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[Windows Central] Next-Gen Xbox Will Reportedly Run Full Windows, Feature a Console-First Windows 11 UI, and Support Full Backward Compatibility

I don't necessarily agree with all the doom and gloomers saying this thing will be DOA -- I have a pretty beefy gaming PC up in my office, but I also want to play games in my living room, on my couch.

And before someone says run some cables, etc -- that's unfortunately not an option at my house. I do use Moonlight to stream from my PC -- but I'd much, MUCH rather just play it natively.

It all boils down to price. If they can give me a reasonably performing console/PC hybrid for my living room -- that keeps all my xbox purchases -- uses my xbox controllers -- and allows me to also run my steam games?

It's a no brainer slam dunk for me. I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
 
It all boils down to price. If they can give me a reasonably performing console/PC hybrid for my living room -- that keeps all my xbox purchases -- uses my xbox controllers -- and allows me to also run my steam games?

It's a no brainer slam dunk for me. I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
Well, we know as a fact that it will be more expensive than a regular console of the same power. And also unlucky that they got hit with new inflation forces right where it hurts.

The fact that Xbox customers are entirely in denial about how expensive it is going to be, because they know this is their last hope, is almost... sad. Not even Steam Machine is going to be as cheap as they wanted to be, what made you think MS would give you a cheap PC hybrid? There is litterally no hope of that at all, but you still cling on to that impossibility. The earlier you give up on that the better. Save up. Get ready to pay premium to save your Xbox library.
 
Well, we know as a fact that it will be more expensive than a regular console of the same power. And also unlucky that they got hit with new inflation forces right where it hurts.

The fact that Xbox customers are entirely in denial about how expensive it is going to be, because they know this is their last hope, is almost... sad. Not even Steam Machine is going to be as cheap as they wanted to be, what made you think MS would give you a cheap PC hybrid? There is litterally no hope of that at all, but you still cling on to that impossibility. The earlier you give up on that the better. Save up. Get ready to pay premium to save your Xbox library.

You're making some assumptions on what my definition of 'reasonably priced' is -- I don't expect it to be $500 or anything. I'd reasonably be hopeful for somewhere in the $800 range This is of course assuming it's slightly subsidized and using custom parts to make it a bit cheaper.
 
You're making some assumptions on what my definition of 'reasonably priced' is -- I don't expect it to be $500 or anything. I'd reasonably be hopeful for somewhere in the $800 range This is of course assuming it's slightly subsidized and using custom parts to make it a bit cheaper.
And does a 600$ Series X signals "subsidising is ON" to you?
 
90% chance the multitrillion dollar company can't deliver a coherent, quality hybrid UI/UX at launch, missing core features and omitting obvious functionality, but with plenty of jank. It'll be 'fixed' (read: 'mildly improved') over the course of multiple years and then people will give them underserved praise for 'getting there in the end' when such things from such a big company should be near-perfect out of the gate. Design will be driven by marketing, the algorithm and whatever the latest top down corporate buzz is.
 
It's just a PC that plays old xbox games that you could run the superior pc version of anyway because it's a PC. 🤷

The people willing to buy a $1000+ machine aren't going to run an XBO game with low settings, resolution and FPS when they can get a steam key of it for $5 or less.

The only thing that sets it apart from other PCs seems mostly pointless to me.

Its for the people who have years and years of purchases and titles such as lost odyssey that I would like to play. Sure, theres probs only dozens of us but it is still cool that they are looking at this. I doubt they will pull it off, but we will see.
 
And does a 600$ Series X signals "subsidising is ON" to you?
I see what you're trying to say here -- but we're not talking about the Series consoles -- it's not unheard of for companies to change tactics and strategies from gen to gen.

Again, I think if this thing is around $800 USD -- it'll do fine. It won't be the impulse buy xmas gift for little timmy -- but I can imagine it being popular enough with adults with some extra cash to burn to make it a moderate success.

By all accounts MS has stopped trying to 'win' the console wars. So go for the enthusiast / hobbyist guys on a hardware level, and make up some of that cash with gamepass / third party sales on other platforms.

inb4 someone else quotes me to say gamepass is dead / wont exist / is a failure.
 
I see what you're trying to say here -- but we're not talking about the Series consoles -- it's not unheard of for companies to change tactics and strategies from gen to gen.

Again, I think if this thing is around $800 USD -- it'll do fine. It won't be the impulse buy xmas gift for little timmy -- but I can imagine it being popular enough with adults with some extra cash to burn to make it a moderate success.

By all accounts MS has stopped trying to 'win' the console wars. So go for the enthusiast / hobbyist guys on a hardware level, and make up some of that cash with gamepass / third party sales on other platforms.

inb4 someone else quotes me to say gamepass is dead / wont exist / is a failure.
If that thing is even close to 1000€ I'll probably buy one as well. But that much silicon and RAM? In this economy?
 
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If that thing is even close to 1000€ I'll probably buy one as well. But that much silicon and RAM? In this economy?
Yeah we'll have to see how that plays out -- I gotta believe [or more realistically, probably, have massive amounts of copium flowing through my veins] that it normalizes again sometime in the next two years.
 
This is the final piece of shit being thrown at the wall hoping it sticks.

Let's just sell a pc in a console box and tell they can run steam and every other pc launcher on it as well as Xbox.

It's going to be hilarious.
 
This is the final piece of shit being thrown at the wall hoping it sticks.

Let's just sell a pc in a console box and tell they can run steam and every other pc launcher on it as well as Xbox.

It's going to be hilarious.


Ronnie, don't you sell pancakes, cheeseburgers, salads, wraps, hashbrowns, AND burritos?! You're one to talk. Let MS dream.
 
Will you be able to install Steam and other launchers on this device, or will you be stuck in the Microsoft gaming ecosystem?

Because if you can install other storefronts, the specs are decent, and the price is right, I can see it being a decent alternative for people who want a Steam Box-like device with more power than Valve's offering.

I'm also interested in seeing the Console-centric Windows 11 UI.
 
Will you be able to install Steam and other launchers on this device, or will you be stuck in the Microsoft gaming ecosystem?

Because if you can install other storefronts, the specs are decent, and the price is right, I can see it being a decent alternative for people who want a Steam Box-like device with more power than Valve's offering.

I'm also interested in seeing the Console-centric Windows 11 UI.

I would assume so. That's why I am looking forward to it. I'd be all about the Steam Machine if it were stronger. If MS delivers that in a smallish form factor, I'm up for it.
 
It's just a PC that plays old xbox games that you could run the superior pc version of anyway because it's a PC. 🤷

The people willing to buy a $1000+ machine aren't going to run an XBO game with low settings, resolution and FPS when they can get a steam key of it for $5 or less.

The only thing that sets it apart from other PCs seems mostly pointless to me.
And who says you can only play those XBO and XSeries games in their original form and resolution without enhancements?

If there's one thing MS has done exceptionally well, it's the console BC and its enhancements (resolution and frame rate improvements, plus free NextGen updates for their games).

Following this precedent, those XBO and XSeries games should work with enhancements on the aforementioned NextXBOX/PC. In fact, there's a possibility that many of them will have the Xbox PC version available via Play Anywhere... so you'd play them in the best possible conditions and with all the enhancements, without needing an update, and for free.

That said, the reason for the Xbox Series X isn't just to play those games with enhancements (although that's part of it), it's to continue having access to the catalog accumulated over several generations at no extra cost (with your saved games, achievements, etc.). In other words, to create a product tailored to the users already in the ecosystem.
 
I don't necessarily agree with all the doom and gloomers saying this thing will be DOA -- I have a pretty beefy gaming PC up in my office, but I also want to play games in my living room, on my couch.

And before someone says run some cables, etc -- that's unfortunately not an option at my house. I do use Moonlight to stream from my PC -- but I'd much, MUCH rather just play it natively.

It all boils down to price. If they can give me a reasonably performing console/PC hybrid for my living room -- that keeps all my xbox purchases -- uses my xbox controllers -- and allows me to also run my steam games?

It's a no brainer slam dunk for me. I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

I will be interested in this kind of console, won't say i will buy for sure as it depends on price, but i don't enjoy playing on PC and might want another console along PS6.
What will having Windows on console provide tho? whould this allow playing games with Steam or other stores? if so it all sounds very interesting to me.
 
Sure, but if you're going to do a 20+ hour playthrough of a game, are you really not going to buy a cheap AF steam key to run it maxed 4k/60 instead of the crappy XBO version you already own?
But what about games that never released on PC? Now pretty much everything comes to PC, but that wasn't always the case. And unlike Sony, MS lets you play a lot of digital 360 games that were 360/PS3 only on Xbox One and Series.
 
But what about games that never released on PC? Now pretty much everything comes to PC, but that wasn't always the case. And unlike Sony, MS lets you play a lot of digital 360 games that were 360/PS3 only on Xbox One and Series.
Yeah that's one benefit as the official BC *should* be better than current emulators for XB/360 though those emulators will catch up eventually, and the odd XBO title like FH2. For XBO titles that are available on PC I don't see much point in using BC personally.
 
But what about games that never released on PC? Now pretty much everything comes to PC, but that wasn't always the case. And unlike Sony, MS lets you play a lot of digital 360 games that were 360/PS3 only on Xbox One and Series.

Doesn't matter. This PC will be compatible only with games that are compatible with the current Series consoles, not the full library of the last 23 years

So your point is moot

Nobody is buying a locked $1500 PC to play old games you can/could already play on a fucking Xbox One from 2013
 
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I will be interested in this kind of console, won't say i will buy for sure as it depends on price, but i don't enjoy playing on PC and might want another console along PS6.
What will having Windows on console provide tho? whould this allow playing games with Steam or other stores? if so it all sounds very interesting to me.
Yeah, if it's running Windows could run GOG/Steam/Epic/Emulators/etc -- that's why I think it could be a hit
 
I will be interested in this kind of console, won't say i will buy for sure as it depends on price, but i don't enjoy playing on PC and might want another console along PS6.
What will having Windows on console provide tho? whould this allow playing games with Steam or other stores? if so it all sounds very interesting to me.

It's really just a PC that (supposedly) plays Xbox console versions of games. So yeah, play Steam if you want.
 
Doesn't matter. This PC will be compatible only with games that are compatible with the current Series consoles, not the full library of the last 23 years

So your point is moot

Nobody is buying a locked $1500 PC to play old games you can/could already play on a fucking Xbox One from 2013

What happens (hyperthetically) if that 1500 dollar pc console performs like a 2k prebuild?
 
Doesn't matter. This PC will be compatible only with games that are compatible with the current Series consoles, not the full library of the last 23 years

So your point is moot

Nobody is buying a locked $1500 PC to play old games you can/could already play on a fucking Xbox One from 2013
I rebought a bunch of games that I owned on PS3 so I could play them on my XSX. I'd love an option to continue playing them on a future system as well.

We'll see just how "locked" this PC ends up being. Or if there's a work around to allow these games to work on a PCs. It's just down to licensing at this point, there's no special hardware that's needed to get it to actually run.

It's been a year or so since I last checked, but Xbox and 360 emulation still has a ways to go. Things were still pretty flaky, stuff ran. But there were graphical glitches and other issues and game compatibility was really spotty.
 
I rebought a bunch of games that I owned on PS3 so I could play them on my XSX. I'd love an option to continue playing them on a future system as well.

Or you could keep your Series X attached to the TV, instead of using a PC with an emulation layer....

But hey, seems like Xbox console players now all love PC gaming all of a sudden....

It's hilarious
 
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Or you could keep your Series X attached to the TV, instead of using a PC with an emulation layer....

But hey, seems like Xbox console players now all love PC gaming all of a sudden....

It's hilarious
But that would require keeping an old console around. I could have just kept playing them on a PS3. I own games from the 80s and 90s through GOG and Steam. And can play them on modern hardware.
 
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