Microsoft is known for its innovative approach to gaming, and leaked documents from the FTC v. Microsoft case shed light on the company’s bold vision for the future. In these documents, Microsoft reveals its plans to achieve “full convergence” of its cloud gaming platform and physical hardware by 2028. The goal is to develop a next-generation hybrid game platform that leverages the combined power of the client and the cloud to deliver deeper immersion and entirely new classes of game experiences.
The leaked presentation, titled “The Next Generation of Gaming at Microsoft,” showcases Microsoft’s vision for cloud hybrid games. These games would be played using a sub-$99 gadget, potentially a handheld device, in conjunction with Microsoft’s xCloud platform. This concept is not entirely new, as it has been advocated for in the past, highlighting the unique opportunity for games to scale seamlessly from native hardware to the cloud.
A notable example of this concept is seen in Amazon’s 2014 demo, where the bulk of the game’s content is stored in the cloud, and only specific elements, such as the ballista, run locally for a more responsive experience. Microsoft’s terminology for this concept in the leaked documents is “Cohesive Hybrid Compute,” which encompasses a “Cloud-to-Edge architecture across Silicon, Graphics, and OS enabling ubiquitous play.”
Microsoft’s ambitious vision would require strategic partnerships to ensure the necessary hardware components. The leaked documents suggest partnerships with AMD for silicon, specifically the Navi 5 graphics and potentially Zen 6 CPU cores. Additionally, Microsoft is considering Arm as a potential partner. The inclusion of a machine learning AI coprocessor, known as an NPU, is also mentioned in the documents, indicating its role in providing benefits such as super resolution, latency compensation, and frame rate interpolation.
A potential roadmap outlined in the leaked documents points to hardware design commencing in 2024, dev kits arriving in 2027, and the production of the first hybrid cloud games from 2024 to 2026. However, it’s important to note that these plans may have changed, just as Microsoft abandoned its “dedicated xCloud SKU” in favor of partnering with other providers.
The leaked documents indicate that the pitch for this ambitious vision emerged as a result of ongoing discussions among Microsoft’s top leadership, including CEO Satya Nadella, Xbox boss Phil Spencer, Windows devices and operating system leader Panos Panay, and xCloud CVP Kareem Choudhry. Nadella’s statement in the documents highlights the need to align the company’s systems talent and rally around a unified vision, stating, “We can’t go from big idea to big idea. We need a single big idea to rally the company around.”
It is worth noting that Microsoft has been actively investing in cloud gaming technology. In 2021, the company hired Kim Swift, a former Google Stadia design director known for her work on Valve’s Portal, to lead a new team focused on cloud-native games. While it’s unclear if Swift’s team is directly related to this specific initiative, it signals Microsoft’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of cloud gaming.
Sony, a major player in the gaming industry, has also recognized the potential of cloud gaming. The company hired Jade Raymond, formerly from Google Stadia, to work on cloud gaming technology. With both Microsoft and Sony investing in this space, it’s evident that cloud gaming is becoming an increasingly important part of the industry’s future.
Microsoft’s leaked documents provide a fascinating glimpse into the company’s future plans for cloud gaming and physical hardware convergence. The idea of cloud hybrid games, leveraging the power of both the client and the cloud, opens up exciting possibilities for immersive gaming experiences. While the exact execution of this vision remains uncertain, Microsoft’s dedication to exploring the potential of cloud gaming is indicative of the industry’s direction as a whole. As technology continues to advance, we can expect further innovations in the gaming landscape, shaping the way we play and experience games in the years to come.
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