Topic: Microsoft cloning N?

[KDR_11k]

After seeing all those rumors and official statements about the XBox Next it seems to me the device will be a lot closer to the GC instead of the XB:

-No HD
-Smaller size
-Proprietary disks
-IBM/ATI chips
...

Also, Microsoft has miscalculated some things and decided to market the XB to kids (their former enemies ) as well (official press release shortly after the release of Grabbed by the Ghoulies).

The XB2 is said to have three of those IBM processors, while the N5 will likely have two (DS was declared a "sample of what's to come with Nintendo's next console").

Perhaps they just envy Nintendo's bottom line?

[The Omen]

Perhaps those specs are for the XN-5?  

[Pale]

I was thinking the same thing omen... :-/

[mouse_clicker]

THe only rumor I've heard out of those is the IBM/ATI chips. I really hope all consoles have a hard drive next generation- there's really no reason not to, especially considering how cheap they are now.

[thecubedcanuck]

"Perhaps they just envy Nintendo's bottom line?"

if this were the case, they would be building a handheld, not a console, since the handheld market is where Nin makes all of its cake.

[Ian Sane]

"Also, Microsoft has miscalculated some things and decided to market the XB to kids (their former enemies ) as well (official press release shortly after the release of Grabbed by the Ghoulies)."

That doesn't seem like a bad strategy to me.  Although many people forget it the younger market is quite lucrative.  Nintendo of course has been able to be successful targeting it and the PS2 has a lot of younger owners as well.  To me it just makes sense for MS to try to target them.  They're trying to expand their demographic.  Hell we all complain that Nintendo doesn't expand their demographic enough so why is MS not allowed to do it?

If the next Xbox is similar to the Cube I imagine it will be mostly coincidence.  The smaller size isn't because of the Cube it's because people complained about the Xbox size.  The changes to the hardware seem to be more about being cost effective than anything else.  The Xbox is a money pit designed to get a foothold in the market.  Obviously the followup can't go the same route, it has to be a profitable machine.  Therefore it makes sense to ditch the hard drive because that was an expensive component and wasn't really that well used beyond save storage.  It's also more efficient to use custom designed hardware than the PC hardware that was in the original machine.  Going for raw power was more expensive and didn't really result in too many games that the other consoles couldn't handle.

These changes show that MS has learned a great deal about the console market.  If the new Xbox is similiar to the Gamecube it isn't necessarily because MS wants to copy Nintendo's formula, it's really just that the Cube was from a hardware point of view the best designed machine of this generation.  Hell, with Sony seemingly going in a more complicated direction MS is playing it smart by simplifying everything.

[mouse_clicker]

You have to admit, though, Ian, it's quite odd that MS touts the superiority of the XBox's Intel CPU and nVidia GPU only to switch the same exact companies Nintendo will have been using for 2 generations. Also, while the kids market is quite lucrative, I think, if you'll look at sales data, that the teenage and early twenties demographic is where the sales really are, and as of yet MS hasn't quite been able to wrestle control of that away from Sony. Nintendo has a lock on the younger demographics, as well, so I think it'd be best for MS to finish what they started and continue eating away at Sony's market share of the older gamers.

Anyway, I think the real winner next generation is IBM, considering they're designing all 3 major players' CPU's.

[KDR_11k]

Ian: The kid-attracting doesn't go along well with statements like "We don't care for the young children, once they turn 12 we will take them away from Nintendo anyway" (paraphrase). That's like announcing you will never again develop for the GC and dis the device publicly just to resume support a few months later...

Cubedcanuck: Perhaps they looked at how well any and all competition to the GB/A fared? Gamespy has recently released a list of top ten failed handhelds, that's quite a lot. Also, MS would have tried the same as all the other competitors: More power, less battery. That never worked and even MS probably figured that out. Also, how would you make a handheld out of a PC?

BTW, it's doubtful the XBN will be compatible to the XB. MS said they won't do that if the device gets too expensive.

Whether consciously or not, MS is doing the exact same things Nintendo is doing. Microsoft often bashed Nintendo for many different reasons, now they're heading into the same direction. Ironic, isn't it? Sounds almost like admitting defeat.

What bugs me about the XBN is how they said again "Microsoft is in for the long term". Doesn't sound very confident. Or they want to defeat Nintendo like they defeated Netscape?

[Ymeegod]

" Nintendo will have been using for 2 generations. "

Actually the GC doesn't use ATI at all.  :0  ATI basically got to stick it's name on since it did buyout the company.

Also these all are RUMORS to begin with.  Considering not a single one was correct about Nintendo's Unnamed console--DS now--it's kinda hard to believe this as well.

[mouse_clicker]

True, it won't technically be two generations, but I believe ATI has incorporated many of ArtX's ideas into their newer graphics cards, meaning if Microsoft does in fact use them for the next XBox it will have some of the same features of the Gamecube's Flipper.

[Uglydot]

So...microsoft is building a mac...

[vudu]

Xbox 2 specs revealed--but are they fact?

interesting read.  doesn't tell us anything that hasn't already been speculated, but it's another source reiterating the same ideas.

[manunited4eva22]

3? Unless they have somehow figured some way to do AMP with chips never designed for such a task, BS.   I know the US government has done this before, as they recently sold some of the tech to intel for a hefty price, but in a console?  No, don't see it happening.

Also faster than the R400?  Err, you mean 420?  The R400 was cancelled.  Seems that Gamespy /whoever that other guy was, were too lazy to look up the specs...

[Djunknown]

Pretty much the main points have been said. One could say that Microsoft let their Xbox division bleed this time around, just to get that user base. They also have Xbox Live which theoretically can only get better with time.  Maybe they'll introduce the HD a la Sony?

It'll be interesting if important backwards compatibility will be for the next round of consoles. Sony's on board, Nintendo hasn't ruled it out, signs seem to point to no for the 'Box.  Is that an issue for anyone here?

[mouse_clicker]

If both Sony and Nintendo go for backwards compatibility, then I think it'll be an issue for MS if they don't. That said, I doubt MS would leave out backwards compatibility if Sony and Nintendo DO include the feature in their next console, as long as they can.  

[KDR_11k]

More sceptical article on the processor. In effect they're saying these specs were probably fanboy-influenced.

MS announced they'll add more RAM and the HDD if Sony has more RAM / a HDD. On /. people were sceptical on how MS plans to do that, since Sony will launch a few years after them. Some said it's a bad move to change a console's specs in last minute because it doesn't allow developers to adjust and production to catch up.

[nolimit19]

nintendo should just release a slightly better machine, make up a bunch of stats about it (insane polygon count like 10 trillion) and then sell it at the same price as xbox and ps3.

[manunited4eva22]

Erm, if they are going to release before how are they going to go about doing that?  IBM and ATi are charging more for the higher chip, I have no doubt on that, so I am doubting that Nintendo will be the higher bidder for one or both.

[oohhboy]

You forget that with nintendo's own hardware experince it gives them an edge that MS can't just buy. Sure MS could just buy a more powerful chipset, but Nintendo would sit down for a moment and ask how could they get more out of current technology and how to get the not quite so cutting edge to match that of thier competitors. Which Nintendo has effectively done this generation hardware wise.