Microsoft Xbox Series X | S OT - Power Your Dreams, update: FTC case unredacted documents leaked, including XSX mid-generation refresh, new gyro/haptic-enabled controller, and next-generation plans for 2028

[JPDunks4]

1 hour ago, crispy4000 said:

Series X's pitch in this is pretty much identical to the One X's though.

 

We'll see some current games rendered consistently in full 4k instead of ~1800p on the X1X.  But more significant enhancements, such as the removal of a 30fps lock, would likely take a newly produced patch / re-release.

That's one of the stronger arguments for buying into the PC ecosystem long term, rather than with consoles.  If I go back and play an old 360-era game, I get to crank pretty much everything up to very high.  Not just see select improvements that vary depending on the way the console version was built.

 

I do wish more og Xbox games received PC ports though.  And a few 360 ones like Fable II and Lost Odyssey too.  That's where I feel X1X & Series X backwards compatibility is most appealing.

 

 

Series X is also going to add in a machine learned HDR into older back compat titles that don't have it.  Also said they are experimenting in possibly upping framerates and resolutions on more titles that never received it on the X.  Current Xbox One games being further enhanced for the Xbox Series X.  

 

Quote

This was a show-stopping moment. It was indeed Fusion Frenzy - an original Xbox title - running with its usual 16x resolution multiplier via back-compat, but this time presented with highly convincing, perceptibly real HDR. The key point is that this is proposed as a system-level feature for Xbox Series X, which should apply to all compatible games that don't have their own bespoke HDR modes - and as Marais demonstrated, it extends across the entire Xbox library.

 

You are of course right, PC gaming is the best way to keep an library that keeps moving forward with you, but I have to applaud Microsofts approach to backwards compatibility and how much they are doing to try to create a sense of cohesion within their ecosystem.

 

 

[crispy4000]

5 hours ago, JPDunks4 said:

 

Series X is also going to add in a machine learned HDR into older back compat titles that don't have it.  Also said they are experimenting in possibly upping framerates and resolutions on more titles that never received it on the X.  Current Xbox One games being further enhanced for the Xbox Series X.  

 

You are of course right, PC gaming is the best way to keep an library that keeps moving forward with you, but I have to applaud Microsofts approach to backwards compatibility and how much they are doing to try to create a sense of cohesion within their ecosystem.

It’s way better than what Sony and Nintendo have done, that’s for sure.

 

I forgot about HDR machine learning, that’s a really good thing, and honestly what frustrates me most about PC gaming right now.  It’s very spotty support. Hopefully that tech could be modded into PC games at some point.  Even new console games today could have a need for it, with how crappy the implementation can be.  Or the lack of... too many of the highlighted Series X games don’t check the box either.

 

There’s more to an enhanced experience than improved framerate, resolution and HDR though.  With older games, draw distance, texture and lighting quality can generally be pushed further on PC because the options to improve them are built-in.  Older console builds are still limited to what was performant at the time.

 

I think the appeal for current gen games on Series X will largely depend on the effort spent.  Those that get a fair amount of work should see improvements across the board.  Those that don’t may not look much different than the X1X builds on the whole. 

[AbsolutSurgen]

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Xbox Details Their Backwards Compatibility Plans Including System-Level HDR and Doubling the Target Framerates/Resolution of Select Games

Quote

 

As gamers, we also know how important it is to preserve and respect our gaming legacies. Your favorite games and franchises, your progression and achievements, and the friendships and communities you create through gaming should all move with you across generations. Not only that, your favorite gaming accessories and peripherals should also move forward with you as well.

 

Our goal has always been to empower gamers to play the best versions of games from across four generations of Xbox at the launch of Xbox Series X. These principles were key to us from Day 1 and influenced many of our design decisions as we started on our journey to create our most powerful and compatible console ever.

 

 

[XxEvil AshxX]

1 hour ago, Emperor Diocletian II said:

Xbox Details Their Backwards Compatibility Plans Including System-Level HDR and Doubling the Target Framerates/Resolution of Select Games

 

 

I know it's asking a bit much, but i really hope that once it's finalized and released, they go back to the 360 generation and continue to work on back compat. I have some games like the TMNT and Xmen arcade games that can't even be purchased anymore languishing away on my 360 hard drive.

[jaethos]

2 hours ago, XxEvil AshxX said:

 

I know it's asking a bit much, but i really hope that once it's finalized and released, they go back to the 360 generation and continue to work on back compat. I have some games like the TMNT and Xmen arcade games that can't even be purchased anymore languishing away on my 360 hard drive.

Well, the last paragraph states they are still looking at that, so hopefully they will.

[Keyser_Soze]

9 hours ago, XxEvil AshxX said:

 

I know it's asking a bit much, but i really hope that once it's finalized and released, they go back to the 360 generation and continue to work on back compat. I have some games like the TMNT and Xmen arcade games that can't even be purchased anymore languishing away on my 360 hard drive.

 

I think you mean go back to the first xbox and actually add Otogi 1 and 2

 

@Spork3245

[XxEvil AshxX]

10 hours ago, Keyser_Soze said:

 

I think you mean go back to the first xbox and actually add Otogi 1 and 2

 

@Spork3245

 

I think i still have Otogi 1, so yeah why not lol.

[number305]

I know many here don't care a ton about sports games - but the most significant backwards compatible title that MS could announce would be NCAA 14.  I know that EA is getting closer to coming to agreements with the NCAA on licensing issues.  If the two companies could get together and make that old game compatible this fall while EA works on a new game that would create a ton of press and purchases.  

[skillzdadirecta]

20 hours ago, XxEvil AshxX said:

 

I think i still have Otogi 1, so yeah why not lol.

I still have both... forgot all about this series.

[Keyser_Soze]

26 minutes ago, skillzdadirecta said:

I still have both... forgot all about this series.

 

[Spawn_of_Apathy]

On 5/28/2020 at 11:52 AM, XxEvil AshxX said:

 

I know it's asking a bit much, but i really hope that once it's finalized and released, they go back to the 360 generation and continue to work on back compat. I have some games like the TMNT and Xmen arcade games that can't even be purchased anymore languishing away on my 360 hard drive.

The issue with those is licensing. The companies that made them do not hold the license any more. 

[XxEvil AshxX]

5 hours ago, Spawn_of_Apathy said:

The issue with those is licensing. The companies that made them do not hold the license any more. 

 

Yeah, i know. Theyre also Konami, which is about as dependable as a one legged mule. But still, a guy can dream... I always hold out hope that MS will figure out a way to do an emulator that could run any 360 game without them needing to be specially curated.

[Brian]

Microsoft Japan confirms 2020 holiday release of Xbox Series X for Japan.

Context: Xbox One was released here on September 4, 2014, 10 months after its initial NA/Europe launch. https://t.co/TgXmFctHnm

— Alex Aniel (@cvxfreak) June 3, 2020

[JPDunks4]

So I don't know enough about tech to know if this is possible, but I've thought of this myself before.

 

 

 

I just thought, when the 4TF rumor came out, that it sounded like it just wouldn't be powerful enough to really make sense.  But then I thought, with Switch being as huge a success as it is, and Microsoft's experience with Surface Tablets, could it be possible they would make a weaker Xbox that is portable.  I don't know nearly enough about battery life, and heat, to know if its even possible to make a relatively small enough 4TF machine with modern cpus.  

 

Then I also thought about the Memory Stick solution, and how those portable memory sticks would be ideal for a portable device.

 

Those of you with far more smarts than me in tech, would it be possible?

[SimpleG]

15 minutes ago, JPDunks4 said:

So I don't know enough about tech to know if this is possible, but I've thought of this myself before.

 

 

 

I just thought, when the 4TF rumor came out, that it sounded like it just wouldn't be powerful enough to really make sense.  But then I thought, with Switch being as huge a success as it is, and Microsoft's experience with Surface Tablets, could it be possible they would make a weaker Xbox that is portable.  I don't know nearly enough about battery life, and heat, to know if its even possible to make a relatively small enough 4TF machine with modern cpus.  

 

Then I also thought about the Memory Stick solution, and how those portable memory sticks would be ideal for a portable device.

 

Those of you with far more smarts than me in tech, would it be possible?

I dont see it happening. I think companies have realized that Nintendo owns that market , and its a money pit. Nintendo has outstanding IP , Sonys IP couldnt hack it and MS has nothing.Lack of IP means 3rd party games primary and with next wave of next gen using new hardware and techniques you are looking at rehashes and bottom tier ports. 

[JPDunks4]

25 minutes ago, SimpleG said:

I dont see it happening. I think companies have realized that Nintendo owns that market , and its a money pit. Nintendo has outstanding IP , Sonys IP couldnt hack it and MS has nothing.Lack of IP means 3rd party games primary and with next wave of next gen using new hardware and techniques you are looking at rehashes and bottom tier ports. 

 

MS has Game Pass, xCloud, and 15 Studios now that should start churning games out regularly this generation.  

 

I have no idea if its possible to make a portable console powerful enough to run modern day hardware, but I think if either Sony or MS released a Switch type version of their console, they'd be pretty big successes.

 

I'm not too familiar with the Vita, I know it failed.  It wasn't a Portable PS3 that could play PS3 games right? It had its own library?

[SimpleG]

25 minutes ago, JPDunks4 said:

MS has Game Pass, xCloud, and 15 Studios now that should start churning games out regularly this generation.  

Churning out games is far cry from churning out good games much less games that are good enough to drive portable sales.

 

27 minutes ago, JPDunks4 said:

I have no idea if its possible to make a portable console powerful enough to run modern day hardware, but I think if either Sony or MS released a Switch type version of their console, they'd be pretty big successes.

Not at a price point that would be market viable. Even if they did premium hardware doesnt drive the portable market.

 

30 minutes ago, JPDunks4 said:

I'm not too familiar with the Vita, I know it failed.  It wasn't a Portable PS3 that could play PS3 games right? It had its own library?

No but it was most powerful portable at the time with good games , Sony could have done a better job supporting it though.

 

 

Nintendo is the Honda of the portable game market.

[Remarkableriots]

On 5/29/2020 at 11:16 AM, number305 said:

I know many here don't care a ton about sports games - but the most significant backwards compatible title that MS could announce would be NCAA 14.  I know that EA is getting closer to coming to agreements with the NCAA on licensing issues.  If the two companies could get together and make that old game compatible this fall while EA works on a new game that would create a ton of press and purchases.  

 

Doesn't look like it will happen anytime soon. 

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/247sports.com/LongFormArticle/NCAA-EA-Sports-college-football-video-game-player-likeness-ruling-reaction-146613554/Amp/

Quote

But in an interview with The Sporting News, Jim Cavale, the CEO of INFLCR — a company founded to aid athletes in finding brand partnerships — said there's verbiage in the NCAA's revisions that should prevent excitement for virtual college football coming back at this time.

 

"Right now, group licensing is not a part of the plan," Cavale told Sporting News. "That would prevent the video game concept (from coming back)."

 

I hate to rain on everyone's parade but those thinking college football is coming back to EA Sports are sadly mistaken. It's not. If they have to pay college athletes it's not a money maker - wish i was wrong.

— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) April 29, 2020

 

Big East commissioner Val Ackerman, co-chair of NCAA's working group for name, image and likeness, said the working group determined that group licenses for video games are “unworkable in college sports.”

 

Bad news if you're hoping for the return of the NCAA Football video game.

 

— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) April 29, 2020

Doesn't look like the NCAA's move to allow student-atheltes to profit off their name, image and likeness will bring back NCAA Football right away pic.twitter.com/JKj4jvo5Oo

— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) April 29, 2020

 

Writes 247Sports national analyst Chris Hummer, "the NCAA did not renew its licensing agreement with EA, and though recent Madden games have featured colleges – EA individually licenses the brands from the schools – there has been little movement toward a new flagship college football game."

 

This isn't the problem. The next NCAA Football game will be the highest selling sports game of all time. The problem (allegedly) is that the players don't have a union to negotiate how they'd distribute the funds. https://t.co/PYw3jQiLCX

— Ben Axelrod (@BenAxelrod) April 29, 2020

 

[cusideabelincoln]

14 hours ago, JPDunks4 said:

So I don't know enough about tech to know if this is possible, but I've thought of this myself before.

 

 

 

I just thought, when the 4TF rumor came out, that it sounded like it just wouldn't be powerful enough to really make sense.  But then I thought, with Switch being as huge a success as it is, and Microsoft's experience with Surface Tablets, could it be possible they would make a weaker Xbox that is portable.  I don't know nearly enough about battery life, and heat, to know if its even possible to make a relatively small enough 4TF machine with modern cpus.  

 

Then I also thought about the Memory Stick solution, and how those portable memory sticks would be ideal for a portable device.

 

Those of you with far more smarts than me in tech, would it be possible?

 

I'd have to really dig into some numbers but my gut tells me it's only possible if you want a 1 hour battery life.  One of the biggest sacrifices to get the power consumption down (to have decent battery life) would be to severely limit the CPU performance, which by doing so would make porting next-gen only games really hard, or impossible (although cross-gen games could be possible).  Also at this point in time, with AMD's RDNA2, I don't know if a 4TF version of that GPU could be made power efficient enough to be portable, because there is no hardware like it that exists right now. 

[XxEvil AshxX]

2 hours ago, cusideabelincoln said:

 

I'd have to really dig into some numbers but my gut tells me it's only possible if you want a 1 hour battery life.  One of the biggest sacrifices to get the power consumption down (to have decent battery life) would be to severely limit the CPU performance, which by doing so would make porting next-gen only games really hard, or impossible (although cross-gen games could be possible).  Also at this point in time, with AMD's RDNA2, I don't know if a 4TF version of that GPU could be made power efficient enough to be portable, because there is no hardware like it that exists right now. 

 

Could be a handheld streaming device built specifically for XCloud. Without the need to have a ton of processing power under the hood, they could easily keep the costs down to sub-$100 and have a decent battery life. It could even double as a remote play device for your own Xbox, should you want to play it while out on the back porch or by the pool.

 

The only caviat would be that you'd need an internet connection wherever you are, unless they wanted to wrangle with the whole 5G provider bs.

[skillzdadirecta]

8 hours ago, XxEvil AshxX said:

 

Could be a handheld streaming device built specifically for XCloud. Without the need to have a ton of processing power under the hood, they could easily keep the costs down to sub-$100 and have a decent battery life. It could even double as a remote play device for your own Xbox, should you want to play it while out on the back porch or by the pool.

 

The only caviat would be that you'd need an internet connection wherever you are, unless they wanted to wrangle with the whole 5G provider bs.

[crispy4000]

xCloud and remote play already works on mobile phones and laptops.  Why should they make a dedicated device for it?

 

If Lockhart exists, I think it’ll be intended to hook up to the TV.  I very much doubt be a handheld form factor, but in the off chance that it is, I’d sooner bet it’s something like the Switch.

[XxEvil AshxX]

1 hour ago, crispy4000 said:

xCloud and remote play already works on mobile phones and laptops.  Why should they make a dedicated device for it?

 

If Lockhart exists, I think it’ll be intended to hook up to the TV.  I very much doubt be a handheld form factor, but in the off chance that it is, I’d sooner bet it’s something like the Switch.

 

Well thats kinda what i was thinking. Imagine if there was a Switch-like device, could dock to a tv or do handheld, that would stream Xcloud specifically, and cost less than a hundred bucks (supplemented of course by a XBL Ultimate sub.)

 

I'd buy one.

[number305]

13 minutes ago, XxEvil AshxX said:

 

Well thats kinda what i was thinking. Imagine if there was a Switch-like device, could dock to a tv or do handheld, that would stream Xcloud specifically, and cost less than a hundred bucks (supplemented of course by a XBL Ultimate sub.)

 

I'd buy one.

MS and Nintendo have shown friendly tendencies in the past.  How about the next version of the Switch be compatible with Xcloud.  Nintendo gets to sell more switches, MS gets to collect more monthly fees - profit all around.

[XxEvil AshxX]

32 minutes ago, number305 said:

MS and Nintendo have shown friendly tendencies in the past.  How about the next version of the Switch be compatible with Xcloud.  Nintendo gets to sell more switches, MS gets to collect more monthly fees - profit all around.

 

I would honestly rather not have to buy another Switch lol. If they did it with my existing Switch, then sure, I'm down, as long as I don't have to pay an additional Nintendo Tax.

[Duderino]

Lockhart as a portable is incredibly unrealistic.  The Series X has clearly not been architectured with mobile considerations in mind. Not saying in the future it'll be impossible, but definitely not probable.

[Spork3245]

3 hours ago, XxEvil AshxX said:

 

Well thats kinda what i was thinking. Imagine if there was a Switch-like device, could dock to a tv or do handheld, that would stream Xcloud specifically, and cost less than a hundred bucks (supplemented of course by a XBL Ultimate sub.)

 

I'd buy one.

Or just make a $50 controller that a phone phone or tablet can dock into.

[number305]

3 hours ago, Spork3245 said:

Or just make a $50 controller that a phone phone or tablet can dock into.

https://www.amazon.com/Anfiner-Controller-Steelseries-SteelSeries-Controllers/dp/B07CLJF3V7/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=xbox+controller+phone+mount&qid=1591568336&sprefix=Xbox+controller+ph&sr=8-3

 

[Spork3245]

5 minutes ago, number305 said:

https://www.amazon.com/Anfiner-Controller-Steelseries-SteelSeries-Controllers/dp/B07CLJF3V7/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=xbox+controller+phone+mount&qid=1591568336&sprefix=Xbox+controller+ph&sr=8-3

 

I know those exist and already have one, I use it for Steam streaming. However, the weight distribution admittedly sucks.
I was talking about something like this but not a giant POS:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MR4VLJW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_GKw3EbTK07X1K

[Brian]

I think it's a good thing that the Xbox dashboard is aligned on Xbox One and Xbox Series X. There will be improvements in the coming months, and there's a new Store app on the way. Things have been gradually improving on the dash, and will continue to do so

— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) June 13, 2020

[Keyser_Soze]

I personally have no problem with the dash or the performance. I know some people do but it's never been an issue for me. It's actually changed a lot. Now all your pins are just push of the Xbox button away.

[XxEvil AshxX]

Yeah they dont really need to split the development between two separate dashboards just because. I get that it won't feel quite as "new" without that disparity, but it's really not that big of a deal. 

 

In the very least it will mean that we aren't going backwards as far as features go.

[JPDunks4]

Yeah I think we all knew this, as they want one ecosystem going forward.

 

I don't mind it.  They keep making it better, and will continue to do so.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

I'm gonna post this in this thread too