[Wccftech via Jez Corden] Next-Gen Xbox Rumored to Support Backward Compatibility at Hardware Level

If they do release a new console and if it becomes very popular.. how much would they backtrack? .. would they even backtrack? Xbox has become more of a experiment I like to watch and speculate on more than anything now.
 
Maybe they'll talk about it this year at TGA.
These ''rumors'' aren't actually rumors, it's just Aaron Greenberg and his team trying to do viral marketing. I don't understand why MS hasn't fired this guy yet.

True. Also as much as people clown on Jez (and it's easy to do: he's a sperg), he does have links to people like Greenberg and I'd argue Phil, too, in coordinating messaging and putting stuff out when MS wants people to know.

Would put Parris and Destin in that same camp. They're literal MS mouthpieces.

I still haven't changed on my stance for it running Steam

The question I don't know is can you buy Steam games or just launch your Steam library?

I know what they wanted at one point but it doesn't make sense for them to let you buy Steam games from their platform which makes it most likely something Xbox would try to do as they seem like a very rudderless ship as of late

That's interesting, and I guess it would make more sense to limit Steam support to accessing games already purchased, vs. having the storefront itself available. Because fi such were the case, Xbox Store would be crippled and obsolete overnight, not to mention even Game Pass would have trouble in that type of environment.

MS can't really "do" anything about that on Windows and the same goes for things like the ROG Xbox Ally, but they do have that level of control with Xbox OS. That's why I at first thought the whole strategy was going to be continuing with Xbox OS but running whitelisted Windows programs through another hypervisor layer. And, for things like Steam, they'd have the storefront available but behind a Game Pass tier.

Maybe instead it's something like running Xbox OS and still allowing whitelisted Windows apps with a hypervisor layer, but Steam support isn't tied behind a Game Pass tier? Trade off being, it's just to access games you've already purchased elsewhere, not actual access to the Steam store itself. I guess that could work somehow.

I'm still more curious if it's going to be a "genuine" custom APU/hardware design more akin to a console or closer to cribbing whatever off-the-shelf stuff they think can work, incurring the overhead costs in performance. Because that's kind of what they're seemingly doing with the ROG Xbox Ally, even though they've modified Windows to be more efficient with the device type.

And other things too, like if they make the system modular for upgrades, such as officially licensed & compatible GPUs, system RAM (assuming it's not using an APU or not using unified memory) and the such, in addition to typical additional storage options.
 
The question I don't know is can you buy Steam games or just launch your Steam library?
Having the full Steam store there would be complete suicide for their own store. But it's already on life support so I guess they could do it anyway.

Steam is really the ultimate Trojan horse. Valve wants to enter the living room, if they can get Microsoft to do it through Xbox then it's bye bye Microsoft Store. And once they have a new audience in the living room, in comes SteamOS devices which runs all those games the new audience just bought.

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If they create a new box that I can pop my JSRF/Sega GT disc into and it plays the game then I'll buy one. I'm not going to get my hopes up, but it would be great.
 
Remember this is a machine being pitched with no exclusives and with potentially years of drastically cut supply and marketing of Series consoles.

This device is gonna be for the hardcore of the hardcore, the types that won't ever go with anything but Xbox no matter what.
I don't think anyone is expecting a massive seller but I'd imagine 25m plus is a more realistic target that they can reach.

35million Gamepass subscribers currently tells us Xbox still has a decent market share and as for exclusives I think it's fair to assume timed console exclusives are still very much on the agenda.
 
That article is even implying 360 hardware bc which, yeah I dunno man I don't buy that. Series/one hardware bc, sure.
 
I don't think anyone is expecting a massive seller but I'd imagine 25m plus is a more realistic target that they can reach.

35million Gamepass subscribers currently tells us Xbox still has a decent market share and as for exclusives I think it's fair to assume timed console exclusives are still very much on the agenda.
From my experience observing consumers, people's minds do not reset along with the introduction of new hardware, 32x, Saturn and Dreamcast are examples of this. I mean the future of xbox is the present of xbox.
 
No bluray drive will be a problem right at the start. There's a ton of Xbox games you can't buy anymore, because they've been delisted / removed from the store. And what about your current physical collection...

One of the reasons why I bought XSX is that I can buy cheap X360 games (among the supported ones) and then download the BC version, not even worrying about the condition of the disc (just needs to boot to be recognized).
 
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There's just no way it doesn't have Steam, Epic etc all in there. Would be DOA. They've been talking about that publicly for a good while now, and just branded the ROG with Xbox. It's going to be a PC with a hardware solution for BC.

I actually bet they will phase out selling anything that isn't Play Anywhere on it so they can stop the licensing headaches piling up. The rest you will have to get from other stores, which is fine.
 
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I still haven't changed on my stance for it running Steam

The question I don't know is can you buy Steam games or just launch your Steam library?

I know what they wanted at one point but it doesn't make sense for them to let you buy Steam games from their platform which makes it most likely something Xbox would try to do as they seem like a very rudderless ship as of late
I can see MS trying to confuse customers by constantly promoting their storefront while making it hard to get the version on Steam.

I wouldnt put it past them at all to try and make customers think they're buying a copy from STeam, but actually buying from the MS Store.
 
I actually bet they will phase out selling anything that isn't Play Anywhere on it so they can stop the licensing headaches piling up. The rest you will have to get from other stores, which is fine.
That is what they HAD to do at some point. That is the only thing consistent with the "everything is an Xbox" marketing. But since it would anger a lot of existing fans, the question is when to do it.
 
That is what they HAD to do at some point. That is the only thing consistent with the "everything is an Xbox" marketing. But since it would anger a lot of existing fans, the question is when to do it.
Do it when you enable the other stores through Windows

Explain the long term vision for the whole thing. Hardware solution for BC buys them 7 years but they need to also explain what happens after that with emulation or licensing updates.
 
I'd say it's more plausible that the next Xbox will be a pc with some sort of Xbox OS that can run steam etc.
 
This new Xbox seems like a... My god, Gears will be released on the Playstation, just like Forza and Cod. In addition to not having exclusivity, the biggest problem is in the sale of games, you know Xbox consumers do not buy games by the millions, like FF16 (selling games is the heart of this business). They recently created the slogan ''this is an Xbox''.

The Xbox brand doesn't need to expose itself by launching new hardware, as this would be potentially harmful. What's going on Phil Spencer?
 
It's interesting to see that some people are actually disappointed by this rumour.
What I've always wanted is getting the Xbox games off Xbox and into Windows. At that point it is play anywhere. Hardware BC is better than nothing, but it's the same as PS3 launch systems being able to play PS2 games. Not even close to as good as an emulation solution that can work across all Windows devices. A hardware BC option means it will only last another 7 years. An emulation solution means it will last as long as PC is a thing.
 
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That's interesting, and I guess it would make more sense to limit Steam support to accessing games already purchased, vs. having the storefront itself available. Because fi such were the case, Xbox Store would be crippled and obsolete overnight, not to mention even Game Pass would have trouble in that type of environment.

MS can't really "do" anything about that on Windows and the same goes for things like the ROG Xbox Ally, but they do have that level of control with Xbox OS. That's why I at first thought the whole strategy was going to be continuing with Xbox OS but running whitelisted Windows programs through another hypervisor layer. And, for things like Steam, they'd have the storefront available but behind a Game Pass tier.

Maybe instead it's something like running Xbox OS and still allowing whitelisted Windows apps with a hypervisor layer, but Steam support isn't tied behind a Game Pass tier? Trade off being, it's just to access games you've already purchased elsewhere, not actual access to the Steam store itself. I guess that could work somehow.

I'm still more curious if it's going to be a "genuine" custom APU/hardware design more akin to a console or closer to cribbing whatever off-the-shelf stuff they think can work, incurring the overhead costs in performance. Because that's kind of what they're seemingly doing with the ROG Xbox Ally, even though they've modified Windows to be more efficient with the device type.

And other things too, like if they make the system modular for upgrades, such as officially licensed & compatible GPUs, system RAM (assuming it's not using an APU or not using unified memory) and the such, in addition to typical additional storage options.
It does seem just stupid enough that MS would try it

Total side note and not directing this at you just a footnote

I am no long bringing info here

I will talk about stuff we know for sure about hardware or even games but can't talk about future plans moving forward and this will be my only comment on it

Sorry all (and no mods did not force this, they have been actually very supportive and very willing to listen over the years here)
 
This is actually interesting for a number of reasons (if it is true).

Including the physical hardware/SoC/miniaturiaztion of older Xbox hardware on the motherboard of the new system does technically allow backward compatibility with no further work or legalities involved. Depending on what SoC is being included, you are guaranteed at least the level of BC that you get right now should they go ahead and do this.

On the flip side, however, doing this is prohibitively expensive (it's why Sony and Nintendo both stopped doing this), and can prohibit further software enhancements for older games because it is being run on native hardware.

Very interested to see where Microsoft takes this.
 
It does seem just stupid enough that MS would try it

Total side note and not directing this at you just a footnote

I am no long bringing info here

I will talk about stuff we know for sure about hardware or even games but can't talk about future plans moving forward and this will be my only comment on it

Sorry all (and no mods did not force this, they have been actually very supportive and very willing to listen over the years here)
Way to go thicc_girls_are_teh_best thicc_girls_are_teh_best

... kidding lol.
 
It's interesting to see that some people are actually disappointed by this rumour.
Because a hybrid console makes more sense at this point, especially with the initiative set for the portables.

I was sold on the idea of an Xbox hybrid that could play Steam, Epic, and GoG games with a good interface that works on controller.

I am not sold on an Xbox Series X 2. If they do that, the current Series X will be the last Xbox I ever buy.
 
It does seem just stupid enough that MS would try it

Total side note and not directing this at you just a footnote

I am no long bringing info here

I will talk about stuff we know for sure about hardware or even games but can't talk about future plans moving forward and this will be my only comment on it

Sorry all (and no mods did not force this, they have been actually very supportive and very willing to listen over the years here)
No one expects you to leak forever.
However, I do expect you to spill the beans in a few years once it is no longer a commercial concern for anyone due to being out of date. So keep your notes and store them somewhere will you? Or write a book or something.
 
There's just no way it doesn't have Steam, Epic etc all in there. Would be DOA. They've been talking about that publicly for a good while now, and just branded the ROG with Xbox. It's going to be a PC with a hardware solution for BC.

I actually bet they will phase out selling anything that isn't Play Anywhere on it so they can stop the licensing headaches piling up. The rest you will have to get from other stores, which is fine.
Bro If it's hw based emulation it has to be closed platform, look at the switch 2, there is has never been hardware based emulation on an open platform.
 
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No one expects you to leak forever.
However, I do expect you to spill the beans in a few years once it is no longer a commercial concern for anyone due to being out of date. So keep your notes and store them somewhere will you? Or write a book or something.
I will someday as I have a folder full of screen shots of messages and texts and I did make notes as I always wanted to be able to look back at what was correct at the time and how wrong things were at times :)
 
Bro If it's hw based emulation it has to closed platform, look at the switch 2, there is has never been hardware based emulation on an open platform.
It's okay to do something new. The only requirement for hardware is sell it for a profit, because it isn't likely to be subsidized. They can make a windows surface device, and include unique BC hardware if they want and brand it Xbox. And sell it for a profit since it will be open store. That's my uninformed prediction anyway.
 
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The way MS and in particular Phil Spencer talk about breaking down walled gardens and the desire for more open platform with multiple stores (a recurring theme about the future of Xbox) and people believe MS will release another closed Xbox device?

And at the same time continue updating Windows to feel more and more like an Xbox when gaming?

Anything is possible but a new closed Xbox (incompatible with PC games) would compete against MSs open Windows11 XboxPC devices in all shapes and forms. IMO There's only one winner.
 
It's interesting to see that some people are actually disappointed by this rumour.
I honestly think that the ultimate sign of a platforms downfall is when its users start looking at other platforms' assets as a panacea for their favored platform's woes (Steam/Epic access, PS games etc etc).
 
I honestly think that the ultimate sign of a platforms downfall is when its users start looking at other platforms' assets as a panacea for their favored platform's woes (Steam/Epic access, PS games etc etc).
I mean, they are a 3rd party publisher now. No one needs any signs. I'm just being logical.
 
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