Weebleman

@themightyant its still part of the project. Just looking at a multi platform release apparently, which is not a bad thing and hopefully we see more of this for the China project stuff.

@ThCajunAsian exclusives and consoles were important for xbox right up until they didnt generate enough sales of the console. Then its all about the players and no walled gardens waffle. Anyone that buys into this being xbox's plan all along is absolutely blinded by brand loyalty.

@fatpunkslim I think you are missing his point.

Also, it isnt +45% in subscribers going up. Its just the percentage of subscribers using streaming. This could be for 5 minutes, 5 hours, 5 days, who knows.

@Fiendish-Beaver's point is that without the detail, it means nothing. And hes right.

If thats 45% of the current userbase it means nothing as its zero growth. Words are the only thing MS are able to produce more of at the minute because its a constant stream of drivel from their execs.

@Striker21 The problem is that while folks wait for the new xbox to launch, more and more are building a digital library on PS. Selling the console is a small challenge for MS compared to getting folks to walk away from their library of games. As soon as they here they can carry them over, they will go where they can keep using them.

What a game. Absolutely loved every minute of it.

Ooooooooo what a palaver

@Tasuki good old Pete. I always forget he ended up at Liverpool FC. A winding career path if I ever saw one.

@Tasuki I always find it funny that xbox were all about exclusives, even buying up publishers and literally saying they would make their games exclusive, right until it didnt move the needle on sales and subs.

Now suddenly exclusives dont matter and they want us to believe they did it for us because they're good people.

Utter utter nonsense.

Insert LOUD NOISES gif

DS2 is my personal game of the year but fully expecting E33 to get its flowers across the board.

Surprised Split fiction or Indy isnt in for game of the year. Split Fiction was superb. I bounced off Indy but I know it’s very well thought of in most circles.

@Lup i mean, calling them a fanboy is just as short. I just meant that once folks start using terms such as pony and xbot they get tarred with the same brush as those they are trying to highlight as its fanboy lingo.

Like I say, I dont disagree with your point as im pretty sure theres plenty out there on both sides of that fence. Lord knows we all see them

No ill will intended my man.

@Lup You have a point in what you are saying, you just lose it when you throw silly fanboy insults about is all.

Nobody doubts there will be hardware, its just what type of hardware it is.

Same as nobody doubts you can take your console games with you, but if the majority are streamed then its a big old nope.

@Lup you do realise that the second you throw Pony in your sentence you instantly become the same thing on the opposite side, dont you?

@Questionable_Duck emulation is entirely possible, they did it with the X/S. Although I would highlight that nobody at MS has said the word native yet. Back compat, yes, but no mention of if it will be native.

In terms of PS6 games, I imagine they will release on PC at a later date, which is fine, but I dont see everything day and date. Plus it wont have my PS library. Im not fussed about things in one place. Im old enough to have many a day swapping scart leads over to play another console. Picking up another pad and switching hdmi's is a breeze 😂.

I do agree windows store will be front and centre but, judging from the premium foreshadowing, I imagine that most folks picking the next xbox up will know all to well how to put steam on it. They will also know games are much cheaper on steam, cutting MS and their 30% out all together.

There is zero chance developers will skip steam, regardless of the cut MS offer. The only ones that will are possibly MS, but as they're releasing everywhere, why would they.

All of this is theoretical of course, only time will tell, but I get a feeling this isnt gonna be what folks think.

@Questionable_Duck but my SX will play my xbox library. So thats covered. If the steam box is cheaper I will get that and still access everything.

Why would a developer put money into developing an xbox port for a machine that operates on windows, steam, etc... It will literally just be a PC version. There will be no xbox operating system. Same as the ally. It will be an app that looks like xbox playing PC versions. While I fully imagine it will be completley back compatible, it will be windows gaming. There will be no xbox port as there wont be an xbox os. If its its next gen only it will be via windows os, cross gen games aside with back compatibility playing the 'last gen' xbox version.

@Cakefish The price of this thing will be the big decider for me. As I say, I mainly use steam for indies so I dont need a powerful, high end machine to benefit from them. This would be a great side box to a new PS as it will cover everything for me personally.

I also mentioned in another chat that xbox games as we know them wont really be a thing next gen as they will just be the PC versions. Companies like Rockstar release these versions much later than a standard console version. How will this impact the next box as it will rely on PC releases for them, rather than a straight console port.

Lovely read that @FraserG, glad youre enjoying it. Also, love a good hardwood floor. Kudos.

@Kezelpaso touched on a point i was discussing the other day in that, if xbox goes the PC route next gen, which is pretty much a given, there will be no 'xbox' versions as such as they will be PC versions. What's your thoughts on this in terms of games like GTA where PC versions often follow quite some time later than standard consoles?

@Questionable_Duck my xbox SX plays my xbox games, my ps will play any new xbox games, this will let me play my steam library (mainly indies) on the tv. I see zero reason for me to buy a new xbox.

Lets not forget, there will be no next gen 'xbox' games. They will all just be pc versions.

Well, this just killed any interest in a premium xbox to access Steam im my living room. Price it right, with a PS whatever to go with it, im in.

@You-come-to-me didnt come across like that at all man, I hope i didnt come across like I was diving to the sony defense either. Was more just the conversation (if that makes sense).

@You-come-to-me So you just announced they are 100k up on console sales from the same period last year. The PS5 is currently tracking around 2.1 million behind the fasting sell Sony machine, the PS4.

I do get your point, though i wouldnt say its stagnation (if that makes sense).

My S died 2 months after the warranty expired 😔

@deadmaker they arent losing these exclusives, they were only ever timed deals. Everybody knew they would end which is why the xbox version was prepped and ready to go.

@Titntin yeah, you are setting the bar exceptionally high there 😂

@Titntin have you ever seen the drummer from Otoboke Beaver? Jesus christ, she is on another level.

https://youtu.be/ePToK-RtZeA?si=0Zft2a4GrZg4P9bw

Apologies for the chap attempting it. First video that popped up.

Edit: I'll buy your drum kit if you get stuck 😂

Its truly brilliant. Those that havent picked it up yet are in for a treat.

Headphones. Cannot recommend headphones enough for it.

@themightyant I imagine that, as @fatpunkslim says, there will be a lengthy period where most games are cross gen and will still be available for the X, so will run on the new box without utilising the full power available. Was more just that next gen only titles will likely be PC versions that the new xbox will use.

I just wondered that, with GTA 6 for example, rockstar normally leave a few years between console and PC. Would that mean that, in essence, other consoles get a gifted exclusive period as if they aim for next gen only while/if they focus on PC versions later, xbox will be reliant on those versions. Obviously with GTA 6 there is a series console version in the pipeline anyway so it will launch day and date in this instance.

It was just a thought more than a certainty of course.

Edit: the flip side obviously being there a number of games, particularly in the indie sector, that would hit xbox first as they aim for pc before porting elsewhere. Therefore I suppose the gifted exclusivity goes both ways.

@themightyant it will play back compat games im pretty much certain; However, if the machine basically runs windows gaming, steam, etc... then there is little point developing an xbox console version of a game when there wont be an xbox as we know it now.

The new box would only be able to play a back compat version if its windows based (from what we know). So it would save time and costs to just sell a PC, PS6 and Switch version of your game.

Basically I mean, if its gonna be a PC in essence, then its gonna be playing PC games from a PC store for games that utilise the power it has. Hope that makes sense.

Edit: dont get me wrong, series versions wont be just cut off, it will be over time.

@kelomaniack but the next xbox will play PC versions of games. There will be no more 'xbox' versions. It will be windows versions for newer games. And Rockstar ain't quick on those ports...

Interesting thought... we all know that rockstar release pc versions of these games many years after consoles. They even acknowledge this themselves.

If the next xbox is basically a PC, which is pretty much the way it is going, then it will basically have back compatibility with the series x version and thats it until a PC version arrives around 2027/2028 going on previous releases.

Is there a world were there is a PS6 version released before the next box gets access to a PC version. Its entirely possible.

@Tainted while I do agree with this, they are getting their figures from the Spanish gaming site, gamesreactor, which i hold a little more faith in as its not them.

@Cakefish I cant see Mr Mozzys comments as he blocked me for knocking his brand, but if he is saying sales dont matter its utter nonsense. The whole purpose of any company that makes games/consoles is to generate sales.

Blue prince
Death stranding 2
Split fiction

Great year all round though.

A number of sites have reported its likely due to supply issues. Spanish sales are available and the X sold out there but only totalled a 1000 units (800 the x, 200 the ally).

It was outsold by everything in the same period apart from xbox console and the switch one.

.https://www.vgchartz.com/article/466058/rog-xbox-ally-handhelds-sold-1000-units-during-launch-week-in-spain/

@Rodimusprime13 you are assuming its profitable. They have to recoup 69 billion plus other costs before its profitable.

@Rodimusprime13 the sales of switch one only dropped once switch 2 rumours began. Switch sold 153 million units. Xbox is yet to break 40 million according to available info.

These are very, very different situations.

@OldGamer999 my friend, if you arent aware of the issues with windows gaming just have a little Google. Its widely known to be a royal pain in the ass. The full screen overlay doesn't stop any of the issues despite folks telling you different. Its just a glorified app and the issues still crack on i the background.

@Kaloudz I mean, id take it 😂

@Kaloudz what hes saying is if MS put 50 million in and then pull out, they lost the 50 million. His company developing the game were given 50 million and now doesn't have to recoup that cost as it wasnt their money they spent.

If a new investor picks it up, they already have 50 million worth of development done and its basically free to the developer and the new investor. The only losing party here would be MS.

@TrollOfWar completley agree with everything you said there. Partly, and this is just my opinion, I dont think MS itself knows what it wants xbox to be at the minute. The hybrid box is great in theory but it brings so many questions as well. Access to old games as we both said is one. The other, bigger, challenge for me is that consoles were subsidised as you made the money back through software sales, etc... in the walled garden. MS will be cutting themselves off from a massive revenue stream by opening to steam, epic, gog, etc... that money has to be pulled back from somewhere.

The whole report from Jez the other day felt like they were just saying positive quotes to change the focus. Free online is a brilliant thing, but how many people got merged from gold to GP and only want online play. If that goes free, its more money that will likely be heaped on the cost of the box.

It just feels a bit like they are throwing ideas around to see what will stick and instead of a great machine to play games, you end up with a box that does everything but just alright, if that makes sense.

Time will tell on it all I suppose.

@TrollOfWar I do think they'll find a way as basically they have to. Its not gonna be straightforward though.

As articles on the ROG point out, its absolutely not a console and its frustrating some people who were led to believe it was. Thats a big obstacle to get over and no easy feat once you put PC in the mix as thats part and parcel of it.

Im interested to see how they get a system that plays pc and all xbox games. Windows gaming on the rog couldn't do it. If they use the same line of you get all games because you can stream them then yeah, I dont think thats gonna cut it.

But if anything, we got conformation that they see themselves as a publisher now. Man couldn't even say xbox out loud.

Paid mouthpiece told to put something out to take the focus off all the negative press.

I will pay attention when a reputable, independent journalist does their own report.

Is it just me or do all these things have a whiff of damage control about them. The old dead cat trick. If you want them to stop talking about things you dont want discussed, slap a dead cat on the table and everyone will talk about that instead.

I mean, if these were from Tom Warren or someone, fair play. Jez Corden is basically a pay rolled mouth piece.

@AverageJoseph you think they would know this after they lost the bluray/HD dvd battle due to said boobies and buts picking a format.

Bit of a pattern forming there when you think about it

So tik tok hurts gaming and nobody wants exclusives.

While nintendo (more so) and Sony sell millions of consoles that play exclusive games.

Hmmmm...

@Kaloudz Ive just got my kid a steam deck for christmas. He mainly uses a gaming laptop and has been eyeballing one for some time to use while we are travelling, holidays, etc...

They are reasonably priced and will do what he wants from it so it felt like the right time to plunge. I cant offer you any other feedback until the 25th December though 😂

Hope you are keeping well buddy.

Scaling back allows that flexibility. Utter, utter nonsense.

@OldGamer999 even though you sold it... at least twice 😂

You even told me your son had brought his back from uni and you were using that at one point dude.