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Phil Spencer : "Streaming games is convenient, but playing locally will flat-out always be better"

Pretty obvious. Currently playing RE2 on my One X but I'm away from home now for the holidays. Would have loved to be able to continue playing through streaming on my laptop or phone.

I wouldn't want to stream the entire game but being able to play a portion of it when I'm away from my console doing be amazing.
 

nkarafo

Member
I agree 100%.

Problem is you have no idea how much a lot of people are willing to sacrifice for convenience. And not just for videogames but many other aspects in our lives.

Humans are lazy. Convenience is far more important than it should be. I'm also part of the problem, though i would never support Stadia.
 
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Psykodad

Banned
Predictable post considering this shoots your nonsensical conspiracy theory full of holes.

Or wait, is he going to say streaming is inferior but then they’re still going to ditch hardware and go streaming?
I'm not the only one thinking what I think and Spencer definitely won't be oblivious to this, as it has been a point of discussion since the start of current gen.

The XSX announcement also gained little traction as people are discussing PS5 far more and he still needs to sell the console.

Hence, damage control.
 
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Predictable post considering this shoots your nonsensical conspiracy theory full of holes.

Or wait, is he going to say streaming is inferior but then they’re still going to ditch hardware and go streaming?
Microsoft has had inconsistent messaging for some time. Downplaying hardware sales was necessary this gento justify keeping the sales numbers secret. But next gen really needed the messaging reversed pronto. It's a bit schizophrenic of them.

Granted, Microsoft was never that big on streaming. Gamepass HAS streaming in Xcloud, but it is only one tiny part of GP. And since Stadia crashed and burned, there really is no harm downplaying streaming again.
 

HeresJohnny

Member
Company says streaming is the future, gets all of its fans on board, then says playing locally is a better way to go. You be you, Microsoft.

I personally think they're reacting to Google's public assfucking with Stadia and have suddenly developed a keen sense of "maybe this ain't such a good fuckin' idea, Bob."
 

Psykodad

Banned
Company says streaming is the future, gets all of its fans on board, then says playing locally is a better way to go. You be you, Microsoft.

I personally think they're reacting to Google's public assfucking with Stadia and have suddenly developed a keen sense of "maybe this ain't such a good fuckin' idea, Bob."
People can mock me all they want, but this is gonna be another Xbox One gen.
They still have the OG Xbone vision in a different way and they are all over the place again.
 

HeresJohnny

Member
People can mock me all they want, but this is gonna be another Xbox One gen.
They still have the OG Xbone vision in a different way and they are all over the place again.
Well, hopefully this article is Microsoft's admission that they jumped the gun with the streaming cheerleading a bit, and they'll revert to more logical and practical launch plans. Hopefully. You never know, they change messaging weekly. Honestly, between the streaming nonsense and Sony saying the PS5 will have 8k support, I think they both have their heads up their ass.
 
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I'm not the only one thinking what I think and Spencer definitely won't be oblivious to this, as it has been a point of discussion since the start of current gen.

The XSX announcement also gained little traction as people are discussing PS5 far more and he still needs to sell the console.

Hence, damage control.

What's the name of this alternate universe you're living in and how do I get there?
 

Sophist

Member
Not necessary true, fiber optic has much bigger bit rates than both USB and display port, and a theoretical latency of ~200 meters per microsecond. By hosting servers at the isp cabinet, like what Netflix is doing, you could have better latency than current in-home solutions. That would be already doable today in big cities like Tokyo or Seoul.
 

ethomaz

Banned
Not necessary true, fiber optic has much bigger bit rates than both USB and display port, and a theoretical latency of ~200 meters per microsecond. By hosting servers at the isp cabinet, like what Netflix is doing, you could have better latency than current in-home solutions. That would be already doable today in big cities like Tokyo or Seoul.
Nope.

Local hardware buses are both way faster and with lower latency than fiber.

Both still uses HDMI/DisplayPort to send the video signal to PC.
Both still uses wireless controllers.

Local hardware will always be faster with lower latency... that is physically impossible to change unless humanity creates the teleport.
 
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Psykodad

Banned
That‘s what XCloud is. But it’s just an option. Which is what he’s saying. It’s meant to be a way to access your game library when away from your console. But for some reason explaining that us “damage control” to some people.
Just tag me next time. 😉

MS has been talking two ways. I doubt they have a clear direction at this point.
 

Clear

CliffyB's Cock Holster
Its a very significant admission on Phil's part, quite shocking really as its real rare for a corporate head to ever admit to anything that weakens their sales pitch. Media training 101 says always accentuate the positive and gloss over or omit the negative.

I wonder if its just a simple case of him struggling to balance the sales pitch, understandable I guess as Series X and Streaming are absolutely chalk and cheese in terms of sales demographic.
 
Stadia is a trainwreck, and I've no doubt identical limitations being found with X Cloud. He'd know better than most that it just flat out will never be a better alternative to local hardware.

As such, and given that it's his job to hopefully sell this kind of gaming down the road, I'm actually pretty impressed to see him being so candid about the impossible to overcome problems inherent to streaming. Good on him!
 

Bernkastel

Ask me about my fanboy energy!
Its a very significant admission on Phil's part, quite shocking really as its real rare for a corporate head to ever admit to anything that weakens their sales pitch. Media training 101 says always accentuate the positive and gloss over or omit the negative.

I wonder if its just a simple case of him struggling to balance the sales pitch, understandable I guess as Series X and Streaming are absolutely chalk and cheese in terms of sales demographic.
You should become an executive. You sound and talk like one.
 

Thaedolus

Member
I'm not the only one thinking what I think and Spencer definitely won't be oblivious to this, as it has been a point of discussion since the start of current gen.

The XSX announcement also gained little traction as people are discussing PS5 far more and he still needs to sell the console.

Hence, damage control.

Yer a smart one aintcha
 
People can mock me all they want, but this is gonna be another Xbox One gen.
They still have the OG Xbone vision in a different way and they are all over the place again.

You can say this if you have literally had your eyes sown shut the past three years. MS of 2019 is not the same MS of 2013. If 2006 Sony was able to change their image into 2011/PS4 Sony (and Nintendo able to change their terrible Wii U image into the highly successful Switch one of current day), there's no reason MS cannot do the same.

They already sort of did that going from the OG Xbox to the 360 (not to imply OG Xbox was bad at all, but it just wasn't a threat to PS2. No system that gen was, really).

Well, hopefully this article is Microsoft's admission that they jumped the gun with the streaming cheerleading a bit, and they'll revert to more logical and practical launch plans. Hopefully. You never know, they change messaging weekly. Honestly, between the streaming nonsense and Sony saying the PS5 will have 8k support, I think they both have their heads up their ass.

I don't blame MS for the streaming talk just like how I don't blame Sony for the 8K 120FPS talk. Sensibly-minded people would assume they were mentioning these things as alternatives, things that can be technically done but not replacing the status quo. MS hyping up streaming is just them realizing where the mainstream console industry will eventually be within 10 years; they have a big stake in servers and the streaming market, why would they not want to have confidence in a solution they've invested billions into?

Likewise with Sony and the 8K stuff; they know PS5 will be technically capable of it, but that depends on the design scope of the games in question. Anyone thinking they'd get Last of Us 3 in 8K 120FPS deserves to be disappointed imho; you KNOW that's not a realistic expectation. But something like, say, Resogun or the such in 8K 120FPS? Completely possible and with room to spare at that. Mentioning its possibilities is more a way to shore up confidence and optimism in the development community, there's nothing wrong with doing that.
 
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FireFly

Member
I'm not the only one thinking what I think and Spencer definitely won't be oblivious to this, as it has been a point of discussion since the start of current gen.

The XSX announcement also gained little traction as people are discussing PS5 far more and he still needs to sell the console.

Hence, damage control.
People are discussing the PS5 in relation to its potential power and/or content, not because it is supposed to be the only console capable of playing games locally.

Phil has always been clear that local play is here to stay.
 

Clear

CliffyB's Cock Holster
You should become an executive. You sound and talk like one.

I try to put myself in that headspace, its the only way to understand whats actually going down. Guys like Phil aren't playing for bragging rights, despite how folksy they comes across as. There are fortunes on the line and with stakes that high every word and decision is carefully thought through.
 

ManaByte

Member
Phil Spencer is probably one of the sanest heads in the industry right now.

Since Phil took over Xbox he's:

  • Redefined Xbox as a GAME console, not a TV set-top box like the original Xbox One vision.
  • Started the Backwards Compatibility program first for X360 games and then original Xbox.
  • Declared that going forward your game library will move with you from device to device, like how it works on PCs and cellphones, meaning you never have to lose access to the games you spent thousands of dollars on when you buy a new console.
  • Revived Microsoft's dead PC gaming support and put games on Steam.
So yes, he's probably the only sane person running a game company right now. He gets it.
 

DESTROYA

Member
No shit Phil!
Only hardcore streaming worshipers think it can replace local hardware but then reality slaps them in the face with input lag .
 

Nikana

Go Go Neo Rangers!
I'm not the only one thinking what I think and Spencer definitely won't be oblivious to this, as it has been a point of discussion since the start of current gen.

The XSX announcement also gained little traction as people are discussing PS5 far more and he still needs to sell the console.

Hence, damage control.
For someone who bitched about having to repeat themselves you sure do show up in every Xbox thread bitching about the same thing.
 

Psykodad

Banned
No they’ve always been clear that the console is the best way to play and Xcloud would be a way to play all of your games when you‘re not at the console.

Not his fault if that went over your head because of your conspiracy theories.
What other way have they been talking about ? They always marketed it as an addon.
Yer a smart one aintcha
People are discussing the PS5 in relation to its potential power and/or content, not because it is supposed to be the only console capable of playing games locally.

Phil has always been clear that local play is here to stay.
We'll see at the end of next-gen.

I've been saying next-gen will be make-it-or-break-it for Xbox consoles and that if next-gen will be another fail, they'll discontinue their consoles.

If I turn out wrong, I'm wrong and nobody will care incl me.

If I turn out right, it's exit Xbox consoles and people can continue their always online services.

I personally won't care either way anyway.
 

ManaByte

Member
We'll see at the end of next-gen.

I've been saying next-gen will be make-it-or-break-it for Xbox consoles and that if next-gen will be another fail, they'll discontinue their consoles.

If I turn out wrong, I'm wrong and nobody will care incl me.

If I turn out right, it's exit Xbox consoles and people can continue their always online services.

I personally won't care either way anyway.

This is the same bullshit conspiracy theory we heard in 2013. Stop it.
 

Psykodad

Banned
For someone who bitched about having to repeat themselves you sure do show up in every Xbox thread bitching about the same thing.
There is little else to discuss on these forums atm regarding next-gen, apart from tech talk which I don't really care about that much.
 

CJY

Banned
Since Phil took over Xbox he's:

  • Redefined Xbox as a GAME console, not a TV set-top box like the original Xbox One vision.
  • Started the Backwards Compatibility program first for X360 games and then original Xbox.
  • Declared that going forward your game library will move with you from device to device, like how it works on PCs and cellphones, meaning you never have to lose access to the games you spent thousands of dollars on when you buy a new console.
  • Revived Microsoft's dead PC gaming support and put games on Steam.
So yes, he's probably the only sane person running a game company right now. He gets it.

You're right on all those points, and I like Phil, but I wouldn't trust MS at all. I don't trust them to not screw me over if they regained pole position in the console wars, and that has been my main issue with Xbox all along and the fear that they will once again try to initiate many anti-consumerist practices. I like the brand and everything. It's just the shadow of MS that I don't like. Maybe that will change in the future if Xbox has a successful generation and and they're still treating their customers well. I have my doubts though, because all of those $1 game pass subs will have to come home to roost at some point.
 

ManaByte

Member
You're right on all those points, and I like Phil, but I wouldn't trust MS at all. I don't trust them to not screw me over if they regained pole position in the console wars, and that has been my main issue with Xbox all along and the fear that they will once again try to initiate many anti-consumerist practices. I like the brand and everything. It's just the shadow of MS that I don't like. Maybe that will change in the future if Xbox has a successful generation and and they're still treating their customers well. I have my doubts though, because all of those $1 game pass subs will have to come home to roost at some point.

After the Xbox One launched MS got a new CEO (Nadella) and a new head of Xbox (Spencer). The people running both MS AND Xbox in 2019 are not the same people who were running it in 2013.

Nadella is embracing Linux and Android. That's something that would've never happened back in 2013 when Ballmer was running the show.
 
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CJY

Banned
After the Xbox One launched MS got a new CEO (Nadella) and a new head of Xbox (Spencer). The people running both MS AND Xbox in 2019 are not the same people who were running it in 2013.
That's true, but their corporate philosophy/mantra of "Embrace, Extend, Extinguish" doesn't disappear with just a couple of internal promotions.
 

Dory16

Banned
That’s how you keep two different audiences in the same market happy with one statement. And hopefully deliver for both.
 

Psykodad

Banned
damage control? what?

you know, this is SonyGAF at its finest. NO MATTER what xbox says, you ALWAYS spin it to something NEGATIVE. doesnt matter WHAT he says!

pathetic
I call Sony out all the same, like their 8k PR nonsense.
 
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