Boston (TheNextXbox) – The successor to the Xbox 360 is right around the corner, as the Major Nelson countdown has the entire gaming world on alert. One thing that is almost a given with the successor to the Xbox 360, for the sake of this article we will call it the Xbox Next, is that it will include a Blu-ray optical drive. This is due to the fact that next-generation games are going to require a lot more space than is currently available on a DVD. This type of optical format has been utilized by Sony throughout the life of the PlayStation 3 and will continue forward to the upcoming PlayStation 4 in all likelihood as well. What many gamers are missing though, is that there is a real chance that Microsoft may opt against allowing Blu-ray movie playback on the Xbox Next.
A new survey from Microsoft has further hinted at the possibility of an Xbox handheld being in development.
This is definitely happening, I just hope they have 2 versions one with a much bigger screen.
i have that logitech g-cloud. Its a sweet little piece of kit. I like that it can also install games from the play store unlike the other android based handheld.
I wonder if Microsoft will perform better in Japan if they do actually make a handheld since everyone says handheld and mobile are king over there.
This looks like the future of the game industry... all three platforms with a handheld option.
I wonder if the Playstation Portal is a technology test-bed/prototype for a future Playstation handheld?
- Xbox Wire - Mark your calendars! The Xbox Games Showcase followed by [REDACTED] Direct airs June 9. More info inside.
For a brief moment I thought we might get a whole Direct for Gears 6 - seems like it's COD though!
Microsoft just posted the third quarter of its 2024 fiscal financial results. The software maker made $61.9 billion in revenue and a net income of $21.9 billion during Q3. Revenue is up 17 percent, and net income has increased by 20 percent.
Xbox content + services up 62% while hardware down 31%... seems about right with the way they tout you don't need the hardware to play. People can play on their phones or smart tv or other means. I don't hardly play on my consoles directly since getting devices like the logitech g-cloud and ps portal. Which is to also say I have been playing more digital than physical because of these devices.
Too expensive hardware when others offer the same or more for less? Good work, Green Team.
"Despite some early successes for Xbox games on rival platforms, Xbox hardware is down by a massive 31 percent this quarter."
"Without Activision Blizzard, Microsoft’s overall gaming revenue would have actually declined this quarter."
"Xbox content and services would have only been up a single percent without Activision Blizzard..."
"It looks like next quarter is going to be a similar story for gaming at Microsoft, too."
That is crazy... so A/B/K is carrying the whole Xbox gaming.
Oh and Microsoft will be fine. Windows, Office and Cloud are growing with each pc purchase.
As the article noted, perhaps they'll build it in but charge you extra to use the feature like how they pointed out the original XBox had a DVD player, but wouldn't allow you to play DVD movies unless you shelled out for remote.
It wouldn't be the first time, or the last time, we've seen Microsoft charge you extra to access something you've already purchased (much like the extra fees to play multiplayer content developers included on the game you purchased). They'll keep doing it until there's enough push back from consumers. You really can't blame them if people are willing to pay.
They probably will go the same route as Nintendo. They will create their own format based on Blu-ray but with no playback of movies to not pay royalties.
i would hope the Microsoft Company realizes many people have already started adding bluray to their current DVD libraries. that being said, it would be really pointless to have a feature blocking bluray playback when people will still buy bluray movies anyway. i, along with many others have purchased a bluray player. the only thing Microsoft allowing bluray playback does for me, is allow me to choose which room i watch the movie in, either the room with the bluray player or my living room with the future xbox. i certainly do not plan on any device, to build a movie collection by buying digital movies only or really at all, that to me is beyond asinine. sure ill still use netflix and hulu, but that doesnt alter my choices as to if im going to buy a DVD or a bluray movie.
"Instead, Microsoft required gamers to purchase a little DVD playback adapter that came with a remote control. This activated the ability that the system already had to play DVD movies"
They call that a double tax don't they? Wow...how anyone could defend MS at all is beyond me. They nickle and dime for just about anything and users are so willing to give up their hard earned money.
"Xbox Live Gold subscriptions generate roughly $1 billion in revenue for Microsoft every year"
And this is the reason why Live will remain a paid for service next generation.
If MS don't offer Blu-ray playback then it could be a mistake. When Sony first released the PS3, they advertised it heavily as a Blu-ray player because they were trying to establish the format. But now it's an established format, so Sony would have a big advantage if they began advertising the PS4 as a Blu-ray player (and it was 4k enabled).