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[Draugoth]

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has dropped some hints that PC stores like Epic Games Store and Itch.io could one day arrive on Xbox consoles. In an interview with Polygon, Spencer says the console market isn’t growing and that there are barriers that exist today. “How can we be part of opening up that model?” asks Spencer, hinting at a potentially radical rethinking of Microsoft’s Xbox console ecosystem.

 

[MikeM]

Ummm… the console would need to fundamentally change for that to happen. Its not like they can run off the shelf PC versions of these games.

I don’t understand Xbox at all now.

 

[FoxMcChief]

Huh

 

[The Cockatrice]

Yes open up Xbox for the worst store on the planet, Epic, first and foremost, and not the best one, Steam. Fucking lmao. Replace Phil. Thanks.


edited cuz I misread a bit.

 

[IDKFA]

So the next Xbox will just be a PC?

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

30% cut baby.
but good luck competing against Steam tho

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Just what I have predicted

Xbox is going full PC

 

[gothmog]

This is just another stab at Apple. Gotta turn the knife as often as you can.

 

[Magic Carpet]

So the next Xbox will just be a PC?

Thats the way I read that.

 

[foamdino]

Yeah you can have lot's of stores on it when you make it a PC...

 

[Dr.Morris79]

yes because the store you should model yours is NOT after the best one for its community and developers, Steam, BUT the shittiest one, Epic. Someone replace Phil.

Pretty much. What a dog shit store to go with.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Ummm… the console would need to fundamentally change for that to happen. Its not like they can run off the shelf PC versions of these games.

I don’t understand Xbox at all now.

They will on the next hardware.

 

[Generic]

In the future consoles will have multiple stores. And that's a good thing.

 

[Generic]

Pretty much. What a dog shit store to go with.

The "shittiest store" has lower prices than the competition.

 

[FeralEcho]

In the future consoles will have multiple stores. And that's a good thing.

 

[Dr.Morris79]

The "shittiest store" has lower prices than the competition.

Yep. And the shittier store to go with it

 

[Magic Carpet]

I'm all for a Steambox. Series X class hardware that can play everything for less than 600 bucks? Sign me up.
Xbox super series x next XL. $1599.99

Cheaper than a RTX 5090 but using the exact same chip in that 5090.

 

[Generic]

Yep. And the shittier store to go with it

But we aren't in 2019 anymore. Epic is better than GoG/EA/Ubisoft and does some things better than Steam.

 

[Katatonic]

It seems MS wants to compete against everyone on all fronts.

 

[MisterXDTV]

He knows Xbox is dead as a platform....

He just can't say it out loud (yet)

He will try to make it look like an "industry problem" to cover for his failures

 

[reinking]

I said a long time ago I would like an Xbox branded PC. I think it would be cool but I don’t know what scrutiny they would face from regulators if they brought their own PC to market. Maybe a “console” that runs PC apps would face less? That being said, I can’t think of a faster way to put Xbox out of its misery than bringing PC store fronts to the console.

 

[IDKFA]

In the future consoles will have multiple stores. And that's a good thing.

Yes. I want access to Steam on my PS6.

In this future consoles will just be PCs.....but shit PCs without the functionality of an actual PC.

 

[Topher]

But we aren't in 2019 anymore. Epic is better than GoG/EA/Ubisoft and does some things better than Steam.

Like what?

 

[reinking]

In the future consoles will have multiple stores. And that's a good thing.

Maybe they can throw in a mouse and keyboard too, To keep things simple they can call it a Personal Console.

 

[RoboCain]

Let's pretend no one at MS tought about this until Steam was a thing. They had 20 years to make a decent storefront in their own propietary platform which is the main computer OS in the world and the best they did is that shitty app that can barely download and keep its data.

Man, Xboxs are nice consoles and the controller is great, but MS never seems to be not lost.

 

[Magic Carpet]

Like what?

They have more exclusives than Steam? Is that a better thing or a more quantity thing?

 

[Generic]

Like what?

Cashback system, more choices for 2 factor authentication and the refund system lets you automatically refunds the price difference if the game gets a discount.

 

[nosoynadie22]

When Epic opens a store on Xbox consoles, international organizations will pressure Sony to do the same so that Phil can open an Xbox store on Playstation

 

[SoloCamo]

The "shittiest store" has lower prices than the competition.

Walmart has pretty low prices too, doesn't not make it a horrible place to shop.

 

[drganon]

And how exactly is that going to increase Xbox sales?

 

[MayauMiao]

I'll stick to Steam. Xbox support on PC has been a joke for the longest time.

 

[Laptop1991]

I won't use the Windows store because of Microsoft's over the top control, why would i buy PC games off their PC store?.

 

[Topher]

They have more exclusives than Steam? Is that a better thing or a more quantity thing?

But Steam has tens of thousands more games available so Epic's money hatting ain't winning that fight.

Cashback system, more choices for 2 factor authentication and the refund system lets you automatically refunds the price difference if the game gets a discount.

There are better deals for Steam games via third party stores that save a lot more up front. I'll take that over "cash back". Fair enough on 2FA, I guess. Refunds.....not seeing the advantage there. Steam refunds what you paid. Not what the price currently is.

 

[Magic Carpet]

And how exactly is that going to increase Xbox sales?

This is what I want to know, I can only assume that they make money on the hardware and not just the %cut of sales from a game?
Does Xbox only put their 1st party games on the xbox store exclusive for a time period?

 

[RoboCain]

I'm all for a Steambox. Series X class hardware that can play everything for less than 600 bucks? Sign me up.
Xbox super series x next XL. $1599.99

Cheaper than a RTX 5090 but using the exact same chip in that 5090.

Yeah, they'll throw trillions at foxconn and they'll make the coolest hardware but I'm really curious about their approach to software. It will be Xbox OS, play the PC version of a game and emulate all the legacy content? I'm not paying a cent if I can't play my old games.

Their emulation solutions are amazing and I would pay to be able to play their back catalog at a increase resolution. You may think that's dumb, but I'm not thrilled about the future of gaming. Waiting for years for your favourite game only to find out they made it into a live service for kids to compete with a game that is already dominating that genre and will be never lose until the fad is gone. Let me play Max Payne 3 or Def Jam at 4K60FPS.

 

[SmokedMeat]

A store to buy your PC games via Xbox?


Because that’s all that it would be unless the next Xbox is a PC.

 

[NickFire]

HeisenbergFX4 - if you were one of the first to suggest possible high end 3rd party Xbox consoles, I think this confirms it.

Since reading about the possibility I have wondered what the upside would be for any company making licensed consoles without taking a big cut of sales. A small cut from multiple storefronts would make it much more lucrative.

 

[Shubh_C63]

Somebody post the bender meme because this is hilarious.

Microsoft can't even get a decade old Windows Store to work semi-decently and they wanna make a PC game storefront competing Steam ?

 

[Dr.Morris79]

But we aren't in 2019 anymore

I know, we now have a handheld that plays most Steam games and most Steam games can be bought cheaper at quite a few places

Epic is better than GoG/EA/Ubisoft

Wiping your arse with P60 sandpaper is better than glass, I agree

and does some things better than Steam.

Nothing that warrants it being better.

 

[ResilientBanana]

So the next Xbox will just be a PC?

Which is better than the current situation.

 

[BennyBlanco]

xbox being an HTPC that launches into a custom OS but lets you fuck around with a desktop optionally like steam deck would be sick if the hardware was strong and cheap.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

A small cut from multiple storefronts would make it much more lucrative.

Why would the storefronts give a cut to MS?

 

[Mr Moose]

 

[NickFire]

Why would the storefronts give a cut to MS?

I meant to the manufacturer of licensed Xbox consoles. There was a rumor before about Xbox branded consoles potentially being made / sold by 3rd parties. No idea if true for clarity.

 

[Fredrik]

Ummm… the console would need to fundamentally change for that to happen. Its not like they can run off the shelf PC versions of these games.

I don’t understand Xbox at all now.

I think the OS is a variant of Windows 10.
I exported a hobby Unity project as an UWP app and uploaded it to my Xbox, there was some issues with the controller input but it worked.

Maybe they could make a good big picture mode for Windows and start selling slick living room PCs made by the Surface team, then preinstall them with that big picture mode for the ”Xbox console” experience. Always seemed like a logical move for me.

 

[March Climber]

So the next Xbox will just be a PC?

Yeah, a console that will ease console gamers into PC gaming would be pretty cool. If the next Xbox is an affordable mid-grade PC that is plug and play, it could be pretty interesting.

This is exactly what I had hoped for in the other rumor thread about their handheld.

I want Phil to make it happen. The ultimate hybrid console.

 

[Gamezone]

Isn't it called Windows Store? Microsoft have enough money to buy Steam anyway.

 

[Bry0]

They should just have the thing run windows with an Xbox UI layer like steam deck or something. I just don’t understand the point of walling off the Xbox OS and having another workflow for developers to have to think about. Seems like a waste of development effort on Microsoft’s part too when they could just unify the ecosystems and allow the “Xbox” to be a portal to Microsoft services like windows already is. I don’t think this was entirely feasible in 2001/2005 and perhaps even 2013 but in 2024 I don’t see why not.

 

[mayham2199]

Isn't it called Windows Store? Microsoft have enough money to buy Steam anyway.

Doesn't matter how much money you have if the person who owns it wont sell it.

It's crazy how Phil just goes out there and hints at a bunch of stuff and people just lap it up like it's going to happen. MS was also going to bring AI upscaling to the Series X and that never happened.

 

[Darsxx82]

These words make the chances even higher that if the supposed XBOX handlead Is real, it will be an open windows platform with an Xbox OS.
It would definitely be the smartest decision since several of the problems faced by this type of hardware (where thirds party support is essential) would be solved.

For a desktop console... It is clear that if exclusives are no longer an asset for MS to use to sell hardware, the only thing left is power and the user having freedom of access to any game.

If there is a company that can offer this option PC/Xbox and take advantage of it, it is MS. Another thing is whether it is successful or not. But it is also clear that it needs to innovate and offer something different VS a console that competes with PS console that offers the same thing but with a smaller game catalog.

I wonder if at the E3 Showcase they will be able to give more details about their next hardware commitment.