Xbox Series X | S

[Talk Show Host]

18 minutes ago, Stanley said:

It’s not a less powerful console, it’s substantially more powerful than the base PS4 or Xbox One - based on the same technology powering the Series X, in every sense it is a next generation console - new CPU, GPU, SSD, memory etc. 
 

Depending on price, Xbox All Access subscription cost etc. I imagine there will be a lot more people interested in the Game Pass catalogue than if it was just one expensive high end console, immediately shutting out that audience. 

 

Come on, really? 

 

I don't see that, no. These people you mention will certainly not be enough to substantially push the service imo.  Simply buying a less powerful console with no first party games that have the brand power of the competition is far from ideal to lure people in a service like game pass. 

 

A simple console, no drive, full power, a cheaper price than PS5 and a full 6 month game pass sub in the box would have more chance to pull mainstream audience in the platform imo. 

 

But we are going in circles now, we just don't agree. We will see what happens in the future. 

[Alex W.]

17 minutes ago, Stanley said:

You’re forgetting Dreamcast

It didn’t seem fair to the Dreamcast somehow.
 

I prefer to think of it as the glorious last console of the 20th century.

[Stanley]

1 minute ago, Talk Show Host said:

 

Come on, really? 

 

I don't see that, no. These people will certainly not be enough to substantially push the service.  Simply buying a less powerful console with no first party games that have the brand power of the competition is far from ideal to lure people in a service like game pass. 

 

A simple console, no drive, full power, a cheaper price than PS5 and a full 6 month game pass sub from the box would have more chance to pull mainstream audience in the platform imo. 

 

But we are going in circles now, we just don't agree. We will see what happens in the future. 

These people! Yes, the same customers the majority whom bought PS4 Slims or Xbox One S’s - they’re the ones the Series S is aimed at. 
 

Your comments about the quality of their first party output, brand recognition or whatever, that would be the case Game Pass or no Game Pass - so the argument is moving away from Series S towards the games themselves, and an altogether different debate. 

[Revival]

8 minutes ago, Talk Show Host said:

 

Come on, really? 

 

I don't see that, no. These people you mention will certainly not be enough to substantially push the service imo.  Simply buying a less powerful console with no first party games that have the brand power of the competition

 

Can we stop with this crap please. 

[Talk Show Host]

Just now, Stanley said:

These people! Yes, the same customers the majority whom bought PS4 Slims or Xbox One S’s - they’re the ones the Series S is aimed at. 
 

Your comments about the quality of their first party output, brand recognition or whatever, that would be the case Game Pass or no Game Pass - so the argument is moving away from Series S towards the games themselves, and an altogether different debate. 

 

What? How do you figure that? The cases are totally different. Besides, PS4 slim was not less powerful that the base PS4.

[JPL]

I honestly can’t see why you’re struggling with this @Talk Show Host. If the rumours are to be believed, we’ll have 2 consoles.

 

Xbox Series X - new CPU, GPU, plenty of fast RAM, fast SSD and UHD drive. Geared for 4K.
Xbox Series S - same CPU, cut down GPU, maybe less RAM, maybe smaller SSD and maybe no UHD drive. Geared for 1080.

 

They’ll both play the same games, but once MS get past still releasing for the One, it simply comes down to giving people the choice of a more expensive 4K machine or a cheaper 1080 machine.

 

They’re just trying to cover all bases. I know that I’ll be getting the X and if I’m right about the S, my two boys will be getting those.

 

I think it’s a really good strategy to make sure there’s something for everyone.

[Talk Show Host]

4 minutes ago, JPL said:

I honestly can’t see why you’re struggling with this @Talk Show Host. If the rumours are to be believed, we’ll have 2 consoles.

 

Xbox Series X - new CPU, GPU, plenty of fast RAM, fast SSD and UHD drive. Geared for 4K.
Xbox Series S - same CPU, cut down GPU, maybe less RAM, maybe smaller SSD and maybe no UHD drive. Geared for 1080.

 

They’ll both play the same games, but once MS get past still releasing for the One, so it simply comes down to giving people the choice of a more expensive 4K machine or a cheaper 1080 machine.

 

They’re just trying to cover all bases. I know that I’ll be getting the X and if I’m right about the S, my two boys will be getting those.

 

I think it’s a really good strategy to make sure there’s something for everyone.

 

I am not struggling, I just don't see how it is a good strategy to push game pass by splitting its consoles.

[Talk Show Host]

8 minutes ago, Revival said:

 

Can we stop with this crap please. 

 

Yes, you can simply fuck off and it will bother you no further. 

[Stanley]

4 minutes ago, Talk Show Host said:

 

What? How do you figure that? The cases are totally different. Besides, PS4 slim was not less powerful that the base PS4.

No but it was less powerful than the PS4 Pro, the other console that went on sale with it simultaneously, the One S and PS4 Slim both had a price point that Series S is aiming at (I’d imagine, obviously we don’t have the pricing yet, but it points towards that).

[JPL]

Just now, Talk Show Host said:

 

I am not struggling, I just don't see how it is a good strategy to push game pass. 

Why not? Two consoles to cover as broad a customer range as possible. Play Gamepass games at 4K on the expensive one, or 1080 on the cheaper one.

 

Gamepass is only one part of their strategy as well, so I’m not sure why you’re focusing on it. There’ll be plenty of third party games to play as well, so if little Jimmy wants to play the latest CoD, but mum can only afford a cheaper console, the S is perfect. If they’ve got plenty of cash, then the X will be the best place to play it.

[Talk Show Host]

9 minutes ago, Stanley said:

No but it was less powerful than the PS4 Pro, the other console that went on sale with it simultaneously, the One S and PS4 Slim both had a price point that Series S is aiming at. 

 

As I said, and others have told you, the circumstances are completely different. The psychology of the buyer is completely different when it comes to new consoles or redesigns. People who buy two or three consoles will have no problems to buy their S, alongside the X, as @JPL said. But very few people have two or three consoles.

[Talk Show Host]

7 minutes ago, JPL said:

Why not? Two consoles to cover as broad a customer range as possible. Play Gamepass games at 4K on the expensive one, or 1080 on the cheaper one.

 

Gamepass is only one part of their strategy as well, so I’m not sure why you’re focusing on it. There’ll be plenty of third party games to play as well, so if little Jimmy wants to play the latest CoD, but mum can only afford a cheaper console, the S is perfect. If they’ve got plenty of cash, then the X will be the best place to play it.

 

Sure, but that has nothing to do with game pass though. My point is about the S being a good strategy to lure people into game pass. I don't think it is. Sure, it will bring some but will it be a game changer? I doubt it. I believe one console, totally dedicated to game pass, cheaper than the PS5, no drive and a strong offer for ultimate sub would be a better solution to send their message. 

 

We can just wait and see, no point in going around in circles.

[Stanley]

2 minutes ago, Talk Show Host said:

 

As I said, and others have told you, the circumstances are completely different. The psychology of the buyer is completely different when it comes to new consoles or redesigns. People who buy two or three consoles will have no problems to buy their S, alongside the X, as @JPL said. But very few people have two or three consoles.

Oh you’re telling me now are you, in that case how can I disagree  

 

Seriously though you’re making some bold claims and assumptions there. I’d respectfully suggest that Microsoft are the experts when it comes to their customers buying habits. 

[Talk Show Host]

Just now, Stanley said:

Oh you’re telling me now are you, in that case how can I disagree  

 

Seriously though you’re making some bold claims and assumptions there. I’d respectfully suggest that Microsoft are the experts when it comes to their customers buying habits. 

 

Of course they are, we are just expressing opinions here. To be fair though, that expertise didn't really appear last gen. 

[JPL]

2 minutes ago, Talk Show Host said:

 

Sure, but that has nothing to do with game pass though. My point is about the S being a good strategy to lure people into game pass. I don't think it is. Sure it will bring some but will it be a game changer? I doubt it. I believe one console, totally dedicated to game pass, cheaper than the PS5, no drive and a strong offer for ultimate sub would be a better solution to send their message. 

 

We can just wait and see, no point in going around in circles.

Yeah, fair enough. We don’t even know what the S is yet or the prices of anything, so let’s wait and see.

 

When is the Xbox august thing? Does anyone know?

[Stanley]

1 minute ago, Talk Show Host said:

 

Sure, but that has nothing to do with game pass though. My point is about the S being a good strategy to lure people into game pass. I don't think it is. Sure it will bring some but will it be a game changer? I doubt it. I believe one console, totally dedicated to game pass, cheaper than the PS5, no drive and a strong offer for ultimate sub would be a better solution to send their message. 

 

We can just wait and see, no point in going around in circles.

It’s not just about GP, it’s perfectly reasonable to expect customers would want one for the new COD, FIFA or Assassin’s Creed because the price is more attractive and it does what they want it to. 

[Talk Show Host]

1 minute ago, JPL said:

Yeah, fair enough. We don’t even know what the S is yet or the prices of anything, so let’s wait and see.

 

When is the Xbox august thing? Does anyone know?

 

No, Phil said "august" generally. I am wondering when they will decide to reveal the price.

[Stanley]

4 minutes ago, Talk Show Host said:

 

Of course they are, we are just expressing opinions here. To be fair though, that expertise didn't really appear last gen. 

Take a look at their financials for the last quarter - they’re not at PlayStation levels but they’re pretty much neck and neck with Nintendo - and that’s the period Nintendo sold 22 million copies of Animal Crossing.

[AI]

4 minutes ago, Stanley said:

I’d respectfully suggest that Microsoft are the experts when it comes to their customers buying habits. 

 

 

[JoeK]

2 minutes ago, Stanley said:

Take a look at their financials for the last quarter - they’re not at PlayStation levels but they’re pretty much neck and neck with Nintendo - and that’s the period Nintendo sold 22 million copies of Animal Crossing.

 

Have Sony been doing okay again recently then? I know the Playstation always made money, but I was under the impression that the rest of the group was suffering losses all the time? Have they turned it around?

 

[Talk Show Host]

2 minutes ago, Stanley said:

Take a look at their financials for the last quarter - they’re not at PlayStation levels but they’re pretty much neck and neck with Nintendo - and that’s the period Nintendo sold 22 million copies of Animal Crossing.

 

I meant about how they launched the One. That showed very little expertise about their audience's habits. Thank God they have started to regain some ground.

[Stanley]

1 minute ago, JoeK said:

 

Have Sony been doing okay again recently then? I know the Playstation always made money, but I was under the impression that the rest of the group was suffering losses all the time? Have they turned it around?

 

Not sure about Sony as a whole but PlayStation revenue was record breaking at something like 5.5 billion, Nintendo and MS around 3.5 billion. 

[Stanley]

3 minutes ago, AI1 said:

 

 

Hahaha!

[Stanley]

10 hours ago, Talk Show Host said:

 

I meant about how they launched the One. That showed very little expertise about their audience's habits. Thank God they have started to regain some ground.

Well yeah of course, luckily they appear to be in better hands now. 

[Alex W.]

I was googling around to refresh my memory of the Xbox leaks so far and I can across some from before the Xbox One. Their road map expected competition from a “Wii 2” at about $250 and PS4 at $499, and painted the whole picture of the Xbox One... with a $299 entry price.

What might have been if the console had cost that much? People talk a lot about “TV TV TV” and that PS4 RAM but if they really planned for a price that was $200 lower than they actually delivered, then that was the root cause fuck-up. There’s a lot you can do at $299 you can’t do at $499.
 

Slightly less fancifully they thought there would be Xbox AR glasses on 4G by 2014.

[HarryBizzle]

Xbox 20/20 is no longer a thing. 
 

Quote

"Xbox has a massive year ahead of us, as outlined below. After reassessing our programming for the rest of the year, we've decided to stop using the 'Xbox 20/20' phrasing as it implied that we would be releasing information in one way only, through a dedicated monthly show. We've got so much more to share with news about Xbox Series X, new games like Halo: Infinite, and cloud gaming via Xbox Game Pass. We're going to share that news in a variety of ways. It may sometimes be a dedicated show, YouTube videos, partnering with others, or sharing the latest via Xbox Wire. We want to stay flexible with how we connect with you."

 

Almost feel bad for them. 

[footle]

They should have included “such as accidentally releasing controllers with previously unannounced branding into Chicago” and won some meme points.

[Alex W.]

Well, they missed one, forgot to brand most of them, and now one is probably going to have to be pulled up because they forgot when those pads were going to retail, so it’s probably time to put it to bed.

[cultofweaver]

4 hours ago, Talk Show Host said:

 

I am not struggling, I just don't see how it is a good strategy to push game pass by splitting its consoles.

 

Because the strategy of offering a cheaper entry point to next gen will sign more people up?

 

The strategy is to get you to pay them £11 a month. How does offering two price points obscure the central message of Gamepass? The whole thing is about offering choice in platform (Xbox, PC, Xcloud) so why would two consoles work against this?

 

The console is the tool for subscriptions, not the other way around.

[Halo]

The danger is that developers will target the Series X/PS5 and the Series S will get low-effort downgrades with poor performance .

 

That's less of a problem when you release a more powerful console versions later - developers can target the standard model then and add extra shinies for the higher-end model.

 

People will point to PC, but tend to forget that the low-spec PC users are expected to put up with poor performance as technology moves on.