My wants are “better faster more” with full backward compatibility.
However, the current XB1X games’ approach is concerning to me. Selecting “prefer detail” “prefer frame rate” or “prefer resolution” isn’t going to work ideally in the next generation. I’ll want all 3. I don’t think most developers will bother to go back and patch either.
Yes, PC-like advanced settings should be a thing for the tinkerers.
I’ll be the dissenting voice and say no they shouldn’t. Tinkerers can stay on the PC. Consoles should be ‘it just works’, with the occasional 'would you prioritize this or that. End of story.
Why, because console gamers are stupid?
No, because we don’t give a shit. Things should just work.
So console gamers don’t like to tinker? I don’t get that attitude. Consoles aren’t special, they’re just computers. That simplification justifies PC master race elitism.
No, computers are computers. This isn’t hard, dude.
Consoles are also computers. They have always been very simple. That should remain, you shouldn’t need to tinker to play videogames on your console. Adding an advanced menu doesn’t impair that experience.
Sure. Your fridge and your car’s engine are also computers. Do you tweak those?
Some people do, sure.
Some people? Like, enthusiasts, maybe?
Sure. Why wouldn’t there be console enthusiasts?
They should stay on a platform designed for them.
Latest rumors from the Xbox side:
- Discless Xbox One in 2019,
- “Anaconda” and “Lockhart” in 2020,
- with Anaconda being the powerful console, Lockhart being less powerful, possibly same as the current Xbox One X.
- the console(s) will potentially come with SSDs
- also working on cloud streaming stuff
Yeah, the latest Xbox rumors paint a picture of basically 4 options for next gen: 2 local machines at different price points, a cheaper “hybrid streaming” box, and a pure streaming option. It kinda sounds like a disaster in the making.
I’m not a fan of these “pro” versions of consoles.
However, I will definitely buy a cheaper discless version of a console, given a chance, when choosing a console. I never buy physical media anymore.
Blu-ray drives are incredibly cheap. I get that these devices have extremely slim margins, but it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to remove it from a bill of materials stance. The only justification is to eliminate used game sales and lending games to friends.
Drives are cheap, but I believe they still have to pay licenses if it is used as an actual movie player (which is why, I think, you have to download the player from the app store; I assume the license is inactive until then?). If that’s the case, then the price difference is more meaningful; the drive itself may be a few bucks, but the license effectively doubles that. Added up, I can imagine it’s a line item they’d love to remove (since it has the ancillary benefits you listed).
Yes, that makes it a bit more, but not a lot compared to the price of even the cheaper XboneS. That said, they would like to keep every cent as they are in the business of making money.
I mean, ultimately physical games are gonna go, everybody knows that. Microsoft wants that to happen in well, 2015.