Microsoft / XBox future direction

DrDamn

So a few recent rumours and developments around MS have popped up some interesting discussion points.

The biggest of which is for XBox Studios games making their way to other platforms - both Switch and PS5 have been mentioned. Obviously they already do this with Minecraft and they now have the Activision/Blizzard deal across the line and with that commited to ongoing releases across the usual platforms - at least for CoD. The rumours now are for older back catalogue titles to be released too - Sea of Thieves and Hi-fi Rush are the initial titles mentioned. This appears to be off the back of flat GamePass subs and XBox Series consoles very much behind PS5 sales even in the US.

To me it seems like MS are adapting to how this generation is panning out. Planning for a more flexible future, and trying to get more money from the games they produce by making older titles available to wider audiences. I don’t think we will see their big flagship titles coming across any time soon - Forza, Halo, Starfield etc will remain core attractions to their eco system. But older live service titles and lower budget but well recieved games like those rumoured make sense.

Is there actually truth to the rumours? I think there is. There seemed to be co-ordinated “softening of the blow” comms from the usual MS mouth pieces. So I’d expect some announcements on this reasonably soon.

In related rumour news it MS are definitely not stepping away from hardware and are keen to get out of step with Sony on the nextgen console releases. Sony have a PS5 Pro lined for release later this year. Expect a similar approach to PS4 Pro. Same technology just more of it and faster. Similar CPU, more of a GPU bump to help support better native resolutions and framerates. Maybe more of a bump to RT capabilities. MS are thought to be skipping the mid-gen refresh and going for a proper full fat update in 2025 with updated architecture, and much more recent AMD CPU/GPU tech included. I wouldn’t expect a PS6 to make an appearance until 2027.

Alex

It’s interesting but I’ll be surprised if it happens. Sounds like a lot of internet rumourmongering without much foundation right now.

In terms of PS5 Pro I’m not too fussed about it, although I could see myself selling the PS5 and XSX and picking one up if the price is reasonable. I did hear a rumour that it would be AI-based, so using lots of upscaling and frame generation tech to provide 4k@60 more reliably than the base unit, which honestly sounds pretty cool to me, as I really like these technologies.

I still feel that Microsoft are lacking in the first party stakes and even with big titles like Fabel on the horizon I don’t see that really changing.

Gammerz

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-68093970

Gammerz

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-68085437

DrDamn

Gammerz That BT thing is linked to “free” subs they included in their Broadband packages. I switched to BT last year and part of the package was 6 months GPU include - which I thought was a decent bonus to an already well priced deal. When you get to the fine print of the 6 months GPU it is not simply a code you add to your account, but an agreement to switch your payment for GPU to be via BT. I decided not to take up the offer as it would be adding an unnecessary confusion to it all. Looks like they’ve messed up their systems somehow, or people have found an exploit.

Brave

It’s a bit of a catch 22 isn’t it? If they were really doing a good job with the software side they’d be selling bucketloads of the hardware.

I get that it’s likely their older games and all. I just think it’s a recipe for it all to unravel. After the arrogance of “Nintendo haven’t realised yet they’re better off making games for us” shite it’s a hell of a turnaround.

DrDamn

Brave I think they’ve discovered the model doesn’t work as well as they need it to. It works really nicely for some, and I’d include myself in that, a monthly selection of new games to try for a reasonable price. If you like a good variety of game genres and like to try out new titles then a sub like GamePass can be good value.

A good few years down the line and they now have increased costs, better competition from both Sony and other areas, and a realisation that it maybe their plan doesn’t fit the gaming demographic as well as they’d hoped. They are below where they need to be in terms of consistent subscriber numbers, their bigger first party releases haven’t had the impact they had hoped for and as with most big business simply making a profit isn’t enough - you have to keep showing growth.

How long it’s taken to get Activision past the post has perhaps been a factor in this too. If they had already been able to factor that in this year then that could have driven better GamePass uptake. Perhaps this is also linked to the potential change in console release strategy and getting out there before Sony next gen. Make it the best place to play CoD in 2025 and bundle it all into one to recapture that market.

Dipping the toes into the additional releases on other platforms gives them more streams of revenue and options for the future.

Gammerz

The next Playstation will obviously be called PS6 and doesn’t need any discussion.
However, MS are utterly clueless in their naming strategies and will spend horrendous resources in trying to figure out the name for their next console. The Xbox One was called XBone by customers, so in trying to predict this outcome, maybe they name the Series X such that customers may have called it SeX - but that didn’t seem to work.

So what appalling name will be given to the next XBox? Or did I read that the series X is to somehow continue, but how would they distinguish the current from the next gen?

DrDamn

https://www.eurogamer.net/microsoft-mulls-major-xbox-exclusives-starfield-indiana-jones-for-playstation-5-reports

Gordon

DrDamn So they just spent billions acquiring tons of studios in order to secure exclusive content, and now they’re going to port some of their biggest titles to their main rival platform. Makes sense.

DrDamn

Gordon I think they’ve just not hit targets they needed to and they are left in a market where they aren’t able to sell their very expensive to produce products to a huge chunk of customers. If the impact of earlier purchase like Bethesda had been more then it would be different, but there are enough voices higher up at MS saying “this isn’t working”. The GamePass approach as it stands needs subscriber volume to work, and that hasn’t happened.

They would still be able to sell the platform and GamePass as the place to get these titles day one for a subs fee. Maybe having people experience the games they offer outside of the XBox / GamePass ecosystem will encourage more people to consider it?

Alex

There’s been rumblings for a while that the game pass subscription numbers don’t cut it in terms of being sustainable long term. This is why Sony hesitated on coming into the subscription space at first. It’s been expected for a while that Microsoft will have to stop putting games on game pass day one. This looks like an alternative way of Microsoft trying to increase revenues in the space, presumably as an attempt to stave off the inevitable.

Gordon

Alex

Tbh I’ve been thinking of off loading the XSX, this might nudge me a bit closer. I hardly use and thing and everything on it is available on the PC anyway. If games are also coming to PS5 then that’s one more reason.

DrDamn

Linked to my OP with added handheld. This one is getting some acknowledgement from other people.

Don’t know if it will be mentioned next week by Phil, maybe to placate/soften the message and to re-enforce that MS are not leaving the hardware business.

Next-Gen Xbox is on track for 2026 and will have two SKU’s, a traditional powerful high-end console and a Switch-like dockable handheld.

The switch-like console will be the cheaper SKU and will be developed by the Surface team.

The handheld will play Xbox game natively with built-in controls.

This is the rumored hybrid cloud console with a touch screen.

Brave

That would be amazing, and I would almost certainly dive in, but also it’s a really tough proposition given that they are making gamepass available on PC. So my ROG Ally already does this, AND Steam, AND Epic, AND Ubi Connect. It’ll have to differentiate itself very heavily to work.

DrDamn

https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/fable
https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/avowed

Removal of “Day One” phrasing may also be pertinent.

EDIT: Change made last November so probably not so significant.

Gordon

Ooh. This is getting interesting!

Brave

Yeah. This is weird. Their naming has always been a mess tbh so I imagine this must be a very small part of the argument. But I really hope we’re not going the way of glorified steam decks and steam boxes.

These things are great, but we need more competition in the hardware field not less. It feels like capitulation.

Maybe Valve will keep stepping up.

DrDamn

Ok seems this change was actually made last November so not so significant.