The recent reports regarding Microsoft are getting more and more interesting by the minute. If murmurs in the industry are to be trusted, the company is currently engaged in designing not one, but two next gen conoles - a stand-alone box as well as a dedicated cloud-based console codenamed "Scarlett". Certain aspects of gameplay such as the controls, collision detection and simple game logic could be processed locally while the bulk of the processing would be offloaded to Microsoft's servers, enabling end-users to purchase a significantly cheaper system at the cost of being always online. Rumour has it that Microsoft has been working hard to diminish the obvious problems springing from lag and managed to provide an acceptable player experience on their new low-power hardware, similarly to how Sony delivers PS3 games over their PS Now streaming service. While not necessarily appealing to hardcore gamers, such a low-cost alternative would provide an entry level gaming device for those who only play a handful of games.

What are your thoughts? Would you trade your stand-alone box for an online only console provided it gave you the same experience at a fraction of the price? Have you ever used any game streaming services? Discuss!

Source

 

[sarkwalvein]

Let's see when companies get the "Streaming only" thoughts out of their mind.
How do they want that to be a success when there's lotsa people who, like me, do not have a good and fast internet connection, preventing them using these kind of devices?
Way to go modern era, way to go indeed

Well, they don't really care about you tbh.
It is the same as the Netflix model.
"You don't have a good Internet connection? Too bad, you can't use our service."
There will still be consoles probably, there will still be the old consoles for sure.
They will try to persuade you to get a decent internet connection, I guess. But if you don't, too bad, not their client, and unless they find it profitable to give you an alternative they just won't. But that's life. It is obvious. It is not only related to consoles, most modern appliances are made to use electricity, but what if you don't have a good electric network? Too bad, go wash your clothes the old way I guess, "we couldn't care less", "buy a power generator", "buy some satellite based internet service", "just throw a lengthy optic fiber yourself".

 

[x65943]

Let's see when companies get the "Streaming only" thoughts out of their mind.
How do they want that to be a success when there's lotsa people who, like me, do not have a good and fast internet connection, preventing them using these kind of devices?
Way to go modern era, way to go indeed

In most industrialized nations (where all the money is at) the vast majority of people live in cities.

Unfortunately these companies care more about money than anything else.

Not to mention - if Microsoft offers two options then you can just pay extra for the actual console (if you want a Microsoft console.)

 

[Deleted User]

this is going to fail gloriously

 

[sarkwalvein]

i am going to state my feels as if they were an omen and i am sure they will turn to be true
and it will not matter that i am just basing my statement on feels
i am an oracle
/s

 

[Deleted User]

i am going to state my feels as if they were an omen and i am sure they will turn to be true
and it will not matter that i am just basing my statement on feels
i am an oracle
/s

2013 E3 failure

Xbox One failure

PSTV failure

PSP GO failure

70% physical 30% digital console sales


Sony: "This is how you share games on PS5" *Hands game to friend.

Awhole lot of feels there

 

[Foxi4]

I don't get how this has suddenly become a conversation about making money. Of course Microsoft wants to make more money, I would sure hope so, they're a business. What I don't understand is why the immediate assumption is that they're trying to do so at the cost of the users when the more obvious suggestion here is that they're trying to tap into a segment of the population they previously couldn't tap into, or that they're making a new product to broaden their appeal and provide alternatives - that also potentially increases their profits. If they can offer hundreds of games on a cheap, say, $100 box with a low subscription fee, you can bet your ass some people will buy it, and they might actually end up saving money if the alternative is a day 1 $400 expense with maybe one bundled game. The way I see it, that $400 dollars they would've spent equals the base $100 unit plus a few years worth of the subscription, at that point they're kitted out and perfectly happy.

 

[sarkwalvein]

2013 E3 failure

Xbox One failure

PSTV failure

PSP GO failure

70% physical 30% digital console sales


Sony: "This is how you share games on PS5" *Hands game to friend.

Awhole lot of feels there

You know very well that the market conditions have changed a lot.
A new audience is now used to and willing to go for streaming services in all kind of products.
In the past people also would have shunned streaming music and video, but now those markets have flourished, all due to a change in technology and mentality. Being unable to acknowledge that is just stubbornness.
You know very well that Sony's statements regarding sharing games on the PS4 won't work today, digital markets and purchases are way more extended and the same statement that Microsoft made regarding how easy it was to digitally share your game wouldn't cause as much stir, actually it would even be seen in a positive sight.
And regarding your statistics regarding digital game sales, that is completely wrong, actually they are the other way around.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/190225/digital-and-physical-game-sales-in-the-us-since-2009/

That contains both PC and Console games, but unless PC sells 10 times more than consoles, it is impossible for them to tip the balance like that.

 

[Xzi]

* input lag would be a problem but not just a mere 50ms of lag, I mean, the Switch pro controller already has 64ms lag natively.

Fair enough, I'm sure other wireless controllers have some latency to deal with too, but I'm talking minimum 50ms added on top of that. Depends on connection speed ($$$) and proximity to the servers.

 

[JoeyMacCheese]

Should've made the Game Pass the main selling point of the console. Gaming as a service isn't a bad idea and may be the future but streaming only means constant connection online and those who have shit interment are doomed. GG

 

[Deleted User]

You know very well that the market conditions have changed a lot.
A new audience is now used to and willing to go for streaming services in all kind of products.
In the past people also would have shunned streaming music and video, but now those markets have flourished, all due to a change in technology and mentality. Being unable to acknowledge that is just stubbornness.
You know very well that Sony's statements regarding sharing games on the PS4 won't work today, digital markets and purchases are way more extended and the same statement that Microsoft made regarding how easy it was to digitally share your game wouldn't cause as much stir, actually it would even be seen in a positive sight.
And regarding your statistics regarding digital game sales, that is completely wrong, actually they are the other way around.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/190225/digital-and-physical-game-sales-in-the-us-since-2009/

That contains both PC and Console games, but unless PC sales 10 times more than consoles, it is impossible for them to tip the balance like that.

They will work just fine as I clearly stated CONSOLE sales are 70% physical and 30% digital.
https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news..._still_prefer_physical_games_over_digital.php close enough

Steaming music and movies is not any near the same as streaming games, also physical moves are still sold are a very high rate 4kUHD sales are rising at a surprising rate.

 

[sarkwalvein]

They will work just fine as I clearly stated CONSOLE sales are 70% physical and 30% digital.

As I clearly stated CONSOLE sales can't be 70% physical. Because

That contains both PC and Console games, but unless PC sells 10 times more than consoles, it is impossible for them to tip the balance like that.

 

[Foxi4]

They will work just fine as I clearly stated CONSOLE sales are 70% physical and 30% digital.

https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news..._still_prefer_physical_games_over_digital.php close enough

That's great. What's the ratio of physical to digital on PC? Are we to assume that consoles are owned by aliens? Is there a distinct difference between console gamers and PC gamers? Do you not think that this gap will narrow over time since gamers have only recently been introduced to digital content? Is this pod planet? Are we pod people? You keep saying that over and over like the statistic is some kind of triumph while back here in reality physical sales are diminishing steadily and consistently in favour of digital.

 

[Deleted User]

That's great. What's the ratio of physical to digital on PC? Are we to assume that consoles are owned by aliens? Is there a distinct difference between console gamers and PC gamers? Do you not think that this gap will narrow over time since gamers have only recently been introduced to digital content? Is this pod planet? Are we pod people?

Who cares about PC I'm talking about consoles, PC has never been DRM free they always had cd keys or other ways of DRM.

His link is made up of PC games mobile games and all that trash.

No the gap won't narrow console gamers like physical for very obvious reason that I don't feel the need to repeat again.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

As I clearly stated CONSOLE sales can't be 70% physical. Because

This says nothing. I clearly gave you statics.

Console gaming and physical games are hand in hand, it's a culture that PC gaming has never had.

 

[sarkwalvein]

https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news..._still_prefer_physical_games_over_digital.php close enough

Get your statistics right, 66% prefer physical games, that doesn't mean they buy them physical.
Hell, I prefer games physical, but every time I go out and find them hard to get I get them digital.
Guess preference and actual sales are not SYNONYMS.

 

[Foxi4]

Who cares about PC I'm talking about consoles, PC has never been DRM free they always had cd keys or other ways of DRM.

His link is made up of PC games mobile games and all that trash.

No the gap won't narrow console games like games physical for very obvious reason that I don't feel the need to repeat again.

Oh, so it's console gamers, the cave men, versus the rest of the world, I understand. So, in your opinion, console gamers will continue to live in a bubble while the world passes by. Sure, that's an accurate analysis of market trends.

 

[Deleted User]

Get your statistics right, 66% prefer physical games, that doesn't mean they buy them physical.
Hell, I prefer games physical, but every time I go out and find them hard to get I get them digital.
Guess preference and actual sales are not SYNONYMS.

LOL so they prefer them physical but buy them digital? this is SALES not preference.

Either way that makes no sense.

 

[sarkwalvein]

LOL so they prefer them physical but buy them digital? this is SALES not preference.

Either way that makes no sense.

Yes, it is the way statistics work.
They are just asking, "what do you prefer?" and you answer.
It has no relation with actual sales number.
Hard to crack? eh?

 

[Deleted User]

Oh, so it's console gamers, the cave men, versus the rest of the world, I understand. So, in your opinion, console gamers will continue to live in a bubble while the world passes by. Sure, that's an accurate analysis of market trends.

If you want call owning something you purchase a " cave man " thing sure I guess. E3 2013 was 5 years ago not 5 decades MS is still feeling the heat of that today.

I think I've made my point.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Yes, it is the way statistics work.
They are just asking, "what do you prefer?" and you answer.
It has no relation with actual sales number.
Hard to crack? eh?

I'm no longer going to reply to you because I've proved you wrong and you continue to make nonsense remarks.

 

[Foxi4]

LOL so they prefer them physical but buy them digital? this is SALES not preference.

Either way that makes no sense.

I prefer pizza baked to order, but I'll buy a frozen pie in a pinch. Your insinuation that PC culture was never attached to physical copies is uninformed and untrue, people are still collecting "big box" games to this day. I know this because I was one of those PC gamers and I still have my "big box" games. Some PC games came packed with trinkets in packaging so ornate console titles could only dream of a similar release. They've moved on, and so will consoles, in no small part due to the fact that physical media in general are reaching the point of obsolescence.

 

[sarkwalvein]

I'm no longer going to reply to you because I've proved you wrong and you continue to make nonsense remarks.

The only things you've proved is that 1) you don't understand how a statistic is performed, 2) you can't read the explicit text that states what the subjects were asked, 3) even with it specifically stated you can't understand the difference between the actual question "what do you prefer?" and what you want it to mean "what do you buy?", 4) you will be easily manipulated by stats that you don't understand and you actively try to bend them into your narrative, and 5) you think you've proved me wrong and that makes me laugh.