Xbox One - Where Microsoft actually listens to consumers

[chemgear]

Microsoft must be getting realtime data on their pre-order numbers. We can estimate how they are doing versus Sony on the Amazon and Gamestop websites but clearly it isn't looking very good/up to their expectations.

[FlameOn]

You are probably right about the pre-order numbers chemgear. They sold out of their day one pre-orders something like a full month+ after PS4 and at a third of the allocations.

I think that Windows RT write down and poor performance over the last several quarters has gotten them pretty scared about negative press and public reactions. Next thing they'll probably 180 on is the whole XBL live gold requirements or the Kinect bundling. Not much else they can really flip flop on at this point.

[bubbsy]

i hate to chime in and repeat the same thing here, but it's amazing how wrong the marketing folks got this.

You'd have to think that such a massive release would have tons of market research, analysis, and surveying done before doing such a product in this kind of tight marketspace.

i'm shocked that a corporation as large as MS could put together such a blunder. Lucky for them i'll only be purchasing a next gen console a year or so (at least) from now, so hopefully they figure out how to right the ship, and hopefully it's on COST .

[Russic]

I think what gets me about the marketing aspect of it all was that based off the reaction from the tweet that the MS employee sent out, they should have been able to gauge the reaction to the "always on" feature. It produced an avalanche of negativity. Granted, you could have attributed that to the hostile nature of the internet in general, but at the very least you would think that would encourage them to step their communication game up. To go into the announcement with more or less the same attitude was peculiar. They already had a perfect case study of how things were going to go. Then when it hit the fan you start hearing people say "we should have communicated better". I can't believe it had to happen a second time for them to realize that.

[chemgear]

Interesting article about the Xbone 180 and adjustments to heat. From my short first hand experience with the console (and a limited number of games), the system certainly already dumps a lot of heat out the top. There is no way you can place anything on top of it or have it in an enclosed space.

http://gizmodo.com/the-xbox-one-can-...wer-1122442616


"The way we designed the box, we don’t actually intend it to ever have to go to maximum speed under normal environmental conditions. But there is overhead. So we’ll allow the fan to go all the way up to its maximum speed and if that solves the condition without the user having to do anything."

It goes a little further than that, though. The Xbox One actually has the ability to ramp down its power usage, so that it's using next to no power when it feels it's under total thermal duress. This keeps it from melting the plastic in its body, and also from experiencing critical overheating errors, but at the cost of performance, most likely. These are old news to PCs in general, but fairly new developments for consoles, which can't reinvent themselves as often.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by cDnStealth

Do people actually care about this? You can already record and stream gameplay. I don't see the draw of this feature.

You can't capture video from the PS3 on HDMI due to HDCP. This is a welcome change. I don't want to have to pay for XBL just to record.

[cDnStealth]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

You can't capture video from the PS3 on HDMI due to HDCP. This is a welcome change. I don't want to have to pay for XBL just to record.

Perhaps it's worth noting then that Microsoft doesn't have HDCP on the Xbox One for games. So no, you don't have to pay for XBL just to record.

[FlameOn]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

You can't capture video from the PS3 on HDMI due to HDCP. This is a welcome change. I don't want to have to pay for XBL just to record.

How is this even a problem nowadays? HDCP strippers are available for ~$10 off of dealextreme and ebay (mind you they aren't advertised as such).

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by FlameOn

How is this even a problem nowadays? HDCP strippers are available for ~$10 off of dealextreme and ebay (mind you they aren't advertised as such).

I didn't know about that...not that it's a huge deal since you can use component to bypass it.

As far as I had read, to use the internally available recorder on the Xbox One, you need to have Xbox Live. That was where was my beef was. If it's required only for streaming? No big deal then, makes sense.

[cDnStealth]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

I didn't know about that...not that it's a huge deal since you can use component to bypass it.

As far as I had read, to use the internally available recorder on the Xbox One, you need to have Xbox Live. That was where was my beef was. If it's required only for streaming? No big deal then, makes sense.

In terms of internal streaming I've read (and could be mistaken) that these consoles only record a few minutes of gameplay anyway. So if you're looking to record for longer then you'll still have to use external programs.

[Enoch Root]

I read through pretty much the whole thread because I am thinking about getting the XB1.

First, I have to laugh at posters who seem to think that all consumers are identical to them and that no one would be interested in anything that he/she isn't interested in.

Yes, hardcore gamers are going to dominate within the early adapter numbers. However, they are by no means the whole story, and MS seems far more aware of this than Sony.

I am not a hardcore gamer. I am not even a casual gamer. I used to have console games back in the day (we're talking Coleco-vision here), but not anymore. I wouldn't mind having a game console around, in case the desire to play a game popped up, or to entertain kids that are visiting or something like that, but it is no big deal to me.

However, MS is trying to take this to another level. Their 'own the living-room' is a bigger deal than some of you gamer-only guys are making it out to be.

I want a better way to seamlessly control all of my music and movies and integrate that into my stereo system and TV. When talking to a buddy that works at Shaw about what I was trying to do, he told me about XB1 (so I am guessing Shaw will be relatively co-operative with MS).

It is pretty much what I was looking for.

Gamers are gamers. There are a certain number of you and you are probably all going to get either an XB1 or a PS4. I would imagine that the majority of you will get both, despite all of your complaining.

But here's the thing: there is a massive potential market out there - people like me - that wouldn't bother getting a console if gaming was all that it was about. Maybe (likely) there are other solutions to what I am looking for. But I can see where MS is going with XB1 and I want to go there too.

So I am going to get the XB1 (zero chance that I would get a PS4). And because I have one, I will also end up getting some games - not as many as most of you, to be certain, but I will get some.

In other words, I wasn't a potential customer before. And I am still not a potential customer for Sony. But now I AM a customer for MS.

We shall see where gamers spend their money in this battle. And I wouldn't be surprised at all if Sony wins that battle, based on the comments here and in the media. However, MS is opening up and expanding the marketplace with XB1 - and it is a large and affluent market.

[Hockeyguy15]

Curious as to why you think Shaw will support the Xbox One, when Telus is the one who supports the Xbox 360? Just because your friend mentioned the XB1 doesn't mean much really, he could just like the XB1 himself.

[chemgear]

Not their typical 180 but sounds like Microsoft is still really having yield/production issues. With all their backtracking and pre-order number concerns you'd think they wouldn't have issues that would force them to cut back on launch countries so significantly.

http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/14/xb...this-november/

During E3, Microsoft revealed the Xbox One would launch for $500 in November, initially to 21 different markets. In a blog post today, Microsoft called that lofty goal "aggressive," and has announced the Xbox One will only be available in 13 territories this November.

[Violator]

Introducing Season Pass Guarantee: Buy a Season Pass on Xbox 360, Get a Season Pass for the Same Game on Xbox One Free

Good news today via Xbox Wire

Fans of Season Passes now have another reason to look forward to Xbox One with the Season Pass Guarantee program. With Season Pass Guarantee, you can purchase a Season Pass for a participating Xbox 360 title and automatically receive access to download the equivalent Xbox One Season Pass.* It’s simple.
Some of the biggest publishers, including Activision, Electronic Arts and Ubisoft, are lined up for the Season Pass Guarantee program, offering season pass content you can’t find anywhere else for blockbuster titles in 2013 and 2014. You’ll be able access exclusive season pass content on anticipated titles like “Call of Duty: Ghosts” and “Battlefield 4” on both Xbox 360 and Xbox One.
Season Pass Guarantee makes transitioning from Xbox 360 to Xbox One an easier and smoother process, so you don’t have to worry about which console you’re playing games on or repurchasing your existing add-ons on Xbox One.
Stay tuned as publishers and titles participating in the Season Pass program are announced in the coming months.
*Xbox Live members must own the same game on both Xbox 360 and Xbox One in order to receive Season Pass Guarantee benefits.

Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Xbox One By Larry Hryb, Xbox LIVE's Major Nelson
permalink: http://majornelson.com/2013/08/14/in...xbox-one-free/

Seems interesting

[FlameOn]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I want a better way to seamlessly control all of my music and movies and integrate that into my stereo system and TV. When talking to a buddy that works at Shaw about what I was trying to do, he told me about XB1 (so I am guessing Shaw will be relatively co-operative with MS).

I don't know where your friend heard this stuff but I really would not bet specifically on the XB1 IPTV support if I were you. If there are plans to support IP based clients down the road it will not be based on Microsoft tech and will support a number of vendors such as Android (which would give you a heck of a lot more flexibility over any MS product so not limited to any one particular vendor) in addition to PS4 and XB1 (this will be DRM and vendor support dependent). Most Cable MSOs are moving in this direction with vendors like Cisco instead in a big way.

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

Curious as to why you think Shaw will support the Xbox One, when Telus is the one who supports the Xbox 360? Just because your friend mentioned the XB1 doesn't mean much really, he could just like the XB1 himself.

Shaw's lack of support for Xbox is due to a technical limitation of being a cable based instead of IP based TV technology i.e. tied to cablecard tuners. Telus's TV delivery is purely IP based and based on a Microsoft implementation thereof (mediaroom which has not traditionally worked with too many cable MSOs. Also discontinued and sold outside to ericsson), hence Xbox support (not sure if this may impede non-MS IP clients nor sure if it will be XB1 compatible in the future given current mediaroom spinoff).

Source: Many many industry insiders in several key companies

[Enoch Root]

I wasn't referring to IPTV, but I appreciate your comments.

With respect to television, I was referring to one easy system to control all sources, including audio and video files that I have on my home network

[Erick Estrada]

The truth is that by 2014 nobody will remember the pre-launch stuff and gamers will be busy playing games on their new systems. I still believe Microsoft will reign supreme in North America with XB1 as they are at 30 or 31 straight months of the Xbox 360 being the top selling console in north american (by far the most lucrative market as despite the PS3 selling more consoles worldwide Xbox 360 has sold more software worldwide because north americans buy more games). It's hard to believe after outselling Sony 2-1 in this market that all these buyers will do an about face due to a smear campain by internet hardcore fanboys.

[Igottago]

I agree with Enoch Root. I'm a gamer that has actually become a casual gamer as I get older and frankly have less time to put towards the hobby. While many of the fanboys have been scoffing at some of the entertainment features of the Xbox one, thats the stuff that pretty much intrigues me the most about the potential of new consoles. To me the potential of loading up internet explorer to check stats while watching a Flames game, or skyping family in the UK while watching the same soccer game they are (all through simple voice or hand gestures) -- that's the good stuff. I'll have an interest in gaming as well -- but its no longer the singular focus of what I'd be buying a console for. I want a comprehensive entertainment experience, and I want one console that can deliver that.

I'm sure MS has deserved some of the criticism for their poor marketing so far -- but in all honesly I look at the 2 systems, and with MS I at least see a vision of the future that offers something unique from what we have today. With Sony I see a more powerful PS3.

I suppose only time will tell but the internet outrage just seems like lunacy to a guy like me.

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

The truth is that by 2014 nobody will remember the pre-launch stuff and gamers will be busy playing games on their new systems. I still believe Microsoft will reign supreme in North America with XB1 as they are at 30 or 31 straight months of the Xbox 360 being the top selling console in north american (by far the most lucrative market as despite the PS3 selling more consoles worldwide Xbox 360 has sold more software worldwide because north americans buy more games). It's hard to believe after outselling Sony 2-1 in this market that all these buyers will do an about face due to a smear campain by internet hardcore fanboys.

You mean there was a massive conspiracy across the internets to setup an organized campaign to poo-poo on the Xbone? I thought the press just gave Microsoft a mic and they dug their own hole with their press events and corporate messaging. They are a big boy massive multi-billion dollar company after all. Buyers in North America won't need to do an about face, Microsoft is doing enough of that themselves.

Seriously though, it's been an eye opening experience to watch this new console cycle launch. Gamescom is just around the corner and who knows what will come from that. I'm still holding on pre-orders for both regardless.

Microsoft certainly has to be strong in North America, they're already giving up on Japan and delaying their launch in many parts of Europe. Frankly, I'd like to see continued world wide parity myself, competition will be good for the consumer at the end of the day.

[chemgear]

For anybody interested in some of those numbers (that EE mentioned) this is a neat website:

http://www.vgchartz.com/yearly/2013/Global/

Just click for the various countries/regions for the yearly and total numbers. Hardware numbers should be okay, I am not sure if they cover digital software sales numbers in there though.