Xbox One: Microsoft’s talk of hardware upgrades sounds like hot air

You’ve just got the Xbox One on the right track, Microsoft. Don’t go chasing ill-thought-out ideas, says Matt Martin. “Adding multiple hardware configurations causes headaches for developers, confusion at retail and disappointment for players.”

[Volkama]

"On the right track"? What's the point of staying on the same track as Sony when Microsoft are 3 laps behind?

[Fishy Fingers]

Same reason we all question why Sony continue to make mobile phones, TVs, Cameras, laptops, tablets, the Vita etc when they're being outsold by other company's. It's like operating a profitable company is more important to them than sales figure bragging rights. I'll never understand business...

[Volkama]

True enough. Sony's position shouldn't really figure into it as directly as I implied.

But from my perspective as a consumer it'd be more interesting to see what happens if Microsoft try a different track, as Sony already have that one covered.

I'm not a console war kinda guy, and don't much care for championing sales. I can see how the comment might be interpreted such though!

[BossBattle]

Does an upgradeable pc confuse developers? No it doesn't. It can be done just like on pc where you choose quality settings that go all the way up to ultra. Many games are developed on pc anyway then optimized you run on your consoles. So it could work. And for those saying they would just buy a PC instead of an upgradeable console, yeah right. Go ahead because you're still putting money in Microsoft's pocket. Not everyone can afford a powerful pc or wants a whole pc under their entertainment center. It should just be an option. Instead of finding all and any excuses why it wouldn't work try looking at the positives of it. I myself want that option. I don't want to be stuck with the same fixed console for 10 years.

[TheUndertaker85]

Multiple PC configurations do confuse developers. That's why most find a common point for specs.

Smaller PCs will never be able to play those games accordingly.
Larger PCs will most likely never use their full potential.

[BoWing]

The technology is already here: Dynamic resolution. See Halo 5 reviews. The supporting technology is here: downloadable games. See pre-release downloadable game prior to release date.

What does this mean? You buy a current XB1 ver1.0 (720p,900p, or 1080p resolution depending on the game), or XB1 ver1.5 (CONSTANT 1080p) or XB1 ver2.0 (CONSTANT 4K resolution at 30 or 60 FPS). All three versions can play the same game on XBOX Live at different resolutions. When you download a game from MS servers it detects which console version and only assets at that resolution are downloaded, so you get a 20 GB version for 720p-900p, 50 GB version for 1080p and say 200 GB version for 4K resolution.

But, here's the kicker ver1.0 priced at $250, ver1.5 priced at $400, and ver2.0 priced at $900. You give the consumer the choice. Same analogy with iPhone 4, 5, 5s, 6, 6s, 7, etc. 4s are cheap and the latest and greatest $$$. Let consumer decide what they can afford. At he end of the day more choices, more $$$, more GAMES!!! Who wants more games?

[rainslacker]

I can see you've never worked in, or read about the PC testing labs for PC versions of games. It is quite the ordeal to test for different configurations. My first internship in the industry was doing this, and I longed for the job to be able to test the console counterparts.

Granted, the console model will have fewer configurations to test, but essentially, every configuration will require a full test of the game numerous times throughout development....even more so than a PC would because of compliance testing.

Since optimization is often spotty on PC, I can't see why consoles would be significantly better as time goes on beyond 3-4 configuration possibilities, and the more likely scenario is that old hardware support will just be phased out...as it should be, because otherwise it will hold back advancements in games in general for the lowest common denominator.

[JJShredder]

I beleive the thinking was that now consoles use PC architecture and DX12 and Vulkan allow much easier porting of games, there shouldn't be a reason why you couldn't upgrade a console every couple years.

The author says the comparison to mobile doesn't make sense but it absolutely does. I can play the same games on the Galaxy S4 that I can on an S6 or a LG G3. Hardware 3-4 years apart makes no difference. Also, at least in the US, many people are on a program like ATT next which is NOT a contract and you make incremental payment towards owning your phone. At the endo of your 20-30 payments, you own the device.

I personally think this is a good plan. In two years mobile graphics will be pn par or better than PS4 and then consoles are going to look silly. Nvidia is already pushing better than Xbox 360 graphics with the X1 processor and supposedly tech doubles what? every two years?

This is a better idea than relying on streaming services.

[BoWing]

Will never be on par graphics wise comparing mobile phones an consoles. It's just a perception. Pushing graphics onto a 7-9 inch mobile screen from improved hardware will be easy and games will play awesome. But, use the same mobile hardware to push graphics to a 60-70 inch screen at 1080p or even 4K, will bring that hardware to it's knees. That is why you have high end graphic cards and SLI with i7 processors in big tower cases for cooling to perform such monumental tasks. Again, its just perception, the reality though is quite different.

[JJShredder]

Im sorry but there is no "perception" here. I have a Shield tablet and the Tegra K1 is already more powerful than a PS3 or Xbox 360 and you can output to a TV (talkin tablet here)which I can and do at 1080P on a 60" so this is patently false.

Keep in mind mobile displays are at the standard of about 1440P these days. Size of the screen doesnt mean anything, its the pixel count along with the textures themselves and there are some damn goodlooking mobile games.

We will see what happens shortly I guess!

[Muadiib]

Their current track is getting them trounced by Sony 2-1, they have to do something. Maybe if they do this I might actually buy a current gen console.

[NeoGamer232]

People need to quit reading that upgrades means configurable devices that you mess with internally or modularly.

Maybe upgrades just means that they will come out with new consoles more often and these consoles will be infinitely backwards compatible and forwards compatible for a period of time (Something like 7 years).

[Mikeyy]

A unified architecture that is seemlessly backwards compatible is a great idea. But having people buy upgrades every few years is not going to go over well with the console crowd.

If the Xbox was in trouble now wait till this happens. $500 console with a known $200 upgrade later. The backlash will be worse the the DRM.

[DonkeyWalrus]

I don't see how that's different from upgrading to a slim version later. It's basically the exact same thing only with the added benefit of a little extra power.

[NeoGamer232]

It is not like they are forcing you to upgrade. Spencer was very specific saying there would be backwards and forwards compatibility.

Just because they put out a new XB does not mean you need to buy it.

It is just like buying vehicles. Most people only buy them periodically ever X years, whereas some vehicle enthusiasts buy/lease them more often (Yearly).

[esmittystud101]

Steambox? Is that you?

On other notes that other people were commenting on I have to say that the PS4 streaming service I have never used one time. I really don't want to rent anything, I want to own it. The small number of games they have on PS2 to PS4 does nothing for them as well. There is just not enough games they offer for it. I just wish developers would understand most of us gamers want to just game on a console/pc, not our smartphone, not our tablet. We want a controler in our hand. Not a touchscreen. Could you imagine if you gamed day in, day out on your smartphone/tablet all the time? Those things wouldn't last two years without the touchscreen being messed up and other issues that people already are having with tablets and smartphones and thats not even gaming hardcore on one.

The controls are crappy as well. Even on the PS Vita, it is horrible to play a PS4 game on that Vita, I'm sorry, it is. Just trying to use R1,R2,L1,L2 is such a pain. Nothing like a 55" tv in front of you with a controller in your hand.

Since I'm bashing I might as well throw VR in with it. I hope it "gimmicks" itself right out the door as well. Could you imagine trying to watch your buddies play VR? Yeah, that just sounds great. I also think VR will be a Twitch flop as well. All the games are just going to look like a first person game anyways. Nothing special there. The only views there getting are the ones that just want to see what VR is all about, than a month after launch, it will be a ghost town on Twitch with VR atleast.

I just want to game on a console/pc with a wireless controller in my hand. Thats it. Let my phone be a phone not a gaming rig on a 5" inch screen.

Kids today that settle for that cheap smartphone/tablet gaming are just depriving themselves. I need to start a video game drive foundation for thos poor kids that parents don't buy them a console and just throw there smartphone/tablet in ther lap.

I feel bad for them kids. Seriously. They are missing out on some good console/pc fun.

[JohnRambo392]

I'll be trading in my day 1 Xbox one for the new one in a heartbeat.

[Zero109]

As I said before, MS need to ensure a few consumer friendly requirements are meet before this can happen. Switching out our old console (for about $100-$150), make sure it's BC (if it's running off the same hardware then I'm sure it'd be) and cross save.

People are acting like they might be going a complete PC route (in which you configure, update drivers, take apart everything yourself). The way I see it, you'd be getting another X1 but just stronger.

EX: Your current X1 has the power of a gtx 770 but this new one now has the power of a gtx 980. This works in a way that dev scaling is possible (so multiple versions doesn't have to be made), we get to continue to play our old games (and at a better framerate), and we're not stuck with the same hardware for almost 8 yrs.

There isn't really a downside if this is done correctly.

[Yetter]

To me this makes perfect sense. This isn't the sega genesis generation. 95% of games come out on all platforms and resolution, framerate, texture quality etc... already scale, based on how powerful the hardware is. If you have the base model xbox you can run any game released for xbox. If you have the extra GPU module for your base model you can play all games released for xbox with a higher resolution and framerate. This just makes sense, and I haven't met one xb1 owner who is upset about this strategy

[FallenAngel1984]

This whole idea sounds like more BS. Microsoft stated that every Xbox One would be it's own dev kit, but that never happened. Microsoft said the power of the cloud would increase the power of the Xbox One, but that never happened.

I doubt Microsoft would actually be serious about trying to make Xbox One an immortal machine. No matter how much they want it, the console market will never become exactly like the PC. In fact if a consumer wants a platform to be so PC-like, they just get a PC.