Microsoft to skip a mid-cycle Xbox upgrade, while Sony is already working on PS6 and Vita...

[Cal Jeffrey]

Rumor mill: It seems a bit early for next-generation console rumors, considering the mid-cycle refreshes have not launched yet. Be that as it may, the latest information regarding Microsoft's and Sony's next consoles has already hit the news cycle. So here we go.

Anonymous insiders told YouTube channel Moore's Law Is Dead (MLID) that Microsoft canceled plans for a mid-life Xbox Series upgrade codenamed Xbox Elite. Channel host Tom N/A said AMD was already in "late development" on a chip for the refreshed console before Xbox pulled the plug.

Furthermore, Microsoft has taken an exceptionally long time to set a contract for a next-gen chip supplier. Tom notes that it's not unusual for Xbox to "shop around" with other providers to get AMD to offer a better deal. However, nothing has materialized yet. Xbox could be seriously considering switching to Intel this time.

Meanwhile, Sony is already plugging away at its console future. The chips for the PlayStation 5 Pro (or whatever name it ends up with) were already "tapped out" last year. The silicon sits in storage, waiting for Sony to call on it for the Pro upgrade. While Sony has not confirmed a release window for a PS5 Pro, sources within AMD tell MLID they expect a 2024 holiday launch.

As for next-generation plans, Tom can "100 percent confirm" that AMD already signed contracts to produce chips for the "PlayStation 6 Family." However, sources couldn't provide any details regarding the specs of the next-generation hardware.

Part of that PS6 family is a Vita 2, which MLID also guaranteed with certainty is in "early development." Yes, Sony finally realized that the PS Portal was not the answer to the renewed handheld gaming craze.

Like the PS6, insiders were tight-lipped about the silicon AMD is designing for the Vita 2. However, MLID speculated that the Sony handheld could have an SoC with 18CUs to remain backward compatible with PS4 digital games. What about the PS5? Well, it's certainly possible to make the Vita 2 backward compatible with PS5, but that would cannibalize the Portal. Plus, at this time, PS4 has a far more robust games catalog.

Unfortunately, it is far too early to skip your daily dose of salt regarding this leak. Companies tend to play their cards close to the vest on new hardware releases, and Covid taught them to be extra cautious. So don't hold your breath for official news from Sony or Microsoft soon concerning next-gen gear. Both companies are likely to sit on official announcements until just before they are set to launch.

Image credit: Moore's Law Is Dead

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https://www.techspot.com/news/101767-microsoft-skip-mid-cycle-xbox-upgrade-while-sony.html

 

[The Talking Tech]

Microsoft will be skipping mid Gen upgrades in favor of releasing the next Xbox successor sooner than Sony with the PS6.

The question is how is Sony going to handle the PS5 Pro with the impeding release of a new Xbox while still having to wait at least 2 years in between hardware releases.

Something tells me Microsoft plans to make Sony nervous and have them cancel the PS5 pro altogether.

 

[EdmondRC]

A few interesting things here. Microsoft choosing Intel for both CPU/GPU (or APU) would be interesting and could help Intel with its GPU sales problem and it would better differentiate next gen consoles. Still it seems like a longshot.

Vita 2? I could be wrong, but I don't think this will be successful even if it's pretty good from a technical standpoint. The Switch's success I believe was due to the fact that for Nintendo, handheld was already treated as the primary and consoles were secondary before Switch even came along. Switch essentially allowed Nintendo to focus on one device while keeping both their console and handheld base. Sony on the other hand is looking at the portable gaming PC market and trying to get some of that revenue. The problem is that Sony will likely treat Vita 2 like Vita, where it will get spin-offs by second class development studios from mainline Playstation franchises. This did not work for Vita and will not work for a Vita 2. The reason the handheld gaming PCs are doing so well is because they are capable of playing an extensive library of PC games, even if not the latest and greatest, these are still not spin-off games made to fit an inferior handheld machine. I'm not sure how Sony Vita 2 would be attractive unless it could also play PC games (maybe through a deal with Valve to utilize Steam Deck's OS and the customer's Steam Library).

 

[m4a4]

Considering MS is rumored to be moving away from keeping all first party games console exclusive (which less walls is good IMO), they might be skipping it because of that consideration...

 

[redgarl]

M$ canceled their Xbox upgrade because their current gen is a catastrophe, simple as that.

If they are going with Intel, it is because they are making a cloud console...

They shoot themselves in the foot when they made the S version, and now they are going to sign their demise if they are going to DRM only.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

M$ canceled their Xbox upgrade because their current gen is a catastrophe, simple as that.

If they are going with Intel, it is because they are making a cloud console...

They shoot themselves in the foot when they made the S version, and now they are going to sign their demise if they are going to DRM only.

Agreed. Series x/s is sitting at 21 million units by the end of 2023, compared to 50 million PS5s. There's also the slight issue of the series S. What good is a even more amped up series X when all games must run on that outdated turd?

The PS4 pro/one x had this same issue. More powerful hardware, but nothing to truly take advantage of it because we have to maintain compatibility with weaker hardware. That's going to limit your AI, world size, and base character design. It's worse with the series S, which is is a totally different ball park and frankly shouldnt exist.

Growth in gamepass has stalled. Their biggest sellers are games they pay bloated sums for, and any studio they own is eventually run into the ground.

Also, LMAO trusting anything MLID is saying. WCCFTECH is more accurate.

Microsoft will be skipping mid Gen upgrades in favor of releasing the next Xbox successor sooner than Sony with the PS6.

The question is how is Sony going to handle the PS5 Pro with the impeding release of a new Xbox while still having to wait at least 2 years in between hardware releases.

Something tells me Microsoft plans to make Sony nervous and have them cancel the PS5 pro altogether.

Sony has some console exclusive that one could argue are worth playing. Not many (literally a dozen, one is a tech demo and two are VR only), but more then the whole 0 that xbox has available.

 

[gamerk2]

What good is a even more amped up series X when all games must run on that outdated turd?

I made this EXACT argument when the S/X was first announced, and was laughed at.

Seriously, we've seen time and time again that games are designed for the lowest common specification. Whichever has the lowest specs is the baseline for game development for the better part of the next half decade.

In the end, the majority of consoles Microsoft sold were the S; they undercut their own product while still loosing over 2:1 to Sony. If people wanted a cheap console, they got the Switch.

 

[dangh]

I made this EXACT argument when the S/X was first announced, and was laughed at.

but but but the teraflops!!11 /s
Remember how crazy those people were when xsx had on paper more teraflops than ps5, and ps5 was apparently older rdna gpu?
Suddenly, they went quiet.

In the end, with such good start with x360 it is crazy how MS killed a good console only to monetize on the GaaS. We still might see if this will benefot them financially and allow them to yet again become a monopoly, but one is sure - they totally killed their franchises, made games worse with focus on service rather than on full experience, and created xss to even further reduce the overal quality of all productions on their conosle - what BG3 developer went through was not the isolated case.

As for the Vita 2... if they would be able to scale down ps5 games to lets say 720p to run them with the same frame rate, then I'm getting that thing day one. But I kinda think I'm safer with steam deck tbh.

 

[WhiteLeaff]

Dumb rumor on so many levels that it surprises me to see a serious site replicating it.

 

[mistyrain]

Another idea. Why not MS to consider getting out of the console wars and just profit by IPs, licenses etc. No expenses, just profit. Why not if they see they lost the war (which is apparent).

 

[gdavid65]

I think it may be a prelude to Microsoft considering cancelling the Xbox altogether, and just focusing on PC and PS. Money is in the brand and the games after all.

 

[gamerk2]

I think it may be a prelude to Microsoft considering cancelling the Xbox altogether, and just focusing on PC and PS. Money is in the brand and the games after all.

Money is in Xbox Live, and to support it they need to have a console.

Remember that outside of the 360 days, Microsoft has definatively lost every console generation versus Sony. And even the 360 struggled to gain any traction outside the US/UK markets.

 

[The Talking Tech]

Agreed. Series x/s is sitting at 21 million units by the end of 2023, compared to 50 million PS5s. There's also the slight issue of the series S. What good is a even more amped up series X when all games must run on that outdated turd?

The PS4 pro/one x had this same issue. More powerful hardware, but nothing to truly take advantage of it because we have to maintain compatibility with weaker hardware. That's going to limit your AI, world size, and base character design. It's worse with the series S, which is is a totally different ball park and frankly shouldnt exist.

Growth in gamepass has stalled. Their biggest sellers are games they pay bloated sums for, and any studio they own is eventually run into the ground.

Also, LMAO trusting anything MLID is saying. WCCFTECH is more accurate.
Sony has some console exclusive that one could argue are worth playing. Not many (literally a dozen, one is a tech demo and two are VR only), but more then the whole 0 that xbox has available.

Did you missed the fact that Sony is quickly moving all their exclusives to the PC just like Microsoft did.

Sony now understands that console exclusivity is not a profitable business at all.

 

[oasked]

Rumours are that Xbox is going multi-platform, so why commit money into a console that no one will buy?

 

[VaRmeNsI]

For many there is little reason to have a PC and a console, if they want to increase the numbers they need good exclusives.

 

[mbrowne5061]

Rumours are that Xbox is going multi-platform, so why commit money into a console that no one will buy?

The only way I see this working for MS is if they follow the "steam machine" route: build a 'mini gaming PC', with standard PC components and a relatively *****-proof, gaming-focused OS. And make the OS available to anyone who wants to DIY their own. Suddenly, you have PlayStation games on an "Xbox" and Xbox games on the PlayStation.

Not saying that this is what they are doing. Nor that it will definitely work. But that is the only way I see MS being able to axe their console, and keep their gaming division alive. But I will say that this kind of tracks with the rumor that MS hasn't begun to line up vendors for their next gen console: they're going to be buying components, not chips, so its a shorter lead time.

 

[kira setsu]

The only way I see this working for MS is if they follow the "steam machine" route: build a 'mini gaming PC', with standard PC components and a relatively *****-proof, gaming-focused OS. And make the OS available to anyone who wants to DIY their own. Suddenly, you have PlayStation games on an "Xbox" and Xbox games on the PlayStation.

Not saying that this is what they are doing. Nor that it will definitely work. But that is the only way I see MS being able to axe their console, and keep their gaming division alive. But I will say that this kind of tracks with the rumor that MS hasn't begun to line up vendors for their next gen console: they're going to be buying components, not chips, so its a shorter lead time.

you pretty much described a current xbox,

 

[godrilla]

Did you missed the fact that Sony is quickly moving all their exclusives to the PC just like Microsoft did.

Sony now understands that console exclusivity is not a profitable business at all.

The current PC ports have come long way in terms of polished quality. I'm am enjoying God Of War( $18 purchase)on my PC at 4k 120hz max settings no upscaling. The game is so smooth.

Is Microsoft contributing anything to gaming anymore? The last DirectX api was updated in October 2021 to DirectX 12 ultimate api. We are in 2/2024 and the only thing coming out of Microsoft pipeline is talks about Windows 12 and Monopolizing the gaming industry.

 

[gamerk2]

Another idea. Why not MS to consider getting out of the console wars and just profit by IPs, licenses etc. No expenses, just profit. Why not if they see they lost the war (which is apparent).

So uhh...there's some rumors going around Microsoft is about to do exactly this. Which would signal the final end to console wars; Sony at the high end, Nintendo at the low end.

 

[yukka]

Whatever happens, if they go intel they have to deal with (or not bother about) backwards compatibility for current libraries.

 

[Wickedcruel]

For many there is little reason to have a PC and a console, if they want to increase the numbers they need good exclusives.

I have a 13900k / 4090 PC that I don't game on. I much prefer the Series X experience. Everything just works all the time. I also understand that I may be in that minority. But I do love having them both. My PC is for work and then my Xbox is to relax and just game.

 

[VaRmeNsI]

I have a 13900k / 4090 PC that I don't game on. I much prefer the Series X experience. Everything just works all the time. I also understand that I may be in that minority. But I do love having them both. My PC is for work and then my Xbox is to relax and just game.

You know you can put your PC into big picture mode (Steam Deck UI) and then it basically becomes a console?

 

[yukka]

You know you can put your PC into big picture mode (Steam Deck UI) and then it basically becomes a console?

That’s like saying you can put a scoop of vanilla in a cone and it becomes a cornetto. It’s not the same. A console doesn’t request updates, have compatibility issues with games, require remapping of controllers as standard, uses loads more energy, goes to sleep, needs a pin to wake, can’t be left for a 5 year old to use unattended and doesn’t play half the games in a Xbox library because those games are console only and never released on pc etc etc.

It’s not the same. There are reasons a console makes more sense in some situation than a gaming PC. I have both. The only one connected to the TV is the console. It works for some. There are reasons it isn’t cut and paste to swap. Even steam big picture abd the enhancement that have come about with steam deck etc and controllers, it’s still more work than plugging in 2 leads into the console and the TV and finding 2 double AA batteries.

 

[VaRmeNsI]

That’s like saying you can put a scoop of vanilla in a cone and it becomes a cornetto. It’s not the same. A console doesn’t request updates, have compatibility issues with games, require remapping of controllers as standard, uses loads more energy, goes to sleep, needs a pin to wake, can’t be left for a 5 year old to use unattended and doesn’t play half the games in a Xbox library because those games are console only and never released on pc etc etc.

It’s not the same. There are reasons a console makes more sense in some situation than a gaming PC. I have both. The only one connected to the TV is the console. It works for some. There are reasons it isn’t cut and paste to swap. Even steam big picture abd the enhancement that have come about with steam deck etc and controllers, it’s still more work than plugging in 2 leads into the console and the TV and finding 2 double AA batteries.

For kids I agree they are ideal but for adults...

 

[yukka]

For kids I agree they are ideal but for adults...

Adults that want to use PCs for work and something else that doesn’t require computer knowledge for gaming. People who don’t actually have a grasp of the miriad of settings in a pc game where a console will deliver 30 or 60fps in a game most of the time with no faffing. Basically people who dont spend a lot of time on techspot reading GPU reviews