And they'll get $0 from me. I wouldn't touch a microslop product with a three-meter pole.

Who is this even for?

They're going to do what Steam is doing and just open up Xbox branding for licensing on PC hardware, much like they did with XBOX Ally. So there will be something for everyone.

Except people who hate Microsoft, but they were never going to buy it anyway.

Can you imagine how awesome Roblox, Minecraft and Fortnight will look?

Shareholders

My assumption is that it’s a living room PC with a windows equivalent of steam big-picture mode on it.

But knowing Microsoft, there will be shenanigans.

I hate Microsoft and I would consider buying it if I can purge it of windows and install Steam OS on it. :)

That would feel even sweeter if they were losing money on every Helix sold.

To be honest, my Linux daily driver is a Microsoft Surface Go 1 and it has served me well for the last 6 years.

Still it’s not what I’d get if I had to choose again.

So if I have to upgrade from my Steam Deck/Playstation 5 gaming combo, it’s probably be a Steam Machine, even if it’s way less poweful than Helix.

The shenanigans likely AI and constant microslop ads

That would feel even sweeter if they were losing money on every Helix sold.

They wouldn't lose money for the same reason Steam doesn't lose money; they sell them at market value. That's (part of) why they're so expensive.

I'm interested in what levels of locked down it may be. Fully open software platform where I can install any OS on it. Maybe locked soley to Microsoft/Windows signed OS image. Open to install any software or only open to a selection of software stores so like Windows/Xbox store, Steam, EGS, etc. Expectations low. Microsoft and hardware devices have no consistent long term vision or identify so they keep pivoting strategies

Yeah I know. What I wanted to say is that it would be an incentive to buy one (and convert it to Linux) if they were losing money on every unit.

I do play a lot on my PS5, but besides that it’s my 4K disc player. I’ve got both that and the Xbox Series X, as the secondary 4K disc player. Plus y’know there’s all the old games I have on disc that are backwards compatible.

And to be honest I do prefer to game on my couch with my nice huge TV, where my main work and gaming PC isn’t.

I do have an older PC connected to the tv but it’s more for streaming and torrented content than gaming these days.

At some point I’ll bite the bullet and switch that one over to Linux and see if I can get some more gaming life out of it.

All that said, I don’t see myself buying whatever the hell this next Xbox/PC will be.

I’m more inclined to grab that Steam Box whenever the hell that is able to come out and whenever the hell I can afford it.

It’ll all work great so long as you have a consistent subscription to the new version of GamePass.

oh so branded PC hardware? forget it. I'll just hang up my gaming. It's not what I want. If I wanted a PC, I'd have a PC. I wanted a console so I could casually jump in and game. I don't want a PC and all the attendant complexity. And I don't like the Playstation, so I'm not going there. I'm just done. Consoles gave people options. This sounds like it's taking away our choice, and I'm sure it'll be a hell of a lot more expensive than $1200 for us.

There was a time when PC had physical resellable games too.

Hmm... I always thought that the goal of consoles is to provide fewer options. You don't need to choose which components you want, you just buy the one and only box offered by the company.

And then there are the exclusives, where you also, as someone buying a different box, didn't get the choice to buy the game released for another box. And generally have fewer games to play.

Then there are the (online) shops, where, as a console player, you either have no choices or fewer.

Then there is multiplayer, where with a console you cannot use other services, and even have to pay for it.

And modding, which is also pretty limited on console, and you generally don't have the tools to create mods yourself to customize your gaming experience.

So... All in all, I thought the main 'advantage' of consoles is that you don't need to make so many choices, because making decisions is hard. But that comes at a cost, lower entry cost (hardware), but higher operating cost (games, online play).

The only real reason now is guaranteed performance for the price. At $1200 consoles might just have come as far as they're going to get.

Project, heh it's a pc

Convenience is the sole reason the majority of my friends own consoles but no PC, still today. I have tried to convince them and they just will not. And now they can't get a PC, so... eh.

I don’t want a PC and all the attendant complexity

Not all that much complexity these days, unless you wanna do it on Linux - but even that's getting easier and easier.

Mostly you just start Steam, install the game you want, and launch it. Done. EVEN on Linux these days for most games.

PC gamers have always had easier time with "other ways" of saving on games.

If you already have a capable PC, use steam link or sunshine. Both work well, sunshine better for Linux, but works perfectly fine to play PC games on your couch with a controller.

Stupidity. I call it the "mitigating factor."

So many things make more sense when we include it.

Points 1, 3, and 6 still apply, but my biggest reason, lower price, just doesn't any more. It still made sense when I got my PS5, but going forward it looks like dedicated PC hardware plugged into a TV like the Steam Machine will be the best overall option. Higher initial price, but cheaper games and with the convenient plug and play aspect. I already use my Steam Deck like this for less demanding games.