GamingFan4Lyf

It will depend on how “PC”these Xbox handhelds systems will be.

If it’s like a full-fat Windows running on the backend with a custom UI (think Big Picture Mode in Steam), then allowing Sony to block a game just because the plastic housing of this handheld PC says Xbox on it looks incredibly unlikely - and very petty on Sony’s part, really.

If it’s still very console-like in backend architecture that just happens to run Steam games via some kind of VM layer that can play approved PC games from Steam, then I can see Sony getting away with it.

@LogicStrikesAgain Think like how developers get Steam Deck verified only for a full-fat PC hardware.

So it would be “Xbox PC Verified”

@LogicStrikesAgain Well there is no extra version to develop. Developers can test the PC version against the Xbox hardware and even have Xbox presets for the games (but still allow those who want to tweak to do so).

It essentially eliminates the whole “not worth porting to Xbox” problem since testing a PC build against a fixed hardware set is a lot easier than dealing with a whole separate version that may or may not get sales.

@Dalamar73 I think you are kind of grouping all PC players into a fairly small bucket.

If Microsoft can make a console that plays PC games - even at just "console settings" - and can be affordable, it would be a huge draw for:

• People looking to dip into the PC market but don't have the cash to buy a brand-new gaming PC because hardware is getting ridiculous in price
• Those who may have old PCs and can't afford a new one because of ballooning PC hardware prices
• Current Xbox console owners

Sure, the hardcore, emulation using, hardware updating, DRM-fighting PC gamers are probably not going to be swayed into a lower-spec machine that is more designed around couch play - they will continue to pay the premium price for the premium experience.

But the more budget-conscious PC gamers may see merit in what this accomplishes - especially if it has a great price to performance ratio.

The truth of the matter is, Microsoft can't "out console" PlayStation. They've tried for 2 generations now (well I guess 3 if you count OG Xbox, too) and the gap between Xbox and PlayStation continues to grow more and more in Sony's favor.

Microsoft HAS to take a different lane.

Microsoft can "out PC" Sony, though! And this potential future actually expands the market rather than continues courting the same people - who are very much jumping to PlayStation at the moment.

That X Edition isn’t $16.

It’s $16 off if you have Game Pass Ultimate. It’s $79.99 base price.

@HonestHick I agree.

I have no real issue with Windows - a lot of people seem to really have a problem with it, but maybe because the only thing I do on my home PC is game and browse the web, I just don’t really “use” Windows to hate it - if that makes sense.

Updates appear few and far between and I rarely see where I have to update upon shutdown or am told I need to reboot for whatever reason. The only driver updates I get are Nvidia drivers - and those are mainly just due to new game releases.

I also don’t necessarily praise Windows either. It’s just…there. Plus, if I want 100% compatibility for games across generations…there isn’t really any other choice.

I wouldn’t recommend Surface products solely because the price is too high for what you get. They aren’t bad, per se, just…expensive.

But, yeah, overall, it doesn’t feel like Microsoft really cares about putting out “great” products anymore as its main business feels more like being in the business rather than generating exciting products.

Don’t get me wrong, the games its put out are fun, but, the gaming part, up until recently, always felt separate from Microsoft proper.

@HonestHick Put enough hands in enough high-value cookie jars and you can be a trillionaire, too.

That’s ultimately how Microsoft gained its wealth.

Think about every company out there that uses Windows and Office products. Think about all the service contracts it has for technical support. Azure money is pretty lucrative. Consulting services. Research grants. Government contracts. Joint business ventures. Partnerships with NFL, NBA, NASCAR, etc. The list goes on.

Xbox is a tax write-off at this point.

I ditched my Xbox Series X when I got my PC.

As far as Microsoft is concerned…I still have an Xbox. I have GPU until Aug 2026.

My system will probably be “on par” with next generation, too.

The original Prey is also available for free on myabandonware for PC people. Easy instructions on how to install it on modern platforms.

Classic game that sadly has been lost to the sands of time and can’t be bought anywhere (I bet the licensed music plus lack of interest probably prevents it from making a comeback).

It did some things with the Id Tech 4 engine that people didn’t even think possible. I want to say it used portals before Portal was a thing. Really a cool game! I bet any modern computer could run it at this point - even with just an iGPU.

Maybe Bethesda should look into the Daggerfall Unity project as a means of getting that game on consoles. I’m not a fan, but I am sure console players would love to try their hand at pre-Morrowind Elder Scrolls.

Why do I feel like this “Remake” will be nothing more than the original game with a bunch of community mods injected into it to enable higher resolutions, better textures, models, etc.?

I am really digging the vibe for this one.

I hope it manages to catch the same essence as the Team Silent era of games (the best years for the franchise).

RE Engine-powered Mega Man X titles would help.

Other than some hiccups with open-world titles, Capcom has certainly “returned to form” as they say.

Plus, Capcom has been supporting GOG.com by releasing the original RE1 - RE3 as well as Dino Crisis.

Looks like the unofficial Mod that an official Remedy engineer created to add HDR (rather than rely on AutoHDR) and improve image quality finally became official with this update.

@Millionski Microsoft having a “baseline” set of hardware for a PC might prevent some of the issues you are talking about with PC ports.

Shader compilation wouldn’t be a problem because the package downloaded to a machine identified as an Xbox PC could come with all the shaders pre-compiled for the system.

Developers can thoroughly test the game against that set hardware to ensure performance is solid for that system as well.

Basically, it’s like a game getting Steam Deck Verified, but for a home console instead of a handheld.

As far as backward compatibility, Xbox essentially uses local Virtual Machine instances for everything anyways. So Microsoft could just make those work for PC.

The real question is this:

What would you do with 1M (of your local currency)?

I’d probably just put into a retirement fund or something - I know, boring, right?

I might splurge a small amount - get an OLED monitor and a new MOBO that supports PCIe 5.0 and an Nvidia 5090, but the rest would all get put aside for a later time.

@BAMozzy I think couch co-op is way different than online play. There is a sense of healthy competition and light jesting at each other.

I loved playing Super Street Fighter II tournaments with friends on SNES. Amazing memories.

I remember playing Smash and Goldeneye on N64 in college and having a blast.

Heck, I played Mortal Kombat in arcades with random strangers and it was awesome!

I just think the anonymity and lack of physical presence has really made people less capable of having healthy competitive behaviors.

@themightyant True. There is definitely less experimentation with ideas these days than there used to be.

@BacklogBrad I think more people are annoyed when publishers "chase trends" with Live Service games rather than try to come up with an original Live Service game.

Ever notice that the popular Live Service games actually had something unique about them when they first started?

Making another clone of something with a huge following isn't the answer.

@BAMozzy "Social games" - yeah...way to put a nice positive spin on what is essentially an enabler for toxic behavior. I have heard the social aspect of these games...it's pretty sad.

It's also sad that people don't take the time to invest in a single player game. I guess it's an age thing, but video games in the 90s were my books - especially since there was no voice acting. Games actually made me feel something. Discussing games was like being part of a book club. There was actual substance.

I feel like people are losing their ability to disconnect and enjoy a good story. All the kids want to do now is cause grief for other people and laugh about it on Discord.

PS: Get off my lawn!

@Kaloudz Would be weird to go right to Silent Hill 3 without redoing the original game first.

I mean, I guess they could "tell the story" of Silent Hill in a Silent Hill 3 remake (as some kind of a prologue video or something) but that would be kind of a cheap way to go about it.

I am surprised PX didn't link the video since it shows actual [HUDless] gameplay snippets (for those complaining there hasn't been any gameplay footage).

@PsBoxSwitchOwner I think it's a bad metric for a single player experience since there is no need to play the game during "peak hours". People just play it when they want to.

I normally don't get to game until like 9 or 10 at night - but I only play single player games and don't need a player count to enjoy the game.

But for a multi-player game, it's definitely concerning if the player counts are low.

I guess, in some ways, it's interesting to see if it's super popular for a snapshot in time, but I don't think it's any actual gauge of a single player game's success.

Then again, it also ignores the possibilities that the game is being played on other repositories/storefronts that it may be available (Epic, GOG, etc. - where applicable).

I want something like the Switch: totally lightweight so all the consoles resources are dedicated to games.

Make a version of Windows that’s the same! No fluff - just games (though I guess a little fluff would be necessary for access to various storefronts).

I can finally 100% the game! I have only been waiting 2 months!

Nice to see Obsidian getting out there quickly to squash some bugs and improve overall QoL for players!

I won't give it a review score based on the very limited game time I have had. Usually, I lose interest in these Western RPGs due to the games having a significant amount of distractions once you leave the "tutorial area".

If the game still stays very focused (with a few side quests here and there), then I'd give it an 8 or 9. But if things get too distracting, it's a 7 for me.

I prefer my games have like 80% focus on the main quest and 20% focus on side content. It feels like most Western RPGs are the reverse where most of the "fun" is the player having to go out and find it for themselves.

I'm glad that Avowed is seeming to be a hit with people.

I only got as far as finishing the "tutorial stage", but I am enjoying it so far. It seems to be "Skyrim Light": very dialed in, but still immersive.

I hope it stays that way, and the game doesn't throw a million distractions at me like other Western RPGs.

It is a smart move for Microsoft.

Keep in mind that for all that “winning” Sony is having with hardware sales, the bloated cost of game development still forced Sony to branch out and have a PC strategy.

When the overwhelming majority of your console user base is playing Fortnite, [popular annual sports title], etc. one is kind of forced to supplement first-party development efforts by branching out said games elsewhere.

If development continues to inflate the way it is, platform exclusivity will disappear.

@HonestHick AI will absolutely be where the “power” of the next consoles comes from.

Look at the Nvidia 50 series. According to reports I have seen, they aren’t that much more powerful than 40 series. It’s all AI pulling the weight.

Other than the 12GB of RAM in my 4070 Super (which is only a problem in Indiana Jones), I am quite happy I didn’t wait around for the 50 series because even older GPUs are getting benefits of new technology (just lacking multi-frame generation).

I don’t personally care as long as the final output looks the part, but clearly AI rather than raw horsepower is the next step in gaming evolution.

I am so happy for Remedy to finally be making a profit on Alan Wake II!

A shame it wasn't sooner - It's a masterpiece!

Epic as a publisher made a couple bad moves, though:
1) No physical release at launch
2) Total Epic Game Store exclusivity (I can understand timed, but even Epic should understand that PC gamers still very much favor Steam).

@Banjo- Gotcha, thanks.

It's important because my Microsoft purchases are linked to my Movies Anywhere account which then filter into my Vudu (sorry...Fandango at Home) account.

I don't use Microsoft Movies for anything - I don't even have an Xbox Series X anymore.

@Banjo- So these redemptions aren't for a specific "version" just the film and any available options for said film?

Does anyone know what version these movies will be if I redeem? SD, HD, or UHD?

Thanks!

@OldGamer999 I believe in 60Hz, the VRR window is 40 - 60. At 120Hz the VRR window 20 - 120.

60fps is great news for Series X owners!

Though, I feel like Microsoft should strongly recommend developers handle graphic options how Bethesda handled Fallout 4 and Starfield:

Have a Quality/Performance resolution option, and then have a 30/40*/60/120* frame rate cap option.

That way console titles are future-proofed and people have an option to mix and match - with perhaps a warning that mixing certain options may not work as desired (e.g. mixing Quality with 60fps).

Plus, I feel it’s a very “console-friendly” way to handle visual options.

@LostInBlue0 The Double Pack going for something like $57 on Green Man Gaming certainly sweetened the pot for me to double dip on PC (I had the PlayStation versions already).

That's $28.50 per game! Crazy good deal.

Playing Final Fantasy VII Remake at 1440p/120fps feels amazing - plus I had no idea that a "Head Start" option was added where characters are leveled up to 45 with some Max Materia to boot. It was a perfect way to pick up my 3rd playthrough of Remake.

I'll dive into Rebirth again once I finish Remake. Besides, it seems like it could use a patch or two to button up some lingering issues.

Unless Sony has locked up the entire series as a timed exclusive, I really hope Part 3 is a Day 1 PC release.

On topic: Unfortunately, I am sure Sony will continue to spend money on third-party exclusives for the foreseeable future - at least third-party exclusives that only exclude Xbox. Sadly, with the delta between PlayStation and Xbox continuing to grow, it's kind of an easy decision for developers to make.

But I do see things changing where even third-party console exclusives will have a Day 1 release on PC at the minimum.

The best thing Microsoft can do is to somehow make the next console a PC, but with a console experience that can also run console versions of legacy titles. It opens up the possibilities of viable games for the system as well as deflates Sony's business practices because, while Sony can lock up the console space by being the market leader, it can't touch the PC market.

"A great start for newcomers"

I almost died in the first encounter....

I have played the first stage of Ninja Gaiden Black so I know a little of what to expect, but I was shocked at how ruthless this game can be right out of the gate!

It's definitely a game where you need to understand when to block and when to dodge.

I haven't played the game since patch, but it had some weird behavior on PC when I tried it on launch day.

Cutscenes can dip into the 40s at random times (only to jump back up to 60), but gameplay runs in the 90+ fps - even when things get really hectic - this is with ray-tracing turned on (I know, I should just turn it off and get 120+ fps goodness, but I am a sucker for real-time RT).

@themightyant I don’t think it’s much of a concern at all with Steam Deck being as popular as it is and is now a goal for developers to get Verified.

Heck, even Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is verified for the system! That’s a big feat for a game that was only on PS5.

Great year for Xbox Game Studios and partners!

Having a Game Pass subscription this year seems to be quite rewarding!

So I guess Microsoft should hand the reigns to Playtonic Games if they want that to happen - since that's where all the original Rare talent went.

My Series X space is completely empty - I formatted the drive before trading it in to GameStop.

I have about 1.5TB left of 4TB of space on my gaming PC, though!

According to Microsoft, it’s an Xbox, too! 😁

Don't most modern multi-player focused games that allow cross-play have Input-based matchmaking filters available simply because the advantage of mouse & keyboard are so apparent?

Not sure how this is an issue.

@Jenkinss A new Phantasy Star that goes backs to its classic JRPG roots would be amazing!

I am going to go "pie in the sky" and say it's a sneak preview of the next entry in Final Fantasy VII: R (which will be revealed to be multi-platform on Day 1) with a surprise drop of FF7 Remake and Rebirth for Xbox to coincide with the PC release of Rebirth on the same day.

@UserTK-421 I understand your frustration, but Microsoft can't do "more of the same" if it expects to continue to be a viable option in the console market. It really does have to something more radical if it ever expects decent market share in the "premium console market".

If that means making the new Xbox run PC Code, but runs legacy Xbox games via an emulation layer, then so be it.

But, honestly, PC gamers have been looking a more tailored Windows experience for gaming ever since Valve came out with the Steam Deck.

@Vordus Universal Windows for Games LIVE 365!

@cragis0001 It's not full-featured Windows, though - which is the key.

Having a dedicated OS for just games could mean even more system resources can be dedicated to games. It could also mean less system updates since its only main function is to run DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan (and networking).

Sure, there could be a Power User function for those looking to get into the File System for mods using a Windows-like UI, but the biggest benefit is just keeping the OS very simple for games.

"Windows for Games" when?!

Nothing much for me this time. I already own the original Diablo + Hellfire via GOG.com.

Since I am someone who is mostly concerned about 60fps using as high of settings as possible to meet or exceed that framerate, I am not too fussed that I didn't wait until these cards come out to pull the trigger on a PC.

The 4070 Super should last me a good long while.

Gaming PC.

If I am away from my Gaming PC, I will either stream from my gaming PC using Moonlight installed on a laptop or play my Switch.

That would have been fun and interesting crossover.

The Outer Worlds episode made me sad, though. I appreciated the humor, but the ending was a huge kick in the feels.