1110°

Durango Memory System Overview

The Xbox 720’s memory system has allegedly been revealed in a fresh leak outlining the internal components of Microsoft’s upcoming next-gen console.

StrongMan4075d ago ShowReplies(17)
Dms20124075d ago

I really hope these specs arent true, and MS does find a way to bump up to GDDR5 modules, and drop the silly move engines. From the looks of it Sony won't have any competition next gen power wise until PCs surpass it in a few years.

whoyouwit044075d ago

how the fuck you think they're not going to have competition? it takes more then ram to make graphics.

Datdude034072d ago

It's also about how fast those operations can be done. Based on leaked info, Xbox is going to process 1.23 tflops with a max 102 gb/s bandwidth compared to 1.84 tflops & a max of 224 gb/s bandwidth on ps4. Plus it's easier to move info with unified memory. I hope that's not the case either bc Xbox is my preferred system but I own all.

deadfrag4074d ago

"PCs surpass it"wtf are you talking about , gaming PC already are more powerfull than what ps4 is!

Kakashi Hatake4073d ago

In terms of specs yes, but we'll see better looking games than whats on PC now. Its all about optimization. As an analogy, What a console can do with 4, a PC will take 10 to do.

Xsilver4073d ago

I see your miss informed the way the PS4 is built their is no gaming PC right Now that can surpass it ok, it will take them two years then it will probally surpass it look it up, this has every thing to do with the unified memory which is Not in PC ,GDDR5 it matters.

kayoss4073d ago

Yes top end PC surpass what the PS4 can dream of. but lets look at this way. If the PS4 cost $500, can you honestly tell me that you can find a gaming PC with PS4 spec and power for $500?
So if you going to compare the PC to the PS4 you have look at the price point of both platform to make comparable. Its really unfair to compare a $2000 gaming PC to a $500 console. So let end the PC is better than PS4 argument unless you are talking about both platform at the same price point.

clarkdef4073d ago

A truck is more powerful than a car, yet the car goes faster haha

N0S3LFESTEEM4073d ago

DeadFrag you are completely right... Screw your disagrees.

Kakashi Hatake... PC already has the advantage over next console generation. These better looking games your talking about are already possible on PC but the 360/PS3 have the bigger market share so they dominate the quality. Nothing like having a game dumbed down to fit into the ram confines of this console generation then when it comes to PC all they do is add some cheap FPS hungry effects which you can't tell if their on or off not to mention the PC version always inherits the same engine limitations as the console version. Next gen consoles will be playing catch up... and PC gamers will finally see what their rigs can do.

MAJ0R4073d ago

Sarcasm, please tell me that's sarcasm... otherwise lol

jjank114073d ago

@kayoss....even the argument of price point is an invalid one.

The console market and PC market work in totally different ways. Its not apples to apples unless there is a way to normalize it. For example, maybe $1 you spend on a console is equivalent to $2 in the pc market.

jmc88884072d ago (Edited 4072d ago )

In which case Hatake a mid level year old graphics card can do 15.

A 2013 graphics card can do 20.

If you want to SLI you can get 40-70 (or 45-80) or thereabouts....and if you go really uber you can get well over 100 with Titan.

Actually no...I got a GTX 670 on launch for $399.

That's more powerful than a PS4 for 100-200 dollars less and I got it and have enjoyed it for almost a year now, and will have another half a year before my PS4 is delivered to me.

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 4072d ago
JsonHenry4073d ago

Lol, you do realize that while 8gigs of ram is awesome it has a very lackluster and 2 generation old GPU in it right? (the thing that actually makes the graphics look good in layman terms)

And from the looks of it the way the architecture is the Xbox will probably be neck and neck again with the PS4. That ESRAM is sexy stuff. Its another win for all gamers.

popup4073d ago (Edited 4073d ago )

A 2 generation old GPU with no added fat though. Not only 'down to the metal' performance without being hampered and throttled by drivers and API's but dev's will be able to optimize the crap out of the console hardware as a whole without having to worry about the lowest common denominator and multitudes of hardware configurations. The creation is built on the intended platform and graphics still sell so they go the extra mile too.

You can take a low powered engine and build a light car around it and have a very fast car still.

N4g_null4073d ago

Most engines these days have a port or build button... Want it on android ok here ya go. It's called middleware and pcs have it also.

So basically we will be taking an old gpu and trying to meet the extreme with that while pc devs simply use all of that evolving hardware that is out there like gt690s and I7s.

The ps4, Xbox, and wiiu will be fine if we are not basing our excitement off specs yet games.

Ju4073d ago (Edited 4073d ago )

We'll see how much "HSA" is actually in the PS4's chipset. From the looks of it, there is no such thing in the next xbox.

But really depending on which generation this goes, there is something like cache coherency between GPU and CPU in AMDs HSA (APU) architecture which goes so far that paged memory can be shared (memory pointers can be used AS IS between CPU and GPU).

And yes, while this will probably not beat the top end PCs down the road, it will allow engines to take quite a unique path down the implementation road; and will keep the PS4 competitive.

Games are made more and more by artists and designers and only a handful low level engineers (pity, but so be it). Engine front ends look the same across all platforms, but on the low level they could simply be implemented completely different (Physics will have tremendous benefits using HSA - not just the part which runs on the shader cores).

I'll be curious. But it's "not just a PC".

I'm not sure what to think about MS's approach. They control the OS which runs on it (what I mean, is, incl. the whole windows backend and dev tools). So, I would think they will try to hide as much as they can through their OS, otherwise it looks to me that devs will have a lot to optimize to fully take advantage of the architecture...it took them quite some time to really use the benefits of 360s EDRAM.

We'll find out eventually. I lean more towards the PS4, but I wouldn't want to write off the next XBox just yet. From the looks of it, it is far from being balanced between these two the next gen around.

imt5584072d ago

@ popup :

GPU in next-gen consoles is not 2 geneneration behind, it's one. PS4 GPU belongs to Southern Islands family.

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Tzuno4073d ago (Edited 4073d ago )

Is the complexity of things they offer that counts not the power. Power vise do you think MS is that stupid? Think again. And how the whoyouwit04 said in the upper comments it takes more things to make graphic than ram.

1Victor4073d ago

ok can someone explain the article I read it the comments here and there 3 times and couldn't get it. can someone educate this old one, please no fanboyism thanks

Ju4073d ago

In short, MS tried to optimize it's design for specific sub task with a lot of "expert systems" compared to one big chunk of "jack of all trades".

Does this make sense? It's a common approach to solve problems. You use very specific "blocks" where they can perform best.

But, is it really? Some analysis must have gone into the approach to come up with this solution. But it's a little questionable from all we know.

Often it's based on the limitations we have at the time to come up with design solutions.

Two pools of mem in the PS3 - XDR vs GDDR. Rings a bell?

Separate Vertex and Pixel shaders vs unified shaders (RSX vs. Xenon), anyone?

Now MS and Sony make a 180. Weird. Lean and mean PS4 vs. cluttered NextBox?

So, well, what MS has done is, create sub systems which are good on their own - CPU has lower latency in DDR; the 68GB/s in DDR3 are actually quite impressive. But it has limits accessing the graphics side of things, GPU relies almost exclusively on a fast - shared - interface into DDR3 and buffers; no dedicated graphics RAM.

The GPU has "helper" chips - the Move Engines, video encode/decode engines and a fast EDRAM buffer. So, it is very specialized for graphics tasks.

IO has some dedicated HW - that is used to work with the rumored next gen Kinect because with high res images, the box must crunch quite some numbers from the video feed it receives from the camera.

But eventually all those "entities" must work together and this is where it will become tricky. Those interfaces are bottle necks where developers will have to pay attention to to maximize performance.

I agree that the design appears to be overly complicated compared to what made the 360 great: it's relatively simple and elegant design.

But, the result is not so easy to determine. The PS3 still outperforms the 360 (even if only marginally - see Tombraider as a multi platform baseline).

So, while going by raw bandwidth specs I'd rather give the PS4 the advantage. But specialization can possibly outperform it in some areas; I wouldn't want to make a final judgment until we see games on both eventually.

1Victor4073d ago

thanks Ju that was very informative.like you said lets wait and see what will be shown/unveil at E3.I hope for Microsoft sake they don't make Sony mistake since they don't have the backup of many high quality first party studios as Sony this gen
@nafon I understand some technology and when I don't get something I ask for help instead of been a idiot that think knows everything like you

Nafon4073d ago

lol another person who doesn't understand any technology

Kietz4073d ago

"Sony won't have any competition next gen power wise until PCs surpass it in a few years."

GTX680 and an i5 processor says "hi".
Really, stop pretending this thing is high-end in terms of tech. Let alone the best thing available at the moment.
It's good for its price. That's it.

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DivineAssault 4075d ago

If MS uses DDR3, sony will b*tch slap em nx gen.. The exclusives will clearly outperform them & look better too.. Who knows tho? MS might have something we have no idea is coming but i doubt itl be something that gamers want.. They have clearly stated on multiple occasions that its more of a multimedia device than a dedicated gaming machine

whoyouwit044075d ago

you people need to stop acting like there is going to be a big difference in graphics cause there won't be I can promise you that. it will be the same as this gen graphical difference won't be noticeable but you can't tell you sony fans that just like we couldn't tell you that about the PS3 but what happened, you will make your selves look like a bunch of corporate ass kissers once again just wait and see.

DivineAssault 4075d ago

PS3 used the "cell" processor so it was a whole different world when developing games on it.. Very complex as well but they managed to get a lot of western games done despite being lead developed on 360 or PC..

I agree that it MIGHT not be that huge of a difference but i can pretty much PROMISE u that sonys exclusives will have significantly better polish than anything MS gets just like they do now.. All the multiplats nxbox gets might be scaled down a bit too.. Nx gen games will have the same basic coding since both systems will be using PC architecture but that extra memory & power will allow higher polygon counts, refresh rates, bump mapped textures, & smoother frame rates.. PS4 may be the lead platform & then ported over to the others..

Theres no corporate ass kissing here.. Ill be the 1st to admit that sony designed the PS3 very poorly however they still did a fantastic job with everything this gen regardless of the initial high price point, complex hardware, & inferior network.. PS Plus is an amazing value for customers that will attract MANY gamers nx gen.. PSN is FREE of charge to play games & cross game chat (vita).. PS4 has a great deal of publisher support already too as well as some great features.. Theres nothing u or anyone else who wants to hate on sony can do but sit back & watch it dominate.. Its the best value for gamers & has the most robust software choices in the industry.. Its a core gamers system & they will buy it

ILive4073d ago (Edited 4073d ago )

I own exclusives for both systems and I believe non of the 360's exclusives come close to uncharted 2 alone, bub. Heck, uncharted 2 still destroys most multiplat games. La noire and final fantasy 13 are the best looking multiplat games out there. If there is one thing the ps3 beats the 360 in is the graphics capabilities. When it comes to multiplats, there arent much differences.

Belking4073d ago

"They have clearly stated on multiple occasions that its more of a multimedia device than a dedicated gaming machine"

lol...wen then that say that? No, they never did. It was just people and rumors.

talisker4073d ago

It's not about excusives. They would look on PS4 better anyway because of the of Sony's first-parties. The real thing is - a multiplatform title developed on PC (or X720 as the lead platform) and ported directly to PS4 will have a significant improvement in performance over X720. We are talking here about very similar architectures and PS4 has an edge now. Why? Because of the design Microsoft chose: general-purpose, cheaper RAM with lower bandwidth, slower CPU and GPU. Why? Because they are building more of a DVR and a media server than a console AND they have to include the price of Kinect 2 in the cost calculation. Expect more cartoony games with Kinect controls. If they want to achieve some magic from the hardware, they need to hardcode this ESRAM, just like devs had to go through hell with Cell in PS3 (well, to a much lesser scale). There are two 'buts': a similar concept of embedded RAM was in X360 and it wasn't until Halo:Reach (IIRC) that somebody utilized this buffer to the fullest. Second 'but' is a rumour that Microsoft doesn't allow low-level programming with their new console as it goes against their concept of a media hub/server.

All this if the rumours are true, of course.

colonel1794073d ago (Edited 4073d ago )

Not necessarily, because Microsoft then will have a clause in their terms that no game will be released on Xbox if the game is not on par or better than the other consoles. Just like they did this generation.

Believe me, Microsoft will find a way to screw the competition, if they can't do it the right way.

DonFreezer4073d ago

Just like Sony has been in Japan for years.Stop it.

MYSTERIO3604073d ago

Then i guess no game (third parties) will be released on their system as most developers don't want to be held back by hardware again. Plus quite a few developers have already done this i.e EA with battlefield 3 with support for SPU-based deffered shading.

falcon794073d ago (Edited 4073d ago )

The cpu cache can slow your RAM down by tons and the cache is weak on both and the 8 cores are basic cores not powerful jaguar cores are slightly updated atom cores very basic,it's all to make you fanboys look at big numbers and get excited ??

What's all this obsession with RAM,Havok have just released technology that allows textures to be compressed by x10 look it up,if you need say 1GB of texture memory you can have it for 100MB so memory isn't an issue in game design with todays technology ??

WiiU has 1GB or 2GB for games all we know is it has 4GB it was always speculation that half of that was in retail no one said this only 4GB of RAM so i'm thinking it uses 1GB or 2GB RAM on games which is enough for any game.

Ju4073d ago

Oh, look! Wii want to play U ;)

Sorry. I couldn't resist. Reading your posts have a certain entertainment value, that's for sure.

I'm wondering if it's your hobby to feed the trolls or if you really believe what you are saying.

stiggs4073d ago

Please link to a Microsoft source that stated the next XBOX is "more of a multimedia device than a dedicated gaming machine". Oh wait...you can't since MS hasn't even officially announced the next XBOX.

"Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life son."

4073d ago
THEDON82z14073d ago

stiggs it looks like you and your dumb comment got owned!!!!!!

stiggs4072d ago

As I stated in my initial post "link to a MICROSOFT source".

You responded by citing a quote from an indie developer who holds a grudge against MS for some kind of perceived mistreatment during his development of the oft delayed Braid. He pissed and moaned about the way MS handled the release of Braid yet it turned out to be the best selling Live release of all time.

He also threatened that he would "kill himself" if his game was not completed and/or successful.

So excuse me if I don't take his word regarding anything related to the XBOX console as the gospel truth.

stiggs4072d ago

Owned? Is that what happened? I got "owned"?

What are you, 12?

Try to THiNK before you respond in the comment section. That way, you won't look like an ignorant tool.

Good luck with that...

nukeitall4072d ago

Before quoting stuff, one should really examine the source. Blow (Braid Dev) blabbered about thing, but conceded in the same article (yes, the *full* article from the original source) that he knows nothing about MS plans, and just based it off the leaked rumored news!

"Some were technical – we [Braid Devs] haven’t officially been disclosed on Microsoft’s next console, but we do see the same leaks as everyone else has, and they seem plausible."

http://www.edge-online.com/...

Top it off with a displeased developer and you get the idea!

Alright, so who is going to apologize to stiggs? After all he is right, nobody knows MS direction except MS. Even the relevant partner only get the relevant data, not the entire picture!

falcon794071d ago (Edited 4071d ago )

I speak truth fanboys the point is RAM means nothing these days when tech like HAVOK allows compression with added detail by x10 makes RAM not important as every game uses HAVOK,plus its the Cache these days,and wiiu has a cpu with eDRAM cache and lots of it here's what cache does.

Cache (pronounced cash) memory is extremely fast memory that is built into a computer’s central processing unit (CPU), or located next to it on a separate chip. The CPU uses cache memory to store instructions that are repeatedly required to run programs, improving overall system speed. The advantage of cache memory is that the CPU does not have to use the motherboard’s system bus for data transfer. Whenever data must be passed through the system bus, the data transfer speed slows to the motherboard’s capability. The CPU can process data much faster by avoiding the bottleneck created by the system bus.

As it happens, once most programs are open and running, they use very few resources. When these resources are kept in cache, programs can operate more quickly and efficiently. All else being equal, cache is so effective in system performance that a computer running a fast CPU with little cache can have lower benchmarks than a system running a somewhat slower CPU with more cache. Cache built into the CPU itself is referred to as Level 1 (L1) cache. Cache that resides on a separate chip next to the CPU is called Level 2 (L2) cache. Some CPUs have both L1 and L2 cache built-in and designate the separate cache chip as Level 3 (L3) cache.

Right this is normal Cache with no eDRAM ect and less memory as well the wiiu cpu has 3MB of this which will make the cpu very powerful.

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kevnb4073d ago

meh, its the least interesting thing to think about despite what sony says.

TheKayle4073d ago (Edited 4073d ago )

dme ? best way to resolve bw issue.....genious

same perf of gddr5 without spendind that much...and plus resolve stall and gpu idle time....and gddr5 latency ;)

ps this document r 1 year old ...just to let u know eh

but i think most of u dont understand what theres wrote over there

PFFT4073d ago

Exactly!!! most of this stuff has changed might be for the better or might be for the worst. We wont know till they unveil their system.

Show all comments (190)
170°

Xbox, do you even have a plan anymore?

TSA asks what is the future for Xbox.

Read Full Story >>
thesixthaxis.com
Chocoburger5h ago

They clearly never did, hence why they spent so many BILLIONS on other publishers as a last resort.

anast5h ago

They have a plan. It's to move everything toward streaming and mobile. This is just the next step.

Cacabunga4h ago(Edited 4h ago)

With half of the money they spent, they could have been on the very top and the gaming industry would be way bigger than it is.. encourage developers, indies, make them grow trust them and they will deliver.

Tody_za3h ago(Edited 3h ago)

What are you talking about Cacabunga? The Xbox faithful insisted that Microsoft has infinite money, and after Activision they should buy Square Enix and Capcom before Sony does. There was no chance ever that Microsoft would do this. They would use their infinite millions and Bitcoins to invest in 50 new IP and beat everyone.

Tody_za1h ago

Did I really need to add a /s to my comment...

andy854h ago

To ruin great studios it's looking like

Skuletor4h ago

Sure, a plan to be a more hated game company than EA. Ubisoft were recently giving them a run for their money but I think Xbox have really knocked it out the park with their latest stunt.

neutralgamer19924h ago

Absolutely not, their whole plan is at odd with what MS wants

Phil wants GP to become big
MS wants to sell games and make billions

GP can’t be sustained with AAA games which take 3-5 years and 7 figure budgets. Only go put those games on GP day one. Why do you think games are coming out on other platforms?

People want a change and want Phil gone without realizing if someone new comes along they may want to change everything again so we just keep going in circles. Phil has to realize that and give clear message on the direction of Xbox

Show all comments (21)
340°

Brad Hilderbrand explains the reason behind the recent Xbox studio closures

There are two reasons why all those Bethesda studios closed, and neither of them have anything to do with Bethesda (directly)...

Game Pass and Activision.

Read Full Story >>
linkedin.com
Christopher9h ago(Edited 9h ago)

The guy confirming what we've all (well, most of us) been saying since the latest purchase.

crazyCoconuts6h ago

Remember the relatively common counter that went something like "I'm sure you arm-chair CEOs know better how to run a company than the biggest company in the world"?

I mean - there's a lot to running a company for sure, but on this topic it's hard to understand how Phil and team didn't see this coming.

Tody_za6h ago(Edited 6h ago)

Phil and team knew it was coming and planned for it. It's not even a conspiracy, it's simply the business of cutting costs and superfluous studios after a major acquisition. They don't give a damn about Tango Gameworks or other small creative studios that won't recoup their losses. They don't care about investing in this industry. They have no interest in risky and expensive new IP. They are only interested in profiting off ownership of Bethesda IP, Call of Duty and Candy Crush.

I guarantee you that not one single game under their banner will improve or become bigger and better.

Welcome to the Xbox family, what a pathetic joke.

Anyone who continues to support this, enjoy your future, because this is it. Ninja Theory is next, and Perfect Dark after that.

Christopher5h ago

Especially not with the evidence of tons of existing movie streaming subs out there and how they fail to make a profit with over 100m users each quarter.

Lightning773h ago

Apparently they're debating if they wanna put the new Cod on Gamepass or not.

Either grow GP with Cod or don't put it on GP and grow the revenue the traditional way while GP will suffer.

The mess that MS puts themselves in.

XiNatsuDragnel8h ago

I'm not surprised Microsoft guys are crock nuff said

isarai8h ago(Edited 8h ago)

Honestly i think Bethesda needs to buy themselves out of zenimax/MSs hands and do their own thing, i honestly think that would fix a lot of issues and save them from a potential closure.

Zeref8h ago

There's a reason they sold in the first place. And Bethesda is not closing anytime soon lol. As much as I hate the studio closures. They were all small studios 2 of them were mobile studios.

I think these are growing pains and Xbox will get back on track. But they're not getting any more passes.

jwillj2k47h ago(Edited 7h ago)

I’d like to see your reaction to being growing pained out of your job after the launch of a successful product.

Mr_cheese5h ago

Excuses, Excuses, excuses.

If growing pains have been happening for the best part of a decade, they're not growth.

XiNatsuDragnel4h ago

Zeref nii San
I'm sorry but xbox has been rightfully bashed due to constant incompetence

romulus234h ago

Yet you literally just gave them a pass, being "small studios" or "mobile studios" is irrelevant. There's no excsue for closing Tango, none. They praise the game, they PR talk about it's the kind of game the company needs and yet they shutter the developer, that's foul on every level.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4h ago
Tacoboto4h ago

Bethesda greenlit Redfall, launched Fallout 76 in the condition it was in (and the fiasco with the bonus bag), and spent all that time on Starfield finishing it as it was with that same engine. Wolfenstein Youngblood exists because of them too, not Microsoft.

Are you *sure* leaving them alone would actually result in a better outcome, not just a different one?

isarai3h ago(Edited 3h ago)

A lot of this excessive monetization, and GAAS crap started when Zenimax decided to start looking for a buyer. Not a coincidence that there was a sudden shift in prioritizing profits above quality or even coherence at the same time. They wanted big numbers to attract buyers, now that they've been bought, MS wants exactly what they were baited with.

However even under Zenimax they made enough to self publish sometimes, so i would imagine it's not too far fetched that they could pay their way into independence if they REALLY wanted to.

Also even people at Bethesda and Arkane were hoping MS would cancel the game as again, they were forced to make something they didn't want to make.

Einhander19728h ago

Ah, we can see how the Microsoft media machine works.

Every article I read now is some kind of attempt to shift the blame off Microsoft and paint them as the victims or convince people that Microsoft mistakes were just some kind unforeseeable unfortunate twist of fate.

The shills are out in full force today.

Christopher8h ago

This is not at all what this article is saying. It's saying that honest and useful studios are getting closed because of big money deals elsewhere and the faults with game pass as a model.

Einhander19728h ago

I understand what the article is about.

It's a deflection, it's a putting the cart before the horse article.

Let me tell you how this problem wouldn't have existed in the first place.

Microsoft not creating a service funded by subsidization and having the foresight to see that it would disrupt consumer spending habit to begin with. Then not buying Bethesda and undertaking costs for a service that was already failing to pay for itself because their own expectations of Game Pass having "billions" of subscribers was unobtainable from the very start.

And if you don't think that was the case go back to the article on the day Game Pass launched and read the comments from people from day one who foresaw that this would be an unsustainable model and would cause people to stop spending in the same way.

Christopher7h ago

***Microsoft not creating a service funded by subsidization and having the foresight to see that it would disrupt consumer spending habit to begin with.***

This article literally supports this opinion. He's not praising Game Pass or the ABK purchase.

Einhander19727h ago(Edited 7h ago)

This is an explanation of why it failed, there is zero blame put onto Microsoft itself.

Yes, it talks about what went wrong, but it doesn't say Microsoft shouldn't have done it. It doesn't say Phil should have foreseen this outcome and stopped before it got to this point.

"convince people that Microsoft mistakes were just some kind unforeseeable unfortunate twist of fate"

Christopher7h ago(Edited 7h ago)

***but you're seeing the impact; all those smaller studios making really interesting games are going to fall away, simply because as good as games like Hi-Fi Rush are, they're never going to make enough money to make up that $70B hole that Xbox now has to dig itself out of.***

If you see that as support or you explicitly just want people to end their argument with "and, in conclusion, Microsoft bad" then that's on you. This article does not support Microsoft's choices and highlights the faults. Nothing it says is good about these choices, even saying that putting CoD on Game Pass would be money losing for them because they've set themselves up for failure (and not putting it on there will drop subscriber numbers like crazy, meaning their Game Pass plans were shit to begin with).

No matter how you look at it, they're saying Microsoft made decisions that hurt the bottom line, force closures, and leave Game Pass in a situation where they lose no matter what they do. It's all negative.

Einhander19727h ago

Christopher, if Microsoft hadn't made Game Pass and bought a bunch of publishers would this article even need to exist?

Christopher6h ago

***Christopher, if Microsoft hadn't made Game Pass and bought a bunch of publishers would this article even need to exist? ***

How is this an argument to anything being discussed? This is just as valuable of an argument as "if fish had stayed in deeper waters, they wouldn't have evolved to tetrapods, adapted to shallow water and then to land, and we wouldn't even exist and have to worry about game pass at all."

You're bringing nothing to this argument and then complaining that other people are highlighting the issues with Game Pass and spending tens of billions on studios because what we should be discussing is what it would be like if Microsoft hadn't done any of that.

Well, they did do it. Now pull up your big boy pants and join in on the discussion of what that has meant for the industry since then and, especially right now, how that is affecting the industry and game studios under Microsoft. None of us are able to go back in time and change what was done.

Einhander19726h ago(Edited 6h ago)

Christopher, this isn't me not understanding what the article is about, it's you not understanding what I am saying.

If you want me to make excuses for Microsoft's bad decisions you're not going to get that or just agree with people who are doing that, it's not going to happen, nor are you going to convert me into thinking xbox "needs to exist".

Ya know what, maybe "Microsoft bad".... maybe their decisions ARE having a negative effect on the industry, and instead of deflecting from their actual actions and making excuses for them we stand up and say "no" "Microsoft is hurting the industry"

And maybe, just maybe, it was so obvious that this was going to be the outcome that even nobodies in comment sections on websites were able to easily predict this outcome, yet Microsoft did it anyway then kept doing and even when it became undeniable that it was having a negative impact on their business and and the industry itself, then they knowingly made even bigger purchases and caused more problems.

And the one thing you're right about is that I can't go back in time, but I CAN speak up and try to keep it from happening again...

Maybe if the people who were speaking up 7 years ago were listened too we wouldn't be having this discussion and Tango and Arkane would still be in business along with all the other people who have lost their jobs due to Microsoft's actions.

Do you like analogies?

What you're saying is like an alcoholic crashing their car then trying to explain it by saying it was caused by everything except the fact that they were dunk because they are an alcoholic and don't want to stop drinking.

TiredGamer6h ago

The article is essentially focusing the blame on MS. GamePass was a hail mary play to change the gaming paradigm and carve out a special niche for themselves, emulating the Netflix model, that might have led to MS becoming the leader in the long-term. Unfortunately, the subscriber growth isn't really there, and the model isn't really built to weather that lack of revenue. MS is now in a restructure mindset to figure out how they balance out their model in a way that can still make them money.

've always believed that GamePass was a high risk shot that had a very low chance of long-term success. But the problem with it, whether it succeeded or not, is that it accelerated the proverbial "race to zero" consumer expectation that ran its course in the mobile gaming industry in the late 2000s. When consumers start thinking that games should be "cheap" (as in through a $10/month all-you-can-eat subscription model), it turns the narrative against games being priced at realistic levels. So with the GamePass failure, they've not only sabotaged their market share, but they've impacted the entire industry and devalued the cost of game development to the average consumer. So now it's harder to develop mega-big budget games and to earn the revenue needed to pay for them.

XiNatsuDragnel4h ago

Again terrible excuses in the 1st place

Christopher5h ago

***If you want me to make excuses for Microsoft's bad decisions you're not going to get that or just agree with people who are doing that, it's not going to happen, nor are you going to convert me into thinking xbox "needs to exist". ***

No one is asking you to make excuses for Microsoft's bad decisions nor is anyone asking you to convert to anything.

***Ya know what, maybe "Microsoft bad".... maybe their decisions ARE having a negative effect on the industry, and instead of deflecting from their actual actions and making excuses for them we stand up and say "no" "Microsoft is hurting the industry" ***

Literally no one here is doing this. They're literally discussing how Microsoft's decisions have hurt the industry. Except you. You're rambling about why people aren't complaining about Microsoft when people are in fact complaining about Microsoft.

*** And the one thing you're right about is that I can't go back in time, but I CAN speak up and try to keep it from happening again... ***

Then perhaps actually add something to the conversation other than calling people shills when people are complaining about the decisions and repercussions of Microsoft's actions.

Tacoboto4h ago

Christopher, you're fighting a block wall here - Ein will continue twisting and contorting any remark to fit his self-created narrative.

Einhander19724h ago(Edited 4h ago)

"Then perhaps actually add something to the conversation other than calling people shills when people are complaining about the decisions and repercussions of Microsoft's actions."

Cristopher, in no way is the author of this article complaining, they are explaining what happened it's literally the title. They never once say that Microsoft shouldn't have bought Zenimax or Activision or that Game Pass was a bad idea to begin with. They think the problem with Game Pass is that it didn't grow fast enough, not that it was a bad idea from the get go.

BTW this is his job title.

"Public Relations and Communications Leader"

What do you think a Public Relations and Communications Leader does to make money?

Edit: I have read a dozen of these articles that just started coming out in the last 24 hours that are trying to shift the conversation away from blaming Microsoft, the shift here and in several other articles is trying to say it just didn't gain subscribers fast enough, not that it was a bad idea to begin with that was doomed to fail or placing the blame on anyone.

It was all just an unforeseeable outcome, no one should be held responsible it was just a billion dollar oopsie that's costing thousands of people their jobs and has caused a downturn in the entire industries sustainability.

Oopsie!

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4h ago
MrDead7h ago

It's greed. MS has the IP's it wants now it's dumping the studios that it's raided, MS will still make money from Tango's games unlike the people that made them. If anyone follows MS outside of gaming you'll see this is what they do, buy companies take what they want consolidate some of the workforce and shut them down. I don't know why people are acting so surprised when this is Microsoft being Microsoft.

MS is a three trillion dollar company, if it enters a market it has no need to compete, they take what they want and with the financial influence it can bypass laws that are meant to protect the consumer and the workforce. Just look at how they are cornering the AI market right now with buyups and investments.

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330°

Microsoft Is Finally Ending Its Focus On Big Budget Gaming Nonsense

Back when the Xbox 360 launched, Microsoft pushed the big budget game as a differentiator. Following all the recent layoffs, it’s clear this strategy has run its course.

Einhander19729h ago(Edited 9h ago)

The Microsoft shill take on the Microsoft causing the death of big budget gaming...

The whole driving force for growth in gaming both technologically, creatively and financially was all nonsense, and it was definitely not because Microsoft ran the industry into the ground with obviously bad decisions and creating an unprofitable business model that massively disrupted consumer spending habits. /s

RpgSama8h ago

First, F**** Forbes and their shill take, I hope the money cleared by now.

Second, Which big budget games I might ask? Microsoft has been in a rut for like a decade now, with no big publisher and developers puechases they would have not released anything in the last 5 years but the new Halo and Forza.

Eonjay5h ago

Fortunately for us, since we know this message is basically coming from Microsoft, we can read into their motives. Why are they trying to turn people against big budget games and who would it help.... hmmm.

neutralgamer19924h ago

GP is like any content service it needs new content. AAA games take 100 plus million (low end estimates since most AAA games take double that) and it 4-5 years to develop. That’s why there were 2 god of war games instead of 3 because Cory felt like it would take too long

I am not defending MS. That’s just the reality when you put all your eggs in one basket (gamepass) and now they need content. Sadly that’s what we all said would happen and is happening. GP will be a service for AA games with 1-2 AAA games on yearly basis. And I am all for AA games because to me that’s where developers can take chances on smaller budgets but MS has mismanaged this whole situation from the beginning. Their messaging needs to be clear and it’s not

They own so many studios and IP’s they just need to get everyone on schedule so that there are games releasing every few months on GP. But I don’t even think Phil knows what he wants. It seems his goals change constantly

Game pass is not a sustainable and take two ceo was right when he said that it doesn’t make any business sense to release huge AAA games day one on GP. Just like call of duty shouldn’t be on GP because why give up on 15-20 million sales

Einhander19722h ago

"And I am all for AA games because to me that’s where developers can take chances on smaller budgets"

How'd that work out for Tango?

Do you think less AAA games will increase game pass revenue or decrease it when it has less value? What if they also have to increase the costs?

S2Killinit4h ago(Edited 4h ago)

Right on.

Hahaha MS has ended “focus” on games? Lol when? 3 generations ago maybe?

Hofstaderman9h ago

Ah Forbes. One of the prominent MS mouthpieces....

Luc209h ago

Microsoft is finally... ahhh I've never heard this one before!

Petebloodyonion9h ago

LOL, this article is a big pile of dog crap...
Spencer has been constantly telling ppl that NO they would not go the route of having games like TLOU, Uncharted, etc because Playstation exists and prefers to focus on a diverse portfolio.

How many years have we seen Xbox as no game and we don't want small games like ORI, Pentiment, Grounded, etc.?

That's the real tragedy and why lots of gamers are mad at MS right now
because they have been championing smaller titles and yet fired the ppl delivering exactly what they were proning about.

So no the only nonsense is that MS seems now to be going BACK to AAA popular titles..sorry, I meant refocusing effort on core established IP where broken GAAS might be rewarded versus praised and rewarded work.

Einhander19728h ago(Edited 8h ago)

https://media1.tenor.com/m/...

You read an article cheerleading the end of big budget games and all the other articles about problems and this is what you have to say? That's what you think "the real tragedy" is?

I thought that xbox fans might finally "get it", but no, it seems they don't even understand what is happening and what is at stake.

Petebloodyonion6h ago

Please tell me what's happening and what is at stake

Since it's not big companies closing small studios, killing innovation while refocusing assets on big ongoing projects and core IP?

Let's See MS Close Tango Studio mentions that they are too thin on key project
Sony Close London Studio and make massive cuts in Firespite will reallocate resources to core project
EA will focus on Core project
Square will focus on big established IP
.....
.....

crazyCoconuts9h ago

Hurray! No more big gam.... wait... what??

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