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?
I'm curious about what Xbox will be doing in order to keep the people who use their stuff and improve the hardware/software situation enough that more people will become interested in Xbox again.
Same here,
My concern is how their focus on increasing value for shareholders will get in the way of increasing value for their player base.
If we are lucky they will invest in the future of their brand by making a huge value proposition for the players, and it hopefully wont be centered around streaming or locked behind a subscription...
Microsoft is already doing that with AI, something they are actively hemorrhaging money on...I doubt they'd try doing something too extreme and risk alienating end users again! The reason why Sony has such a leg-up currently is due to Microsoft dropping the ball with that online library BS which seemed legit bad (despite how much they said it would be convenient). I feel like they are going to stay dedicated to providing a better experience than Sony with backwards compatibility and offering other form factors to engage with their ecosystem. In an effort to capture handheld and console enjoyers. Microsoft has seen the success of Steam Deck and SteamOS, I doubt they'll get it right initially, though. As ironically, they couldn't get Windows Phone right despite part of their core business being a major OS (I blame bad leadership and poor decision-making lower down the chain).
Their subscription service Game Pass won't go away, but, they'd probably keep it the same as now. Only Multiplayer and being able to play games that are on the service without additional charge.
Oh and as for the paid multiplayer experience... If microsoft recedes their subscription requirement for xbox games... They will be the heroes of gaming for years to come(even though they are the ones that started the trend in the first place lol)
However I do not see this happening. 12 million gold/core subscribers at ~$5-10/month each. They cant justify giving up that income just for "good PR"