Xbox One

[Pulscifer]

If anyone thought that MS would have game deals like Steam does, they havent been paying attention to MS over the last few years. Hell, they still have games that are at least a year old on demand for 59.99.

Games that can be purchased in retail stores for $20-30 less. Pretty ridiculous.

 

[Toujours Pret]

If anyone thought that MS would have game deals like Steam does, they havent been paying attention to MS over the last few years. Hell, they still have games that are at least a year old on demand for 59.99.

I remember when they put BFBC2 on demand for full price 4 months before BF3 came out.

 

[alexmanu]

If anyone thought that MS would have game deals like Steam does, they havent been paying attention to MS over the last few years. Hell, they still have games that are at least a year old on demand for 59.99.

I'm angry. I was looking forward to a different and innovative product in the Xbox One. I don't want to spend £429 on something that is virtually the same as the 360. Just cause the hardcore gamers didn't like the always online requirement it is a redundant argument in the long run. Internet accessibility will only get better and in the UK right now (where I am) virtually everyone has access to good internet (I know this may not be the case in rural USA or eastern Europe right now, but it will likely be the case in 5-10 years.)

Microsoft were trying to break the mould and make a future proof device. Now some great online innovations ,such as the family sharing option, have been taken away. Quite frankly the PS4 didn't interest me because it just seems to me like a PS3 with slightly better graphics. At least the Xbox One was trying something new, to be the all-round entertainment device and take advantage of the endless possibilities of always online play.

This move may appease some of the hardcore fans and get them closer to their pre-order target in the short-term. But, IMO, they are sacrificing the future value of their device and innovations for short-term goals.

 

[TooLegit2Quit]

Microsoft only has themselves to blame. If you're going to attempt such a radical move with your next console then you damn well better be 100% confident in knowing how it all works, have all of the answers because you know there will be backlash, and outline the positives. Complete failure from a PR standpoint. Microsoft themselves couldn't even illustrate any positives to all the restrictions during either conference. I'm sure it's a combination of them being late to the next-gen game and the console itself just not being a consumer friendly device.

I mean, what were the "endless possibilities of online play?" Microsoft certainly wasn't able to tell me in either conference dedicated to doing so.

This whole situation was just downright embarrassing all around. Fun stuff.

 

[DrRosenRosen]

Thing is, no one is stopping them from doing it. Sounds like they dont have faith in it or weren't happy with presale numbers. Build it and they will come. Sorry MS lost faith in their decisions 5 months before the product is launched.

Consumers are just looking out for their interests. Give them a reason to change. Be the competition you speak of. Instead, they are doing whats in their best interest money wise, just like consumers.

Someone else mentioned it earlier but if anyone thought XBL was going to look like Steam with their constant sales, etc is just dreaming. They have given zero indications it would be that way. 360 certainly wasnt.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

I'm angry. I was looking forward to a different and innovative product in the Xbox One. I don't want to spend £429 on something that is virtually the same as the 360. Just cause the hardcore gamers didn't like the always online requirement it is a redundant argument in the long run. Internet accessibility will only get better and in the UK right now (where I am) virtually everyone has access to good internet (I know this may not be the case in rural USA or eastern Europe right now, but it will likely be the case in 5-10 years.)

Microsoft were trying to break the mould and make a future proof device. Now some great online innovations ,such as the family sharing option, have been taken away. Quite frankly the PS4 didn't interest me because it just seems to me like a PS3 with slightly better graphics. At least the Xbox One was trying something new, to be the all-round entertainment device and take advantage of the endless possibilities of always online play.

This move may appease some of the hardcore fans and get them closer to their pre-order target in the short-term. But, IMO, they are sacrificing the future value of their device and innovations for short-term goals.

I don't agree with you in principle. However I will say that MS may have put themselves in a no win situation here. They angered many potential Xbox buyers with their DRM and pre owned restriction policies and their bullish attitude towards consumers about it (the pre sell numbers were showing that). However now that they have done a 180 and said they weren't going to implement these restrictions after all, it makes them look weak and indecisive and that they really have no vision to where they want to take the Xbox One. They didn't just up and decide to implement all of these things on a whim. I'm sure months, even years of planning, market research, and anlaysis went into every decision that MS made in regards to the Xbox One and what they wanted it to be. Now they are basically having to throw all that away and start from scratch.

In my opinion MS is just too ambitious with what they want the Xbox One to be. I know they have this dream of it being this all encompassing entertainment hub that takes over your living room. However they HAD to know that core gamers were the ones who would be buying their system initially. Therefore the DRM, internet requirements, and pre owned restrictions would be issues that matter most to that demographic.

Frankly I'm amazed that we haven't heard of anyone losing their jobs at MS over this.

 

[UTvol1fn]

Now they just need to have a day one patch that returns $100 and I really might consider the Xbox as my first next gen purchase.

what's $100 over about 5-7 year lifespan of the product?

like maybe $1.25 a month.

 

[SWIL]

I don't agree with you in principle. However I will say that MS may have put themselves in a no win situation here. They angered many potential Xbox buyers with their DRM and pre owned restriction policies and their bullish attitude towards consumers about it (the pre sell numbers were showing that). However now that they have done a 180 and said they weren't going to implement these restrictions after all, it makes them look weak and indecisive and that they really have no vision to where they want to take the Xbox One. They didn't just up and decide to implement all of these things on a whim. I'm sure months, even years of planning, market research, and anlaysis went into every decision that MS made in regards to the Xbox One and what they wanted it to be. Now they are basically having to throw all that away and start from scratch.

In my opinion MS is just too ambitious with what they want the Xbox One to be. I know they have this dream of it being this all encompassing entertainment hub that takes over your living room. However they HAD to know that core gamers were the ones who would be buying their system initially. Therefore the DRM, internet requirements, and pre owned restrictions would be issues that matter most to that demographic.

Frankly I'm amazed that we haven't heard of anyone losing their jobs at MS over this.

Well stated - and wait awhile. Heads will almost certainly role over there soon enough.

 

[alexmanu]

I don't agree with you in principle. However I will say that MS may have put themselves in a no win situation here. They angered many potential Xbox buyers with their DRM and pre owned restriction policies and their bullish attitude towards consumers about it (the pre sell numbers were showing that). However now that they have done a 180 and said they weren't going to implement these restrictions after all, it makes them look weak and indecisive and that they really have no vision to where they want to take the Xbox One. They didn't just up and decide to implement all of these things on a whim. I'm sure months, even years of planning, market research, and anlaysis went into every decision that MS made in regards to the Xbox One and what they wanted it to be. Now they are basically having to throw all that away and start from scratch.

In my opinion MS is just too ambitious with what they want the Xbox One to be. I know they have this dream of it being this all encompassing entertainment hub that takes over your living room. However they HAD to know that core gamers were the ones who would be buying their system initially. Therefore the DRM, internet requirements, and pre owned restrictions would be issues that matter most to that demographic.

Frankly I'm amazed that we haven't heard of anyone losing their jobs at MS over this.

Let's not forget that there were still many who pre-ordered the Xbox One and were not worried about the always online or DRM restrictions. I know I was really looking forward to the family share features. So not only have they only probably made short term gains (let's be honest most people who cared about DRM already pre-ordered or are going to buy a PS4) but they have alienated those who were pre-ordering the system for the new features.

 

[BearCat204]

I know I was really looking forward to the family share features.

The "Family Share" thing was actually not as great as many had thought it would be............

First is family sharing, this feature is near and dear to me and I truly felt it would have helped the industry grow and make both gamers and developers happy. The premise is simple and elegant, when you buy your games for Xbox One, you can set any of them to be part of your shared library. Anyone who you deem to be family had access to these games regardless of where they are in the world. There was never any catch to that, they didn't have to share the same billing address or physical address it could be anyone. When your family member accesses any of your games, they're placed into a special demo mode. This demo mode in most cases would be the full game with a 15-45 minute timer and in some cases an hour. This allowed the person to play the game, get familiar with it then make a purchase if they wanted to. When the time limit was up they would automatically be prompted to the Marketplace so that they may order it if liked the game."

 

[kwebbvols2344]

The "Family Share" thing was actually not as great as many had thought it would be............

Exactly, do you really think game makers/publishers were going to let you buy a game and share it with up to 11 friends. That would be so stupid on their part. It would have been cool though

 

[alexmanu]

The "Family Share" thing was actually not as great as many had thought it would be............

I still think it's a pretty cool idea TBH. Like if I didn't have Battlefield 4 but a friend had the game I could go on for 45 mins and play a couple of games with him. That's the kind of innovation that excited me about the Xbox One. Now they are regressing to old habits all due to the moaning of some hardcore gaming blowhards.

 

[UTvol1fn]

I still think it's a pretty cool idea TBH. Like if I didn't have Battlefield 4 but a friend had the game I could go on for 45 mins and play a couple of games with him. That's the kind of innovation that excited me about the Xbox One. Now they are regressing to old habits all due to the moaning of some hardcore gaming blowhards.

was that how it was going to work? I thought it would only limit you to signing in under the original profile registered to that game and only letting you play on one console

 

[BearCat204]

I still think it's a pretty cool idea TBH. Like if I didn't have Battlefield 4 but a friend had the game I could go on for 45 mins and play a couple of games with him. That's the kind of innovation that excited me about the Xbox One. Now they are regressing to old habits all due to the moaning of some hardcore gaming blowhards.

Innovation? You wouldn't be able to play against your friend.....it would only be in a demo mode. PSN+ has been doing this for a while.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

I still think it's a pretty cool idea TBH. Like if I didn't have Battlefield 4 but a friend had the game I could go on for 45 mins and play a couple of games with him. That's the kind of innovation that excited me about the Xbox One. Now they are regressing to old habits all due to the moaning of some hardcore gaming blowhards.

You can still share games with your friends and family. Now you just let them borrow your disk.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWSIFh8ICaA[/youtube]

 

[alexmanu]

Innovation? You wouldn't be able to play against your friend.....it would only be in a demo mode. PSN+ has been doing this for a while.

"Xbox One will enable new forms of access for families. Up to ten members of your family can log in and play from your shared games library on any Xbox One. Just like today, a family member can play your copy of Forza Motorsport at a friend’s house. Only now, they will see not just Forza, but all of your shared games. You can always play your games, and any one of your family members can be playing from your shared library at a given time."

It was a shared library system not a demo system. I think you got that quote from a BS article posted on PasteBin.

 

[UTCVol]

Of course we'll probably never know for sure because just as for everything related to the Xbone, Microsoft was vague as hell and offered little to no explanation.

 

[SWIL]

"MS" and "innovation" should not be uttered in the same sentence - they have a long history of stealing ideas and plundering the technology of others - starting with Windows!

 

[BearCat204]

It was a shared library system not a demo system. I think you got that quote from a BS article posted on PasteBin.

If you believe that MS would allow people to share games with 10 different people and allow then to play those games at the same time without any time restrictions, you wild probably believe anything.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

"MS" and "innovation" should not be uttered in the same sentence - they have a long history of stealing ideas and plundering the technology of others - starting with Windows!

Steve Jobs on Microsoft...

"The thing about Microsoft is...they have no taste."

 

[Freak]

"MS" and "innovation" should not be uttered in the same sentence - they have a long history of stealing ideas and plundering the technology of others - starting with Windows!

The sooner MS can accept this reality, the better off they will be.

 

[bleedorange0037]

"MS" and "innovation" should not be uttered in the same sentence - they have a long history of stealing ideas and plundering the technology of others - starting with Windows!

Compared to some companies, this is very true. However specifically in the gaming industry, Sony makes MS look like Thomas Edison or Eli Whitney by comparison. For this coming generation, it appears that gamers are just looking for a graphical upgrade as opposed to actually advancing the industry. When you're a company who is now releasing its fourth console without a controller redesign, that plays right into your hands.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

Compared to some companies, this is very true. However specifically in the gaming industry, Sony makes MS look like Thomas Edison or Eli Whitney by comparison. For this coming generation, it appears that gamers are just looking for a graphical upgrade as opposed to actually advancing the industry. When you're a company who is now releasing its fourth console without a controller redesign, that plays right into your hands.

Imo innovation just for the sake of innovation is not necessarily a good thing. Sometimes its better NOT to try and reinvent the wheel. Tell me, just what innovation are you looking for? Because until video gaming breaks away from the confines of playing them in front of a TV screen and moves into the realm of room sized virtual holographs, they're not going to change a whole lot. Think of it like the movies. The basic concept of movie watching hasn't changed over the years. You go, you sit, and you watch the story unfold. The advancements have come in the way of visuals (b&w to color to digital to 3D digital) and audio (silent to mono sound to stereo to surround sound). But the basic premise has remained largely unchanged for decades!

Oh and in case you haven't been paying attention the Dualshock 4 has been getting glowing reviews from those who actually tried it out at E3. Just because it looks similar to the previous controller doesn't mean its the same.

 

[bleedorange0037]

Imo innovation just for the sake of innovation is not necessarily a good thing. Sometimes its better NOT to try and reinvent the wheel. Tell me, just what innovation are you looking for? Because until video gaming breaks away from the confines of playing them in front of a TV screen and moves into the realm of room sized virtual holographs, they're not going to change a whole lot. Think of it like the movies. The basic concept of movie watching hasn't changed over the years. You go, you sit, and you watch the story unfold. The advancements have come in the way of visuals (b&w to color to digital to 3D digital) and audio (silent to sound to surround sound). But the basic premise has remained largely unchanged for decades!

Oh and in case you haven't been paying attention the Dualshock 4 has been getting glowing reviews from those who actually tried it out at E3. Just because it looks similar to the previous controller doesn't mean its the same.

There aren't any specific innovations I'm looking for. I was just saying that in the last generation, MS hitched their wagons to fully realizing consoles as online gaming devices while Sony all but ignored online functionality at launch. That's what won them the war during the last generation. They took a swing at moving the ball forward again this time, but it became almost immediately apparent that gamers either weren't yet ready for MS's version of the future or had no interest in it altogether.

As to the PS4 controller, you can polish a turd all day long, but its still going to be a turd. Sure, they rounded the triggers and changed the analog sticks from convex to concave, but as long as it retains the traditional controller's minuscule size, I'm going to prefer the Xbox version which feels like its designed with an adult's hands in mind.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

There aren't any specific innovations I'm looking for. I was just saying that in the last generation, MS hitched their wagons to fully realizing consoles as online gaming devices while Sony all but ignored online functionality at launch. That's what won them the war during the last generation. They took a swing at moving the ball forward again this time, but it became almost immediately apparent that gamers either weren't yet ready for MS's version of the future or had no interest in it altogether.

As to the PS4 controller, you can polish a turd all day long, but its still going to be a turd. Sure, they rounded the triggers and changed the analog sticks from convex to concave, but as long as it retains the traditional controller's minuscule size, I'm going to prefer the Xbox version which feels like its designed with an adult's hands in mind.

You're hilarious! I'll think I'll choose to believe the unanimously positive feedback from those who actually played with the controller over your pre-conceived opinion, even though you've yet to actually touch the controller yourself.