This was not a conference for gamers, but for developers. However, Microsoft’s presentation at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) delivered several interesting information about the next Xbox. Jason Ronald, vice president in charge of next generation platforms, spoke about Project Helix, the code name of the future console.
An Xbox designed to also play PC games
First important item: Microsoft plans to send alpha versions of the hardware and development kit (SDK) to studios starting next year. These tools allow developers to start working on a new console well before its commercial release. In the video game industry, this step generally occurs several years before the launch of a machine.
In other words, the next Xbox is not coming right away. This SDK phase is however essential, since it allows studios to experiment with the new architecture and ensure that their games fully exploit the machine from its launch.
Beyond the calendar, Microsoft has also outlined the broad outlines of its strategy. As expected, the central idea is to bring the Xbox ecosystem even closer to the PC. The future console should thus be able to run both Xbox games and PC games, with access to different online stores. The objective is to simplify the work of the studios by creating a common platform.
« PC becoming an increasingly important part of the Xbox experience “, explained Jason Ronald. “ We’re bringing the best of Xbox straight to Windows. » In this unified environment, the vast majority of code used for an Xbox game will be able to run as is on Windows. This will reduce costs and speed up the release of games on several platforms.
On the technical side, Microsoft confirms that Project Helix will be based on a custom AMD chip. The console is supposed to offer a very significant leap in performance in ray tracing, a technology that makes it possible to more faithfully simulate light and reflections in video games.
The manufacturer also plans to integrate new AI-assisted rendering techniques, capable of improving the visual quality and fluidity of games. Among them is a new generation of AMD’s FSR upscaling technology, which uses machine learning to produce a more detailed image from a lower resolution render.
Microsoft is also working on more discreet but important improvements for players, such as Advanced Shader Delivery, a system that allows precompiled shaders to be downloaded with games in order to avoid long compilation phases on first launch. “ The whole must bring significant gains in efficiency, scale and visual ambition », summarizes Jason Ronald. “ The result: more realistic, more immersive and more dynamic game worlds. »
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