3w ago

Microsoft’s New Xbox Strategy Starts with Windows and Ends with No Console

gamersplan.com Microsoft’s New Xbox Strategy Starts with Windows and Ends with No Console

Microsoft surprised many of its fans with a peek at the future of Xbox. Instead of announcing the new Xbox console, they revealed two powerful Xbox Ally

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All the fun of Windows gaming with the locked-down ecosystem of a console (no mods). What could go wrong?
It's Windows Mobile all over again.
- I keep screaming about how the TPM 2.0 requirements of Windows 11 are insidious due to the ability to implement remote attestation now. I don't think they'll spring the trap immediately, but it's locked and set and you'd be a fool to believe it won't happen eventually.
  Remote attestation allows changes to the user's computer to be detected by authorized parties. For example, software companies can identify unauthorized changes to software, including users modifying their software to circumvent commercial digital rights restrictions. It works by having the hardware generate a certificate stating what software is currently running. The computer can then present this certificate to a remote party to show that unaltered software is currently executing.
- Word from SkillUp is that you can still load the desktop experience the same way you can on Steam Deck, so that would make it neither locked down nor anti-mods.
  
  Too bad there aren't existing platforms where Microsoft and other devs could just make their games available to play on and not keep trying to monopolize everything through their service
  
  You mean…Windows?
  Don’t get me wrong—I love SteamOS and Bazzite as much as anyone. But like it or not, Windows has been the backbone of PC gaming for decades. Most developers still build for Windows first. Even on Linux, you’re usually running Windows games through Proton, not true Linux ports.
  And honestly, it’s not Microsoft that’s closest to monopolizing PC gaming. It’s Valve. They control 85% of the storefront market. If SteamOS takes off, I doubt most people will bother installing Heroic just to run GOG or Epic games. Sure, it’s possible—but for the average gamer, it’s more hassle than it’s worth.
  What we really need is more competition. I want to see an Xbox handheld running Windows, but also a GOG Deck, an EGS Deck, maybe even an Itch.io Deck.
  Hell, imagine if Apple finally woke up to gaming and made a Mac Deck. Now that would shake things up.
  
  Hell, imagine if Apple finally woke up to gaming and made a Mac Deck. Now that would shake things up.
  They have the hardware (any current gen iphone or ipad), they only need to release a version with console-like controller buttons, but they lack the willingness to really invest in games. Apple arcade is a joke compared to nearly everything else on offer.
  
  Personally I think it'd be super cool to see some platform independent handhelds rather than something like a gog deck or an epic deck. I've fankensteined SteamOS to be that way but it def still prioritizes steam which ain't great
- They added mod support to MS Store/Game Pass games ages ago. If locking it down like that was their intention they would've never even done that to begin with.
- Xbox already supports mods. They have had mods support since like, 2015.
  
  Mods on Xbox only exist for games where the game itself officially added mod support. I mean, sure it's great when a game maker does that but usually it's not as good as community-made mod support because community mods don't require approval and can't get censored/removed because the vendor doesn't like it.
  Remember: Microsoft's vision of mods is what you get with the Bedrock version of Minecraft. Yet the mods available in the Java version are so vastly superior the difference is like night and day.
  Console players—that are used to living without mods—don't understand. Once mods become a regular thing that you expect in popular games going without them feels like going back into the dark ages.
- consoles have mods these days, though they do need developer support
  not everyone cares about mods, I’d go out on a limb and say most pc players don’t use mods
  this new Xbox thing is not an OS, it’s an app. The device still has full windows in there and it is accessible. But when you’re using the Xbox app windows suspends many of its functions.
  The next Xbox will simply be a prebuilt PC and it won’t be subsidized (or it will be subsidized less) so expect a $700-$900 price tag for the Series X, and a $500 for the Series S. It wouldn’t make sense any other way. Steam et all will be usable, as it is usable in the Xbox Ally as well.
  Now tell me what would you rather buy? The PS5, which is absurdly locked down (even more so than the current Xbox when it comes to mods)? Deal with the gpu market shenanigans? Or buy the prebuilt Xbox PC that lets you play all your Steam games as well?
  It’s fucking genius.

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