150°

The potential of Microsoft

Some thoughts about why the "Kinect" is important, despite all the negative writings about it.

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futuregamesandtechnology.blogspot.com
Mista T5421d ago

I honestly think MS made Kinect for the money. they didn't care that kinect uses old tech from 5 years ago and they're implementing it once again and yet they put a huge price tag on it. they obviously want the casual market that the wii currently has and MS wants too woo and awe people with the gimmick that is kinect even though the software will be underwhelming.

Dance5421d ago (Edited 5421d ago )

all companies are in it for the money

TheTeam065421d ago

What are you in it for?

Mista T5421d ago (Edited 5421d ago )

well of course all companies are in it for the money, but this product isn't even good but MS is calling it the 2nd coming

0mega45421d ago

but unless kinect is profitable it will get dropped like the microsoft kin

all they care about right now is trying to get a piece of the casual pie

but they need to return to there core audience

and secure some exclusives and third party development studios

aceofspades5421d ago

TRUE, but i can name one out of the "big 3" that actually has a passion for making videogames, and has an abundance of first party studios, sony :)

Boy30005421d ago (Edited 5421d ago )

"but unless kinect is profitable it will get dropped like the microsoft kin"

Trust me, if the PS3 was still doing as bad as it was at launch Sony would not have the choice but to drop it, just like Sega and the Dreamcast. Luckily for them things have lightened up considerably.

Believe it or not, everything Sony does is for the money. Not because they're kind and love you. Its for the money that they put Bluray in the PS3 though they were aware it was a risk, its for the money too that they're making move: it appeals to the casual and the hardcore. Its for the money that they build up a big 1st party team. I can go on forever...

Once there is no more money to be made in this industry they will exit it as fast as they can. People have families to feed man...not anonymous gamers to please.

pustulio5421d ago

I think MS did wrong in just focusing on the Casual pie and leaving the core with almost nothing, on the other hand Sony did the same thing EXCEPT they didn't left their core audience with 2 games.

And to be honest i don't see any potential in Kinect.

candystop5421d ago

"but this product isn't even good but MS is calling it the 2nd coming"

Says who? It hasn't even released yet or had a chance to prove it yet so you spread fud? gtfo

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 5421d ago
BldyShdw5421d ago

It's a bit different...

Microsoft=Only cares about the money
Sony & Nintendo=Cares about the money and the games they make.

Capdastaro5421d ago

Every company wants their fingers in every market they can make money off.

A good successful example is Sony

They make TVs, radios,Blu-Ray players, laptops, cameras, phones, MP3 players, consoles, storage devices, e-book readers.

Anything they know they have a potential to make money off its worth a shot. Sometimes it doesn't pay off like Betamax although technically it was the superior tape it still lost out to VHS, but that's a risk you have to take in the business of money.

DuneBuggy5421d ago (Edited 5421d ago )

Betamax was superior to VHS, but Sony wouldnt allow other manufactuers to make machines that played them. So everyone else said "F.U. we will just make VHS machines". By the time Sony allowed other manufactuers to make Beta machines, the damage was done.
I noticed that BluRay players by companies other than Sony popped up rather quickly.....

Sony learned from the Betamax, but they are not perfect. I'm still in awe that the company who brought us the first mainstream "personal music devices" (Walkman) allowed Apple to capitalize on the Ipod first.
So has MS had some bumps in the road? Thats a understatement, but so has Sony.

Bigpappy5421d ago

is when they write they seem to imply that they know how everyone else feels about the topic. This guy trys to adjust his stance at the end. The truth is, there are many hardcore gamers that will pickup Halo and Kinect in the following months. Because people aren't on the internect having fanboy fights, don't mean that they are not core gamers. The casuals are enough to carry Kinect, but there will be many core gamers buying at launch.

ActionBastard5421d ago

And there will be many core gamers not buying it. It's an endless pissing match. Besides the "I'm new!" aspect of Kinect, it needs a software library to sustain interest. Unless there are those that want $150 remote for the 360 GUI. The software is key and right now the software is lacking. Even upcoming implementations don't seem particularly new or groundbreaking (Harry Potter and the leaked Ubi fighter are examples).

JAMurida5421d ago

It's like I said before, MS needs to focus on getting their first party house back together. Kinect will not be fully utilized by thrid party companies. Why do you think almost every upcoming exclusive first party PS3 game has Move/3D support in them? Third party exclusives are becoming a thing of the past, despite some still happening today.

I also personally think MS messed up on pretty much forgetting the hardcore and moving straight to the casual, (as they clearly showed at E3 this year). IMO, them doing that basically says to me, "We don't care about the gaming experience, we just want to be where the money is." Yes, Halo: Reach and Gears 3 will be nice, but what will come after that??? Not to mention, losing Portal 2 and Mass Effect 2 being even more big blows to them. Almost everything has shifted to Sony's favor, and the main reason all rides on ***first party companies***. And that's why I feel Sony, in the next generation and now, will have a firm stance, mainly due to them having the first party people to "fully" back up their stuff.

I'm not saying MS is out of the game yet, but they need to do something now and fast. Build your first party up, "FIX" the RRoD already, make some new IP's, loosen up on XBL's policy and they'll be good to go. IMO, they really can't keep riding Halo to save them again and again.

bviperz5421d ago

Potential always has to do with the games not the hardware. Right now, Microsoft's potential is weak.

Makidian5421d ago

Both companies care about the money , though Microsoft probably a little bit more than Sony, but I feel like Sony is equally interested in moving technology forward and into the future as they are about money. Granted successful technologies make them a lot of money but they have helped considerably advance videogame technology over the last 15 years. Microsoft revolutionised online gaming and Nintendo has brought gaming back to the masses. Each of the have their roles to play and in turn get to make a lot of money.

More on topic though, I hope Microsoft sticks it out with Kinect even if it is an utter failure much like Sony has still advanced the tech in the Eyetoy despite lackluster sales. I would eventaully like to see it advance to the point that it is integrated into television sets to completely eliminate the need for remote controls, except for maybe your cable/satellite box. Sony would obviously integrate the tech into Bravia sets at some point and license to others while Microsoft could license as well. Microsoft could very well be using Kinect as an 'in' for getting licensed technology into the television business which would be big money all by itself.

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260°

AMD CEO Shares Vision Behind Xbox Partnership and Next-Gen Chip Roadmap

AMD CEO Lisa Su talks about the Xbox AMD partnership, next-gen Ryzen + Radeon chips, and AI rendering tech coming to all Xbox devices.

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clouddosage.com
Obscure_Observer3d ago

AMD is really building hype around their unique partnership with Microsoft to help and build an advanced and seamless Xbox ecosystem across all Xbox consoles and devices.

I wonder what she meant by "full roadmap of gaming optimized chips" though? Seems ambitious.

Next year´s Xbox Showcase already looks promising and exciting. Here´s hoping they deliver.

InUrFoxHole3d ago

They had best show 3yrs in a row. Heading for another

VenomUK3d ago

Obscure_Observer said “I wonder what she meant by "full roadmap of gaming optimised chips" though? Seems ambitious.” To me, I interpret this to mean rather than having a couple of X/S products for launch and a handheld there is a longer term plan to release new products with higher specs at timed intervals. I’m speculating of course, but this could mean a spec bump every year or two, so that even if the PS6 or Steam Deck Home is released a year after ‘Xbox’ Microsoft can release an updated model that has a higher spec.

Agent752d ago

But Microsoft forgot the games.

KwietStorm_BLM2d ago

It's X3D chips for console. Everyone knows this. And it's been rumored in the PS6 forever.

Ganif2d ago

Correct.

"Sony's PlayStation 6 reportedly will feature an AMD semi-custom APU with a Zen 5 CPU and UDNA GPU, capable of 4K 120FPS and 8K 60FPS gaming. The console will include X3D cache and advanced AI upscaling technology."

https://www.tweaktown.com/n...

Obscure_Observer2d ago

"It's X3D chips for console. Everyone knows this. And it's been rumored in the PS6 forever."

I doubt that AMD´s CEO would waste her time making this huge and important partnership announcement over a tech that will be 7 years old by the those next gen consoles will be released.

Notellin2d ago

You should have just lead this comment with the fact that you have zero understanding of technology in the consoles and instead have a Toms Hardware online forum level of education.

Agent752d ago

But Microsoft forgot the games

Obscure_Observer2d ago

@VenomUK

"I’m speculating of course, but this could mean a spec bump every year or two, so that even if the PS6 or Steam Deck Home is released a year after ‘Xbox’ Microsoft can release an updated model that has a higher spec."

Very interesting theory. Still not sure how MS would actually make it work.

KwietStorm_BLM2d ago

"I doubt that AMD´s CEO would waste her time making this huge and important partnership announcement over a tech that will be 7 years old by the those next gen consoles will be released."

How old is the tech in consoles? It's not a huge announcement. It's marketing and you know it is.

Obscure_Observer1d 18h ago (Edited 1d 18h ago )

"How old is the tech in consoles? It's not a huge announcement. It's marketing and you know it is."

Dude, what I know for certain is that a tech as old as X3D chips which is actually *older* than both PS5 and Xbox Series consoles, is hardly the reason behind this new partnership between AMD and MS to build new *custom silicon* for next generation of consoles.

And yes it´s a huge announcement since AMD is working closely with MS to co-develop custom SoC which will allow backwards compatibility across all MS´s next gen devices allowing seamless integration between devices and full backwards compatibility across all generations of Xbox consoles.

I also know is that this announcement don´t have anything to do with Playstation and their strategy with AMD for the PS6, so stop comparing the two pretending that you know what´s going on, because you clearly don´t.

If Sony is working on something remotely similar, that´s remain to be seen.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 1d 18h ago
Fishy Fingers3d ago (Edited 3d ago )

Some odd, deliberate wording, no branding, not 'Xbox consoles, Xbox handhelds' specifically, feels and sounds like they're building towards hardware that anyone can be used or licensed to/by themselves and other manufacturers.

Multiplatform software and hardware 'Xbox/AMD APU'.

Obscure_Observer3d ago

I guess you missed Sarah Bond´s next generation Xbox announcement this week, were she clearly states:

"I´m thrilled to share that we´ve established a strategic multi-year partnership with AMD to co-engineer silicon across a portfolio of devices, including, *our* next generation *Xbox consoles*."

But hey, I don´t think you´re entirely wrong, maybe MS will build their own Xbox consoles while licencing other manufactures to build and sell their own Xbox branded consoles. Who knows

BeHunted3d ago (Edited 3d ago )

I think you watched the wrong video. It's below the description, or you can watch it directly on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/kprpRvsOua...

HyperMoused3d ago

Shares vision....we provide chips for money, this deal will sell many chips, we will make lots of money...good vision

Christopher3d ago

The marketing behind this is so heavy that I worry about the actual outcome. Why are they just not showing us the product, why all this talking in market speak?

Lightning773d ago

Probably because the next xbox isn't ready to release yet?

The marketing and rumors seem to be heavy out of no where. The rumor was a 27 release but it maybe it could be 26 new console launch instead.

Who knows.

Eonjay2d ago

There PR is alrways super heavy handed. No one is acutally buying an Xbox as is.
Also it is very early to be talking so much about a next gen console.

Obscure_Observer2d ago

There´s a lot of people interested on Xbox Next and its ability to run games from major stores like Steam.

We know that the PS6 is just around the corner as well, but so far, no news on what it might improve over the PS5 or PS5 Pro.

However, Sony already made public that their priority and actual focus is the PS6. So its not "very early" to talk about next gen when the very console manufactures are talking about it.

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210°

Activision Forces Adverts into Call of Duty Black Ops 6 and Warzone Loadouts

With the launch of Call of Duty Season 4, Activision quietly put adverts inside loadouts for Black Ops 6 and Warzone, sparking a backlash in the process.

22d ago
22d ago
lukasmain22d ago

Putting Ads in a pay-to-play Premium title? Well done Microsoft. Well done /s This is really scummy.

jjb198121d ago

This game will never change because these sweatlords love buying up all the skins and bundles that become obsolete the following year. They're the ones perpetuating Activision's greed.

VenomUK21d ago

If Microsoft introduces adverts into its other games I hope it can do them without disrupting the immersion of the game world. So for example in the new Fable game it would look out of place if there was a billboard advertising Cadillacs.

A far better way to do it would be to have a wizard conjure a 'dream cloud' in front of your character and then in the cloud you can see the Cadillac car and see the text with price and availability and hear a booming sales voice promoting the car. That would work so well as it wouldn't be a billboard and completely, 100%, fit in with your character's adventuring in Albion. Doesn't that sound so much better?!

crazyCoconuts21d ago

@venom, or how about our of 100 farts in Albion, 1 of them has a Cadillac pop out

VenomUK21d ago

@crazyCoconuts That’s undeniably off-beat - but it could really work!

21d ago
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410°

Xbox's first-party handheld has been sidelined

Xbox's handheld ambitions continue unabated, but the focus is shifting towards improving Windows 11 for third-party handhelds — for now. The Xbox Series X 'Melrose' successor is safe, with development continuing at full pace.

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windowscentral.com
24d ago
24d ago
24d ago
shadowT24d ago

Is there really a market for handhelds next to mobile?

Vits23d ago

If they run the same games as the main home console, then yeah, sure.
But if they need specially tailored games just for them? Probably not, unless there isn't a home console for comparison (see Switch).

RaidenBlack23d ago (Edited 23d ago )

I am kinda low-key happy this happened.
Dont want another Series S situation (games to be designed from 4 to 12TF scale and not 10 to 12TF).
Hope PS follows suit as well. Tablet SKU sharing with console for 10th gen, will just continue the cross gen -esque development/design phase/nature.
Want a proper 20+ only TF rasterized next-gen plz (+ frame-gen and the lot).
If anybody wants to continue the cross-gen, the Series S|X, PS5 will remain for that. And Switch 2, if you gotta go even lower in the TF range.

ABizzel123d ago

Yes and No. All of the PC handhelds combined have struggled to sell 7 million units, which would be a flop for any “console”. So the market is extremely niche because of price and target market (the informed hardcore gamer / casuals aren’t picking these up).

These handheld PCs are $500 or more, and offer at best Xbox Series S performance levels, so it’s best for MS specifically to just partner with ASUS, instead of investing millions if not billions.

Sony can make their own with custom AMD hardware due to their partnership, and stronger global brand for hardware. But even then it brings the question, of being a lower resolution PS5, and what does that mean for PS6 cross-gen (likely another generation where the first 3 - 4 years are just upgraded last-gen games).

Kosic23d ago

Imagine a Wii U style console, where the tablet doesn't rely on the console it's self, you download the game on the console under the TV and play in 4k glory, then you can remote play, get some unique game features if using both console and handheld in tandem. Then you can download the games in 720-1080p to play on the go, continue your progress, and continue on the TV when you get back.

Sony could get away with this due to exclusives, and that would be a reason for sales. Look at the portal.

I can picture seeing new hardware having some sort of GPU dock, where the handheld runs 1080p, and the dock has additional hardware to bring in 4k/60 specs.

I do think handheld gaming is going to be a strong future, imagine Nintendo release a new upgraded GPU dock for the Switch 3, every 2 years. More frames, sharper graphics on the same game for an extra £150 for a dock with a built in GPU chip. Console cycles doesn't have to be renewed, just the hardware can be improved by them reselling docks to us again and again with small/yearly upgrades like mobile phones.

GamerRN23d ago

Did you just imply that Sony can make a better stronger handheld than Microsoft? You do realize we are talking about Microsoft, the tech giant, right? If Microsoft can't make one that's cost effective, Sony definitely can't...

Brand and market share means nothing when you are a trillion dollar company

ABizzel122d ago

@GamerRN

It has nothing to do with what company can do it, or what company can spend.

For anyone taking a basic business class there is a term called ROI, and Xbox home consoles are selling at an all time low, meaning their ROI on a handheld is a risk that doesn’t make sense, even if they can afford it. Businesses are there to make money and it doesn’t make sene for MS to invest in a handheld that’s a companion device when their current home consoles they’ve spent 20 years working on are at an all time-low, when they can invest with little risk with what ASUS already has to offer.

This is why Sony can build a better device, because they have less risk involved, meaning they can invest more in their own product, and they already have an exclusive partnership with AMD on creating features and hardware. So in this specific case, YES Sony can built a better handheld, due to custom hardware, customer tools, low level APIs, compared to an off the shelf product running Windows or a Window Xbox kernel =.

TheEroica23d ago

I play steam deck primarily... Don't play consoles or mobile. The deck covers it all.

badz14923d ago

@shadowT

The Switch is a handheld, so will the Switch 2. what are you on about?

Cacabunga23d ago

To run native games offline? Anytime

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 22d ago
CrashMania24d ago

Funny to see the alt already damage controlling and having a meltdown with multiple accounts in the comments already.

Sad for MS if true, a dedicated handheld would go down a lot better than a rog ally 2 with an Xbox sticker on it I think.

crazyCoconuts24d ago

It couldn't have succeeded for a number of reasons. Now they've retreated to the Windows front and trying to keep that relevant for gaming. How long before Windows Central realizes there won't be a real console successor to Series X either?

Lightning7723d ago

Except there is. That project is reportedly full speed ahead.

Outside_ofthe_Box23d ago

@Lighting77

So was the handheld until today...

Lightning7723d ago

@outside obviously not since they sidelined it and they wanna see how the Asus does. Are you saying they're gonna cancel the next console?

crazyCoconuts23d ago

@lightning - I'm admittedly trying to box you in here - Do you think the next Xbox console will have Steam on it?

Outside_ofthe_Box23d ago (Edited 23d ago )

@Lightning

Here we go with having to spell everything out.

If I told you yesterday that Xbox was going to sideline the handheld console what would your response have been? Probably something along the lines of "I doubt that since Phil has been talking about it for some time now"

My point is just because they are "full speed" ahead now does not mean that will not change in future. As we have seen with the handheld. Do you understand what I'm trying to say now?

Lightning7723d ago (Edited 23d ago )

Box me in? No you said the same thing you've always been saying for years now. Those are the rumors to have Steam integration.

What about it

If you told me they were gonna cancel it tomorrow it would nothing more than fanboy talking points. I only wait for credible sources not what someone else says.

Also this is the handheld not a full blown new console. The Asus is yet to release and they're waiting to see how that thing does. Critical thinking is my strong suit you should try it some time if you can. But Ok cool well you hang your hat on that I guess. Main New console is gonna get cancelled even though the handheld is a different marketing device than the main the console itself.

__y2jb23d ago

I think there is a 75% chance there will not be another Xbox. There is zero reason to buy one now. No way it can possibly sell more than 10m units after Xbox went third party.

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BLow23d ago

That's what they do. Goalposts shift like the wind.

I'm really confused on why they are making a "first party" device and also have a Rog Ally with their sticker on it. Make this make sense. How is their own device going to be any different?

Your console doesn't sell and they expect a handheld to?

RaidenBlack23d ago (Edited 23d ago )

The Rog Ally one is gen agnostic ... as you deciphered, it was to be the updated Rog Ally but just with Xbox branding. PC handheld with some Xbox features.
The handheld Xbox is/was supposed to be sharing the same gen/ecosystem with the next-gen (10th gen) Xbox. Think Series S but handheld ... it'll run the Xbox OS or whatever the next Xbox will run.
...
As for anybody wondering/confused why MS is doing another Xbox console ... coz mainly its the 10th gen of home consoles next, which started wayy back in 1972 for the 1st gen. And MS wanna be part in it, in the 10th anniversary gen of consoles. If they gotta bow out, they can't do that at 9th i.e just before 10th. They wanna stick around till the 10th or the X-th gen and check what the fuss happens.

Outside_ofthe_Box23d ago

Curious as to what excuses the spam was saying. Because prior to this news, the Xbox handheld was used as proof that Xbox is still committed to the hardware space. This handheld being scraped is not a good sign...

23d ago
Outside_ofthe_Box23d ago (Edited 23d ago )

@Spam
You can replace scrapped with pushed back if you like. It's not a good sign either way.

23d ago
1Victor23d ago

asq3= obscured: “ What’s your source on the handheld being scrapped? “
Read the article from Microsoft own website and one of your favorite quotations site when it’s something bad about Sony.
Oh BTW good luck with your next SPAM account.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 23d ago
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