Weebleman

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.

Baked a cake
Had a breakdown
Bon appetit

While you did state it was a handheld pc in the headline, you followed it with 'xbox's new handheld...', which is part of the problem. Its ASUS's new handheld.

@Matthewnh Just under £800 actually, which is still painful when you say it out loud. Still 200-250 less than a grand though.

Console 699
Drive 99.00
Or 758 for both from Very.

For reference.

Edit: Mirrors Edge was so good wasnt it.

@BaldB3lper78 They will make a fair bit from publishing 3rd party, absolutely. But when you think about all those 3rd party sales they usually get 30% off they certainly mount up. Some of the biggest selling games are 3rd party and if they are available cheaper in another storefront upfront, then they get nothing. Once you factor in dlc' and microtransactions it becomes a pretty eye watering amount of money to miss out on i imagine.

On the flip side though, they lost the casual market. Folks built a digital library on PS4 as Spencer said himself, that was the worst generation to lose out on. The mass market (casuals) will simply see they can keep that on the next playstation and go there regardless. Its going to take something momentus to get people to walk away from their digital game collections.

Appealing to the minority hardcore at a premium price is pretty much the only play MS can use at the minute as things like Gamepass havent hit the levels they hoped for.

Heck, buying call of duty didnt shift the needle to their side in terms of console sales and subs, as I imagine they thought it would. You may as well focus on the enthusiasts and faithful.

@fatpunkslim The big thing about the nextbox will be price. Everything you listed is a big selling point to you, me and others on here. None of it will matter to the crowd who purchase the majority of these things. It will come down to cost, and if it only sells to the minority, then its a further issue down the road.

Pushsquare mentioned in their take on it that while removing the walled garden can be positive, it also removes the ability to subsidise costs as you are no longer able to guarantee pulling it back from 3rd party sales.

Its a big gamble from MS but one that makes complete sense for them in the grand scheme of things. Interesting times ahead eh.

'We're seeing lots of frustration swirling around that the new handheld is just a PC with an Xbox logo'

You mean like most people repeatedly said on the articles about 'xbox's new handheld...'.

Honestly, the misleading marketing around the ROG was unbelievable. It is a very, very capable handheld and is brilliant, if you know what it is you are buying.

@GeeEssEff I'd just leave them to it buddy. The amount of articles saying 'xbox's new handheld...' and the company shouting this is an xbox have caused this issue. As Linus Tech Tips put it, just call it the ROG Ally 2 because its not an xbox in any way. As now spelt out by xbox itself.

The person you are speaking with blocked me because I criticised xbox and honestly, im the one better for it.

I like these direct answers, especially when it comes to next gen. They should definitely do it more often.

@Titntin I saw Tamoor Hussain say it comes with MS Office installed and nearly face palmed through the back of my own skull.

@Kaloudz I am interested to see what the sales numbers are. I know the headlines all say its selling out, but until we know how many were available in the first place, its meaningless.

For example, this is an xbox gaming site where many are deep in the ecosystem. At the time of writing this, only around 22 people have said they already own one or have it ordered out of 251.

Thats probably in line with expectations for an expensive, niche device.

Ive read a good few reviews and ultimately its agreed its a great bit of hardware (though not worth the upgrade if you already own the ally x) but its just a massive faff (multiple reports of 3 to 5 hours worth of updates before even starting a game) and nowhere near worth the price tag.

The main thing that they all agree on is it is not an xbox in any way, shape or form.

If this was a straight up xbox handheld I'd have snapped their hand off day one. Reading that there are windows updates, armoury crate updates, game updates and so on is just a big no for me.

The xboxera review put it best. Theres only so much lipstick you can put on a pig, and no matter how much they tell you otherwise, the full screen experience is just a wrapper for windows and all the pains that come with it.

Its not xboxs new handheld. Bit misleading that in the headline. Its ASUS's new handheld with a new version of the xbox app.

Its xbox! These type of rumours should be laughed out of the door. The fact they have to actually come out and say they are innacurate is more worrying than the rumour itself.

@TheBigK you got nothing on sexy Julian Big k.

As a parent of 3 kids who understands this maybe wasnt the minecraft movie some folks wanted, I have sat through far worse films than this one.

Far, far worse (shudders)

I hope folks who pick one up love it. For me, I think its gonna sell less than a steamdeck and cause uproar when folks outside of places like this realise it isnt an xbox at all.

@Mincey0 ahhh, i see you have resulted to insults because you cant have a conversation. Go play those 100's of games ypu keep going on about. I think paw patrol is still on there. Seems to be on your level.

I kinda feel for phil a bit. He clearly cares about games and the industry, and he likely did what he thought was best to turn box's fortunes around. I dont agree with all the buying up of companies, but I do get why he did it.

Problem is, when you spend as much as they have, you draw attention. I have no doubt that as they havent recouped funds as expected, be that sales of consoles or gamepass, control of their direction has been taken off him. Now hes merely just another face to be wheeled out.

@Mincey0 theres nothing on gamepass that I want to play or havent already. Not sure how you can tell me i feel different. I get a feeling you are well and truly on the cool aid so let's just beg to differ and see what happens 👍