Topic: PS5 Digital vs. XSS

I gotta say Microsoft really impressed me with how out of nowhere that Series S reveal was at that price point. This could be pretty cool companion console for those who want to own both a PlayStation and Xbox this coming gen. It's basically the Series X without a disc drive but it'll play all the same games in addition to how great Game Pass is.

@TheFrenchiestFry it really isn't the same as the series X. The GPU is significantly weaker. It's an interesting product, but it'll not just do lower resolutions, but less geometry and other effects too. It'll be interesting to see how well it fits into the development pipeline, or not as the case may be. The best thing for me is at least the the CPU is the same, so it might not be so bad.

@SirAngry It’s basically just an mid-range PC for a cheaper price. It’s a good deal if you aren’t wanting to pay the money to play games at their ‘ultra’ settings or equivalent.

@nessisonett to an extent yes, but having to produce assets twice at different mesh counts, different resolutions, maps, fewer effects etc. etc. etc. might be a tad annoying in the development pipeline. That's two optimisation tracks... actually it's a bit of a ball ache and I know people who are still annoyed about it. It's also going to impact LoD and distance draw in games, but thankfully they finally went with parity on the CPU, because that could've been a disaster.

@SirAngry PC games already do that and every Xbox exclusive is also coming to PC through the Universal Windows thingy. It’s more work with optimisation but many of these devs would have that mindset anyway due to the mid-gen consoles being released and splitting optimisation tracks. It’s definitely a bit of a minefield though, especially if Microsoft insist on two versions before they’ll allow the game to release.

@SirAngry I can't wait to see what the price point will be.

@nessisonett I work with many of these Devs and if you think PC games are optimised they most certainly aren't. lol. Trust me, it's a ball ache for most studios. Those who shift their pipelines over to middleware like CryEngine or UE5 might have a smoother time of it, but the XSS is not a welcome addition to the pipeline for many. Plus you really have to polish console games to get something that's acceptable to most gamers. PC gamers although vocal and grumpy, are actually far more forgiving and willing to get their hands dirty to make sure that games run well.

I also think the most requested thing that Cerny would have had on his tours of studios was no mid-gen upgrades. lol. Microsoft have gone for a two-tier environment from the off. It's an interesting strategy that's for sure.

@Kefka2589 I actually think it depends on money as always. If an install base is big enough people will still develop for it. However, I think maybe convincing teams to develop timed exclusives this generation might be cheaper. I'd bet your 6 and 12 month timed exclusives might be on the increase, give the team time to optimise for the other systems they've developed for. It's not too bad, but it might throw some teams some curve balls.

@SirAngry Are you a dev??? If so, can I ask you some more questions?
Do you have xbox/ps devkits??

@AlisonPentouseus I'm not going to answer any question on either system, so probably not no.

@SirAngry Alright man I totally understand. I don't want to put pressure on you by any means. Though I would appreciate it if you could only "imply" if there is a substantial performance difference between PS5 and XSX? In terms of GPU performance I mean.

@SirAngry Can I have your email? Pretty please!

@Kefka2589 there's no money for big developers in game pass. Maybe for sweating money out of products that's two or three years old, but for Microsoft it'll continue to lose money for the foreseeable future. if they get more subs then developers will ask for more money, it's as simple as that. I think going forward Game Pass will morph into a charge for free to play GaaS type products, and some smaller indie games that'll use it for a month or so as a kind of extended demo.

@Kefka2589 agreed, the interesting aspect to me is that Microsoft seem keen to do away with console generations entirely and move to constant iteration like phones. Maybe locking people into constant iteration via monthly payments. Might be enticing for some people. Maybe the industry is ready for it, maybe not, I guess we're about to find out. Sony's we believe in generations statement was a statement of intent.

@Kefka2589 As the other saying goes, “There’s a way to do it better - find it”. Although probably not by electrocuting elephants, bloody Edison.

@nessisonett also I realised I didn't answer this, but yes, Microsoft require you to provide XSS and XSX "version" as it were to get through certification. I can't just release my game on X or S. This was something most studios and publishers wanted to avoid, so, yeah I think Microsoft have ground a few gears. However, it'll rapidly become the new normal.

Always planned on getting the PS5 (optical version) and up until yesterday had no interest in getting a new Xbox of any variety but this digital edition has changed my mind. I have a few years of Game Pass stacked up so I'll definitely pick this one up, hopefully on day one to replace my OG XBO.

I really don't think this is out there to compete with PS5 Digital but I'm sure there are plenty of people like me who use Game Pass on an old XBO that will now upgrade to this version and I expect a lot of curious would be gamers will be interested in it too. Great move by Microsoft and a great price too.

@Shigurui Just curious, but why would you upgrade to a machine at launch that can play the same games as your current system the first few years of its existence?

@Kidfried - Well the OG XBO is showing its age a bit now with some newer games. I have a 4K HDR TV and the base XBO doesn't support HDR which I'm a big fan of. I don't use it enough to warrant buying a 1X or Series X but I do use it enough that for that price point I can justify the upgrade.