It’s a big, black box. █ And it will play video games.
December 13, 2019 5:45 AM Subscribe
Meet Microsoft's PC-like Xbox Series X [Engadget] “Last night, The Game Awards was a showcase for industry stars and served as an unveiling for Microsoft's next Xbox... box. [...] Previously known as Project Scarlett, the next-generation Xbox resembles a PC tower, and it arrives holidays 2020. Xbox chief Phil Spencer wrote in a blog post that the Series X design allows Microsoft to pack in four times the processing power of Xbox One X "in the most quiet and efficient way." It's said to be no louder than an Xbox One X, helped by a single fan that pushes air through the top. Microsoft says the Xbox Series X can handle 4K visuals at 60 frames per second, and potentially up to 120 fps. The console will also offer hardware-accelerated ray tracing and variable refresh rate, along with 8K capability. It's compatible with software going back to the original Xbox and will work with Xbox One controllers.” [YouTube][Reveal Trailer]
• The Xbox Series X is basically a PC [The Verge]
• The Xbox Series X is basically a PC [The Verge]
“For a long time now, Microsoft has been going out of its way to downplay the “box” part of “Xbox.” Whether it’s pledging to bring all of its first-party titles to PC, releasing some of them to platforms like Steam and the Nintendo Switch, launching its Game Pass service for Windows, or pushing xCloud streaming, the message has been clear: you don’t have to buy an Xbox to play Xbox games. “The business isn’t how many consoles you sell,” Xbox chief Phil Spencer told The Verge earlier this year. But obviously, Microsoft still plans to make Xboxes. The question, then, is this: why would anyone buy one? What is the relevance of dedicated Xbox hardware when Microsoft wants the Xbox platform to be everywhere? With last night’s surprise reveal of the Xbox Series X, Microsoft answered that question in emphatic fashion. It is a console that looks unlike anything that has ever been released. Except, well, a gaming PC.”• Xbox Series X promises four generations of backward compatibility [Polygon]
“Xbox Series X, the new console Microsoft will launch in 2020, will feature backward compatibility to support “thousands of your favorite games across four generations of gaming,” Microsoft said in a statement following the console’s reveal at The Game Awards 2019. Furthermore, this compatibility will extend to “all your Xbox One gaming accessories,” the company said, and existing subscriptions to services on Xbox One will carry over to Xbox Series X as well. “We’re also investing in consumer-friendly pathways to game ownership across generations,” Microsoft said. Beginning with Halo Infinite next year, first-party games, at minimum, will “support cross-generation entitlements and your Achievements and game saves are shared across devices.””
(I'm so sorry)
posted by Eleven at 5:59 AM on December 13, 2019 [8 favorites]
posted by Eleven at 5:59 AM on December 13, 2019 [8 favorites]
I honestly feel like Microsoft might "win" the next so-called "console war". The fact that they're making everything backwards compatible, that their game pass allows you to play new/current games as a pretty affordable subscription rate (and its a game you download directly to your PC/console), their adaptive controller, like ALL of these things are kind of amazing.
The only thing that really concerns me is their ability to nab exclusive games that will bring people to their service. You can only hang your hat on Halo for so long. Sony tends to dominate in this regard. The types of exclusive games that Microsoft has partnered up with are just often a bit *shrug*.
Also, it seems like consoles going forward are just going to be high-powered PCs that are pre-built for those who don't want to tinker or build themselves. The PS5 contains an 8-core AMD chipset based on third generation Ryzen architecture, with a Radeon Navi GPU and a built for purpose SSD.
It's all gaming PCs going forward, I'm not quite sure what a console is anymore. I don't think that label really matters.
posted by Fizz at 6:01 AM on December 13, 2019 [6 favorites]
The only thing that really concerns me is their ability to nab exclusive games that will bring people to their service. You can only hang your hat on Halo for so long. Sony tends to dominate in this regard. The types of exclusive games that Microsoft has partnered up with are just often a bit *shrug*.
Also, it seems like consoles going forward are just going to be high-powered PCs that are pre-built for those who don't want to tinker or build themselves. The PS5 contains an 8-core AMD chipset based on third generation Ryzen architecture, with a Radeon Navi GPU and a built for purpose SSD.
It's all gaming PCs going forward, I'm not quite sure what a console is anymore. I don't think that label really matters.
posted by Fizz at 6:01 AM on December 13, 2019 [6 favorites]
This is not to disparage Senua's Saga: Hellblade II (the sequel to Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice). I just see Microsoft struggling to fight with exclusives like Last of Us II, God of War 2, Horizon Zero Dawn II, Cyberpunk 2077. You know what, I'm sensing a theme with Sony for 2020... 🤔
posted by Fizz at 6:06 AM on December 13, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by Fizz at 6:06 AM on December 13, 2019 [4 favorites]
I'm not so convinced the Xbox will win the next generation. The PS5 is likely to have full backwards compatibility with PS4 and I don't think most gamers care about games older than that. Add in their platform exclusives, PSVR 2, and their existing fanbase, and it'll be a real battle for Microsoft to compete.
And while the Xbox Games Pass is truly great value, that's the sort of thing Sony can match reasonably quickly if they have to.
posted by adrianhon at 6:11 AM on December 13, 2019
And while the Xbox Games Pass is truly great value, that's the sort of thing Sony can match reasonably quickly if they have to.
posted by adrianhon at 6:11 AM on December 13, 2019
I honestly feel like Microsoft might "win" the next so-called "console war".
posted by Fizz
I have a gaming PC and a PS4 and a Switch. This combo means I never miss any games due to exclusivity*. PS4 exclusives don't always come to the PC, but Xbox "exclusives" always do. So why would I ever buy an Xbox when I can play those games on my PC? I think this is why they will struggle to win any console war... I mean, I've already decided I'm going to get the PS5, not the new Xbox. I think something major would have to happen for that to change.
* - There are probably some exceptions to this, and I'd be happy to hear about them! I may have a slight FOMO problem when it comes to games. :-)
posted by Grither at 6:24 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Fizz
I have a gaming PC and a PS4 and a Switch. This combo means I never miss any games due to exclusivity*. PS4 exclusives don't always come to the PC, but Xbox "exclusives" always do. So why would I ever buy an Xbox when I can play those games on my PC? I think this is why they will struggle to win any console war... I mean, I've already decided I'm going to get the PS5, not the new Xbox. I think something major would have to happen for that to change.
* - There are probably some exceptions to this, and I'd be happy to hear about them! I may have a slight FOMO problem when it comes to games. :-)
posted by Grither at 6:24 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
PS4 exclusives don't always come to the PC, but Xbox "exclusives" always do. So why would I ever buy an Xbox when I can play those games on my PC?
I guess this is where the idea of a "console" is kind of dying, this term doesn't fit, at least not with what I think Microsoft is trying to do, in seamlessly syncing up all of your Microsoft/Xbox devices so that you can move from one screen to the other and still play the same games on the same account. It's essentially a smarter way of doing what Google's Stadia is struggling to do.
Google wants to use your bandwidth/Internet connection and cut out the box and the download. Microsoft is just letting people load it on their Xbox or their PC and then play/pay a subscription to "keep" the game alive on your device.
How we're gaming is shifting and so much of that is being shaped by "games as a service" model. It's so messy.
posted by Fizz at 6:38 AM on December 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
I guess this is where the idea of a "console" is kind of dying, this term doesn't fit, at least not with what I think Microsoft is trying to do, in seamlessly syncing up all of your Microsoft/Xbox devices so that you can move from one screen to the other and still play the same games on the same account. It's essentially a smarter way of doing what Google's Stadia is struggling to do.
Google wants to use your bandwidth/Internet connection and cut out the box and the download. Microsoft is just letting people load it on their Xbox or their PC and then play/pay a subscription to "keep" the game alive on your device.
How we're gaming is shifting and so much of that is being shaped by "games as a service" model. It's so messy.
posted by Fizz at 6:38 AM on December 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
The real question is whether MS will have learned anything from the XBox One introduction debacle and not try to sneak an always-on Kinect into people's living rooms. I'm likewise guessing that the PS5 will have similar backward compatibility, and while I had fun with the 360 back in the day with playing around with Kinect, the XBone really put me off of their ecosystem and I've been investing more in PS games.
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:39 AM on December 13, 2019
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:39 AM on December 13, 2019
The PS5 is likely to have full backwards compatibility with PS4 and I don't think most gamers care about games older than that.ಠ_ಠ
glares in 8-bit
posted by Mayor West at 6:41 AM on December 13, 2019 [23 favorites]
Sony's already announced that the PS5 will be backwards-compat with the PS4.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 6:44 AM on December 13, 2019
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 6:44 AM on December 13, 2019
It’s a big, black box. █
Yes, you can use the new Xbox Series X horizontally: don't worry, you won't have to buy a new TV stand
posted by fairmettle at 6:50 AM on December 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
Yes, you can use the new Xbox Series X horizontally: don't worry, you won't have to buy a new TV stand
posted by fairmettle at 6:50 AM on December 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
We called the Xbox One the XBONE.
In that great tradition, I am proud to unveil the Xbox SeX.
If people haven't been paying attention, Microsoft did what losing gaming companies do when they lose a generation and went to make really good stuff. Gamepass and The Xbox One X are phenomenal. Their early access program is too. Mixer is a good platform with few users but that can change.
Sony mostly languished with some really great exclusives but really not great working with people in other ways.
It's the inverse of what happened when Microsoft won 360/ps3 era.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 7:00 AM on December 13, 2019
In that great tradition, I am proud to unveil the Xbox SeX.
If people haven't been paying attention, Microsoft did what losing gaming companies do when they lose a generation and went to make really good stuff. Gamepass and The Xbox One X are phenomenal. Their early access program is too. Mixer is a good platform with few users but that can change.
Sony mostly languished with some really great exclusives but really not great working with people in other ways.
It's the inverse of what happened when Microsoft won 360/ps3 era.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 7:00 AM on December 13, 2019
I love everything about this but the name. Xbox One, Xbox One X, Xbox Series X...someone needs to fire their product naming team.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 7:23 AM on December 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 7:23 AM on December 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
I love everything about this but the name. Xbox One, Xbox One X, Xbox Series X
Same, my wife and I have been angry since the announcement. The Xbox Series X was code-named Project Scarlett and we were both making guesses as to what the new "console" would be called, I was hoping for something like Xbox Red. And I had visions of a sleek all red casing. But, I guess they're trying to market this in the way that luxury cars are often marketed. It's either letters or numbers. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go drive my Xbox 535 S Class Series.
posted by Fizz at 7:26 AM on December 13, 2019
Same, my wife and I have been angry since the announcement. The Xbox Series X was code-named Project Scarlett and we were both making guesses as to what the new "console" would be called, I was hoping for something like Xbox Red. And I had visions of a sleek all red casing. But, I guess they're trying to market this in the way that luxury cars are often marketed. It's either letters or numbers. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go drive my Xbox 535 S Class Series.
posted by Fizz at 7:26 AM on December 13, 2019
XxboxX is really fitting with the emo revival that's going on right now
posted by Jon_Evil at 7:37 AM on December 13, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by Jon_Evil at 7:37 AM on December 13, 2019 [3 favorites]
Consoles are a good value proposition because they're a fixed target for game developers to hit for 6-8 years. Any title with e.g. the "PS4" branding on it will work on my machine and I don't have to worry about compatibilty, bugs, or framerate problems. And if the box happens to fail, I can just buy another box that says PS4 on it. It's the siren song of "it just works."
That said, $80CAD is the going price for front line titles on console, not even counting the "golden masturbator edition" or whatever, and it does give me pause. I'd buy more games if they were, you know, cheaper. OTOH when the "game of the year" re-release happens in 12-24 months at $20 that's tolerable.
Patience....
posted by seanmpuckett at 7:50 AM on December 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
That said, $80CAD is the going price for front line titles on console, not even counting the "golden masturbator edition" or whatever, and it does give me pause. I'd buy more games if they were, you know, cheaper. OTOH when the "game of the year" re-release happens in 12-24 months at $20 that's tolerable.
Patience....
posted by seanmpuckett at 7:50 AM on December 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
Re: the name...
It's December 18th, 2020. Jeff Johnson is in a Target in South Bend, Indiana because his son wants the "New Xbox" for Christmas. Jeff arrives at the shelves and must choose between a "Xbox Series X" and a "Xbox One X". Does he flip a coin?
posted by selfnoise at 7:59 AM on December 13, 2019 [6 favorites]
It's December 18th, 2020. Jeff Johnson is in a Target in South Bend, Indiana because his son wants the "New Xbox" for Christmas. Jeff arrives at the shelves and must choose between a "Xbox Series X" and a "Xbox One X". Does he flip a coin?
posted by selfnoise at 7:59 AM on December 13, 2019 [6 favorites]
It's said to be no louder than an Xbox One X, helped by a single fan that pushes air through the top.
These things are literally miniaturized space heaters. The Series X power supply is rumored to be 250 Watts. Have you been in a room with one of these running for a few hours in a row?
At least this one vents the hot air upward. It looks like the new Mac Pro vents the hot air directly at you!
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:59 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
These things are literally miniaturized space heaters. The Series X power supply is rumored to be 250 Watts. Have you been in a room with one of these running for a few hours in a row?
At least this one vents the hot air upward. It looks like the new Mac Pro vents the hot air directly at you!
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:59 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Kinda seems that Microsoft could kill two birds with one stone here, and make the Xboxxx into an all-in-one computer that doubles as a gaming system.
Or sell an Xboxxxx controller that works with Windows PCs an an Xboxxxxxxx app that flips the system to "game mode" when you run it.
My biggest complaint about a standalone gaming console that is more powerful than my computer is how much goddamn energy they suck even in an idle state. I use my computer way more than my console, so why do I want my console to be drawing massive amounts of power all day long for no good reason?
It's a big part of the reason that my console is a Switch, really. (well, that and the fact that the games for Nintendo devices are usually a lot more family-friendly than the bulletstorm bloodbaths that seem to be the most popular games on PS4 and Xboxxxxxxxxxx)
posted by caution live frogs at 8:01 AM on December 13, 2019
Or sell an Xboxxxx controller that works with Windows PCs an an Xboxxxxxxx app that flips the system to "game mode" when you run it.
My biggest complaint about a standalone gaming console that is more powerful than my computer is how much goddamn energy they suck even in an idle state. I use my computer way more than my console, so why do I want my console to be drawing massive amounts of power all day long for no good reason?
It's a big part of the reason that my console is a Switch, really. (well, that and the fact that the games for Nintendo devices are usually a lot more family-friendly than the bulletstorm bloodbaths that seem to be the most popular games on PS4 and Xboxxxxxxxxxx)
posted by caution live frogs at 8:01 AM on December 13, 2019
Consoles are a good value proposition because they're a fixed target for game developers to hit for 6-8 years.
This is true, but the side benefit for PC gamers players is that the PC version will generally also play fine on a computer with roughly the same specs as the current console generation.
(Protip: if it's running too slowly on your old PC, try reducing screen resolution to something TV-scale; that usually solves the problem and you won't notice the difference.)
posted by suetanvil at 8:05 AM on December 13, 2019
This is true, but the side benefit for PC game
(Protip: if it's running too slowly on your old PC, try reducing screen resolution to something TV-scale; that usually solves the problem and you won't notice the difference.)
posted by suetanvil at 8:05 AM on December 13, 2019
The naming convention is really weird to me.. It's not just dumb and obnoxious like the XBONE, but their plan for multiple series and different models sounds genuinely confusing. Oh well maybe with this next generation Microsoft will yet again make Sony look like marketing geniuses for simply doing the straightforward thing that gives customers what they want.
It looks like the new Mac Pro vents the hot air directly at you!
From the article you linked?:
It looks like the new Mac Pro vents the hot air directly at you!
From the article you linked?:
In the new Mac Pro, Apple is using a metal plate they are calling the “Sea wall” and the motherboard itself to divide the interior into two thermal zones. In the larger space in front of the motherboard, three large impeller fans intake air from the front, over the CPU heatsink and expansion cards and out the back.posted by fleacircus at 8:10 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
On the other side, a blower style fan pulls air through the memory, solid state storage and, power supply and out the back.
So... I kind of like the design. I am happy to engage with the game monolith.
Like Grither, I have a gaming PC, PS4, and a Switch. But honestly, most of the games I play don't need beefy hardware, so I play on the Switch (where Slay the Spire lives with all of the really good Nintendo games), or 9 times out of 10, the PC games I want to play can run on my 2015 MacBook Air... which is saying something. The only exception is Cities: Skylines, which needs a small Dyson sphere to run well.
Microsoft's Game Pass has been really tempting, but I don't have an Xbox, which is fine. Maybe this would be a good jumping on point. Does it play Spelunky? That's the important question.
posted by gc at 8:17 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Like Grither, I have a gaming PC, PS4, and a Switch. But honestly, most of the games I play don't need beefy hardware, so I play on the Switch (where Slay the Spire lives with all of the really good Nintendo games), or 9 times out of 10, the PC games I want to play can run on my 2015 MacBook Air... which is saying something. The only exception is Cities: Skylines, which needs a small Dyson sphere to run well.
Microsoft's Game Pass has been really tempting, but I don't have an Xbox, which is fine. Maybe this would be a good jumping on point. Does it play Spelunky? That's the important question.
posted by gc at 8:17 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Does it play Spelunky?
It does. There was an Xbox 360 version a while back, and it's backward-compatible on the One.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 8:21 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
It does. There was an Xbox 360 version a while back, and it's backward-compatible on the One.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 8:21 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
My cat anxiously awaits sitting on top of that warm thing.
posted by advicepig at 8:22 AM on December 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by advicepig at 8:22 AM on December 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
Re: the name: since they've clearly outsourced the naming decisions to a Markov chain trained on other, better Markov chain Twitter bots, I don't know why they don't just lean into it and call the thing XX_Box_bong_rips_69_XX
posted by Mayor West at 8:38 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Mayor West at 8:38 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
My prediction is Sony steamrolls Microsoft again for this next generation.
I believe that the main market for these things in this next generation is gaming and only gaming. People want to turn on a dedicated machine and play games on it, period. They want that a separate experience from their computers and have little interest in weaving the two together. Maybe, maybe as a Netflix machine, too.. on the side. All this integration stuff, "OneMachineThatDoesItAllAndExistsEverywhere" is cool in theory, but I don't think it's going to be big.
Gears of War XVII and Anotherhalo are old and dusty. The rest of MS's upcoming stuff that I saw looks OK but largely aimed at kids, where Nintendo is already king.
posted by SoberHighland at 8:58 AM on December 13, 2019
I believe that the main market for these things in this next generation is gaming and only gaming. People want to turn on a dedicated machine and play games on it, period. They want that a separate experience from their computers and have little interest in weaving the two together. Maybe, maybe as a Netflix machine, too.. on the side. All this integration stuff, "OneMachineThatDoesItAllAndExistsEverywhere" is cool in theory, but I don't think it's going to be big.
Gears of War XVII and Anotherhalo are old and dusty. The rest of MS's upcoming stuff that I saw looks OK but largely aimed at kids, where Nintendo is already king.
posted by SoberHighland at 8:58 AM on December 13, 2019
Also: no one except obnoxious kids on Reddit cares which machine is more powerful. The Switch is popular and it's an underpowered slouch with crappy controllers compared to its competition. People love it for its titles. It's all about titles, and I can't see Sony slipping in that realm any time soon.
The vertical design is great because it will help keep people from tucking it into small, cramped shelves surrounded by other electronics like they do currently. Consoles need a lot of clear space to keep cool.
posted by SoberHighland at 9:09 AM on December 13, 2019
The vertical design is great because it will help keep people from tucking it into small, cramped shelves surrounded by other electronics like they do currently. Consoles need a lot of clear space to keep cool.
posted by SoberHighland at 9:09 AM on December 13, 2019
This is crazy smart - MS doesn't really care how many Xboxen they move, they're just setting it up as a platform where you buy games. It's basically a good PC with a controller anyway, so if you have a PC and an Xbox controller, you're still buying that game from Microsoft from their Xbox storefront, and that's where they want to make their money. (Or via the gamepass, which is monthly revenue, which is king these days.)
And honestly, maybe not the Series X, but I might pick up a Series X2 or whatever, instead of upgrading my gaming PC. If the games I buy on the PC follow me to the Xbox Series consoles? Definitely. I use a mac for development, I could absolutely see buying an Xbox instead of a gaming PC in a couple years.
posted by Imperfect at 9:19 AM on December 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
And honestly, maybe not the Series X, but I might pick up a Series X2 or whatever, instead of upgrading my gaming PC. If the games I buy on the PC follow me to the Xbox Series consoles? Definitely. I use a mac for development, I could absolutely see buying an Xbox instead of a gaming PC in a couple years.
posted by Imperfect at 9:19 AM on December 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
I might pick up a Series X2 or whatever, instead of upgrading my gaming PC
And play Bethesda games without access to the console?
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 9:28 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
And play Bethesda games without access to the console?
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 9:28 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
If I can use a mouse and keyboard this may save me from needing to upgrade the ol processor & video card, but we'll see. I may just see how long I can overclock and keep up.
My prediction is Sony steamrolls Microsoft again for this next generation.
Eh, Microsoft is XBox and Windows. Every PC sale makes their OS more ubiquitous. If every Microsoft Windows PC that has a game launcher counted as a console, Sony's not really on the same level. Steam and PS Network each have about 90 million users. So there's your break even of market share. Take into account Epic/Origin/etc and Microsoft's new platform, I think their comfortable with their position.
I do think the PS4 is a better console in a vacuum than the XBox One, but just the console has never been Microsoft's business strategy. To say Sony is steamrolling Microsoft sounds like those obnoxious reddit kids I've been hearing about.
posted by avalonian at 9:39 AM on December 13, 2019
My prediction is Sony steamrolls Microsoft again for this next generation.
Eh, Microsoft is XBox and Windows. Every PC sale makes their OS more ubiquitous. If every Microsoft Windows PC that has a game launcher counted as a console, Sony's not really on the same level. Steam and PS Network each have about 90 million users. So there's your break even of market share. Take into account Epic/Origin/etc and Microsoft's new platform, I think their comfortable with their position.
I do think the PS4 is a better console in a vacuum than the XBox One, but just the console has never been Microsoft's business strategy. To say Sony is steamrolling Microsoft sounds like those obnoxious reddit kids I've been hearing about.
posted by avalonian at 9:39 AM on December 13, 2019
Well, yeah. I meant "steamrolling" as far as gaming goes. Obviously Microsoft is bigger as an overall software company. I cannot name a single Xbox exclusive game this generation that I was interested in. Sony had several.
posted by SoberHighland at 9:52 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by SoberHighland at 9:52 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Also: no one except obnoxious kids on Reddit cares which machine is more powerful.
You don't have to be rude. I care, I'm not being obnoxious about it.
I believe that the main market for these things in this next generation is gaming and only gaming. People want to turn on a dedicated machine and play games on it, period. They want that a separate experience from their computers and have little interest in weaving the two together.
This does not track to the many people gaming that I know. The Xbox (and PS4) are great at running all the apps you could need. YouTube to Spotify (available while I'm gaming simultaneously) to Netflix/Hulu/Shudder/HBO Go/Prime to Game to Twitch... I do all of those on a daily basis. I literally never am not on my xbox if I'm in front of my TV, there is no need to. It plays UHD Blu-Rays too.
Project Xcloud is pretty cool for taking the power of the console portable too. I'm not really the audience for that as I mostly limit my gaming to when I'm in front of my TV only, but I've seen lots of people use it already and the technology is good.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 9:59 AM on December 13, 2019
You don't have to be rude. I care, I'm not being obnoxious about it.
I believe that the main market for these things in this next generation is gaming and only gaming. People want to turn on a dedicated machine and play games on it, period. They want that a separate experience from their computers and have little interest in weaving the two together.
This does not track to the many people gaming that I know. The Xbox (and PS4) are great at running all the apps you could need. YouTube to Spotify (available while I'm gaming simultaneously) to Netflix/Hulu/Shudder/HBO Go/Prime to Game to Twitch... I do all of those on a daily basis. I literally never am not on my xbox if I'm in front of my TV, there is no need to. It plays UHD Blu-Rays too.
Project Xcloud is pretty cool for taking the power of the console portable too. I'm not really the audience for that as I mostly limit my gaming to when I'm in front of my TV only, but I've seen lots of people use it already and the technology is good.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 9:59 AM on December 13, 2019
I cannot name a single Xbox exclusive game this generation that I was interested in. Sony had several.
Sunset Overdrive is one of the few that pops into my brain.
posted by Fizz at 9:59 AM on December 13, 2019
Sunset Overdrive is one of the few that pops into my brain.
posted by Fizz at 9:59 AM on December 13, 2019
Ori & the Blind Forest is my favorite exclusive.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 10:01 AM on December 13, 2019
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 10:01 AM on December 13, 2019
It’s pronounced “Ten Bow Ten Series Ten”
posted by oulipian at 10:46 AM on December 13, 2019 [7 favorites]
posted by oulipian at 10:46 AM on December 13, 2019 [7 favorites]
Minor correction: Cyberpunk 2077 is not exclusive to the PS4. In fact, Keanu Reeves showed up on Microsoft's stage at E3 to promote Cyberpunk 2077. It is a PS4, Xbox One and PC release.
Regarding the Series X: I almost feel like the machine is an afterthought. Not for Microsoft, of course; I'm sure their engineers have put a lot of effort into this, especially after being knocked back a bit with the Xbox One OG. (The Xbox One X is, by all accounts, a fantastic piece of gaming tech.) But for the gaming audience, I feel like Microsoft's already staked out their claims before the actual arrival of the next generation. Thanks to a number of really good deals and the act of bringing marquee titles to the service, Game Pass is a surprisingly good subscription service. It's already on Xbox and PC (with an additional Ultimate pass that includes both platforms) and Microsoft's already said they intend to bring Game Pass to their Project Xcloud streaming platform that serves as their answer to Google's Stadia (and Sony's Playstation Now, which everyone always forgets exists).
Sony won the PS2 era, then suffered from hubris and had Microsoft steal their lunch money with the 360. Then it was Microsoft's turn to be overconfident, leading to the PS4 overwhelmingly beating the Xbox One this generation. It's hard to say if history will repeat itself yet again; I think Sony can see the history as well as anyone and will end up being somewhat cautious this time out, while Microsoft has clearly been figuring out ways to break out of the concept of console generations as an organizing principle.
Both companies appear to be breaking ever so slightly when it comes to exclusivity deals as well. Halo: Master Chief Collection just had a huge launch on Steam, of all storefronts, and this came after a growing list of Microsoft titles culminating in the simultaneous launch of Gears 5 on Steam and Xbox/Windows Store. Minecraft, a Microsoft property ever since they bought Mojang a few years back, just had a huge update on PS4 as well. And on the Sony side, there was also the recent news that MLB The Show, THE baseball game for consoles and developed by Sony Santa Monica, will become multi-platform starting as soon as 2021.
So many things feel up in the air this generation, and so little of it has to do with the actual silicon the games play on.
posted by chrominance at 10:50 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Regarding the Series X: I almost feel like the machine is an afterthought. Not for Microsoft, of course; I'm sure their engineers have put a lot of effort into this, especially after being knocked back a bit with the Xbox One OG. (The Xbox One X is, by all accounts, a fantastic piece of gaming tech.) But for the gaming audience, I feel like Microsoft's already staked out their claims before the actual arrival of the next generation. Thanks to a number of really good deals and the act of bringing marquee titles to the service, Game Pass is a surprisingly good subscription service. It's already on Xbox and PC (with an additional Ultimate pass that includes both platforms) and Microsoft's already said they intend to bring Game Pass to their Project Xcloud streaming platform that serves as their answer to Google's Stadia (and Sony's Playstation Now, which everyone always forgets exists).
Sony won the PS2 era, then suffered from hubris and had Microsoft steal their lunch money with the 360. Then it was Microsoft's turn to be overconfident, leading to the PS4 overwhelmingly beating the Xbox One this generation. It's hard to say if history will repeat itself yet again; I think Sony can see the history as well as anyone and will end up being somewhat cautious this time out, while Microsoft has clearly been figuring out ways to break out of the concept of console generations as an organizing principle.
Both companies appear to be breaking ever so slightly when it comes to exclusivity deals as well. Halo: Master Chief Collection just had a huge launch on Steam, of all storefronts, and this came after a growing list of Microsoft titles culminating in the simultaneous launch of Gears 5 on Steam and Xbox/Windows Store. Minecraft, a Microsoft property ever since they bought Mojang a few years back, just had a huge update on PS4 as well. And on the Sony side, there was also the recent news that MLB The Show, THE baseball game for consoles and developed by Sony Santa Monica, will become multi-platform starting as soon as 2021.
So many things feel up in the air this generation, and so little of it has to do with the actual silicon the games play on.
posted by chrominance at 10:50 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
I've been a PlayStation devotee since the original and recently broke down and got a Switch to play Cuphead and now I think maybe I will never buy an XBox/PS ever again.
posted by grumpybear69 at 11:05 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by grumpybear69 at 11:05 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
I was a fan of the band King's X for almost 20 years before realizing their name was a pun on King Sex.
posted by straight at 11:15 AM on December 13, 2019
posted by straight at 11:15 AM on December 13, 2019
Sorry. I wasn't communicating well on this thread. The power of these machines IS important. My point was, people don't care so much about power as they do care about which games they want to play.
posted by SoberHighland at 12:00 PM on December 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by SoberHighland at 12:00 PM on December 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
The Xbox (and PS4) are great at running all the apps you could need. YouTube to Spotify (available while I'm gaming simultaneously) to Netflix/Hulu/Shudder/HBO Go/Prime to Game to Twitch..
This functionality will be superseded by TVs rather than 5th gen consoles. I used my PS4 for pretty much the same stuff untill I got a newer smarter telly earlier in the year. Now the TV has the apps built in. This is beneficial since it cuts back substantially on electricity consumption and linked emissions.
posted by biffa at 12:19 PM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
This functionality will be superseded by TVs rather than 5th gen consoles. I used my PS4 for pretty much the same stuff untill I got a newer smarter telly earlier in the year. Now the TV has the apps built in. This is beneficial since it cuts back substantially on electricity consumption and linked emissions.
posted by biffa at 12:19 PM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Well, yeah. I meant "steamrolling" as far as gaming goes. Obviously Microsoft is bigger as an overall software company. I cannot name a single Xbox exclusive game this generation that I was interested in. Sony had several.
On that we agree. I bought the slim with the 3 exclusives deal on Black Friday and have since purchased 6 or 7 more of the exclusives while the prices were slashed. Persona 5 and Bloodborne are amazing.
posted by avalonian at 1:03 PM on December 13, 2019
On that we agree. I bought the slim with the 3 exclusives deal on Black Friday and have since purchased 6 or 7 more of the exclusives while the prices were slashed. Persona 5 and Bloodborne are amazing.
posted by avalonian at 1:03 PM on December 13, 2019
Consoles have been overpowered for a while now. I think Katamari Damacy (PS2) was the last game I saw where I thought, "oh wow, yeah this probably couldn't have been done on previous gen hardware."
Everything else is just better and better resolution on "realistic" visuals, except all of the realistic games have muddy aesthetics that are just meh. People are going nuts for Breath of the Wild and Untitled Goose Game. Stylized pixel art has been the hot shit too.
Maybe it matters for someone out there, but so many of the (IMO) best games that have come out recently have not needed particularly powerful hardware.
posted by explosion at 1:22 PM on December 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
Everything else is just better and better resolution on "realistic" visuals, except all of the realistic games have muddy aesthetics that are just meh. People are going nuts for Breath of the Wild and Untitled Goose Game. Stylized pixel art has been the hot shit too.
Maybe it matters for someone out there, but so many of the (IMO) best games that have come out recently have not needed particularly powerful hardware.
posted by explosion at 1:22 PM on December 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
I bought an xbox one s, this year, finally updating my gaming to the current generation, from a ps3. 3 reasons for the switch, the xbox was $100 cheaper, it was backwards compatible to 360 games (ps3 pulled the we’re backwards compatible for the next 3, 2, 1, oh you missed it!), and both Halo, and Gears which some troublemakers were slagging earlier. I probably won’t be going back, but neither am I in any rush to upgrade. As both sony, and mcrsft, are giant corporations, I will miss my gaming if they are both burnt to the ground, but I own matches.
posted by evilDoug at 1:24 PM on December 13, 2019
posted by evilDoug at 1:24 PM on December 13, 2019
The Switch is popular and it's an underpowered slouch with crappy controllers compared to its competition.
This is true of the joycons for sure, which I assume is what you meant, but other than the lack of analog triggers the Switch Pro controller blows the pants off of the PS4 controller at least (I've never used a recent Xbox controller) in terms of ergonomics, joystick calibration, battery life and overall feel. I wish I could use it everywhere.
posted by invitapriore at 1:27 PM on December 13, 2019
This is true of the joycons for sure, which I assume is what you meant, but other than the lack of analog triggers the Switch Pro controller blows the pants off of the PS4 controller at least (I've never used a recent Xbox controller) in terms of ergonomics, joystick calibration, battery life and overall feel. I wish I could use it everywhere.
posted by invitapriore at 1:27 PM on December 13, 2019
Ori & the Blind Forest is my favorite exclusive.
Ori & the Blind Forest is available for Switch, via Steam, and on GOG - which means it's DRM-free.
In the mainstream gaming universe, does "exclusive" mean "not on other consoles?" Because for me, if it's available on PC, that's one more reason I never have to get into the console wars.
posted by ErisLordFreedom at 2:09 PM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Ori & the Blind Forest is available for Switch, via Steam, and on GOG - which means it's DRM-free.
In the mainstream gaming universe, does "exclusive" mean "not on other consoles?" Because for me, if it's available on PC, that's one more reason I never have to get into the console wars.
posted by ErisLordFreedom at 2:09 PM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
If you like video/computer games, you should care about how powerful these machines are because whichever one is weaker is going to define the boundaries for AAA games for the next ~8 years. *Especially* for thing that aren't eye candy.
Everything else is just better and better resolution on "realistic" visuals
I'm gonna disagree there. Fallout: New Vegas designed to fit into a ps4/xb1's several gigabytes of system RAM would have been quite different from the one we actually got, designed to fit into the PS3's 0.25 gigabytes of system RAM.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 2:14 PM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Everything else is just better and better resolution on "realistic" visuals
I'm gonna disagree there. Fallout: New Vegas designed to fit into a ps4/xb1's several gigabytes of system RAM would have been quite different from the one we actually got, designed to fit into the PS3's 0.25 gigabytes of system RAM.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 2:14 PM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Consoles have been overpowered for a while now. I think Katamari Damacy (PS2) was the last game I saw where I thought, "oh wow, yeah this probably couldn't have been done on previous gen hardware."
People are going nuts for Breath of the Wild and Untitled Goose Game.
You couldn't do Untitled Goose Game on a PS2 and you definitely couldn't do Breath of the Wild on a PS2. I doubt you could do Minecraft on a PS2 either.
Graphics power inflation is definitely a thing that drastically inflates the cost of development for games trying to stay on that treadmill, but modern games are using modern hardware for a whole lot more than just graphics.
posted by straight at 2:45 PM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
People are going nuts for Breath of the Wild and Untitled Goose Game.
You couldn't do Untitled Goose Game on a PS2 and you definitely couldn't do Breath of the Wild on a PS2. I doubt you could do Minecraft on a PS2 either.
Graphics power inflation is definitely a thing that drastically inflates the cost of development for games trying to stay on that treadmill, but modern games are using modern hardware for a whole lot more than just graphics.
posted by straight at 2:45 PM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Before anyone gets too worried about the carbon impact of video game consoles; even if you buy a new PS5 and play it for five hours a day, every day, for five years, the total carbon emission is a fraction of the output you'd cause by taking a single transatlantic flight, and the cost is too.
posted by Green Winnebago at 3:25 PM on December 13, 2019
posted by Green Winnebago at 3:25 PM on December 13, 2019
To continue on straight's point, modern consoles lower the barrier of entry for game devs by providing more power for game engines like Unity and Unreal that consume a lot of overhead but make life immeasurably easier for developers and designers.
There's no question there are current-generation games that could've been done on earlier hardware, but it would've taken a lot more time and skill and resources, which effectively limits the people who can make games, and therefore the breadth of art that can be created.
posted by adrianhon at 3:41 PM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
There's no question there are current-generation games that could've been done on earlier hardware, but it would've taken a lot more time and skill and resources, which effectively limits the people who can make games, and therefore the breadth of art that can be created.
posted by adrianhon at 3:41 PM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
even if you buy a new PS5 and play it for five hours a day, every day, for five years, the total carbon emission is a fraction of the output you'd cause by taking a single transatlantic flight, and the cost is too.You mean if I take a flight as the sole passenger in a 737?
posted by cardioid at 4:23 PM on December 13, 2019
modern consoles lower the barrier of entry for game devs by providing more power for game engines like Unity and Unreal that consume a lot of overhead but make life immeasurably easier for developers and designers.
For instance, one of my favorite games of the year, Supraland (a first-person exploration/puzzle/action game that deserves comparisons to Portal, Zelda, Metroid) is incredibly well designed, polished, and looks great. It could totally be a AAA game made by a team of 30+ people in an earlier console generation.
It was made almost entirely by one person. I think he hired some artists to create some of the assets and had some playtesters. Possibly the reason the game can be so clever, inventive, and tight is that game development tools now are powerful enough for a single person to design, experiment, test, and tweak the whole game.
posted by straight at 5:12 PM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
For instance, one of my favorite games of the year, Supraland (a first-person exploration/puzzle/action game that deserves comparisons to Portal, Zelda, Metroid) is incredibly well designed, polished, and looks great. It could totally be a AAA game made by a team of 30+ people in an earlier console generation.
It was made almost entirely by one person. I think he hired some artists to create some of the assets and had some playtesters. Possibly the reason the game can be so clever, inventive, and tight is that game development tools now are powerful enough for a single person to design, experiment, test, and tweak the whole game.
posted by straight at 5:12 PM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
invitapriore: I haven't tried the Switch's (not included—another $60!) controller, just the joy cons in handheld and in the holder-thing that comes with the console. The buttons are super tiny, and the sticks feel flimsy. There's widespread reports that they start drifting commonly, too.
Handheld, it's still too small for me to play comfortably. Without grips, it has no ergonomics at all. And the battery life isn't great for handheld, either... The plastic screen can scratch, making a cover almost necessary—especially with kids involved. Plugged in, it's the lowest power console on the market by far. Plus, Switch exclusive games almost never get discounted. Breath of the Wild is still like $50 retail, where you can buy old games for the Xbox and PS on significant sales just a few months after release.
I'm not a Switch fan. I even own one, but haven't picked it up in months. I guess it's a matter of taste, but I have no nostalgia for Mario, or any of those other Princess Peach types either. But to each their own.
edit: WOW Supraland looks amazing. One person made that??
posted by SoberHighland at 5:54 PM on December 13, 2019
Handheld, it's still too small for me to play comfortably. Without grips, it has no ergonomics at all. And the battery life isn't great for handheld, either... The plastic screen can scratch, making a cover almost necessary—especially with kids involved. Plugged in, it's the lowest power console on the market by far. Plus, Switch exclusive games almost never get discounted. Breath of the Wild is still like $50 retail, where you can buy old games for the Xbox and PS on significant sales just a few months after release.
I'm not a Switch fan. I even own one, but haven't picked it up in months. I guess it's a matter of taste, but I have no nostalgia for Mario, or any of those other Princess Peach types either. But to each their own.
edit: WOW Supraland looks amazing. One person made that??
posted by SoberHighland at 5:54 PM on December 13, 2019
The looks are deceptive. Supraland is way more brilliant than any screenshot or video could show. I'm so glad John Walker at Rock Paper Shotgun noticed it because nobody else seems to have.
posted by straight at 6:06 PM on December 13, 2019
posted by straight at 6:06 PM on December 13, 2019
cardiod, I did the math, and unless I messed something up, which is entirely possible... yes, taking a round-trip flight from New York to Paris uses significantly more carbon as buying a PS4 and using it for five hours a day, every single day, for six years. Almost twice as much, in fact! And yes, that's how much you use as a single passenger, not the total carbon expenditure for the entire flight, which would be much, much more.
Taking a round-trip flight from New York City to Paris in economy class uses an estimated 860 kg of carbon:
Carbon Footprint Calculator
On the other hand, even if you play a PS5 for five hours every single day for six years (the estimated lifespan of the console), and even if all of your power comes from burning fossil fuels, you'll only use about 420 kg of carbon, in addition to roughly about 80 kg of carbon that are used in manufacturing the console, based on the numbers from this article:
Environmental Impact of PS5
Of course, that doesn't include things like the carbon used for cloud services, or making/shipping games, but on the other hand the flight numbers don't include things like the carbon used driving to the airport. I don't mean to imply that using 420 kg is anything to sneeze at, either... but one of those hobbies definitely has a bigger environmental impact than the other.
posted by Green Winnebago at 6:08 PM on December 13, 2019
Taking a round-trip flight from New York City to Paris in economy class uses an estimated 860 kg of carbon:
Carbon Footprint Calculator
On the other hand, even if you play a PS5 for five hours every single day for six years (the estimated lifespan of the console), and even if all of your power comes from burning fossil fuels, you'll only use about 420 kg of carbon, in addition to roughly about 80 kg of carbon that are used in manufacturing the console, based on the numbers from this article:
Environmental Impact of PS5
Of course, that doesn't include things like the carbon used for cloud services, or making/shipping games, but on the other hand the flight numbers don't include things like the carbon used driving to the airport. I don't mean to imply that using 420 kg is anything to sneeze at, either... but one of those hobbies definitely has a bigger environmental impact than the other.
posted by Green Winnebago at 6:08 PM on December 13, 2019
Green Winnebago, I wasn't clear in my quick response that it's quite possible that's true for the carbon emissions. (I just got back from a SF-to-DC flight, and this is one of several reasons I didn't do it.)
But the cost? As in the price, or the cost? And if the latter, is that separate from the environmental impact we're talking about from the carbon emissions?
posted by cardioid at 7:10 PM on December 13, 2019
But the cost? As in the price, or the cost? And if the latter, is that separate from the environmental impact we're talking about from the carbon emissions?
posted by cardioid at 7:10 PM on December 13, 2019
I'm mad that I didn't title this post: “The Dark Tower”. Such a missed opportunity.
posted by Fizz at 11:30 AM on December 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Fizz at 11:30 AM on December 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
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posted by Eleven at 5:58 AM on December 13, 2019 [16 favorites]