Quote from: Fragslayer on March 25, 2025, 18:46:53Quote from: TheSilentCheetah on March 25, 2025, 11:06:02Sony can get around this issue quite easily by just launching their PC titles on a new PlayStation PC Launcher similar to the Xbox, EA, and Blizzard launchers that won't be available on the Xbox hardware.
They'd have to pull their current titles to prevent what's already on it from playing though, which is also a possibility.
This is Microsoft forcing Sony to play ball. They can either just sit and let this happen, or prevent it, but lose possible market share because an Xbox/Steam machine is undeniably enticing.
This move ultimately though may end up destroying the console market in the long run. Xbox consoles as we know it are already being phased out and will be looking more like a walled off pre-built PC marketed as a console solution. I'm sure TV compatibility will be part of the marketing even though custom PC's can already do that.
Enticing? This is what any sane person wants. Most casuals won't care or notice the benefits immediately but they will eventually. The hardest part of the switch is invested players who have 100s of games on a console platform. Remove the barrier, have GP/Steam/gog/Epic store and full mod support on a nice clean easy to use console layout and you have a winner.
(no offense intended or implied to console users...)
One of the BIG selling points of consoles is the no-nonsense 'plug & play' simplicity of them. This may even overshadow the 'bang for the buck' as compared to other gaming platforms/solutions.
While I'd agree that whomever delivers a multi-store front solution might be more desirable then a more limited 'walled garden' solution as soon as the kiddies are able to 'tweak/mod/adjust' they will also be able to 'break' whatever 'plug & play' that was there. (causing undue headaches for adults/support)