Support NeoGAF

[Lunatic_Gamer]

Relevant Quote

"Xbox doesn't release its figures for active console users, but I would guess that they are on the decline at this point, with users flocking to PC in increasing amounts. Xbox hardware has declined non-stop for several quarters, as the firm pretty much stops marketing its products, and didn't even bother to do serious sales and deals over Black Friday last year. Xbox is still pledging to build next-gen console hardware, though. To that end, I've recently been told that Xbox's next-gen console hardware has now moved past its early pitch stages and has been fully approved and costed all the way up the chain. I doubt we'll see a reveal of their hardware strategy any time soon, but what is perhaps more interesting to me is how Xbox will seek to entice developers to support its efforts on PC. So far, developers have completely shunned the Microsoft Store for delivering their PC games, which doesn't seem sustainable if Microsoft is to maintain its own ecosystem."

Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/gami...ay-and-the-strange-times-xbox-finds-itself-in

 

[kazuyamishima]

 

[Sebastian1295]

Why would a developer put a game on the Microsoft store and not on steam? It'd be suicide sales wise to do so and i don't see any incentive that would make a dev do so. I also don't understand how Microsoft are going to be able to make a piece of hardware next gen that'll interest consumers and make them a profit.

 

[R3TRO]

They should just focus on software.

 

[LectureMaster]

 

[Mattyp]

Why would a developer put a game on the Microsoft store and not on steam? It'd be suicide sales wise to do so and i don't see any incentive that would make a dev do so. I also don't understand how Microsoft are going to be able to make a piece of hardware next gen that'll interest consumers and make them a profit.

Where does it say not on steam? They just want more PC developers to develop for the xbox ecosystem nothing wrong with both.

 

[ElFenomeno]

Not this guy again...just shut up..

 

[Sebastian1295]

They should just focus on software.

The problem is they can't. They have to sell people gamepass and the only way to sell gamepass is through hardware because console sales make up the majority of all gamepass subscriptions. Without hardware they'd be in an even worse position then they're now.

 

[midnightAI]

Well I would think so to, in other news..... PS6 has got the go ahead from Sony

 

[Sebastian1295]

Where does it say not on steam? They just want more PC developers to develop for the xbox ecosystem nothing wrong with both.

No one on PC cares about the microsoft store and no one is going to buy off of the microsoft store when they have steam readily available to them. They've tried getting PC gamers to get on gamepass and buy from the store and it's completely failed because the majority of PC gamers are locked to steam and aren't going to budge. It's a failing strategy for them.

 

[Evil Calvin]

I thought I heard Sarah Bond a couple Summer Game Fests (or maybe Game Awards) saying the next Xbox will be the biggest leap in gaming technology ever. Was she full of shit if they are just now past approval stage?

 

[adamsapple]

 

[Team Andromeda]

Good to hear

 

[Randall365]

Tell me when it reaches the disastrous announcement/meme stage and I can take an interest.

 

[mansoor1980]

its him again isnt it

 

[Calverz]

They still need a box in living room if they want to accomplish their gamepass dream. Even if it means sending it out to die. I’d imagine this will be limited quantities and through their own retail channel only.

 

[Skifi28]

If it just passed the early pitch stage now, doesn't that mean the release is far off? Some people were saying GTA launch or early 2026. Unless it's literally a Windows PC with just a new UI on top.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

Sounds great but means jack shit coming from him.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Did anyone doubt it was coming?

After so many reassurances?

But anyways, it better allow for side loading steam. Else will be hard to get 3rd party support for system if sales aren’t high.

 

[LordCBH]

“I would guess they are on the decline…”

Good fucking guess, Jez. I’m sure he had tears flowing when he said that. The

 

[Darkkahn]

Bring back kinect you cowards!

 

[T-0800]

 

[Astray]

HeisenbergFX4 stays undefeated!

This gonna be the $1000 one?

 

[RetroGamingUK]

Early pitch stage? Don’t these usually take years to develop? Unless they really are just going to cobble together a desktop PC.

With all their games going to PS5 and Switch 2, who’s the audience for this? Is there an audience at this point?

 

[panda-zebra]

HeisenbergFX4 stays undefeated!

You think?

If this just happened there's little chance this will be a '26 release like we've been expecting (going out of step with generations/coming in very early) unless it's less like custom hardware and uses generic discrete components. Then again...

means jack shit coming from him.

so probably best to just ignore as usual.

 

[Dr.D00p]

Definitely needs to be called the 'Y Box'.

 

[LectureMaster]

 

[Elios83]

It doesn't make much sense.
Whatever the next hardware is (not a traditional console but likely a gaming PC derivative product) has already been confirmed to be in development a good while ago.
Passing the early pitch right now means it won't be ready until 2028-2029.
This goes in the opposite direction of other rumors but who knows.

 

[Dorfdad]

Don’t believe this at all. For a device to be released in 2026-2027 the pitch stage was well long ago not recently. Maybe they mean it was given the green light to begin production phases? But a pitch I don’t believe…

 

[ahtlas7]

Make Xbox great again. Give us something good MS.

 

[Ronin_7]

So 2028?

 

[Doctor Hades]

Xbox Next: 1,500 TFLOPS of performance! No exclusive games!!!

 

[Jigsaah]

I only have hope that they'll be aggressive with their pricing on a handheld. Ill probably skip the console this time.

 

[Metnut]

I’m curious to see what they end up doing. With software exclusives their only hope seems to be to merge PC with XBox but that won’t be ready to pull off.

 

[BennyBlanco]

If they want devs to support their PC store, they need to scrap the whole thing and start over. It is absolute dog shit. EGS is way better.

 

[Horseganador]

They could leave with dignity like Sega did and dedicate themselves to making only games, but I suppose they will try again even if they barely sell anything.

 

[skyfinch]

The only way I'd buy another Xbox console is if it has "Series S 2" in the name or if it came bundled with Redfall Remaster.

 

[N0S]

 

[rm082e]

Where does it say not on steam? They just want more PC developers to develop for the xbox ecosystem nothing wrong with both.

Okay, but what is the "Xbox ecosystem" exactly?

If you mean their walled-garden console, the Series is a distant third place and software sales numbers have shown that audience buys a lot fewer games (because they play whatever is on Game Pass).

If you mean streaming, the adoption rate has been significantly less than what MS predicted. There aren't enough players on any streaming service to support any game bigger than a bedroom indie.

If you mean PC, the Microsoft store is just about the worst place for PC players to buy a game. There's no reason to. Microsoft puts all the Xbox exclusive games on Steam now. Nobody needs or wants Microsoft to be another key seller with a shitty launcher.

Xbox as a brand - ouside of servicing existing Series console owners - no longer has a reason to exist. The only thing keeping that brand alive is the 20+ million Game Pass subscribers. They've tried everything to get that number higher and it hasn't worked. They reached market saturation much faster than they predicted.

 

[ShaiKhulud1989]

Do we really need to remind about his (lack of) credibility again?

 

[Humdinger]

Early pitch stage? I thought this was rumored to be out next year? Either that is wrong or Jez is way behind the curve.

 

[tTHANOSs]

Yes Jez because you know everything xbox

 

[Hayriko]

If it just passed the early pitch stage now, doesn't that mean the release is far off? Some people were saying GTA launch or early 2026. Unless it's literally a Windows PC with just a new UI on top.

It will run windows 11

 

[RCX]

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

oh boy. pitch phase?
Phil Spencer: And, and with this strategy, I I, I, I assure you, Mr. Nadella and me-me- memembers of the board, we have a winner in our hands.

 

[Ozriel]

Early pitch stage? Don’t these usually take years to develop? Unless they really are just going to cobble together a desktop PC

Do you know the release date?

 

[Zacfoldor]

I love that they have to do a pitch to decide what kind of hardware to use instead of actually having an internal plan of their own.

I'm gonna go to Sony next week and pitch them on the idea of a PS6, and get this, it's like a PS5 but with more modern hardware. They'll never see this one coming. It's gonna change the industry.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

HeisenbergFX4 stays undefeated!

This gonna be the $1000 one?

A few things about this and I will admit I haven't talked specifically about this next gen console to people in awhile but...

Early pitch stages sounds way off to me because I know for a fact those pitch stages happen much earlier leading into a new generation so if this part is true this next gen machine is way behind the original timeline I was given like 2 years ago

I can't speak on how Sony does things but at least at Xbox their planning started even before the launch of a current gen as soon as the current gen is finalized and goes into production their teams get to work on the future

If what Jez says here is true the powers that be above Phils head must have really taking a lot of convincing to move forward

This could very well be the expensive machine but I got the feeling that would be handled by other manufacturers like Asus and stuff but this makes it sound like its 100% in house.

I love that they have to do a pitch to decide what kind of hardware to use instead of actually having an internal plan of their own.

I'm gonna go to Sony next week and pitch them on the idea of a PS6, and get this, it's like a PS5 but with more modern hardware. They'll never see this one coming. It's gonna change the industry.

I am sure even the teams at Sony have to give a pitch to higher ups to approve each console as well, but don't know that for a fact

 

[Ozriel]

I love that they have to do a pitch to decide what kind of hardware to use instead of actually having an internal plan of their own.

I'm gonna go to Sony next week and pitch them on the idea of a PS6, and get this, it's like a PS5 but with more modern hardware. They'll never see this one coming. It's gonna change the industry.

Even for this thread, this is a rather bizarre comment
How do you think decisions are made? You put together a reference design, with credible alternatives and a decision is taken, along with cost estimates.

My word. What do you people do in real life?

 

[Burger King]

It's a PC