Microsoft has decided to introduce a new paradigm for data processing in games – “complete convergence” Cloud gaming platform and local hardware, which led to the release of “Hybrid Cloud Gaming”. Information about this betrayed This was made public as part of the trial between Microsoft and the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which tried to block the deal to buy Activision Blizzard.
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“Our vision: To develop a next-generation hybrid gaming platform that harnesses the combined power of client and cloud for deeper immersion and entirely new gaming experiences.”, says the May 2022 Next Generation Games at Microsoft presentation. The idea is to have game data processed in parallel by the xCloud cloud platform and the user’s device for less than $99. The company’s breakthrough in this direction was the Microsoft Flight Simulator game with direct connection to real footage in 2PB cloud storage. Microsoft has decided to further develop this idea in the program “Coordinated Hybrid Computing” – She is described as “Cloud edge silicon, graphics and operating system architecture enables ubiquitous gaming experiences”.
Microsoft has already outlined the path to implementing the project. This is another partnership agreement with AMD, which was scheduled to be concluded in the first quarter of this year – the subject is the Navi 5 graphics architecture (today Navi 3 is relevant) and the Zen 6 central processor architecture, although for the latter an alternative in the form of Poor is also considered. Microsoft is also considering integrating an NPU (AI co-processor) to help with image scaling, latency compensation, frame rate interpolation and other tasks.
Hardware development is scheduled to begin in 2024, development of the first hybrid cloud games is scheduled to begin in 2024-2026, and development kits are scheduled to appear in 2027. Beforehand, the company must determine the hardware and operating system architecture for the local data processing platform and determine between which departments the problem solution should be distributed. The issue was discussed in May last year and the status of the project is currently unknown – it could even be canceled.
The idea arose at a meeting of Microsoft management, which included the company’s CEO Satya Nadella, the head of the Xbox division Phil Spencer, the already resigned head of the Windows and Surface divisions Panos Panay and the corporate vice president of xCloud Kareem Choudhry and other top managers took part. “We develop four types of computers: all-cloud, hybrid Xbox, hybrid Windows and hybrid HoloLens. We need to unite the company’s system specialists around a common vision. <..> We can’t jump from one big idea to the next. We need a big idea to unite the company.”“, concluded Nadella.
The game controller is proving to be a key element of the new strategy, according to another document called “Roadmap to 2030”, also from May 2022. “A new Xbox controller is the only thing you need to play on any device“Microsoft noted. The same document describes a new controller, codenamed Sebile, that offers a direct connection to the cloud as well as support for Xbox Wireless and Bluetooth. Sketches of a “one-handed controller” and a “mobile controller” are provided, and Microsoft’s intention to independently develop a gaming keyboard and mouse is expressed. In addition to Sebile and the updated Xbox Series
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