Xbox Series S/X: Thread 05

[nonny]

I'll presume Hellblade will finally get a release date here otherwise I don't see the point in showing it again.

Really want to see Indiana Jones. Hopefully that's as good as I hope it is.

[Yakumo]

Indiana Jones better be getting a physical release!

[Neon Ignition]

https://www.eurogamer.net/forza-motorsport-pledges-ai-progression-and-race-regulation-improvements-in-coming-months

Forza Motorsport 8 is set to get a series of improvements to address poor responses it has been receiving.

Entirely subjective but for me, when playing it, the biggest problem was less any specific issue but more the overwhelming sensation that after 25 years... sim racers are just so god damned tired and boring to play. The racing genre is in such a staggering need of revitalization.

[nonny]

https://www.eurogamer.net/forza-moto...-coming-months
Forza Motorsport 8 is set to get a series of improvements to address poor responses it has been receiving.

Entirely subjective but for me, when playing it, the biggest problem was less any specific issue but more the overwhelming sensation that after 25 years... sim racers are just so god damned tired and boring to play. The racing genre is in such a staggering need of revitalization.

They really missed the target with the whole car progression thing. They thought it would make people stick with cars longer and grow to love them etc... but it has just be jarring for most long time players.

This is the big risk with changing things up to keep it fresh. Sometimes you get it wrong and alienate the player base.

I haven't touched this game simply due to my backlog being immense right now but I am glad they are looking at making changes. I'm finding it is often much better to jump into games 3-6 months after release these days once they are patched, tweaked and established. This will be the same no doubt.

[Neon Ignition]

Thing is, for those who are well into their racing sims any changes probably do feel quite make or break. As someone who just plays new ones as they come like any other game I was surprised, following the original reveals, that FM8 doesn't look all that impressive in game and is notable for how much it doesn't feel like it's changed. We're so far in with GT and FM now that each new installment just feels like a rerelease of the previous entry.

[nonny]

Thing is, for those who are well into their racing sims any changes probably do feel quite make or break. As someone who just plays new ones as they come like any other game I was surprised, following the original reveals, that FM8 doesn't look all that impressive in game and is notable for how much it doesn't feel like it's changed. We're so far in with GT and FM now that each new installment just feels like a rerelease of the previous entry.

I think Forza can look really impressive but that fully dynamic lighting system either coughs up an amazing setting or a dull, bland one... It's great that we're seeing a shift to this technology but it's quite funny that all that baked in lighting can still win out in some situations.

I don't mind the game but it's always been a sterile experience for the hardcore and for me at least Horizon has come on so much between 3-5 that it just makes it that much harder to go back to this now.

[Neon Ignition]

https://www.macrumors.com/2024/01/11/microsoft-overtakes-apple-as-most-valuable-company/

AI has been a major contributing factor but skimming those rewards points down must have finally tipped Microsoft over the edge - The company has overtaken Apple to become the most valuable company in the world



Here's something that's likely highly impractical

If Microsoft were to sell Xbox consoles at an RRP of $50 they would make a huge loss.
But - would the impact of that on Sony's market share and Xbox's market growth be worth it to a company as rich as Microsoft given that if they shifted an insane 200m units at that price at a $300 loss per unit the cost of the move would still be around $9bn less than buying Activition?

[nonny]

https://www.macrumors.com/2024/01/11...uable-company/
AI has been a major contributing factor but skimming those rewards points down must have finally tipped Microsoft over the edge - The company has overtaken Apple to become the most valuable company in the world



Here's something that's likely highly impractical

If Microsoft were to sell Xbox consoles at an RRP of $50 they would make a huge loss.
But - would the impact of that on Sony's market share and Xbox's market growth be worth it to a company as rich as Microsoft given that if they shifted an insane 200m units at that price at a $300 loss per unit the cost of the move would still be around $9bn less than buying Activition?

Microsoft / Xbox needs Sony in the market just as much as Sony needs Xbox... I think significantly undercutting your competitor to eradicate them from the market is a non-starter.

The rumour that Xbox is planning to release new consoles in 2026 is an interesting one though. Essentially go to market years earlier to no longer have direct comparisons drawn between the two console houses because they are no longer in step with each other in terms of generations. You'd have the power narrative flip/flop between the two ecosystems but that doesn't necessarily mean it would be a bad thing overall.

[Neon Ignition]

After all the immense leaks during the Activision battle I'm currently in the camp that doesn't buy the 2026 Next Gen Xbox rumours whatsoever. Supposed leakers can't even get their approach right, one minute MS is ready to splurge on a premature new gen and the next they're about to go third party. MS is simultaneously supposed to be gun-ho trying to risk being underpowered next-gen when PS6 hits whilst also supposed to not be bothered about hardware wars anymore because console hardware isn't their focus.

If anything the XBO/XSX have shown MS is wasting any effort till they can work out their marketing issues. A 2026 Xbox would just be a minor upgrade, barely a nudge above any supposed PS5 Pro. The sales of Switch and PS5 show that Pro/High Power isn't a deciding factor in how to get sales so MS would just be blowing money. I'd argue that they don't even need a Series S style option, it might be the better selling model this gen of the two but it's paced poorly overall. MS needs to somehow revitalise the entire brand and I still have the feeling that part of that might be axing it for something new.

[Lebowski]

I'm in the camp that feels like we don't even need a PS5 pro, as this gen hasn't really set the world on fire with the leaps forward.

XBOX marketing of its games are almost non-existent, take the super dry sim racers that Sony and Microsoft put out, I saw a ton of ads for Gran Turismo 7 on TV and the web despite having no interest in playing it i know about. With Forza i had to google what version we are on it was also the first time id seen the box art for it, despite some really positive vids from the likes of Digital Foundry it came and went with very little fanfare i didnt see one web ad or TV spot for it.

[Neon Ignition]

We'll be waiting for PS6 Pro by the time this gen is regulary pumping out games that stride well beyond PS4 at this rate, there's been a few nice lookers this year but the lack of a Pro Xbox is the one area I think MS made the right call. It would have been DOA.

[nonny]

I don't think we need a PS5 Pro or any of the proposed refresh xbox consoles from the recent leaks...

I would much rather we go another 2-3 years given how slow the release schedule has been on either platform before the next iteration rolls around.

I just don't think that's how it will play out. It seems Sony will bring a pro model but Xbox won't which regardless of what happens next means that Xbox has chosen a different path than previously expected.

[Neon Ignition]

If they do stick with the Xbox branding they should look back to the 360 again somewhat. A stylish characterful design with a lighter marketing tone launcheda few months before PS6 rather than getting KO'd launching side by side.

[nonny]

I think the best console they've ever designed is the One X Scorpio Edition. That thing was heavy, svelte and a decent power upgrade... of course being mid-gen it also didn't suffer from any first day teething woes.

The Series X/S are both technically fine machines though. The issue Xbox had and continues to have is hitting release dates for key software.

Not having Halo Infinite there are launch was a disaster that can't happen again. I can only imagine what the launch would have been like if Halo had dropped day one in its current day condition.

Thankfully I think Xbox has enough games in its pipeline that if it were aiming for a new console launch they'd have enough options to mitigate a delay on a key AAA title. When Halo missed launch there was very little else to compensate.

[Neon Ignition]

The trouble with the One X is it was a bit like the Series consoles, a move to an absence of design where it's so unmemorable that it adds to the lack of presence the brand has. The PS5 is very divisive but it stands out and sticks in people's minds. Ideally people should be able to guess the system from it's silhouette.