290°

DirectX 11 vs. DirectX 12 oversimplified

DirectX 12 won’t make your PC or XBox One magically faster.

First off, the developer has to write their game so that they’re interacting with the GPU through multiple cores simultaneously. Most games, even today, are still written so that only 1 core is dedicated to interacting with the GPU.

Second, this only benefits you if your game is CPU bound. Most games are. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a modern Nvidia card get GPU bound (if anyone can think of an example, please leave it in the comments).

Third, if you’re a XBox One fan, don’t assume this will give the XBO superiority. By the time games come out that use this, you can be assured that Sony will have an answer.

Read Full Story >>
littletinyfrogs.com
Foehammer3388d ago

An interesting read

We all know games just get better and better as the developers better utilize their tools.

Can't wait to see what developers will bring us next

GameNameFame3388d ago (Edited 3388d ago )

I am sure dx12 will improve x1, but over simplifying. Dx12 gives what consoles have to PC. Code to metal or close to it.

Even MS themselves said it won't help X1 much. Why are we still desperately to grasp on to this? X1 is a good console on its own right. Just accept its limitations.

"First off, the developer has to write their game so that they’re interacting with the GPU through multiple cores simultaneously"

Yes. Same goes for PC and PS4. There is already middle ware devs use for that. That is not proof that "x1" is designed for DX12. That is just desperate nonsense...

Even MS went out of their way to say this won't do much for x1.
http://xboxonedaily.com/201...

http://www.dualshockers.com...

Even their slides say many dx12 stuff is already on x1 and dx12 is giving what x1 has to PC.....

Bladesfist3388d ago (Edited 3388d ago )

That is actually BS. You can't / shouldn't talk to an API from multiple cores if it is not built to be thread safe. You will have a whole lot of crazy happen and your game will most likely be unstable. In fact it is plain impossible before DX 12. No idea about Open GL or Sony's graphics API though the developer hinted that they would try and catch up to these changes.

"Every time I hear someone say “but X allows you to get close to the hardware” I want to shake them. None of this has to do with getting close to the hardware. It’s all about the cores. Getting “closer” to the hardware is relatively meaningless at this point. It’s almost as bad as those people who think we should be injecting assembly language into our source code. We’re way beyond that."

Kal0psia3388d ago (Edited 3388d ago )

@GameFame

Did you not read the article in where he emphasizes it's not just about coding to the metal, or did you skip the article and went straight to commenting?? All of those Phil Spencre response you post are very specific to questions asked. Will it improve hardware? ...No!

Now that is taken into consideration, Brad Wardell's points has nothing to do with improving hardware. He is not speaking of some hocus pocus technology that will boost hardware specs. That is YOUR adamant behavior going into these articles spreading your rinse and repeat garbage. This has alot to do with developer tools implementations, software that allow developers to do more. And more on a hardware desgined for it. XOne is riding on a gimped API with updated versions to mimmick Dx12, if we're going by the recent SDK leaks.

So what's desperate nonsense here is you wasting your time proving nothing. These are developers developing the game and they're touting for it. It's goign to be innovative at least mostly for PC, or in other word from another developer a "Paradigm Shift" for game development overall. So of course many of the slides state that Dx12 "feauture sets" is already on XOne, but going by the SDK leak, they were demos.

So there is reason subject keeps being brought up, XOne was a custom designed chip. PS4 was a straight forward design with a single pool of memory. Nothing more or less than that.

marlinfan103388d ago

Phil spencer retweeted this article so that's saying something right there

Azzanation3388d ago (Edited 3388d ago )

Games are CPU bound, DX12 is for CPU bound games. Why is it so hard for you to understand. First of all Xbox fans arent claiming anything, PS fans are the ones downplaying it because there beloved system wont be getting a API software update.

If your going to troll do it right.

3388d ago
Volkama3388d ago

@N4gamingm The vast majority of the 5billion transistors on the SoC are the ESRAM. It doesn't mean the XBox One is anywhere close to comparible to a 5billion transistor GPU.

BG115793387d ago

I don't know why are people arguing about this. When DX12 comes out, if the gains are that spectacular it will be very easy to see the difference.
When is DX12 coming out already?

GameNameFame3387d ago (Edited 3387d ago )

You guys are delusional if you don't think there is multi threading on x1 now.

You think devs been seriously just been using 1 core for real?

@azznation

X1 is gpu bound more. Look at sub 1080p. That's proven.

And w.e minor updates on dx12 always go to ps4. Just look at dx11.

@kalopsia

Loblolly lol. You do realize CPU cores and gpu cores are identical on ps4 and x1. Ps4 just have more cores.

You do know that right? There is no such thing as x1 secret super sauce. You can't be that desperate to delude your self.

Kal0psia3387d ago (Edited 3387d ago )

^^^

Point out clearly where I denied PS4 or XOne and it's cores?! Exactly, creating your own self-deluded arguments.

Nothing is "secret sauce" apparently that is true, because the leak has proven at least most of that secret sauce is true. Of course developers use multiple cores, but NONE as stated in the article is being used "simultaneously", becuase it's still Dx11. Keyword simultaneously.

Nothing hardware wise is specificaly GPU or CPU bound, that's developers choice in game design. You clearly have NO clue what your commenting on. It's kinda funny in how much you are in these technical articles yet completely lack the understanding of any of it. You actually think peopel consider your points over the "DEVELOEPRS"?! ...No! Grasping straws?! Yes you're down to your last straw buddy. You're deulsional. xDDD

GameNameFame3387d ago (Edited 3387d ago )

You do realize you are the one yammering about how x1 is custom when ps4 is off the shelf. When ps4 is the one with hidden secondary CPU, hUMA using unified architecture using gddr5, when x1 opted out for cheaper and weaker alternative that Sony considered and passed on.

Lol. Tell me what secret sauces are confirmed. Loll lol. Please. That it can do multithreaded calcs ? Lololololololoool. That's secret sauce? Seriously? Ps4 and wii U can do it too. Sony devs even discussed implementing it like year ago on infamous.

And yes x1 is GPU bound in many many games. If you ignore devs, it is obvious given past games and seeing where it is lacking.

It is just pathetic you desperately hoping on secret sauce. Especially one MS shot down themselves. Even MS devs own slides only talk about PC when talking about dx12 benefits. Hahaha.

Seriously you thought multi threading meant taking turns? Not simultaneous? Lol so each core takes turns and break and do nothing? Loll lol.

Just goes to show you are desperate enough to believe anything.

Herd is real info from the actual devs who actually programs.not some guy who haven't done it in decade.

http://images.eurogamer.net...

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 3387d ago
TheXgamerLive3388d ago (Edited 3388d ago )

Hahahahahahaha an idiotic PS fanboy writes an anti article and then you all down plays it as well, hahahaha pathetic.
Then you ALL are a broken clock, well MS even said DX12 wouldn't be that big of a jump for the XB1. Haha so very funny.
Relax ladies and just see what happens, no need to fight over this..OR pretend to do an unbiased article saying over simplified and then showing your true colors by hating on it.
Oh N4G, you have really lost your way, haven't you?

HeMan763388d ago

"First off, the developer has to write their game so that they’re interacting with the GPU through multiple cores simultaneously"

This is definitive proof of the XO's hardware structure simply designed for DX12 because recently,the leaked documents displayed us that the the XO has 8 gfx contexts to interacting the CPU with the GPU similtaneously.

" Most games, even today, are still written so that only 1 core is dedicated to interacting with the GPU."

This simply proves why XO games came out with lower res.because the hardware had restrictions due to API.

"Second, this only benefits you if your game is CPU bound. Most games are. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a modern Nvidia card get GPU bound"

This proves that the visual quality of XO games will have a big jump.

lifeisgamesok3388d ago (Edited 3388d ago )

"By the time games come out that use this?"

Games that use Directx 12 will be out this holiday season and that's coming straight from Microsoft

And Directx 12 has some stuff that will be good for gaming on Xbox One

Multithreading, Tiled Resources, hardware accelerated encode and decode, the ability to better manage esram, and more

dcbronco3388d ago

Another thing stands out. The idea of using VMs. Xbox One was designed with the cloud and DX12 in mind. They knew what was happening with DX12 within the Xbox team because there is part of the OS team that focuses specifically on Xbox. But the design of the Xbox One OS is like a server and it uses a HyperV. It's made to run VMs. When you put together things from rumors and actual reports, it seems DX12 will make Xbox One games look more realistic since lighting plays a major role in how we see the models. And just as the PS4 has it's GPU hardware advantages, the design advantages of the Ones APU should show once DX12 drops.

There has been so much talk from Microsoft and others about reading and writing on the same bandwidth simultaneously and from multiple sources with little bandwidth hit. And these are out of order chips that read and write to the same memory. I'm not a computer engineer, but I've gained somewhat of an understanding over the years of how this stuff works and I think the Xbox One is going to really show some things starting this year.

It's a good time to be a gamer.

Volkama3388d ago

HyperV + Direct12 = Better lighting?

Please show your workings out.

dcbronco3388d ago

I have no workings out, it's theory based on what I've read about Xbox One and technology in general. As I mentioned before I'm not a programmer or engineer. But it would seem based on what the article said and other things I've read that the design of One lends itself to having multiple VMs running different things. If DX12 allows you to go from on CPU core to using all core to send info to the GPU and that GPU can do VMs you shouldn't have the previous problems with having only one light source and no shadows. I've read that you can run a thousand VMs on one machine. It also seems that you should be able to use the cloud as your main light source on a map whether that source is a light bulb or the sun itself since that is a constant and doesn't need frame by frame updates.

I've read the OS only uses one VM for gaming now, but if DX12 is designed to allow all cores to communicate with the GPU and that communication is read write to the same memory space simultaneously for the CPUs and GPU then the natural evolution is toward fully utilizing those communication pipelines to run more VMs to allow developers to create more things. If one and a third cores currently run 3 VMs, the move to DX12 should allow eight cores to run a lot more. And that should lead to specialized VMs for lighting, physics and other things.

If you know better could you explain it more. I'm personally fascinated with the seeming possibilities of the design of the console. Or Frogboy if you are reading the comments.

KontryBoy7063388d ago (Edited 3388d ago )

I hope games get better performance because right now they run terrible to be "next gen"

ziggurcat3387d ago (Edited 3387d ago )

"This proves that the visual quality of XO games will have a big jump."

not according to phil spencer:

"On the DX12 question, I was asked early on by people if DX12 is gonna dramatically change the graphics capabilities of Xbox One and I said it wouldn’t. I’m not trying to rain on anybody’s parade, but the CPU, GPU and memory that are on Xbox One don’t change when you go to DX12. DX12 makes it easier to do some of the things that Xbox One’s good at, which will be nice and you’ll see improvement in games that use DX12, but people ask me if it’s gonna be dramatic and I think I answered no at the time and I’ll say the same thing."

http://wccftech.com/phil-sp...

and not even according to the article (edit - which you've misquoted to fit your deluded misterx agenda):

"It’s not magic

DirectX 12 won’t make your PC or XBox One magically faster.

First off, the developer has to write their game so that they’re interacting with the GPU through multiple cores simultaneously. Most games, even today, are still written so that only 1 core is dedicated to interacting with the GPU.

Second, this only benefits you if your game is CPU bound. Most games are. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a modern Nvidia card get GPU bound (if anyone can think of an example, please leave it in the comments).

Third, if you’re a XBox One fan, don’t assume this will give the XBO superiority. By the time games come out that use this, you can be assured that Sony will have an answer."

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3387d ago
DevilOgreFish3388d ago

It isn't making the hardware faster why people are looking to dx12. it's about making use of the hardware, especially for PC gamers. The system requirements are too bloated for some games, barely utilizing one GPU let alone 2 or 3.

"Third, if you’re a XBox One fan, don’t assume this will give the XBO superiority. By the time games come out that use this, you can be assured that Sony will have an answer."

??

Don't quite follow, but anyways it's possible that any game with great optimization and treatment can either compete or tip the scales in some way. Who does not remember RE4's impact back in the day. Eitherway what's good for the game is great for the gamers.

Rimeskeem3388d ago

This is what the article said, not me,

"Third, if you’re a XBox One fan, don’t assume this will give the XBO superiority. By the time games come out that use this, you can be assured that Sony will have an answer."

DragonbornZ3388d ago

I find it funny that that is the one thing you felt you had to point out.

headblackman3388d ago

why are you even here? this is xbox news. not ps4 news. no one needs a fake developer in here trying to educate us on something that he has no clue one. another rambler is what you are. stop giving advice that no one needs or wants. go wait for greatness and let the real developers tell us what is and will be for these next gen consoles.

have a seat sir!

Andofaus3388d ago

Microsoft has been building direct X since the mid 90s and are the leaders the world over in software and middleware. On top of that Xbox One is custom designed for dx12 and other features such as tiled resources. Sony has a hell of allot of catching up to do so best of luck with that.

DougLord3388d ago

DX12 will only impact games if developers change the way they have been programming for 30 years. It won't be easy to program to keep 8 cores running at the same speed. On the PL you really don't see the benefit of more then 1 core until you start multitasking.

We have seen a similar move from AMD with Mantle. In instances where the GPU is considerably stronger then the CPU, you can get a 30% boost. But we need to realize that a 30% difference is barely noticeable. I have a gaming PC that was the nutz 4 years ago (dual 5870s). I wouldn't even consider upgrading until I can get 3x more Tflops. PS4 has 1.8 TFLOPs to Xone's 1.3. And you CANT TELL the difference. Add 30% and you close the gap a bit, but you aren't going to see much change.

1nsomniac3388d ago (Edited 3388d ago )

Have you watched or read any literature or the conferences about DX12?

That is exactly what it does, in a sense automatically arrange & spread the workload across every available core & within the API is simple developer access to manipulate this also so they can jumble the workload around themselves to make it even more optimised.

I'm not sure if you've made a typo (although you typed it 3 times) or you just don't understand but a real 30% boost is massive & very, very noticeable!

It won't make much difference to the XBone as the console API already works pretty similar to that anyway, as we've heard from Microsoft themselves but it will make a big difference to PC. As even in this day & age the majority of games still don't properly use multithreading or multiple cores.

DoubleM703388d ago

1nsomniac Yeah that's thing none of these Tech heads have not even looked at the conference. The power point presentation was all about the XBOX1 and Direct3D and how the XBox1 one benefits with it's 8 cores. It getting the same boost. Cutting the workload down on the CPU and making Huge Benefits.

Volkama3388d ago

DirectX 12 doesn't do all that for the developer automatically. It will take additional work from devs to utilise it properly. That is why Microsoft are also continuing to develop DirectX 11.3, so that some of the new features are made available with in the easier API.

Big name engines like Unreal 4 will probably handle a lot of that work 'automatically' though, so it's not like every little studio that wants to take advantage of the tech will need to learn how to micromanage threads and memory allocation.

Show all comments (58)
260°

Microsoft Seemingly Closes Bethesda France

As part of its plans to cut 1,900 jobs, Microsoft has reportedly shut down operations at Bethesda France, letting go roughly 15 people

Read Full Story >>
insider-gaming.com
Hereandthere14h ago

Microsoft should have left them stay 3rd party

GamerRN11h ago

If they are let go, they can be whatever they want. They ARE 3rd party now... 🤦

Barlos8h ago

Yeah, they're also jobless.

GamerRN2h ago

They can form a company if they want, they are just as jobless as if "Microsoft had left them as 3rd party".

peppeaccardo3h ago

"MIcrosoft leaves Bethesda do what they know how to do best" ... close! Oh the irony ....
(Citation from a week old article)

PassNextquestion13h ago(Edited 13h ago)

Bethesda France was made up of roughly 15 people... they couldn't of being doing much

Bethesda France mainly did publishing and marketing within the region

blacktiger11h ago

that's a shame for you to say that, i'm sure Elite loves hearing what you just said.

Profchaos13h ago(Edited 13h ago)

Bethesda France focused on publishing and marketing in the region. And 15 people lost their jobs as part of the closure.

I wonder if this is part of Microsoft's strategy to abandoned physical media or possibly gamepass advertising makes their roles redundant you don't need to market a game as hard when the majority of players get the game as part of a sub which already promoted upcoming games

Tacoboto13h ago

It's France too, there's a high likelihood only 1-2 people on the team even had an Xbox.

Profchaos12h ago

Possibly guven all the leaks we know the Xbox brand is really struggling in the region.

Yi-Long9h ago

Well, if your consoles and games are barely found in any stores any more, of course you're gonna struggle finding consumers ...

XiNatsuDragnel12h ago

Tbh Microsoft I think Bethesda being 3rd party same with Activision would probably more competitive than thus scenario imo

Profchaos10h ago(Edited 10h ago)

I think it would have been better for all parties really especially gamers

TheColbertinator11h ago

The recently purchased Activision French offices might take over all the licensing and marketing for Microsoft in France from now on.

Show all comments (17)
280°

Xbox's Preservation Step Sets A Much-Needed Example, Especially For Nintendo

Hanzla from eXputer inquires: "If Xbox can care about preserving its games and legacy, what exactly is wrong with Nintendo, trying to kill game preservation single-handedly?"

purple10111d ago

Ahh yes the good old game preservation of saving all your games to a removable hhd on the Xbox 360, taking it round your mates house, setting up multiple tvs to
Be met with “save data corrupted, please re download”

Or how about removing 360 games
From the store
, download them now or else, and, better hope to god that save data doesn’t corrupt, or it’s lost for ever

Nice one ☝️

Zeref11d ago

It's better than what Nintendo and Playstation is doing. It might not be perfect but at least they are TRYING. Unlike the others.

DarXyde11d ago

Trying? Take off the blinders for a moment, mate.

1. A failure to preserve games is just that: a failure to preserve games. Don't try to sugarcoat it: NO ONE is doing it properly. Better than awful is nothing to write home about.

2. At the time of this comment, isn't it the case that you need an internet connection to play Xbox games even if you buy physical discs that are hardly in circulation anymore? I don't have a Series X and I can't verify, but I think that is correct. I'm fairly certain you can at least play PS5 games at version 1.0 (not much of a win really when many games require day one patches). I think Microsoft's all digital, licensing approach is by far more aggressive than anyone else's. They really try to push you to game pass where you lose your entire library by umm.... Skipping a month of payments.

I don't think anyone is doing it right whatsoever. Don't get me started on Nintendo, who goes after anyone looking to preserve their games better than they ever would with extreme litigation.

Don't be a simp for any of these companies. Get it together.

PhillyDonJawn11d ago (Edited 11d ago )

@DarX never speak on Xbox again. You lost all credibility with your internet connection comment. Smh you have 0 clue and misinformed yet speaking on something you don't no squat about.

Einhander197211d ago

What has Sony done exactly? You guys keep deflecting to Sony but I am not actually seeing any results, and ai am certain nothing that you can come up with even comes close to what Microsoft has done and what they have tried and failed to do, like tie all your disks to your account on xbone.

Microsoft removed their whole indie section when they moved to the xbone because they were going to only allow games on the service that came from a publisher, id@xbox started after xbone launched and it only exists because Sony embraced indie and Microsoft was forced to cancel their plans and reverse course.

And every single game that was part of games for windows live including disk games (I have gta 4 on disk that won't work) so hundreds of games that use that DRM no longer work unless the company themselves patched it out which of course very few did.

MrBaskerville10d ago

Not trying. Tried. they killed of the backcomp program years ago. They set something up again, but sounds like it's more of an attempt to save the current library on whatever they are planning next. With luck they save everything and more, but let's see. I could see them killing off parts of the OG xbox and 360 libraries. Can't imagine that they would allow us to play Forza 5-7 in the future.

With that said, I do like what they've done and really wish they could have done more.

shinoff218310d ago

Zeref

So killing off physical media is trying what exactly. Ms don't really give a fk if you think they do your kidding yourself.

Profchaos10d ago

They are not trying this team is established for forward compatability the team is. It interested in preserving Xbox or 360 games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 10d ago
isarai11d ago

Is that why Hellblade 2 is digital only?

Zeref11d ago

Just because it's digital only doesn't mean you can't preserve it. Just put it on an external and you have the exact same functionality of what a disc does.

MrNinosan11d ago

Guess you're trolling, but if you actually think that's how it works, I'd recommend buying some braincells.

mkis00710d ago (Edited 10d ago )

Volitile vs nonvolitile data. A disc will not corrupt either. A drive can be corrupted.

Einhander197211d ago

This is just a scammy PR move to distract from the fact they are going digital only and trying to push streaming and subscriptions only.

No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft.

Without discs there is no preservation, preservation can't be done by the rights holders it can only be done by the consumers, anything else is a lie.

11d ago Replies(3)
Einhander197211d ago

Anyone remember xblig which Microsoft removed their whole 360 indie section removing hundreds of games from people?

11d ago
11d ago
Zeref11d ago

Do you know you can put your games on an external and preserve them that way? There are no benefits to discs. ZERO. Idk why some of you are still obsessed with them.

DarXyde11d ago

Because games like Persona 5 exist. It's STILL V1.00. On Playstation, that's a win because 1.00 is installed on the disc—no need to download anything.

If a game does not require any updates, it's all on the disc.

Extremely low bar in the modern era, of course. It's not much of a win by any stretch.

But for now, physical media does have a purpose, at least on Playstation.

Einhander197211d ago

That is factually not how game licensing works, try plugging your hard drive into someone else xbox, It's not going to work, and it won't work if the licensing servers ever go down.

Einhander197211d ago

Anyone remember games for windows live.

I have around a dozen games, some on Steam itself that will not work because Microsoft shut off the licensing servers.

BehindTheRows11d ago (Edited 11d ago )

I do. I STILL have games (Gears of War being the big one) I cannot access because Games for Windows LIVE is total garbage and no one has held Microsoft accountable.

Zeref10d ago (Edited 10d ago )

You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership.

Chevalier10d ago

"You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership."

Damn how many times do people got to explain your idiocy to you? You can take a copy of Persona 5 like someone used as an example and play that game on ANY console WITHOUT logging in which means I can lend the game to a friend without internet and they can play my game. Can you lend your hard drive to anyone without logging in for them to play? NOPE. That is a huge difference and if you think otherwise then sorry you're an idiot.

Tacoboto10d ago

"No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft."

Ubisoft is literally erasing games people bought from their libraries... My PS1-3 discs are useless on modern hardware. Nintendo's re-published and resold almost their entire Wii U library, and the eShop is completely dead with no BC mechanism in the Switch software. Microsoft publishes everything they make today day one on Steam and Xbox/Windows. Sony only brings to PC the titles they think you might want some years later and Nintendo won't even design a functional long-lasting joystick.

You're absolutely trolling and not serious if you think Microsoft today is the worst offender.

shinoff218310d ago

Yay steam

Not everyone fks with computers though. The disc is still the best way as a console player. Period.

Tacoboto10d ago

How do Sony and Nintendo feel about these discs from 2001-2013?

Don't be stupid, you know Xbox is the best at this today.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 10d ago
Hofstaderman11d ago

Nobody wants this. Sales or the lack of it in the case of XBOX is very telling. I wonder how the adorably all digital series X will fare. Adorably dismal perhaps?

crazyCoconuts10d ago

Only time will tell, but for from someone like me suspecting that Xbox is trying to gracefully exit the console market, that "forward compatibility" team is trying to get Xbox games playing on Windows PCs. I mean, it's nice that they're not planning on exiting with a "enjoy your games while the hardware still works" message, so that's nice. They still have a brand to protect via Microsoft so probably feel obligated to have a better exit strategy.

Xeofate10d ago (Edited 10d ago )

That is not their plan, their plan is to transfer users accounts to the cloud.

Phil Spencer himself said as much a few months back, plans could have changed but I think people are reading way too much into one statement where Phil said he would allow Epic on xbox because he wants to be able to sell xbox games directly on other platforms. Aka, instead of selling Sea of Thives through PSN he wants to have an xbox store to sell his games on PlayStation without giving PlayStation any money.

Again, it's extremely unlikely that Phil plans to put PC on xbox and licensing would prevent them from just giving out other publishers games purchased on xbox copies of thier games on PC, Microsoft does not own their games.

crazyCoconuts10d ago

The thing that doesn't align with the cloud strategy is the giving up on exclusives. You'd still need strong exclusives for cloud streaming - it's still a "platform" , just with a lower upfront hardware investment. I feel like they've learned what PS learned with PSNow long ago. We're not ready to stream games and it's only gonna lose them money to try at this point

FinalFantasyFanatic10d ago

I would love that, I'd buy up some of the Xbox games if they could run on PC, like the Rare Replay, Lost Odyssey and Dead or Alive Ultimate, probably a pipe dream though.

Show all comments (43)
370°

Could Xbox Soon Become The Next Dreamcast?

Microsoft's future in the video game space is murky right now, so let's break it all down.

Read Full Story >>
thegamer.com
ApocalypseShadow23d ago (Edited 23d ago )

Not anytime soon. But they're on that path.

One thing not mentioned in the article is Microsoft's money bags. If Sega had Microsoft's money, they would have still been around as a hardware manufacturer. Xbox as a platform only survives because of the money bags. They can continue making consoles for the core and port to PC.

The multiplatform strategy is only the result of arrogance and misguided leadership that blew up in their face. They thought gamers would jump on Xbox in droves if they knew that many of their favorite games would be only on Xbox. But that's not happening at all. Sales didn't increase. They decreased. Why? Because the dumb asses thought giving away these expensively made games in a cheap service would also turn the tide.

Gamers on other platforms are willing to buy quality. They don't need to be handed nearly free games in a service that aren't even finished and sometimes average in their development. Gamers buy Nintendo games. They buy Sony games. Microsoft groomed their base to not buy games. Even the quality ones. It has always been their plan to go digital. But most gamers still like single player gaming. Still like physical releases.

Microsoft's problem has always been that they don't produce high quality games at the same output as Nintendo and Sony. Actually, they should be producing quite a lot more because they're worth over 2 TRILLION. How they don't have more is ridiculous and no excuse. Buying publishers to take away from competition only backfired. Because it still takes millions of dollars to continue to make those games from the publishers they snatched. Their only choice was to crawl back to their competitors to help sustain those developers because Nintendo and Sony platforms were the ones buying games.

Am I sorry for Microsoft? Hell no! They deserved last place for putting in the least effort. They deserved the fallout for buying up the industry and didn't make a single blip on the radar against their competitors where they now need those same gamers they took away games from to support them. Part of it may have been to cash in on their competition. But the result is the slow death of their platform. They may go 3rd party. They may keep making hardware. I don't give a shit about them to worry about it. I only give a shit about the destructive nature of their industry moves that only negatively affect gamers. They could sell and drop out of the industry and I wouldn't blink. Probably laugh. But not blink. They deserve whatever comes to them. At least Sega put in the effort when it came to games. They just had poor leadership. Microsoft has poor leadership and barely makes memorable games. That's a killer combination. And not in a good way.

Cacabunga23d ago

That would be an insult to Dreamcast.. it had a crazy line up of legendary critically acclaimed games.

Crows9023d ago

I was thinking the same. Dreamcast had incredible games in such a short amount of time. It was truly exceptional.

darthv7222d ago

...and yet all those great games were not enough to sway people from the looming release of the PS2 at the time. Sony just has that kind of brand loyalty.

Cacabunga22d ago

Darth

I do not agree.. Sony had even better games thanks to an unprecedented 3rd party support..
DC had amazing lineup but 90% were arcade games..

88322d ago

@darth:
And Sony showed off "The Emotion Engine" and their real time demos that made everyone think they would miss out on REAL next gen 128bit magic if they jumped in before PS2s polygon pushing monster (and early lack of anti-aliasing with a healthy heap of shimmer + DVD playback) stepped up. PS2 was a fantastic system though with amazing games.

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blacktiger23d ago

That's not true. Just because Microsoft has the money doesn't mean Microsoft can allow xbox to bleed entire Microsoft money. It doesn't work like they. Also SEC will be watching and investor won't allow it. Lot of reasons why Microsoft can not continue even if they wanted to. SEC regulations is expensive.

fr0sty23d ago (Edited 23d ago )

Exactly this... Microsoft is a publicly traded company, mostly owned by their shareholders (Approximately 59.24% of the company's stock is owned by Institutional Investors, 7.73% is owned by Insiders and 33.03% is owned by Public Companies and Individual Investors.). Their shareholders call the shots on the business decisions, and their shareholders want one thing and one thing only, for their stock price to go up. Losses do not make stock prices go up... so if the division continually posts losses on hardware, but shows profits on software and services (which has been the case with Xbox its entire lifespan, for over 20 years now), the shareholders are going to grow impatient and demand they stop making hardware and focus on the only thing that has ever made them money, software and services.

When Microsoft bought Blizzard and Activision for almost 100 billion, I knew that was the nail in the coffin for Xbox as a console... as the shareholders were going to expect a quick return on that investment, and when it didn't materialize, they were going to be out for blood... out to force Xbox to sell those games on as many consoles as possible, "and while you're at it, sell those first party exclusives that aren't selling well on other consoles as well... hell, just stop making consoles and sell games."

If there is another Xbox console generation, it will definitely be the last, but I doubt there even will be one at this point. I think the Xbox division planning on it just in case, but I don't think the project has been greenlit from Microsoft itself. The rumors that they have not yet even secured the chips needed from the chip fabrication facilities ties into this.

shinoff218323d ago

While I usually agree with you . Alot of what was said can just also be asked before any of that.

How long will the shareholders wait? It doesn't appear long at all

Babadook722d ago

I think I get your point. Like just because MS has money does not mean they are content to throw it away on a dying ecosystem. Xbox has to be profitable or “what’s the point?”

ifinitygamer23d ago

Money bags, yes, but are we ignoring that Xbox actually makes a profit on games and GamePass? Hardware is often a loss leader, and they're probably making profit 4 years into the life cycle, but games and services revenue have been very profitable while other parts of Microsoft's business is struggling. Say what you will about the quality of those games, of course, but this is kind of a reverse Dreamcast situation, where the console was dragging down the company and put it at risk of shuttering entirely. Killing that console saved the business and allowed it to continue to make games on multiple platforms. In this case, the service is very profitable, as are the games, and they're also double-dipping into Multiplatform to extend this further, while their hardware is just sort of what they believe to be the best for gamers and their own titles (whether that is the case or not...)

fr0sty23d ago (Edited 23d ago )

The issue is, they aren't selling enough hardware to make their exclusives profitable, and now that they've bought half the gaming publisher/dev industry, they have no choice but to go third party to make a profit... and that is making their shareholders take a real close look at their hardware division under the microscope... why keep making the hardware if the software is all that is making them money, and they continually, generation after generation come in dead last with hardware sales?

Look at a game like Spiderman 2... if it had been an Xbox exclusive, with the amount it cost to develop, it would have been a huge failure... simply not enough consoles out there to sell it on. They would have been lucky to break even.

ifinitygamer22d ago

@fr0sty agreed completely, which is why they're hedging by releasing other games to multiplatform, plus they have PC to make up for the difference in a lot of ways, which is why their games are not complete money pits. It brings up the question of whether or not those exclusives would drive sales of consoles, though. Let's say Spiderman 2 was an Xbox exclusive, it would certainly have pushed console sales, though who's to say how much is anyone's guess.

fr0sty22d ago

That's why you can't rely on just one exclusive, Sony has always delivered on a wide range of solid exclusives, even this generation (even if they haven't been strong on the first party exclusives, they've made up for it with third party). They don't rely on just one "system seller", they have a portfolio of them.

22d ago
JBlaze22622d ago

ApocalypseShadow To be honest Sony has more of a chance to go 3rd party because like you said Microsoft has money, Sony does not. Sony does not have games, Only games they have come from 3rd party. Sony has been losing money for years and you. Saying Microsoft has been putting the least effort just proves you have no idea what's been going on. All Sony has done is repeat and recycle, never innovating or doing something new. All Sony has is brand loyalty nothing else and it shows.

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LG_Fox_Brazil23d ago

Not sure about that. It's been two decades and I still think about Power Stone, Shenmue, Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Seaman and others, but I'm not sure I'll remember Xbox Series X/S games in a few years from now... Maybe I'll remember about the franchises that the Xbox brand spawned, but I don't believe that the Xbox Series lives up to the late Dreamcast or even to the Xbox name itself. I do have great memories about the 360 with Blue Dragon, Gears 2 and Lost Odyssey though

isarai23d ago

Nah, sega actually makes good games

Becuzisaid23d ago

No, Dreamcast was ahead of it's time and most still have very fond memories of it that had one. It also had some good games on it even in it's short lifespan. Xbox has none of these qualities.

Profchaos23d ago

I remember it coming out at the time in a really bad place they hit the market before the PS2 but it was during this transitional time when Sony was promoting the power of the PS2 and so many of the Dreamcast games were awesome but often third parties simply ported the PS1 version increased resolution and performance but rarely fully utilise the capabilities of the console.

I think in the end bad marketing done it in and like the GameCube so many people are fond of it now but at the time it was looked at in the lense of the day and it didn't stack up.

Personally I miss Sega in hardware they took risks that many companies won't

Becuzisaid23d ago

I never owned it, and got the PS2 right when it launched. But there were certain games it had that I was always jealous of that I didn't have access to - Sonic adventure, crazy taxi, power Stone, code Veronica, shenmue, skies of Arcadia. I always thought it was a really cool machine though. I've never heard a bad thing about it though from those that had it.

FinalFantasyFanatic22d ago

I only ever saw one Dreamcast, and that was one my friend owned, pity I never got to play it, I wonder what games he had for it?

It would be nice if some of those games got ported to modern systems.

Profchaos23d ago

Oh man sonic adventure on the Dreamcast made me so jealous as a huge sonic fan on the mega drive who also moved to PlayStation 2 I never got the chance to play it back in the day either. The Dreamcast in Australia where I am was always relegated to the smallest corner of EB Games it was kind of a strong first indicator that things were not going well at the time.

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