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View Poll Results: What are you buying?
Xbox One 66 15.46%
PS4 189 44.26%
Changed from Xbox One to PS4 8 1.87%
Changed from PS4 to Xbox One 6 1.41%
Getting both (eventually) 30 7.03%
Waiting for more info 60 14.05%
Not getting either 68 15.93%
Voters: 427. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 05-13-2014, 09:29 AM   #2861
chemgear
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IMO it is best for gamers if both consoles are neck and neck with each other.
I was originally thinking the same thing as we were coming up on the original console releases but somebody recently brought up the great gaming period of PS1 domination. Kinda like all cellphone models having equal sales numbers. It's unlikely and many companies will just crash and burn but new models/features get added as time marches on. It's like any market though, there will be winners and losers; companies adapt and adjust to compensate when things don't seem to be working with customers.

Just like how Microsoft has been reacting to their sales numbers with price cuts, removing Kinect now, and apparently FINALLY (maybe?) removing their paywall to other paid services.


http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/0...-netflix-hulu/

We can report that multiple sources within Microsoft have been briefed on plans to make a long-awaited change to the Xbox Live Gold paywall for streaming media services. According to our sources, Xbox 360 and Xbox One users will soon no longer need a paid subscription to Xbox Live Gold to access Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming media apps.
Interstingly though:

Additionally, we've been told that Xbox Live Gold may put other services behind the paywall to make up for this shift


E3 is gonna be interesting to watch unfold!
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Old 05-13-2014, 09:41 AM   #2862
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Not the biggest fan of Kinect but do wish Microsoft would have stuck to their guns on this one.

Once you un-bundle the product it gives developers the reason to just ignore it for any useful features like what we saw with the 360. Instead of there actually being great advances with that technology that maybe would have made it more useful, I feel it will just be left behind.

Plus at this point I'm not sure it will help sales anyways. The Titanfall bundle was $450 with a game bundled in, that is technically $10 cheaper than the $399 Kinect-less bundle. But now you just #######ized your whole game plan and took out what was a key selling point for your product.
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Old 05-13-2014, 09:43 AM   #2863
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I would bet a large sum of money they will eventually release a cheaper bundle sans kinect.
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Don't hold your breath.
Haha, three weeks ago.

The exact things we said in March/April that got us called crazy fanboys (Titanfall sales underwhelming, Kinect eventually getting taken out) are now fact.
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Old 05-13-2014, 09:50 AM   #2864
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Plus at this point I'm not sure it will help sales anyways. The Titanfall bundle was $450 with a game bundled in, that is technically $10 cheaper than the $399 Kinect-less bundle.
Not everybody wants to play Titanfall though and have to worry about trying to sell it.
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Old 05-13-2014, 09:52 AM   #2865
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This is an awful decision. (Kinect-less bundle, that is; getting apps out from behind the paywall was critical.)

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some crow to eat. (F#$%.)
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Old 05-13-2014, 10:02 AM   #2866
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Just like how Microsoft has been reacting to their sales numbers with price cuts, removing Kinect now, and apparently FINALLY (maybe?) removing their paywall to other paid services.
It's official now:

http://news.xbox.com/2014/05/xbox-de...g-more-choices

Next, we’re bringing more value to Xbox Live Gold members and offering all Xbox 360 and Xbox One owners access to entertainment apps whether or not you have an Xbox Live Gold membership.

The link also has more talk about "free game and discounts" with XBL Gold. Following PS Plus I'd assume. Surprised they didn't wait for E3 for these - but maybe they couldn't?
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Old 05-13-2014, 10:04 AM   #2867
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Too much at E3 = some stuff from the cutting room floor being delivered now. Should be a great E3 if all this stuff is coming out ahead of the event.
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Old 05-13-2014, 11:29 AM   #2868
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Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube View Post
Haha, three weeks ago.

The exact things we said in March/April that got us called crazy fanboys (Titanfall sales underwhelming, Kinect eventually getting taken out) are now fact.
lol priceless!
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Old 05-13-2014, 11:58 AM   #2869
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I also think this is a stupid idea, but I understand that Xbox is behind the 8ball on this one. I would have rather they decide to answer the Kinect complaints with some strong experiences that can only be delivered using it. I imagine pressure was on to get units moving right away though, so I suppose they had to do something.
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Old 05-13-2014, 12:15 PM   #2870
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Too much at E3 = some stuff from the cutting room floor being delivered now. Should be a great E3 if all this stuff is coming out ahead of the event.
That is the positive way of looking at it.

The more likely reason is that they had poor results in Q1 sales that have not improved at all in Q2 and they need to announce something in an attempt to help stop the bleeding.
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Old 05-13-2014, 12:44 PM   #2871
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I think this is a good idea. I have very little faith that a Kinect triple A title for hardcore gamers will ever come out. Baring that I think the Kinect has little purpose. I've heard lots of talk about how handy the voice controls are. Well you don't need a fancy camera with it to do that. Have a separate microphone or better yet, build one into the controller.

Personally I think this is great as the price is now the same for both consoles. Since I don't own either, I will wait for the must have game and then buy a console.
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Old 05-13-2014, 12:48 PM   #2872
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I would have rather they decide to answer the Kinect complaints with some strong experiences that can only be delivered using it.
Maybe I am just a crotchety old gamer now but I honestly don't think it's possible. Maybe future technology will change my position, but I just think the mechanics of motion gaming are barely more than gimmicky.
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Old 05-13-2014, 12:51 PM   #2873
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Kind of a shame they caved in and removed it rather than just figure out a way to eat some cost and lower the price. It now means developers aren't going to innovate for it now and we are going to see a repeat of next gen with flashier graphics.
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Old 05-13-2014, 01:08 PM   #2874
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Kind of a shame they caved in and removed it rather than just figure out a way to eat some cost and lower the price. It now means developers aren't going to innovate for it now and we are going to see a repeat of next gen with flashier graphics.
The Kinect has been out for 3 1/2 years. There have been no good "innovative" games. I'm not sure why everyone thinks THIS act will be the death of the "amazing" Kinect games that are just around the corner.

It's just not how the majority of the gaming population want to play games.

Sure, voice commands for system control are a nice addition - but not enough to justify a $100 price difference for an otherwise technically inferior box of hardware.

This is a good move, and a needed move, for Microsoft. E3 should be a lot of fun this year.
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Old 05-13-2014, 01:39 PM   #2875
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The Kinect has been out for 3 1/2 years.

I'm not sure why everyone thinks THIS act will be the death of the "amazing" Kinect games that are just around the corner.
And also has an install base of around 25-30 million, so it isn't like the numbers and time hasn't been there.

Seems like there is some interesting things being worked on but they certainly have to make that case to the consumer. Not force it with their system at a higher price point and hope that experiences come years later. The excuse that Kinect HAS to come with the system for it to ever do anything, be used or have support is silly.

It would be like collecting higher taxes to just to ensure every Canadian is mailed a physical blackberry phone (or any phone for that matter) - maybe app developers will give that respective ecosystem support in a few years. Actually, that is a terrible analogy - I'm half kidding.
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Old 05-13-2014, 02:14 PM   #2876
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Next, we’re bringing more value to Xbox Live Gold members and offering all Xbox 360 and Xbox One owners access to entertainment apps whether or not you have an Xbox Live Gold membership.
http://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/13/el...ire-xbox-live/

As Microsoft's Phil Spencer clarified to Joystiq today, the latest in a series of "Xbox One-80s" doesn't apply to free-to-play and subscription-based online games.

"Right now we haven't changed the policy on MMOs and free-to-play games," Spencer said.

Bethesda's latest MMORPG, The Elder Scrolls Online, will still require a Gold subscription on top of the developer's own monthly fees.

Free-to-play games that will continue requiring Xbox Live Gold include World of Tanks, Warface and Happy Wars, the latter of which lifted single-player restrictions for free Xbox Live members in January.
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Old 05-13-2014, 02:38 PM   #2877
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People said the Playstation Move was ridiculous and would never produce a good game (and they were largely correct). While that remains true today, Move technology is going to play a part in Sony's Morpheus VR headset, which many are thinking could be massive.

As a Sony gamer I don't actually care all that much about Xbox. I just think it's good for the industry to have oddities out there to help progress things forward. I'm with the majority of people here in that I don't like motion gaming. I have a Playstation Move that remains largely untouched since I bought it. I still like that it's a thing though.
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Old 05-13-2014, 03:55 PM   #2878
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Wow, big news out of the MS camp today. I suppose it had to happen, they need to be competetive on price with the PS4, and this will allow them to do that. I still like a lot of the features the kinect has from a user interface standpoint, but it is pretty useless for gaming, until they can demonstrate otherwise. I suspect a lot of people will jump on the X1 at the lower price point as well.

The better news IMO is the removal of apps from behind the xbox live paywall. That was a low value proposition for the consumer.
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Old 05-13-2014, 03:59 PM   #2879
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I think this is great for Microsoft.

They've looked at the numbers and clearly realize they were losing and still losing badly to Sony. Had they been stubborn and not address the Kinect issue, they would've continued their downward spiral and sink their whole ship

the fact that they've removed the Kinect and promote the xbox one as a cheaper product means they're willing to listen to the consumer. Though 6 months too late, but still willing to listen

lesson be learned ... if there isnt a strong demand for an accessory like the kinect, dont try to force it on people... no matter how much torque dog thinks it's awesome

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Old 05-13-2014, 05:14 PM   #2880
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On the bright side, the ability to decouple the Kinect does probably pave the way for a smaller Xbox that would be an Apple TV/Roku-fighter while still maintaining the ability to play games.
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