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[Sydle]

Makes sense, especially now that the Surface team is over Xbox hardware as of last summer. As long as everything is backwards and forwards compatible I'm good with it.

 

[Guymelef]

GBC, PSP, DSi & 3DS revisions have all done it to some small extent.

Not even the same.

"he said that the Xbox One could see a future in which it is upgraded, rather than replaced by new consoles"

Those handhelds are revisions and were replaced for new consoles.

 

[JaggedSac]

Guys, they will just be customized Win10 PCs at that point. PC developers handle variable specs all the time and guess what MS is trying to make one and the same? Their console and PC development and store.

 

[Zombie James]

Horrible idea. Please don't.

 

[wapplew]

While I like the idea of backward compatible, but I fear forward compatible will be big compromise just like cross gen games, developer will always make game for the lowest spec possible.

 

[Vitacat]

I have no problem with this.

Especially if it means older games scaling up in performance on a more powerful box, i.e. 900p--->1080p+ and/or 30fps--->60fps etc.

 

[c0de]

This is going to cause headaches for developers having to support multiple SKUs as well as future games being held back graphics wise like cross-gen. They are just doubling down on all the stupid decisions they have made this gen.

Eh, PC? Devs are used to write code for different platforms. Since decades.

 

[leeh]

I see this as PC games which run at fixed configurations on certain hardware configurations.

This is going to get messy.

 

[LukasTaves]

Expected given their focus on the device agnostic platform.

Now bring it ON!

 

[ramparter]

Sounds fine. Make it happen.

 

[Freeman]

So obvious that this was going to happen, MS challenge now is to become a dominant player in the PC market or else none of this will matter much at all. They don't look to be doing a decent job with their PC store. So far MS seems to be bringing some negatives from PC to Console\Console to PC without that many positives.

Sony better have a plan for making smoother transitions between different devices as well, they were in the right track in the past(crossbuy, crossplay, retro) but recently started to regress.

 

[Black Mantis]

Interesting. Hopefully they'll avoid the mess Sega did with their upgrades. Microsoft don't have a dysfunctional relationship between US and Japan to deal with, so that should help them some.

 

[kennyamr]

it just means that all the new consoles will be called Xbox One

 

[Backfoggen]

They really want to release new hardware under the Xbox One name? I'd think they'd want to get as far away from that as possible.

 

[Hayama Akito]

http://www.theguardian.com/technolo...x-one-platforms-ending-fixed-console-hardware

“In other [consumer technology] ecosystems you get more continuous innovation in hardware that you rarely see in consoles because consoles lock the hardware and software platforms together at the beginning and they ride the generation out for seven or so,” said Spencer. “We’re allowing ourselves to decouple our software platform from the hardware platform on which it runs.”

What this could mean is that the Xbox One becomes more like a PC, with Microsoft releasing updated versions every year or so with more powerful processors and graphics hardware. And, in theory, because games will be written as UWAs, older titles will remain compatible with the new machines.

...WTF

 

[QaaQer]

Unless PC users pay Xbox live bill then nope

If they can drive Windows Store, it might be worth losing that revenue. I'm not sure how that would work though. I guess they could sell 'special' gaming PCs at or below cost that only allowed Windows store software.

 

[Ostinatto]

Phil, i want a 980ti inside my Xbox One pls thanks. !!!

 

[Sulik2]

Releasing a new console with full backwards compatibility accomplishes exactly what he is saying. This is just clever double talk around them working furiously on a new console for 2018 would be my guess.

 

[EvB]

I think it's more likely that you'll see the "new" Xbox One , which improved specs. Just like we already get with HDD sizes, but in other places. This is already a regular occurrence with mobile phones and tablets, things that cost more than double the price of a console

 

[Gtagentleman]

Nice news for xbone owners /s

 

[Flopfan]

Interesting indeed.

Xbox is in good hands with Phil Spencer at the helm

 

[NippleViking]

PC?

Why can't Microsoft just release their own versions of "steam machines", or whatever, but could call them "Xbox's", which will give people different entry levels at different prices, but since they are all running windows 10 and DX12 or whatever, they all have some baseline that they are starting at? So basically you buy stuff through the XBOX store and it will play on any "Xbox Ready" PC?

I don't know how impossible any of this is. I know zip about PC's in general, but PC's have certainly always worked as an upgradable platform.

Someone more competent with technology will know the answer, but couldn't MS just go the daisy-chain route, and use USB Type-C graphics cards for their next system? Entry level at $399, 'XboxPlus' add-on at $199.

 

[SpokkX]

Would love this

How apple handles their ios devices basically. Better performance on newer platforms

 

[Graphics Horse]

Not even the same.

"he said that the Xbox One could see a future in which it is upgraded, rather than replaced by new consoles"

Those handhelds are revisions and were replaced for new consoles.

Well obviously it could be more long term in the modern hardware market if it works, but it's still about selling new hw revisions.

Edit: do people think it's about physical upgrades to your existing units? He is comparing it to mobile, tablet and pc, not just pc, it's pretty easy to see what he is implying.

 

[razgriz417]

Read that earlier today, guess this falls in line with that other article saying they want xbox one add ons

 

[kraspkibble]

Might work for some people but no way would I buy an Xbox every 2 years (for example). I have a PC so I don't mind upgrading that often but I'm not doing it for my PC and Xbox. I think consoles really should just stick to new versions every ~5 years.

 

[ps3ud0]

Isnt this pretty much the Steam Machine paradigm? Fixed hardware with a specifically controlled upgrade/replacement path...

ps3ud0 8)

 

[Visualante2]

They finally make the dev kit very close to the retail unit and now they want to fragment the retail units? One step forward two steps back for developers. If the Quantum Break release is anything to go by- PC gamers too.

Keen to hear Gabe and Notch's take on this.

 

[sheamus]

It's going to cause a lot confusion confusion in the mainstream market. I don't think Breaking up the user base is good idea

 

[BadWolf]

Good luck with that.

 

[Steverulez]

Im for upgrading the Xbox One hardware but I dont think they should do it regularly and they need to ensure all their content is completely compatible.

 

[Kayant]

I definitely see this as the future path for consoles until they become streaming boxes.

I look at the ecosystem that a console sits in and I think that it should have the capability of more iteration on hardware capability. Sony is doing this with VR and adding VR capabilities mid-cycle to the PlayStation 4 and they are doing that by adding another box. I don't mean that as a negative. But it's not changing what the core console is about.

Hmm isn't the breakout box not doing that much processing expect audio? Also I guess this also confirms no VR device for XB1 in the near future.

 

[AmFreak]

If they have no plans now a realistic date would probably be end of 2017.
That would make it 4 years.
4 years is the difference between Xbox and 360.
Only difference would be that the XBoxOne.5 would be bc.

 

[Ethelwulf]

Could go unexpectedly good.... Who knows will be interesting to see either way.

 

[3rdamention]

So PC?

That was the way I interpreted it actually....

 

[SENPAIatLARGE]

Xbox One Two?

 

[onQ123]

I called this.

yep but it seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel, I think they will release more powerful Xbox's that will play the games better than the cheaper systems like having a more powerful PC.

If there is no change the end of this year will see PS4 with around a 25 million gap in sales vs Xbox One which will lead to PS4 getting more console exclusives & pushing the gap even wider.

Devs have to be looking at this trend & if your game comes out around Holiday 2017 that will be 70+ million PS4 vs maybe 30+ million Xbox One. With that type of sales gap it would be easy for Sony to grab a major exclusive.

Xbox One starting this year off selling less than it did last year even with a cheaper price & Halo 5 released on the console is not good. if there is no turn around MS is better off jumping to next gen or pushing Xbox One off as OEM to companies like Dell.

It's happening

 

[Ol No Bones]

So obvious that this was going to happen, MS challenge now is to become a dominant player in the PC market or else none of this will matter much at all. They don't look to be doing a decent job with their PC store.

Sony better have a plan for making smoother transitions between different devices as well, they were in the right track in the past(crossbuy, crossplay, retro) but recently started to regress.

Lol, this has less to do with the PC platform than people believe I think. Think IOS. It makes no sense for the plethora of digital games I own be obsolete on a new Xbox device. Being able to upgrade to a new device would be incredible. Gamers are so change averse. It's weird.

 

[dancrane212]

More than OK with this. As long as the console has a disc drive I'm down.

 

[Angel_DvA]

It won't happen, just PR talk.

 

[Anno]

I mean this has been pretty apparent for awhile, right? Or at least the half-in version. Hopefully MS decides to go all-in on it soon with Halo, full Forza etc.

 

[Nibel]

This is a very good move. Just don't go GFWL on our asses again

 

[RoboPlato]

Snark aside, I do think this is an interesting idea. I know I would be down for a mid gen refresh with a bit more hardware oomph behind it but I doubt the wider public would be for it. Curious to see what devs think of it.

Still, I'm hoping that with X86 architectures that these consoles are fully backwards compatible from now on.

 

[JaggedSac]

Im for upgrading the Xbox One hardware but I dont think they should do it regularly and they need to ensure all their content is completely compatible.

I think a yearly hardware cycle would be great. Put it in the same press conference as their Surface devices.

 

[PG2G]

I guess nobody will be able to complain about a lack of third parties on the Windows Store. If Xbox One really just ends up a Windows Store only PC it would force everyone to support the store.

 

[Brew124]

I fully support this move.

 

[DrROBschiz]

Bold Move Cotton!

 

[oti]

Well now this is where it gets interesting.

Spencer says they could do this and that. Press believes and reports they will do this and that. Now it's either A: what Spencer wants the media to report or B: the media is blowing this way out of proportion and he'll have to backtrack on this.

 

[texhnolyze]

Welcome to PC gaming, Xbox..

 

[darkinstinct]

While I like the idea of backward compatible, but I fear forward compatible will be big compromise just like cross platform games, developer will always make game for the lowest spec possible.

Games are obviously not designed around Xbox One, hence why they run at sub resolutions there and at 1080p on PS4. So no.