[The Verge] What is an Xbox?
- Thread starter Topher
- Start date
Radical_3d
Member
clarky
Gold Member
Problem is nobody else is taking either seriously.
bitbydeath
Member
Told you, nobody believed me.
DenchDeckard
Moderated wildly
The only way this works and what i hope for is that I can buy a 11800X3D with the xbox silicone and that i login to my account and I just have everything I've ever purchased on my xbox and the benefit of my pc.
IF and I say IF Microsoft and AMD pull that off I will be over the fucking moon.
I'd never buy an intel CPU ever again.
IF and I say IF Microsoft and AMD pull that off I will be over the fucking moon.
I'd never buy an intel CPU ever again.
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Kacho
Member
Feels like the execs see something that we don't. Probably misguided like the The Cloud hysteria a few years ago.
clarky
Gold Member
Steam is only estimated at 3 Budgies. Peanuts basically.
Fortunately they are not for sale at this time.
nowhat
Member
Kinda hard when the company isn't publicly traded and Gabe is not willing.
clarky
Gold Member
They are just trying to force their way into everyone else house. Cant see it working, But I'm rarely correct on this stuff so you never know.
reinking
Gold Member
Do you think this is a move to prevent Apple from trying to get in to the PC gaming space? Or do you think they really are concerned they could compete? I have nothing against Apple (I have their products) but I do not think they will ever be able to compete in the PC gaming space that threatens Microsoft. Obviously, Steam has already defeated them on the storefront because MS had to relent and start putting their games on Steam. If Steam OS gains traction, it is a real threat to MS when it comes to a gaming focused OS. That is why I still think they are much more worried about Steam than Apple. Maybe it is both and a preemptive strike against anyone else that might emerge.
Maybe MS is banking on Steam being for sale someday.
KenaiPhoenix
Member
LMAO, if they really think they can get into steam they are totally ignoring the brand perception and how people looks at MS now. Well, Im not surprised, they are the company that in around 2010 designed a console not to play games but to connect to your DVR and wath TV (with a totally modest price ofc).
What is Xbox? Just the games of Windows 11 at this point. What WAS Xbox? A really revolutionary and good "main" videogame console backed by many people that loved videogames and wanted to do fun things.
What is Xbox? Just the games of Windows 11 at this point. What WAS Xbox? A really revolutionary and good "main" videogame console backed by many people that loved videogames and wanted to do fun things.
clarky
Gold Member
Wouldn't surprise me but I don't see a reason for them selling. It literally prints money for minimal effort at this point.Do you think this is a move to prevent Apple from trying to get in to the PC gaming space? Or do you think they really are concerned they could compete? I have nothing against Apple (I have their products) but I do not think they will ever be able to compete in the PC gaming space that threatens Microsoft. Obviously, Steam has already defeated them on the storefront because MS had to relent and start putting their games on Steam. If Steam OS gains traction, it is a real threat to MS when it comes to a gaming focused OS. That is why I still think they are much more worried about Steam than Apple. Maybe it is both and a preemptive strike against anyone else that might emerge.
Maybe MS is banking on Steam being for sale someday.
mayham2199
Member
lol "compete with steam". Good one.
GoodData
Banned
I'm being serious when I say in 2028 I want a PS6, an Xbox [cool name here], and an Xbox branded gaming PC that can also run steam. Hmm what features can MS add to create value for their customers, in addition to bc? How about a multiplatform achievement tracking app that is as good as psnprofiles and trueachievements.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
nowhat
Member
It very much looks like Xbox is going the way of the dodo. Or, the way of the 3DO, as may be the case.
Kacho
Member
Yeah, I think it's part of the reason, like a preventative measure. It's almost like these companies think there will be a breakthrough in game development with AI and they want to be ready for it.Do you think this is a move to prevent Apple from trying to get in to the PC gaming space? Or do you think they really are concerned they could compete? I have nothing against Apple (I have their products) but I do not think they will ever be able to compete in the PC gaming space that threatens Microsoft. Obviously, Steam has already defeated them on the storefront because MS had to relent and start putting their games on Steam. If Steam OS gains traction, it is a real threat to MS when it comes to a gaming focused OS. That is why I still think they are much more worried about Steam than Apple. Maybe it is both and a preemptive strike against anyone else that might emerge.
Maybe MS is banking on Steam being for sale someday.
GHG
Member
But what they fail to realise is that Xbox vs Xbox is the real battle.
They keep on trying to find a target (or an enemy) when the real problem is that they lack an identity of their own, so keep on tripping over themselves in pursuit of stealing the market share of other companies.
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nowhat
Member
More like a dog chasing their own tail.
Nydius
Member
This made me think of the way K-Mart in the US failed. Walmart had their identity, Target had their distinct identity, and K-Mart was stuck in the middle constantly trying to steal ideas from those two hoping something would stick.
It comes as no surprise that Xbox's best period was when they had a solid identity as the "GamerBro" console for Halo, Gears and COD and other similar games. The minute they sacrificed that in order to chase the Wii's success with motion controls and avatars, it all began unraveling.
Guardian Monkey
Member
Pretty sure that's a Xbox.
Freelance Yakuza
Member
Isn't it isane that Microsoft still can't compete in the PC gaming market against Steam, even though they own the most widely used operating system and have their store automatically installed on every computer?
DragonNCM
Member
period
Now that "WAS" Xbox
It sure looks like the next Xbox is going to be different, as Microsoft competes more with Steam.
Microsoft's "This is an Xbox" marketing campaign in November always felt a little too early. If you ask a friend or family member what an Xbox is, the response is likely going to be "it's a game console." Xbox is ingrained in popular culture as a box under your TV that you play games on, but Microsoft's ads over the past six months have been attempting to redefine the Xbox as a platform that spans across phones, laptops, TVs, handheld gaming PCs, and even VR headsets.
The ads did a great job of drawing attention to the platform, but the perception of the Xbox brand as just a console is still a huge challenge that Microsoft needs to overcome if its latest strategy is going to be successful. I can already sense some trouble ahead.
Ever since Microsoft unveiled its ROG Xbox Ally handheld devices earlier this month, I keep hearing from friends that are asking about an "Xbox handheld." YouTubers with millions of followers have positioned these handheld gaming PCs as "the first Xbox handheld," which is true if you believe in Microsoft's marketing, but false in reality because they don't natively run Xbox games, only PC versions.
Microsoft's answer to this potential confusion is that the Xbox Ally devices will be able to stream your library of Xbox games from the cloud or another Xbox console. That's not the type of experience I want when I'm spending hundreds of dollars on a piece of hardware that's capable of running games without an internet connection. In reality, I get the sense that Microsoft is willing to gamble on the potential confusion here, because what it really wants to do is turn Xbox into Steam.
The Xbox Ally devices are the beginning of a next-generation gaming platform — a platform that looks increasingly like it will revolve around Windows. Xbox president Sarah Bond confirmed last week that Microsoft's next console is "not locked to a single store," just like Windows isn't. Bond went even further, revealing that Microsoft wants to ensure "Windows is the number one platform for gaming."
Microsoft has also started calling the Xbox app on Windows simply "Xbox PC," in a clear bid to position it as a Steam competitor or alternative. This Xbox PC branding has appeared in trailers for games in recent weeks, but even Microsoft can't decide whether it's "Xbox PC" or "Xbox on PC" as it has used both recently. Either way has risk: Microsoft rebranded its Xbox Game Pass for PC subscription to just PC Game Pass four years ago because people were getting confused, so Xbox PC feels like it could be another source of confusion.
Bond's video also shed some light on how the Xbox PC initiative will allow you to play Xbox games. While Bond largely talked about an AMD partnership for co-engineering silicon, she also confirmed that this next generation of Xbox devices includes "maintaining compatibility with your existing library of Xbox games." That's a promise that Microsoft hasn't been able to deliver for the Xbox Ally devices, and it makes it seem like the company is confident it will deliver some form of Xbox game emulation on Windows for its next generation of devices.
Bond's video wasn't the only interesting Xbox release last week. AMD CEO Lisa Su also appeared in a short video and essentially laid bare Microsoft's next-gen Xbox strategy: "Moving forward, AMD will go beyond building custom chips for Xbox consoles to designing a full roadmap of gaming-optimized chips, combining the power of Ryzen and Radeon for consoles, handhelds, PCs, and the cloud," Su said.
That sure sounds like AMD and Microsoft are co-engineering chips for Microsoft's own next-gen Xbox console, as well as third-party devices that will also be branded as Xbox consoles. Su also specifically revealed these chips will include the hardware support needed for backward compatibility, which suggests that you'll need one of these chips for whatever emulation solution Microsoft is working on. I fully expect these next-gen chips will also form the basis for how Microsoft plans to license the software powering this Xbox experience to OEMs.
It feels like this future work with AMD is really what Microsoft means when it says, "This is an Xbox." It's an ambitious vision where Xbox games can be played across multiple devices, all with cloud saves so you can pick up where you left off. It's also a clear reaction to SteamOS and the fact that OEMs are starting to show interest in Valve's efforts to span its game library across console-like devices.
The challenge for Microsoft is making its own vision a reality and learning from its mistakes of challenging Steam in the past. In 2006, Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates outlined a similar vision for Xbox dubbed "Live Anywhere," where Xbox experiences would come to Windows-based PCs. It was a response, at the time, to Valve's launch of Steam a few years prior.
Microsoft launched its Games for Windows Live initiative with Windows Vista in 2007, designed as a way to unify the gaming experience across PC and Xbox 360 with achievements, online multiplayer, a friends list, and marketplace. Microsoft shut down the service six years later, after lackluster ports of Xbox titles and DRM mechanisms left PC gamers building up their library in Steam instead.
Nearly 20 years later, a lot of what Microsoft is saying today sounds like Bill Gates' vision for Windows and the Xbox 360. The big difference this time around is that Microsoft isn't in a position of strength in the console market like it was with the Xbox 360. That means it has to take a more open approach to overhaul what an Xbox is, like embracing rival stores on its next-generation devices or allowing OEMs to build their own Xbox devices. Microsoft's opportunity here is to boot millions of Xbox devices into its own Xbox PC store and try to sell games and subscriptions directly to people instead of them turning to Steam.
There's a clear revenue benefit to Microsoft here, especially if it can convert even a small percentage of Steam users into buying games from its own store instead of handing over a 30 percent cut to Valve. It will all come down to the console-like experience, with the "Xbox full screen experience" on Windows being a big first test.
If Microsoft can pull off this big bet of changing what an Xbox is, then these "This is an Xbox" ads will look like a prophecy. If it fails, then Microsoft risks damaging its last successful consumer brand, potentially beyond repair. The stakes for Xbox couldn't be higher.
Tom Warren stole this kid's line...
So you're not going to quote my post that you quoted about a week ago?
nowhat
Member
I'm pretty sure we're all expecting you to quote your posts at any rate, so it'd be kinda redundant.
Chittagong
Gold Member
This reminds me of an SVP we had in a big corp I used to work for, we called him – "the general". The top execs were at the 3rd floor, and us middle management sat on the 5th.
Every now and then we would be summoned to the 3rd to hear whichever harebrained, convoluted new idea the execs had conjured, so that we could take action on executing it.
The general was a charismatic man, and whatever idea he explained seemed sensible when we were in his room. It was only in the lift back to the 5th floor that his reality distortion field quickly dissipated and we were left with our heads spinning, no idea of how any of what was just explained to us would actually work.
I suspect the general moonlights for the Xbox division these days.
Every now and then we would be summoned to the 3rd to hear whichever harebrained, convoluted new idea the execs had conjured, so that we could take action on executing it.
The general was a charismatic man, and whatever idea he explained seemed sensible when we were in his room. It was only in the lift back to the 5th floor that his reality distortion field quickly dissipated and we were left with our heads spinning, no idea of how any of what was just explained to us would actually work.
I suspect the general moonlights for the Xbox division these days.
I'm gonna quote it but someone beat me to it about a week ago when they thought it was completely wrong
Topher
Identifies as young
I was waiting for you to call me out. I'll give you your due....
You ringed?
Post in thread 'In the event that PS5 Pro does release in 2024 but there is no new Xbox Series console because there is already Series S & X'...
I'm gonna quote it but someone beat me to it about a week ago when they thought it was completely wrong
lol....this doesn't prove you right. Just means Tom Warren agrees with you. I still have doubts, but we will see.
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adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Donald mac Ronald
Member
They lost Vs Sony so now they're planning on taking on a bigger opponent. Gaben is also a much larger man than kaz.
Xbox Vs valve
Who will run out of steam first?
Xbox Vs valve
Who will run out of steam first?
pudel
Member
They also install their browser and no one is using it.
On the other hand, I am pretty happy that Windows is still a rather open OS allowing for competition. They could also lock it down with just a finger snap and force everyone to use their crappy stuff. (it would just create the biggest shitstorm planet earth has ever seen)XBox literally responded to me with " This is An Xbox"I was waiting for you to call me out. I'll give you your due....
You ringed?
Post in thread 'In the event that PS5 Pro does release in 2024 but there is no new Xbox Series console because there is already Series S & X'...
lol....this doesn't prove you right. Just means Tom Warren agrees with you. I still have doubts, but we will see.
( Hi Sarah )The only way MS doesn't intercept would be new Steam users is if they expand the market by a lot with lower end devices.
And you're ignoring how big the market is of kids who don't care how they get to their games & if Xbox is in their face when they turn on their device that's where they will play the games.
twilo99
Member
Lawmakers in the 90s made sure that they can't do that otherwise it would've been like iOS where you are stuck with whatever store they provide.
If you think about it, a lot of people made a fortune by piggybacking on Windows as an install base, including Steam, which probably wouldn't exist in it's current form without Microsoft's software platform.
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Chuck Berry
Gold Member
Super disappointed to see there's no simple ass, ChatGPT, coffee table book post by my bot
EverydayBeast
yet
EverydayBeast
yet
Bry0
Member
To add to that, isnt that also fundamentally the same reason the Xbox WAS a console in 2001!?
It was meeting the target demographic where they were at the time. Pc gamers weren't too happy they killed or "consolized" a lot of PC IP (crimson skies/mechassault) after the Xbox launched. MS published some great pc games in the 90s before they decided to focus on the living room to try to meet the market there. Not to mention all the sidewinder peripherals.
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pudel
Member
Makes me wondering why Apple was allowed to do that. Just because they were the smaller one?
twilo99
Member
Mainly, yes, but there has been some pushback in past few years so I think they now have to allow 3rd party stores in the EU
Gamer_By_Proxy
Member
They're who popularized paying to play online cause fuck you, online chat so everyone can fuck your mom and groom your kids, hard drives so games can release in a broken state, subscriptions so you can continually pay and own nothing, pushing games back to charge "early access" cause fuck your fomo pay me.
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Knucklepux
Member
This just in Xbox loses again
ReBurn
Gold Member
It is possible
Freelance Yakuza
Member
God, I completely forgot that Edge exists lolThey also install their browser and no one is using it.
They even give you a warning not to install other browsers