Microsoft Just Teased Its Next-Gen Xbox Console, and Nobody Noticed (theverge.com)
- Reference: 0178026271
- News link: https://games.slashdot.org/story/25/06/12/2027249/microsoft-just-teased-its-next-gen-xbox-console-and-nobody-noticed
- Source link: https://www.theverge.com/notepad-microsoft-newsletter/686101/microsoft-xbox-next-gen-console-handheld-hints-notepad
> The Xbox Ally handhelds run Windows, but the Xbox team has worked with Windows engineers to boot these PC handhelds into a full-screen Xbox UI. The Windows desktop doesn't even fully load, and you use the Xbox app UI as a launcher to get to all your games (even Steam titles) and apps like Discord. While the combination of Windows and Xbox here is intriguing, it's the way that Microsoft is positioning these devices that really caught my attention.
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> "This is an Xbox," said Microsoft during the reveal, clearly expanding its marketing push beyond a single console to every screen and device. It all felt like a true Xbox handheld reveal. There was even an [2]11-minute-long behind-the-scenes video on the Xbox Ally handhelds, filmed in a similar style to Microsoft's "Project Scorpio" Xbox One X reveal from nearly nine years ago. "This is a breakthrough moment for Xbox," Carl Ledbetter, a 30-year Microsoft design veteran, says in the video. Ledbetter helped design the original IntelliMouse, the Xbox 360 Slim, the Xbox One X, and plenty of other Microsoft devices. When Ledbetter is involved, you know it's more than just a simple partner project with Asus.
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> "For the first time, a player is going to be able to hold the power of the Xbox experience in their hand, and take it with them anywhere they want to go," says Xbox president Sarah Bond, in the same video. Microsoft thinks of the Xbox Ally handhelds as Xbox consoles with the freedom of Windows, and I think the next-gen Xbox is going to look very similar as a result. Related
[1] https://www.theverge.com/notepad-microsoft-newsletter/686101/microsoft-xbox-next-gen-console-handheld-hints-notepad
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOKm9dDOSC8
What? (Score:1)
No one noticed? Its has been covered pretty extensively on all the major tech sites.
Re:What? (Score:4, Insightful)
They are probably confusing ‘nobody noticed’ with ‘nobody cared’.
Re: (Score:2)
There it is.
Re: (Score:2)
Ain't nobody got time for TWO handheld consoles. Unless by "two" we meant Switch 2.
It's not a next-gen xbox console (Score:5, Insightful)
It's a Windows handheld with some tweaks/improvements rom the Xbox team. It doesn't currently play Xbox games. It only plays Windows games.
I'm not sure how it will let me "hold the power of the Xbox experience in [my] hands" if I can't play Xbox games on it.
Re: (Score:2)
Soooo you're saying I can play all the Xbox games on this Xbox Ally?
Looks like.... (Score:1)
Looks like people forgot to care. Again. I know I did!
Woah (Score:2)
I've told 2 people about this new xbox handheld and was confused how they didn't already know about it, now it seems like I'm the outlier for knowing about it.
Microsoft hardware is good! (Score:1)
I have Intellimouse Optical in everyday use. It is probably more than 20 years old. It is incredible, build to last through ice ages and mass extinctions.
I will probably make a will only because of that mouse...
My predictions (Score:1, Troll)
I see this having strong sales at first by Xbox fanboys, but then I see it getting absolutely pwned by all the Linux handhelds due to their significantly better performance over Windows, even on the same device and running through Proton.
I imagine the hype train will be massive, but will see diminishing returns outside of soon-to-be disappointed Xbox fans and satisfied hobbyists who think to install Linux on the device.
Keep my prediction in mind.
Steam-only? or Steam+XBox+GamesPass? (Score:2)
> I see this having strong sales at first by Xbox fanboys, but then I see it getting absolutely pwned by all the Linux handhelds due to their significantly better performance over Windows, even on the same device and running through Proton.
> I imagine the hype train will be massive, but will see diminishing returns outside of soon-to-be disappointed Xbox fans and satisfied hobbyists who think to install Linux on the device.
> Keep my prediction in mind.
Steamdeck is cool, but the Ally can play XBox and Windows games, including ones from Steam...so 5-15% framerate increase?...that's the benefit of Linux...but how much do you care? It's a 1080p display. Better battery life is cool as well, but for long flights, I have an outlet or many battery packs.
You and I might be different consumers, but I want to play fun games on Games Pass, beat them, and forget they exist. I think many are like me, especially parents. We'd rather give our kids something simp