Project xCloud - Microsoft wants you to not own any games

This is something I can only get upset at in theory. In practice, how often do we really fire up old hard copies of PC games? How often would they even run on modern computers? For $5 you can just let GOG do the work and download a version prepped for modern systems.

We’ve given up true ownership, but we’ve gained unheard of rock bottom prices. In the brick & mortar days you’d just have to luck out with bargain bins and finding something not crap in there, or wait years for a $20 greatest hits version. Now you can get 50% off in 3-6 months after release, and 66-90% after a year. The idea of ever spending more than $20 for a game seems downright insulting now!

I’m happy with that trade off.

How much bandwidth will streaming (either MS or Google) eat up compared to movies, TV and music currently?

Game streams typically max out at 10Mbps which is similar to the 1080p streaming bandwidth for movies. Music streaming uses a small fraction of that, say ~200Kbps.

True, however this could turn into the old slippery slope if it catches on.
Much like how Steam started out. For years, you could generally buy a CD/DVD version of a game, or buy from Steam. Then Steam got popular (and rightly so), and wiped out the former standard.

True. But I’ve got 600+ boxed copies of games here from the early 90’s up to a few years ago that will run just fine without any online verification whatsoever. I may not “own” those games, but…

Wait a minute. I think I do own them. Obviously, I do not have the right to duplicate and sell them, and I don’t own the IP, however, I do think that I do own my copies of those games, correct? I am free to do with them as I like, and no one can legally prevent me from playing those games, right? So I do own those games, much moreso than a Steamworks owner owns his copy. In that I am not at the mercy of someone else deciding I can no longer install those games.

Compatibility is another issue, but as long as I choose to maintain either an old computer, or the ability to run my games on a new computer, I can still legally do it, as long as I have my original disk containing all the files. Or GOG is a good option for me too.

But these are old arguments, and I have gradually wound up with a large library on Steam, in spite of my being dragged kicking and screaming onto the platform. And I can appreciate its conveniences, and indeed benefit from them, especially with newer games that require frequent patching. I no longer have room in my house for any more boxed games, and I realize I won’t live forever, so I’ve more or less given up caring.

But it’s been fascinating watching the trend away from “ownership” of pretty much anything these days. People lease their cars now, subscribe to their software, subscribe to temporary versions of their magazines online, rent their houses or apartments. Even relationships are generally temporary. And I can see their point: No one lives forever. So why bother owning anything?

My concern is less my individual access to games (although it would be all but impossible to mod streamed games, which is IMO a huge deal) and more preserving the medium’s legacy. I don’t think games should be disposable commodities, and I’m really not fond of anything that makes it more difficult to keep them available to future generations. Steam, for all that it’s not “real” ownership, is close enough for my purposes and Steamworks DRM has never prevented anyone from archiving games so that’s more or less covered (even if I wish companies would be more conscious of these things too). Streamed games, on the other hand…once they’re taken down, they’d be gone entirely.

I mean…they’re just games.

Just … games?

what

They’re part of our cultural history, just like movies, TV, books, plays, music, etc. And sure, not all of it will be of interest going forward, but there’s no particular need to be picky about what we preserve these days, and no telling now what people will want to revisit in future decades or centuries.

Some pretty compelling rumors showing up that MS and Nintendo are working on some huge E3 reveal for this.

I have to admit, if the Nintendo/Microsoft Game Pass rumors are true, it’s what might finally be the final push I need to get a Switch.

Waaaaaaiiiitt what?

Same! Whats this?

surprise

Just got the Xbox pass during the $2 sale a week or so ago. If they somehow allow crossplay with some of those titles on the Switch I might actually use my Switch again.

Holy crapola. I’d definitely get a Switch if that happened.

A few places have started buzzing about this.

-100% confirmed. MS will talk about their vision for Xbox, xCloud, Game Pass at GDC.

  • 90% sure this is true. MS and Nintendo have had talks about getting something Xbox on a Nintendo platform, Switch being the obvious thing.

  • Not sure how true, but MS and Nintendo may have come to some agreement already.

  • Forza, Halo, Sea of Thieves on Switch?

  • Might be select Game Pass titles.

  • Might be using xCloud.

What if it also goes the other way and GamePass/(xCloud store?) includes streaming Nintendo games on Xbox? Hmm…

Seems much less likely.