Possible Xbox One Hardware Upgrade in the Pipeline, Says Phil Spencer

Explain to me this. If a console becomes the same as a PC, with upgradeable specs and different performance tiers. Why on earth would anyone buy a console and not a PC? Why are we paying MS the extra royalty fees per game when the same game costs less on PC?

The whole point of paying extra for console games is so MS can get their royalty from software sales based on their hardware. But if their hardware is no different than a PC, why don't we all just get PCs and cut out the middle-man period?

I get that MS wants to make royalty fees of PC game sales and console game sales, but you can't have it both ways. One cannibalizes the other, in the end your back to square one, with everyone doing their own thing, and nobody making money.

Prepare to get shafted current xbox owners. It's coming.

Bringing hardware upgrades to consoles is a recipe for disgrace:

- Only serves to fragment the player/install base.

- Developers will have little incentive to develop games for the newer hardware, less customers since players will most likely have to upgrade and most people aren't going to do this.

- Defeats purpose of consoles as a low price/ease of use gaming machine.

- Can only play "Xgame" is you have "Xbox one hardware version 3.2 or higher" (example) - Causes confusion, again fragmenting install base.

Consoles shouldn't be compared to PCs or be upgradable like one. Just be patient and wait for the next console gen or buy a PC.

Sounds like a brand new console using the same instruction set. Not surprising though, since new hardware could very easily switch to an emulation-mode for current X1 games (just as x1 does for 360 games now), and then use the updated Zen CPUs/Polaris GPUs (or whatever the new hardware is) to run the X1.5 games. It would explain the big push from MS to move all their Xbox exclusives to Windows Store to promote cross-buy.

Very interesting. I am not sure how it will be implemented though, but I guess we will have to wait and see. Maybe developers will have to add an option in the settings to allow the game to ran on the old and new hardware. I am on the fence on this one though.

Phil Spencer has put a hold on my XB1 purchase plans.

I can't buy a system knowing that it will have its own library split between two performance levels. Sorry, that defeats the whole purpose of consoles.

And PS4 VR is nothing like upgrading a console specs, it's a peripheral device with completely new library of games. Like the Sega CD.

For those blaming the poor initial specs, it's because console manufacturers stopped taking a loss leader on consoles, like they used to do. When you take a loss leader on a console, you can make the console ahead of the times as opposed to behind the times. But the Wii proved that you can make money on console sales at the expense of poor hardware, so everyone followed suit. Big mistake, very short sighted move, in the long run, every one loses cause you cut short your console's lifespan.

Very big mistake for Phil to have made this statement, should have kept it internal. Everyone that was on the fence on getting an XB1 will now think twice, who wants an outdated console, nobody!

At least when God made Spencer, he gave him a face that matches his wit. LOL

Xbone....one tiny step closer to PC. But that's how it has to be for these "Next Gen" consoles. They came out already weak and couldn't even do 1080p/60. And the way, video game tech and graphics engines are improving, it's the only way. If Microsoft does it, it'll be like the Sega Genesis with its incremental add-ons. But I'm sure most people are opposed to that kind of idea. People gets console for hassle/upgrade free play sessions. But if they wanna play next gen games without compromise, well...they gotta dish out more. You can blame it on Sony and Microsoft for releasing underdeveloper and underpowered consoles.

From what I've read, the box that comes with PS VR is for audio processing, freeing up the ps4 to just process graphics. I also think that having upgradeable consoles defeats the idea of having a console. They are made for optimization since everyone has the same specs, it is easier to get all you can out of it. If you want to upgrade hardware, switch to PC.

bad idea. now developers will need to worry about multiple hardware configurations, rendering their games less optimized. that is the beauty of consoles... only one piece of hardware to worry about which allows developers to learn and grow with the hardware. it sounds as though microsoft has plans to exploit its customers half way into this console generation (year 4 perhaps) and force them to purchase an add-on for the x1. obviously, many new titles won't even work unless you purchase the upgrade otherwise why do this at all? it is to make money, not to please the userbase who wants better graphics. this will be infuriating to many, i am sure. hopefully sony knows better and instead releases ps5 in year 5 or 6 of this gen rather than a crappy add-on... people buy consoles due to their simplicity and no fuss approach. this is one step too far... we don't need consoles to become pc's. i am open to the idea of modular pc's, though. a steam-machine-like device that has slots/modules that can be removed/loaded with ease.

If this generation of consoles weren't gimped with pathetically weak GPUs and shared VRAM and RAM from the get-go none of this would be being talked about and the same 7-year cycle would repeat. But everyone was in race to the bottom of the barrel mode and console gamers don't want to shell out the cost of the system, so they sold you $300 worth of hardware that was out-dated by 2-year old PC parts the day it was announced. This has NEVER happened before. Every other console generation, consoles were subsidized in priced and packed with mid-high current PC equivalent performance. It's like they think they're so smart talking about something that won't even be in functional form until the 7 yr cycle is up anyway to hand wave away the fact that THEIR decisions led to the current predicament of their console titles looking pathetically weak vs 2160p and 1440p PC gaming.

It would be cool if they added the 4k processor that they took out when everyone bulked at a $1000 console when they first introduced them!

I've been asking for this for years.

Basically the launch version is the min specs requirement and as you buy the upgraded versions (or parts), the games are enhanced to take advantage of the upgrade.

You still have a 5-8 year life-cycle, but the hardware keeps up over time. Then you iterate to the next generation; keeping backwards compatibility only if it doesn't hold back the new platform. Ideally BC would always come along and with x86 being standard now, it's much more possible, though the unique designs of consoles still add complications to that.

Good ideas but we'll see if the implementations meet expectations.

Pro tip: in order to not look dumb in the comments, better read the text first.

thats awesome omg

Anyone remember this guy?

http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/nintendo64/images/6/63/Memoryexpansionpak_box.jpg

I like the idea of expandable hardware. Design the console to allow easy insertion and removal of proprietary modules that increase performance. You can have the upgrade potential like a PC and still have the gaming convenience consoles provide. I'd buy that if they prove it works.

If this new model takes effect they'll just make it so that the next generation of consoles will be very basic and then offer optional enhancements that come out on a yearly basis. Yet more and more ways to squeeze out more and more money from the consumer.

Or maybe they'll start that right now, with the Xbox One. First you will have to buy a modifiable Xbox One.5. Upgrade the components in 6 months, another upgrade 6 months later, etc.

I think this defeats the whole purpose of consoles, as others have said. My understanding of the motivation of console gamers to play on consoles is that they want the ease of knowing they can just sit down, hit a button and play. They don't have to worry about drivers or compatibility or anything like that. If they start opening up consoles for upgrades down the line you're going to have a segmented xbox user group..