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setsunatenshi on 03 June 2016
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GribbleGrunger said:
setsunatenshi said:

I don't think it's a matter of 'want', but a question of 'can'. Remember that the current XB1 games are using a DDR3 + ESRAM memory architecture that is itself taking space on the APU. The only way they could get some type of APU that would match or overtake the PS4 (neo or otherwise) would be by ditching the ESRAM and going for GDDR5 like the PS4 did. This would mean that you couldn't simply plug and play the same games onto the new box without them being worked around the new architecture. This would take time and $ to do. When people were worried about the PS4 and Neo split, that would be the equivalent of moving a graphic setting slider from mid setting (PS4) to high/ultra (PS4 Neo). For the new Xbox it would be more like porting a game from Xbox 360 to Xbox 1 without emulation.

I'm sure some people will bring some crazy ideas like cloud computing and secret spicy sauce soon enough to explain it away.

Yeah, I was aware of the problems the design of the XB1 would engender but because I'm stupid when it comes to tech I didn't know if there would be a simple work around. To be honest, I'm still not convinced the Scorpio really exists and think it could be simply a rumour leaked to stop more 360/XB1 owners buying a PS4/Neo. The biggest problem MS have is the online userbase, which of course is why they're now suddenly keen on having crossplay with the PS4. People gravitate towards the console their friends play games on and online is at the centre of that. Make it crossplay and that's no longer a problem.

Mark Cerny was the gift to Sony that keeps on giving, I don't know if he should get the full credit on this, but making sure the platform was as standard as it was (basically an X86 architecture easily upgradeable), made it impossible for backwards compatibility on one hand, but pretty much secured cheap and powerful hardware that should just carry an entire userbase over to the new consoles without having to reset to 0 everytime they implement an upgrade. The people you mentioned complaining at first are pretty much by now forced to get on with the program (since every other console manufacturer is releasing new hardware) and by the time the Neo is out they won't think too much about it. For people who bought it day one, probably enough time passed that they are ready for something shinier, and for those who bought a PS4 not that long ago they are still good with their system and won't be left behind.

For developers what's more attractive? Creating a game for a userbase of 50M (by the time Neo is out probably) or launch some exclusive on a new platform that may or may not perform well in the long run?

Sony might have the chance to lock their userbase in with this move, giving them all that PC Steam users have enjoyed for years and years. Upgrading your machine doesn't render your game library useless anymore, so what reason would those users have to switch sides?

We will have to see how it plays out, but I think there was some high level 3-dimensional chess when they decided for this strategy.

Bravo.