Future console OS on PC?

[Jay123]

Snickerzzz posted a topic about running Linux/Win on future consoles now that they are basically low end PCs. This got me thinking, will it be possible to run console OS on a PC? I guess most stuff probably wouldn't work but would it be possible?

[Joshua]

Inside an environment  like an emulator, possibly. But not straight off the bat, boot into it as your CPU is an x86 processor and the Xbox&PS3's CPUs aren't. Therefore, as the hardware is built for the software which is built for the hardware..etc, they only work on the consoles. With the environment, your computer would treat the operating system of the console like an application, and the application would translate the information that is heading to the processor into a 'language' that the processor would understand.

[Dudenstein]

The PS4 is said to have an x86 architecture. The Durango is still rumors and I don't really follow rumors at all. If both are x86 shouldn't whatever OS they use be usable on a PC? I personally have no idea. 

[911^NEmeSis]

Search PS2 Linux Mod.

[Theodore-Cain]

Like 3 days till the Xbox announcement, but it seems obvious to me that their new hardware will at least support windows runtime applications.  I could be wrong, but it would make sense to me that Xbox games are written for WinRT.  That way one game can run in your living room on Xbox or you can use your PC with higher graphics settings.

 

So to the point of the Xbox OS, I really don’t think there will be an appreciable difference between the New Xbox OS and the WinRT side of Windows 8.  Based on the current branding of Xbox Games, I think the idea of Xbox Games only working on an Xbox console is gone.  I have to imagine that soon all Xbox games will be playable on Windows without an emulator.

 

The Xbox console would still be desirable both as uniform hardware for developers AND as a somewhat elegant media hub for consumers.  It just seems like a huge opportunity for MSFT to tell its developers, “If you make a game for Xbox, the same code will be playable on Windows 8.”

[zombiepixel]

i dont know if this is what you mean or not:

but i would like to see the future of consoles to just have a os that you download on to your pc and then you would have an "xbox on your pc" type of thing.

[Theodore-Cain]

Yes, but I think it’s the near future.

 

What I’m saying is that the new “Xbox OS” will be a modified version of Windows 8.

 

On your PC, you won’t have to download  ”Xbox OS”.  If you’re running Windows 8, Xbox games will just play on your PC without any emulator/mod/hack.

 

Can you imagine release day?  “Oh you didn’t preorder a new Xbox?  That’s okay, because your PC is now an Xbox.”   <-That’s how you convince people to upgrade to Windows 8.

 

...speculation of course.

[Zappy]

It's not impossible that the PS4/Next Xbox will be able to run on a standard X86 but it will surely be filled with protection preventing it from running on unauthorized hardware. That said they were able to make OSX run on unauthorized hardware so anything is possible.

[EricX2]

Possible? Yes. Likely? No.

 

Not all x86 hardware is the same, and I'm sure they are using way more than a TPM module to verify the authentication of the hardware. There is probably a signed boot loader, signed drivers and any other form of encryption you can think of between every piece of hardware.

[Theodore-Cain]

They will probably crush my dreams in two days, but it seems to me Microsoft generally doesn’t care what hardware you run their software on as long as you pay for it.  Don’t they typically lose money on early Xbox hardware anyway?  I may be wrong, but my impression is that the Surface line was only produced to give confidence to hardware partners and publicize Windows 8.

 

What do you think?  If the new Xbox hardware (or the next new Xbox) was essentially an HTPC, could Microsoft/developers successfully authenticate, maybe… 90% of the Windows 8 install and game licenses?  Or are games on Windows 8 inherently impossible to authenticate?

 

In this scenario, the Xbox brand becomes more of a feature of Windows 8, and the Xbox hardware is a uniform HTPC (similar to how the SurfaceRT is a benchmark WindowsRT device).

 

I absolutely agree it’s unlikely for this gen.  But I’d like to hear if the basic concept poses any real drawbacks to Microsoft or the user.  It seems to me Sony would have a hard time attracting developers if the current Xbox and PC user base were combined via a unified Windows platform.  And it would be a significant selling point if Windows 8 played Xbox games. 

[Legion]

Yes, but I think it’s the near future.

 

What I’m saying is that the new “Xbox OS” will be a modified version of Windows 8.

 

On your PC, you won’t have to download  ”Xbox OS”.  If you’re running Windows 8, Xbox games will just play on your PC without any emulator/mod/hack.

 

Can you imagine release day?  “Oh you didn’t preorder a new Xbox?  That’s okay, because your PC is now an Xbox.”   <-That’s how you convince people to upgrade to Windows 8.

 

...speculation of course.

That would be a bright day indeed 

[dylandylandylan]

They will probably crush my dreams in two days, but it seems to me Microsoft generally doesn’t care what hardware you run their software on as long as you pay for it.  Don’t they typically lose money on early Xbox hardware anyway?  I may be wrong, but my impression is that the Surface line was only produced to give confidence to hardware partners and publicize Windows 8.

 

What do you think?  If the new Xbox hardware (or the next new Xbox) was essentially an HTPC, could Microsoft/developers successfully authenticate, maybe… 90% of the Windows 8 install and game licenses?  Or are games on Windows 8 inherently impossible to authenticate?

 

In this scenario, the Xbox brand becomes more of a feature of Windows 8, and the Xbox hardware is a uniform HTPC (similar to how the SurfaceRT is a benchmark WindowsRT device).

 

I absolutely agree it’s unlikely for this gen.  But I’d like to hear if the basic concept poses any real drawbacks to Microsoft or the user.  It seems to me Sony would have a hard time attracting developers if the current Xbox and PC user base were combined via a unified Windows platform.  And it would be a significant selling point if Windows 8 played Xbox games. 

 

That sounds interesting, I must read into this, being able to pop my new gen "xbox" disc into my PC and play it would be amazing ..

[GoodBytes]

I am not going to say it's impossible... but the OS will be designed for the specific hardware it was built for.

Windows/Linux are both designed from the ground up to take any hardware. A console OS doesn't care about this, as there is only 1 model. So it simplifies the OS greatly, and improve performance as well.

So in the end of the day, you'll have to build a PC that is identical to the console specs, and that will cost you more, as you for one, the XBox/PS4 heck even the WiiU, the manufacture looses money on every console produce. Slo you'll need to pay for that. Also, as you don't order in bulk, you'll pay a higher price.

 

Plus, who knows, maybe the XBox and/or PS4 will use the same trick as Nintendo for it's DRM system.. read a disc on reverse... so now you'll need to find a hackable optical drive, and hack the firmware to make it read on reverse, so that it can read the games.

 

While certainly cool, and expect some people to do it, to do some cool looking build, it's not worth it.

 

But what I do see, is Windows and Linux running on the console. But I am sure both companies, will do their best to block you from doing this in some fashion, as they want you to buy games and accessories to pay off the console.

[Theodore-Cain]

GoodBytes,

 

I agree that breaking this gen’s DRM will be extremely difficult.  I also think there will be little change in the game console paradigm this gen.

 

But I wonder why Microsoft doesn’t change things up.

 

You’re right that traditionally:

 

 

the OS will be designed for the specific hardware it was built for.

Windows/Linux are both designed from the ground up to take any hardware. A console OS doesn't care about this, as there is only 1 model. 

 

 

 it simplifies the OS greatly, and improve performance as well.

 

 

But is it “simpler” for Microsoft to produce a modern gen video game OS (with custom Netflix apps, media players, stores, etc.) or is it simpler to just drop WinRT onto the device?  Maybe someone with deep programming knowledge can tell us?  My guess in terms of “simpler” to design is that in this case, it’s simpler to just use WinRT.  I also would like to know how “heavy” WinRT really is?  Could developers actually benefit from having a trimmed down version of the WinRT architecture available on the Xbox console?

 

The second half of your point is very good.  Console developers and console gamers want closed, stable, consistent hardware.  It provides reliability and allows for tighter optimization.  But I wonder if Microsoft can make a single Xbox console for the living room that runs WinRT with similarly fixed specs?  Sure, some people’s Windows 8 PCs would be slower or faster than the XboxRT console, but Microsoft could theoretically produce an XboxRT and not change the specs for a few years.

 

I think an interesting question is if future Xbox games run on both the new Xbox hardware and Windows 8 PCs, would console developers continue to squeeze every inch out of the Xbox hardware?  Or would console gaming suffer?

 

I think most of your post was about DRM measures.  I’m still wondering if Microsoft could do adequate copyright protection on Windows 8 running on an Xbox.  I think DRM is the biggest advantage to keeping the Xbox hardware closed.   But my theory is that Microsoft doesn’t care what hardware you buy your Xbox game on, as long as they get paid for the software.   

 

Again, it probably won't happen this year, but I wonder- could it be profitable for Microsoft?  And would console gamers want Xbox games to run natively on Windows 8?