Hamza "CTZ" Aziz writes: I owe everyone an apology. This past March, I stated that "Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor validates owning a Kinect." As it turns out, I was so, so wrong. We went as far as having the Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor review pass through the hands of three different Destructoid editors in an attempt to get the game to work, until finally realizing that Heavy Armor is, in fact, simply broken.
A new survey from Microsoft has further hinted at the possibility of an Xbox handheld being in development.
This is definitely happening, I just hope they have 2 versions one with a much bigger screen.
I'll be happy with this, and a PC console hybrid that rivals anything we have power wise
The problem with bigger devices is playing them on your side in bed, Vita and before that was fine. Since the Switch you gotta have a gooseneck holder & controllers detached so you can lie down holding them, or your arm will quickly get tired.
it kinda already did... https://www.xbox.com/en-US/...
They are just gauging interest in one of their own.
A Xbox version of Logitech G-Cloud?
I mean, why bother? Not like the G cloud is flying off shelves and what would Xbox add to make it better?
They're surely not going to create bespoke architecture here and there are already a few Windows handhelds out there. I have little confidence in their ability to put together an attractive UI in the way Steam did. So I doubt anything will come from this.
i have that logitech g-cloud. Its a sweet little piece of kit. I like that it can also install games from the play store unlike the other android based handheld.
It sure is! Don't understand why you get the down-votes. Whoever does not like the G Cloud must have been dropped down a well, head first, when they were of a younger age.
I wonder if Microsoft will perform better in Japan if they do actually make a handheld since everyone says handheld and mobile are king over there.
This looks like the future of the game industry... all three platforms with a handheld option.
I wonder if the Playstation Portal is a technology test-bed/prototype for a future Playstation handheld?
It’s a possibility but I can’t help but think would that be the best way to go about it? Though it would give you data on how much it is used and game type. It’s still not a true portable device and so people approach it differently. I think that data on phones, tablets, and of course the competition would give a better indication.
But I really think if Sony is considering a new PSP that could play ps5 games, now would be the time to dive in. Honestly, if they do this, it would be huge.
Doubt if Sony PS wants to support a new handheld with first party games. Something they lacked with the Vita. What they should do is have a handheld that is like the PS Portal which can play all games but play those games on the go as well as at home. Something like that is a better investment.
Agreed that you will probably never see a separate line of games specifically for the handheld (a la PSP or PSVita). The modern economics and expectations of game development make that cost prohibitive. What makes more sense is if the full-fat game on PS5 or PS6 has a special "handheld" profile that is automatically optimized for the lower spec handheld. There would be some significant compromises compared to the bigger console variant, but it would be the same game overall and would only require a single purchase.... somewhat what the Switch does with a lower resolution when playing handheld versus docked.
- Xbox Wire - Mark your calendars! The Xbox Games Showcase followed by [REDACTED] Direct airs June 9. More info inside.
And maybe Clockwork Revolution, South of Midnight, Contraband, Project 007 & OD? lol
and whatever happened to Everwild ?
+ that rumored Wu Tang RPG
Tell me what a smarter comment is.
If they don't sell game pass the entire time, then I will be wrong. All of this can be proven once the show gets underway. Let's wait and see.
Replies(1)Wow too easy.
You went from MS going all streaming to selling gamepass content in which we all know they are.
Which one is it?
Pretty clear you don't know what a smart comment is at least you admit you don't know.
"Another game pass event with their plans to go all streaming."
It's both. I would worry about your own intelligence at this point. It seems that there is not enough to go around for you to worry about how smart other people are.
It's just a regular event announcing games. Nice one captain obvious they're gonna mention gp stuff like they do every year what else is new.
The all streaming part is just you, being you I guess. They have streaming options but going all streaming again is just you pulling stuff outta thin air.
No you said something dumb then you tried to back track and mention GP.
Again make smart comments for once.
For a brief moment I thought we might get a whole Direct for Gears 6 - seems like it's COD though!
Microsoft just posted the third quarter of its 2024 fiscal financial results. The software maker made $61.9 billion in revenue and a net income of $21.9 billion during Q3. Revenue is up 17 percent, and net income has increased by 20 percent.
Xbox content + services up 62% while hardware down 31%... seems about right with the way they tout you don't need the hardware to play. People can play on their phones or smart tv or other means. I don't hardly play on my consoles directly since getting devices like the logitech g-cloud and ps portal. Which is to also say I have been playing more digital than physical because of these devices.
you should apply in MS PR team buddy, I think you will do a great job in my humble opinion :)
MS: "Xbox services and content without AB up 1%, with AB up 62%. Hardware down 31%. In total a loss of 350 mill."
darthv72: "Seems about right."
MS: "Excuse m ..."
darthv72: "I don't hardly play on my consoles directly."
MS:
What he said was facts. How he plays games is no concern of you. Don't get too mad about it.
I can tell people like you are an absolute minority..
If service is up means their fans and fanboys accepted this model and subscribed to it. The near future you will see a big decline because the service is saturated.
to you it may seem like the minority... but your bubble is shrinking because more and more are following suit. convenience is a hell of a drug and its also why physical sales only amount to 30% of overall game sales. times are changing, you either get with them or you get left behind.
Darth
30% physical sales: yet Phil and xbox division are in a rush go give up on that 30%. they don't have any right to give up any piece of the pie since the control such a little of the pie to begin with
also, the market is clearly speaking that the model Xbox is pushing isn't working right now the keyword being right now. you are right about freedom to play anywhere so i hope they put their games on steam
But that's been ms for years. When things aren't going their way they try to change the way things are said. For instance console sales are down, they stop telling how many sold instead telling us how many hours spent in halo or headshots. So it makes sense console sales down just say people are playing on more devices then previous. What they won't say is how many xbox players jumped ship to ps5.
Hardware sales are so bad that Sony and Nintendo are blowing the sales off the water with their hardware.
If Xbox are losers, others aren’t..
Xbox already tried everything with Xbox live then subscriptions went down so much that they had to find something else. Their fans subscribed then reached saturation rather quickly.
Hardware and exclusive games is where it’s at! Keep gamers excited, announce decent software and people will support you
@shin
Well keep it simple Sony 's operating income is down 26% and Microsoft's is up 32%. No MS spin there, just facts. 😉
Cheers
MS is after diminishing consoles as a medium. They want to destroy this market because they couldnt win. MS’s vision is to dissolve console gaming.
Odd that a company that touts you dont need the hardware to play is already touting another console in the works.
They are not reliant on the HW but still want to maintain a presence (no matter how small) is a good thing. It shows commitment to the craft. It reminds me of SNK and how they made games for their own hardware (Neo Geo) while also making them for others because they knew there was a market to do so. They knew they would sell more to others but also sell to their own niche fan base.
Perfectly reasonable post down voted by insecure corporation friendly folk.... But not gamers. Real gamer want accessibility and ease of acquisition for all.... Company shills are the only ones still telling us that hardware locking people from games is good for us.
@Darth
You should stop parroting metrics like an idiot without context.
"Xbox content and services revenue grew 62% in Q3 from a year earlier, “driven by 61 points of net impact” from the purchase of the third-party video game giant, Microsoft said."
61 of the 62% was from their merger so net increase is ONLY 1%
https://www.mesaonline.org/...
@chevalier
It looks like made a great purchase. Much better then Sony buying Bungie. 😉
Cheers
In the last two years they've started exiting the consumer market altogether. All of the newest Surface products are business models only. They can't seem to work out what they want to do with it.
Too expensive hardware when others offer the same or more for less? Good work, Green Team.
"Despite some early successes for Xbox games on rival platforms, Xbox hardware is down by a massive 31 percent this quarter."
"Without Activision Blizzard, Microsoft’s overall gaming revenue would have actually declined this quarter."
"Xbox content and services would have only been up a single percent without Activision Blizzard..."
"It looks like next quarter is going to be a similar story for gaming at Microsoft, too."
That is crazy... so A/B/K is carrying the whole Xbox gaming.
Oh and Microsoft will be fine. Windows, Office and Cloud are growing with each pc purchase.
Activision: "we gonna need a bigger rucksack/backpack please"
Microsoft: "why's that"
Activision: "to carry yo' weak ass'
Top brass have also wanted to start seeing returns on the 100 billion they have put into various Xbox related moves so seeing more multiplatform games is highly likely especially from abk
It's basically saying that PlayStation is the reason Xbox is afloat right now thinks to Ps5 versions of COD
The only growth MS will get out of the console industry is if it supports it's rivals platforms. Xbox is a pointless machine now. I can see them on a big push for live next, and they won't give up on trying to buy Steam.
I always find it amazing that bad games come out every day. Steel Batallion was obviously one of those for Destructoid. They gave the game a 30%.
But, it's amazing how when literally one game is bad that means KINECT itself is NOW as bad as that game.
How many standard controller games come out weekly for the 360 and PS3, but you never see these kinds of articles for other consoles even at the height of Wii hate. One bad game doesnt equal them all.
The bottomline bad games come out for Move (Destructoid gave the most anticipated PS3 Move game ever 'Sorcery' a '60'.) Did you see a I'm done with Move article.
We know the mountain of bad games that plagued Wii all those years.
Now you have Kinect which some games work great for and others don't. I've own all of them, but in terms of games that you can play with family and friends Kinect destroys the comp which literally was only Wii.
Every motion control device has it's strength and weaknesses, as for Kinect it's strengths are why 19 million have bought the device. One game won't change that..shame Steel didn't measure up to it's potential. As a fan of the series, I still will give it a try. My Kinect isn't any more special than other review sites but I laugh when they pretend a games controls dont work and your Kinect works perfectly fine.
Evil
Most sane people were "officially done" with the Kinect at the first E3 showing. A few more people found sanity and were "officially done" with Kinect at the second E3 showing of Kinect just prior to launch. The only people who actually thought Kinect could amount to anything were overly-loyal fansites like Destructoid, Kotaku, etc.
We were all "officially done" with Kinect a long time ago. I'm glad journalists are finally playing catch-up *looks at calendar*. We all knew this three years ago.
First hybrid Kinect game tanks, yeah i'm also done with Kinect. No sarcasm.
After reading that article, now I know that a grown man can pout and throw a little fit. Seriously, Microsoft never forced me to buy a kinect.
'After yesterday's review, however, I've come to the realization that the Kinect is a glorified beta test that we've all been suckered into buying.'
Dear God, it took him that long to realise? I've been saying this since we found out that Milo was just a demo. people have been drawn in with the whole, 'so much potential' and bought the kinect based on the fact that MS kept on saying 'the games are coming'.
well Kinect has been a big success and thanks to that success, it's Microsoft's main focus. well done people.