Great points. Yeah, when you are market leader, you don’t need to take big risks. Staying the course with these multi platform experiments won’t rock the boat too much for ps. But at the same time, you do need to respond to what competitors do if it is a threat.
I think ultimately, I would just like to be sure xbox is on solid ground to continue hardware.
Xbox is in the process of all these changes, what will the actual results be to them, the consumer, and to game developers?
Handheld - another consumer option for play anywhere. Test bed for the unification of console/pc?
Next xbox/pc devise - developers just need to develop a pc version which they would be anyway. Will work on xbox pc store and xbox console store? Result is simpler development. (this point I’m less clear on but this is my understanding of the pc/xbox unification). Users have multiple store options for purchases which lines up with the MS 10 commandments thing about how they approach software.
Cloud streaming - The new amd chips will work better for cloud gaming and provide versatility to MS for other cloud computing uses during downtime. Prob AI.
These seem to be the biggest things in the works. And it all comes back to playing anywhere the user wants on any device. which is what they are pushing now. All while maintaining best in class user experience (quick resume, cloud saves, and back compat).
Will this result in advantages over other competitors? I’m thinking in one big area it will. Cloud. From the looks of things, xbox’s next gen ‘s’ model will likely be cloud. If next gen standard boxes are between $700-1,000 USD, a solid cloud service as the cheaper alternative is compelling.
Is ps, building up their streaming service? Likely. And also not an easy task. Xbox must be far and away ahead here. Plus, the sales pitch to MS about adding more xbox cloud capacity is likely an easy sell, when that hardware can double as ai computers.
It’s kina fun watching xbox take some big swings here.
On a similar topic, I think xboxera should put next gen watch topics a little more front and center. The team knows their stuff from xbox to pc and could share more where they think things could be going. When they chat about it on the podcast, they don’t really run with ideas. People curious on this topic are basically scouring message boards to hear what others think the possibilities are. xboxera could be a great portal of information on this and over the next year or two. Just an idea to get more website clicks if anyone from the team reads these forums.