The real problem is, if it's a real version of Windows, what stops developers from releasing their games as "Xbox in PC mode" mode games and avoiding paying licensing fees? And if it's so locked down that's not possible, the utility of a Windows desktop plummets dramatically. MS would is much happier selling Windows licenses at a big profit. What motivation is there to start giving Windows away with their own subsidized hardware? There just isn't a profit motive behind such a move. You'd end up in nightmare scenarios where big institutions start buying up all your consoles to be used as PCs instead of spending way more on Dells or Macs. MS would be taking a huge loss on sales that will never generate revenue from game sales. Never gonna happen.
Next Xbox for debut at E3 2012?
- Thread starter BoardBonobo
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They wouldn't give away Windows, they'd be selling it to be installed on Xbox if one chooses to do so. It's just another option for consumers. As for big instituions buying Xboxes as PCs...you could already buy cheap PCs for $300-$400 this includes, netbooks, desktops and notebooks not to mention there are hundreds of millions of old PCs running older versions of Windows that cost about $100. Keep in mind Xboxes won't be upgradeable like PCs so you're stuck with one configuration which means it wouldn't be an ideal solution to everybody.
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An optional purchase is different and makes sense, like Linux on PS3. A closed hardware PC is a very good idea. However it'd possibly mean some legacy considerations for the hardware, such as going with x86. Some Power core wouldn't be an option. Would the IHVs be happy with this?
MS would have to effectively be designing a closed-hardware PC that happens to run in a lite mode for gaming, rather than design a console and put an OS on it. Then, as Brad says, there's the issue of people not buying licensed games which means the platform wouldn't make the money it could. and also it'd be a HUGE target for hackers. A single computer design, used by tens of millions of people, where you could exploit the hardware at its lowest level and still be able to depend on compatibility, like the PS3 USB timing trick.
MS would have to effectively be designing a closed-hardware PC that happens to run in a lite mode for gaming, rather than design a console and put an OS on it. Then, as Brad says, there's the issue of people not buying licensed games which means the platform wouldn't make the money it could. and also it'd be a HUGE target for hackers. A single computer design, used by tens of millions of people, where you could exploit the hardware at its lowest level and still be able to depend on compatibility, like the PS3 USB timing trick.
And then the European Commission will come along and slap a giant fine on the company for anti-competitive behavior.
I don't think it is worth too much time to discuss.
The first function that gone from the PS3 was the "dual boot" , due to the security problems and the lack of usage.
What can be different at this time?
Unless the MS roll out a 180 degree turnaround,and make a competitive cloud based service (no chance) the new function will be completely irrelevant.
Common, we are talking about a company,which only competitive advantage is the wind/office IP. They providing enough money for the expensive carpet bombing (zune,xbox) which making at the end of the day 0 money to the shareholders.
Who could be interested in this service? An engineering student will need a computer with the capability to run special design software- so any closed eco gaming machine will be out of question.
The first function that gone from the PS3 was the "dual boot" , due to the security problems and the lack of usage.
What can be different at this time?
Unless the MS roll out a 180 degree turnaround,and make a competitive cloud based service (no chance) the new function will be completely irrelevant.
Common, we are talking about a company,which only competitive advantage is the wind/office IP. They providing enough money for the expensive carpet bombing (zune,xbox) which making at the end of the day 0 money to the shareholders.
Who could be interested in this service? An engineering student will need a computer with the capability to run special design software- so any closed eco gaming machine will be out of question.
try to tone the rhetoric down a bit, your hate is showing.
<edit>And Xbox360 is in the black by any reasonable accounting I've seen and they will have paid for the original xbox fairly soon.
The difference is hundreds of millions of computers run Windows not Linux.
If it runs Windows and you can install Windows software onto it then it becomes a functional PC that can be used by hundreds of millions of people including students. If your software requires specific hardware support then you're better off getting a normal PC that has that hardware. For the rest of the world a Xbox 720 with Windows support would function perfectly fine as a PC.
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How's about actual working, functional software in a computer everyone's used to? Linux was a hack job and unsupported on PS3. Windows on a console would have all the support of Windows. It's run all the existing Windows software everyone already uses. It'd be an extra cheap computer as well as a great gaming machine for considerable added value, same as PS3 could have been but wasn't because Sony didn't follow it through.
why put a full windows 8 when all the app are becoming virtualized in some way?
you can simply modify visual studio so that an app built in html5 or in .net can work with xbox maybe using kinect instead of the mouse, then simply add the right hub on the xbox marketplace
the metro will be so pervasive that they can even simulate the same interface bundling only some key program like ie10
you can simply modify visual studio so that an app built in html5 or in .net can work with xbox maybe using kinect instead of the mouse, then simply add the right hub on the xbox marketplace
the metro will be so pervasive that they can even simulate the same interface bundling only some key program like ie10
All apps are virtualized? Google spreadsheet is "all apps"?
for windows 8 microsoft is promoting a programming method that is platform agnostic, so that some app will run indifferently on arm and x86
next step is port the infrastructure to the xbox to allow some of them (functionally selected) to be sold on the marketplace
The way I see it MS can put a windows on XB and:
1) increase the price of XB to not lose any money and have problems being competitive;
2) cannibalize its windows pc sales and lose money in the windows division.
Putting Linux on a console is cheap, and these days (unlike 2006) a good Linux distro is very easy to use, fully functional and can do what 90% of what people need a PC too from internet, multimedia, to office (that cover the most uses of a PC for most people) and even some multimedia editing/creation.
So if anyone want to put a bigger OS in a console I would bet on Sony first and Nintendo second, if they try they can do a good job IMO and replace the PC.
I actually think that if PS3 had more RAM and some resources in that division they could have had a hell of a console/pc replacement for everything.
To bad I never tried Ardour on a Cell CPU...
1) increase the price of XB to not lose any money and have problems being competitive;
2) cannibalize its windows pc sales and lose money in the windows division.
Putting Linux on a console is cheap, and these days (unlike 2006) a good Linux distro is very easy to use, fully functional and can do what 90% of what people need a PC too from internet, multimedia, to office (that cover the most uses of a PC for most people) and even some multimedia editing/creation.
So if anyone want to put a bigger OS in a console I would bet on Sony first and Nintendo second, if they try they can do a good job IMO and replace the PC.
I actually think that if PS3 had more RAM and some resources in that division they could have had a hell of a console/pc replacement for everything.
To bad I never tried Ardour on a Cell CPU
...Huh?
1) Why do they need to increase the price of the hardware when the software is sold separately for profit?
2) How will they lose money in the Windows division when they're selling the Windows software for Xbox?
Huh?
1) Why do they need to increase the price of the hardware when the software is sold separately for profit?
2) How will they lose money in the Windows division when they're selling the Windows software for Xbox?
If they sell the windows (in XB) they need to increase the price, if they offer the windows they loss money ib the windows divisions (because they will not be paid and some will not need/buy a pc/media pc, not buying windows again).
Again Huh???? The idea is they will sell a version of Windows for Xbox as a SEPARATE piece of software just like they sell games. There is no need to increase the price of the Xbox hardware. They will not bundle Windows with a Xbox and have a separate higher priced SKU...there is no need to. You just buy the software and install it yourself just like you install games on the HDD.
Windows division does not lose money...windows division makes money whether they're selling copies/licenses of Windows for PC hardware or Xbox hardware...makes no difference.
That could make hmmm... more sense. It was not clear from the first post that you would have to buy the WinOS, But still, as others have pointed out there are a few arguments of why MS might not go this route even if it would make sense...
The number of copies of Windows sold in retail approaches the rounding error of the total Windows market. It is pretty much all preinstalled. Windows sold for the XBox as any other retail copy of windows simply wouldn't sell, (just like any other retail copy of windows).
Not that I agree with the idea or anything, but there's no reason there wouldn't or couldn't be a bundled SKU.
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