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[vaibhavpisal]

That would require a new agreement on Steam's part which I'm unsure they would care enough to do.

Steam would have little interest in making this product more attractive than gaming on your old 1060, where they still get full cut of all those idie games.

They would probably say MS is free to put steam on it like any other PC or handheld, with no motivation to pay for it.

Epic games will take the lead then.

More and more smaller games will launch there trying to cover both install bases.

It could turn around fortunes of the store, if Valve will be foolish enough. Though I doubt that will be the case.

 

[ahtlas7]

If portable that would make things interesting.

 

[RCX]

If its a sub-$800 pc that can run Steam and GOG then I'd be all over it. GPU prices have lost the plot and upgrade paths on my current rig look very unappealing.

On the other hand, why would MS allow this if it just means that 50% of purchasers never use their store?

 

[BlackTron]

Epic games will take the lead then.

More and more smaller games will launch there trying to cover both install bases.

It could turn around fortunes of the store, if Valve will be foolish enough. Though I doubt that will be the case.

If you can't run steam on it, then it's not really a PC is it? They need to cede this, or not bother. "It's a PC, but only for the EGS and that's it" just kinda gives it an Epic game console mode, not a PC mode. What's the point of that? We already have walled garden boxes, they're called game consoles.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

If you can't run steam on it, then it's not really a PC is it? They need to cede this, or not bother. "It's a PC, but only for the EGS and that's it" just kinda gives it an Epic game console mode, not a PC mode. What's the point of that? We already have walled garden boxes, they're called game consoles.

What are you talking about?

Valve wouldn't be interested as per your hypothecation. Which I seriously doubt.

MS cannot force them to open a store there.

 

[hinch7]

The good
PC gaming made easier for the masses
Competition in the store fronts - MS/Xbox, Steam, GOG, EGS etc and better digital prices
Forward and backwards compatibility, no need to wait for remasters/remakes
Wider and better support for peripherals and display technologies
Mods
Free online play
Full function of Discord and other apps
Its a PC - You can work, play

The bad
Optimizations won't be as good as strictly closed hardware
Price. This is not going to be cheap. Expect $800-1000

The unknown
Longevity or long term support for hardware
Shader optimizations. Hopefully the new DX will have something in place like Vulkan as there isn't really a need for Shader compilation, even on modest hardware like the Van Gough APU in the Steam Deck.

I expect a more optimized and streamlined PC experience just like Valve is doing with SteamOS and the Steam Deck. An OS and software centered around gaming as a focal point unlike the hodgepodge of quirks that come with current Windows. I think that would make for a great companion device for a lot of enthusiasts like myself that want a powerful portable PC, with less downsides. Or a great alternative device for new buyers that don't want to deal with current PC stuff and want a high powered console for gaming and/or already have a NS/2 or PS.

 

[gerth666]

When people were claiming Xbox was going 3rd party OEM route for their hardware I would have said it was more PC based with a console experience

This whole thing Jez brings up that it just got past the final pitch stage to me sounds more in house which leads me to believe its more console based playing Steam games.

Whenever I gamed one night with those people in charge (one no longer obviously) they were pretty adamant at that time they didn't want people leaving behind their Xbox libraries

Maybe that stance has changed I dunno

Let's say Microsoft make a box, and allow steam to be loaded on it. How do they make money from that?
They want you buying games from the Microsoft store. Thats why I don't believe that rumour.

What I predict is that they'll unify the Xbox console and Xbox pc, and find a way to migrate Xbox console accounts.
So for all intents this box will be a windows pc with restrictions to app installations

 

[BlackTron]

What are you talking about?

Valve wouldn't be interested as per your hypothecation. Which I seriously doubt.

MS cannot force them to open a store there.

To Valve, this is just another thing to buy and play Steam games on, to be completely neutral about or even like, until they have to split the fee in half. That's the only part that would change their neutrality on it to something else (like passivity).

Lenovo did not have to "force" Valve to allow Steam to "open a store" on Legion Go. You simply install Steam and buy shit. Now imagine Lenovo asked for 15%. Valve would probably just say sell it without Steam for all we care, and let people buy Ally's instead.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

To Valve, this is just another thing to buy and play Steam games on, to be completely neutral about or even like, until they have to split the fee in half. That's the only part that would change their neutrality on it to something else (like passivity).

Lenovo did not have to "force" Valve to allow Steam to "open a store" on Legion Go. You simply install Steam and buy shit. Now imagine Lenovo asked for 15%. Valve would probably just say sell it without Steam for all we care, and let people buy Ally's instead.

Valve wouldn't be neutral about adding 10 million first party customers to its install base.

Also, this would be the push EGS needs to close the gap.

Game stores is a highly competitive environment and Valve isn't leading by doing nothing.

 

[BlackTron]

Valve wouldn't be neutral about adding 10 million first party customers to its install base.

Yeah, we know. Everyone wants what Xbox has, and they better pay right. LOL

 

[Astray]

I can't wait for this thing to come out.

It's so nailed on to be the worst of both the console and PC worlds.

 

[Jaybe]

If it's a PC then anything you've purchased in the Xbox ecosystem that isn't a "Play Anywhere", will need to be bought again to play it.

 

[OverHeat]

If it is an Xbox that plays PC games then the cons will be that it is still an Xbox and has the limitations of a console. Hopefully it is a PC than plays Xbox games.

 

[Topher]

But why.gif

Because.gif

 

[Fess]

The hardware isn't going to be powerful enough to run regular AAA PC games over the span of a whole console generation without special optimization.

 

[LazyParrot]

I doubt it'll happen. It'd be an absolute nightmare from a security perspective unless they add so many restrictions and guardrails that it just wouldn't be worth the effort.