Microsoft: There's No Need for a New Xbox Yet

[sidran32]

With all that the XBox 360 does other than gaming, I expected this over a year ago. You cannot have a viable set-top multimedia center containing DRM'd content that you cannot transfer off the thing be viable without it having a longer life than the typical game console. The only way that content would stay viable is if people had planned to use it for the long haul. Forcing an upgrade/obsolescence would be a bad thing in its market.

I hope that this would push the developers to use the graphics to its max capabilities, or even come up with some creative new ways to push it even further (like what Rare did with the N64). Besides, a new graphics processor isn't necessarily important for the XBox 360 to provide its other functions besides gaming. I use mine for gaming but also heavily for streaming multimedia content from my PC. I don't need a new graphics chip to do that.

 

[jerreece]

[citation][nom]logitic[/nom]I don't blame them for not making a new one yet. I know lots of people who still don't have a 360. Weird thing is everyone had an xbox and only like 6 of my friends own a 360.[/citation]

I JUST retired my XBOX. Only used it for DVDs granted. Just replaced it with a Sony Blu-Ray player. Frankly, after learning my lessons with the XBOX, and seeing how much the XBOX 360 is all about money, I haven't bought one.

The original XBOX was great because there was one version, with all the same features. Now you can buy varying levels, with or without hard drives, all at retarded prices (granted that has changed some lately).

If I'm going to spend that kind of money on games, controllers, consoles, etc.. I might as well be gaming on a PC with better graphics, dedicated servers, etc.

 

[Guest]

Enzo -
"Is everyone missing this?
"There is no need to launch a new console, because we're able to give this console new life either with software upgrades or hardware upgrades"

The "Hardware Upgrades" they are talking about are things like the new controllers, not something useful like a new processor and graphix chip.

 

[porksmuggler]

[citation][nom]Enzo Matrix[/nom]Is everyone missing this?"There is no need to launch a new console, because we're able to give this console new life either with software upgrades or hardware upgrades"[/citation]

no, the only one missing it is you, they're not talking about meaningful hardware updates. "hardware upgrades like Project Natal" good job taking the comment out of context though.

 

[Guest]

I notice that 90% of the comments here are basically opinions...failing the first year, loss of stock price, etc - all completely false. The console was far beyond in sales the first year as it was the only new console out at the time - get your facts straight. Also microsofts stock will not be hurt by this - the price of producing another console that with R&D and hardware lost margins due to the console selling for less than it costs to build easily out weigh any possible returns with a new system. Again get your facts right.

 

[surfer1337dude]

[citation][nom]fulle[/nom]Sony leveraged a system that was poorly designed as a game system to win a format war. The machine has serious design flaws, such as insufficient video memory, a difficult to program for processor, and overpriced components across the board. [/citation]
This is the only part I disagree with. Sony made a good gaming system. It does have its downside (yes it does lack video memory). But as for a difficult to program processor....anything new and worth doing is difficult at first. Just because it is different does not mean that the industry should be blaming it for them not being able to adapt. Also the console was no more expensive then the xbox 360 (after buying everything, including the first year subscription, to get an equal gaming system...not including their HD dvd player).

Either way they arent doing great as a company....but I think I would rather have them not do too well compared to taking us out back and kicking us in the nuts.

 

[randomizer]

[citation][nom]nun[/nom]if we re still gaming on the xbox 360 in 2014 then a lot more people will be going to pc gamming[/citation]
No they won't. Pcs bring complexity that consoles don't have, and most people want to plug and play (or insert and play, if you like). If anything, PC gaming is going to drag its feet alot for a while because of this.

 

[frozenlead]

[citation][nom]hakesterman[/nom]PC's will never be supirior to consoles,never have and never will. Most people like just putting in a game and playing and not haveing to configure the entire pc each time they get a game. Also they don't want tobe bothered with Hard drive pauses and window crashes.[/citation]

You're joking, right? You do realize a console is a watered-down PC, right? You don't usually have to configure anything with a PC game - if it's so complicated, how is it so popular?

 

[smelly_feet]

hopefully they at least replace parts for more efficient ones. It should be possible to drop the power consumption of the console from its 180 watt.

 

[derek2006]

I really like the xbox and own a launch one that has never had a problem. But I know many people who have had multiple problems. I LOLed at his comment, "The Xbox 360 was designed for a long life."

 

[Guest]

if you don't play games often, a pc might be cheaaper since internet and word for school is more important than a gaming console.

 

[ta152h]

[citation][nom]frozenlead[/nom]You're joking, right? You do realize a console is a watered-down PC, right? You don't usually have to configure anything with a PC game - if it's so complicated, how is it so popular?[/citation]

You're wrong, of course. A PC uses an x86 processor, these do not. They do not run Windows either. They are different hardware designed for a specific task. It's a microcomputer, but not a PC.

The sales for PC games AREN'T doing so well in comparison. It's relative. These consoles are selling very well. Go into a Gamestop or Walmart. Which are most of the titles for?

Running games on a PC isn't so difficult, but it's more difficult than a console. The market isn't about geeks that think a few more pixels makes the world go round, but about normal people that just want to have fun. They don't always pick the highest resolution, or the best frame rates - they pick the Wii.

If you're Microsoft and Sony, there's a lesson here, and they've learned it. If the Wii sells so well, gameplay and interface sells more consoles than higher frame rates and greater realism. There's just no refuting it now. Nintendo proved it.

Expect Microsoft's and Sony's attentions to be spent there, although they have to be starting at least preliminary discussions on the next console. It's just that as soon as they mention one is coming out, it hurts demand for the current one.

 

[SchizoFrog]

This is very bad news for PC gaming for one very obvious reason... for far too long developers have sided on the console market front and that has seriously hinderd development of PC games. So many of the games we play are designed first and formost around the 'current' (current being such an apt description because the hardware inside 'current' consoles is already old with regards to PC hardware) consoles. As PC hardware and technology developes the hardware specs will continue to leave the consoles behind but the games just will not follow. Leaving the only reason to upgrade current GPUs is the use of larger monitors with ever increasing resolutions, but this has nothing to do with the overall visual or gaming quality of the game.

 

[matt87_50]

360 will be the next wii...

 

[Camikazi]

[citation][nom]hakesterman[/nom]PC's will never be supirior to consoles,never have and never will. Most people like just putting in a game and playing and not haveing to configure the entire pc each time they get a game. Also they don't want tobe bothered with Hard drive pauses and window crashes.[/citation]
What kind of games do you play? the most configuring I do to a new game is change resolution and make graphics setting to high. Games pretty much play easily and once installed there is no needing DVDs just double click and it runs, no switching. HDD pauses? don't happen on my comp and last I checked loading form HDD is much faster then from a DVD. I have also had my 360 crash more then my PC when playing games, actually I think my comp has crashed once since last install (upgrade to retail 7) and that was cause I installed bad drivers, not cause of windows.

 

[sincreator]

Here is something that myself and a few of my buddies have been thinking about. What if Microsoft's next console was an x86 based console? Then MS could sell a special drive for PC's that enabled xbox games to be played off a PC, as well as the console. Basically bridging the two. I think they easily could and it is probally why the GFWL system uses xbox live servers. We all have both and evryone though that would be a crazy good idea. What do you guys think?

 

[randomizer]

[citation][nom]Camikazi[/nom]What kind of games do you play? the most configuring I do to a new game is change resolution and make graphics setting to high. Games pretty much play easily and once installed there is no needing DVDs just double click and it runs, no switching. HDD pauses? don't happen on my comp and last I checked loading form HDD is much faster then from a DVD. I have also had my 360 crash more then my PC when playing games, actually I think my comp has crashed once since last install (upgrade to retail 7) and that was cause I installed bad drivers, not cause of windows.[/citation]
How many times have you upgraded hardware to play your games? How many times do die hard PC gamers in general upgrade their hardware to play the latest games? How many times have you upgraded your console's hardware to play the latest games?

 

[emlee0203]

yay...i hope the pc game industry sees this as a chance to gain some ground...i hope developers start focusing on new pc games

 

[dr_hoads]

While I don't think this is good for gamers, it works great for me!! I just finished playing Batman Arkham Asylum on high settings on my P4C 3.0ghz with a 7800GS. Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Fallout 3, Bio Shock... All no problems for me on High Settings (1024x768 though). I expect Mass Effect 2 and Bio Shock 2 to run fine as well. As long as developers keep developing for these old consoles, I have no need to upgrade my gaming rig. Bad for Games and Gamers.... Good for my bank account!!! Can you imagine if I am still playing new releases in 2014 on my P4.. LMAO. In regards to the comment about hardware upgrades, I believe they are talking about controllers and such, as they would not want old Xbox360's to not be able to play new games.

 

[Guest]

I agree with all the posters here who say that the PC is superior to consoles in general. The obvious and most important advantage of the PC is the multitasking aspect of it; not to mention the extra fees an Xbox 360 has with it. (i.e. - annual Xbox Live fee, HDMI cables, network cables, headsets, hard drives, etc.)

Thus, all in all, you'd be pretty much be paying about the same amount of money for an Xbox 360 as a mid-range gaming PC at the end result. However, a mid-range gaming PC already has hardware that just blows the hardware of any console out of the water, especially when considering the poor graphics engine of the Wii and the newly-invented DirectX 11-based video cards for the PC.