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[snatches]

With all the talk of handheld redesigns and news today, and with recent comments from MS saying they wanted a piece of the iPod pie, along with Peter Moore saying that "we can't just release our version of the iPod", I had a thought:

What if MS released a iPod like device that played Xbox Live Arcade games? You could plug in the portable into the 360 to download or also via the internet through an MS like store with music, video, and games.....you could store the games on the 360 HDD or your PC's....

They could keep costs down as they wouldn't need a physical media ala PSP w/ UMD,
and they could be the first to introduce gaming in a mass market way to an iTunes like model of distribution, a model they essentially have in place already with XBLA.

Would this be possible?

 

[Gahiggidy]

Won't happen. They're pussies.

 

[gondwana]

"Nuclear launch detected"

 

[Suikoguy]

Naw, not enough accessories they can sell

 

[Sapiens]

an xbox portable is not a wise idea at the moment considering that they would be decimated in Japan and then face PSP and GBA/DS in North America.

Maybe when the XBOX division starts to turn a profit in 2010, we will see this.

edit: this thing would be as big as the original Gameboy I bet.

 

[Grug]

They'd be better off trying to make PDA's more fashionable. Would certainly help them push the Windows brand.

 

[snatches]

an xbox portable is not a wise idea at the moment considering that they would be decimated in Japan and then face PSP and GBA/DS in North America.

Maybe when the XBOX division starts to turn a profit in 2010, we will see this.

What is they avoided the Xbox branding and sold it as a value add MP3/Media player? It could easily be sold at a profit for less at retail than the PSP due to the lack of physical media.

Edit: They could also license out the rights to making other companies devices XBLA compatible, further pushing the service and amount of downloads.

 

[truffleshuffle83]

microsoft have the most resources available to them. i could see them making one, and if they play it right (connectivity wise windows/360 etc) i could see it being a very solid device

 

[heavy liquid]

Maybe they could also have some kind of a Windows Vista Lite on there too. Can't really see them entering the handheld market, though. But who knows?

 

[Snaku]

If MS were to release their own portable, I'd suggest:

A. Worldwide Launch
B. Ship 60% of stock to Japan


....

 

[snatches]

Maybe they could also have some kind of a Windows Vista Lite on there too. Can't really see them entering the handheld market, though. But who knows?

Just a new Vista Media Center for Portable devices......it could easily be used for PDA like tasks and excel spreadsheets, powerpoints, etc....

 

[meltpotato]

What is they avoided the Xbox branding and sold it as a value add MP3/Media player? It could easily be sold at a profit for less at retail than the PSP due to the lack of physical media.

so in otherwords, the midpoint between psp and gizmondo? highly unlikely. MS is 100% concerned with furthering the xbox brand. its their ass if they dont.

 

[FiRez]

 

[snatches]

so in otherwords, the midpoint between psp and gizmondo? highly unlikely. MS is 100% concerned with furthering the xbox brand. its their ass if they dont.

I just want to play Marble Blast and Geometry Wars at work....is that so wrong? Updating leaderboards on the go FTW.

 

[meltpotato]

I just want to play Marble Blast and Geometry Wars at work....is that so wrong? Updating leaderboards on the go FTW.

QFT. geometry wars right now would pretty much make me the happiest person in this building.

 

[snatches]

QFT. geometry wars right now would pretty much make me the happiest person in this building.

Yeah, what if the whole interface was exactly like XBL? With the blades and everything? You could still play your favorite music while you played....and it could act as a wireless media center extender, access your home PC remotely for all your pics, music, movies, and games....

MS....hire me and I will make this happen.

NO RLY

 

[kaching]

What if MS released a iPod like device that played Xbox Live Arcade games? You could plug in the portable into the 360 to download or also via the internet through an MS like store with music, video, and games.....you could store the games on the 360 HDD or your PC's....

Unless XBLA games are somehow capped in the extent to which they actually utilize the X360 hardware, you're talking a fully portable X360 here...which isn't going to happen anytime soon.

 

[drohne]

xbla games use the 360's full spec, no? that'd be one big portable.

 

[Luckett_X]

I know it was an outlandish rumour when it was around, but back when Xbox 360 memory cards were rumoured to be like mini-ipod's to play music from and have a small screen, that sounded cool as hell to me.

 

[hadareud]

I know it was an outlandish rumour when it was around, but back when Xbox 360 memory cards were rumoured to be like mini-ipod's to play music from and have a small screen, that sounded cool as hell to me.

qft

I still think they are going to come up with something like this in a year or two, especially remembering the M-Systems thing.

I very much doubt that it would play games though. Just xpod doubling as memory card/harddrive.

 

[Yamaha98]

<--- Wonders how big, heavy & ugly a MS handheld would be?

They could barely build a proper, healthy user-base w/ their brandname consoles- what makes you ppl think an handheld would be sufficient. How about trying the #2 market worldwide before trying different endeavors.

 

[choplifter]

Won't happen. They're pussies.

you know, in 1998-1999 when there was speculation & rumor about a Microsoft game console, many said it wouldn't happen.

 

[snatches]

xbla games use the 360's full spec, no? that'd be one big portable.

That's a good point, you wouldn't want to marginalize the future of XBLA. However, I don't see a XBLA game that wouldn't be possible on something as powerful as a PSP, and MS could up the ante.....

 

[snatches]

there will never be a xbox handheld, or at least not until nintendo unveils "new" machines, ds 2, psp 2, and the like. nintendo has the SP, Micro, DS, DS Lite coming out, and I've seen with my own eyes the original GBA being sold. Add in the PSP and dying handhelds like Gizmondo and NGage and you've got a full market. it won't be done, but I like your ideas.

You're dreaming. Bill Gates hates the market domination of the iPod and wants in. I would expect him to leverage all of MS' strengths to create a must have device, and MS has become quite a name in gaming circles. A portable windows media center that plays XBLA games would be the greatest thing ever....I'm not the only one that thinks so

 

[CamHostage]

I like the idea, but the problem with digital downloads is that it'd most likely need an Xbox 360 to download the games (unless they released a PC side-release of Live just for market of Xboy games, which would still rule out Mac), plus there's still those darned 56k casuals. Maybe if they had in-store kiosks for buying games? I could see it being as powerful in media playback and game engine as PSP, but I don't see it as being near as successful or supported.

That said, a Xboy that docks into the Xbox 360 HDD slot would make a lot of sense. I'm really surprised that they're only selling a 360 HDD and not an alternate HDD that's portable like an iPod or even with a screen for video, I hope they come out with something like that soon.

 

[fly high ~ayunite~]

Hell no.

 

[snatches]

I like the idea, but the problem with digital downloads is that it'd most likely need an Xbox 360 to download the games (unless they released a PC side-release of Live just for market of Xboy games.

You wouldn't need to have XBL on the PC, just the marketplace portion. An iTunes like service + movie trailers and XBLA games.

 

[argon]

Interesting idea, but it would have to have SOME kind of external media, with games you can buy in stores.

Otherwise there's no way retailers will push the thing, especially with DS and PSP software bringing retailers a tidy profit already (and that's not even taking into account used sales). This would basically rule out the whole loss-leader business model from the retailers perspective, so it would have to be either more expensive, or have cheap hardware.

 

[Nightbringer]

CPU Intel Xscale 1.2Ghz
GPU AMD Imageon (2006 version)
64MB of RAM Memory
16:9 Screen
Windows Mobile is the operating system
Same basic design than PSP
HDD based, games downloable from PC or Xbox360 using an USB cable or from internet directly from the console to the HDD.
Xbox Live Compatible.
XNA Environment
DirectX 7/8 graphics level.

The console will be licensed like the 3DO in its days.

 

[Birbo]

Still wishing for one of these:

 

[snatches]

Interesting idea, but it would have to have SOME kind of external media, with games you can buy in stores.

Yeah its like really hard finding an iPod in stores because of this problem =P

CPU Intel Xscale 1.2Ghz
GPU AMD Imageon (2006 version)
64MB of RAM Memory
16:9 Screen
Windows Mobile is the operating system
Same basic design than PSP
HDD based, games downloable from PC or Xbox360 using an USB cable or from internet directly from the console to the HDD.
Xbox Live Compatible.
XNA Environment
DirectX 7/8 graphics level.

Now we're talking but I would expect some sort of ATI solution due to their current partnership. And I prefer a clamshell design....something like that PSP Mini (anyone have that pic?)

Shit just imagine XBL on the go.....VOIP.....headset......*SPLOOGE*

 

[kaching]

That's a good point, you wouldn't want to marginalize the future of XBLA. However, I don't see a XBLA game that wouldn't be possible on something as powerful as a PSP, and MS could up the ante.....

As nice as the PSP hardware is for a portable, even a game like MBU is clearly taking advantage of shader capabilities well beyond the PSP, or any other portable hardware you could get to market at a reasonable price right now. They'd really have to code two different versions of XBLA games - one for the 360 and one for the portable.

 

[snatches]

As nice as the PSP hardware is for a portable, even a game like MBU is clearly taking advantage of shader capabilities well beyond the PSP, or any other portable hardware you could get to market at a reasonable price right now. They'd really have to code two different versions of XBLA games - one for the 360 and one for the portable.

In some cases.

 

[argon]

Yeah its like really hard finding an iPod in stores because of this problem =P

Read my next sentence after that quote.. The profit margin for iPods are huge, around 30-40%. Along with accessories, that leaves a lot of room for both Apple and retailers to make a buck.

Put yourself into a brick & mortar retailer's shoes. Why would you promote a system that directly competes with both Nintendo and Sony, but doesn't have an adequate sales channel for software? Promoting a handheld with no removeable media would cannibalize your store's software sales, especially when you can devote the shelf space to UMDs and PSP games, many of which are selling briskly at $40-$50.

The business model just makes no sense from a videogame retailers perspective, unless one or more criteria are met:

1) Some sort of retail presence for software. Removeable media (carts etc), or debit cards where you can buy Microsoft points in-store (sold at a profit for retailers).

2) High initial retail price, similar to most consumer electronics. The traditional loss leader model can't work if retailers need to make a decent profit on every hardware unit sold. iPod retailers make a ton off accessories, but how many accessories does a portable need? I can't think of many besides headphones, AC adapters, and memory cards.. And most of those are expected by consumers as included in the base package.

3) Lower tech, revolution style. This might work if it will just play XBLA games and classic ports. But it doesn't seem like MS's style.

 

[kaching]

Okay...so how much were you thinking you'd be willing to pay for this hypothetical portable, tops?

 

[PolyMan]

 

[Oblivion]

:lol :lol

 

[snatches]

Read my next sentence after that quote.. The profit margin for iPods are huge, around 30-40%.

Why would you promote a system that directly competes with both Nintendo and Sony, but doesn't have an adequate sales channel for software? Promoting a handheld with no removeable media would cannibalize your store's software sales, especially when you can devote the shelf space to UMDs and PSP games

The business model just makes no sense from a videogame retailers perspective, unless one or more criteria are met:

1) Some sort of retail presence for software. Removeable media (carts etc), or debit cards where you can buy Microsoft points in-store (sold at a profit for retailers).

2) High initial retail price, similar to most consumer electronics. The traditional loss leader model can't work if retailers need to make a decent profit on every hardware unit sold. iPod retailers make a ton off accessories, but how many accessories does a portable need?

3) Lower tech, revolution style. This might work if it will just play XBLA games and classic ports. But it doesn't seem like MS's style.

iPod's sell at about 18% margin....at retail. MS could duplicate this.
Stores could sell all kinds of accessories, including prepaid points cards, cases, etc, could be sold at a very large profit, with accessories marked up over 100% margin(like iPod) and prepaid points cards at 25-33%. This device could utilize any accessory that could be sold with an iPod, how would it be different?
Stores make shit margin on games and hardware...don't you know this?

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Yeah its like really hard finding an iPod in stores because of this problem =P

Well, you can get medai for the iPod just about anywhere. You know, they're called CD's!

 

[snatches]

Okay...so how much were you thinking you'd be willing to pay for this hypothetical portable, tops?

Let's say 4-6GB of solid state memory ala iPod Nano....a PSP type screen, no UMD drive to worry about or memory card slot....maybe $349.99????

 

[Madame M]

The concept of a portable Xbox makes me :lol

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

The concept of a portable Xbox makes me :lol

The concept of a portable Playstation illicited much the same response a few years ago.

 

[snatches]

The concept of a portable Xbox makes me :lol

Yeah, I know what you mean. The form factor would have to be something special, I keep picturing something way too bulky. Although the changeable face plates would be cool.

 

[PolyMan]

Rumor has it Itagaki is already hard at work on a secret project, which should be a killer app overseas.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

No. Chanable face plates are in now way cool. Not on the X360 and not on a handheld.

[/story]

 

[GhostSeed]

If they (MS) ever did decide do this they should put two analog sticks on the thing. That's one of the few week points of today's handhelds.

 

[snatches]

If they (MS) ever did decide do this they should put two analog sticks on the thing. That's one of the few week points of today's handhelds.

Agreed, this is what makes 3d on the PSP so damned unintuitive.

 

[PolyMan]

whats unintuitive is analog sticks jutting out of something thats supposed to fit in your pocket.

 

[ChronoMagnus]

Even if Ms where to makes its own x-box portable there is no way they could succeed. i mean just look at how the Ds is doing versus the psp (the psp is still doing great). What would xbox portable have to offer that other portables dont? A hard drive, two analog sticks? At what price? We all know how much an ipod cost and when you add high end graphics the thing would simply cost too much. Plus nintendo would just answer by releasing their own new hardware that critics say will get beat by the XboxPortable and then easter comes along and we all know what happens from then on.

 

[snatches]

whats unintuitive is analog sticks jutting out of something thats supposed to fit in your pocket.

It would have to be a clamshell design with recesses in the top half to account for protrusion of analog sticks on the bottom.