HeisenbergFX4
Member
FTFY
AMD confirms they will be developing next generation "consoles, PCs, and handheld" devices for Xbox
- Thread starter GHG
- Start date
StreetsofBeige
Member
So something like Ally Xbox is simply just a badge stamp right (no fancy Xbox affiliation other than a logo)?
But all this AMD stuff is custom OS/chip Xbox consoles, PCs, handhelds etc....
We'll have to see how well this shotgun approach to Xbox branding stuff is in a couple years when all this AMD gear comes out. Going by what people seem to be posting about specs, it'll be skewed to higher end gear at high prices.
But all this AMD stuff is custom OS/chip Xbox consoles, PCs, handhelds etc....
We'll have to see how well this shotgun approach to Xbox branding stuff is in a couple years when all this AMD gear comes out. Going by what people seem to be posting about specs, it'll be skewed to higher end gear at high prices.
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Dr. Wilkinson
Member
The scuttlebutt is that the internal native Xbox handheld was shelved (indefinitely?) in favor of prioritizing the Asus Xbox-branded handhelds.
But an in-house successor to Series X, at least for the time being as far as we know, is in full development for 2027/2028 whatever. To compete with PS6.
MikeM
Member
I would if it means PC game settings, Steam library access, all in a pain-free box free of issues that you can get in the DIY PC world.
viveks86
Member
I'm… confused. why are they releasing 2 classes of devices (Xbox console and Xbox PC) if one was supposed to serve both needs i.e play both console and PC games on one device? Or was that all a giant misunderstanding?
Not exactly like that. Development was supposedly halted to focus on developing a decent OS for handheld PCs (especially given the advance of Steam OS).
XSX sucessor is for 2026 based on Magnus leak.
What the agreement with AMD reveals is the development of a line of chips with a common architecture and software (DirectX, APIs, development tools, etc.). Any future Xbox-related hardware will be based (and therefore optimized) on that line of chips.
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What do you mean? They made one of their biggest Bethesda games exclusive and it failed to have any impact at all. To the point where Phil went on video to tell everybody how much their exclusive games failed to have an impact.
Cakeboxer
Member
Would only make sense if it's some kind of PC/console hybrid. Another classic console? That's just dumb, especially after they tanked this generation's sales themselves with awful availability and crazy prices. But hey, good news for the blue hardliners, looks like they don't have to find a new hate hobby anytime soon.
Fess
Member
Sounds like that. Plus, they have the Ally strategy too where they redesign an already existing product.So, there is an Xbox-PCMR + a dedicated system + a lame-ass handheld? 3 HW configurations, how devs will react to this?
Very aggressive!
As said many times now. When the Xbox console died it reacted like a badly cutdown aspen tree… The root survived so now it's shooting out new sprouts everywhere to survive.
Means that Xbox is going to literally flood the market… It's not dead, it's EVERYWHERE.
Regarding devs. I think they'll optimize for the dedicated console, possibly handheld too if it's not the Ally but a dedicated one. The rest will be like PC, has to rely on the hardware being good enough to brute force into good performance.
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Gojiira
Member
Just from that its looking like yet another clusterfuck of mixed hardware from Xbox. So we already have Xbox branded Allys coming, but also new Console(s) PLURAL, Other handhelds PLUS Xbox branded PC's of some description…This really is throwing shit at the wall. Cant wait for another X1S fiasco.
vaibhavpisal
Member
AMD adding PC to this list simply means they are also confused whats coming from Xbox.
They will simply provide the chip regardless of whatever xbox decides to make.
They will simply provide the chip regardless of whatever xbox decides to make.
Killjoy-NL
Member
This is like Will Smith making a comeback with his recent "action staaarrrrrr" freestyle and "Pretty girls" coming-out single.
That was post Redfall launching as a complete embarrassment. As Starfield was launching, their multiplatform strategy was already announced (via doom dark ages) and the multiplatform games were already in development. Xbox rolled over before trying.
They never once got aggressive in a real way and they gave up before even trying, all thanks to the ABK merger I believe.
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Are you sure about that? As far as I remember Starfield launched in September 2023 and Doom Dark ages was announced in June 2024. MS were very much about exclusives until that flopped and did nothing for xbox.
The series x also plays all xbox games.
It's clearly not much of a selling point.
Yeah you're right, but sixish months after Starfield launched we started getting games on PS5. It takes more than six months to port games so it's obvious Microsoft gave up before Starfield even came out.
Basically sums up the entire Xbox "business" at this point.
BlackTron
Member
AMD of all parties is keenly aware of what roles these chips will be expected to perform, because they have to design/customize them. To not know would be a special case, not a default assumption.
Punished Miku
Gaslighter Pro: 16.7 Fireflops
I got one.
vaibhavpisal
Member
AMD likely is preparing for all scenarios, hence they mentioned PC.
I mean, AMD already sells PC processors. Whats the point of xbox pc? That is likely to be a OS update to Windows from MS, more than anyone making an actual Xbox PC.
Tobimacoss
Member
They're doing 5 form factors.
Xbox PCs
Xbox Laptops
Xbox Consoles
Xbox Handhelds
Xbox Cloud
All devices built on Xbox designed AMD APUs with console library BC and third party store access.
The OS and UI/UX will cater to each device form factor. For example, the Console will look and function just like Xbox OS, and less likely to include a Desktop Mode or File System Access. So this device will be cheaper than an Xbox PC.
The Xbox PCs would default to Desktop Mode but with an optional Xbox mode.
Magnus will be used for Xbox PC, Xbox Console, Xbox Cloud.
They will use something else for Xbox Laptops and Xbox Handhelds.
I think a lot of these games had a PS5 version prior and already multiplatform engines so it wouldn't take that long to release a port. They had just cancelled that version internally due to the decisions of higher ups at xbox, then decided to continue with the release again when xbox continued to collapse. Indiana Jones even had evidence in court that they had cancelled it entirely in June 2023 (renegotiated with Disney to make it exclusive and costing them money) but it was announced for PS5 in August 2024. I think the shift in strategy began in early 2024 with select games due to financial reasons then as xbox sales continued to plummet they had to do more and more releases on PS to stop the games from completely flopping on xbox.
BlackTron
Member
Xbox PC is probably a special chip that allows "native" running of Xbox console software on the "PC" (legally, respecting contracts with publishers that they sold an Xbox game, not a PC game. This chip inside running real Xbox code is what makes it an Xbox).
vaibhavpisal
Member
Curious name, if true.
Personally would like them to invest everything in main SOC and use emulation for BC.
viveks86
Member
So a reference design for each class and OEMs getting to make their own variants?
This really feels like a Hail Mary. Saturate the market and see if anything catches on.
BlackTron
Member
What's so curious about the name, even as a placeholder? It's more an Xbox PC than the ROG Ally. Which is really, just a PC.
Emulation won't allow you to play Xbox games on a PC because Xbox has sold licenses to play third party games on Xbox. While we say "everything is an Xbox", actually the thing will need to achieve legal status of being an Xbox in order to play your existing game library on it. There is no way to do this with mere software on the ROG Ally, they need a hardware solution. Otherwise, it's just giving a free PC license to people who bought Xbox games and publishers tend to like deciding which licenses they give out.
That's what I'm betting on right now too (based on the situation, Microsoft's comments, clues, and leaks). But also there are still many unknowns, and there may be things we don't know about how they'll execute this strategy. We'll see.
vaibhavpisal
Member
I think as long as system identifies as xbox console, emulation should be fine.
Xbox console games cannot be sold on a windows PC, thats my understanding.
There have been a lot of instances of BC achieved via emulation instead of including an actual chip.
Astray
Member
I still contend that the infamous Phil Spencer appearance on XCast was around the time they decided they had to port over everything. No other reason explains his prolonged and very out of character crying session.
GHG
Member
Yep that was May of the same year that Starfield released.
It might have been Redfall's failure that caused Satya to throw the hammer down, especially because just weeks prior to the release of that game he went and highlighted it as an upcoming catalyst for the division in their earnings call.
Satya Nadella:
"Great content remains the flywheel behind our growth. We have now surpassed 500 million lifetime unique users across our first party titles. And I've never been more excited about our pipeline of games, including the fourth quarter launches of Minecraft Legends and Redfall. In closing, we are focused on continuing to raise the bar on our operational excellence and performance, as we innovate to help our customers maximize the value of their existing technology investments and thrive in the new era of AI."
Uncle Phil must have been selling him the dream in order for him to say that. Satya's response:
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viveks86
Member
There will be nothing proprietary that Xbox can do on the hardware side in the PC space that no other manufacturer can do on their own. If they design something for BC exclusively with AMD while leaving out Nvidia (the dominant player) in the PC market, it will cause blowback. I have a feeling that each platform is going to release with an asterisk, with each having some limitation or the other, such as BC limited to "play anywhere" on PC and handheld. They are just making it sound seamless and universal when it likely won't be.
Outside of BC, even if they convince publishers that all these devices are legally an "Xbox", why would Rockstar allow GTA to run on Xbox PC and Xbox Handhelds when they haven't announced anything for PC? Why would they bother optimizing anything for platforms they aren't currently focused on? How would the game even perform? How would a current gen console exclusive game run on an Xbox handheld without optimization?
If we agree that GTA won't be on Xbox PC and Handhelds, then that logic has to extend back to legacy titles that never made it to the PC space. So is it going to be a patchwork of games that work?
Moses85
Member
BlackTron
Member
It's more that Xbox console games can't be played on them. That's kind of the point of Play Anywhere -you get both a PC and Xbox license. This is kind of like going "oh, turns out, you never needed two after all!"
I'm pretty sure they can't just turn a PC into Xbox with software update. Which is contrast to PS3 running PS2 games with BC which was never anything but a Playstation. I think it is getting around technicalities of very specific contract wording. MS has to be able to say "see, it really IS an Xbox" to insulate themselves. Just a sticker on a PC isn't good enough.
BlackTron
Member
Rockstar would have no choice but to let Microsoft keep selling existing GTA on its "Xbox family" of devices, unless they want to pull the game or become difficult of course, but is it worth it over old games? If they don't like how MS made GTA available on a handheld because it runs Xbox games, then they will have to be more stringent about the contract for the next game. I doubt it would go there, but an example of them caring would be to compel you to double dip on a Switch version instead of use the same license. Cynical, but publisher-speak.
IMO the solution won't be patchy. They will have something that just runs any existing Xbox code, including the titles that are already BC games, brute force. Even if there's already an emulation layer. They don't want to be on the hook, to individually patch every game yet AGAIN. No way. It will just run everything, the way it already is, no work required.
Negotiator101
Member
And vice versa.
RodriGames40
Member
I look forward to the day that there are more news to cover out there than glorified publicity for a damn PC with a sticker slapped on.
viveks86
Member
That logic would then have to extend forward in perpetuity. All publishers will have to support the entire "Xbox family" even if they had no plans to launch on PC day 1 or on an older generation due to resource constraints. They are obligated to field tech support if their game is having problems on even one device in the family. And we are talking about OEMs making variants. None of this will be in any contract at the moment as this "family" doesn't yet exist. Meanwhile current gen games are still being made with just series X and S in mind. All of this makes sense only if a title is launched on PC, as supporting all variants is the dev's responsibility. It doesn't if MS suddenly decides to redefine Xbox.
Honestly, I don't see publishers finding this acceptable without significant money exchanging hands prior to this family being launched and they all accept "play anywhere".
Tobimacoss
Member
No, MS is obviously going to handle Xbox Cloud in Azure datacenters. For first party devices in other form factors, they're only doing Consoles.
Xbox and AMD: Advancing the Next Generation of Gaming Together - Xbox Wire
This week, Xbox announced it is actively building its next-generation lineup across console, handheld, PC, cloud, and accessories. Find out more inside.
news.xbox.com
The Console or consoles are going to be the baseline, for 1080/120 and 4k/120 gaming, what the developers will target. That forms the foundation for the rest of the platform. All the devices running the same set of AMD APUs, MS Smart Delivery delivers the console version to the various form factors. The laptops and handhelds get the 1080/120 version and PCs, and Consoles get the 4k/120 version. Cloud gets both as needed depending on which profile they run.
The OEMs are going to be handling the other form factors along with possibly higher tier Console SKUs.
Look at this Acer laptop with RDNA 3.5 graphics.
"Console-Class Gaming on the Go
RDNA™ 3.5 architecture enables thrilling gaming performance, high-resolution display support, and hardware-accelerated encoding for smoother gameplay, stunning visuals, and faster video processing."
Acer advertises that with Console class gaming on the go. With the Next gen APUs, Acer could advertise literally as Console Gaming on the Go.
It's not a Hail Mary. What they're doing is attaching Xbox hardware to PC Gaming. Both will exist as long as PC Gaming exists. 90 million Windows devices are sold every quarter.
MS and AMD want to turn all windows devices sold into basic gaming machines, Intel iGPUs sucked at that for long time. So if AMD can get market share in just 10% of all windows devices, that would be 9 million Xbox capable windows devices sold every quarter.
That's the strategy.
And MS may decide to do first party Surface laptops with the AMD APUs. That's been a top request by many Surface fans.
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Kataploom
Gold Member
Because you may not care about PS exclusives while liking the Xbox controller or any other feature or service better?
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viveks86
Member
I get the strategy. I'm just skeptical that all publishers will play along with it. It's way too ambitious and far reaching for the 2 players that are the underdogs in their respective fields. Hence my sense that it is a Hail Mary. Either this would be a massive success and everyone plays along, or publishers pull out because they are killing double-dip revenue potential. This takes away the publisher's prerogative to exercise platform exclusivity. It's either all Xbox or no Xbox. Let's hope they all go with the former and not the latter.No, MS is obviously going to handle Xbox Cloud in Azure datacenters. For first party devices in other form factors, they're only doing Consoles.
Xbox and AMD: Advancing the Next Generation of Gaming Together - Xbox Wire
This week, Xbox announced it is actively building its next-generation lineup across console, handheld, PC, cloud, and accessories. Find out more inside.
The Console or consoles are going to be the baseline, for 1080/120 and 4k/120 gaming, what the developers will target. That forms the foundation for the rest of the platform. All the devices running the same set of AMD APUs, MS Smart Delivery delivers the console version to the various form factors. The laptops and handhelds get the 1080/120 version and PCs, and Consoles get the 4k/120 version. Cloud gets both as needed depending on which profile they run.
The OEMs are going to be handling the other form factors along with possibly higher tier Console SKUs.
Look at this Acer laptop with RDNA 3.5 graphics.
"Console-Class Gaming on the Go
RDNA™ 3.5 architecture enables thrilling gaming performance, high-resolution display support, and hardware-accelerated encoding for smoother gameplay, stunning visuals, and faster video processing."
Acer advertises that with Console class gaming on the go. With the Next gen APUs, Acer could advertise literally as Console Gaming on the Go.
It's not a Hail Mary. What they're doing is attaching Xbox hardware to PC Gaming. Both will exist as long as PC Gaming exists. 90 million Windows devices are sold every quarter.
MS and AMD want to turn all windows devices sold into basic gaming machines, Intel iGPUs sucked at that for long time. So if AMD can get market share in just 10% of all windows devices, that would be 9 million Xbox capable windows devices sold every quarter.
That's the strategy.
And MS may decide to do first party Surface laptops with the AMD APUs. That's been a top request by many Surface fans.
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Fess
Member
Yep this is it.
Those who think Xbox will die should buckle up and prepare for minimum one generation of Xbox this and Xbox that literally EVERYWHERE.
Pedro Motta
Gold Member
Road to 10M sales next generation.
Kacho
Gold Member
The chances of them succeeding is slim to none but I look forward to watching it unfold. The novelty of an easy to use Steam + Xbox/GP box might speak to console-only people that don't want to jump into the PC space.
I swear I heard rumors of an Xbox Surface. That would be cool to see, assuming it plays all of our console games — less bulky than a laptop, bigger screen than a handheld.
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viveks86
Member
If Playstation still sees Xbox as competition, they will pull out of the PC space altogether. Xbox consoles that can play PC, console and playstation games dramatically undervalues the needs for a Playstation at all. Is anyone even thinking about how others would react? Sure, all this is consumer friendly and it's awesome to be able to play everything on any device. But there are opposing forces that this will exclude, and consequently piss off. Nvidia and Sony, the leaders in their respective fields, aren't just going to sit around and let this takeover happen. If this strategy actually takes hold, there will be countermeasures from the competition in both the console and PC space. For Sony, that would be cutting out PC releases entirely. No idea what Nvidia would try.
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