I'm expecting a Slim revision w/permanent pricedrop to be announced in late August.
Microsoft unifying PC/XB1 platforms, Phil implies Xbox moving to incremental upgrades
- Thread starter dancrane212
- Start date
They aren't going to release a system with upgradable components except for maybe hdd, everything will be soldered and gpu will be an APU, so nope.
They will release upgraded whole systems every 2-3 years, like they do with surface. Previous iteration will still play everything for at least the length of the next revision, just at lower fidelity. So console life cycle should still be 5+ years to play all games released for the system. I don't understand all the meltdowns.
Pretty much. MS are finally doing what MANY console gamers have been asking them for, for quite awhile. Who the hell wants to wait 8+ years for new hardware. This opens up more software and hardware capabilities and will lead to new adoptions in tech much quicker. I just wonder how long until we'll hear something.
Phones are subsidized. iPads don't sell as much as phones because they aren't subsidized in general.
BruceLeeRoy
Banned
Ah yeah I see.
I'm on the same boat. Something doesn't add up. The shareholder thing you mentioned, the billions they have already sunk into Xbox, no perspective of getting more market-share outside US/UK, their all-digital future vision...and now they are going to spend even more on R&D? No way...this news basically means they are either exiting the hardware market (they can still give the Xbox license to 3rd partiy manuf.) or -if true- releasing even 'more' consoles. Good luck with the latter....
Disaster Nebraska
Banned
With this move, it's clear Microsoft never fully committed to the Xbox One scenario, either.
But I'm sure they'll fully commit this time. Because reasons.
Bitch Pudding
Member
People are still comparing consoles with smartphones and tablets, some people really don't understand the difference, it seems.
Glorified G
Member
Wrong thread.
bitbydeath
Member
As long as they don't revise themselves away from the console industry like MS are doing then I don't think anyone will have an issue with it.
WordsintheWater
Member
Lol I was so confused
Bitch Pudding
Member
Thanks. I needed that! (no pun intended)
Randolph Freelander
Member
If this means games previously considered exclusive to Xbox find their way to a PC, then it's fine by me.
Amped 2, please.
How do you know this? Even during the height of the 360's success they were always under the Entertainment & Devices Division. There was no sign of them getting shifted into their own division as far as I'm aware.
And?
Dee Dah Dave
Member
To me it just sounds like the are (understandably) disappointed with the Xbox One and want to move on sooner rather than later. I don't see them releasing regular iterations of hardware like the mobile and tablet market.
Just a new beefier console that still plays XB1 games, except more competently than it's predecessor. Released mid gen to tide them over until the real gen 9.
They are just using the lingo to make it sound like a new strategy, and not like they are just releasing a new console because their last one was shit..
Xbox One Elite - New version with more power
Better hardware
Same games work on both machines (until the old model is phased out). With increased graphics etc on the new model.
Bigger focus on PC inter-connectivity
VR support probably via Oculus
Etc
That's what I reckon.
Just a new beefier console that still plays XB1 games, except more competently than it's predecessor. Released mid gen to tide them over until the real gen 9.
They are just using the lingo to make it sound like a new strategy, and not like they are just releasing a new console because their last one was shit..
Xbox One Elite - New version with more power
Better hardware
Same games work on both machines (until the old model is phased out). With increased graphics etc on the new model.
Bigger focus on PC inter-connectivity
VR support probably via Oculus
Etc
That's what I reckon.
Glorified G
Member
Branniganz Love
Member
A lot of comparisons have been made between the Samsung/Apple business model and what MS is possibly doing here. I've seen a number of people say that model is not possible for consoles because the carriers are basically subsidizing the new hardware. So here's my question:
Would it not be possible for MS to cut deals with Comcast/TW/Dish to work a similar deal? Sign up for Comcast and lease the newest Xbox that can act as a complete STB that can play AAA games as well.
How difficult would it be for MS to design a unit that can receive the signal directly instead of an HDMI pass through?
I honestly have no idea if it is even feasible but it's an interesting thought at least.
Would it not be possible for MS to cut deals with Comcast/TW/Dish to work a similar deal? Sign up for Comcast and lease the newest Xbox that can act as a complete STB that can play AAA games as well.
How difficult would it be for MS to design a unit that can receive the signal directly instead of an HDMI pass through?
I honestly have no idea if it is even feasible but it's an interesting thought at least.
I'd really not like my gaming system to come with a data plan or cost $500+ per annual update.
Lionel Richie
Member
1983 again.
Only half kidding.
While I understand this and can see the appeal of doing it like this, it could take the Xbox identification from a hobby into somewhat of a luxury item. This could make gaming on the PC the easier alternative and that for me is the day where console as we know it might no longer be viable. But then again, maybe I'm missing something here.
Someone grab the tweet phil posted that there will absolutely be another xbox. lol
Also someone grab that info about the Surface team and Xbox.
Fundementally, it's not how the console market has functioned and the previous push for something like that (steam boxes) fell flat on it's face.
The PC crowd over laps the console crowd but there are a lot of differences in how those consumers behave.
A big problem with Xbox strategy for the last 5 years is they are offering a worse deal than what exists and are hoping consumers jump on it.
And the consumer behave exactly like you think they would and MS has to work to make up the value; but that value is what they don't want to do because the Return on Investment on the capital is bad for them versus everything else they're doing.
Xbox is having a hard time internally because the ROI is bad compared to EVERYTHING else MS is doing.
Too bad trump will be the nominee, all three of them are terrible and Cruz isn't even a natural born citizen despite all his constitutionalism. What does this have to do with the thread?
I think that people who want to be stuck in the past in that way of thinking can stay there. The Xbox One will still be there for those folks, but I know I was planning on getting another Xbox One (with Kinect, I love the TV features and I need one for the bedroom) and if I could get a more powerful one with a couple new features (4k or something) because I'm getting it later, I see it as a good thing. I shouldn't be buying a Xbox One in 2017 and it's the same power as a console that was designed in 2012. That's 5 years of technology achievement wasted. That's like buying the original iPhone right now because it hasn't gone through a refresh yet for the "next-gen". Why can't our consoles move with technology instead of staying in the past?
MogCakes said:
People don't HAVE to update annually. They choose to, just like they choose to buy a phone with a plan instead of outright. Your system wouldn't come with a data plan? Why would it? Shit, if you want to think about it, it already does with Xbox Live. $5 bucks a month. There ya go. It's not like this thing is forced upon people...jesus.
Thanks, I was getting ready to post this. People trick themselves thinking that phones are still subsidized, but they are not. Will this trick work with every consumer electronic device? I don't think so. Has the world-wide per capita income increased so much that people can afford to buy several new devices every year? 2016 new phone, 2017 new TV, 2018 new console, 2019 new phone......If yes, I'm doing something wrong.
Delusibeta
Banned
A thought: tablet sales (particularly iPad sales) are falling dramatically right now, presumably because people aren't buying them every year, but instead are waiting for their existing tablets to break before buying a replacement. With the US networks moving away from subsidizing the upfront costs, I expect a similar trend occurring in the US mobile phone market. A console adopting this model will probably find that without the upfront subsidy of a contract, people aren't going to be immediately jumping onto an upgrade if said upgrade happens every one or two years.
BlindJesus
Member
Are you that dense? Everything MS has been doing for past couple of years(read: since Spencer) for Xbox has been about turning the platform into a service.They are NOT a hardware company. They make money from software. Just because they are behind Sony in sales does not mean they aren't hugely successful. They are printing money with the LIVE ecosystem. They are making a profit on each xbox sold, which is only the second time this has EVER happened(Wii was first, Sony probably now). They don't give two shits if they sold 10,000 more copies of Call of Duty 12 or if they sold only 3/4 the amount of units of what PS4 did. They care about how many people are, and will continue to be, invested in the xbox ecosystem. Broadening their horizon to include W10 users is simply the next step into integrating the most amount of people into their SERVICES.
Hendrick's
If only my penis was as big as my GamerScore!
This just seems like a cute way of saying they are exiting the console game.
Dear lord. If that's what you want, buy a PC. That's the biggest selling point of PCs, and they do it far better than any closed platform console could ever hope.
I don't have any doom and gloom attitude, so I don't know why you are pointing that out.
Sega already tried the upgrade ruote and failed. MS is in another position so it could work but
.ms probably has more interest in pc and OS market so this kind of mixing approach could lead them more toward pc and OS rather than console
.one of the console key points has always been to be a closed product with plus & play feature so the mass market could reject the concept despite its execution
Those seem reasonable question marks without doom & gloom attitude imho
bitbydeath
Member
Someone grab the tweet phil posted that there will absolutely be another xbox. lol
Also someone grab that info about the Surface team and Xbox.
Phil says lots of things
https://mobile.twitter.com/XboxP3/status/704454429534097408
Bitch Pudding
Member
Well, for starters, a lot more people than you might think read about gaming related news, e.g. on gaming magazines or message boards. They also follow youtubers and guys on twitter. EDIT (and girls, sorry Erren!). And they have friends and social networks whom they ask for advice.
They are a very public company. The tech blogs and new sites are always rife with the goings on with the company. The very very public board fight they had around the XB1 launch.
During the 360 hey day, they got a lot of statements out of Balmer about his support for it and how it's the future. Under Nadella, they aren't mentioned much. There was lots of Buzz that Mattrick was going to become a division head. The time around the pre-XB1 launch that buzz died and they've subsequently had much less mention from the leadership.
Saucycarpdog
Member
Payment plans have replaced subsidized contract plans. The only reason mobile phone sales will slow down in the future is because the majority of people will own a phone, not because they are keeping their outdated 4 year old phone.
old manatee
Banned
It's been fun watching consoles turn into mediocre PCs.
Seriously lol. Who the fuck would want an xbox branded PC when they can just build/buy one on their own for cheaper most likely and have the same exact games play on it?
Personally I'm not willing to do that for any device, I hate that model. I've only owned 2 smartphones in my life thus far and am in no rush to get a third. If I end up having to spend more on hardware then I used to just to access games I want to play then I'll see this kind of model as a losing proposition.
Someone grab the tweet phil posted that there will absolutely be another xbox. lol
Also someone grab that info about the Surface team and Xbox.
Here you go: http://www.zdnet.com/article/further-consolidation-coming-across-microsoft-devices-services/
Wasn't Nadella at their E3 2015 conference? Spencer has said that Xbox has more interaction and support from the company than ever before. Nadella has mentioned numerous times that the Xbox team is important to helping drive consumer preferences for Windows and revenue (Windows Store) since gaming is the biggest category in terms of revenue and time spent.
I think the Xbox division will be around as long as Windows and the Windows Store are alive.
Disaster Nebraska
Banned
This idea has been on the table for years. Not sure why this recent push to make everything X1/PC compatible as well as regular hardware revisions makes that any more likely.
Chittagong
Gold Member
Good damn, this is amazing in so many ways. I'd upgrade every year. It'd be amazing if Xbone became the more powerful console after the rocky start.
Maybe that's why the called this one "One", and not the dumb TV theory.
Maybe that's why the called this one "One", and not the dumb TV theory.
DangerMouse
Member
Pretty much feels like it.
This. This is the biggest problem with the entire idea as has been the case every time the idea has brought up for all 3 brands, I think most would say there's virtually 0% chance they'd be able to minimize the complexity for even just developers, let alone consumers, where it would be anything close to transparent to the devs making games. It already isn't right now without yet more versions of hardware out there. Just like with all the PC configurations, this would be several MORE versions developers would have to tweak and test per game if the games are supposed to run on them, as if they don't have enough versions and bugs to worry about already, where people complain about it half the time a "big" game launches. Even incremental upgrades is more crap they'd need to test for.
Huh? No. Console gamers have almost never asked for this. Only mainly PC gamers have. Console gamers, while they want the initial console purchase as powerful/cost-effective as possible, want their games to effortlessly work as strongly as they can maxing out the hardware they have and "just working" with no fuss. With a large library of games that hopefully truly takes advantage of the hardware available. They DO NOT want to buy a console every 2 years and the pressure of feeling like they'll be getting a "gimped" version of the console version if they don't upgrade their console hardware "every two seconds." It's one of the key reasons console gamers prefer consoles.
Joke post? Bad at math? Brand whore?
Yeah, SERVICES. So how do we feel about gaming as a service rather than a boxed product? I think many gamers didn't like it and it is why the XB1 has it's current market position.
The thing with console gaming is the ROI has been generally lower than anything else MS does. Sony made %3-%4 on their investment into the PS2, that got burned in the PS3 launch. MS makes much better margins on their other products and services. They attempt witht he XB1 was to change that math and make it worth their wile. It didn't work out so they're backing out. Nintendo did amazing with the wii but can't seem to replicate; and if Sony CEO wasn't personally/professionally invested in Gaming it'd be wiser for them to exit as well since it's been a moderately unprofitable gamble the last 2 generations. They are by revenue mostly a Insurance company. They get a much better ROI there.
hydrophilic attack
Member
I've never really cared for their hardware, or been interested in a large percentage of their exclusives, but they've been important for keeping Sony on their toes. If this really is the beginning of the end of Xbox consoles, I hope Sony really do feel threatened by the ascendancy of smart devices, so that they don't just phone it in with future Playstation hardware.
Uno Venova
Banned
I thought sales show people DON'T upgrade their tablets yearly..
Going by the craziness today, it will be thoroughly entertaining to see the reactions when that happens.
Krisprolls
Banned
No. They just quit console business. Then they try one last time to take the PC gaming market. If they fail (they very probably will) they'll leave gaming altogether.
pixelation
Member
I hear a bomba.
