Oh I am 99% sure we are getting one more generation of actual Xbox consoles plus Xbox branded OEM PCs
And both form factors with third party PC store access, and Console library BC+FC compatibility, supposedly.
Nothing you said was worth screen capturing
Your prediction didn't come true...yet for the PS5 though, although that's pretty much the case for xCloud being available everywhere.
Costco will sell what they think they can make money on. Clearly they are not making money (or enough money) on Xbox. I have no idea what "meaningful numbers" is as far as their next gen console is concerned.
We don't really know what the next gen Xbox looks like and Microsoft seems hellbent on making the entire concept of "Xbox" meaning everything and nothing at the same time. Customers will decide what sells or not. Always have.
There will always be demand for Gaming PCs, whether it's an Xbox PC or regular pre built. CostCo will reevaluate with next gen hardware. They will have no choice but to.
MS isn't just adding PC store access and PC gaming capabilities to Xbox PCs, and Xbox Consoles just for fun. The reason is to CREATE demand. Any future devices by MS, AMD, and their OEMs will be targeting both PC and Console gamers.
As Digital Foundry Ledbetter theorized, MS, AMD are planning to take over the pre built Gaming PC market with the Xbox compatible Magnus AT2, and AT1, and AT0 PCs. That's one of the reasons why Nvidia joined forces with Intel to create integrated APUs with Intel CPUs and Nvidia GPUs. Nvidia is trying to counter the AMD, MS threat.
Sadly that's their plan crash/disrupt the industry kill off the model that PlayStation has always dominated ( Selling a lot of consoles & retail games ) and try to create a situation where the return on investment would be too low for PlayStation to survive
Conspiracy theory.....
Sony's return on investment is already low margin regardless of what MS does.
MS goal is to simply reach every single device with a screen on earth. Netflix style, they aren't trying to crash the industry, but foresee the future paradigms and adapt rapidly. Console hardware will ALWAYS have a ceiling. That's why MS is trying to create 4 pillars, PC, Console, Cloud, Mobile, for the Xbox ecosystem.
Sony should be doing the same instead of falling behind.
Consoles have VERY low profit margins. Laptops / PCs have higher markups and other uses besides gaming.
True, and that's the point of the PC/Console convergence. So that every AMD powered gaming laptop, PC, handheld will be Xbox compatible.
I think it will be produced in smaller quantities than Series consoles
Gaming PCs and laptops are produced in far higher quantities than Consoles. 90 million Windows devices are sold every quarter. AMD and MS want to turn every pre built PC and Laptop running their chips into Xbox compatible hardware.
There's been rumours of the next Xbox being available via online order only.
It now being cut from various stores strengthens the rumour.
Yes, MS fired tons of retail logistics employees in EU and other regions. They are going to build "First Party Consoles" but the goal of those devices is to act as the developer targets. They are reducing their presence in retail and letting OEMs take over, so that the OEMs can do their thing, and real the profits. In order to create a thriving ecosystem of devices, OEMs need to see profits, so MS has to get out of their way.
You might as well just get a PC at that point. Not sure why you have to wait for a console(?) that will be sold for a big premium.
Console games are optimized for the hardware. MS is trying to create a new category of devices, basically Xbox PCs with fixed hardware optimized games.
Magnus AT2 which will be used in the next gen Xbox X tier consoles isn't even the crown jewel. The crown jewel is Xbox PCs running Magnus AT1 or Magnus AT0.