Computerizing the console space. That was always the goal. And I think it worked.

Everyone sees Microsoft's losing "the console war" and I ask you: what war? There's two identical AMD laptops with different colored branding. Just like last gen. Upgrades keep launching in lockstep, so patience doesn't mean better hardware. Most games are on both brands, looking basically the same. Even diehard PS5 fans joke about having no games, and what they mean is, the only games Xbox fans don't get to play are the ones Sony bribed into existence.

The original Xbox was literally a PC. The 360 was a compiler target that made ports easy. The Xbone was both. Whatever this one's called is a pretty straight upgrade. There's no special sauce, anymore. It already doesn't matter which console you own.

Microsoft's not teasing Halo on Playstation out of desperation. They've nearly ended consoles. Yeah, Sony will sell you a box specifically for video games, but most of them can be run on any other box. Or your damn phone. The fact you need a specific box to play Spider-Man or Zelda or whatever will not be enough to sustain a brand. Even Nintendo knows that - that's why they actively avoid competing, and try goofy shit nobody else offers. (Still not clear how "tablet with buttons" was an unexplored space. But now even that is competing with the Steam Deck, which is proudly just a PC.)

I'm not sure Microsoft gives a shit if you buy an Xbox. Like game devs making everything multiplatform, they see platforms as obstacles to selling you goods and services. (At least, other people's platforms.) They want to sell Xbox services on Playstation. Watch them suddenly push against the 30% cut for first-party stores, and loudly opine about Apple's monopoly on iOS.