A new exclusive report from Windows Central has detailed what is claimed to be the next generation of Xbox, or at least one iteration.
It’s effectively an Xbox Gaming PC, merging the concepts of a PC and console, including the ability to run multiple storefronts, not just Microsoft’s own. Plus, it would have the ability to run all your Xbox console games, even last-generation ones. And, because of the multiple storefront concept, it could potentially run Steam-ported PlayStation games like God of War and Ghost of Tsushima. Battle.net means it could play World of Warcraft. Wild times.
The cost of this, however, is the open question, and some are predicting north of $1000 with all these capabilities. This would likely not be the only piece of Xbox hardware, but it would be a steep ask. The question at a certain point, is why not just buy yourself an actual gaming PC and use an Xbox controller?
However, while those are the big headlines, what’s caught my eye is what Microsoft would do with the device in terms of online play. As in, it would not charge for it. There would be no required “Xbox Game Pass Core” subscription which is currently $10 a month to allow for online play for console games. It is practically mandatory if you own a console.
The idea is that because this thing is mostly PC, it wouldn’t make sense to charge for that when obviously, the only thing you need for PC online play is an existing internet connection. But paying to access console multiplayer has been the norm for decades now.
Whether this would affect the rest of the market is unclear. PlayStation is presumably not making a PC hybrid console out of the PS6, and it would seem unlikely they’d changed their $10 a month or bundle pricing for online multiplayer access through PlayStation Plus Essential. It is also not the case that PlayStation feels particularly threatened at this point, unless the next generation of Xbox(es) is a monumental success.
It has always been extremely irritating to pay for an internet connection, then also have to pay a monthly fee on top of that to even access core features of most of your games. If Microsoft did this and broke tradition by offering free access to its hybrid console, it would at least negate some of the higher price.
If this console is widely adopted, this would complicate Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass subscriptions goals with less subscriptions and less revenue if suddenly the “core” part of Game Pass subs are reduced. I suppose the idea is the triple-priced Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription is meant to be the thing they are pushing the most. This idea would be both a boon to a consumers and complicated for Xbox. I am curious if they’d actually go through with it, should all this information be correct.
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