WC/Jez: Microsoft's ambitious new Xbox: Your entire Xbox console library, the full power of Windows PC gaming, and no multiplayer paywall

Will you buy the next Xbox hardware?


  • Total voters
    293
They better price this thing much lower than a comparably specd PC because if they price it like the Ally X its DOA. Also, they need to do a whole lot better in optimizing the gaming mode bloat over the Ally X because its performing up to 32% worse than the steam os version, which is diabolical and will start cutting into the performance advantage it offers over the PS6 since devs won't optimize for it much. That being said if they price this under 1200$ and do well with the os tweaking, this thing could be a very interesting option for gamers, maybe not the mass market, but the opportunity for 20million+ is there if they get their heads out of their asses and lockin. If they priced this under 1000$ and optimized the windows well, I would probably buy this, been waiting to get back into Pc gaming, and this could be the perfect option for people who cant go top end pc gaming.
 
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Backwards compatibility is the deciding factor here, really. I have hundreds of digital Xbox games that I'll lose out on if I go to PlayStation or PC moving forward. If I have access to my current library, great. Next up is the price. $1200 is a lot for a console but not bad for a pre built PC if it's comparable. My PC has been out of date for the better part of a decade so that'd be two birds one stone. Last consideration is what are the hooks aside from being a PC? Eazy access to emulators and my Steam library could be enough but I'd like to see if that's all it is or if there's any real incentive to move on past the Series X which still runs games great and will likely continue to get new releases.
 
You really are being ignorant about reading people's posts lately it seems. I'm not saying MS will charge for online play in this new "machine". I'm saying if they do completely get rid of the online paywall, they'd LITERALLY (yes I mean literally) will be giving up a minimum of $2 BILLION dollars per year if they don't change the current pricing of GamePass. You and I both know they aren't going to give up that type of money.

So, this all comes at a financial cost that MS will want to make back up plus more; because the financials currently aren't working out for Xbox. Just wake up and at least come to reality.
Roughly 7 million users paying average rate per user of $7 month, that's barely $6-700 million from Essential only tier users who do it for Online multiplayer.

MS would lose that revenue regardless if the userbase isn't there. They have made a commitment to be everywhere, multiplatform, sell everywhere, so they need to create incentive for their own hardware to sell without relying on exclusives.

Also, Cloud Gaming basic tier is now Essential, so Cloud Gaming is the replacement for any lost revenues from online paywall.
 
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If they're finally removing paid multiplayer, they should have done it already to try and stop people invested in Xbox moving permanently to PlayStation towards the end of this gen.

That'd probably convince some people to keep building their Xbox library, which makes this more useful. But in 1-2 years, it'll be too late to bring many of them back.
 
Cause a PC won't retain my One/Series or backwards compatible library.
Unless this thing can boost performance of BC games beyond XSX, might as well keep that. Hell, I may buy a backup used XSX for the purpose, lol.

Proper PC gives a lot better upgrade capabilities and allows for gradual updates vs APU based device here.
 
I have just one question...

If this thing is a Console in hardware and a PC in software, and allows multiple stores, meaning you can play games from Steam on it.

Why would any third-party developer make a version of their game specifically for this?
 
I came up with that number, because ultimately they'll need 10 - 20 million people to follow them down this path for Xbox Magnus to work and make sense. No way Xbox has a true future, if Xbox Magnus only sells 5 million units or less. Gotta keep in mind that GP subscribers are closely leaked to how much hardware Xbox sells.

I see it selling more in the 5 to 10 m. lifetime range. I'm basing that on what Sneakers said about internal expectations (he said around 10 m. lifetime). If we assume an 8 year lifecycle, that would mean selling roughly 1 million a year (probably more in the first few years, then trailing off). I can't keep track of all their price changes, but just having access to online gaming costs what, $10/month? So, I'd guess that their cost to make online free for "Magnus" would be $120 m. a year. Not chump change to be sure, but not $2 billion/yr.

I have no idea what they will do, though, and I don't have a horse in the race. I'm just quibbling about the 2 billion estimate. Just a minor point, really.
 
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Unless this thing can boost performance of BC games beyond XSX, might as well keep that. Hell, I may buy a backup used XSX for the purpose, lol.

I figure they will push the PC version for the most part. (Well, assuming the game is PlayAnywhere)

Whether developers bother to make a Magnus preset is another story.
 
They better price this thing much lower than a comparably specd PC because if they price it like the Ally X its DOA. Also, they need to do a whole lot better in optimizing the gaming mode bloat over the Ally X because its performing up to 32% worse than the steam os version, which is diabolical and will start cutting into the performance advantage it offers over the PS6 since devs won't optimize for it much. That being said if they price this under 1200$ and do well with the os tweaking, this thing could be a very interesting option for gamers, maybe not the mass market, but the opportunity for 20million+ is there if they get their heads out of their asses and lockin. If they priced this under 1000$ and optimized the windows well, I would probably buy this, been waiting to get back into Pc gaming, and this could be the perfect option for people who cant go top end pc gaming.
That 32% was misinformation, go back and reread that thread.
I have just one question...

If this thing is a Console in hardware and a PC in software, and allows multiple stores, meaning you can play games from Steam on it.

Why would any third-party developer make a version of their game specifically for this?
It would be Console in both hardware and software.

A Console is 3 things mainly:

10 foot TV UI/UX (that's the Xbox OS shell)

Controller based navigation and primary input for games

Games optimized for the fixed spec hardware.

ALL Xbox games since June 2019 are Win32 and created by the GDK. GDK creates MSIXVC packaged Win32 games for the Xbox ecosystem across PCs, Consoles, Cloud.

So devs create Xbox PC games with the GDK, these games are designed to scale for hundreds of PC configurations. They optimize those games for fixed spec hardware using the GDKX, these are what is known as the "Console" SKU. It's the licensing and optimization that makes a Console game. Cloud Gaming runs the Console versions aka the GXKX optimized versions.

Devs target various ecosystems on PC too, with 3-4 separate versions with different store backends. EA, Epic, Steam, or Ubisoft, Epic, Steam. Xbox Store will be the default front facing store on the Consoles. Devs can't market a game as available on Xbox without a proper Xbox ecosystem version. MS won't give them free marketing either. No Gamepass moneybag if no proper Xbox version. No xCloud reach if no Xbox version.
 
So this is similar to how the OG PS3 had the Emotion Engine built in?
The no paid online sounds interesting until you realize that it would be literal suicide to try to force paid online on PC and this thing is literally just a PC.

I voted yes for the poll but it is all dependent on cost, and with everything that has come out of Microsoft's mouth recently I don't expect this to be cheap enough to be worth it.

I have just one question...

If this thing is a Console in hardware and a PC in software, and allows multiple stores, meaning you can play games from Steam on it.

Why would any third-party developer make a version of their game specifically for this?
What do you mean console in hardware? This is a PC. The only thing console about it would be the secondary chip meant for BC purposes and maybe the way Microsoft attempts to market it.

Outside of that it's simply a single spec PC and devs wouldn't really make a version specifically for this because they would most likely already be making a PC version. This would just be a spec that they could use for optimization.
 
It would be Console in both hardware and software.

A Console is 3 things mainly:

10 foot TV UI/UX (that's the Xbox OS shell)

Controller based navigation and primary input for games

Games optimized for the fixed spec hardware.
But running on top a Windows OS. Just like the ROG ally X.
ALL Xbox games since June 2019 are Win32 and created by the GDK. GDK creates MSIXVC packaged Win32 games for the Xbox ecosystem across PCs, Consoles, Cloud.

So devs create Xbox PC games with the GDK, these games are designed to scale for hundreds of PC configurations. They optimize those games for fixed spec hardware using the GDKX, these are what is known as the "Console" SKU. It's the licensing and optimization that makes a Console game. Cloud Gaming runs the Console versions aka the GXKX optimized versions.

Devs target various ecosystems on PC too, with 3-4 separate versions with different store backends. EA, Epic, Steam, or Ubisoft, Epic, Steam. Xbox Store will be the default front facing store on the Consoles. Devs can't market a game as available on Xbox without a proper Xbox ecosystem version. MS won't give them free marketing either. No Gamepass moneybag if no proper Xbox version. No xCloud reach if no Xbox version.
Why though? Basically you are saying that a dev thats made a game to run on the PC, doesn't need to make an Xbox optimized version because it would run regardless. Wouldnt it be easier for devs to just make a settings profile called recommended settings?
What do you mean console in hardware? This is a PC. The only thing console about it would be the secondary chip meant for BC purposes and maybe the way Microsoft attempts to market it.

Outside of that it's simply a single spec PC and devs wouldn't really make a version specifically for this because they would most likely already be making a PC version. This would just be a spec that they could use for optimization.
I was being generous. I believe this is a PC through and through, with some sort of specific compiler chip. That, however, does mean it will at least have an APU that is one of a kind, tahst enough for it to be called a Console hardware, alongside fixed and soldered components. The most PC thing about this, is that its running windows.
 
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What I want: full backwards compatibility of existing library.
What I expect: cloud streaming only for many games in existing library. (Like PS3 on PS5)
 
Been saying all along all I want is:
My Xbox Library (that ive been building digitally since I think 2004)
Steam access (ive been building a Steam library since the day it launched with TFC)
Xbox controller.
No online paywall would be a huge bonus.

No way im going to continue with new generations of this hobby if im forced to game on Playstation's console and their trash tier 'dual-junk' controllers.
 
This would be a big fat advertisment from Microsoft to gamers saying, "PLEASE DON'T BUY OR DOWNLOAD GAMES FROM OUR STOREFRONT OR ECOSYSTEM, INSTEAD SAVE MONEY BUYING ON STEAM WITH FREE ONLINE PLAY".

This doesn't improve their chances of hitting that 30%, Plus Microsoft would be giving up 30% to Steam or Epic for every one of these sales or downloads (for free to play games).

I have no idea where you're going with this.
You agree that they can't charge for online play for Steam games.
Then you express certainty that they'll charge for online play for Xbox console or Xbox PC games. Even though Xbox Play Anywhere titles and games on the Xbox PC store have free online.

Then you pivot to wailing about a possible issue with them charging for online play for Xbox titles when Steam is free.

Pick a struggle?

This doesn't improve their chances of hitting that 30%, Plus Microsoft would be giving up 30% to Steam or Epic for every one of these sales or downloads (for free to play games). And that point why would you need to pay the Game Pass tax?

What does any of this have to do with Gamepass PC or Ultimate?
 
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