Xbox One - Where Microsoft actually listens to consumers

[drPepper1]

300,000 dedicated servers for online gaming is pretty sweet compared to xbox360's 15,000. Think i'll probably hold off a month or two after both systems are released to decided which one I want.

As for my current Xbox360, I am debating if I should trade it in now and just have in store credit so I can put it towards the new system when released.

[Igottago]

I think people are overreacting a little bit. This is the natural place for television/media to go, its a matter of who gets there first and establishes a winning template. Microsoft is taking a shot at it, we'll see how their partnerships with television providers ends up working out. Some of the technology seems pretty cool, the ability to watch hockey and pull up various types of interactive information from the web would be great. I pretty much do that now by having my ipad on the couch and arguing on CP, the natural next step is to have some integration between web features and a broadcast.

Gamers are freaking out because that's what they do, but at the end of the day the games aren't the only part of the equation anymore, there's much more to the business of entertainment, and these companies want a piece of it all. If they can provide me a truly useful all in one tool for my entertainment I'm okay with it. We'll have to see how it plays out though, its a risk for sure, but kind of exciting to see a new direction for "game" consoles.

As for the controls on content, somewhat disappointing but not suprising. We've seen similar things with music and movies, and I'm sure Sony and game developers/publishers alike are all on board with tighter controls on how we can use the media we buy. If its truly as big an issue as people say it is they need to vote with their wallets, and maybe they'll figure it out like Apple did by removing DRM from itunes purchases.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Russic

I'm still pretty baffled that MS would make this play. My prediction: Sony is doing the exact same thing and we just haven't heard about it yet. If you look at the language Sony has used, they've said you can play used games, but there's still room left to do what MS is doing.

I've noticed that there are lots of people who are claiming to be jumping ship to the PS4 based on certain (and unclear) features/issues with the Xbox One despite Sony plans probably being even more unclear. I honestly expect Sony to do the same thing as MS regarding "always on" online connectivity and used games. Sony hasn't been the most charitable of companies in the past and I just can't seem passing up the opportunity to control the used market, especially when MS will control thiers.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Igottago

Gamers are freaking out because that's what they do, but at the end of the day the games aren't the only part of the equation anymore, there's much more to the business of entertainment, and these companies want a piece of it all. If they can provide me a truly useful all in one tool for my entertainment I'm okay with it. We'll have to see how it plays out though, its a risk for sure, but kind of exciting to see a new direction for "game" consoles.

I don't understand the freaking out. The addition of all the stuff MS talked about yesterday doesn't make it worse at playing games. Just because your Xbox One can do all these things with social media and TV doesn't mean you have to use these features. Not sure why everyone is freaking out with the lack game talk at the moment, it will come at E3.

[chemgear]

Heh, for whatever this worth.

XBOX1 - Nicaragua, Iran, Montenegro, Albania, and Macedonia
PS4 - The rest of the world

http://www.gamespot.com/twitter-battle/xbox-vs-ps4/

[Hockeyguy15]

Good, I hope that the fan reaction causes Microsoft to lower the price on Xbox One. HA, yeah right.

[Russic]

Gamers are very good at throwing a huge tantrum and then doing exactly what they said they wouldn't. As bad as it looks right now in the comments of every website reporting on it, people will still pick this thing up in droves. Given that Dance Revolution was a pretty big title for them, I expect a similar outcry when white people awkwardly dance in the E3 press conference.

[chemgear]

I don't think it is the "lack of game talk" that people have issues with.

Off the top of my head:

- requiring kinect (camera and mic) powered and working for system to work at all.
- requiring internet authentication of all games (including single player games) EVERY 24 hours
- “constantly” connected camera and mic in your living room. Awesome recipe for hacking and privacy fun
- requiring installation for games to work . . . and only having announced a 500GB model
- the above and the system being locked to proprietary hard drives only
- locking out indie devs from self-publishing unlike PS4/Wii/etc.
- mixed messages about additional fees for used games, still can’t get their story straight
- initial impressions give raw performance to the PS4 by 50%? ala Eurogamer/Anandtech
- 3GB of the 8GB memory already reserved for system with the 3 operating systems running at the same time for TV, etc.


It's early and when things hit the market, people will vote with their money. The messaging from Microsoft has been terrible for a launch event regardless.

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by Russic

Gamers are very good at throwing a huge tantrum and then doing exactly what they said they wouldn't.

Everyone took a dump on the Wii U before that release. Seems to be following through on initial impressions.

Similiar to Nintendo, Microsoft has to turn this initial messaging/sentiment around.

I found this amusing though:

NSFW!

[Bobblehead]

While I agree 100% that Sony can be very evil, especially in their content arm (yeah, lets install root kits to prevent piracy, no one will care) they have done some things right. While they were more expensive, that cost covered included Blu ray, wifi, and 1080p right from the outset. And online play doesn't cost anything.

It will be interesting to see if Sony shifts to follow MS and start charging for things like online play, or if they will use free online services as a way to differentiate themselves.

[Street Pharmacist]

If there's one thing reading gaming forums or tech forums in general, it's that this world is full of negative Nancys with lots of entitlement issues.

[The Yen Man]

The Kinect always on thing is kind of creepy too. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with a camera in my living room constantly connected to the internet. And it doesn't look like there's a way to disable Kinect. I'd be ok with operating the Xbox with a controller rather than motion sensing or voice activating.

[jammies]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

The Kinect always on thing is kind of creepy too. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with a camera in my living room constantly connected to the internet.

For me, the always-on "The Yen Man" channel was one of the things I really liked about this announcement.

[Ashasx]

E3 has to be big for Microsoft. It has to be about the games.

And I'm not talking Kinect, sports games, Halo, or COD. It has to be console exclusives that we haven't seen from Sony. I don't care about getting DLC before the PS4. That just means I'm paying $15 for something that should have been included in the original game that much sooner.

They just seem so confused. The only ones watching the conference yesterday were gamers, so why spend 10 minutes with EA and athletes, not even showing a tech demo, but instead pre-rendered scenes? Just so odd.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by jammies

For me, the always-on "The Yen Man" channel was one of the things I really liked about this announcement.

Sadly, you aren't the only one to think that .

Seriously though, I don't think having an always on camera connected to the internet is a good thing. Look at all the laptop camera hacking cases out there.

[Flaming Choy]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

E3 has to be big for Microsoft. It has to be about the games.

And I'm not talking Kinect, sports games, Halo, or COD. It has to be console exclusives that we haven't seen from Sony. I don't care about getting DLC before the PS4. That just means I'm paying $15 for something that should have been included in the original game that much sooner.

They just seem so confused. The only ones watching the conference yesterday were gamers, so why spend 10 minutes with EA and athletes, not even showing a tech demo, but instead pre-rendered scenes? Just so odd.

I think it was smart to split up the this event and E3. Can focus with the machine and more of the entertainment side here so E3 can purely focus on the games (assuming they focus on games at E3).

They did mention 15 exclusives and 8 new IPs in the first year, so hopefully they are interesting.

Although i'm not a fan of COD, i think the COD time exclusive was a big factor in the xbox gaining popularity, so I'm sure they're better on that trend to continue.

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by Flaming Choy

They did mention 15 exclusives and 8 new IPs in the first year, so hopefully they are interesting.

I do worry that a good number of these exclusives and IP's are in fact Kinect mini games.

[Komskies]

People are calling it the Xbone. Terrible name.

[ernie]

Meh. At the end of the day PS3 is "more powerful" than the 360. I have both. I like both. But I find I use the PS3 for one thing and one thing only...PS3 exclusives. I had no real built in bias for the machines before.

Netflix, Hulu other apps etc on the 360 because the desktop interface is better (IMO) and connectivity is quicker and more stable.

for gaming I just like the 360 controller far more than I have ever liked a PS controller. There is no comparison for me.

For the new Xbox and PS4 I'll tell you the truth and say I'm not excited about either one. Gaming will be comparable (again). But if I had to lean towards one it will be towards Microsoft because, quite frankly, with the new Xbox desktop and Windows 8 I love the vision they are putting together. And yes I'm one of those who really loves Windows 8 and have since I first used it...fast and IMO intuitive and if you want the old style you can have it. Perhaps I'm one of the few who uses the current Xbox very much as a central unit...I stream from my computer to it (I have nothing but lag and buffering issues with the PS3), netflix, hulu etc. And to be honest I think you'll find "hard core gamers" are becoming a minority. The earlier generation of hard core gamers such as myself still consider ourselves "gamers" but the fact is our gaming has changed and has become much more family oriented and inclusive. It is just the way things are so while many in this thread are lambasting Microsoft for it it is the logical business decision.

[Russic]

The most needed feature? Allow Kinect to ignore the 3 foot tall jackass that's going to be yelling "xbox tv" and waving his arms around just to screw with his dad.