Support NeoGAF

[Mister Wolf]

I don't understand how this would benefit either party really. Not happening.
I would buy one though!

Microsoft can now prioritize itself as a software company selling its games on everything while still selling niche hardware no different than the Steam Deck or any of those windows handhelds. Only this will have a powerful home version and a weaker portable version.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

Microsoft can now prioritize itself as a software company selling its games on everything while still selling niche hardware no different than the Steam Deck or any of those windows handhelds. Only this will have a powerful home version and a weaker portable version.

And with more PS games coming to Steam the Xbox/PC looks mighty appealing all of a sudden for the crowd who doesn't want the hassle of a PC and like the console experience IF affordable enough

 

[MonkeyClaw36]

This could change everything, its a complete 180.

But im calling it - i dont think itll happen.

It won't.

 

[FewRope]

And with more PS games coming to Steam the Xbox/PC looks mighty appealing all of a sudden for the crowd who doesn't want the hassle of a PC and like the console experience IF affordable enough

But the shortcomings would be the same as PC if is a Windows Machine right?

 

[MonkeyClaw36]

Microsoft can now prioritize itself as a software company selling its games on everything while still selling niche hardware no different than the Steam Deck or any of those windows handhelds. Only this will have a powerful home version and a weaker portable version.

The Xbox division is having a serious identity problem atm. They literally can't do shit.

 

[MonkeyClaw36]

Monkey paw: "100% Steam" is a name of the shitty launch game

I never said this.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

But the shortcomings would be the same as PC if is a Windows Machine right?

It will be more of the "console experience" being a closed non upgradable system that you can still put in standby mode and let everything update for you so you come home pick up the controller and play

Guessing and all

 

[XXL]

 

[StereoVsn]

It will be more of the "console experience" being a closed non upgradable system that you can still put in standby mode and let everything update for you so you come home pick up the controller and play

Guessing and all

If MS put a decent “console” lite interface (you can actually get there halfway with multiple 3rd party software including Steam), this can be done with just a regular Windows PC.

Patching in the background isn’t rocket science either, although admittedly all big motherboard vendors suck so firmware updates are different.

I kind of want to see what MS comes up with here, but also kind of dubious about its market attractiveness.

Also, it better have at least storage available for upgrades if they are going PC-lite route.

 

[SmokedMeat]

I don’t see how this works, but an Xbox that somehow plays Steam games would be great.

 

[REDRZA MWS]

It will be on PC either way, all xbox games launch on PC day one.

That’s exactly what I was getting at.

 

[NickFire]

Also, it better have at least storage available for upgrades if they are going PC-lite route.

Storage options will be very interesting. MS loves that propriety racket. I don't believe for a second they use propriety for user convenience either. Straight back end cash grabs IMO.

 

[Generic]

Xbox customers had been used to not buying games for so long, they forgot that companies are suppose to earn a profit.
Xbox gamers assumed that companies are suppose to run at a loss every year to keep gamers happy just because. That is why Xbox is dying.

I can't blame them, charging $70 for a single game is criminal.

 

[GHG]

MS would face a trade-off, getting more users into their ecosystem while facing the risk of these users purchasing titles available on the Steam Store app instead of the XBOX one, however IF REAL is yet to see the pricing and the availability of all titles, plus what kind of cut would MS get if games were purchased through the Steam store.

All this discussion is based on a rumor, but again to me as a multiplatform gamer who relies on Steam mostly it would be a great feature and would make me place a XBOX on my living room.

If people buy their hardware but decide to start purchasing games from other storefronts then they are no longer purchasing within their ecosystem.

That's money leaving their ecosystem that they would have already have. And no, Microsoft do not get a cut. Do Dell/Asus/etc get a cut when people purchase from Steam on their pre-built systems/handhelds? The same principle would apply here, there's no reason for it to be any different.

I can't blame them, charging $70 for a single game is criminal.

And yet hundreds of millions of transactions say you are wrong.

 

[Js562]

That's cool if it's true. I got too many games on steam and Xbox and it'll be even more. I still buy games even if gamepass is there for me because I'm just used to it

 

[Last Hearth]

Ok, so what is the negative? MS would be losing sales against the Steam store, ok it makes sense. However on the other hand they would be getting a bigger audience into their ecosystem, and that has a price specially when the opens the door to convert those customers into GP subscribers.

This is just a rumor and we lack of any detail it might include if it was real, e.g: Microsoft titles not available at the Steam store, or any other concession as Steam did back in the day with NVIDIA to offer Steam in GFN. Only a limited amount of titles are available on GFN while other publishers are against this, but in the end Steam supports GFN. Also, Steam would expand its customer base, those people not familiar with PCs, by leveraging the XBOX ecosystem.

For us consumers this would be a win-win situation, and that is what matters most to me as a gamer, there's no con on this if true.

The con is that for this to make sense, Microsoft has to own Steam.

 

[DaGwaphics]

Even if it’s a PC of some sort, They won’t make a cent from third party games sold on Steam.

That wouldn't necessarily be guaranteed. It's not uncommon for revenue sharing to be a thing on a device, even if there are technically multiple suppliers on there (Roku has a ton of avenues for revenue on their devices, even taking a share of revenue from commercials on streaming apps which was a real bone of contention for Spectrum). This device might run an ever so slightly different version of the store that could identify purchases made on the box etc.

Not saying it would happen this way, but just that it easily could. And it might not be a bad move for Steam, if it gave them access to a solid value piece of hardware in an environment where PC component prices just keep growing higher.

 

[Starhowl]

OMG this is awesome news - can't wait for this to happen!!!

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

Again, how does this benefit the XBox brand?

 

[intheinbetween]

The con is that for this to make sense, Microsoft has to own Steam.

How’s so? Does NVIDIA own Valve to offer Steam on GFN?

 

[Hari Seldon]

It will be more of the "console experience" being a closed non upgradable system that you can still put in standby mode and let everything update for you so you come home pick up the controller and play

Guessing and all

The "console experience" also means you are limited to controller games, which are a minority of the games that I play on steam.

 

[Bry0]

The "console experience" also means you are limited to controller games, which are a minority of the games that I play on steam.

Not really. Deck solved this so why can’t MS.

 

[Arcane0ne]

Xsteambox ,the only way they survive on next gen.

 

[DeltaPolarBear]

That wouldn't necessarily be guaranteed. It's not uncommon for revenue sharing to be a thing on a device, even if there are technically multiple suppliers on there (Roku has a ton of avenues for revenue on their devices, even taking a share of revenue from commercials on streaming apps which was a real bone of contention for Spectrum). This device might run an ever so slightly different version of the store that could identify purchases made on the box etc.

Not saying it would happen this way, but just that it easily could. And it might not be a bad move for Steam, if it gave them access to a solid value piece of hardware in an environment where PC component prices just keep growing higher.

Xbox does not have enough pull to get any "offer". Steam gets no "value" when they already get their 30% on Microsoft games on the Steam store. Xbox can't negotiate for anything.

 

[mckmas8808]

Again, how does this benefit the XBox brand?

They are 100% all in on GamePass now. It's their trojan horse to getting people to subscribe to GP. It's literally the main thing "Brand-wise" that matters to MS Gaming at this point.

 

[djjinx2]

Xbox does not have enough pull to get any "offer". Steam gets no "value" when they already get their 30% on Microsoft games on the Steam store. Xbox can't negotiate for anything.

They don't necessarily need to negotiate anything.

"Access your Steam library on Xbox exclusively with GamePass Ultimate"

Just another perk for GamePass.

 

[THE DUCK]

They don't necessarily need to negotiate anything.

"Access your Steam library on Xbox exclusively with GamePass Ultimate"

Just another perk for GamePass.

Or potentially gamepass on steam itself.