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[Crayon]

Oh.. I knew about Fortnite, and also Gamepass, but had no idea COD, Minecraft, "FIFA" were unplayable. Then SteamOS is toast as a big gaming OS, can't leave some of the absolute biggest titles behind.

It's a handful of really big games arbitrarily locked out. There's enough pc players outside of the those tho get a critical mass where those games would be looking at tapping the audience. I don't think it's insurmountable.

 

[ZehDon]

... Any company that is "putting up a fight" is surely taking financial hits; I don't think Xbox is in a position to put up a fight/take financial hits anymore. Game Pass and the ABK acquisition were their hail Mary. At this point, they are just trying to survive.

If memory serves, the XSX is still sold at a loss. It may not be apparent, but it would seem Xbox actually is taking the financial hits. But I'd argue that's probably one of the reasons they're pairing back on the hardware right now - every sale is a loss, while their competitors have been making money on their hardware for years now. That calls into question their fundamental design philosophy, frankly, because the hardware just hasn't delivered what it should have for that kind of loss. The PS5, like the PS4, was designed to punch above its weight, while having its power easily accessible for developers, while still allowing it to come down in price - and Cerny delivered, showing once again why he earned his considerable reputation. Add in the need to get the ABK acquisition into the black as soon as possible, and Microsoft winding down this generation starts to make some kind of sense - they're just not in a position to make money with their current hardware. In the Microsoft playbook, you kill product A just before you launch product B to force the market to shift. If Xbox is marching to Microsoft's drum, and it certainly seems they are, then I'd expect their next console to be revealed this year right as they all but end the current one, to start the hype cycle for launch next year. And, honestly, I'd imagine that console will be both Bond's one big play and Phil's last stand.

 

[reinking]

I am still very confident of as today its moving forward

And gamers better hope Xbox tries to put up a fight, I don't want a single console manufacturer dictating pricing and power much like @Jibran#one eludes to

It is hard for me to see that Xbox is keeping Sony in check when you look at current console prices. Also, we still have Nintendo.

 

[GHG]

All the people that want the Xbox to die will cry when there is no competition and Sony will charge then ridiculous prices for online services.
Competition is good , no competition means companies like nvidia charging u ridiculous amount for products

I am still very confident of as today its moving forward

And gamers better hope Xbox tries to put up a fight, I don't want a single console manufacturer dictating pricing and power much like @Jibran#one eludes to

I'm sorry, but you guys need to open your eyes to what's going on at the moment:

 

[Mibu no ookami]

If memory serves, the XSX is still sold at a loss. It may not be apparent, but it would seem Xbox actually is taking the financial hits. But I'd argue that's probably one of the reasons they're pairing back on the hardware right now - every sale is a loss, while their competitors have been making money on their hardware for years now. That calls into question their fundamental design philosophy, frankly, because the hardware just hasn't delivered what it should have for that kind of loss. The PS5, like the PS4, was designed to punch above its weight, while having its power easily accessible for developers, while still allowing it to come down in price - and Cerny delivered, showing once again why he earned his considerable reputation. Add in the need to get the ABK acquisition into the black as soon as possible, and Microsoft winding down this generation starts to make some kind of sense - they're just not in a position to make money with their current hardware. In the Microsoft playbook, you kill product A just before you launch product B to force the market to shift. If Xbox is marching to Microsoft's drum, and it certainly seems they are, then I'd expect their next console to be revealed this year right as they all but end the current one, to start the hype cycle for launch next year. And, honestly, I'd imagine that console will be both Bond's one big play and Phil's last stand.

I was so surprised by how down to earth and aware this post was up until the end and there you had typical ZehDon...

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

I'm sorry, but you guys need to open your eyes to what's going on at the moment:

Nahh I see what's going on but I still don't want Sony having the only next gen console even though I wont buy the next Xbox

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Ahh yeah I forgot about the Switch 2 competing with the PS6 Pro

I know GAF likes to pretend otherwise for reasons which basically are nonsensical, but the reality is that Sony and Nintendo are competitors

The Switch will easily outsell the PS5 in lifetime sales and the Switch 2 will probably outsell the PS6

 

[Jetpac]

Gaf will have you believing this.


No. Is your answer.

 

[simpatico]

Steam OS is a non-starter for a "SteamBox" that I think would fill an Xbox size hole in the console market. But if you think about the resources Microsoft spends launch a console, imagine spending just a good fraction of that on a Windows skin and some technical guidelines for publishers and developers for getting some type of "Xbox Verified Medium 4k" badge and marketing on their games. You could make an extremely well-funded ecosystem for something like that and still come in way under what it takes to launch a physical Xbox, build the OS and Xbox Live infrastructure, give 24-hour customer support on controllers and dongles etc. That shit is an albatross in 2025 and honestly it's not needed. Most people already have the chips and/or the internet connection. Resident Evil 8 on iPhone is silly right now, but I think it's a test run. iPhone is nearly to the point of being able to give Series S level graphics that you could put on your TV or monitor.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Steam OS is a non-starter for a "SteamBox" that I think would fill an Xbox size hole in the console market. But if you think about the resources Microsoft spends launch a console, imagine spending just a good fraction of that on a Windows skin and some technical guidelines for publishers and developers for getting some type of "Xbox Verified Medium 4k" badge and marketing on their games. You could make an extremely well-funded ecosystem for something like that and still come in way under what it takes to launch a physical Xbox, build the OS and Xbox Live infrastructure, give 24-hour customer support on controllers and dongles etc. That shit is an albatross in 2025 and honestly it's not needed. Most people already have the chips and/or the internet connection. Resident Evil 8 on iPhone is silly right now, but I think it's a test run. iPhone is nearly to the point of being able to give Series S level graphics that you could put on your TV or monitor.

Do people want to play AAA games on their phones? Most people want to scroll through Instagram on their phone or message their friends/family, not have the battery drain within an hour or two while locked away from being able to do these things so that they can play Series S level graphics.

Apple has a long way to go before being a serious competitor in this space.

 

[Humdinger]

... as of right now they are still all in on next gen

Its going to fail worse than anything they have produced so far but AS OF RIGHT NOW, its coming

Hear that, Xbox guys? Get hyped!

 

[Baemono]

After Microsoft was defeated in the mobile phone wars by the combined forces of Apple and Google

No Microsoft was defeated after hurting itself in its confusion

 

[IDKFA]

I know GAF likes to pretend otherwise for reasons which basically are nonsensical, but the reality is that Sony and Nintendo are competitors

Correct. Any device that you can play games on and competes for your time and money is a competitor to Sony. It's not just the Switch 2, but PCs, laptops, Steam Deck, other PC handhelds, and hopefully a future Xbox device, compete with Sony.

I do hope that Microsoft release another console and we can go back to the PS3/360 days where both companies were constantly trying to one up the other. However, with Microsoft now releasing games on Sony and Nintendo hardware, they might not see the financial benefit of releasing a new home console.

 

[DeltaPolarBear]

All the people that want the Xbox to die will cry when there is no competition and Sony will charge then ridiculous prices for online services.
Competition is good , no competition means companies like nvidia charging u ridiculous amount for products

You literally do not know how Competition works. It does NOT mean "keeping a failed business going indefinitely".

1. Multiple companies compete for your money
2. Some offer better deals than others
3. The ones that couldn't handle the heat fail.
4. Those who fail drop out. <---- Xbox is here.
5. New competitors show up to replace those who drop out.
6. Repeat.

We are at step 4 for Xbox. Just as when SEGA died, they offered their catalogue to the new Xbox at the time. Xbox dying is necessary for the cycle of competition. Otherwise Atari would still be selling consoles.

Xbox know this, but they spread the lie about "competition" means keeping the last place finisher around. And their customers are not able to resist parroting these lies.

 

[Punished Miku]

I know GAF likes to pretend otherwise for reasons which basically are nonsensical

They pretend otherwise because Sony tried to claim that in court, and it was absurd then and absurd now.

 

[Fess]

It's a handful of really big games arbitrarily locked out. There's enough pc players outside of the those tho get a critical mass where those games would be looking at tapping the audience. I don't think it's insurmountable.

Not having access to COD alone was a big concern during the Activision-Microsoft acquisition trial, I doubt that it would just slide by unnoticed if SteamOS can't run COD, Minecraft, Fortnite, Madden, EAFC, and possibly more games since it had to do with anti-cheat and Linux. Maybe it's an easy fix, I don't know, but it definitely needs to be sorted out. Valve wants SteamOS to stretch into the mass market segment, the living room. Good luck without those mass market games.

 

[JohnnyFootball]

Microsoft just needs to quit existing all together.

They just plain suck ass at everything, except making money with shitty products. But I guess that's what's important, eh?

Any time they have a residue of a good idea or a good thing going they fuck it up and/or chase stupid ass trends.

Sell Activision. Sell Bethesda. Spin off Xbox.

And for goddamn fucking sakes.....give us a Windows gaming OS using Bazzite/SteamOS as a basis.

My biggest hate for MS comes from just how miserable an experience they have made Windows.

 

[gerth666]

I've still got my copy of this
Also just bought on ps5 too. Love it

 

[gerth666]

Do people want to play AAA games on their phones? Most people want to scroll through Instagram on their phone or message their friends/family, not have the battery drain within an hour or two while locked away from being able to do these things so that they can play Series S level graphics.

Apple has a long way to go before being a serious competitor in this space.

All my friends who have young children all game on android tablets, playing games like Roblox and Minecraft.
I think mobile is becoming more and more popular and is absolutely a big danger to console gaming

 

[Astray]

I'm sorry, but you guys need to open your eyes to what's going on at the moment:

Just so people can put this in context.

The ~AED 400-600 difference can get you like 2-4 games if you play your cards right, maybe more if you delve into the used physical market.

Absolutely crazy that Microsoft is letting things get to this point tbh.

 

[mayham2199]

The question is, does nvidia want to be there with actual reasonably priced hardware to take advantage of this.

That's a question we already know the answer to and it's no. Nvidia doesn't really care about gamers anymore. They are full steam ahead with AI. The reality is if console prices are rising so will PC parts. Nvidia has already raised the prices on their GPUs by 10-15%.

 

[Crayon]

Not having access to COD alone was a big concern during the Activision-Microsoft acquisition trial, I doubt that it would just slide by unnoticed if SteamOS can't run COD, Minecraft, Fortnite, Madden, EAFC, and possibly more games since it had to do with anti-cheat and Linux. Maybe it's an easy fix, I don't know, but it definitely needs to be sorted out. Valve wants SteamOS to stretch into the mass market segment, the living room. Good luck without those mass market games.

I agree it's a big hurdle, just that it's only a matter of being up to the publisher. I also don't know how much stock to put in the cheating concerns, but I do know that when you want to do anything shady, linux tends to be a good tool for the job. Either way, nobody who claimed the cheating problem went on to go any deeper into what would need to be done development wise, what rule would need to be bent or rewritten, etc. I'm only confident guessing two things: It's not impossible, and it's a high priority for valve.