Xbox The Xbox One - - Part 14

[Iceman]

Xbox Live Will Expand to Android and iOS Devices

 

[Iceman]

From Bloomberg:

Microsoft Can Lead Game-Streaming Market With Azure, Software

(Bloomberg Intelligence) -- Microsoft will likely be a leader in cloud-based game streaming once the market becomes material, as it's the only company with scale in infrastructure and development. Amazon and Google will probably struggle to gain footholds without content, while Sony and Nintendo have strong catalogs but not the data-center footprints to match Microsoft. (03/18/19)


1. Microsoft Best-Positioned for Eventual Cloud Rise

Microsoft is currently the only company with a strong cloud-computing business and game-development resources, leaving it best-positioned to capitalize on the eventual rise of game streaming. Microsoft is testing its xCloud streaming service and already has the Xbox Game Pass subscription service, which costs $9.99 a month. The company has also significantly expanded its development resources, acquiring six studios last year and announcing the creation of an additional one to supplement another six it previously owned.


Sony is arguably best-positioned for subscription services, given leading development resources and a large, captive audience, but it lacks cloud infrastructure for a potential streaming offering. Internet companies such as Amazon and Google and others such as Apple lack sufficient game content.

 

[X Knight]

if streaming/digital/cloud gaming is the future, even with new entrants like Google and Amazon, and even if MS is poised to dominate streaming/digital/cloud, it quite frankly isn't a gaming future I'm interested in.

for one, it's impractical if you don't have super high speed internet and unlimited data. plus, I still like the concept of ownership that physical games affords.

so, I really don't know what direction MS is going in. it feels like they are gradually moving away from what I want as a console gamer. which is unfortunate.

 

[Dugath]

The world is moving in a direction where everything is going to be "online/streamed" When I think back to what things were like when I was a teenager to now it is night and day and the advances just seem to speed up over the years. Not a surprise gaming wants to go the streaming route. Though they should make one with a disk player and one without. But the one without better be cheaper or come with a bigger hard drive.

I personally have not bought one physical game since the Xbox One was launched. I have a library of over a 100 games and I can't imagine having that mess of disks.

 

[zenith16]

20 mins ago
DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED, VAMPYR And Many More Will Be Available On Xbox Game Pass Soon
Microsoft has proudly announced that Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite, Vampyr, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, The Walking Dead: Michonne, Minecraft, What Remains of Edith Finch, and more are coming to Xbox Game Pass...Read more


source: GameFragger.com: Video Game News, Reviews, Trailers and more!

 

[X Knight]

I must say.

I've never been much of a car guy or much of a racing fan, but I have been enjoying Forza Horizon 4 and Forza Motorsport 7. If nothing else, these games are gorgeous running on my X1X in HDR on my new 49" 4K TV!!

 

[Iceman]

Anyone notice that their XBox switches on instantly now? On my X1X and S, as soon as I press the power button I am in. I can be gaming and in a party in seconds. This whole process used to take ages waiting for the Xbox to boot.

 

[X Knight]

Anyone notice that their XBox switches on instantly now? On my X1X and S, as soon as I press the power button I am in. I can be gaming and in a party in seconds. This whole process used to take ages waiting for the Xbox to boot.

are you booting up from "Instant On" mode? using Instant On, my Xbox has always been fairly quick to boot up and get into a game. maybe faster on my X than on my prior X1s.

doing a fresh boot out of a full shutdown, though, still takes some time.

 

[X Knight]

oh, as an aside, the Forza games are quickly becoming a favorite franchise.

Crackdown 3, however, is...…..well...…...yuck. thank god for Gamepass......lol.

 

[Iceman]

are you booting up from "Instant On" mode? using Instant On, my Xbox has always been fairly quick to boot up and get into a game. maybe faster on my X than on my prior X1s.

doing a fresh boot out of a full shutdown, though, still takes some time.

Hmm. I thought that I've always been on Instant On mode all these years, so that things get auto-downloaded and also for Kinect voice tech (although that's been disconnected for a while). Anyway it's pretty cool how quickly I can be in a game and party from the second I switch on now. Used to be a pain when trying to log on fast to catch a friend before they leave, or when you're late for a session.

 

[Iceman]

oh, as an aside, the Forza games are quickly becoming a favorite franchise.

Crackdown 3, however, is...…..well...…...yuck. thank god for Gamepass......lol.

Forza has been my favourite racing series for a good while now. I used to love Gran Turismo. And I've never been interested in Crackdown.

 

[X Knight]

Hmm. I thought that I've always been on Instant On mode all these years, so that things get auto-downloaded and also for Kinect voice tech (although that's been disconnected for a while). Anyway it's pretty cool how quickly I can be in a game and party from the second I switch on now. Used to be a pain when trying to log on fast to catch a friend before they leave, or when you're late for a session.

the PS4 ( or at least the Pro ) is also pretty quick to boot up from a full shutdown and get into a game. I'd say it's even faster than Xbox booting up from a full shutdown.

The PS4 interface also makes it much easier to quickly put the PS4 into Rest Mode ( like Instant On ) or Full Shutdown. You just hold the PS Home button on the controller and that pulls up the quick menu and you can easily choose from there. that's how I normally shut down my PS4 ( either full or Rest mode ).

I really wish they did something like that on the Xbox. When you hold the Xbox home button on the controller, you bring up the menu where you can Shutdown or Restart console. But the Shutdown option doesn't let you choose between full shutdown or Instant On shutdown. You have to navigate to Settings to change from Instant On to Energy Saving or choose Full Shutdown. Which is more steps when compared to the PS4.

Overall, I find the PS4 interface to be easier to navigate than the Xbox UI. It usually takes less steps to do something on PS4 than on Xbox.

 

[X Knight]

Forza has been my favourite racing series for a good while now. I used to love Gran Turismo. And I've never been interested in Crackdown.

Yeah, I'm glad I listened to the reviews on Crackdown and skipped buying it retails. No way that's worth $60...…..lol.

And yeah, I am surprised on how much I've been enjoying the Forza games given that I'm not much of a car guy or a racing fan. But the Forza games have been surprisingly fun. I even tried Gran Turismo Sport but it didn't feel quite the same as Forza.

In fact, I'd say the Forza games being Xbox exclusives could be a big plus for me sticking with Xbox. But, will it be enough? That's what I have to decide as I downsize and consolidate my tech.

If I gave up my Xbox and just stuck with PS, I would miss playing Forza. But then, PS has the JRPGs and fighting games and other exclusives.

 

[X Knight]

Monster Hunter World, Prey, and Resident Evil 5, among others, coming to Game Pass in April

Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass: Monster Hunter: World, Prey, Life is Strange 2: Episode 2, and More - Xbox Wire

if I didn't already own MHW, I'd use this as an opportunity to check it out. May check out Prey and RE 5. This is a benefit of Game Pass. It lets me check out games I may not normally buy. And if I do want to buy them physically, Game Pass would let me test them out first. So it's almost like a rental service.....lol.

Also, more Back Comp news coming in April Inside Xbox, next Tuesday April 16.

April’s Inside Xbox Has the Scoop on E3 2019 - Xbox Wire

it's getting exciting as we gear up for E3. I feel like this year will be extra special for MS/Xbox. I want to know about next gen hardware. But I also want to start seeing the games the Xbox studios are working on. Hopefully that includes the rumored Fable game Playground Games is working on.

This E3 will also be extra meaningful for me, cuz it will be the 1st E3 where I'm actually an Xbox One owner!

I'm in uncharted territory with the Xbox One X. I've never owned an Xbox One for this long - if I can make it to July, it will be one year.

 

[zenith16]

10 hours ago
Disney+ Streaming Service Will Be Coming To The Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, And Xbox One
Disney has just announced that their brand-new streaming service, Disney+, will be releasing later this year; becoming available for home consoles in November of this year.Read more

source: GameFragger.com: Video Game News, Reviews, Trailers and more!

 

[X Knight]

finally reached 1,500 Gamerscore (while playing Killer Instinct)!!

and speaking of Killer Instinct, hope it gets a sequel that feels more polished and more like a proper, full-fledged game than the 1st one.

as the only real Xbox exclusive fighter, MS really needs to turn Killer Instinct into an Xbox power franchise.

 

[X Knight]

speaking of Achievements and Gamerscore, I just found this site:

TrueAchievements - Xbox Achievement Tracking

You can link your Xbox account and register on the site. and it tracks all of your achievements and games played and stats.

I just linked my account and it's pretty cool.

 

[zenith16]

Star Wars Episode 9 Unveiled! - The Rundown

2.2K views 6 days ago Published on 04/12/2019
#PlayForever #Rundown #news Today in the Rundown, we have our first impressions of Star Wars Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker! We also delve into the launch details on the new steaming service Disney Plus, unmask the new Batman coming to DC's Titans, get cloudy with some shade between Microsoft and Google, and finally, have the latest developments on a monster movie universe from Universal Pictures!


Confirming the video above

Xbox slams Google Stadia: “they don’t have the content”


7 days ago |
An Xbox exec has slammed Google Stadia, saying that emerging competitors in the gaming market “don’t have the content.” In an interview with The Telegraph, the company’s chief marketing officer has some useful tools at its disposal, but doesn’t have the games to back them up.Read more




source: The Electric Playground Network | EPN & PC Games news and reviews from PCGamesN.com

 

[Iceman]

finally reached 1,500 Gamerscore (while playing Killer Instinct)!!

and speaking of Killer Instinct, hope it gets a sequel that feels more polished and more like a proper, full-fledged game than the 1st one.

as the only real Xbox exclusive fighter, MS really needs to turn Killer Instinct into an Xbox power franchise.

1500

 

[X Knight]

1500

hey, don't laugh!!

that's a big deal for me.

plus, I'm up to 1,650 now. so there!!

 

[Iceman]

finally reached 1,500 Gamerscore (while playing Killer Instinct)!!

and speaking of Killer Instinct, hope it gets a sequel that feels more polished and more like a proper, full-fledged game than the 1st one.

as the only real Xbox exclusive fighter, MS really needs to turn Killer Instinct into an Xbox power franchise.

Oh I could play Killer Instinct with you when I’m free. Want to get all the achievements for that game too, and there are loads!

 

[Iceman]

Not sure if this is made up BS but interesting speculation at least:

According to some specs that leaked in January 2019 via Jeuxvideo, the Xbox Lockhart model will run for $249 and pack an 8-core CPU, a 4-terflop GPU, 12GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and DirectX Ray Tracing support. The higher-end $499 Anaconda model will have a stronger 12-teraflop GPU and 16GB of RAM.

Xbox 2020 Rumors: Specs and Release Date for Lockhart and Anaconda

That would make the Anaconda double the price of the basic model!

 

[X Knight]

Oh I could play Killer Instinct with you when I’m free. Want to get all the achievements for that game too, and there are loads!

yeah. that's one reason why I've been playing KI again. lots of easy achievements to rack up. got to build up that paltry Gamerscore........lol.

and sure we could play when you're free.

 

[X Knight]

Not sure if this is made up BS but interesting speculation at least:



Xbox 2020 Rumors: Specs and Release Date for Lockhart and Anaconda

That would make the Anaconda double the price of the basic model!

hmmmm......interesting and surprising #s.

$250 for Lockhart could be appealing to the average consumer, and may pose a threat to the PS5. And $500 for Anaconda is good if that's true. I really don't think MS or Sony should go above $500.

It makes me wonder what PS5's price will be. If it's supposedly less powerful than Anaconda, then maybe Sony can price it at $400?

It also makes me wonder what will happen to the current Xbox lineup. If Lockhart is $250, cheaper than S is right now, then clearly the S will have to drop significantly or be discontinued entirely. Will they discontinue S and keep the All Digital edition at a cheap price ( $150 )?

Will they still keep the X and how will that fit in with the Lockhart and Ananconda? Maybe X will drop down to $350 or $400?

 

[Iceman]

hmmmm......interesting and surprising #s.

$250 for Lockhart could be appealing to the average consumer, and may pose a threat to the PS5. And $500 for Anaconda is good if that's true. I really don't think MS or Sony should go above $500.

It makes me wonder what PS5's price will be. If it's supposedly less powerful than Anaconda, then maybe Sony can price it at $400?

It also makes me wonder what will happen to the current Xbox lineup. If Lockhart is $250, cheaper than S is right now, then clearly the S will have to drop significantly or be discontinued entirely. Will they discontinue S and keep the All Digital edition at a cheap price ( $150 )?

Will they still keep the X and how will that fit in with the Lockhart and Ananconda? Maybe X will drop down to $350 or $400?

S and X will eventually have to drop in price as they become less competitive against the new offerings. I’m surprised that the standard next gen console can be that cheap though.