880°

Google Stadia Pricing Leaks, Will Have Both Subscription And Individual Purchases

The upcoming streaming platform Google Stadia won’t just follow the Netflix model, as many fans had hoped. It will instead have both a subscription and games for sale individually, as Kotaku previously reported, and the whole model sure sounds convoluted.

Zeref1775d ago (Edited 1775d ago )

apparently it only has FIVE games lmfao! Remember when people said this was a threat to xCloud? Apparently it's not even a threat to PSnow or even Switch online lmfao

edit: it will have 31 games available for purchase at laucnh.. 5 games included with the required $12 subscription lmfao. It only works with Chromecast at launch as well. WHY would anyone buy this? $170 entry point FOR A STREAMING SERVICE!!!

GTFOH google!

Neonridr1775d ago

where did you see confirmation that it only has 5 games at launch?

Neonridr1775d ago

@Zeref - this article listed some of the games, not all of them.

Zeref1775d ago

this is their conference. did you really expect more?

StoneyYoshi1775d ago

@Zeref
Care to link me to your time machine that brought you to their conference? Leaks aren't always right. Cant we all just wait for the official announcements in less than 30 minutes without Leaks and speculation?

ABizzel11775d ago (Edited 1775d ago )

Over 30 games available at launch.

Free subscription coming soon. Basically Stadia store access to buy retail priced games.

$9.99 subscription at launch. Access to Stadia store, Free game(s) library (they have not specified if it's PS+ / GwG 2 - 4 games per month roll out, or EA access pool).

$130 founder edition: Limited Edition Night Blue controller ($70), two 3 month trials ($60, 1 for you and a buddy), Chromecast Ultra ($70, for TV play aka the console), Destiny 2 Complete Edition, all expansions and the annual pass ($40 / $60).

Stadia works with Chromecast Ultra, Desktop / Laptop computers with Chrome browsers, Pixel 3 devices, with more tablets and phones coming.

Depending on the game library / games you get for free, it's not a bad deal, and it's a good gateway platform for gamers who can't afford a $400 console / PC Day 1 and who simply want to game. This is more of a complimentary service than it is a direct competitor right now. The question I have is what network are you playing on? I assume it's PC servers, so will Stadia be cross platform with consoles with said PC games?

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 1775d ago
gangsta_red1775d ago

"$170 entry point FOR A STREAMING SERVICE!!"

Cheaper than a console at the moment. That may be appealing to a lot of people, especially for those that are constantly on the go.

Zeref1775d ago (Edited 1775d ago )

For $30 more you can get an Xbox lol

It may be appealing to those people to just carry a chromecast. But you know what's gonna be even more appealing to those same people?

xCloud, cuz it will work on your phone and it will probable even work on a chromecast and has more games.

Kribwalker1775d ago

but also paying $12 a month and having to buy games still seems crazy. I’ll be interested to see what others have

Neonridr1775d ago

@Kribwalker - doesn't the subscription give you access to the games though?

Kribwalker1775d ago

@neon
Some, but they said you’ll have to buy newer games

crazyCoconuts1775d ago

I'd guess there will be options cheaper than the Founders Edition, like maybe streaming from your tablet with a Bluetooth controller. Not saying how great that will be, but the entry point will probably be cheaper than $170 I think

2pacalypsenow1775d ago

An Xbox with game pass is a much better option than this crap.

opc1775d ago

That's if you want a chromecast a controller and a subscription service.

If you just want to play Doom or Tomb Raider on your old laptop, with a gamepad that you already own... then you just have to pay for the game.

Prince-Ali1775d ago

constantly on the go..? With what internet speeds..? loool behave yourself

opc1775d ago

look at that people are already confused about whether or not they need a controller and chromecast. You and your poor reading comprehension are the reason companies constantly cater to the lowest common denominator.

gangsta_red1775d ago

@krib
"$12 a month and having to buy games still seems crazy."

I look at it as the same way we pay for online access for consoles.

@prince
"constantly on the go..? With what internet speeds..? loool behave yourself"

Constantly on the go meaning and including working abroad, over seas or staying in hotels. This service is catering to customers in tech heavy areas, not indigenous natives in the rain forest.

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opc1775d ago

31 games isn't a terrible start considering that you don't have to purchase any hardware if you have web browser, kb/m or gamepad.

I personally think including hardware was a huge mistake on their part. People are going to assume the controller and the chromecast are needed and will avoid the entire service.

Zeref1775d ago (Edited 1775d ago )

It is terrible because there are gonna be better options PSNow will probably launch on smartphones this year(sony said they are expanding PSNow later this year). And xCloud is launching as well.

Both will have more games than Stadia lol.

Also chromecast is needed at launch. In 2020 they will offer a free sub that presumable works without a chromecast.

JackBNimble1775d ago

I'm curious what games they will actually have, and are they mobile games ? Will they stand up to the level of quality that the big 3 support on their consoles?

I personally don't feel stradia is going to be much of a threat .

opc1775d ago

Zeref, you're not getting it. Playstation games require a playstation controller, Xbox games require an xbox controller. On the other hand the beta of this service simply required a KB/m or any controller.

It doesn't require Chromecast.

opc1775d ago

@JackBNimble

They offer console games and PC games. Doom Eternal, The tomb Raider Trilogy, The division Assassin's Creed....

1775d ago
StoneyYoshi1775d ago

@Zeref
"Also chromecast is needed at launch. In 2020 they will offer a free sub that presumable works without a chromecast."

Where in that article did you see this requirement? All it says is they are going to be offering a hardware bundle for people who want to take full advantage of the services and devices that are providing.

Neonridr1775d ago

are you playing the newest Assassin's Creed on your phone though? I mean does PS Now offer brand new PS4 games on it yet?

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 1775d ago
343_Guilty_Spark1775d ago

It could be a threat. I don't think anyone will be underestimating Google.

Zeref1775d ago

It's kind of hard not to after this lmao.

SamPao1775d ago

especially since psNow has now what, 700 games? ...

Neonridr1775d ago

how many are brand new though? And you don't think this 31 is going to go up drastically post launch?

SamPao1775d ago

well you have to buy the brand new ones of Stadia.... so

beulahland1775d ago

But PSNow doesn't have the global data-center distribution that Stadia has. That is one of the main reasons of its limited effect up to this point.

SamPao1775d ago (Edited 1775d ago )

well I dont see anyone playing on stadia right now. sooo... psnow has been streaming for years

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gamer78041775d ago

USD its actually more like 130$ once you convert, but still buying games plus a subscription fee? I don't see how this thing will sell, and the majority of the games will be like a compressed 1080p real world experience. I don't see how this can compare to xcloud at all.

kayoss1775d ago (Edited 1775d ago )

Its not even a threat to Soulja Boy's Consoles.

Amplitude1775d ago (Edited 1775d ago )

Not sure where you got 5 from. The article literally lists Dragon Ball, Gylt, DOOM Eternal, Darksiders, Wolfenstein, Destiny 2, Power Rangers, Samurai Showdown, The Crew 2, Football Manager, Trials, Assasins Creed, Rage 2, Ghost Recon, Thumper, all 3 Tomb Raider games, Borderlands 3, Elder Scrolls, NBA, Mortal Kombat, Just Dance 2020, Farming Sim, Division 2, Get Packed, Metro Exodus, GRID, Final Fantasy, Baldur's Gate, and more

Zeref1775d ago

i meant included with the Subscription.

But i was wrong about that. Only destiny is included with the subscription LMFAO.

31 games available for purchase.

Amplitude1774d ago

@Zeref
Do you actually think the subscription only includes Destiny?

Lol it's not out yet. They're not even close to being done announcing stuff man. Plus it's a subscription - it'll constantly change with new games added and pulled off regularly. It's not just Destiny included in the sub

ABizzel11775d ago (Edited 1775d ago )

A lot of misinformation in this post. Here are the actual details.

Bandwidth concerns: Stadia requires a 10/mbps (720p @ 60fps, stereo, ), 20mbps (1080p @ 60fps 5.1 audio, I recommend 25 mbps), and 35mbps (4K @ 60fps HDR 5.1 audio, I recommend 50 mbps) broadband connection to have a stable playthrough. Those speeds aren't bad and are achievable in most major cities across the US, I don't know about the other countries.

Subscription cost Free and $9.99 Stadia Pro: Stadia will have 2 subscriptions to apply for the Stadia Pro subscription which is $9.99/mo in the US (I assume it's the same globally, but no confirmation), and a Free subscription. The Pro subscription is basically PS+ or XBL GwG mixed with EA Access where gamers will get access to the Stadia store to buy games in full, but also gain access to a library of free games as they release overtime. The Free package locks the resolution at 1080p, and doesn't not offer the free games making it basically Google Play Store, but dedicated towards core gamers.

Games: There are at least 29 games available at launch, and here are the confirmed games:
DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 2, DOOM Eternal, Wolfenstein: Youngblood, Destiny 2, Power Rangers: Battle For The Grid, Baldur's Gate 3, Metro Exodus, Thumper, GRID, SAMURAI SHODOWN, Football Manager 2020, Get Packed, The Elder Scrolls Online, The Crew 2, The Division 2, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Trials Rising, NBA 2K, Borderlands 3, Farming Simulator 19, Mortal Kombat 11, Rage 2, FINAL FANTASY XV, Gylt, Tomb Raider Trilogy, Darksiders Genesis, and Just Dance 2020 with more to come. Again games will be paid for at full retail price, however, games will also be added to your library for free as well (ala PS+, XB GwG, EA Access).

What do you need: Stadia works on Chromecast Ultra, Google Chrome Browsers for desktops / laptops, tablets, and the Pixel 3 / 3A. The service will come to more devices and smartphones in the future. No confirmation for when in the future, but I suspect 2020 will roll out more smartphones, more compatible Android TV boxes, Chromecast devices, and possible built in TV applications.

$129 Founder's Edition: This is a one time founder's package that comes with a limited edition Night Blue controller ($70), Chromecast Ultra ($70), 3 months of Stadia Pro for you and a friend ($30 / up to $60), and Destiny 2 the complete edition with all expansions and the annual pass ($40 / up to $60). So the value contrary to what people are saying this is actually a great value, because individually you're paying over $200 for these things individually and that's low balling.

That's pretty much it.

ABizzel11775d ago

Others: The controller has a Capture button, Google button, and Stadia supports mouse and keyboard.

Opinion

I think it's a good idea and concept, however, I do not see it as a console or PC replacement.... yet. The service needs another 5 years under its belt before it ahs the library it needs to be taken seriously. It needs another 10 years under its belt before it reach enough countries and markets to be a viable global platform. Finally it needs another 20 years before the global broadband / 5G network reaches enough of the world for it to be a primarily player / leader in gaming.

Lag / Network: Lag will always be a concern, and there's good news and bad news. The bad news is that no matter what lags is inevitable at some point just because there are so many variables that can cause interference. That alone will prevent Stadia from being the platform of choice for high end competitive gamers, as a lag or network outage will cause gamer rage left and right. That being said Stadia has claims of getting their network lag down as low as that of an Xbox One S, which I would assume would be a best case scenario, which is an amazing feat and the internet speeds needed to experience the service is well within reason. Staida will not be for the competitive core, but it will be more than enough and a non issue for single player gamers and the competitive casual.

Who is this for: Stadia IMO is for people who want to get into gaming, but don't have the upfront money to buy a $400 - $500 console Day 1. This is perfect for younger gamers who have to rely on their parents, because it's easier to get mom and day to pay $70 for a controller and a Free or $9.99 / mo. subscription for the service, than $400 for a console, $60 for a game, and $60 for online. This is also great for people who want to get into PC gaming, but never wanted to take on the task of buying or building a gaming PC.

Do I believe this is the future of gaming, Yes, however, the future is not NOW, and so this will be a a niche product, but one millions will try since the price of entry is lower than just about any other competitor right now for AAA core gaming.

Questions:
Who / Where are servers running, I assume they use the same PC servers?
Will we have crossplay with consoles / PC?
How many free games do you get with the $9.99 subscription?
Do Google Fiber customers get a discount (asking for personal reasons -_-)?
Will games / DLC launch day and date with the competition?

Zeref1775d ago (Edited 1775d ago )

2. Crossplay i assume is up to developers.
3. Right now only Destiny 2 is included lol. More will be added in the future.
5. Ghost Recon Breakpoint is launching in October for consoles and in November for Stadia. Since Stadia requires separate development i assume this is gonna be another Switch situation(But worse because Switch actually has a fanbase and developer support) where games come out later.

Shikoku1775d ago

You obviously didn't watch the stream.

It's 9.99 a month for the service. It's founders edition is 140$ with tax.

Comes with a chrome Ultra
Controller
3 month subscription
3 months sub for a friend
And some other stuff and it works with Android they just have it exclusive to pixel phone right now but it will come to other android phones later and it works with any device that can use chrome browser get your facts straight.

Zeref1775d ago (Edited 1775d ago )

This article was before the stream mate.

quenomamen1775d ago

I have Zero iterest in buying this thing, but there have been consoles that had 5 games or less at launch before.

darthv721775d ago (Edited 1775d ago )

Of course it would work on Googles Chromecast... Were you expecting it to work on an Amazon Firestick or Apple TV?

Old McGroin1775d ago

@ Zeref

Wow, you were wrong about pretty much everything you said, take a bow!

sprinterboy1775d ago (Edited 1775d ago )

Thats what I don't get, isn't this supposed to get rid of hardware yet from my perspective who's only interested in the tv streaming side of things and who would also want the controller that's a £130 outlay? For the chromecast ultra and controller (yes I know I could use my ps4 ds) having said that I think £9.99 a month will be good value a year or 2 from now when the games library has improved (I'll probably use Google stadia nxt year sometime when everything has been smoothed out etc).
Balders gate 3 and Gylt looked cool, did anybody else think the girl in the Gylt trailer looked liked she could be the boys sister from concrete genie lol, very simlar art styles.

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zahdab1775d ago (Edited 1775d ago )

factoring in the price of a crhomecast ulra, the controller the 3 months subscription + destiny 2 complete ... value wise its not bad. but what do i know i didnt LoL and LMAO 200 times in this comment so i must be misguided. plus 170 canadian and 120 usd to context's sake.
that being said google has a history of discontinuing and giving up on platforms pretty fast so buying games on their platform seems rather risky for me.

Mr_Writer851774d ago

From Eurogamer

Here's the full launch line-up, as revealed so far:

Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Baldur's Gate 3
Borderlands 3
The Crew 2
Darksiders Genesis
Destiny 2
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
Doom 2016
Doom Eternal
The Elder Scrolls Online
Farming Simulator 19
Final Fantasy XV
Football Manager
Get Packed (by developer Coatsink)
GRID
Gylt (by developer Tequila Works)
Just Dance
Metro Exodus
Mortal Kombat 11
NBA 2K
Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid
Rage 2
Samurai Shodown
Tom Clancy's The Division 2
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint
Tomb Raider Definitive Edition
Trials Rising
Rise of the Tomb Raider
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Wolfenstein: Youngblood
Unannounced titles from Capcom, EA, and Rockstar are also promised

Bit more that 5 there mate.

Zeref1774d ago (Edited 1774d ago )

can you read?

those are available for purchase. Not included with the sub

Mr_Writer851774d ago

Where did I say they were in the sub?

RizBiz1774d ago (Edited 1774d ago )

Is Xcloud better than PS Now?

battlegrog1774d ago

Thats the problem is you have to port games to this to a new platform. Xcloud is basicly exactly the same linked and has 3500 games from 3 generations at launch . Then will get all the next generation games. Theres a reason wht sony and nintendo signed with ms for use of its structure. Ms has the best setup ans tech for this

+ Show (18) more repliesLast reply 1774d ago
sander97021775d ago

No what do you mean it has great features LIKE BEING CHROMECAST EXCLUSIVE LMFAO WTF!?

Ricegum1775d ago

Chromecast confirmed winner of next gen.

1775d ago Replies(1)
BLow1775d ago (Edited 1775d ago )

I really hope it does. I don't see how any real gamer will want this. Being tied to the internet for gaming doesn't sound appealing to me. So looking at the chart with internet speeds, how can they guarantee this will run at a constant 60fps?
I mean how much besides resolution will have to be dialed back to maintain that framerate. We would you want to loose control of the content we get? Why would you want to pay for games you don't want? Oh because it's cheap right? Convenience? What are you willing to give up for that?
I'm sure the PC guys are loving all this. They can't wait to sell their PCs for this right. I mean you can get 4k60 without buying all those expensive PC parts. PC gaming is going to die right?
And how is this going to to perform with multiplayer games? So the latency is going to be the same as local hardware or even better? I don't mind this being an option to console but I don't want this to be the only way to game sorry.

Oh btw, how is PSNow expensive again at $99 a year with around 780 games?? Still confused by that one yet their competition actually cost more with less games for now. Always been confused by that fanboy talking point.

I'm not saying this won't be the future but I don't see how any real console gamer will want this. I'm sure there are some but I hope the majority shares my view or something close to it.

We literally had people talking about resolution and justifying a $500 console for YEARS and now that's going out the window that quick. Where all the resolution talk going to go now. Now resolution is tied to your connection lol.

And lets not forget that the next gen systems are going to be more powerful than this thing. I really hope people wake up and don't give up on consoles simply for paying $1 or $10 a month. What if more and more companies start subscription services. So becoming like cable is a good thing right?

This is one time when we need to put down the pitchforks and come together to keep this from happening right now. I have serious doubts and little confidence that this won't be stopped. Hopefully, I'm wrong.......at least on here I see some hope......

.

gamer78041775d ago (Edited 1775d ago )

we'll see what they do at e3, but I think this will go the way of google plus, google reader, google talk, google health, google page creator, etc etc.

Bleucrunch1775d ago

I will need to hear more but I already aint liking what I read from this article. It's the first of its kind so time will tell, PS5 will DEFINITELY be purchased though, they have earned my money. Subscription based gaming is fine as long as it is not the only option.

Personally the idea of Subscription based gaming is rather horrifying to me.

SlagWolf1775d ago

Onlive was a thing long before this and it was ass.

Shinkus1774d ago

I used onlive for a long time and never had any problems with it.

BenRC011774d ago

They said the same about Netflix and Spotify. Who buys cds or dvds anymore

Bleucrunch1774d ago

you have a point, but the problems with the Hulu's, Netflixs and Prime Videos of the world is that you have zero control over which movies you want to actually see. You are only provided what "they" give you (WYSWYG ya know).

Because of this we are kinda at their mercy and do not have any control accept not purchasing those services.

BenRC011774d ago

But we all chose ease of use over free choice in the end.

Show all comments (138)
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?"

purple1012d 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 ☝️

Zeref1d 17h 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.

DarXyde1d 15h 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.

PhillyDonJawn1d 15h ago (Edited 1d 15h 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.

Einhander19721d 14h 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.

MrBaskerville1d 13h 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.

shinoff21831d 6h 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.

Profchaos1d 5h 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 1d 5h ago
isarai2d ago

Is that why Hellblade 2 is digital only?

Zeref1d 17h 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.

MrNinosan1d 16h ago

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

mkis00721h ago(Edited 21h ago)

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

Einhander19722d 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.

2d ago Replies(3)
Einhander19722d ago

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

2d ago
1d 23h ago
Zeref1d 17h 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.

DarXyde1d 15h 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.

Einhander19721d 15h 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.

Einhander19721d 15h 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.

BehindTheRows1d 15h ago (Edited 1d 14h 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.

Zeref1d 13h ago (Edited 1d 13h 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.

Chevalier1d 12h 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.

Tacoboto1d 13h 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.

shinoff21831d 5h ago

Yay steam

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

Tacoboto1d 3h 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 1d 3h ago
Hofstaderman1d 18h 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?

crazyCoconuts1d 14h 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.

Xeofate1d 10h ago (Edited 1d 10h 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.

crazyCoconuts15h 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

FinalFantasyFanatic1d 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.

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240°

Is Driver (PS1) Still Worth Playing in 2024?

"Driver was a technical achievement for PS1, a pioneer in cinematic gaming, and an often brutal challenge - TechStomper asks if its brand of 70s car chase antics still holds up."

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PrimeVinister2d ago

The driving holds up, most of everything else does not.

PrimeVinister2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

@Shane Kim

Well, I mean the driving physics hold up. The draw distance, police AI, visuals in general etc do not

Cacabunga2d ago

One of my all time favorites on PS1. I spent a summer vacation playing this was so good

isarai2d ago

Sadly youd be hard pressed to find any driving game with better physics these days. But the draw distance really kills it for me

PrimeVinister2d ago

The physics hold up ridiculously well. And the draw distance is a real hurdle at first.

__y2jb2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

Nonsense. The physics in any modern game or any 360 game is light years beyond Driver.

Dandizzle2d ago

This game is hard, you will fail and quit

PrimeVinister2d ago

But you will get there eventually... maybe

jznrpg2d ago

Stop with is it worth it articles. If you want to play a game play the damn game!

anast2d ago

I loved this game awhile back.

Barlos1d 20h ago

Yeah but is it worth reading pointless articles?

__y2jb2d ago

It wasn’t worth playing in the 90’s.

Espangerish2d ago

My thoughts exactly. I bought it at release for full price and got frustrated and bored with it very quickly.

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330°

Nvidia DLSS 3.7 drives a further nail in the coffin of native performance

Nvidia DLSS 3.7 is the latest update to the long-running AI upscaling technology, and it further shows native performance doesn't matter.

DustMan3d ago

I think hardware development is at a point where they need to figure out how to draw less power, These beefy high end cards eat wattage, and I'm curious if using DLSS & AI in general will lower the power draw. It would seem like the days of just adding more VRAM & horsepower is over. Law of diminishing returns. Pretty soon DLSS/FSR will be incorporated into everything, and eventually the tech will be good enough to hardly notice a difference if at all. AI is the future and it would be foolish to turn around and not incorporate it at all. Reliance on AI is only going to pick up more & more.

Tapani3d ago (Edited 3d ago )

DLSS certainly lowers power consumption. Also, the numbers such as the 4090 at 450W does not tell you everything, most of the time the GPU stays between 200-350W in gameplay, which is not too different from the highest end GPU of 10 years ago. Plus, today you can undervolt + OC GPUs by a good margin to keep stock performance while utilizing 80% of the power limit.

You can make the 4090 extremely power efficient and keep 90% of its performance at 320W.

However, in today's world the chip manufacturing is limited by physics and we will have power increases in the next 5-10 years at the very least to keep the technology moving forward at a pace that satisfies both businesses and consumers.

Maybe in 10 years we have new tech coming to the markets which we are yet to invent or perhaps we can solve existing technologies problems with manufacturing or cost of production.

On the other hand, if we were to solve the energy problem on earth by utilizing fusion and solar etc. it would not matter how much these chips require. That being said, in the next 30-40 years that is a pipedream.

MrBaskerville2d ago

I don't think fusion is the way forward. It will mosy likely be too late when it's finally ready, meaning it will probably never be ready. Something else might arrive before though and then it becomes viable.

Firebird3602d ago

We need to stop the smear campaign on nuclear energy.
We could power everything forever if we wanted too.

Tacoboto3d ago

PS4 Pro had dedicated hardware in it for supporting checkerboard rendering that was used significantly in PS4 first party titles, so you don't need to look to PC or even modern PC gaming. The first RTX cards released nearly 6 years ago, so how many nails does this coffin need?

InUrFoxHole3d ago

Well... its a coffin man. So atleast 4?

Tacoboto3d ago

PSSR in the fall can assume that role.

anast3d ago

and those nails need to be replaced annually

Einhander19723d ago

I'm not sure what the point you're trying to make is, but PS4 Pro was before DLSS and FSR, and it still provides one of the highest performance uplifts while maintaining good image quality.

DLSS is it's own thing but checkerboarding om PS5 still is a rival to the likes of FSR2.

Tacoboto3d ago

Um. That is my point. That there have been so many nails in this "native performance" coffin and they've been getting hammered in for years, even on PS4 Pro before DLSS was even a thing.

RaidenBlack2d ago

Don't know what's OP's point is either but ... checkerboard rendering was good enough for its time but in terms of image quality its wayy behind what's DLSS 3 or FSR 3 is currently offering.
The main point of the article and what OP missed here is that DLSS 3.7 is soo good that its nearly undisguisable from native rendering and basically throws the "its still blurry and inferior to native rendering" debacle, (that's been going around in PC community since 2019), right out of the window.

Einhander19722d ago

RaidenBlack

DLSS is as i said a different thing from FSR and checkerboard.

But you're talking about FSR 3 which probably is better than checkerboard, but FSR 3 has only started to get games this year, so checkerboard which was the first hardware upscaling solution was and is still one of the best upscaling solutions.

Give credit where credit is due, PlayStation was first and they got it right from the get go, and PSSR will almost certainly be better than it will be given credit for, heck digital foundry is already spreading misinformation about the Pro.

Rhythmattic2d ago

Tacoboto
Yes... Its amazing how many talekd about KZ2 deferred rendering, pointing out the explosions were lower res than the frame itself..
And of course, Then the idea of checkerboard rendering, not being native....
For sure, maybe this tech makes it minimal while pixel counting, but alas, seems performance and close enough , and not native now matters.....
I want to see it run native without DLSS.. why not?

RonsonPL3d ago

Almost deaf person:
- lightweight portable 5$, speakers of 0,5cm diameter are the final nail in coffin of Hi-Fi audio!

Some people in 2010:
- smartphones are the final nain in the console gaming's coffin!

This is just the same.
AI upscalling is complete dogshit in terms of motion quality. The fact that someone is not aware of it (look at the deaf guy example) doesn't mean the flaws are not there. They are. And all it takes to see them, is to use a display that handles motion well, so either gets true 500fps at 500Hz LCD TN or OLED (or faster tech) or uses low persistence mode (check blurbusters.com if you don't know what it means) also known as Black Frame Insertion or backlight strobing.

Also, image ruined by any type of TAA is just as "native image" as chineese 0,5$ screwdriver is "high quality, heavy duty, for professional use". It's nowhere near it. But if you're an ignorant "journalist", you will publish crap like this article, just to flow with the current.

There's no coffin to native res quality and there never will be. Eventually, we'll have enough performance in rasterization to drive 500fps, which will be a game changer for motion quality while also adding other benefit - lower latency.
And at 500fps, the amount of time required for upscalling makes it completely useless.
This crap is only usable for cinematic stuff, like cutscenes and such. Not for gaming. Beware of ignorants on the internet. The TAA is not "native" and the shitty look of the modern games when you disable any TAA, is not "native" either as it's ruined by the developer's design choice - you can cheat by rendering every 4th pixel when you plan to put a smeary TAA pass on it later on. When you disable it, you will see a ruined image, horrible pixellation and other visual "glitches" but it is NOT what native would've looked like if you'd like to honestly compare the two.

Stay informed.

RaidenBlack2d ago

Main point of the article is how far DLSS has come with v3.7 since 2018. If this is what we're getting already, then imagine what we'll get within next ~3 years. Yes parity will obviously be there compared to the then native rendering tech but it'll slowly narrow down to the point it'll be indistinguishable.
Something similar is like the genAI Sora ... AI generative videos were turd back when they were introduced (the infamous Will Smith eating video) ... but now look at Sora, generating videos that just looks like real life.

2d ago
Yui_Suzumiya2d ago

How much VRAM is standard today? My laptop has a 1080p QLED display but only an Intel Iris Xe with 128MB of VRAM. I currently do all my gaming on it but certain titles do suffer because of it. I plan on getting a Steam Deck OLED soon to play the newer and more demanding titles.

purple1012d ago

Maybe better to get a budget gaming laptop and link a dualsense to it

= Portable console with far better graphics than a steam deck! + bigger screen and able to use it for work / etc