Series X Refresh and Next Generation Xbox Hardware

[Shortbread]

Since, PS5 Pro is pretty much confirmed and coming this Fall/Winter, can Microsoft's Series X refresh (aka Brooklin) really compete against the Pro in a meaningful way (spec wise) if it is released this year? Or, does Microsoft drop the SX refresh and concentrate more on a potential Series successor (aka the cohesive hybrid design) for late 2025?

What we know from the FTC documents so far...

 

[Riddlewire]

If it's $299, it could compete very well against the PS5 Pro.
Otherwise, I think Microsoft's failure to control the narrative surrounding their games has torpedoed all their future console hardware sales.
True or not, a very large number of gamers now believe that every single Xbox game will eventually be available on Playstation. So why not just buy a Playstation and enjoy Playstation and 3rd Party games, and wait a while to also get Xbox games?

 

[techuse]

PS5 Pro is only 20% faster than series X in "unoptimized games", which will be the majority. With the current information, I don't think Microsoft needs new hardware to compete. They just need games that people want to play. Some of these need to be of the AAA variety.

 

[Johnny Awesome]

True or not, a very large number of gamers now believe that every single Xbox game will eventually be available on Playstation. So why not just buy a Playstation and enjoy Playstation and 3rd Party games, and wait a while to also get Xbox games?

How could you possibly know this? Lol.

 

[vjPiedPiper]

MS have an opportunity to go for an early introduction of their next-gen console.
Similar to how they introduced the 360 a year ahead of the PS3, which was also their most successful console.
While Sony are busy, designing, building and promoting the PS5 pro, MS can focus on delivering a "true Next-gen experience" whatever the hell that means?!?
for the next generation of consoles.

I also think they have the option to do a split console approach again, but they should do a low-end device, that is actually more mid-range, and then an Ultra-premium device.

I'd love to see them pursue some really advanced packaging techniques to deliver an absolute monster of a console, even if it ends up being $$$.
I'm probably not the main market but I'd be happy to drop $1000 US, for a console that I knew was going to be top end competitive for 3-4 yours.
Chuck it all on a few stacks of HBM, and give it terabytes of BW, put in some really bespoke HW, and then let the PC side emulate it in SW/HW.

If they can convince the market that all cross platform games will always "Plays best on Xbox!"
Weather that's Xbox on PC or Xbox console vs same gen Sony console, - even if it's only for MS studio games, they should be onto a winning strategy.

 

[davis.anthony]

Die shrink Series-X with a GPU clock rate that at least matches base PS5 should pretty much kill off most of the advantage PS5 Pro has.

 

[Globalisateur]

What they can do is to make a conference, invite all the usual medias, hype their next machine that will have better specs than Sony's, and ask their customers to wait another year (2025).

The tools (games) will probably not be ready at launch, but at least their core customers will know they'll have eventually the better hardware. This will cost MS a lot (as their machine will probably be more expensive than PS5 Pro to produce), but they are used to it.

 

[RobertR1]

I much rather see new gen hardware than lipstick on a pig but then again I don't fly the banner for either company.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Now adorably all digital! You betcha!

Seriously, it won't compete as there's no competition now. XB doesn't compete any more than Nintendo does. They do their own thing now. No-one who's eyeing a PS5PRo will get an XBSX refresh, and vice versa.

There'd have to be a marketing war to have a chance of competing for custom, each side trying to win the other over. Without that, specs are immaterial.

 

[Karamazov]

They are going to release the Xbox VR !

 

[Nesh]

How could you possibly know this? Lol.

Because it is the most rational outcome

 

[Nesh]

MS have an opportunity to go for an early introduction of their next-gen console.
Similar to how they introduced the 360 a year ahead of the PS3, which was also their most successful console.
While Sony are busy, designing, building and promoting the PS5 pro, MS can focus on delivering a "true Next-gen experience" whatever the hell that means?!?
for the next generation of consoles.

I also think they have the option to do a split console approach again, but they should do a low-end device, that is actually more mid-range, and then an Ultra-premium device.

I'd love to see them pursue some really advanced packaging techniques to deliver an absolute monster of a console, even if it ends up being $$$.
I'm probably not the main market but I'd be happy to drop $1000 US, for a console that I knew was going to be top end competitive for 3-4 yours.
Chuck it all on a few stacks of HBM, and give it terabytes of BW, put in some really bespoke HW, and then let the PC side emulate it in SW/HW.

If they can convince the market that all cross platform games will always "Plays best on Xbox!"
Weather that's Xbox on PC or Xbox console vs same gen Sony console, - even if it's only for MS studio games, they should be onto a winning strategy.

It didn't make much of a difference that they announced earlier. What made a difference and was a happy accident for MS, was that the PS3 was delayed and was incredibly more expensive.

 

[RobertR1]

They are going to release the Xbox VR !

haha! that would be peak MS. Abandon WMR and then announce Xbox VR/

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Because it is the most rational outcome

I don't think that answers the question how does Riddlewire know "a very large number of gamers now believe that every single Xbox game will eventually be available on Playstation". That sort of insight requires an extensive survey or somesuch.

 

[Charlietus]

I feel like asking developers to support 3 or even 4 xbox sku's would be a mistake.
If (whethever it is) launches in 2026 they would have to support the s and the x for at least another 4 years.
I don't see how cutting this generation short helps them in any way.

 

[Seanspeed]

PS5 Pro is only 20% faster than series X in "unoptimized games", which will be the majority. With the current information, I don't think Microsoft needs new hardware to compete. They just need games that people want to play. Some of these need to be of the AAA variety.

Even if the raster performance isn't that big of a leap over XSX on paper, Playstation 5 has already been benefiting heavily from 'lead platform' priority by game studios, which have neutered real world advantages of Xbox's superior GPU. And I fully expect that trend to continue.

So I'd expect the leap over the base PS5 to be the better baseline to compare against.

Also, while I agree that what Xbox needs most is great games, them having the inferior hardware lineup will certainly be another hole in the hull for their attempt at any kind of comeback.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Mod: Just checking, is this supposed to be a technical comparison, or business? Current discussion doesn't belong in this forum. Not sure what the OP means by 'compete' but we've mostly latched onto the business side.

 

[Shortbread]

Mod: Just checking, is this supposed to be a technical comparison, or business? Current discussion doesn't belong in this forum. Not sure what the OP means by 'compete' but we've mostly latched onto the business side.

Compete both technically and/or strategy wise given the confirmation that Pro exist. Outside of the FTC documentation, there hasn't been any news or solid leaks of Series X refresh specs, given that Microsoft has been more of the leaky ship in the past when it comes to hardware.

 

[Nesh]

I don't think that answers the question how does Riddlewire know "a very large number of gamers now believe that every single Xbox game will eventually be available on Playstation". That sort of insight requires an extensive survey or somesuch.

You are focusing too much into a word again and missing the point. Likely now you are focusing on the word "every single". How can you prove that a very large number of gamers believe that every single game is coming to PS?

Unless you are an English teacher wanting to fix people's use of language, this is irrelevant. Because it is true that, outside of being a grammar nazi, MS did set expectations that XBOX games are coming to Playstation. Do we know if they believe 100% every game is coming to PS? We don't. But we know for the fact that the former does hung in people's minds and hence purchasing decisions.

I for example and all people I know who came around these news of MS releasing XBOX games on PS and considering releasing more, know MS will release more.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

You are focusing too much into a word again and missing the point. Likely now you are focusing on the word "every single".

No, I'm focusing on the term "very large number".

Hence the need for a poll, to determine what number of gamers believe this. Out of tens of millions of console gamers, most who don't follow the gaming media, what proportion believe all (most) MS games are coming to PS? And in what time frame such that they'll change from buying an Xbox upgrade for exclusives to buying a PS?

It might be true, but it needs a source beyond 'everyone I know'.

And not trying to prove nor disprove either way, as I don't care beyond having a decent basis for argument, a quick investigation shows MS's reveal podcast had 600k views. Contrast that with the tens of millions something like a Spider-Man trailer gets, I don't think that's great evidence that the gaming world is awash with any opinions who is bring games where (though nor does it prove few gamers know or care - maybe 100 million gamers listened to this Podcast on Spotify??).

Feel free to provide tangible evidence of what a 'very large number of gamers' are thinking.