12 hours ago
Games Inbox: Is the next gen Xbox a console or a PC?
The Thursday letters page is very impressed by Donkey Kong Bananza, as one reader asks how long Sony's live service game obsession will last.
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Quacks like a duck
I'm sure I'm not the only one that is very confused about Microsoft's most recent Xbox annoucement. Unless I'm missing something, it could be read multiple different ways. Even the stuff about different stores I initially took to mean Xbox games in different stores, not different stores on Xbox. That doesn't seem to be what others think, but I'm not convinced until we hear something official.
The other thing that gets me is that Microsoft made a point to call it a console and yet how is a console going to run Windows games? At that point what's the difference between it and a PC? That question has been asked many times about consoles, ever since the days of the Dreamcast, but I do feel this is the limit. It certainly sounds more like a PC than anything else before it.
In a sense it doesn't matter what it is, but if it has the function of a PC then that implies a high price. This is where I just don't understand Microsoft's plan at the moment. Their Asus portable is going to be super expensive, this PC/console is going to be expensive, a next gen Microsoft portable is definitely going to be expensive… who is it that's going to be spending all that money on Xbox hardware all of a sudden?
If I were them, I'd just accept that you're third party and go with it. You don't see EA being too embarrassed to admit what they are or worrying whether they should make a console or not.
Grakkus
Alternative performance
Good interview with the Borderlands 4 guys, and I happen to agree that Borderlands 3 was a real turn off for me, as far as the whole series goes. I'm not really sure what exactly was so wrong, because it was pretty much the same thing all over again. Even the 'jokes' weren't really that different.
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I think it was just that game seemed so pleased with itself the whole time and, as you say, the fact that it would never shut up. Hearing the dev talking about the style of the voice-acting, it makes me wonder what any of the games would be like with the same script but normal voices and acting. Borderlands 3: Calmer Edition.
Krampus
GC: Thanks.
Last gen gaming
Wow! That Direct for Donkey Kong Bananza did not disappoint, the game looks amazing.
Although one thing bugs me…how come Donkey Kong Bananza is supporting GameShare with Nintendo Switch 1 consoles… but Mario Kart World doesn't? I'd guess it's because the same image would have be on both screens, but you could still have split-screen multiplayer with GameShare across multiple Switch consoles I feel like they're missing a trick here.
Joe
GC: We're confused about that ourselves, given they didn't explain it at all. We'll hopefully get an answer shortly.
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Shop break-in
The announcement from Microsoft, that the next Xbox will be Windows with third party store fronts, as well as backwards compatibility with traditional Xbox games makes it sound very appealing. I can't see Sony wanting to stop making games for PC and this effectively means Sony games on Xbox.
As good as it sounds, even if they get the full screen Xbox experience working on Windows, solve all the compatibility stuff, and give the hardware folks set device specs with whatever the AMD deal is, I can't see it working. Sony's just going to undercut them on the price of the console and there won't be anything they can do about it.
There are some suggestions though that this is also a set-up to bring more ammo with their case with Epic Games against Apple/Google to end exclusive app stores on devices and you just know once that's done they're both going to go after Sony/Nintendo to get their own stores on their devices too.
Tim
Never change
Hideo Kojima is such a diva I don't know whether to respect him or laugh in his face. Getting upset that people liked your game too much is so pretentious it's literally unbelievable, but for him it's just Tuesday. I don't know how much demand there is for Death Stranding 2 but I actually didn't mind the original.
Considering it's a slow motion postal delivery game it's strangely atmospheric and interesting. What puts me off the sequel though is the thought of the endless, terrible cut scenes. There's no point hoping he's going to stop with them now, so I guess we just have to put up with it.
I would say that getting rid of them would get him a bigger audience but I'm not sure he even wants that, based on what he's said. Which is kind of… fair dues.
Hacker
Permanent policy
So, with the delay of Marathon we have yet another live service disaster and the only thing that's likely to come out of it, other than a game no one plays, is Bungie getting shut down or broken apart. This has all gone on for so long I can only ask: will it never end?
It'll be three years this autumn, since Sony first started going on about their 12 live service games, and despite failure after failure they've still not changed plans and we have no more single-player games coming out now than before.
So is this going to go on for another year? Another two? Forever? Has someone at Sony put a hard limit on when they should give up or is this literally it until they get a new boss? Although even that didn't change policies when it happened – not that I'm really clear who's in charge nowadays.
I'm just shocked at what is still happening and the fact that there is no sign of it ever ending. Not while the PlayStation 5 is running laps around Xbox anyway. Whatever it is that would take them to reconsider it clearly hasn't happened yet but the longer it goes on the less the chances are that things will ever go back to anything like it was before.
GeniusFool
Potential customer
RE: Johnson and his claim no one will buy a rebranded Asus ROG Ally.
I'm interested. I've been looking at getting a handheld for a while, to help clear my gaming backlog. I want something that runs Epic Games Store and WeMod, so the Steam Deck has never appealed to me and the Ally didn't seem like the user face was great. If Microsoft can vastly improve this, then it might be the machine I've been waiting for. That said, I'll wait for the reviews before deciding.
Capt Krysis
Wave of approval
Regarding GC viewer Simundo and their praise for Wave Race 64! I 100% agree with this letter and I did remember putting a lot of effort into completing the game's various modes with all the racers, including the big guy, who had as many pros as cons regarding his racing technique.
The wave mechanics were awesome and I felt the impacts made were the most realistic water and wave simulations I'd experienced then and probably now. The turning on a dime and reacting to the choppy waters during the levels with bad weather was fun and challenging in such an addictive way.
I always remember the serenity of Drake Lake, with the sound of flapping wings against a natural country water spot, as you traverse the easier course. Plus, you know you'll be needing all the skills back on the ocean courses.
To me the memories are strong, as the time I spent getting the most out of the game, and being champion on hard mode, was an incredible experience. The atmospheric, sun-soaked music helped and I still know the entire Wave Race main title track as you press on to power the game up.
It's so perfect in what it has done with physics that I haven't known a game since to match them and it could be one of the all-time greatest racing games ever on any system.
It would be incredible if there is a recommendation of a missed Wave Race type style of game on PlayStation 5 or Switch, as I do feel the need to get my jet ski out again and angle myself into the oncoming surf.
Alucard
GC: The water and vehicle handling in Mario Kart World is extremely similar to Wave Race 64, no doubt purposefully so.
Inbox also-ransHas Donkey Kong Bananza been put back? Your report suggests it's out in September not July.
Ed
GC: Sorry, that was our mistake. It's still July 17.
I'm curious to see Stellar Blade on Nintendo Switch 2, because I haven't played it, but I really wish this didn't seem like hammering the nail into Bayonetta's coffin.
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