New Xbox Series X and Controller inbound?

[Riff Machine 2,106]

Caught this bit this morning.

 

This is Microsoft’s new disc-less Xbox Series X design with a new gyro controller - The Verge

WWW.THEVERGE.COM

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Microsoft’s mid-cycle Xbox Series X refresh has a whole new shape

 

[J4MES OX4D 10,057]

I expect we’ll also see a PS5 Pro emerge soon too. Microsoft certainly love having more consoles than exclusives😂Looks like they are also going to try and phase out physical gaming which won’t sit too well either for many. They’ll probably release 2 more consoles in 2026 also so I’ll probably wait for those if anyone has a first gen iteration so far.

[phil bottle 9,822]

Yeah interesting to see. Although I'm more interested in the controller, the current xbox base model buttons are too clicky imo 

 

The PS5 controller is hands down the best thing about the console, and biggest improvement over the last generation. Microsoft need to catch up there. I know they have their elite 2 controller but my wallet aint that elite 😘

[J4MES OX4D 10,057]

Looks like Microsoft have a new console pencilled in for 2028 which will be the next gen. 

[GazzaGarratt 11,066]

What I'm still mulling over is this strange concept that they follow - they all fundamentally agree that console gaming is the place that you need to keep producing games and the biggest market that will keep them ahead of the pack - and to do this they create physical consoles. However, games then go digitally and no physical games to coincide with this? I think they forget the concept of surprises, birthdays, Christmas, presents, anniversaries, special editions, unique items....they all are catalysts for games to be bought and 8/10 times, these work because they are tangible - something you can touch.

 

I still think the retro scene would be booming right now if people wanted to make games for more simplistic consoles.

 

I imagine most of the sales won't change too much until the world comes out of the cost of living crisis.

[phil bottle 9,822]

1 hour ago, GazzaGarratt said:

What I'm still mulling over is this strange concept that they follow - they all fundamentally agree that console gaming is the place that you need to keep producing games and the biggest market that will keep them ahead of the pack - and to do this they create physical consoles. However, games then go digitally and no physical games to coincide with this? I think they forget the concept of surprises, birthdays, Christmas, presents, anniversaries, special editions, unique items....they all are catalysts for games to be bought and 8/10 times, these work because they are tangible - something you can touch.

 

I still think the retro scene would be booming right now if people wanted to make games for more simplistic consoles.

 

I imagine most of the sales won't change too much until the world comes out of the cost of living crisis.

 

Less plastic in the world is fine by me.

Funny though how the reduction in manufacturing cost never gets passed back to the consumer.

[Luseth 1,977]

37 minutes ago, phil bottle said:

 

Less plastic in the world is fine by me.

Funny though how the reduction in manufacturing cost never gets passed back to the consumer.

 

Yeah I am a fan of collecting my retro games and such but I'd be fine if we stopped producing them now, we have learnt enough in recent years to call it a day on physical games. That said I think my only gripe with going all digital is the lack of storefronts for a console and it would probably lead me to just gaming on pc only going forwards as at least there are some options.

 

Sony having such a big market share already and then being able to put on whatever percentage they like on top does not sit well with me and is something I could see happening down the road because they have shown time and time again that it is a company that can get complacent, can get a little bit greedy.

[J4MES OX4D 10,057]

I think Sony will try and retain physical for a long as possible until the developers themselves deem it non-viable. It depends on the production costs and margins with wholesale retail in relation to the PS Store cut Sony take plus general demand. Not many retailers left on the high street now and those don't want to buy into dead stock.

 

To be honest, games are mostly so shit these days, there's not many worth getting a physical for anyway and even then, the disc is worthless by virtue of a game needing a mandatory update to execute. I think the PS3/360 was the last worthwhile generation for collectibles and with Microsoft trying to kill off physical for the past 9 years and Playstation only having a few tangible exclusives worth picking up physically, it's basically curtains. 

[GazzaGarratt 11,066]

21 hours ago, phil bottle said:

Less plastic in the world is fine by me.

 

Me too tbh! I think its more about how creative they can be with physical items moving forward - could even see the reintroduction of the cardboard SNES and N64 boxes perhaps?

[J4MES OX4D 10,057]

2 hours ago, GazzaGarratt said:

 

Me too tbh! I think its more about how creative they can be with physical items moving forward - could even see the reintroduction of the cardboard SNES and N64 boxes perhaps?

I still remember the day when PC games made the transition to DVD cases. I was so used of having a big box with fat manuals and suddenly games were releasing in a plastic box with barely a few bits of paper inside. I think Max Payne was the first game I bought like this. Deux Ex was probably the last big box edition I got. The industry got so lazy, even the Gamecube mini-discs came in some full-on DVD case too!