Reporter Peng Mengzhu/Compiler
According to a new report from Windows Central,Microsoft(Microsoft) The next generation of Xbox hardware will usher in major changes. This unnamedXbox The successor to the Series
Console transformed into PC: opening third-party stores such as Steam
The report quoted sources as saying that the next-generation Xbox will maintain a console-style user interface (UI), but will also provide an option to allow players to switch to a more PC-like experience and open up other game stores such as Steam, Battle.net and Epic Games Store.
This shift is highly consistent with recent public statements by Microsoft executives. Xbox president Sarah Bond has said that the next generation of Xbox consoles will run Windows and “will not be locked to a single store.”
“This is all about creating a gaming platform that can accompany you anytime, anywhere, so that you can play the games you want on any device, and provide an Xbox experience that is not locked to a single store or a single device.” Bond emphasized in the announcement of cooperation with AMD in June this year. The report pointed out that the handheld gaming computer ROG Xbox Ally and its Xbox full-screen experience jointly launched by Microsoft and Asus “are basically what the next generation of Xbox will look like.”
The most anticipated change in online multiplayer will be free
The most eye-catching news in this report is that the next-generation Xbox will eliminate the paywall for online games. Currently, Microsoft still requires players to subscribe to Xbox Live Gold (now integrated into Xbox Game Pass) to play online games, which is one of the company’s main sources of revenue.
However, if Microsoft’s goal is to provide a gaming experience closer to that of a PC, then continuing to charge this fee on next-generation consoles seems unreasonable. Removing the paywall not only moves closer to the PC model, but also provides Microsoft with a new selling point, which may make the price of this “very high-end” hardware more acceptable to players.
Positioned as a “high-end boutique”, the price may be higher than that of competitors
Xbox president Bond recently described the next-generation Xbox as “a very premium, very high-end curated experience.”
This “high-end boutique” description implies that the next generation of Xbox hardware will be expensive. The report predicts that the next generation Xbox may be priced higher than the next generation PlayStation, as Microsoft is trying to find a sweet spot between traditional consoles and high-end PC games.
Bond confirmed that Microsoft is stepping up development of the next-generation Xbox. She said: “Our next-generation hardware is in development. We have been prototyping and planning.” Microsoft is always listening to the needs of players and creators, and when there is a need for innovation, they will implement it.
Source:polygon
