet to capitalize on them. Xbox effectively doesn't exist in Japan, and console gaming isn't very popular in Cathay — which remains the earth'south largest gaming market. Of course, both regions sport a multifariousness of hurdles for Xbox as a business for a range of reasons, including navigating Draconian Chinese trade rules and Japan'south home-grown, wholly entrenched ecosystems. But Microsoft hasn't actually bothered to capitalize on markets across Europe and parts of the Americas either.

Speaking to scores of Xbox fans on Twitter, I received a small glimpse at the quality of the Xbox ecosystem outside of English-speaking nations. I have written articles previously complaining near non having enough 4K movies on the UK Xbox media store, for case, but these sorts of problems are tiny in comparison to some of the things I've been hearing about various markets beyond Europe, the Americas, and Asia.

Source: Windows Key

One user pointed to the fact the Xbox dashboard isn't offered in Greek, whereas the PlayStation 4 dashboard is. Some other noted that the Xbox doesn't seem to understand that half of Belgium speaks Flemish/Dutch, often offering parts of the dashboard in French, which many Belgians don't speak fluently. Meanwhile, Android and iOS handle these distinctions with ease.

It may come as no surprise to hear that Xbox'southward support in Japan is awful.

It may come up every bit no surprise to hear that Xbox'due south support in Japan is atrocious as well, with games like Sea of Thieves and Land of Decay 2 directly upward being unavailable, while games like Gears five just become subtitle support, without any form of voice acting. Xbox games in Japan besides suffer from terrible matchmaking times, due to the platform'south dismal market share in the region. I've been told recently that Xbox in Nihon now falls under a general "Microsoft hardware" team that too incorporates Surface, and suffers from absolute blank-minimum support from Microsoft'south flagship performance in the U.S. How Microsoft expects to proceeds the support of Japanese developers without any form of investment in the Japanese market is truly mind-blowing.

Source: Windows KeyA small sample of the complaints I received on Twitter.

Xbox hasn't bothered to enter many markets in South America, conceding the console markets in their entirety to Sony's PlayStation, which often enjoys total support. This leaves Xbox fans in many countries to the mercy of "grayness market" scalpers, who charge far across the normal cost. Many "supported" Arabic users in countries like Saudi arabia and UAE study to me that PlayStation enjoys far ameliorate support, offers, and localization than Xbox. Users in Australia, New Zealand, and Africa as well spoke to me about terrible pings, poor regional pricing, and non-real marketing.

When information technology comes to subscription services, geoblocking also prevents Xbox 360 games on Xbox One from beingness downloaded in many countries. I've heard reports that Xbox "Games with Aureate" is bottomless in many other countries, with the mediocre platformer Cobalt being offered repeatedly, several times per year. Information technology'due south as though Microsoft is but asleep at the wheel in many of these regions, with nobody actively promoting or supporting customers.

Microsoft could hand-moving ridge many of these complaints away, noting that the users are playing from unsupported regions, only the truth is that users in "supported" regions are suffering from sub-par experiences, likewise, based on Microsoft's apathy. The S Korean Xbox customs reached out to voice their frustration that the Xbox Store doesn't brandish which games support Korean languages, and they took it upon themselves to produce this massive spreadsheet to inform Koreans which games are really localized. This is bones stuff, that no company of Microsoft'southward size and value should screw up.

PlayStation Network is officially supported in no less than 73 countries, whereas Xbox is supported in a measly 42, and many of those regions seem to only enjoy halfhearted back up.

And so, are y'all serious or not, Microsoft?

Source: Windows Central

I won't pretend to understand the myriad problems Microsoft potentially faces when it comes to entering other markets, especially when it pertains to trade wars and sanctions as a U.S.-based company. It was eye-breaking to hear from Iranian Xbox fans, for example, who cannot admission Xbox Live via IP due to on-going U.South. sanctions against Iran'southward dictatorial government.

Shout out to everyone who in Xbox support who has to see these sorts of complaints every day.

Sanctions aside, neither Apple tree nor Google seem to have issues localizing their digital offerings for many of Xbox's unsupported countries, so why does Microsoft?

Microsoft can hide backside Steam on PC, but Project xCloud is based on Xbox I, and then how does Microsoft promise to reach two billion gamers if it tin't even nail the bare minimum basics of decent localization?

I used to become frustrated that Cortana and Bing had poor features in the Uk compared to the U.S., but the reality for users outside of English-speaking countries is often far worse. Going through scores of complaints made it articulate how much of a sub-par experience many users around the world are getting. Shout out to everyone who works in customs back up and client service, and has to experience these sorts of complaints on a daily basis.

Microsoft might be 1 of the virtually valuable companies on earth, but information technology seems that information technology is besides one of the most inward-facing. For Xbox, that may not a viable long-term position.

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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/dear-xbox-if-you-want-reach-2-billion-gamers-you-need-fix-your-localization

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