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[FunnyBunny]

I can't wait to see what these look like. There's no way they weren't designed to visually compliment each other.

 

[ebullientprism]

It's still just a rumor though isn't it?

But that's a rumor, right?

As opposed to the always online rumor?

 

[Brashnir]

I always knew Microsoft was evil enough to try the always online route, but I was never completely sure they were stupid enough to do it.

That sounds about right. If this is accurate, Durango is back in the mix for me if they show some cool games for the thing.

 

[GavinGT]

I'm linking the idea of people believing this is all done through WiFi or LAN to the people who thought joakim was CG

But the wifi or LAN thing is actually feasible. The real/CG debate was just a case of the carnival rolling through town.

 

[jeff_rigby]

The vgleaks article says that there is an "External Interface" for the 360 Mini / Durango link.

If it was just LAN they would have said it was via Ethernet / WiFi, not specify an "External Interface", the Microsoft Russia image above confirms this, it will be via the Kinect 2 connection.

It says; "Instead, this functionality will come from the other unit that will be networked with the Durango". Any other way and if Durango is in the other room acting as a "Apple TV box" it can't be used to emulate a Xbox 360 on Durango.

 

[GavinGT]

It says; "Instead, this functionality will come from the other unit that will be networked with the Durango". Any other way and if Durango is in the other room acting as a "Apple TV box" it can't be used to emulate a Xbox 360 on Durango.

His use of the term "network" is frequent and it appears to vary in meaning each time he uses it. He uses it interchangeably to describe an ethernet connection and a simple connecting of the Kinect to a Durango dev kit. So it's hard to say.

 

[JonathanPower]

Why even bother with this? can't I just stack my 360 on top of the 720 and call it a day?

But why would you want to play xbox360 games through Durango when you can play them directly from your xbox360?

 

[Beer Monkey]

Any new "Kinect" port on the Mini and/or Durango could be multifunction and might possibly support more bandwidth than Kinect itself uses.

 

[Beer Monkey]

But why would you want to play xbox360 games through Durango when you can play them directly from your xbox360?

I don't have room to keep all these old fucking consoles and controllers around. Seriously.

I've already got like seven fucking components in my entertainment stand since I support all consoles and a variety of other devices.

And why would I want to shut down one system, switch controllers, and boot another system up just because I'm switching from a Durango game to a 360 game?

 

[OmahaG8]

Oh, Microsoft. Just when I think I hate you the most, you end up getting me the most excited. If PS4 offered some sort of add on that made it so I didn't have to have my PS3 hooked up to my TV, yer damn right I'd buy it - so good on ya Microsoft if these rumors are true.

 

[JonathanPower]

I don't have room to keep all these old fucking consoles and controllers around. Seriously.

I've already got like seven fucking components in my entertainment stand since I support all consoles and a variety of other devices.

But then why can't I play a Durango through another Durango? It just seems unfair.

 

[kaching]

The 360 Mini doesn't require a Durango to function. And what do you mean it solves nothing? It grants users the option to play 360 games from their Durango, and it does so without driving up the price of the console for everyone else. It satiates the vocal niche who want everything unified under one roof. It'll be a tiny little box and it might not even need to be in the same room as the Durango.

It's something, but far from ideal. They've had 8 years to work towards this, a longer generational gap than any previous generation, so if the best they can come up with is a $150 dongle that essentially achieves Remote Play rather than BC, you'll forgive me if I'm not impressed. I know some of you really don't want to pay for BC but I'd just like to see a distinct SKU that supports _internal_ BC, rather than have to go out and buy two separate pieces of hardware that's BC In Name Only.

 

[dragonelite]

But then why can't I play a Durango through another Durango? It just seems unfair.

Why cant i ducktape together two durango like nintendo ducktaped wii for wiiu

 

[ShinAmano]

So...I like the news. Question if mini is seperate from durango will it come with all the gear needed (controller etc)? Surely...so would durango offer a pack in of mini so I don't need the extra gear? That is what I want to know.

 

[Dreaver]

I wouldn't be surprised if this was a controlled leak. Best way to counter the negativism around the next Xbox. Either way it sounds better!

 

[JessicaPadkin]

I like this idea. Hopefully it's true, because I'd definitely want to buy that mini 360 for non-hardcore-gaming family members (for streaming and the more casual-friendly 360/XBLA games).

 

[Zuhzuhzombie!!]

So basically

I can swang that.

 

[Ghost]

360TV sounds like a good idea but if Apple ever opened up AppleTV to the appstore then it would be obsolete.

 

[Dance Inferno]

I don't know how I feel about this. On the one hand, the system would no longer be always online (good). On the other hand, I would need to buy a separate peripheral in order to get BC (bad). But then again, if I keep my 360, I can get the Durango cheaper than I would have if BC were bundled in (good), and if I were to sell my 360 then I can always buy the small add-on to continue playing 360 games (good).

I dunno. The PS4 just seems like an overall simpler and more integrated design, so I'm leaning more towards that.

 

[EagleBurnn]

360TV sounds like a good idea but if Apple ever opened up AppleTV to the appstore then it would be obsolete.

Not really. If there is a 360TV, it will be helpful on well, TV's. An app from Apple would only be good on iPads and iPhones and such.

I don't know how I feel about this. On the one hand, the system would no longer be always online (good). On the other hand, I would need to buy a separate peripheral in order to get BC (bad). But then again, if I keep my 360, I can get the Durango cheaper than I would have if BC were bundled in (good), and if I were to sell my 360 then I can always buy the small add-on to continue playing 360 games (good).

I dunno. The PS4 just seems like an overall simpler and more integrated design, so I'm leaning more towards that.

I would rather have an add-on than a streaming service tbh. If Sony asked me to pay a fee to support non-streaming BC, I would pay that. MS is kind of doing that right now.

 

[GuardianE]

If the 360 "add-on" doesn't have a disc drive, does that mean it's only compatible with digital titles?

 

[Blue Ninja]

If the 360 "add-on" doesn't have a disc drive, does that mean it's only compatible with digital titles?

Yes, but only if you use it seperately. It's a like a set-top box, with movies, music and games on demand. If you connect it to a Durango, you can put your discs in the Durango's drive and the mini-360 will run them.

 

[pr0cs]

If the 360 "add-on" doesn't have a disc drive, does that mean it's only compatible with digital titles?

the suspicion is that the drive in the Durango does the disc reading and the 'addon' only does the emulation, swapping data back and forth from the durango.

I can't see how they'll do this without issues, especially from streaming games like GTA and Saint's Row but anything is better than no BC like the PS4 will suffer from.

 

[shintoki]

Sony's plan is BC via Gaikai.

I'm under the assumption that I'll have to repurchase all my games. So I don't really see the positive in this case. Its not like I can use my old stuff, they are just reselling it to me piece by piece.

What MS has going is probably the most ideal solution to both parties, though I still dislike it. Fans who want BC can go get it, allows them to bring over their entire collection for a fee rather than have to purchase each one over again, and no excuse about a 600$ system to start.

I still think the big thing is this, how will Digital purchases work?

 

[bobeth]

I don't know how I feel about this. On the one hand, the system would no longer be always online (good). On the other hand, I would need to buy a separate peripheral in order to get BC (bad). But then again, if I keep my 360, I can get the Durango cheaper than I would have if BC were bundled in (good), and if I were to sell my 360 then I can always buy the small add-on to continue playing 360 games (good).

I dunno. The PS4 just seems like an overall simpler and more integrated design, so I'm leaning more towards that.

How is just buying a Durango more complicated than buying a PS4?

 

[shandy706]

I don't think it changes a lot for people. A lot of posters were already leaning PS4 before the 'only play games online' rumor was abound. The other rumors, still being weaker, still requiring Kinnect 2.0, 500 dollars 300 subscription with presumably worse first party? Eh.

I find that attitude strange if Microsoft has more games and new IPs at launch?

I was very meh about possible always online just to play offline.

With the new "leaks" saying the opposite, it's back to being all about GAMES for me.

Uncharted, Killzone, Driveclub, etc...mean no more to me than Halo, Forza/PGR, or Gears.

I'll buy every console if the games are excellent.

No one here, not a single person, knows what Games Microsoft will serve up at or near launch.

 

[majortom1981]

the suspicion is that the drive in the Durango does the disc reading and the 'addon' only does the emulation, swapping data back and forth from the durango.

I can't see how they'll do this without issues, especially from streaming games like GTA and Saint's Row but anything is better than no BC like the PS4 will suffer from.

That addon is probably microsofts way of using all their left over 360 cpu's. all they add is an hdmi in for cablebox input and maybe an usb 3 port as the system link and they are set.

 

[blackMamba1187]

This sounds good to me. I don't see why Sony can't simply decide to do the same thing. It's not as if they're not going to release another revised PS3 at some point. Maybe its part of why Microsoft has tried to remain quiet.

 

[GavinGT]

It's something, but far from ideal. They've had 8 years to work towards this, a longer generational gap than any previous generation, so if the best they can come up with is a $150 dongle that essentially achieves Remote Play rather than BC, you'll forgive me if I'm not impressed. I know some of you really don't want to pay for BC but I'd just like to see a distinct SKU that supports _internal_ BC, rather than have to go out and buy two separate pieces of hardware that's BC In Name Only.

I'm so confounded at these distinctions you're drawing, calling it "Remote Play" and "BC In Name Only". It's like you're some kind of BC snob who can only ingest BC in its purest form. Can you really not spare 0.2 cubic feet of space? Is that really a big fucking deal?

 

[NoLootBoxDev]

Well, now that I remember there was a rumor stating the next-box beta devkits, were having a dual APU, since recent rumor there is going to be a separate box for BC, then its not for the BC as may guessed, any possibility for a 2.4 TF?

 

[Minions]

I'm under the assumption that I'll have to repurchase all my games. So I don't really see the positive in this case. Its not like I can use my old stuff, they are just reselling it to me piece by piece.

What MS has going is probably the most ideal solution to both parties, though I still dislike it. Fans who want BC can go get it, allows them to bring over their entire collection for a fee rather than have to purchase each one over again, and no excuse about a 600$ system to start.

I still think the big thing is this, how will Digital purchases work?

What if sony enables remote play from PS3 -> PS4? It is a similar concept to this and would allow you to play your disc based games using the "disc drive" of the other console. Would be inherently cheaper too since you wouldn't have to buy a addon.

 

[GuardianE]

the suspicion is that the drive in the Durango does the disc reading and the 'addon' only does the emulation, swapping data back and forth from the durango.

I can't see how they'll do this without issues, especially from streaming games like GTA and Saint's Row but anything is better than no BC like the PS4 will suffer from.

Yes, but only if you use it seperately. It's a like a set-top box, with movies, music and games on demand. If you connect it to a Durango, you can put your discs in the Durango's drive and the mini-360 will run them.

I think it's a great option if it works out, but it does seem like it would be messy to implement.

 

[MasLegio]

Not really. If there is a 360TV, it will be helpful on well, TV's. An app from Apple would only be good on iPads and iPhones and such.

Do you even know what Apple TV is?

 

[pr0cs]

That addon is probably microsofts way of using all their left over 360 cpu's. all they add is an hdmi in for cablebox input and maybe an usb 3 port as the system link and they are set.

Oh I suspect that the new mini box is not using 'recycled' stuff they had leftover but die shrunk and streamlined. I would imagine that the 360 would be VERY small indeed if it didn't need the DVD drive, had the components designed for a set-top-box style.

 

[chris0701]

While Sony bought Gaikai and highly praise their cloud gaming concept, the "always on " next-gen console will be PS4 ultimately if you want to play PS3 games.

 

[blu]

The 360 Mini doesn't require a Durango to function.

How are you supposed to use your existing boxed games with this? And does it have its own controller interfaces (the blurb does not make that clear)?

And what do you mean it solves nothing? It grants users the option to play 360 games from their Durango, and it does so without driving up the price of the console for everyone else.

How many people would mind playing their 360 games on an actual 360? And how is a stand-alone, cheaper 360 slim driving up the price for Durango owners? Outside of remote play for the audience that for some reason would prefer the add-on approach, the add-on is exactly identical to a 360 slim sitting next to the Durango, for everybody else who just want 360 BC.

It satiates the vocal niche who want everything unified under one roof. It'll be a tiny little box and it might not even need to be in the same room as the Durango.

Surely there will be a niche for this. Calling it a solution to the BC problem is a serious stretch of the imagination, though. It is literally another 360 slim that connects to Durnago, vis-a-vis a 360 slim which does not.

 

[Minions]

While Sony bought Gaikai and highly praise their cloud gaming concept, the "always on " next-gen console will be PS4 ultimately if you want to play PS3 games.

Should be "when" you want to play PS3 games. When you don't you don't need a connection. I don't think after the first year or two I will be playing many. I will likely be using my PS3 to do so anyway, as almost my entire backlog is disc based.

 

[Zen]

I find that attitude strange if Microsoft has more games and new IPs at launch?

I was very meh about possible always online just to play offline.

With the new "leaks" saying the opposite, it's back to being all about GAMES for me.

Uncharted, Killzone, Driveclub, etc...mean no more to me than Halo, Forza/PGR, or Gears.

I'll buy every console if the games are excellent.

No one here, not a single person, knows what Games Microsoft will serve up at or near launch.

Well actually we do, even people not in the know. We've known about the rumored 4 IPs for ever and now this:

We're told Ryse is designed to be Microsoft's new Gears of War / Halo mega launch title. It's set in the roman empire period and uses deep Kinect integration to allow a player to slash and kick at enemies. We understand that Ryse will take advantage of the new body tracking improvements in the next Kinect sensor. Ryse is part of four major launch titles for the next-generation Xbox. Sources tell us that a new Forza title with "super life-like" graphics will also be made available at launch, alongside a zombie game and a family game set on an island with Pixar movie-style graphics. We're told that the family game will utilize Kinect to scan a body and generate a virtual character in the game.

We understand that these four titles are a small selection of the launch titles for the next-generation Xbox. Third-party support is said to be strong in the first-person-shooter genre. Microsoft is also working on some improvements to Xbox Live, including a switch to currency over the Microsoft Points system.

http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/11/4212054/next-xbox-launch-titles-ryse-forza

Sure it's about the games, but a lot of us aren't in the position of picking up two and might only get the second sometime down the line. Like I said, a lot of gaffers already made up their minds before the 'must be online to play games' rumor came about. It's weaker, comparably expensive due to Kinnect 2.0, you have to pay to play, so on.

 

[Minions]

How are you supposed to use your existing boxed games with this? And does it have its own controller interfaces (the blurb does not make that clear)?


How many people would mind playing their 360 games on an actual 360? And how is a stand-alone, cheaper 360 slim driving up the price for Durango owners? Outside of remote play for the audience that for some reason would prefer the add-on approach, the add-on is exactly identical to a 360 slim sitting next to the Durango, for everybody else who just want 360 BC.


Surely there will be a niche for this. Calling it a solution to the BC problem is a serious stretch of the imagination, though. It is literally another 360 slim that connects to Durnago, vis-a-vis a 360 slim which does not.

There is the fact that you will slowly reduce the life of the bluray drive on the durango the more you use it. (It has been said that durango games wont read from discs in game, only install locally... who knows if true). If you get a 360 instead of the addon the life span will be increased since the bluray drive won't be reading from it constantly to play 360 games.

 

[Poona]

How are you supposed to use your existing boxed games with this? And does it have its own controller interfaces (the blurb does not make that clear)?

To play retail disc based games you need to plug it into the next Xbox/Durango. If it isn't plugged in, it will only play the downloadable titles that are on 360 now (games on demand, xbla).

 

[Izick]

I just want them to announce this thing so I can figure out what console I want come November and start stashing cash away for it.

 

[ElNino]

I don't think it changes a lot for people. A lot of posters were already leaning PS4 before the 'only play games online' rumor was abound. The other rumors, still being weaker, still requiring Kinnect 2.0, 500 dollars 300 subscription with presumably worse first party? Eh.

Well, I don't presume that... but for those that do, sure, they will still get the PS4 as they always were going to.

 

[Vormund]

I hope we can put whatever HDD we want in there....especially if they want to sell more DD content to us.

Of course there will be official drives with the usual markup also.

 

[Zen]

Well, I don't presume that... but for those that do, sure, they will still get the PS4 as they always were going to.

Considering their output this generation it's not a bad assumption. We're probably in for a few Kinect things with some bluster up front and then the usual 3 game rotation after that. Whatever Microsoft shows could change people's minds and overcome the previously mentioned issues, but that doesn't mean they were going to always get a PS4.

 

[ElNino]

Considering their output this generation it's not a bad assumption. We're probably in for a few Kinect things with some bluster up front and then the usual 3 game rotation after that.

I'm using this generation as my basis for the "next-gen" games output.

 

[Beer Monkey]

360TV sounds like a good idea but if Apple ever opened up AppleTV to the appstore then it would be obsolete.

Except most IOS apps are coded for touchscreen input only.

So...I like the news. Question if mini is seperate from durango will it come with all the gear needed (controller etc)? Surely...so would durango offer a pack in of mini so I don't need the extra gear? That is what I want to know.

I'm going to *guess* that the mini will come with a remote control and not a controller. The people who are buying it to use like Apple TV will only need a remote. If you want to game on it, you buy a 360 controller (or plug a Durango into it).

 

[Zen]

I'm using this generation as my basis for the "next-gen" games output.

Well fair enough, but a lot of people on this board would disagree with your conclusion and would probably rank Microsoft first party last out of the big three.

 

[shandy706]

Sure it's about the games, but a lot of us aren't in the position of picking up two and might only get the second sometime down the line. Like I said, a lot of gaffers already made up their minds before the 'must be online to play games' rumor came about. It's weaker, comparably expensive due to Kinnect 2.0, you have to pay to play, so on.

"We understand that these four titles are a small selection of the launch titles for the next-generation Xbox."

You see that quote?

Also, you appear to have missed the part of the rumor "leak" that says the system reveal was delayed due to "specification updates" since the last leak.

It's fine if that's ones decision. We need to eliminate false (or unreasonable) assumptions though.

 

[Kill Your Masters]

How timely this 'rumor' came in...

Anyway glad that we got this out of the way IF this rumor is true compared to the previous ones.

 

[Reiko]

"We understand that these four titles are a small selection of the launch titles for the next-generation Xbox."

You see that quote?

Also, you appear to have missed the part of the rumor "leak" that says the system reveal was delayed due to "specification updates" since the last leak.

Spec bump please.