This intentionally vague video is just tickling us with more confusion about what the future of xbox looks like.
There are no solid statements anywhere saying the Next-Gen Xbox will NATIVELY play PC AND Xbox games, or that PC will NATIVELY play Xbox games, although this is exactly what the video seems to be hinting at.
^^^ This right here is what is causing the most anxiety and confusion amongst Xbox players/fans. Not only because it is difficult to fathom a device that is versatile enough to play PC games in all the ways that people play PC games (different launchers, mods, streaming setups, speedrunning, emulation etc.), but also because of how the restrictions on the xbox library will transfer to a device that is also a "PC".
Will there be more DRM shoehorned into PC games on this new Xbox device(s)? Will this device only play games from specific storefronts or from specific eras of PC gaming? Will i be able to use this device as more than just a gaming console if it also plays PC games?
Are Streaming and Play Anywhere the only pitiful solutions you actually have to cross-compatibility between Xbox and PC???
The biggest question of all is of course about the money. Not about how much the device(s) will cost either, but...
How will subscriptions work?!?!
Is Xbox going to try to charge me money to play my multiplayer PC games online? Are they going to relinquish their death-grip on Xbox Live Gold(now Gamepass Core) and say goodbye to all of that subscription money? I wont hold my breath. Will they lock EVERYTHING behind a Gamepass Paywall?
I bet they learn alot of lessons and make alot of mistakes along this path, but I am very glad they are at least staring down the barrel and thinking about it.
Hopefully soon they can provide some more clarity about what this process will look like. We want to know how this will benefit us dedicated Xbox console fans, because right now it feels like we are getting the short end of the stick. Paying more and getting less.
Does anyone else have burning questions about the evolution of xbox?
What’s so hard to grasp about a prebuilt PC? It will be a literal pre built PC running windows. The Xbox is already this technically, but now it will be the same windows running in your gaming computer with an accessible desktop environment and everything.
As to how it will play Xbox games, there’s two possible ways in my mind:
As to how they get the multiple storefront running, well for one I don’t think Steam, GOG, et all will be opposed to working with Microsoft to allow its storefront to be easily accessible through the Xbox app ui. I except there will be a lot of warnings that not all games will run well on this device, and I also imagine a lot of developers baking in prebuilt settings like the Steam deck settings that some games have now.
The main thing to understand is that Xbox is no longer a gaming console but rather a platform in the same vein as Steam. For convenience Microsoft will sell devices that are optimized to run their platform in much the same way that Steam tried to sell the SteamBox and is now doing with the SteamDeck.
I dont think you understood the focus of my post. I am asking HOW they plan on going about it. People want to ignore the fine details, but they will ultimately determine the players experience...
Example - Will this "PC" allow me to install the PC bedrock version, java version, xbox 360 version, xbox one version or XSX bedrock version of Minecraft simultaneously and manage PC files/mods as i do on windows 11?
More importantly is it going to charge me money to play multiplayer and even LAN like my Xbox currently does?!?!
There are so many details making this messy for microsoft that people arent considering. Yes we all want a PC/Xbox merge, but they will almost certainly misstep in ways that will creates headaches for users.
I am hoping they handle it well, but if Microsoft's mistakes in the past are anything to go by, this is going to get ugly before it gets better for their users.
I think I kind of addressed it.
I think it is safe to assume that if you get out of the Xbox app yes, you’ll be able to treat the console as a regular PC. So you’ll be able to install every PC version of Minecraft, not so the Xbox version because in reality there won’t be an Xbox (meaning console only) version accessible. That’s how the Ally will work, I don’t see why they would sell a seemingly less flexible system as their flagship.
What I don’t think you’ll be able to do is play your Xbox 360 games as they are on the disc so to speak. I would bet that games that were not part of the backwards compatibility program won’t be playable either on the new console. Xbox One and Series X share the same architecture so what I believe will happen is that those games will now be Xbox Store games, and your discs will be keys to validate ownership of the Xbox Store game which will be in fact just the PC version of the game. The list of Xbox One or Series X games that do not have a PC version is minuscule enough that the effort to emulate them could be made or on the other hand, they could simply be shrugged off as “tough shit, keep the old console”.
I think the simplest way to describe what I think the course of action they will take is that you will be given access to the PC version of all Xbox games you own.
As for subs. Notice how it’s all Gamepass now, no such thing as gold anymore. They probably figure access to the games is enough to keep people subbed. Which is logical I think.
I also think the console won’t be subsidized very heavily, so it will be prized around $700 if not more. From their POV They don’t care to sell consoles and their games are now multi platforms so if you can’t stomach that you’ll go buy a PlayStation. Wouldn’t surprise me to see Gamepass on it in a few years too. I mean at this point it’s probably Sony holding it back.
Updated your post i see lol
Yeah they care mainly about gamepass, which is why im worried they dont have the motivation to thoroughly flesh out this push for cross compatibility. Why when they can make you pay more to stream everything?
Also, i believe the amount of money they get from players just paying for the privilege of playing online is bigger than most people think. Its also the gateway into gamepass... "Im already paying monthly for multiplayer, why not $5-10 more and get more games to play too?" They almost certainly will not abandon that revenue stream.
As for the price of this device, it can be anything as long as it has the right value, but we will see what that value actually becomes...