Microsoft’s Future Console Plans Uncovered
Is this the shape of Xbox Next and MS Handheld?
Scene from Noir tech demo
As news of the next raft of console technology begins to trickle through, Microsoft has been hinting at plans for its future gaming related projects. Xbox Next is an inevitability, but the form in which it arrives has been the source of much speculation. In a CNN/Money report, industry columnist Chris Morris revealed that Microsoft has embarked on market research for a “video game console with a hard drive and a built-in, fully functional PC” which would be backwards-compatible with current Xbox games as well as PC-only titles. Along with a few other features, such as built in Live! Functionality and a CD burner, MS has suggested a price point in the region of $600.
Elsewhere, rumours surrounding Microsoft’s intention to enter the handheld market have continued to circulate. In an interview with MCV, Eduardo Rosini emphasised that the Windows-based ‘Portable Media Centres’, due to launch in Europe this Christmas, have the capability to go beyond the mere playback of music and movie files and could sensibly run games as well. If PMC's can run games, then they almost certainly will. Although this wouldn’t be considered as a gaming-specific handheld device, it would certainly be a step in that direction.
This news seems to characterise Microsoft’s strategy towards the games industry. It could either be interpreted as tentative ‘water-testing’, where MS gauges market opinion without stepping too far away from its established area of expertise; or it could be interpreted as a concerted effort to ‘PC-ify’ the world of consoles. The latter would represent a bold and predatory move towards the ominous concept of ‘technological convergence’.
Elsewhere, rumours surrounding Microsoft’s intention to enter the handheld market have continued to circulate. In an interview with MCV, Eduardo Rosini emphasised that the Windows-based ‘Portable Media Centres’, due to launch in Europe this Christmas, have the capability to go beyond the mere playback of music and movie files and could sensibly run games as well. If PMC's can run games, then they almost certainly will. Although this wouldn’t be considered as a gaming-specific handheld device, it would certainly be a step in that direction.
This news seems to characterise Microsoft’s strategy towards the games industry. It could either be interpreted as tentative ‘water-testing’, where MS gauges market opinion without stepping too far away from its established area of expertise; or it could be interpreted as a concerted effort to ‘PC-ify’ the world of consoles. The latter would represent a bold and predatory move towards the ominous concept of ‘technological convergence’.
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Comments
smagic 28 May 2004 10:25
1/16
i've just read this somewhere else earlier and it was for the most part dissmissed as being speculation.
GCCSilver 28 May 2004 10:29
2/16
This isn't a videogame console, its a freaking home computer system.
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SPInGSPOnG 28 May 2004 11:26
3/16
smagic wrote:
>i've just read this somewhere else earlier and it
>was for the most part dissmissed as being
>speculation.
And now you're reading right here (in this very post) that the dismissal is just speculation. Confusing. Isn't it?
However, my prediction for the future is thus. In the future, we'll all be driving flying cars, and wearing suits made of tin foil.
This was a popular prediction at the time I made it (about 1987) about the time I predicted it of (the year 2000) but it has subsequently turned out to be nothing more than speculation.
Was I insane? No just uninformed, just like the person who made this prediction about Microsoft's future console AND ther person who dismissed it as speculation.
Get an ounce of cynicism for god sake, just because it's written down (yeah, even on SPOnG) doesn't make it true. Just because someone says it's not true doesn't make it untrue.
SPOnG's reporting the state of current opinion. Not carving tablets of stone.
>i've just read this somewhere else earlier and it
>was for the most part dissmissed as being
>speculation.
And now you're reading right here (in this very post) that the dismissal is just speculation. Confusing. Isn't it?
However, my prediction for the future is thus. In the future, we'll all be driving flying cars, and wearing suits made of tin foil.
This was a popular prediction at the time I made it (about 1987) about the time I predicted it of (the year 2000) but it has subsequently turned out to be nothing more than speculation.
Was I insane? No just uninformed, just like the person who made this prediction about Microsoft's future console AND ther person who dismissed it as speculation.
Get an ounce of cynicism for god sake, just because it's written down (yeah, even on SPOnG) doesn't make it true. Just because someone says it's not true doesn't make it untrue.
SPOnG's reporting the state of current opinion. Not carving tablets of stone.
smagic 28 May 2004 11:44
4/16
However, my prediction
>for the future is thus. In the future, we'll all
>be driving flying cars, and wearing suits made
>of tin foil.
suites of tin foil would kill you because your body heat would be trapped.
And besides tin foil rips to easy =)
>for the future is thus. In the future, we'll all
>be driving flying cars, and wearing suits made
>of tin foil.
suites of tin foil would kill you because your body heat would be trapped.
And besides tin foil rips to easy =)
SPInGSPOnG 28 May 2004 12:45
5/16
smagic wrote:
>And besides tin foil rips to easy =)
Not future tin foil. It is both permeable, and durable. Plus it's not made by a set of murdering bastards like RTZ. http://bvej.o-f.com/news0043.htm
>And besides tin foil rips to easy =)
Not future tin foil. It is both permeable, and durable. Plus it's not made by a set of murdering bastards like RTZ. http://bvej.o-f.com/news0043.htm
smagic 28 May 2004 12:52
6/16
i heard of experiments with foil type suits because if you are producing no heat then you are almost invisible to night vision that uses heat signatures. Only problem is that you get cooked wearing the stuff.
Pandaman 28 May 2004 21:14
7/16
How much would all these features cost in a couple of years though? Because there's no way in hell anyone would buy one of those now.
cubedman990 29 May 2004 01:43
8/16
thats pathetic...
pathetic....
and crazy...why would ANYONE, even Bill Gates want to buy an extra computer??? Microsoft is now officially the opposite of Nintendo...
Nintendo focuses on products and games and accessories, not an extra computer....
boo microsoft...you suck!
pathetic....
and crazy...why would ANYONE, even Bill Gates want to buy an extra computer??? Microsoft is now officially the opposite of Nintendo...
Nintendo focuses on products and games and accessories, not an extra computer....
boo microsoft...you suck!
config 29 May 2004 16:10
9/16
I've been watching the headlines on this tale fly around on Google news. So many news organs, including many big players in gaming news, have been rattling on about Xbox2 being potentially a "PC/Console Hybrid".
Well, duh!
Xbox is a PC console hybrid in-so-much as it's a PC that's had its hardware nailed down for maximum driver efficiency and been hobbled to minimize software piracy.
I'm sure that, if Microsoft saw any profit in it, it could turn the current Xbox into a fully functional, Windows-laden PC ... all in one simple but hefty Live! "patch".
SPOnG's always maintained that Xbox was just a wolf in sheep's clothing - a mere ploy to get MS' content delivery into the living room - despite its early protestations that Xbox was "all about games". It's just like any political campaign - lie to the voters, then roll out the spindoctors when the policy turns face. Why the surprise?
Well, duh!
Xbox is a PC console hybrid in-so-much as it's a PC that's had its hardware nailed down for maximum driver efficiency and been hobbled to minimize software piracy.
I'm sure that, if Microsoft saw any profit in it, it could turn the current Xbox into a fully functional, Windows-laden PC ... all in one simple but hefty Live! "patch".
SPOnG's always maintained that Xbox was just a wolf in sheep's clothing - a mere ploy to get MS' content delivery into the living room - despite its early protestations that Xbox was "all about games". It's just like any political campaign - lie to the voters, then roll out the spindoctors when the policy turns face. Why the surprise?
Joji 30 May 2004 03:17
10/16
I never believed MS from the start, because it really allabout selling windows for them.
Instead of praising ingenious users for bending their paid for machine to their own will (running emus and imports etc), all MS can do is condemn their actions. Typical.
MS are to blame in the first place because if they are gonna steer xbox away from pure gaming to some convergence biz closer to a pc, ofcourse folk are gonna hack it and do want they want to it. We ben doing this stuff wiht PCs for years MS , so why act up now? isn't it enough that you mug us for Windows and Xbox, and now want to dictate how we use them. Gimme a break MS, these are the same folk who will potentially buy Xbox2, don't alienate your customers cause they will just go to Nintendo and Sony's camp.
Instead of praising ingenious users for bending their paid for machine to their own will (running emus and imports etc), all MS can do is condemn their actions. Typical.
MS are to blame in the first place because if they are gonna steer xbox away from pure gaming to some convergence biz closer to a pc, ofcourse folk are gonna hack it and do want they want to it. We ben doing this stuff wiht PCs for years MS , so why act up now? isn't it enough that you mug us for Windows and Xbox, and now want to dictate how we use them. Gimme a break MS, these are the same folk who will potentially buy Xbox2, don't alienate your customers cause they will just go to Nintendo and Sony's camp.
Shifty Geezer 30 May 2004 09:18
11/16
Rod Todd wrote:
Was I insane? No just
>uninformed, just like the person who made this
>prediction about Microsoft's future console AND
>ther person who dismissed it as
>speculation.
The source of this information was an exclusive interview with J. Allard, head of XBox developments at MS, with IGN if I remember rightly. It makes sense to me. MS have never managed hardware and I'm sure they hate the huge loss they make on the console, considering all ther're used to is huge profits on their software monopoly. Plus they can't just buy out the competition and as such, have no idea how to compete on a level playing field. They're E3 showing proved this. Ninty and Sony release new hardware to great acclaim, while MS talk a software development strategy (nothing new) and produce a ridiculous film derising the opposition who, quite frankly, are trouncing their sorry arses.
MS always planned to have MS running everyone's home. It now looks like Sony are going to pull that one off. MS need a new strategy so they're gunning for a MS based computer Hub. Forget consoles - they're dead. It's all going to be Media Entertainment Systems from now on...
Was I insane? No just
>uninformed, just like the person who made this
>prediction about Microsoft's future console AND
>ther person who dismissed it as
>speculation.
The source of this information was an exclusive interview with J. Allard, head of XBox developments at MS, with IGN if I remember rightly. It makes sense to me. MS have never managed hardware and I'm sure they hate the huge loss they make on the console, considering all ther're used to is huge profits on their software monopoly. Plus they can't just buy out the competition and as such, have no idea how to compete on a level playing field. They're E3 showing proved this. Ninty and Sony release new hardware to great acclaim, while MS talk a software development strategy (nothing new) and produce a ridiculous film derising the opposition who, quite frankly, are trouncing their sorry arses.
MS always planned to have MS running everyone's home. It now looks like Sony are going to pull that one off. MS need a new strategy so they're gunning for a MS based computer Hub. Forget consoles - they're dead. It's all going to be Media Entertainment Systems from now on...
mrnull 30 May 2004 15:59
12/16
>SPOnG's always maintained that Xbox was just a
>wolf in sheep's clothing
I remember the talk around XBOX launch about Microsoft trying to enter every home in America, sounds scary eh? I figured XBOXes around the world would link together to form a giant Bill Gates "Zord" which would destroy everything sacred and humane.
I probably speak for us all when I say that we got into consoles to avoid the PC headaches. It's nice to pay $200 every couple of years for amazing Next-Gen gaming. No drivers, hardware issues, or OS overhead!
I think I also speak for us all when I say that any extra tricks our consoles can do are pure, delicious icing on the cake. Everyone wants their game system to take on any extra home entertainment tasks they can, we just don't want to pay for it.
It's probably pretty hard to find the balance of features vs price. This new XBOX is a bit to high for me though.
>wolf in sheep's clothing
I remember the talk around XBOX launch about Microsoft trying to enter every home in America, sounds scary eh? I figured XBOXes around the world would link together to form a giant Bill Gates "Zord" which would destroy everything sacred and humane.
I probably speak for us all when I say that we got into consoles to avoid the PC headaches. It's nice to pay $200 every couple of years for amazing Next-Gen gaming. No drivers, hardware issues, or OS overhead!
I think I also speak for us all when I say that any extra tricks our consoles can do are pure, delicious icing on the cake. Everyone wants their game system to take on any extra home entertainment tasks they can, we just don't want to pay for it.
It's probably pretty hard to find the balance of features vs price. This new XBOX is a bit to high for me though.
iMac 31 May 2004 14:50
13/16
i think consoles have been getting redickulus recently, i got a gamecube because i diddnt need a DVD player or anything like that allready haveing my apple and the downstares TV to play them, mainly i wont buy an XBOX2 because i hate the company but also becuse i doubt i will need all the crap that microdros will pile into it cranking up the price
Joji 31 May 2004 18:48
14/16
Heard a little more about it over at Gamespot. They said something like MS are thinking of making xbox2 run previous xbox titiles as well as PC games. Also something like it may come with a keyboard and mouse. I could understand this lot to run and play some PC games, but it is sounding more like a computer the more I hear.
Now why would I want another PC when I have one, Microsoft? I want to play games, not dive through a bloody OS.
Should be interesting to see if they include the hard drive, or ask you to buy it later like Sony.
Now why would I want another PC when I have one, Microsoft? I want to play games, not dive through a bloody OS.
Should be interesting to see if they include the hard drive, or ask you to buy it later like Sony.
iMac 31 May 2004 19:00
15/16
i heard they wernt gonna include that, i cand remamber where though so it was proberbly an unreliable sorce
I miss the old cartrages
I miss the old cartrages
TigerUppercut 1 Jun 2004 09:09
16/16
"Dont hold farts in! They traval up your spine and into your brain, Thats where crapy ideas come from!"
Best advice - Ever.
Best advice - Ever.