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[Brucey]

I will repeat something I said a couple of weeks ago

The whispers believe MS is waiting to see if the new COD moves the Gamepass needle and if it doesn't they are looking at some possible big time changes

Looks like you can sign up for PC gamepass sub for a $1, I can't figure out how long the trial lasts before they start the recurring $12 monthly sub. The terms link has zero details.

It seems like there could easily be a huge surge of pc gamepass "subscribers" signing up for the $1 deal and then cancelling.

PC Game Pass | Xbox

www.xbox.com

 

[Brucey]

Sorry I should have clarified.

I meant the termination of its current form, as in no Day 1 games after COD.

I will say...if they aren't making another console, I could see them stopping it entirely.

The question is what to do about people who've already maxed out with years of gamepass already paid and locked in?

 

[YeulEmeralda]

Here's what the Surface team have been up to:

But Surface sales and revenue have been dropping significantly over the last couple years as well:

Is Microsoft's Surface lineup in danger of being discontinued altogether?

Sales for Microsoft Surface are dipping, and the passionate leader behind the brand left Microsoft. Is it time to start worrying about the future?

www.xda-developers.com

A high end portable and halo "Xbox PC" type product could well try and leverage the Surface branding and give it a little last gasp boost as it isn't as toxic as Xbox. $750 and $1500?

Neogaf cries about a 700 eurodollar PS5 but thinks a 750 eurodollar handheld is the future?

The Switch works because it's cheap and it's the only way to play Pokémon.

 

[Optimus Lime]

Based on my sources, unless it can run Windows and Steam, it's a horrible idea that will be DOA, like everything Phil's touched since 2014.

 

[Ozzy Onya A2Z]

One has to wonder why the powers ar MS don't push a loss leading brilliant bit of kit out there. Imagine even half of the $70billion they spent going into crazy good hardware or handheld. We'd be talking 70million units at something like $500 loss per unit.

They even said it themselves about out buying Sony etc. Too bad they didn't action it and just don't seem to have the vision for the platform. Gamepass on top of that? Come on.

 

[DeltaPolarBear]

The question is what to do about people who've already maxed out with years of gamepass already paid and locked in?

Simple, converte them to Ultimate, which forces them to get PC Gamepass licences, and then kick them all to PC and cease Xbox Gamepass.

 

[POKEYCLYDE]

My thought is that the next Xbox will be able to download other storefronts. Maybe you'll be able to link your Xbox account with your Steam account or Epic account, etc.

Xbox will do whatever scummy thing they can to make their store's version make the most sense. Be it through search results, an "optimized" tag, make it less convenient to play through other launchers (time to launch, seperate sign in?), meaning it will be more convenient to play their version.

To make their offering the best offering, they'll have to drop their XBL requirement to play paid online multiplayer games. Which I think is probable. It's a PR win and they still have Gamepass Ultimate and Core.

They'll lose out on that 30% cut some of the time, but selling more consoles with a fixed Gamepass attach rate is probably worth it. And a console that has access to Gamepass, PC exclusives and Playstation titles when they become available on Steam is definitely marketable/valuable.

 

[Brucey]

Simple, converte them to Ultimate, which forces them to get PC Gamepass licences, and then kick them all to PC and cease Xbox Gamepass.

Potentially they could be faced with issuing refunds? which would be a hell of an undertaking, given some paid full price and others only a token amount to convert Xbox live over. So what is the true value of a month or year of gamepass ultimate?

 

[TheGodfather07]

Where was his sources when he said the rumours of Microsoft porting games to playstation was "copium"? They know nothing at all.

 

[akira__]

My thought is that the next Xbox will be able to download other storefronts. Maybe you'll be able to link your Xbox account with your Steam account or Epic account, etc.

Xbox will do whatever scummy thing they can to make their store's version make the most sense. Be it through search results, an "optimized" tag, make it less convenient to play through other launchers (time to launch, seperate sign in?), meaning it will be more convenient to play their version.

To make their offering the best offering, they'll have to drop their XBL requirement to play paid online multiplayer games. Which I think is probable. It's a PR win and they still have Gamepass Ultimate and Core.

They'll lose out on that 30% cut some of the time, but selling more consoles with a fixed Gamepass attach rate is probably worth it. And a console that has access to Gamepass, PC exclusives and Playstation titles when they become available on Steam is definitely marketable/valuable.

If the focus is more storefronts, would that be admission that the current storefront on the console is lacking?

Other storefronts would not only lead to missing that 30% sale cut but also lose out on performance that was gained by working for a single platform with devkits, sdk, api, etc. Be prepared that other storefront games will run 20% to 40% worse then their console counter parts.

The multiple storefronts would help with the strategic positioning of MS. See their case against apple for example.

Within the gaming industry we have yet to see a open console take off.

 

[HeWhoWalks]

Microsoft knows deep down the only chance they have of superseding Sony in console sales is to release theirs before Sony does.

It worked for a while with the Xbox 2 (Xbox 360), and I can't see Sony releasing a PS6 in 2 years when PS5 has barely gotten out of 2nd gear.

But alas, stranger things have happened in gaming.

It mainly worked for the 360 because of the PS3’s launch price.

 

[Brucey]

It mainly worked for the 360 because of the PS3’s launch price.

Also 360 had a 12 to 18 month headstart over the PS3.

 

[HeWhoWalks]

Also 360 had a 12 to 18 month headstart over the PS3.

Yep, but the price was a guaranteed delay of any swift catch up (though the PS3 sold more from launch).

 

[Brucey]

Yep, but the price was a guaranteed delay of any swift catch up (though the PS3 sold more from launch).

Ultimately the value offering was the PS3 because the 360 launched without basic stuff like HDMI, hard drive, WiFi etc. By the time you got all the add-ons you were right up there. Before the HD-DVD drives brief appearance. But certainly the initial price of entry appeared low.

 

[ThisIsMyDog]

it's the only way to play Pokémon.

 

[PatientGamer]

It mainly worked for the 360 because of the PS3’s launch price.

I think if the PS3 launched day and date with X360, they would've still stomped.

 

[HeWhoWalks]

I think if the PS3 launched day and date with X360, they would've still stomped.

What would have stomped? The 360?

 

[PatientGamer]

What would have stomped? The 360?

The PS3 would've stomped the 360.

 

[Aguero9320]

I know this will trigger a few, but it's true. The pace of change, for me at least, is happening fast. I own all the consoles and always have, but I don't think I'll buy another one of any variety. I recently built a very nice gaming PC, but I'm not really using it to play games - I'm using Geforce Now. I do still use remote play occasionally from the Xbox or through Moonlight (and even more rarely from the PS5) which uses my hardware but that's out of necessity rather than choice. If it's on Geforce Now I'm using that, either through the TV app, Apple TV using Moonlight or on my ROG Ally X (which is 100% a streaming machine it turns out).

I'm still interested to see if Microsoft really do something different to pull me back in, but the streaming stuff works so well for me I'm not sure what that could be. I am certain PS6 is not in my future. Hopefully they are developing a service to match Geforce Now, or looking to partner with them. The amount of games that don't come out in a way that would make them accessible this way is smaller than ever and shrinking all the time.

 

[mckmas8808]

Here's what the Surface team have been up to:

But Surface sales and revenue have been dropping significantly over the last couple years as well:

Is Microsoft's Surface lineup in danger of being discontinued altogether?

Sales for Microsoft Surface are dipping, and the passionate leader behind the brand left Microsoft. Is it time to start worrying about the future?

www.xda-developers.com

A high end portable and halo "Xbox PC" type product could well try and leverage the Surface branding and give it a little last gasp boost as it isn't as toxic as Xbox. $750 and $1500?

Those prices would make it dead on arrival lol!

 

[finalflame]

I get the feeling the next XBOX is going to essentially be part of the PC ecosystem, with a layer of XBOX experience draped over it. I'd be very surprised if I am wrong about this.

 

[HeWhoWalks]

Those prices would make it dead on arrival lol!

Exactly.

Only Premium devices will see these sorts of big price points. A mainstream device would sit right there at anything over $600.

 

[Punished Miku]

Those prices would make it dead on arrival lol!

That's what I've been expecting since February. Already saved up $2000 just this year.

I made a thread about getting a PC, and everyone told me it'll be in the 1000-2500 range. If I can get a console and handheld for that, and it doesn't feel like a huge ripoff in terms of cost / performance, I'm definitely interested. It's not going to be a mainstream device though at all.

 

[Brucey]

Those prices would make it dead on arrival lol!

They've tried the low end with series s, the high end with series x, both at once, those markets have failed to respond with falling demand for those offerings... what else is left but the ultra premium tier of cashed up Xbox fans. I just don't see it recouping development costs tho.

 

[IbizaPocholo]

 

[Brucey]

"Might see next year".

Alrighty then. A portable device coming out next year against a potential switch 2 would be quite an uphill struggle.

 

[clarky]

Fucking Nostradamus here lol.

What a time wasting tit this guy is.

 

[Heisenberg007]

Fucking Nostradamus here lol.

What a time wasting tit this guy is.

Hey. Please don't insult tits.

Tits are beautiful.

 

[mckmas8808]

So MS wants to go up against the Nintendo Switch 2? And also kill the Xbox Series consoles in 2025? No way the will be this dumb.

 

[clarky]

So MS wants to go up against the Nintendo Switch 2? And also kill the Xbox Series consoles in 2025? No way the will be this dumb.

Its so stupid I actually believe it.

 

[diffusionx]

Fucking Nostradamus here lol.

What a time wasting tit this guy is.

weird how his leaks always coincide with stuff like big news from a competitor, or bad news from microsoft.

 

[clarky]

weird how his leaks always coincide with stuff like big news from a competitor, or bad news from microsoft.

He's not my favourite but did I miss something?

 

[Sethbacca]

It still blows my mind anyone would even consider buying in if it's a traditional console. A PC hybrid that I could throw on a tv with console like ease would be a maybe to yes even from me, but a traditional console after the last 2 completely failed gens would be a hard no.

 

[clarky]

It still blows my mind anyone would even consider buying in if it's a traditional console. A PC hybrid that I could throw on a tv with console like ease would be a maybe to yes even from me, but a traditional console after the last 2 completely failed gens would be a hard no.

I don't think they are doing a hybrid it makes no sense. Just build/buy your own PC, which would likely be cheaper.

 

[diffusionx]

He's not my favourite but did I miss something?

PS5 Pro is coming out this week so he goes on and posts this. IIRC when Xbox layoffs were announced he came out and said that he "heard" the next system was non-traditional, like a PC hybrid. It's just strange how his leaks are timed, almost like his job is to keep Xbox shills engaged and talkiing about Xbox positively.

 

[Sethbacca]

I don't think they are doing a hybrid it makes no sense. Just build/buy a PC, which would likely be cheaper.

I have a PC but I'd personally just like to see MS release a gaming centric OS with console quality of life features that makes the entire thing more manageable from a couch with a controller. Not like it matters, Steam is going to give that to us soon and render MS basically irrelevant for gamers on PC.

 

[clarky]

I have a PC but I'd personally just like to see MS release a gaming centric OS with console quality of life features that makes the entire thing more manageable from a couch with a controller.

I thought that but a couple of posters on here pointed out that comes with a fuck ton of licencing issues, if it was to be BC with all the Xbox software.

 

[Sethbacca]

I thought that but a couple of posters on here pointed out that comes with a fuck ton of licencing issues, if it was to be BC with all the Xbox software.

Yeah I have no idea about any of that, but it would be literally the only way to get someone like me into the Xbox ecosystem after watching them flounder for the last decade and change.

 

[clarky]

PS5 Pro is coming out this week so he goes on and posts this. IIRC when Xbox layoffs were announced he came out and said that he "heard" the next system was non-traditional, like a PC hybrid. It's just strange how his leaks are timed, almost like his job is to keep Xbox shills engaged and talkiing about Xbox positively.

Of course, silly me its Pro launch week isn't it. Makes sense now.

 

[clarky]

Yeah I have no idea about any of that, but it would be literally the only way to get someone like me into the Xbox ecosystem after watching them flounder for the last decade and change.

I have to admit it would be quite appealing for me as well. The OS that is, not bothered about the actual console.

 

[proandrad]

All in, if I can play my pc games on a Xbox handheld with an optimized version of windows. But I have no interest in just a Xbox portable.

 

[RoboFu]

makes more sense than a series S really. the handheld is the series S

 

[Zacfoldor]

Wait by the replies it seems some aren't sure Steam will be on the next Xbox.

I was assured Steam would be there.

If Steam is there the device is platform agnostic and it is not a traditional console. People could play a whole lifetime on it and never buy an Xbox or Microsoft game if Steam is on the device. If it is not, it is a traditional console.

You cannot have a traditional console with two separate stores that provide separate licenses for the same game.

So which is it this hour Microsoft? I'm interested to see how this plays out. IMHO 99% chance it has Steam on it just because that sounds like such an Xbox move at this point.

The big question. The only question is, will it have steam or not? If it does, bad news for Xbox hardware.

If Xbox releases early it will cost them more to have a generational leap, and so that is where the high cost hardware estimates come from. If the device has steam and is releasing early and aims for generational improvements, it is likely to be costly like the PS5 Pro, BECAUSE, it will be difficult to subsidize the hardware with potential future earnings which may be zero if people buy this as a steam box. I have a feeling MS may want to move out of hardware and thus will release this device exactly as we speculate, good specs, runs steam, expensive.

As you can see how the market reacts for a 699 Playstation Pro, console market will be lost if base model launches over 599, that's the ceiling. Otherwise sales will be super sluggish. How to release a generational leap at 599 that also runs steam? Could be done easily if MS want to pay for it, but I'm not so sure. I think they will put something out that is nice, but also that they expect not to sell well and continue their push to 3rd party publishing.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

The big question. The only question is, will it have steam or not? If it does, bad news for Xbox hardware

it's bad for Xbox anyway

 

[Kvally]

I will buy both on day one, but I doubt I will use the portable Xbox much. Maybe when I am on the couch when my wife is watching Bachelorette or something.

 

[mayham2199]

Wait by the replies it seems some aren't sure Steam will be on the next Xbox.

I was assured Steam would be there.

If Steam is there the device is platform agnostic and it is not a traditional console. People could play a whole lifetime on it and never buy an Xbox or Microsoft game if Steam is on the device. If it is not, it is a traditional console.

You cannot have a traditional console with two separate stores that provide separate licenses for the same game.

So which is it this hour Microsoft? I'm interested to see how this plays out. IMHO 99% chance it has Steam on it just because that sounds like such an Xbox move at this point.

The big question. The only question is, will it have steam or not? If it does, bad news for Xbox hardware.

If Xbox releases early it will cost them more to have a generational leap, and so that is where the high cost hardware estimates come from. If the device has steam and is releasing early and aims for generational improvements, it is likely to be costly like the PS5 Pro, BECAUSE, it will be difficult to subsidize the hardware with potential future earnings which may be zero if people buy this as a steam box. I have a feeling MS may want to move out of hardware and thus will release this device exactly as we speculate, good specs, runs steam, expensive.

As you can see how the market reacts for a 699 Playstation Pro, console market will be lost if base model launches over 599, that's the ceiling. Otherwise sales will be super sluggish. How to release a generational leap at 599 that also runs steam? Could be done easily if MS want to pay for it, but I'm not so sure. I think they will put something out that is nice, but also that they expect not to sell well and continue their push to 3rd party publishing.

No one knows if it will be there or not. People seem to think it will have Steam because Phil mentioned it and then after that the rumors started running wild. Jez is saying it's not going to happen and it's just a traditional console which just makes more sense to me.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

I don't think they are doing a hybrid it makes no sense. Just build/buy your own PC, which would likely be cheaper.

A lot of people don't want to build a PC nor game on one after working on a PC all day

A PC with a console like experience running an Xbox OS that side loads Steam sounds interesting

 

[hinch7]

A lot of people don't want to build a PC nor game on one after working on a PC all day

A PC with a console like experience running an Xbox OS that side loads Steam sounds interesting

Or a proper gaming experience on a handheld like the Steam Deck. But with full compatibility with launchers and apps with Windows and an OS to suit.

I'd 100% get an Xbox handheld if they can pull that off.

 

[clarky]

A lot of people don't want to build a PC nor game on one after working on a PC all day

A PC with a console like experience running an Xbox OS that side loads Steam sounds interesting

It does sound interesting but i just dont see a market for it, except a super niche one. The OS would need to be able to run on regular PC's as well then they can claim an instant install base of a couple of billion lol.

Personally I already have that console like experience with a mini itx 4070ti build behind the TV that boots into Steam big picture mode.

I understand that im not everyone but like i said why would anyone after a console purchase one over a playstation? And anyone looking for a PC type experience can just buy a PC like i described.

I dunno seems like a strange idea to me. And very expensive. Im all for new toys though, if they make it appealing enough ill probably buy one lol.

 

[clarky]

Or a proper gaming experience on a handheld like the Steam Deck. But with full compatibility with launchers and apps with Windows and an OS to suit.

I'd 100% get an Xbox handheld if they can pull that off.

I would definitely buy one of these though

Sounds like it would need charging every twenty minutes lol