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[The Verge] It’s time for Microsoft to build an Xbox Steam Deck
- Thread starter Topher
- Start date
Cyberpunkd
Member
I’m sure Valve is very happy with Steam Deck, I would t be surprised if it increased their revenue a lot.
bender
What time is it?
I don't think we have many estimates on sales of the Deck beyond knowing it sold 1.62 million units its' first year and Valve saying it sold "multiple-millions". It's probably safe to say that it is under 5 million units. I'm not sure that's a worthwhile venture on Microsoft's part.
Kumomeme
Member
these window/SteamOS handheld market actually slowly become second pc market due to the growing interest of it lately.
competing against pc market is unwise. they better becarefull of about releasing game day 1 there as how it happened to their current and previous console, it could render their own product same way as how it happened to their own console.
competing against pc market is unwise. they better becarefull of about releasing game day 1 there as how it happened to their current and previous console, it could render their own product same way as how it happened to their own console.
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FingerBang
Member
Microsoft should not compete on the hardware. Microsoft is a software company, and I want handhelds that run PC games without the full bloated fucking PC around it with all the legacy shit required to make sure banks don't collapse. Make it cheaper than a Windows License, incentivize people to use the MS Store, and integrate it with the OS like Steam does with the deck, but let people install other stores and ensure it can support a decent suspend/resume. You won't fucking need former-boxes anymore.
Heisenberg007
Gold Journalism
There is already a Steam Deck. There are also Windows-based handheld devices such Rog Ally.
There is NOTHING new that Xbox can bring to the table, especially in a market where Steam Deck exists and allows the entire Steam Deck library on the go. And Nintendo Switch exists that offers unique games that you can't play elsewhere.
There is NOTHING new that Xbox can bring to the table, especially in a market where Steam Deck exists and allows the entire Steam Deck library on the go. And Nintendo Switch exists that offers unique games that you can't play elsewhere.
Nydius
Gold Member
I’m voting no for the simple reason of this would be yet another case where Microsoft gets into the market late, chases the market leader, and gets nowhere - but spends way too much money and dilutes their product along the way.
They’ve run this playbook with Zune, Windows Mobile (both PDAs and their first iterations of Blackberry knock off phones), Windows Phone, Surface Tablets, and, yes, both Xbox and Kinect.
Even if they built something on par or better than the ROG Ally and/or its other Windows equivalents, why would people buy it over the already established players? Microsoft has never cracked that code - they just think they can sell it on Microsoft branding alone and eat losses until it’s profitable. But that has never worked (see all the aforementioned products).
If you already have a Steam Deck or a Windows based handheld, are you really going to splash out the cash for an “Xbox” handheld? If you only have the money for one handheld, what would be the incentive of picking Microsoft’s over anyone else’s?
It would be just another case of Microsoft chasing trends.
They’ve run this playbook with Zune, Windows Mobile (both PDAs and their first iterations of Blackberry knock off phones), Windows Phone, Surface Tablets, and, yes, both Xbox and Kinect.
Even if they built something on par or better than the ROG Ally and/or its other Windows equivalents, why would people buy it over the already established players? Microsoft has never cracked that code - they just think they can sell it on Microsoft branding alone and eat losses until it’s profitable. But that has never worked (see all the aforementioned products).
If you already have a Steam Deck or a Windows based handheld, are you really going to splash out the cash for an “Xbox” handheld? If you only have the money for one handheld, what would be the incentive of picking Microsoft’s over anyone else’s?
It would be just another case of Microsoft chasing trends.
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Well series S target is optimal for that. The latest AMD APUs can reach series x performance (tf wise) but with series s as a target, much lower power consumption should make it possible to get this thing into a steamdeck like device.
This way they already start with a big library and still have the same eco system.
This way they already start with a big library and still have the same eco system.
EDMIX
Writes a lot, says very little
This 1000%
Its going to flop and they will move on. I think they see Switch, they see Steam Deck and simply want to entertain those markets, but even the devices that are doing "ok" are not coming anywhere near close to what Nintendo and Mobile phones have in terms of market share
MS will get discouraged and leave that market too.
Will be a old, quite way to leave gaming hardware, but I don't think its a wild prediction tbh
DenchDeckard
Moderated wildly
Buy a rog ally and microsoft improves the xbox pc app to play all xbox content.
Win win
Win win
I guess this ROG Flow Z13 I am using doesn't actually exist then.
I think they will chase it for their windows gaming monopoly. That would be the incentive for picking MS' version. They will continue to release games that don't work on SteamOS out of the box and have people developing games for windows but with a better experience than the RoG Ally.
Disco Dave
Member
The Verge have offered their main PC guy to assist and advise Microsoft in this effort...
SJRB
Gold Member
Exactly this.
Steve Jobs nailed the Microsoft mindset 30 years ago and things haven't changed a bit:
Listen to this and tell me this isn't perfectly applicable to Xbox for example.
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pasterpl
Member
It is coming, isn’t it?
Panajev2001a
GAF's Pleasant Genius
pasterpl
Member
Not necessarily, it can be something like eGPUs we have got on the market now, with some extras built in, but the blue print can be licensed to 3rd parties to manufacture their own versions, all official and licensed. GPU and memory and storage would vary between these depending how much you want to spend, but the rest would be “bought” from MS, allowing to run Xbox games natively.
David Ricardo
Member
Sorry, I meant allowing me to install steam OS and windows on my Series X, not make it portable.
MisterXDTV
Member
Now the BOX doesn't matter anymore....
LOL
DAMN SHILLS
LOL
DAMN SHILLS
Papa_Wisdom
Gold Member
You mean there the lance stroll of formula 1?
Freelance Yakuza
Member
Same
Microsoft have the money but not the talent to succeed. It has been proved generation after generation.
nowhat
Member
Uhm, competing with/completely undermining a partner is not unheard of when it comes to Microsoft. Or any large corporation for that matter.
Horseganador
Member
It would be a very MS-style product, arriving late and poorly on the market when it is already full of rivals, whoever wants a steam deck...already has one on the market for years.
Doctor Hades
Member
I think copying Nintendo and making an Xbox handheld/console-hybrid or even a separate handheld and console would be a mistake for Microsoft because it would show a lack of innovation/imagination and this kind of thing was what started them on the downward spiral after Kinect launched with Xbox One, bumping up its price and lowering the console hardware specs (versus the PS4), which then failed leading Microsoft to release an Xbox One without Kinect less than a year later from memory. By then it was too late, the damage was done and the PS4 soared ahead in sales due to its better specs and lower price.
Gamers already have a choice of Steam Deck and other PC handhelds so adding another would do little to change Xbox's fortunes in my opinion. Also, it means developers would have to design their Xbox games around a low power option, something that people have already criticised Microsoft for doing with the less powerful alternative to the Xbox Series X: the Series S.
Gamers already have a choice of Steam Deck and other PC handhelds so adding another would do little to change Xbox's fortunes in my opinion. Also, it means developers would have to design their Xbox games around a low power option, something that people have already criticised Microsoft for doing with the less powerful alternative to the Xbox Series X: the Series S.
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At the end of the generation, they could release a device with Series S performance in portable mode. Then you have the entire Xbox catalogue available on a portable device.
I think unless they build a device that can play the Series S profile of games right out of the box with no changes making a closed handheld is doomed to fail, and I just don't see the hardware that can do that be available until there's like a 2nm AMD chip. If they make a open handheld it's just going to be Microsoft's version of a ROG Ally, but with a price premium compared to the Taiwanese/Chinese OEMs.
Astray
Member
It's not even a generalization like that, Microsoft theoretically has a chance at this.
The problem imo is they are entering an increasingly red ocean with no real unique value prop beyond "this would be cool". But hey, it's not my money they're spending is it?
Hohenheim
Member
Would be great if it opens up for Steam as well. If its a portable xbox UI that just allows the xbox store/game pass, then it would be a step back for me being used to the Lenovo Go.
I use both Steam and GamePass in that one, and it works very well.
This potential handheld Xbox needs to have a quick and nice UI, similar to the xbox console, but have Steam in there as well. With one quick action you should be able to start up Steam in it. And of course BattleNet (which they obviously will, since they own it).
I use both Steam and GamePass in that one, and it works very well.
This potential handheld Xbox needs to have a quick and nice UI, similar to the xbox console, but have Steam in there as well. With one quick action you should be able to start up Steam in it. And of course BattleNet (which they obviously will, since they own it).
The xbox catalogue is pretty much the same as the PC catalogue so...
midnightAI
Banned
We couldnt beat Sony, so lets go for Nintendo head on, in a market that even Sony got out of because they couldn't compete, sounds legit.
(I jest, I actually think they will do this, but it wont be their main console, and they wont expect massive sales either and I think Sony will also re-enter the market with a full handheld. I suppose the one advantage of both MS and Sony doing this is they can stream directly from Gamepass/PS+ and also Remote Play (yes, I know Nintendo could do this also), we may not like the streaming future, but for handhelds it makes sense as you can mimic the power of the main consoles at least in areas with good internet)
(I jest, I actually think they will do this, but it wont be their main console, and they wont expect massive sales either and I think Sony will also re-enter the market with a full handheld. I suppose the one advantage of both MS and Sony doing this is they can stream directly from Gamepass/PS+ and also Remote Play (yes, I know Nintendo could do this also), we may not like the streaming future, but for handhelds it makes sense as you can mimic the power of the main consoles at least in areas with good internet)
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MayauMiao
Member
But OEMs will end up selling the Xbox handhelds at premium.
Thick Thighs Save Lives
NeoGAF's Physical Games Advocate Extraordinaire
I'm personally looking forward to the Steam Deck 2 more so than a portable from MS. If it also comes with an OLED screen it will probably be a day 1 purchase.
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Dr.Morris79
Member
I'd buy one, if it had offline play. Without that?
No.
No.
midnightAI
Banned
I said the same thing a while ago, my idea was to basically have two GPU's, one in the portable, one in the dock and then have some kind of SLI interface so it effectively doubles the GPU performance (it isnt exactly double, neither is SLI, but you get the point), the main issue would perhaps be bandwidth, but that should be solvable.
Hero of Spielberg
Member
I would totally buy a Gamepass Boy
Followed by Super Gamepass Boydragonyeuw
Member
If its gonna just be a closed box in handheld form I don't see the point. One of the best things about the PC handhelds is that they function with the same open-ended nature of a normal PC. Half of my Steam Deck usage is emulation. And Microsoft now has their key franchisees on Steam and Sony is slowly following suite soooo....what's the sales pitch?
I'll admit - I would be intrigued if Microsoft used this handheld as a push back into ARM with their Windows on ARM project that was sort of a microscopic thing a while back.
ARM processors are generally more mobile friendly on the power and battery draw. And if their software for handling x86 apps and games work well it could make for an interesting device.
The downside is it would probably break compatibility with Anticheats across the board until the anticheat vendors update for it, assuming they even will bother to do so.
ARM processors are generally more mobile friendly on the power and battery draw. And if their software for handling x86 apps and games work well it could make for an interesting device.
The downside is it would probably break compatibility with Anticheats across the board until the anticheat vendors update for it, assuming they even will bother to do so.
TheStam
Member
I'm not a Microsoft hater, but Steam OS is part of the charm for me as it really gives you this console like interface. I can just imagine how a Microsoft Windows like device would feel.
Awful corpo color scheme
Edge browser
Sign in with your Microsoft account
Hidden away tracking settings
Ads
Awful corpo color scheme
Edge browser
Sign in with your Microsoft account
Hidden away tracking settings
Ads
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TrebleShot
Member
No point at all, I would like to see what MS could do with an open platform for gaming, sort of like an arm based handheld which would be awesome if it was open like steam deck or the ally.
But their history with hardware isn't great, but they should focus on Game Pass as basically being windows for gaming, make it a platform that's as easy as possible to use on handhelds but also scales to desktop.
Windows as it is, is an absolute joke.
If they launched a Windows focused on gaming, all the same functionality but controller friendly and has a nice front end, themes, nice integration to things like steam and if they like friends lists, discord integration within the OS or a hook into steam it would be epic.
Just work with people rather than the walled garden approach that Epic and my beloved Sony seem to be obsessed with.
But their history with hardware isn't great, but they should focus on Game Pass as basically being windows for gaming, make it a platform that's as easy as possible to use on handhelds but also scales to desktop.
Windows as it is, is an absolute joke.
If they launched a Windows focused on gaming, all the same functionality but controller friendly and has a nice front end, themes, nice integration to things like steam and if they like friends lists, discord integration within the OS or a hook into steam it would be epic.
Just work with people rather than the walled garden approach that Epic and my beloved Sony seem to be obsessed with.
TrebleShot
Member
If Steam OS was on Windows and you could boot into it and ignore windows I wouldn't hesitate to install it now.
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
Handhelds are popular, and it would be a much better idea than another big box. As long as it connects to a TV.
RJMacready73
Simps for Amouranth
Seeing as MS is losing the console race hard to Sony, opening the series X to be able play Steam/PC games would be a huge boost imo, as you're getting a helluva PC for the price alongwith access to the entire PC market, if this was the case hell id stump the cash up for one