Microsoft Working On Not One, But Two New Xbox Product Lines

[btarunr]

Finally, next generation gaming consoles are around the corner. It will have an uplifting effect on the entire gaming industry as it will raise the bar for visual and technical detail in games. Many of today's games are designed keeping consoles in mind, and so their PC platform versions don't look much more than what has come to be known as "console-ports". There are a few exceptions to this, but it would be refreshing to see most game developers move on to creating games that take advantage of today's insanely powerful PC platform, because the console platform will have caught up technologically.

Rumors have it, that Microsoft will be developing not one, but two product lines that succeed the Xbox 360, and we're not talking about product variants here, but two distinct lines. The first of the two will be an entry-level console designed more like a set-top box, designed around the Kinect controller (perhaps something to compete against Nintendo Wii U). The second product line will be the one that will be supercharged with the latest technologies that will raise the bar in graphics. It will compete with whatever succeeds the Playstation 3. There is talk that it will pack a 6 core processor, an AMD-made GPU, and 2 GB of fast DDR3 memory. This console could be unveiled to the world (although not launched), at the CES event held in January. Meanwhile, Microsoft is allowing TSMC some time to refine its 28 nm bulk process.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[RejZoR]

It won't change much for PC gamers. Apart from graphics bump up we'll still get crappy, limited and buggy direct console ports of games. So we, PC gamers could hardly care about it...

 

[btarunr]

It won't change much for PC gamers. Apart from graphics bump up we'll still get crappy, limited and buggy direct console ports of games. So we, PC gamers could hardly care about it...

Just that the average console port will look like Crysis 2 PC DX11 or Battlefield 3 PC DX11.

 

[timmyisme22]

Just that the average console port will look like Crysis 2 PC DX11 or Battlefield 3 PC DX11.

We hope. It's all we can do. The controls may still suffer from utter laziness at not wanting to work on them, but at least it'll look slightly better...




...we hope.

 

[ViperXTR]

as long as its still played on a controller, gameplay would still carry out from the previous generation, only the graphical prowess grows...

upgraded consolitis?

 

[DannibusX]

People bitch about the current generation of consoles holding PC gaming back, Sony and Microsoft announce the next generation and people bitch about the next generation of consoles holding games back because they are designed for use with controllers?

Christ almighty, shit'll be fine. At least it's a path forward.

Two product lines is really weird. Unless the first will be a casual/download only device for home theater type stuff as well.

 

[Lionheart]

I agree with DannibusX, stop bitching, I seriously cannot wait for the next gen consoles ^_^, but 2GB of DDR3 for RAM, i know its for consoles but pls be at least 4GB \m/>_<\m/

 

[bear jesus]

I wish there was talk of it being 4 GB not 2 GB but apart from that i look forward to seeing how far a step forward games can go with the next generation of hardware.

 

[Damn_Smooth]

I don't know how this makes any sense whatsoever. Obviously the lower end console will sell more to the masses, so we will still be stuck with whatever graphical capabilities that has. The only difference is that we will have a crowd of Xbox gamers bitching about weak console ports right along with us.

 

[robal]

2GB ram ?!
It's going to last two years !

I hope it's not true.

 

[AsRock]

It won't change much for PC gamers. Apart from graphics bump up we'll still get crappy, limited and buggy direct console ports of games. So we, PC gamers could hardly care about it...

That's the least worsted thing that consoles have done to PC gaming.. The worsted is that it's made games a hell lot more simple one being a lack of controls.

Hopfeully MS will shove another 6 buttons on the current controller in hope i can have games with things like leaning and a cover key so less of this automatic BS like there was in Mass Effect.

Sure the cover system was alright be for those of use who have keyboards are quite capable of pressing a extra key lol.

 

[NdMk2o1o]

Aren't the new consoles 2-3 years away anyway?

 

[Frick]

2GB ram ?!
It's going to last two years !

I hope it's not true.

360 have 512MB, as do PS3.

 

[NC37]

These consoles are ancient. If you have any right mind on your head, you would complain too. When you can't even release a modern title without FPS problems and heavy trimming, it is time to upgrade the hardware. I've seen more than enough console games barely able to run adequately because they push the hardware too far. Yet people accept it!

PC gaming has languished because of consoles. We should have been at Metro 2033/BF3 level effects years ago, not just finally coming to it.

The industry is stagnant until new hardware is released. Yeah there are still hit titles that come out but come on...there is no drive to really create something grander when you can recycle the same thing again and make money. Ha, critical dig at CoD there ;D. They've been doing it for years and people kept buying it and going "Ooooo!!"

You know why people go "Oooo!" over aging console games? Look at the GPU sales leader. People are idiots!! They buy crap!! They buy bargain hardware with Intel craphics then buy their cheap console to see something pretty. Then they thumb their nose at PC gamers, rub in our faces how much devs love them more, and think we are the more arrogant master race.

Well fine, I'm part of the master PC race and proud of it. I have a right to be. I spent my money to build it. I've spent my time to maintain it. I don't like playing on crippled resolutions. If I can't max it out, I can't be satisfied with the game. When I play a console game that is clearly hampered by the hardware, I find the experience to be lacking and almost not worth playing.

Consoles are not bad until they are tapped out. Till then, they can drive innovation on both console and PC side. After that, they need to be retired.

I sure hope M$ is making the same hardware on both. This sounds like they are making two sets of hardware. A weaker entry unit and then the full gamer unit. This has never been a good thing in the industry. Sony found that out with keeping the PS2 around so long. Just make the one unit. Don't keep two on the market.

 

[Frick]

These consoles are ancient. If you have any right mind on your head, you would complain too. When you can't even release a modern title without FPS problems and heavy trimming, it is time to upgrade the hardware. I've seen more than enough console games barely able to run adequately because they push the hardware too far. Yet people accept it!

PC gaming has languished because of consoles. We should have been at Metro 2033/BF3 level effects years ago, not just finally coming to it.

The industry is stagnant until new hardware is released. Yeah there are still hit titles that come out but come on...there is no drive to really create something grander when you can recycle the same thing again and make money. Ha, critical dig at CoD there ;D. They've been doing it for years and people kept buying it and going "Ooooo!!"

You know why people go "Oooo!" over aging console games? Look at the GPU sales leader. People are idiots!! They buy crap!! They buy bargain hardware with Intel craphics then buy their cheap console to see something pretty. Then they thumb their nose at PC gamers, rub in our faces how much devs love them more, and think we are the more arrogant master race.

Well fine, I'm part of the master PC race and proud of it. I have a right to be. I spent my money to build it. I've spent my time to maintain it. I don't like playing on crippled resolutions. If I can't max it out, I can't be satisfied with the game. When I play a console game that is clearly hampered by the hardware, I find the experience to be lacking and almost not worth playing.

Consoles are not bad until they are tapped out. Till then, they can drive innovation on both console and PC side. After that, they need to be retired.

I sure hope M$ is making the same hardware on both. This sounds like they are making two sets of hardware. A weaker entry unit and then the full gamer unit. This has never been a good thing in the industry. Sony found that out with keeping the PS2 around so long. Just make the one unit. Don't keep two on the market.

Master PC race??

Also, since when was it a bad move for anyone they kept PS2 around for so long? if anything it was good for everyone.

EDIT: I could make a serious rebuttal to your ... post, or whatever it is, but I will instead sum it up with three letters: WTF.

 

[btarunr]

2GB ram ?!
It's going to last two years !

I hope it's not true.

2 GB is a lot of RAM for consoles. Consoles don't have to deal with a bloated OS overhead. Today's consoles have about 256~512 MB RAM.

 

[Bundy]

2 GB is a lot of RAM for consoles. Consoles don't have to deal with a bloated OS overhead. Today's consoles have about 256~512 MB RAM.

It remains visonless.

 

[btarunr]

It remains visonless.

I reckon 2 GB of RAM for a console should be enough for 2560 x 1440 Crysis 2 DX11 "Ultra" with high-res texture graphics. Consoles' OS overheads are typically about 5% of the system RAM. In comparison, even with all third-party tasks (such as AV, IM) closed, my PC with 6 GB RAM has 1.2~1.4 GB of OS overhead at any given time.

Most of the PC games we play today have 32-bit executables anyway (including Battlefield 3), and being 32-bit, they'll never get to use >2 GB of our high-end >9000 GB PC RAM.

 

[HossHuge]

The game developers are the ones people should be pissed at for giving us "console ports" not MS or Sony.

 

[paralityk]

Hah! "Told you so!" the stronger version goes exactly as I predicted about year ago!
So now, going further with predictions.
The weaker one will be ARM based, I'm telling you!
The push to ARM is strong and clearly visible, this would be ultimate test drive for next-gen where it'll be ARM-only (when they catch up with performance)

Look, it's kinect-like so they won't have to care for cross-compatibility since kinect-games create totally different experience so you wouldn't want to have same games (experience wise, titles will probably overlap on both) on two different products. Right?
+ Recent rumors of Kinect like devices for Windows 8 which will run on both arm and x86!
It all makes sense!

 

[Damn_Smooth]

Hah! "Told you so!" the stronger version goes exactly as I predicted about year ago!
So now, going further with predictions.
The weaker one will be ARM based, I'm telling you!
The push to ARM is strong and clearly visible, this would be ultimate test drive for next-gen where it'll be ARM-only (when they catch up with performance)

Look, it's kinect-like so they won't have to care for cross-compatibility since kinect-games create totally different experience so you wouldn't want to have same games (experience wise, titles will probably overlap on both) on two different products. Right?
+ Recent rumors of Kinect like devices for Windows 8 which will run on both arm and x86!
It all makes sense!

Was that your 0 post or negative 1? I kid. Welcome to TPU.

 

[paralityk]

Thanks, I'd call it √2

 

[Recus]

The second product line will be the one that will be supercharged with the latest technologies that will raise the bar in graphics.

But won't use Blu-ray.? Can you raise bar with 8GB DVD?

cater to more casual gamers

All console gamers are casuals.

 

[sy5tem]

, but 2GB of DDR3 for RAM, i know its for consoles but pls be at least 4GB \m/>_<\m/

yes i don't understand why every time they release a console they put so little memory in it ...

2GB was good for windows xp times... and 8gb cost US 50$ ... there can never be to much memory... ... 2GB ram is for our videocard these day..

put more ram i say!

 

[btarunr]

But won't use Blu-ray.? Can you raise bar with 8GB DVD?

Name one (1) PC game that ships in Blu-ray.

Besides, discs are obsolete. Next gen consoles will increasingly use digital download distributions. You buy a game, it gets downloaded to your console's HDD. Your internet too slow? Tough poo.

All console gamers are casuals.

You must be one of them. Your insistence on Blu-ray shows that you game on PS3. Casual.