Microsoft's Next-Gen Xbox is Already Secretly Among Us...

Had a ps1 to 3.

1 & 2 were good, got fed up with Sony shutting down my favorite games on the ps3, first was GRID, then GT5, then GT6.

The psn store, digital games sales & online infrastructure were appalling compared to what I'm experiencing now with Microsoft & the 1X.
 
Wouldn't it be possible that MS new "console" is a set of specs that can be matched either by a PC or a dedicated hardware? They done that recently in the laptop market, and Spencer wording and previous declarations are compatible with that idea.
 
And will their next console even be required, or will we simply be able to play everything we want w/o a console via Project xCloud (with the necessary fee(s) of course)?
 
This is just hype.

Anyway ill proberly end up buying both the next X box and PS5.

Also have both systems now. Its good to have best of both worlds and the consoles aren't very expensive especially if you wait a little to buy them.

There is little point buying at launch since they probably don't have any interesting games at launch.
 
This is just hype.

Anyway ill proberly end up buying both the next X box and PS5.

Also have both systems now. Its good to have best of both worlds and the consoles aren't very expensive especially if you wait a little to buy them.

There is little point buying at launch since they probably don't have any interesting games at launch.

I have both current Gen consoles as well, however when I got my X I did think that I would just stick to Xbox on the next gen but with one condition, it needs to have VR otherwise I will sadly just get a PS5. I want to play all the next gen racing games in VR!
 
I have both current Gen consoles as well, however when I got my X I did think that I would just stick to Xbox on the next gen but with one condition, it needs to have VR otherwise I will sadly just get a PS5. I want to play all the next gen racing games in VR!
I think ol Phil S dropped the ball with that comment about no-one asking for VR & gaming being a communal thing. It is a communal thing already (online). For me I don't get to play till everyone is in bed so that's the perfect time to get out my rig & play in VR.

It isn't like MS have to create their own like the psvr, all the available headsets all ready work with windows so they just got to make the X2 compatible with the existing VR headsets.

I'm the same as you, I want to experience PCR in VR
 
Sony is not any better but I've always liked to call them Micro$haft. PS5 here.

I sense they're not marketing this stuff at me anyway.
 
Having went for Xbox first the past generations, I'm inclined to start the generation with a Playstation this time around, but I'm going to wait for more information before anything actually becomes definitive.

I'm surprised people are deadset on one console with us knowing so very little about either so far.
 
It isn't like MS have to create their own like the psvr, all the available headsets all ready work with windows so they just got to make the X2 compatible with the existing VR headsets.

I'm the same as you, I want to experience PCR in VR

This is a good point. I really hope they do it, it seems so obvious but I get the horrible feeling they won't for some reason.
 
This is a good point. I really hope they do it, it seems so obvious but I get the horrible feeling they won't for some reason.
All I want is the option to do so, not restrictions because they think so.

I should probably go back to PC.
 
I'm surprised people are deadset on one console with us knowing so very little about either so far.

Quite a lot is known, actually. Song has plainly hinted that they are set on continuing what they did with PS4. A straight forward powerful console that is focused on delivering great games. I’m in. PS4 gave me everything I wanted this gen and more. I’m not even considering an Xbox. I’m sure the next Xbox will be brilliant as well but just not interested. I don’t even have time to play all the games I have on the PS4, let alone another platform.
 
Quite a lot is known, actually. Song has plainly hinted that they are set on continuing what they did with PS4. A straight forward powerful console that is focused on delivering great games. I’m in. PS4 gave me everything I wanted this gen and more. I’m not even considering an Xbox. I’m sure the next Xbox will be brilliant as well but just not interested. I don’t even have time to play all the games I have on the PS4, let alone another platform.
That’s knowing a lot? I mean, its a given that next generation consoles are going to be more powerful that it’s practically redundant saying so, but that has little interest for me at all to be honest. Both consoles do things similarly enough, and have things that I’m interested in, that I can go either way.

I just find it odd how people can make such definite a decision with how far away it seems to be and going off what you said, that really doesn’t happen to be a lot of information at all.
 
Not sure why this is news, I've had the next-gen X-Box for nearly 2 years now*. :P

On a serious note, with Microsoft releasing their first party titles on PC along with console I don't see much need to buy the next Xbox. I might buy a PS5 though if it's not terribly expensive as I have missed playing MLB: The Show and GT.

*I'm talking about PC, in case it's not as obvious as I thought.
 
There's nothing on playstation that interests me other than GT, but even that struggles to keep my interest after GTS. Knowing PD, it will probably take them another 5 years to release any GT. Since the PS5 will feature backwards compatibility, they will most likely port over GTS...ugh :rolleyes:

Guess Forza will still be my Gran Turismo fix until GT7 arrives with hopefully CLASSIC GT goodness, so Xbox for me next year.
 
I think ol Phil S dropped the ball with that comment about no-one asking for VR & gaming being a communal thing. It is a communal thing already (online). For me I don't get to play till everyone is in bed so that's the perfect time to get out my rig & play in VR.

It isn't like MS have to create their own like the psvr, all the available headsets all ready work with windows so they just got to make the X2 compatible with the existing VR headsets.

I'm the same as you, I want to experience PCR in VR

His statement was inaccurate, insofar as clearly SOME people want VR. But he was 100% correct, in that not a lot of people (relatively speaking) are clamoring for it.

Sony has sold a little over 4 million PSVR headsets as of their last public sales numbers this year. Sounds pretty good, until you recognize that works out to around 4% of the overall PS4 install base.

Likewise, Steam's hardware surveys confirmed that a little under 1% of Steam users had a VR headset.

Assuming VR continues to be a thing, I'm sure Microsoft will eventually get on the train, but I don't blame them at all for not wanting to muddle their next-gen messaging with talk about a VR headset. Plus, since modern Xboxes are basically just modified Windows 10 PC's, there's nothing to say they couldn't just add native support for PC VR headsets in 2021 or 2022 if they saw the interest was there.

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As for next-gen Xbox in general, I think Microsoft have a really good opportunity to come out strong, if they can seize on it.

- Game Pass has become a big thing, and they've got millions of users - some signed up for a long time, due to those conversion deals. Those people are highly likely to get a Scarlett at or near launch.

- They've got Halo as a launch title for the first time in 18 years, plus native support for the better part of three generations of Xbox games. Being able to pop in your Xbox One discs and keep playing the games you were already playing, will be a big value at launch. Same as being able to bring over all of your old controllers and accessories. And that Halo launch title is going to be "free' for Game Pass subscribers.

- On the studios front, Sony are going to be in a bit of a "reloading" position in the 2020 launch window, with most of their major first parties:

Insomniac - Spider-man released in late 2018, next project not likely until at least late 2021.
Sony Bend - Days Gone released in 2019, next project not likely until at least 2022.
Naughty Dog - TLOU2 releasing on PS4 in early 2020, next project not likely until 2023-24.
Santa Monica - God of War in 2018, next project not likely until at least 2021.
Super Punch - Ghost of Tsushima presumably due at some point in 2020 for PS4, next project not likely until at least 2023-24.
Media Molecule - Dreams launched early access mid-2019, next project not likely until 2022 at earliest.
Guerrilla Games - Horizon launched early 2017 - could potentially have something ready for launch 2020
Polyphony - GT Sport launched in late 2017 - could potentially have som.... hahahaha. Oh sorry, I almost said Polyphony could stick to a tight three year dev cycle with a straight face. :)

Guerrilla are the closest thing they have to a major internal AAA studio that might be ready to deliver a "system seller" in holiday 2020, assuming a minimum three year dev window. Though usually a new console generation either means longer dev cycles, or more threadbare games at first (See: Forza Motorsport 5). This leaves Microsoft with a potential window to change the narrative around their exclusives lineup, and a few studios they could do it with:

343 Industries - Halo Infinite already confirmed for launch. Will have been in development for ~5 years.
The Coalition - Gears 5 released in late 2019, Gears 6 not likely for a few years... though they have that Gears Tactics X-COM thing....?
Ninja Theory - Hellblade released mid-2017, could potentially have something for release in 2020. (Bleeding Edge is a separate, smaller team from the Hellblade one)
Playground Games - FH4 released in 2018, FH5 not likely until at least 2021 - HOWEVER, have confirmed they have a second internal studio since at least two years ago, heavily rumoured to be working on a Fable reboot, so who knows for 2020.
Turn 10 - FM7 released in 2017, could potentially have something for holiday 2020. (Hope not - want them to take extra time)
Rare - Sea of Thieves released in early 2018, but they've also confirmed a second internal team has been working on "Everwild", so maybe?
Mojang - Minecraft will still be a thing, and I'll bet Mircosoft don't make a new port for the PS5.
Obsidian - Just shipped Outer Worlds, but also have said they have multiple projects on the go, so who knows.

These aren't all of Microsoft's studios - only the ones that could potentially be ready to deliver something for 2020. They've also got second-party studios making stuff like Age of Empires 4, and Flight Simulator.

I always buy all of the consoles, so I'm covered no matter what, but it would be nice to see the kind of genuine competition that characterized the PS3/360 generation come back.
 
@ShakesMcQueen, I agree with you about the VR.

At some point compatability with what's already available will do.

I'm a Racing man only, it's all I play. VR was made for racing/flying sims imo, 100% hand in hand.

I'll stick with MS because I got that 3 year ultimate deal for £105 & the kids make the most of that, It's already payed for itself twice over & I only got it at the end of July.
 
This is just hype.

Anyway ill proberly end up buying both the next X box and PS5.

Also have both systems now. Its good to have best of both worlds and the consoles aren't very expensive especially if you wait a little to buy them.

There is little point buying at launch since they probably don't have any interesting games at launch.
Same here, except I don't know yet about the PS5. But I have a X1X and PS4 Pro now, the Pro is ONLY for the exclusive singleplayer PS games like the Uncharted series, Horizon Zero Dawn, The Last of Us, etc. The X1X is for everything else, all third party games, all XBox exclusive games and multiplayer.

I do have a gaming PC as well but its a bit older and I don't use it that much anymore (was mostly for the days of Warcraft 3, StarCraft 2 etc)

X1X is hands down my main platform and with techs like Play Anywhere, GamePass Ultimate, the backwards compatibility program and soon XCloud I don't think on the tech-side Sony is even a match for XBox. They do have their better list of exclusive games though (and VR) but I can already feel that the next-gen console choice for me won't be about exclusive games, but about tech.

So I will probably buy an XBox Scarlett at launch (preorder) and the PS5 probably a couple of years later when it has a game I absolutely want to play. This gen I also bought my PS4 Pro for Horizon Zero Dawn, I can see myself do the same again for Horizon Zero Dawn 2. ;)
 
Microsoft has Hololens for immersive gaming, don't they? That seemed as good a gimmick as VR headsets.
 
VXR
Microsoft has Hololens for immersive gaming, don't they? That seemed as good a gimmick as VR headsets.

Hololens isn't a consumer product yet - they've mostly been selling it to commercial and industrial clients, because of the price. It's probably at least a few years away from being pushed as a consumer-grade device, so they can keep improving the AR FOV of the headset, and wait for the price of the components to come down.
 
I bought X1 and PS4 both for launch but im a bit sceptical about the idea of doing the same next year. We dont know much about it but if Microsoft thinks its enough to rely on Halo and Forza again, i think they are wrong. I used to be a huge Forza fan but nowadays there are many other titles i prefer. Microsofts first party games have been a huge disappointment this gen while Sony released the greatest exclusives. Microsoft also claimed nobody wants VR, i guess they are taking the easy route with their super cheap game pass, which offers great value, but the games i personally prefer are not found on game pass. They are on PC and PS4 and i will gladly pay for them the old fashioned way.
Xbox will have something to prove next gen while Sonys success is pretty much a safe bet IMO.

VR is something special and you need to be bold to create something like Half Life Alyx, a game that will propably never be on Xbox. And no one will ever have the chance to experience Forza in VR. With the next gen power, this is such a wasted oppurtunity.
 
We dont know much about it but if Microsoft thinks its enough to rely on Halo and Forza again,

What gave you that idea? They more than doubled their number of first-party studios over the last two years - I doubt they did that to have them all running development support for Halo and Forza. The Initiative has been hiring senior people from studios like Rockstar, Naughty Dog, and Sony Santa Monica, so you can probably guess what kind of game their first project will be (single player, story-driven, probably open-world).

Your comparison of VR and Game Pass (aka "the easy route"?) also puzzles me, as I can almost guarantee you Microsoft have lost a ton of money on Game Pass to date, running endless promotional discounts to build up the subscriber base. They've also tied all of their expensive triple-A games to that service, despite a game like Halo Infinite being rumoured to be the highest budgeted video game in history (between $400-$500 million dollars)

I've found the conversation around Spencer's comments on VR odd, because Kinect for the Xbox 360 sold over 24 million units, which is more than PSVR and all PC VR headsets COMBINED to date, and it's not like anyone accused Sony of being out of touch or whatever, when they didn't launch a Kinect competitor for the PS4.

He's just saying there isn't a lot of noise clamoring for VR in the marketplace right now, which is objectively true. Has nothing to do with being "bold". Know what was a bold move? Bundling Kinect in with the Xbox One to try and make it a gaming staple. It backfired spectacularly on them, when Sony simply shipped a better console at a better price.
 
@ShakesMcQueen
In my view, Game Pass will be one of the biggest features on the next Xbox and Microsoft will aim at every single user with it. Their whole marketing strategy will be about Game Pass, and it already is. On the other hand, they ignore VR, what makes me think that they are going for the save route, focussing on a Netflix model for gamers featuring mostly traditional and well known games. VR is niche and Microsoft does not care for niche. This results in companys like Valve and Sony being the innovators while Microsoft is trying to sell us Halo, Forza and Gears again.

Microsoft offered 100+ games in November for both Xbox and PC for one single dollar, even including EA Access, therefor games like Gears 5, Jedi, Fifa, Need for Speed. But for me personally, i didnt care for any of that. I spend 60 bucks on Death Stranding and experienced something truly special. The kind of game i never experienced on Xbox.

Maybe that will change next gen and Xbox will have all kinds of unique exclusive games, but for now, they have to proof something and im not convinced yet they will deliver.
 
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