End of Steam/Playstation...

[tmcd35]

History repeating itself?

 

BBC News - Windows systems set to be merged by Microsoft

 

Win ME + Win2k = WinXP

 

Win8 + Win Phone 8 + XBox OS = Windows 9? or Windows 10?

 

Can Playstation / Steam compete with a proper Windows Direct-X x86 console?

[abillybob]

Really hope this happens!

[localzuk]

I doubt it'd kill Steam off. There's no reason they won't be able to produce a "universal" version of their system too. They just don't want to go via the store.

[tmcd35]

I doubt it'd kill Steam off. There's no reason they won't be able to produce a "universal" version of their system too. They just don't want to go via the store.

 

Sorry, I meant that in a steam console / steamos kind of way instead of way rather than killing actual steam off. In fact it's be a good thing for steam in general.

 

If XBox One (presumably, or maybe it's successor) runs a vanilla Windows and off the shelf XBox games run on that and/or a standard PC then there's no need for a Steam console and to be honest, I see it as a good reason to move from Playstation to XBox One/whateversnext.

[LeMarchand]

About time they did a phone with a full "desktop" OS. Can't see why it would be overly detrimental to Steam or PS. I use a Windows PC and a PS3 to play games on. Which one depends on which game: mainly if it is available on the platform, and then by price.

[CAM]

Steam OS is Gaben's security in-case MS went so far down the crazy pipe his business could no longer operate. Windows 8 nearly was that scenario.

 

"An app that runs with a mouse and keyboard on the desktop can be in the store, and you can have the same app run in the touch-first [mobile devices].

 

Devs are lazy by nature when it comes to cross-platform. Expect a swathe of terrible user interfaces designed for phones/consoles on PC titles. At least more then usual...

[Arthur]

Windows 8 nearly was that scenario.

Microsoft weren't going to get rid of the desktop in Windows 8 though, so nowhere near "nearly" really.

[Arthur]

Win8 + Win Phone 8 + XBox OS = Windows 9? or Windows 10?

 

What 'one Windows' really means (and doesn't) « ZDNet

 

Here's what "one Windows" really means:

 

1. A single team developing all Windows variants. This team has been in place since July 2013 when Microsoft created the unified Operating System Group under Terry Myerson. This team works on the Windows Phone OS, Windows Embedded, Windows (for PCs and tablets) and the Xbox One operating systems.

 

2. A single "core". Windows Phone, Windows 8, Windows RT and Windows Server are all built on top of a common "core," known as the NT core. Because of Microsoft's layered architectural approach, each OS builds on top of this core using different pieces that make sense for the form factor/hardware on which it runs.

 

3. A unified Store and commerce model across all platforms. Microsoft has taken steps toward unifying its Windows Phone Store and Windows Store over the past year. But it still has a ways to go to reach the holy grail: A single store that spans all platforms. The next major versions of Windows Phone and Windows (both codenamed Threshold) may be where a single Store debuts. I am not sure when Xbox apps will be added to that Store.

 

4. A unified developer platform. Microsoft execs have been promising for years that one day, developers will be able to write once and run on any Windows variant. To get there, Microsoft is working to unify, as much as possible, the core set of application programming interfaces (APIs) and the developer tooling for building apps for Windows Phone, Windows and the Xbox operating system. Microsoft has many of the pieces in place now that allow Windows and Windows Phone developers to reuse more of their code when writing what are called "Universal Windows apps."

 

Here's what "one Windows" doesn't mean: There will not be one Windows SKU. Or even two. There will continue to be multiple versions of Windows. Nadella stated this quite plainly on the earnings call.

 

"Our SKU strategy will remain by segment," he said. "We will have multiple SKUs for enterprises, we will have for OEM, we will have for end-users.... We will be disclosing and talking about our SKUs as we get further along."

Edited July 23, 2014 by Arthur

[tmcd35]

What 'one Windows' really means (and doesn't) « ZDNet

 

Here's what "one Windows" doesn't mean: There will not be one Windows SKU. Or even two. There will continue to be multiple versions of Windows. Nadella stated this quite plainly on the earnings call.

 

Lol, I got that And makes perfect sense. But, if the code base between SKU's is a lot closer the they can do more with it. For instance - All game releases work on both PC and XBox. No porting, exact same game code. A chip or software flag on XBox tells the game to use some predefined (by developer) graphics settings. On PC that chip/flag is missing so the game displays a settings menu for the end user.

 

At the moment the code bases for the two OS's are not the same even though the hardware is pretty close. Games from one can't run on the other without re-compilation. If the code base between SKU's is the same then that problem goes away. All of a sudden the XBox can become Microsofts version of the Steam Console.

 

No?

[Arthur]

For instance - all game releases work on both PC and XBox. No porting, exact same game code.

It may make the game developers job easier, but I seriously doubt the likes of EA and Ubisoft will sell you a game that works on both a PC and Xbox One. They have no incentive to do that since it hurts their profits.

Edited July 24, 2014 by Arthur

[Theblacksheep]

Lol, I got that And makes perfect sense. But, if the code base between SKU's is a lot closer the they can do more with it. For instance - All game releases work on both PC and XBox. No porting, exact same game code. A chip or software flag on XBox tells the game to use some predefined (by developer) graphics settings. On PC that chip/flag is missing so the game displays a settings menu for the end user.

 

At the moment the code bases for the two OS's are not the same even though the hardware is pretty close. Games from one can't run on the other without re-compilation. If the code base between SKU's is the same then that problem goes away. All of a sudden the XBox can become Microsofts version of the Steam Console.

 

No?

 

No, unless they change policies (they still do not allow a game to be released on xbox if it has been released on another first) and they make too much money on licencing games for xbox, where PC doesn't require licencing and why PC games are meant to be cheaper (not always the case due to publisher greed).

 

PCs also require a loads more testing and devs get lazy with PC, just getting you to get more ram/gpu/cpu. A whole host of complications with PC.

 

I think it'll make it easier to develop, but I'm not sure it'll make too much difference to the end user.

[ICTDirect_Dave]

It may make the game developers job easier, but I seriously doubt the likes of EA and Ubisoft will sell you a game that works on both a PC and Xbox One. They have no incentive to do that since it hurts their profits.

 

I'm not sure it would hurt profits actually. How many people buy the same game for both PC and Xbox? Wouldn't it be better to have one release that you could take home and plug into your machine of choice? In my eyes it'd actually drive up PC game sales as people take their xbox compatible Call of Duty and play it with a Keyboard & mouse 'as God intended'.

 

It would also combat Apple's lovely system of allowing you to link five devices to one account and download a purchased app to all of them.

 

I am however, worried about a single OS across all these mediums. It just means that all of the inevitable bugs that ship with windows will now be spread across four platforms not just one or two!