justsomeguy
Member
Which is exactly what Xbox One is today. Consoles won't go away. Xbox OS (i.e. a gaming UI built on top of Windows 10 core) won't go away.
Microsoft unifying PC/XB1 platforms, Phil implies Xbox moving to incremental upgrades
- Thread starter dancrane212
- Start date
Which is exactly what Xbox One is today. Consoles won't go away. Xbox OS (i.e. a gaming UI built on top of Windows 10 core) won't go away.
The Xbox One is already a set-top box PC that runs Windows 10 and plays apps from the Windows 10 store.
I think the negatives FAR outweigh any positives with this...I also think IF, and thats a big if...we won't see anything until 2018 at the absolute earliest. 2018 gives them a fresh chance with a new "console" that they can (only then) put this idea into practice. I'm convinced we won't see a refresh of the current XB.
outunderthestars
Banned
So, pretty much the exact situation we have now if someone with a PS3 or Xbox 360 buys a PS4/XB1 game?
KingJ2002
Member
If Microsoft has the Xbox boot into Windows 10 desktop over a Xbox start screen or gives the option to do so... then the trojan horse project is complete and yeah.... it will be hard to call this a video game console.
I can only agree with that as someone who primarily plays on Xbox One
callsignkrogan
Member
If that's the case then it doesn't seem like a good idea to me. That would only leave sony and nintendo in the game space. More sales for sony it seems like. I wouldn't have a need for this console then. I really hope they fix all the problems with the UWA. Otherwise, they will not get any sales frome me.
blastprocessor
The Amiga Brotherhood
I'm all up for this and hope Sony also release a PS4 4K console that is backwards compatible.
Dinky Dino
Member
You're right. The xbox will be upgradable so it's on the level with pc hardware depending on what you got. If you're one of those types that doesn't like to build just go xbox for plug in play, convenience and compactibility. If you like to build and tinker go pc. I'm guessing for mods and BC, they will both be the same.
I'm assuming that the xbox will still charge for live but I'm also assuming upgrades for the xbox will be cheaper than on the pc because microsoft can bulk buy the hardware.
Did we all forget the 360 running gta v at low 20 fps CONSTANTLY last gen? As with dark souls 2?
Why wouldn't you want an option to upgrade after 5-7 years? And still at 720p with no proper anti aliasing?
outunderthestars
Banned
Again, PC GPU manufacturers release new models every year. SO how would this be any different?
And again, the quotes in the article don't point to an annual rate of hardware refresh....
Dead_Pixel
Banned
So both MS and Nintendo will be following the iPhone/iOS model for hardware and software... I wonder if Sony will join the bandwagon too?
aygomyownroad
Member
Yeah but what happens if a game comes out that the graphics are too powerful for Xbox One to run at 30fps?
What happens if the upgrade for that (Xbox 2 lets say ) manages 30fps locked?
What happens if Xbox 3 runs it at 60fps?
I would be pissed if my Xbox couldn't run the game to a satisfactory speed and would have to upgrade. And what happens if I can't afford to upgrade to Xbox 3?
Its a clusterfuck, and has no place in modern day consoles.
Developers have been focusing solely on the Xbox One console and optimizing just for the specific hardware for years now. That will not be the case from now on. It'll be more like PCs rather than consoles where developers aren't capable of optimizing for multiple hardware iterations and do the best they can for the time they have.
GhostTrick
Banned
Then again, this isn't false at the same time, because it usually implies it's the case.
Are you saying people will just never buy a console, because there's always another one coming soon? That doesn't seem to be how it works in any other consumer tech.
The low price will encourages some people buy now. The new hardware encourages some people to buy later. It gives and option to people across the board.
Roberto Larcos
Member
'Nightmare' may be overstating it. I'd expect any competitive multiplayer games to aim for the same framerate online on both consoles, settling for lower resolution instead. As for non-competitive games (Far Cry 4 co-op missions as an example), 60 fps vs 30 fps shouldn't really make any odds.
Devs aren't stupid.
Poodlestrike
Banned
Called it.
Called it so fucking hard.
Anyway, I'm all for it. Yearly hardware revisions might be too rapid, though. Once every 2-3 years would be much better; you can start to see people burn out on yearly revisions of stuff like phones and tablets already, 2-3 years is enough time for hardware to get noticeably cheaper and better.
And so long as it's fully BC, I'll be entirely happy.
Called it so fucking hard.
Anyway, I'm all for it. Yearly hardware revisions might be too rapid, though. Once every 2-3 years would be much better; you can start to see people burn out on yearly revisions of stuff like phones and tablets already, 2-3 years is enough time for hardware to get noticeably cheaper and better.
And so long as it's fully BC, I'll be entirely happy.
Ol No Bones
Banned
outunderthestars
Banned
Again, this is the exact same thing that happens in PC gaming, and in console gaming with hardware generations.
Phil Spencer mentioned laptops for cross-saves/crossbuy etc in an interview with Giantbomb. Cross platform play (in terms of MP and communities) is obvious, as the PC crowd and Xbox crowd are seperate things so you'd be expanding the community.
The Dear Leader
Banned
Bright future for both PC and Xbox, I just hope Microsoft puts in some work to make their store worth using, I'd like to buy their games but I'm not going to accept a sub standard product or service(sub-Steam standard if you will).
They have the ball in their court and can really do some big things. Please be excited.
They have the ball in their court and can really do some big things. Please be excited.
Tatsumi Oga
Banned
So to make a long story short... This basically would mean Xbox One doesn't change drastically, it will have the dashboard we have now. We still get the great exclusives, if MS keeps investing in new IP, but why wouldn't they? We will still have the same controller, and the ease of use and it's upgradeable once in a x years? So in a way the Xbox is getting a big transition but it's not like MS says "Xbox is over, just get a Windows 10 PC" now. But it sure seems some people think this is the case.
Bitch Pudding
Member
Yeah, pretty much the same, despite the fact that we are talking about different generations of consoles. It goes without saying that a PS4 game doesn't run on a PS3, PS2 or PS1. Unless I missed something.
TAS
Member
Words of wisdom. Bravo!
Not merely not capitalising on, actually also abandoning many of the strengths of the PC platform in the "unification" process. No thanks.
D
Deleted member 80556
Unconfirmed Member
This, really. If you like this idea, you would get a PC already, without the consequence of missing out on games, since they are already going to release games like GOW4 and QB on PC as well.
dragonyeuw
Member
I've figured for some time now, and there have certainly been signs, for MS moving the 'Xbox' platform beyond dedicated consoles.That said, and I haven't read the article admittedly, I don't see why I would need/want another xbox console if I can access the services and main IPs on my PC, which I AM likely to upgrade every few years.
Or any hardware business model. Yearly upgrades happen for just about everything but gaming consoles.
No, PC people need to realize people don't buy consoles to have the best graphics but for ease of use. For not having to worry that they don't have the right hardware or that when they look at reviews the game will play on their machine like the review says. Not having to worry about updating the computer anytime or chasing down graphics (Instead developers are expected to make the best of the console that they can rather than rely on people just upgrading their console). For when you buy a console that you'll be able to use it for some years before having to worry about upgrading.
And yet I doubt these xbox's will be top of the line PCs. So you don't get the advantage PC gamers want... which is the best graphics. And even if you say maybe some one wants to buy a premade PC, they already have that!! Even PC companies that are aimed at gamers.
It's the worst of both worlds and not what is good about either (it's also why PC gamers stick their noses up at premade PCs, even those from gaming companies).
I don't see why if some one wants an upgradeable console they don't just buy a PC. Obviously they don't care about losing a little simplicity and PCs from what I understand aren't that hard to put together. And as I said, if they really don't want to put one together, there are already businesses for that!
Pretty much. It also means the traditional console generation model is done for Microsoft, which is fine by me with how rapidly graphics card technology is evolving. Getting a box/upgrade out every 2-3 years with noticeable improvement in quality while maintaining compatibility with every game seems good to me.
In a way this already happens think of games like Shadow of Mordor, Watch Dogs and Battlefield to name a few. You can buy them on 360 with low graphical capabilities or on the Xbox One with greater graphics.
The only thing dying is the console generation as we have known it. The move to more PC-like devices has been obvious for a long time now and this is simply the next step. It's not the end of Xbox, it is the evolution of it as a brand being unified with Windows. Which again, has been in the cards for awhile now anyway.
MiamiWesker
Member
I hate everything MS is attempting to do this gen. But you guys are ok paying extra money every year just to play games. Just wait till so and so game requires the upgrade to play, split user base always a smart idea, fun times ahead. 5-6 years was fine, games late in a console cycle looked so much better than stuff early on, no need for small upgrades. Hopefully Sony stays the course and continues to be rewarded for it.
GHG
Member
Yep. And becaus of this people need to stop seeing the "Xbox" brand as being gaming only.
For Microsoft Xbox has been about a lot more than gaming for a long time now. With what's happened in the last few months their initial Xbox One reveal makes a lot more sense now.
It's your choice. Why do people buy settop boxes for their TV's when their computers have the same streaming services? It's ease of use. Just plug and play.
I obviously don't have the answers for that but the way i see it is the xbox hardware would be a baseline (minimum specs) so if you had the next Halo the target would be rev 1,2,3 but if 10 years from now they might decide it needs more so they'd target rev 2,3,4
maybe they could say that hardware revision will be supported for x years or something so you know you're not going to get burnt next month when a new game comes out.
outunderthestars
Banned
OK, what is a console generation other than a hardware revision that has no backwards or forwards compatibility?
You can still buy a PS3 today. It won't run the best games out there. You can buy a PS4, but then you can't play your PS3 games.
Switching to a revision based hardware model rather than a generational model fixes these issues.
Does anyone really think that MS is going to release fundamentally more powerful machines on an annual basis, given that they are sold with very little margin? People should stop getting worked up into a panic at comparisons to high margin markets like smart phones, tablets, etc.
I think it's a great idea. It further adds the benefits of PC gaming into the console space while allowing consumers to benefit from economies of scale in terms of hardware prices and the fact that MS isn't looking to profit from hardware.
You still couldn't build a PC that plays games at xone's level with an OS and controller device for $280. Or ever close to $280. And get free games with it as well.
You still couldn't build a PC that plays games at xone's level with an OS and controller device for $280. Or ever close to $280. And get free games with it as well.
SneakersSO
Member
What? What low price? $350 isn't low by any measure.
The reason it works this way for other consumer tech, and not consoles, is because other consumer tech has subsidization eating up most of the up front cost, and dropping a $600-$800 new phone or tablet down to $200 or less. Unless MS plans to partner with a bunch of different retailers & ISPs to start subsidizing these new releases, consumers will never latch onto this.
Or they drop it entirely because they are making way more money from software sales?
yeah, there must be a set baseline that will be relevant for atleast a couple of years.
I wonder how mass-market appeal will work. I can already see angry kids being pissed at their parents for getting them an Xbox-Gen-1_Super+ instead of Xbox-Gen-2-Normal+.
Daffy Duck
Member
It will certainly be a spectacle to watch them unveil this grand scheme to the general public at an E3 event.
You thought the backlash was bad about Xbox One? Wait for this to hit.
You thought the backlash was bad about Xbox One? Wait for this to hit.