Microsoft has been keen to mention in recent interviews its intent to reach "two billion gamers," looking eastward beyond its Anglocentric home markets. But Microsoft fails at even the most basic attempts at localization.
In recent interviews, Microsoft ha talked up its intentions to reach the wider gaming market, comprised of "two billion gamers," it says, as it looks beyond its Anglocentric U.S. and UK 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. But 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 UK. I expected a couple dozen responses on minor issues, and I had no idea how poorly Microsoft approaches its global product efforts, speculatively representing decades of complacency born of its Windows PC monopoly.
If Microsoft truly is serious about creating a platform where developers can access a market share comprised of billions, it needs to start accepting that there is a world beyond the United States.
Full story from the WindowsCentral blog...
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