Openness is great, but there’s no financial reason to make specialized hardware to operate an open platform.
Historically, consoles have been sold near cost, and profits have been made on game sales after the fact. If you can just buy your games from Steam on console, the price of the console will go up. At some point, it no longer makes sense to buy the specialized hardware.
But we’ll get to see how that goes! It’s looking more and more like the next Xbox is going to run Windows.
theangriestbird@beehaw.org 2 days ago
Seems like that is Microsoft’S new strategy, pivot to PC where their storefront is just one of several options for buying games. Their super premium console they are teasing is probably just a Windows computer. Unclear what will happen with older Xbox purchases/if back compatibility will continue to be a concern. Might end up being the sacrificial lamb to our open future.
Megaman_EXE@beehaw.org 1 day ago
I’m really hoping all my existing purchases can be played via PC one day. If “everything” is indeed becoming an xbox, then I’m hoping this becomes a reality. I’m disappointed they’re moving away from their traditional consoles, though. It feels like the end of something special.