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[Fess]

@KeplerL2 You've said Microsoft can't bring Xbox games to Windows for licensing/legal reasons. What about Valve? Do they have more freedom to bring the games on Steam to other platforms?

The games are published on Steam. And Steam is still Steam even if it's on future console-like SteamOS devices and Steam Deck and ROG Ally.
No problem.

If Microsoft turn the console into a PC of sorts, in a console-shell , and add Windows to the new Xbox then it'll be the same. It's still Windows. Still a PC, just a different case. No problem.

But if they do another OS and if the console isn't a console-like PC but a traditional console. Then publishers could object since they never chose to publish the games for another OS .

 

[Investor9872]

Nah! Sony needs competition to keep them honest. A healthy competition is always a good thing for the consumers.

 

[BlueManifest]

Games don't care about architectures. Everything is high level compiled to a target these days.
The biggest difference from game code standpoint is not the h/w but the s/w platform on top of that h/w - i.e. OS and APIs it provides.
And since consoles aren't made by the same company this key difference will remain no matter what h/w each console is built upon.

Nintendo is probably only one left with games that target specific arch

 

[BlueManifest]

This is definitely just a move to keep some kids on a MS product. Around this time, Windows 12 will be hitting. This is their way to keep the share on PC because more and more kids will jump on to SteamOS the way even Windows has been handling things. People are sick of MS and their crap.

Yea I just want this Xbox pc so I can put steam OS on it lol, gives me a cheap Steam console atleast compared to a pc

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Lower your expectations! Isn't that like $2000 when everything is included?

Lets see. Going for some budget parts cause its a console:

RX9070xt : $600
Ryzen 5 7600: $150
32 gb ddr 5: $70
Mobo: $100
SSD: $50
PSU: $50
Case: $40
Extra: $50

Total around $1100.

I can see some further optimisation can lead to $999. I can see it performing in ballpark in rasterisation.

 

[mrBarrelNut]

Don't forget the stand, how much was that, $70 for plastic?

$1000 would be fair price for Zen6/RDNA5 based device in late 2026.

Especially if it plays not only Xbox games, but PC games from multiple store fronts as well. It could also be able to load full Windows environment, so you could hook it up to a 4K monitor and be able to play Xbox games, PC games and use it as a powerful desktop PC.

If that would be the case, I would buy two, possibly three at launch!

 

[winjer]

ARM barely makes a dent though, Valve already experimented a lot with it and it's even smoother than translation between windows and Linux.

Nvidia would have been most than likely more advanced in AI and path tracing.

Yes, differentiators.

Microsoft following 99.9999% of the pixels showcased on Sony platforms is not a good trajectory so far is it? They need to get to reach that pocket money and outclass Sony to even be a consideration.

On a console, it's not the hardware that really makes the difference, it's the software.
It wasn't the Xenon and Xenos that made the X360 special. It was Gears, Halo, Forza, etc.

ARM, right now is probably bigger than X86. In servers AWS and Nvidia dominate. Intel is losing ground at a fast rate and Zen5 is the only thing good from the X86 side.
In AI, 80% or more is ARM CPUs in blades with Nvidia GPUs. The Switch is the best selling console in the last decade.
And in mobile phones, tablets, wearables and vehicles, it's probably 100% ARM.
And mobile games are bigger than home consoles and PC, combined.

 

[SomeNorseGuy]

"I am thrilled to share we've established a strategic multi-year partnership with AMD to co-engineer silicon across a portfolio of devices including our next-generation Xbox consoles, in your living room and in your hands."

Since it's known that the handheld will be the ROG Xbox Ally and that will be a handheld PC with the updated Windows OS.

Everything is an Xbox - Xbox is apparently still going to be an console.

I can't wait to see this new magical, groundbreaking, console-granting OS in action. Having it play every game on Steam without the need to tinker of access the backend will be a feat worthy of the history books.

Unless they go for some kind of integrated dual-booting, one into an legacy Xbox OS and another to the new Windows gaming OS w/steam access. Even if it sounds stupid and convoluted it would give MS the technicality to skirt around the fact that they call them "consoles" and give them a loophole with regards to licensing platform specific games. But that sounds like it would require quite rigid specs for 3rd party devices and PCs to fulfill to pull off.

I give up, I'm just going in circles at this point lol. Guess I'll just have to wait and see what pearls of wisdom Xbox drops next.

 

[twilo99]

Current consoles already are pcs with custom friendly os for users.

Most people think that consoles are something more than that for whatever reason

 

[lastmessiah]

Most people think that consoles are something more than that for whatever reason

Don't forget that some console users are still learning the difference between 30 fps and 60 fps lol. Most of these people have no idea what they're talking about.

 

[lastmessiah]

I can't wait to see this new magical, groundbreaking, console-granting OS in action. Having it play every game on Steam without the need to tinker of access the backend will be a feat worthy of the history books.

What is this "tinkering with the backend" you are referring to? Even on Windows you just install Steam and then install games through the client. There is no "tinkering" involved.

 

[mrBarrelNut]

Ah, someone else agreed with me on the $2000 number! That's basically required if you expect top of the line hardware. $1000 is if it stayed current gen.

I just ordered parts for a new PC build, and it was roughly 1350€ at retail prices here in Finland. Ryzen 5 9600X, 32 GB DDR5 RAM, RTX 5060 Ti 16GB, 2 TB SSD, nice case, modular PSU and a CPU cooler.

And Microsoft does not pay retail prices…

 

[Karim]

Nah! Sony needs competition to keep them honest. A healthy competition is always a good thing for the consumers.

Doubt this xbox is targeting to compete with ps6. Seems something like Ally Rog or whatever is named.

 

[Knucklepux]

If you are heavily invested into the Xbox ecosystem with a massive library

If this thing can launch a year or two before a PS6 and is clearly the best console to play 3rd party games

No hugely compelling reasons but there are some there


No idea here but I bet likely every publisher would have their hand out wanting paid if Xbox went to porting all these games

Beaten by adamsapple

I see what you mean about being heavily invested in Xbox ecosystem

However the issue with Microsoft is that they don't have enough people invested. Hence their pivot to multi platform.

Wouldn't you argue that you can't grow this way? What is going to sway someone to move to their ecosystem without a legit reason?

 

[Negotiator101]

Doubt this xbox is targeting to compete with ps6. Seems something like Ally Rog or whatever is named.

Seems absolutely nothing like that, this is very much a next gen Xbox with probably Windows incorporated into it. A partnership between Microsoft and AMD. The Ally Rog is a licensing deal.

 

[DragonNCM]

If new Xbox plays also PC games I'm willing to pay 1000$.
That will be good price !

 

[mayham2199]

I see what you mean about being heavily invested in Xbox ecosystem

However the issue with Microsoft is that they don't have enough people invested. Hence their pivot to multi platform.

Wouldn't you argue that you can't grow this way? What is going to sway someone to move to their ecosystem without a legit reason?

I don't think they are trying to grow but just trying to give reasons to stick around if you want to. The idea that they are going to grow or out console Sony or Nintendo I don't even believe is something they think they can do. They've said as much already.

 

[6502]

Xbox with you wherever you go... sounds great. This gen i've been stuck in my living waiting for the games to turn up. Will they deliver steam os or will we be searching for games outdoors Pokemon go style?

Their hardware has always been top notch (rrod aside), but they need to work on more than buzzword promises to fix the reason they continue to fail.

 

[Topher]

Wouldn't that be up to the publisher, i-e I don't think publishers will like it if their games are being ported / playable on multiple platforms without them getting their licensing money.

No idea here but I bet likely every publisher would have their hand out wanting paid if Xbox went to porting all these games

Beaten by adamsapple

The games are published on Steam. And Steam is still Steam even if it's on future console-like SteamOS devices and Steam Deck and ROG Ally.
No problem.

If Microsoft turn the console into a PC of sorts, in a console-shell , and add Windows to the new Xbox then it'll be the same. It's still Windows. Still a PC, just a different case. No problem.

But if they do another OS and if the console isn't a console-like PC but a traditional console. Then publishers could object since they never chose to publish the games for another OS .

Could be an "opt-in" situation like with Geforce Now. But that means a lot of games won't be there.

 

[Jigsaah]

So it's not just the handheld. Doesn't matter...it's not gonna have a 4090 or a 9800x3d level CPU. This will be a hard pass for me. Will wait to see what PS6 has to offer. I'll likely get the ROG Xbox Ally though this year.

 

[Verchod]

When it mentions "grounded in an open, player-first ecosystem — not locked to a single device or store." Could it not mean Xbox store on other platforms, rather than other platforms on Xbox hardware

 

[RoboFu]

When it mentions "grounded in an open, player-first ecosystem — not locked to a single device or store." Could it not mean Xbox store on other platforms, rather than other platforms on Xbox hardware

That's what I have been saying!

 

[Topher]

Lets see. Going for some budget parts cause its a console:

RX9070xt : $600
Ryzen 5 7600: $150
32 gb ddr 5: $70
Mobo: $100
SSD: $50
PSU: $50
Case: $40
Extra: $50

Total around $1100.

I can see some further optimisation can lead to $999. I can see it performing in ballpark in rasterisation.

$1200 minimum (per pcpartspicker) using the cheapest possible parts, which usually means shit quality.

 

[Fess]

Could be an "opt-in" situation like with Geforce Now. But that means a lot of games won't be there.

To me it sounds like they're doing a Windows device with fully PC compatible hardware. At worst it'll be like a ROG Ally, but in a console-shell, and with a new UI. You know the ups and down better than most on that.

 

[Gambit2483]

When it mentions "grounded in an open, player-first ecosystem — not locked to a single device or store." Could it not mean Xbox store on other platforms, rather than other platforms on Xbox hardware

Why would anyone, anywhere go with the Xbox store over Steam (outside of Gamepass)?

Honest question.

 

[hinch7]

So it's not just the handheld. Doesn't matter...it's not gonna have a 4090 or a 9800x3d level CPU. This will be a hard pass for me. Will wait to see what PS6 has to offer. I'll likely get the ROG Xbox Ally though this year.

With custom Zen 5+3nm RDNA 5/UDNA will sure come close in real world vs desktop and certainly be a lot more affordable.

 

[adamsapple]

When it mentions "grounded in an open, player-first ecosystem — not locked to a single device or store." Could it not mean Xbox store on other platforms, rather than other platforms on Xbox hardware

It could mean both, sure.

But somehow I doubt Sony is going to allow Xbox's storefront on their system.

 

[Fess]

Lets see. Going for some budget parts cause its a console:

RX9070xt : $600
Ryzen 5 7600: $150
32 gb ddr 5: $70
Mobo: $100
SSD: $50
PSU: $50
Case: $40
Extra: $50

Total around $1100.

I can see some further optimisation can lead to $999. I can see it performing in ballpark in rasterisation.

That's just hardware. And it's not going to be off the shelf parts. And not budget parts. They're building the console in-house and they're doing something unique and they're going to want the R&D money back and more.
I don't know what to expect from the hardware but most definitely not 9070xt graphics power.

 

[Darsxx82]

 

[Fess]

Sounds good, all of it.
Just don't forget about us who already moved over to PC… I want that new scaled back big screen Windows UI on my living room PC!

 

[mrBarrelNut]

Why would anyone, anywhere go with the Xbox store over Steam (outside of Gamepass)?

Honest question.

Xbox games from Xbox store, PC games from Steam.

 

[Knucklepux]

I don't think they are trying to grow but just trying to give reasons to stick around if you want to. The idea that they are going to grow or out console Sony or Nintendo I don't even believe is something they think they can do. They've said as much already.

So then what's the point at all? Why make hardware at all?

They absolutely want to compete. They have to. They also have to grow, that's what their goal has been. Its what every companies goal is.

PlayStation has market share but still wants to grow. It's shareholder expectations

They have a play here and I guarantee it's locking content behind windows in some shape or form

 

[Clear]

Crazy thought: What if the new Xbox is actually an x64 based CPU/APU with some sort of security module that all Xbox software will require to be present.

Hence any vendor will be able to be able to add an Xbox to their product line-up, by installing one of thesse processors in the model.

 

[Tazzu]

Is this coming to Series consoles? More importantly will PC and the new console upres older games?

 

[Punished Miku]

Sure sounds like they're nearly ready to show it.

 

[mayham2199]

So then what's the point at all? Why make hardware at all?

They absolutely want to compete. They have to. They also have to grow, that's what their goal has been. Its what every companies goal is.

PlayStation has market share but still wants to grow. It's shareholder expectations

They have a play here and I guarantee it's locking content behind windows in some shape or form

They still make a ton of money off the 30% from their consoles and from the subs. Lets look at the alternative. They stop making consoles. Now those 30-35 million subs are gone, the 30% they were making from game sales, gone. That's a ton of revenue gone from the whole division.

They will continue to grow by releasing their games everywhere. Basically they are going to grow by selling more games than ever that will increase the divisions revenue which is what they want.

 

[Karim]

Seems absolutely nothing like that, this is very much a next gen Xbox with probably Windows incorporated into it. A partnership between Microsoft and AMD. The Ally Rog is a licensing deal.

Yeah because a very much xbox has a Windows incorporated. And in what way Ally Rog is less xbox.

 

[Futaleufu]

I remember that thread where people said moving to ARM chips was the future

 

[twilo99]

Ok so the question that matters the most here in my opinion is will they be licensing this software "system" to other OEMs so that they can make their own boxes?

If that is the case this might change things quite a bit because let's assume MS sticks to the 5-6 year cycle cadence for their own hardware but Asus, MSI, and Razer for example might start shipping hardware on their own schedule which would then potentially give you access to the latest/current hardware on a yearly or bi-yearly basis (as nature inteded) instead of being stuck with archaic components for 6+ years?

Sounds too good to be true but let's see.

 

[twilo99]

I remember that thread where people said moving to ARM chips was the future

It is... what MS are doing here is rather disappointing but ARM matters a bit less if the console can always be plugged into a power outlet.

ARM makes a huge difference when power is only available from a tiny battery..

 

[lastmessiah]

Ok so the question that matters the most here in my opinion is will they be licensing this software "system" to other OEMs so that they can make their own boxes?

If that is the case this might change things quite a bit because let's assume MS sticks to the 5-6 year cycle cadence for their own hardware but Asus, MSI, and Razer for example might start shipping hardware on their own schedule which would then potentially give you access to the latest/current hardware on a yearly or bi-yearly basis (as nature inteded) instead of being stuck with archaic components for 6+ years?

Sounds too good to be true but let's see.

How is it too good to be true? They already do this with Windows. If they make a gaming-centered Windows build, why wouldn't they do the same?

 

[BlueManifest]

When it mentions "grounded in an open, player-first ecosystem — not locked to a single device or store." Could it not mean Xbox store on other platforms, rather than other platforms on Xbox hardware

Other stores to me mean not just Xbox store

 

[twilo99]

How is it too good to be true? They already do this with Windows. If they make a gaming-centered Windows build, why wouldn't they do the same?

Yes, should work out but let's see how they deal with the licensing bit and how many OEMs will be willing to jump on

 

[Proelite]

The question will always remain…. What incentive do I have to buy anything they put out?

If I have a steam library, I have a PC

If I even cared about handheld, I'd have one by now

Console? What reason would I own it over a PS6?

Windows gaming? Steam is king…so why would I buy from Xbox storefront? I mean I HAVE a steam library, right?

The answer??? Exclusive content

Stay tuned everyone because Xbox IS going to have exclusives. Just exclusive to their storefront or gamepass

Netflix has exclusive content, Hulu has exclusive content, Disney+ has exclusive content, Nintendo has exclusive content, PlayStation has exclusive content, Epic has exclusive content to their STOREFRONT, Steam has exclusive content to their STOREFRONT

A future without console wars is a future with subscription wars. But hey…this is what you all asked for

Gamepass has exclusive content. Outside of consoles, no other HW has exclusive content as a defining characteristics. Iphones might get some exclusives apps just from circumstances. Consoles were an unique model. PC gaming GPUs didn't play the exclusive game.

 

[Knucklepux]

They still make a ton of money off the 30% from their consoles and from the subs. Lets look at the alternative. They stop making consoles. Now those 30-35 million subs are gone, the 30% they were making from game sales, gone. That's a ton of revenue gone from the whole division.

They will continue to grow by releasing their games everywhere. Basically they are going to grow by selling more games than ever that will increase the divisions revenue which is what they want.

Right but your talking about current consoles when referencing 30-35 million. Although that number is HIGHLY debatable.

These were also consoles bought with the idea of accessing Xbox's game IPs. Pre multi platform approach.

Now people will presumably make that decision again vs PS6 (where they get PS exclusives and Xbox IPs). Easy choice.

This idea of carrying years old game libraries is great but what about going forward?

Your argument easily makes the case that EA or Ubisoft should just make a console.

Xbox fans are wrong about everything. They will put their games behind Gamepass or their storefront. They won't let Epic or Steam undercut their prices on their own fucking hardware

Also, what gamepass price do you get? Currently PC is 9.99/mo. That isn't gonna stand moving forward

 

[Knucklepux]

Gamepass has exclusive content. Outside of consoles, no other HW has exclusive content as a defining characteristics. Iphones might get some exclusives apps just from circumstances. Consoles were an unique model. PC gaming GPUs didn't play the exclusive game.

Gamepass doesn't have exclusive content. Everything on Gamepass is purchasable outside of it. I'm saying that they will eventually make that not the case

Netflix is everyone's favorite example. Netflix has exclusive shows that never hit blu-ray, etc… only way to access is with a sub

Xbox WILL do that eventually

 

[vaibhavpisal]

$1200 minimum (per pcpartspicker) using the cheapest possible parts, which usually means shit quality.

That's just hardware. And it's not going to be off the shelf parts. And not budget parts. They're building the console in-house and they're doing something unique and they're going to want the R&D money back and more.
I don't know what to expect from the hardware but most definitely not 9070xt graphics power.

These are retail prices.

MS wont be paying retail prices. Also it will be APU and simplified system.

I think it will be close. Maybe with some adjustments like 16 gb ram instead of 32 (total is still 32) and 9070 instead of xt variant it can definitely hit $999.

 

[Topher]

These are retail prices.

MS wont be paying retail prices. Also it will be APU and simplified system.

I think it will be close. Maybe with some adjustments like 16 gb ram instead of 32 (total is still 32) and 9070 instead of xt variant it can definitely hit $999.

No, Microsoft will be charging retail prices and I guarantee you Microsoft is going to add more markup than the cheapo parts I selected.

 

[Idleyes]

PS fans entering this discussion on their bash Xbox hobby horse.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

No, Microsoft will be charging retail prices and I guarantee you Microsoft is going to add more markup than the cheapo parts I selected.

What power level do you think it will have ?

9060xt feels a bit low for a 999 system.