Microsoft on the verge of giving up on exclusives as upcoming Xbox console could run Windows and Epic, GOG, Steam game stores

[Pellux]

I don't buy this at all. Consoles can only be as cheap as they are because you're then locked into paying a subscription. If they wanted to do this, they'd have to sell the consoles for at LEAST $1000 if not much more. Only for people like me to buy it and use it exclusively as a PC and console gamers not touching it at all. Not going to happen.

[Pellux]

So the next Xbox will essentially be a gaming PC at a budget price. Explain to me how that's not awesome? I'm down. More utility is a bonus. Why would I lock myself down to Sony if Xbox can do Xbox, Epic, Steam, etc.?

It's awesome. It just won't happen because it makes zero business sense.

[reaper0X666]

The only way I could truly see this as an amazing idea would be if Playstation and Xbox joined forces and created a system that allowed you to play everything. The people at xbox can focus on the creation of the games with Playstations help and have Playstation work on the hardware. Maybe make an even better vr system which allows you to experience more than just sight and sound. Kinect could scan a person into the game so you could control your character and meta quest gives good visuals, but imagine if they combined both and could put you more into a game? Then we could literally be playing as our character in the games we love and in rpg games like Skyrim or hogwarts legacy we could customize ourselves and be a dragonborne or a wizard 1st hand and literally experience the magic for ourselves, not just imagine what it would be like. Of course we definitely don't want in to be like sword art online and be stuck/die for real but getting to be fully immersed in the game would be amazing. And if they joined forces they could have the funds to make that happen and sell the consoles for cheap because who wouldn't want to subscribe to memberships that allow you to become the characters of your favorite games, to be a super saiyan, a soul reaper, a wizard, a soldier, a mortal combat character or even a superhero/villain and fly around? And when I say membership, I mean something similar to xbox's ultimate pass to where you can get access to games early or for lower price, and even buy credits for certain packages so you can customize your characters and get special items only obtainable through purchase. If they joined companies, they could bring in more money from customers paying for perks and memberships and more via online while still charging low prices for the actual consoles and if they did something like this, I doubt many people would be against the idea and would have most/all xbox/Playstation fans fighting just for the chance to get their hands on that system so they could experience something new and more exciting than they ever have or possibly ever will. Just an interesting thought I had; I definitely look forward to the day we finally see a true vr system, where we could smell, feel and taste while in a virtual world. I myself personally would love to be able to actually use magic or even fly and if a vr system allowed me to do so and actually physically, well in the virtual sense, feel like I actually was, I'd be ecstatic and wouldn't hesitate to buy if up.

[GeorgeS]

They only care that you have bought some kind of a device you can buy Microsoft Game Studios games on. They don't care AT ALL if it's a Windows PC (where they make even more money on those Windows licenses) or an Xbox (where they lose money or late in a Gen break even, but make it up on software sales as the console stores give MS/Sony a 30% cut on all digital sales & like ≈15% on physical game sales), or even a phone!!! All they care about is if you BUY THEIR GAMES OR SUBSCRIBE TO GAME PASS!!! Why? THAT'S HOW GAME COMPANIES ACTUALLY MAKE MONEY! 🤦😑

Honestly an XBOX represent a nearly perfect closed system for Microsoft:
- customer purchases box
- customer RENTS the software & access for the box
- Microsoft has complete control over what is running (or NOT!) on the box

As opposed to Microsoft's "Windows" platform which they employ nearly countless armies of coders trying to fill&patch the equally countless security holes. Customers are free to install any & all system breaking code they wish.

While WIN licenses are 'one & done' the support for those licenses are a never ending headache.

Microsoft (and others) drool over Adobes 'thin client' model of 'rental ware'. Had Googles 'ChromeOS' cloud based computing actually took off, we'd be looking at a vastly different computer market these days.