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Home News Microsoft Patent Points To Plans For Scalable Console

GAMING NEWS

Microsoft Patent Points To Plans For Scalable Console

Posted on Wednesday, July 11 @ 07:46:04 Eastern by Alex_Osborn


A patent application filed by Microsoft back in 2010 has just been discovered and points to the possibility that the next-gen Xbox will support a scalable hardware structure. The documents were first spotted by a member of the Beyond3D forum and dissected by Eurogamer. Based on the findings, it looks like Microsoft may be looking to create a hardware foundation that could then be customized to create models with varying performance capabilities.

While this could simply be part of their plan for releasing various SKUs of the next Xbox, the fact that they mention scalability "over time" would lead one to believe that they may be looking to make the console upgradable as the technology advances. It's also important to note that this patent is now 18 months old, so a lot could have changed since then. It also stands to reason that this is just a preemptive move motivated by legal reasons and the ideas here will never see the light of day.

What are your thoughts on a scalable console? Would this be a wise move for Microsoft? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Tags:   Microsoft, next-gen, Xbox 720, hot


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Comments
  • Guernica
    Guernica
    Joined: Mar 2009
    Posted: Jul 11th, 2012 at 9:13 am
    N64 did it first. I remember getting donkey kong with the expansion card. Could be cool but I'm assuming all of the upgradable hardware will have to be specific gear bought from microsoft at a hefty price.
    0 0
  • LawnGnome
    LawnGnome
    Joined: Apr 2007
    Posted: Jul 11th, 2012 at 10:08 am
    Sega Genesis did it first actually (32X). If the prices weren't too steep, I wouldn't mind having to upgrade my console. It would definitely be more worthwhile than having to buy peripherals/controllers that offer no real enhancement like we do now.
    0 0
  • Guernica
    Guernica
    Joined: Mar 2009
    Posted: Jul 11th, 2012 at 12:43 pm
    Ah yeah! It felt like stacking consoles on top of each other for a super machine!
    0 0
  • OdiousLupous
    OdiousLupous
    Joined: Jul 2011
    Posted: Jul 18th, 2012 at 10:26 am
    Sega Genesis, combine with Sega CD, combine with Sega 32X to form Devastator!
    0 0
  • Chunibrow
    Chunibrow
    Joined: Mar 2010
    Posted: Jul 11th, 2012 at 9:25 am
    If upgrading is not too expensive then it's a great idea. Console generations should go the way of the dodo and instead let's have consoles that offer a constant increase in tech like PCs instead of the milking-to-the-last-drop tech system we have now
    0 1
  • wildmario
    wildmario
    Joined: Jan 2007
    Posted: Jul 11th, 2012 at 10:16 am
    Or just get a gaming PC and do the same thing.
    0 1
  • OdiousLupous
    OdiousLupous
    Joined: Jul 2011
    Posted: Jul 18th, 2012 at 10:27 am
    I would hug you ya lil spiky golden haired sprite.
    0 0
  • ShadeTail
    ShadeTail
    Joined: Nov 2006
    Posted: Jul 11th, 2012 at 9:45 am
    This would completely defeat the purpose of consoles. The whole point is that people have one platform that remains basically stable for several years. This allows developers the freedom of knowing exactly what they're developing for, and it allows consumers to not have to constantly spend money on upgrading their gaming gear. Having a "console" that gets regular upgrades means you don't have a console anymore; now you have a PC. Consoles have advantages over PCs (and vice versa, of course), and going this route means the advantages of a console are lost.
    0 2
  • mrallamericanboy
    mrallamericanboy
    Joined: Jun 2006
    Posted: Jul 11th, 2012 at 1:31 pm
    i think you have the right of it. maybe if it was graphic scaleability then it wouldn't be so bad. with thunderbolt (can make use of external video card) and super speed usb (has similar bandwidth as thunderbolt) becoming more prevalent, maybe that's a concept they are considering over at microsoft.
    0 0
  • Herb211
    Herb211
    Joined: May 2009
    Posted: Jul 11th, 2012 at 10:07 am
    I agree.
    0 0
  • TheJx4
    TheJx4
    Joined: Jun 2011
    Posted: Jul 11th, 2012 at 1:44 pm
    The solution is simple. The upgrades will have standards, so you just scale certain things up, or down depending on which upgrade you have. Similar to PC, yes, but it doesn't defeat the point of a console.
    0 0

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