Microsoft's Next-Gen Xbox Will Focus On 'XCloud' Game Streaming (theverge.com)

One big area that Microsoft is focusing on with its next-generation Xbox is game streaming. According to a report from Thurrott.com, Microsoft is working on two new Xbox consoles. The "Xbox Two" will be a console similar to that of the Xbox One and Xbox 360, with updated hardware and specs. The other Xbox console in development will be limited to streaming games. The Verge reports: The streaming-only console will reportedly include a low amount of local compute for handling tasks like controller input, image processing, and collision detection. These tasks are essential to reducing latency in game streaming, and Microsoft is said to be planning to slice up processing between the game running locally and in the cloud in order to reduce input lag and other image processing delays. Microsoft is currently developing its next-generation Xbox console under the Scarlett codename. The software giant recently revealed it's also working on a game streaming service for Xbox that will work across any device. This is a key part of Microsoft's future plans with Xbox, and part of the company's vision for developing its "Netflix for video games" service, Xbox Game Pass.

Sources familiar with Microsoft's plans tell The Verge that Microsoft is currently "all hands" on creating datacenters capable of powering the company's game streaming service. Referred to as codename "XCloud" internally, Microsoft has been experimenting with combining four lots of custom Xbox consoles into a single server blade for its datacenters. These servers will launch initially with developers in mind to build and develop games in the cloud instead of local debug machines, and then to stream games to consumers.

Comments

A $500 purchase

[Anonymous Coward]

Followed by a $15 / mo subscription.

People are being brought up into this new norm.

Re: A $500 purchase

[Anonymous Coward]

I think it's funny how self-styled "persecuted futurists" like you are so eager to back something objectively worse in the names of newness and convenience, then blame its inevitable failure on people "afraid of the future". How's that stock in Ouya doing for you?

Streaming is the future of transitory, passive entertainment. Or in smaller words: Grazing. Streaming is a replacement for channel-surfing. Streaming is a replacement for rentals. It is NOT a replacement for ownership, is a terrible fit for latency-sensitive interactive mediums, and will continue to be those things regardless of how much you stomp your feet and whine about "holding back the future".

Newer is not automatically better. Better is better. Make something better, and people will embrace it.

Re:The money $$

[wolfheart111]

Subscriptions, a steady stream of it.

My predictions:Launch title will be a driving game

[Anonymous Coward]

Any time cloud gaming systems are announced they need to come up with a way of hiding network lag, so they choose a driving game and never an FPS.

Driving games have a lot of inertia; they don't have twitch controls, so they're the perfect candidate.

Let's see what XCloud is demonstrated with!

Re:so what exactly is being streamed?

[Anonymous Coward]

Man I feel old saying this but...
Remember a time when you could pack a gaming system away in a box for a decade or two and open it up and all the games still worked? You could sit in a couch and play with your friends. Only one copy of the game was needed.

Then we had online multiplayer games where online multiplayer was either the real essence of the game or the only thing available. Your friends played at their own house but you could still talk to them. Everyone needed their own copy of the game. When the gaming company decided the game wasn't profitable anymore, they yanked the online servers so no more multiplayer, no more game. However you could still play your other games.

Now what Microsoft is proposing is that the _entire console_ would be tied to the cloud. So when MS decides their console isn't profitable anymore (10-15 years from launch maybe?) then the whole thing becomes a doorstop and all the games you paid for are worthless. Don't bother packing it away in a box for the future.

Too bad

[Archfeld]

So in other words if you've got a shitty internet connection, you'll have a shitty console experience. Buy the hardware, lease the game, until they decide to stop supporting it AND pay for a net connection to support it all. Sounds like a cash cow for M$, and a cornholing for consumers. YEAH TEAM !!!

Re:so what exactly is being streamed?

[stealth_finger]

Man I feel old saying this but... Remember a time when you could pack a gaming system away in a box for a decade or two and open it up and all the games still worked? You could sit in a couch and play with your friends. Only one copy of the game was needed.

How times change. I pulled out a second controller that hasn't been used in ages to get some 2p going on the bone the other day and it said controller needs updating. I was like what. the. fuck.