The one thing I haven't seen anyone in the gaming media write or talk about seriously yet is, what a giant smoke candle the Series generation towards their own community has been and still is.
I am saying that with not even a touch of sarcasm.
We all remember the pre next-gen phase back in 2018, 2019, even in 2020, and everything that was promised by Spencer even beyond 2020.
It's a pretty safe statement today that, looking back...
I wonder if Bethesda themselves had it planned originally to release Starfield in Fall 2023. Always felt this game got caught up in Microsoft's urgent search for GP material and was released way too soon.
Anyway.
«Four games. No promise beyond that. Don't take it as some signal that everything's coming. It's not.»
• Phil Spencer, 2024
I totally feel lost here.
I think it's somewhat impressive.
On the other hand though: when Rich says it's only lighting that's changed, it's me thinking: Didn't Grace's whole face just changed geometrically? It looks like a complete different AI-generated asset.
I can only imagine where this will lead to.
And to have DLSS 4.5 running without Performance issues, you need a GPU more expensive than a PS5 Pro.
DF said it's Capcom's denoiser. And it indeed looked pretty rough, to say at least.
It's 2026.
All upcoming hardware sales estimations and quarter/fiscal reports up until at least March 2027 are going to be nothing but (even more) abysmal for Xbox compared to Playstation.
I am almost feeling bad for Xbox, but then again, I really don't.
Microsoft had all the cards in their hands back in 2006-2012, and they couldn't even hold it another 7 years before they tried to screw Xbox fans with their used games fee...
You know as well as everyone that the Series generation has actually exitted hardware sales. So what's the point of «having» hardware if you don't have sales?
Please bear with me here, don't get upset too soon:
That's why I said I really do cross fingers for you. And if you'd be a little bit rational just once, you should rather be cautious about Xbox Helix.
Cautious doesn't mean it will fail.
...
I'm 100% positive you didn't ever see me saying that.
You know what?
In all seriousness, no sarcasm, I really do cross fingers for you that Xbox Helix will be a huge success.
Hi Obscure.
@Neonridr
«Nintendo has never ported their games to PC though. So you never had an option there before.»
26 of 30 years, neither did Playstation.
They've tried, and appearantly evaluated it ain't worth it.
So how come you're very strong about basically demanding Playstation to revert their decision by guilting the PS player base about their plastic box?
Yet you don't apply...
Hey, Obscure.
Hm.
Selling to customers the benefits of Xbox Helix compared to a PC and Steam Machine will be the biggest task for Xbox' marketing, I suppose.
Do you apply the same standard to Nintendo?
Simple question.
You think Sony made losses with God of War, The Last of Us, Ghost of, Horizon or Spiderman?
Huh.
Hey Obscure, how's it going?
Well, we have the data in front of us, don't we. Not to mention how extensive Sony's data's got to be.
They've tried.
Huge revenue wasn't generated (don't get me wrong - they did make billions, but you get it), Steam got a cut, Xbox got a cut, PS5 is trailing ~2 million units behind PS4.
The paycheck for, but also potential harm to the remaining years of PS5 and the release of PS6, just wasn't it.
...
«Competition is crucial.»
While this is true, it's in this context, as if you'd tell the other football team that you're just about to beat in the final, to get themselves together.
Console hardware business is as brutal as a final.
And the fault of Playstation losing its fiercest competitor ain't Playstation, but Xbox themselves.
Competition IS crucial, will never disagree with that.
Wouldn't it be the case of Pachter finally agreeing with parts of us rather than we agreeing with him?
I remember vividly that back in the day when GP was introduced and shaped further, many of us were saying that it's a great service on one hand. But were also already skeptical, too, as to how Microsoft would be able to keep the service running financially in the future.
Or/and how it would affect studios and game development in general.
...
Great for the Pro.
The results in Requiem are great proof that in this day of age you can get technical improvements for 700 bucks or sometimes even less. Which is in strong contrast to the PC market these days. Kinda crazy.
Really wonder if Sony tries to get something going on PS5 base models, too.
@darthv72
But that's it? Because of oldgen library?
I don't dispute it, don't get me wrong, since PS4 games on PS5 look and run much smoother and better, too.
But you could have all gotten of that on PS5, too. Or what is/are that/those Xbox One exclusives that you just wouldn't get on PS5, or that play amazingly different on Series?
Additionally, which is probably the biggest part of my thesis: