Jimquisition: The Xbox One: A Lying Failure Machine

[Something Amyss]

So Jim is complaining about a situation that he and the others who are like him created? You are complaining because they backed off of creating a media device and subsequently neutered it to stop the whining of people like yourself? It had clear potential that was eliminated the moment the company started making decisions based on game reviewers and silly rant videos.

The issue at hand is neither that the Kniect exists or that they've changed their policies, but rather that they ignored their consumers and now have the temerity to talk about payer choice. Unless you're somehow arguing Jim and others like him forced Microsoft to lie to, ignore, dismiss, and even take shots at their customers, then no. They didn't create the situation.

Kinect may not be ready for prime time. But it is better than it was, and it will continue to get better still. And 5 years from now, people will wonder how there was every a device that wasn't spacial aware and capable of true voice command.

That's awesome. Maybe they should have waited five years, since that will almost certainly require revised hardware. Maybe they shouldn't have tried to bundle it. Maybe they shouldn't have tried to bullshit us.

The only thing the failed to do was emphasize the strengths of the kinect as its own thing. Instead they keep trying to tie it to gaming.

Fitting, since the Xbone is largely a gaming console.

MS has a terrible marketing department, for all of their devices and all of their software. Not because of what they are producing, but rather because they are marketing these things as if they are following rather than innovating.

Errr...Have you paid attention to the last year? They didn't follow. They ignored pretty much everyone. They dictated their own reality. They did what you think is positive. And they got eaten alive.

Oddly enough, no matter how awesome you and MS think Kinect is, people don't want it.

The PS4 is no more relevant than the XBOX one, and that has nothing to do with fanboys or hardware. There was no real need for current gen, and they would have been a lot better off waiting until they were able to mass produce true next gen experiences. Until developers can utilize these devices 100%, both machines are a complete waste of money.

By the time they were capable of mass producing a "true next gen experience" the concept of "next gen" would have moved. Welcome to the new era. You want 4K output? 8K is already on the horizon (and "on the horizon" is generous). Better hardware will always be on the horizon, and these boxes are going to keep running into these issues. Meanwhile, while you're telling Sony and Microsoft to wait, people are designing games for hardware nearly a decade old. If nothing else, this gen deals with that. And honestly, that's about all any successive gen is likely to do.

That is, if you want an affordable box. And Microsoft made themselves less affordable by trying to force something the market didn't want. While trivial in the long run, Sony offered somewhat more power at 80% of the price, and that is relevant to the consumer. Sorry, but it is.

 

[EffectiveKill]

Well like the video says, we all knew this was bullshit a year ago.

I think a more topical video would be one that calls out Sony for releasing a new console but little else.

Never going to have unfortunately, from what I have seen of The Escapist, it would not be in Jim's best interest to write/ make a video about anything negative about Sony, even though they have an equal history of fucking over consumers and getting away with it.

 

[RedDeadFred]

Not that I don't agree with everything that was said in the video, but... Can we for once get a video that isn't constant complaining about the shitty nature of the games industry? It's getting depressing. Is there nothing good to celebrate at all? I haven't been watching Jim for that long so maybe complaining incessantly is just his thing.

 

[Infernal Lawyer]

This line of thinking from Jim is what got me banned from Neo Gaf. I can provide the posts, but I was saying how, at the time of the Kinect removal, MS shouldn't be applauded for removing the Kinect when the early adopters were lied to and screwed over.

Way to speak the truth Jim.

Please, do.

 

[jackpipsam]

This episode felt rushed together, as if there was nothing to talk about, but hey let's get mad about something without much meat or meaningful discourse.

Hopefully next weeks will be back to normal greatness from Jim.

 

[votemarvel]

I think microsoft's window trend is happening to their consoles department as well. Remember how we always get one good windows then one back windows then another good windows again?

win98 <--good
win me <---bad
win xp <---- good
win vista <----bad
win 7 <---good
win 8 <---bad

This is happening all over again for the consoles, it's a microsoft thing, they need to sandwich some shit between the good stuff.

To be honest I've never understood the dislike of Windows ME. It was really just Windows 98 Third Edition.

I used it quite happily for a very long time and it was only that 'The Battle for Middle-Earth' would only run on Windows XP, that I moved on from it.

While I used both Vista and 7, I honestly feel that now Windows 8 is better than both of them. With the .1 and Spring Updates the system is finally where it needs to be for desktop users.

Of course it still has its irritations for me. Such as user account control being split across the Metro and Classic control panels, but to be honest I can live with that.

Windows 8 for me runs a lot better than Windows 7 did on my system. Plus to be honest I don't even miss the Start Menu any more.

As to the current gen consoles. I don't see myself getting either a PS4 or an Xbox One for a long time to come. I'll likely pick them up near the end of their life cycle.

 

[FFMaster]

Major issue with this video, why is going back on stuff that the general public disliked a BAD thing? They did apologize in various videos that have already been linked and they removed most of the crap. This is coming form a person who thought they should burn in hell for all the stuff they pulled at the start of the generation as well.

It shouldn't be forgotten that they pulled this rubbish (in case they try it again)but they shouldn't be eternally condemned when they actively fixed the issues that they caused.

Lets compare this to Sony, the ones who can do no wrong (because if you point out what they are doing wrong you get a pitchfork enema), they have released a godo system, but still its lacking features they said they would add (MP3, DLNA), its still lacking that watch then join in feature they showed during the console reveal (when he "joined" a killzone match after watching it). The Main UI people have finally realized will get cluttered quickly and still no external HD.

But this is never mentioned, surly its just as bad to not fix features/add promised features?

I'm guessing from Jims mention about next week and the week afters videos that hes also going one for the PS4 and the WiiU so they will be interesting to see and maybe this will get mentioned, but it still seems weird to demonize a company for fixing issues, even if they did cause the issues in the first place.

Oh I'm also in the "Sony were going to do it to" camp when it came to the DRM due to the whole patenting tech to do it etc etc stuff.

Well like the video says, we all knew this was bullshit a year ago.

I think a more topical video would be one that calls out Sony for releasing a new console but little else.

Never going to have unfortunately, from what I have seen of The Escapist, it would not be in Jim's best interest to write/ make a video about anything negative about Sony, even though they have an equal history of fucking over consumers and getting away with it.

It won't happen because of readership, currently Sony lives in a bit of a echo chamber with its fans decrying how good it is, and a lot of sites (neogaf mostly but occasional negative thread, eurogamer) won't say anything bad about them. You say bad things fans get annoyed and wont' click, bad things about MS and Nintendo get lots of clicks from people who post "ha sony still kicking there arses".

Kinda worried that Sony is heading back into the arrogance mode that bought us the PS3 release :/

 

[gamegod25]

> Last week: Slams EA and Ubisoft for apologizing after they lie and fuck up.
> This week: Slams Microsoft for not apologizing after they lie and fuck up.

(Yes, I know that in EA and Ubisoft's case it was because the apologies were ass-covering disingenuous PR fuckery, but the parallel here was too amusing to not point out.)

Hehehe. Out of context that is a little funny.

I hope you're not the only one to not forget about what they tried to do with the X-box One, Jim.

It's good that they had a change of course, but they fought hard to try and keep it the way it was.

Yeah it's like your boy/girlfriend saying they won't cheat on you from now on and isn't that great of them! Good to hear but doesn't change the fact they were pulling shit behind your back in the first place. Nor is it anything close to an apology.

They can back peddle all they want and try to offer a few free games to compare with PS Plus...it doesn't matter to me. This generation I am the consumer dog that finally got pushed too far and bit back. They will not be selling me an Xbone...not now, not ever.

 

[theApoc]

snip

Every bonus you just stated for the always-on part is something that could be done if a person just leaves it connected to the internet, but not having to require it. Some people don't want to have to connect to the internet to play games on a console. Over half of the 360 user base did not have XBL accounts, and so most likely were not connected to the internet at all times. Therefore, with that policy alone, Microsoft alienated half of their consumer base. The advantages, in today's world, do not out weigh the disadvantages.

As for the Kinect, there is also no reason to have been required, as seen by the fact that the XBone is doing better now without it. While it might add more ways to interact with the game, it should have remained an option. As with the "less fiddling about for non-gamers," I have to ask, how? Are they so brain dead to not know how to use a controller? If they're wanting to use TV, Netflix, Hulu, anything like that, shouldn't they know how to use a remote? A controller is simply a remote meant to be held for longer periods of time. So that shouldn't be the case.

There are so few advantages to the tier 1 XBone that, for so many people, do not out weigh the disadvantages. That is what's so anti-consumer about it.

They had doubled their XBLA userbase in the two year prior to XBOX ONE's launch, and it continues to grow, the reasons for the constant connectivity were clear. There was no alienation when almost every major release in the past year has come out for both 360 and XBOX ONE, they were well aware of the transition.

The Kinect is not required, but it should have been bundled. It should not have been compromised for games. If it were optimized as an interface tool, had they focused on the video conferencing aspect, those types of things, it would have made more sense. Especially since it uses skype and thus can connect to anyone doing the same.

They really just caved to critics like Jim, and will now just delay the inevitable. The kinect or something like it will become ubiquitous in peoples homes and no one is going to think twice.

 

[Magmarock]

> Last week: Slams EA and Ubisoft for apologizing after they lie and fuck up.
> This week: Slams Microsoft for not apologizing after they lie and fuck up.

(Yes, I know that in EA and Ubisoft's case it was because the apologies were ass-covering disingenuous PR fuckery, but the parallel here was too amusing to not point out.)

Hmmm yeah as much as I love Jim I'm going to have to agree with the point made here.

I don't particularly have any affection for Microsoft, but in all honesty I don't think they are anywhere near as bad as EA or Actervision. MS might not have openly apologise, but their actions do tell a different story. EA says their sorry while not going anything Ubisfot says DRM is a waist of everyone time but still uses it. Microsoft didn't do much talking but they did take action. I did remove the DRM and the connect from the system which actually makes me kind of like them at this point. They are stubborn and arrogant but by the end of the day they have officially made more changes for the consumers favour then EA, Actervision, or Ubistoft.

When Microsoft shows more customer care then your company you're doing it wrong

 

[theApoc]

The issue at hand is neither that the Kniect exists or that they've changed their policies, but rather that they ignored their consumers and now have the temerity to talk about payer choice. Unless you're somehow arguing Jim and others like him forced Microsoft to lie to, ignore, dismiss, and even take shots at their customers, then no. They didn't create the situation.

They did not "ignore" their consumers. They catered to them. They ignored the fickle gaming community and got bashed for it. Huge difference. The only failing they have right now would be in caving to the Jim Sterlings of the industry.

That's awesome. Maybe they should have waited five years, since that will almost certainly require revised hardware. Maybe they shouldn't have tried to bundle it. Maybe they shouldn't have tried to bullshit us.

It actually is a software thing, which is getting better all of the time. The kinect is an amazing device when considering how cheap it is to make. LOTS of researchers are using the device for some pretty crazy things, none of which have anything to do with gaming. MS should double down on it as a peripheral and ignore it in terms of gaming.

Fitting, since the Xbone is largely a gaming console.

Entertainment console. For all of the claims that they lied about XBOX ONE, it has been presented a a multi-media hub from day one.

MS has a terrible marketing department, for all of their devices and all of their software. Not because of what they are producing, but rather because they are marketing these things as if they are following rather than innovating.

Errr...Have you paid attention to the last year? They didn't follow. They ignored pretty much everyone. They dictated their own reality. They did what you think is positive. And they got eaten alive.

Oddly enough, no matter how awesome you and MS think Kinect is, people don't want it.

Gamers don't want it, and only gamers thinks PS4 is "winning" any more than Wii won last time. Units sold are great, but usage, something that has been growing dramatically for MS and XBLA, well that is something else altogether. "Eaten alive" that's funny...

The PS4 is no more relevant than the XBOX one, and that has nothing to do with fanboys or hardware. There was no real need for current gen, and they would have been a lot better off waiting until they were able to mass produce true next gen experiences. Until developers can utilize these devices 100%, both machines are a complete waste of money.

By the time they were capable of mass producing a "true next gen experience" the concept of "next gen" would have moved. Welcome to the new era. You want 4K output? 8K is already on the horizon (and "on the horizon" is generous). Better hardware will always be on the horizon, and these boxes are going to keep running into these issues. Meanwhile, while you're telling Sony and Microsoft to wait, people are designing games for hardware nearly a decade old. If nothing else, this gen deals with that. And honestly, that's about all any successive gen is likely to do.

That is, if you want an affordable box. And Microsoft made themselves less affordable by trying to force something the market didn't want. While trivial in the long run, Sony offered somewhat more power at 80% of the price, and that is relevant to the consumer. Sorry, but it is.

And you know who realized this? MS. Which is why XBOX ONE was not designed to be a super gaming rig with 3k worth of parts inside. If people want 8k graphics, guess what, they will do that on a PC. Fruit Ninja need next gen? Fez? Peggle? Because those are the things that a lot of average people are playing, just like they are using netflx, hulu, youtube, redbox, etc. Media content delivery and sales. MS is behind the times? Um, no. The built a device that was right in line with what people were ready to have in their living room. "OMG it looks like a cable box..." Ayup, it looks that way on purpose, it blends in for that very reason. Yup it plays games, and it does it just as well as PS4, anyone who tell you differently is to nerdy to matter. They are backing off to shut some of the fanboys up as they get ready to release some bigger titles in the fall. The device is still capable of a lot of things, and I am betting gen2 is going to prove that.

 

[theApoc]

Oh, look, it's one of these guys who doesn't have one god damned clue about anything. There is nothing about these features that you mentioned that required an always online internet, contrary to what you want to believe.

Also, these "alternate control peripherals" are still there. People can still get a Kinect if they want. However, having an alternative control method doesn't mean it should be a requirement and the only control method. Think about that before speaking.

You are pretty sure of yourself for being completely wrong. I applaud you for that.

Always online is required if you want it to happen automatically and to be as unobtrusive as possible. Every internet connected device I have is "always on-line" you know why? Because it is more convenient that way. Claiming that there was some MS conspiracy to screw the customer by wanting constant connectivity is silly. It makes it easy for them to keep the machine up to date, to deliver content when the device is not in use, and to diagnose issues. Just like any other internet connected PC.

Does the kinect need to be used to operate the XBOX one? I mean is it the only way to control the thing, or to play games? Complaining about them charging for an included peripheral is plain silly. Hey, when I bought my TV, I didn't need 4 HDMI ports or a USB port for playing music and pictures, do you think Smasung was trying to screw me by adding those in and charging more than some other brands?

You truly are clueless. Must be boring in summer school.

 

[Nytr8]

You know what Jim, I made this account just so I could write this, just for you.
Just to put things in context. Im 37, own all consoles, work in animation and freelance for the industry, oh and teach animation so I know my field, just as you claim to. I have been frequenting this site for years and Zero Punctuation is possibly one of the greatest shows I have ever seen. I watch you on occasion and am amused from time to time.

Recently though, you seem to have made it your responsibility to rag on the xbox one, so I am taking it upon myself to dish out some truth nuggets just for you.

For starters, We all know what turmoil the xbox 1 went through from its initial reveal under the grip of Don Mattrik, we also know how the company changed the proposition to match what gamers wanted, post Matterik. All this sh1t your slinging at them shows exactly what is wrong with society these days. Unashamed, egotistical, demanding, whining little b1tches, who take no responsibility for their own actions. You are one of the many causes for the rampant immature behaviour that is rife across the gaming internet forums. You have a greater responsibility than most as you have a public platform yet you choose to feed your ego rather than use some of that grey matter for good use and start a real debate, as you claim that you are.

They way you present yourself, you leave little room for debate because your so pig-headedly blinded by you self appointed importance. I try to look for the humour in your words but they are heavily laced with venom so the funnies don't taste so good, If you could see yourself from a detached perspective you would see that you are coming across as a whining fanboy that is jumping on the same old bandwagon and beating the same old drum that had been booming since last may. Get over it! We all know the score, we can make up our own minds as to which console to buy to suit out needs. Some of us actually are pleased with what Xbox has managed to accomplish in such a short time since the doombox was announced.

I am a strong supporter of Kinect and use it regularly without issue. But... then again, I am able to follow instructions and speak to the kinect the way It needs to be spoken to. I'm sorry that the Kinect is not aware of your self proclaimed importance so its no wonder it doesn't work for you when your shouting things like: "Dont you know who I am! I'm fuck1ng Jim Sterling, Now play my fuck1ng games..."

I get home in the evening, walk into my living room, say "Xbox on" and smile as I see my tv, surround system and xbox all switch on and greet me on screen. Then depending if I wanna play or watch tv I can then just say "Xbox, play watchdogs. or Xbox, go to 4od, play the it crowd." and blam, I'm in tech heaven. So I can only imagine how you have been trying to interact with your Kinect, actually, maybe I don't wanna know what you do behind closed doors, by the look of it, neither does Kinect

So, anyways. I'm sure none of these word will make any difference to you and I'm sure you will continue to smoke that sony pole. But, while your catching your breath between blowing your move controllers maybe you could do some real journalism and approach this new console generation without Sony's jizz all over your face.

 

[Leviathan902]

I have to say that I don't agree with Jim's analysis of the Xbox being a failure because it isn't what Microsoft said it would be. Microsoft said that it would be an all-in-one entertainment hub, and that's exactly what it is.

My Xbox One gets more use than any other system I've ever owned as I do more than just play games on it. I watch TV on it, I Skype with it, I stream my home media to it, I stream Amazon Instant video, Xbox video, Netflix, and Vudu on it.

Sometimes I use the Kinect voice commands to do all this because I have a 2 year old running around the house and chasing her means I don't always have the TV remote in my hands. This is amazing if you have kids, trust me.

All these things it does without having to change inputs and wait for other devices to fire up, it does it faster and simpler with access to more content than any smart TV has ever done (despite Jim's assertions).

Most importantly for me, it eliminates the barriers between content. TV, media streaming, Blu-rays/DVDs, and video games are all easily and quickly accessible. If I haven't touched a game in a few days, but have been watching TV and movies, I can flip back to Guacamelee, and there it is, already loaded, resuming instantly from where I left off. That's a "next-gen" experience for me, regardless of graphics resolution.

It has become the center of my entertainment system, the "all in one" entertainment hub, just like Microsoft promised. Does it do it exactly the way Microsoft originally envisioned? No. Does it change the fact that it's still successful in this? Not all.

 

[dWhisper]

I was too amused by the full screen background ad from best Buy that features the Xbox One to get angry at anything. Also, that and I agree with what Jim is saying. But mostly the ad.

I own both the One and the PS4, and honestly, they're both somewhat bad purchases on my part. I play multiplayer games like Ghosts or Titanfall on my One, because that's what my friends are playing. But if I have a choice, and the multiplayer aspect is removed, it's always over to the PS4. They basically just fused the 360 UI with the PS3 UI and called it good, and that works for me.

The One, on the other hand, discarded everything that they'd learned from the 360. You can't even say the name of the stupid product when that stupid Kinect is hooked up, otherwise, it'll assume you want to talk to it. And you never want to talk to the console unless you're swearing at it for doing something wrong. You know, the "XBOX unsnap you stupid piece of #$*&" and the like...

 

[Atmos Duality]

They really just caved to critics like Jim, and will now just delay the inevitable. The kinect or something like it will become ubiquitous in peoples homes and no one is going to think twice.

Ah yes. Just like Always Online, "it's inevitable".
As inevitable as cancer, and just as welcome.

Entertainment console. For all of the claims that they lied about XBOX ONE, it has been presented a a multi-media hub from day one.

A move that was supremely foolish given the Xbox's history as a gaming brand.

 

[Demonchaser27]

Y'know, Jim, here's what I don't get.

You're decrying Microsoft for its U-turns and backpedaling from their E3 2013 pitch because they're framing it as a noble decision when they only finally budged on it due to all the backlash... and don't get me wrong - you're in the right for that. But so many people - you included - were so quick to praise the PS4 for pulling the same reversal back then. The fact is, this DRM garbage and the "jack up the price by a hundred bucks for a mandatory spy camera" was all originally going to be the case for the PS4 as well, and Sony explicitly came out and confirmed they quickly rewrote their pitch [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-07-09-microsofts-pr-blunders-caused-sony-to-re-write-e3-playstation-4-script] after the Xbone showing in order to avoid the same backlash the Xbone got, taking advantage of everyone's anger over it and swooping in as some proverbial hero. Everyone celebrated Sony for not going through with their original plan (you sung a song [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/jim-yahtzees-rhymedown-spectacular/7467-To-Kill-a-Microsoft-bird] about them!), and now that Microsoft is doing the same thing, you're calling them dishonest.

Now bear in mind, I have no love for the Xbone by any means (only systems I care about are Nintendo's stuff, as usual), but I just find it irritating that it seems to be the sole target of your ire when the PS4 is just as guilty of all this crap but Sony only managed to hide it for longer, and they only came around to admitting it now because they've long secured a lead from the stunt and don't give a damn now. Fact is, they're just as sleazy as Microsoft is and they played you and everyone else like a violin. Where's your anger towards them?

Yeah that's no joke, they even managed to sneak in some secret terms during that press conference like you still can go online for free, just not play multiplayer for free. Sony is hardly a saint in all this. Good business move or no, their just as bad.

 

[Demonchaser27]

The thing about Microsoft has always been their desire to control user experience to an extreme. And now they finally have the technology to do it. In their mind, if you're not using something the way they intended it to be used, then you shouldn't be allowed to use it at all. That's why they're such huge advocates of cloud computing and that's why they initially designed the Xbone as the most anti-consumer device in the history of technology. It really bugs them that they had to change all of their anti-consumer policies.

But they're not evil. They are genuinely completely out of touch with reality. They actually believe that they know what is best for you better than you do. This is also why they'll never admit a mistake, and why they keep saying that Kinect is an integral part of their vision. IT IS! They're not fuckin' lying or joking. They are simply insane.

This is why I keep telling people not to buy the Xbone even if they made all the changes after the initial reveal. You just can't trust them not to screw you over again. They will revert back to the old horrible Xbone or something worse as soon as they see the opportunity. We're talking about a company that is completely enamored with the idea of cloud based EVERYTHING.

This is very true, their newest Office Suite and even the media player (i think) now have REQUIRED online cloud always features to use them. Its pretty ridiculous if you think about it.

 

[theApoc]

They really just caved to critics like Jim, and will now just delay the inevitable. The kinect or something like it will become ubiquitous in peoples homes and no one is going to think twice.

Ah yes. Just like Always Online, "it's inevitable".
As inevitable as cancer, and just as welcome.

Entertainment console. For all of the claims that they lied about XBOX ONE, it has been presented a a multi-media hub from day one.

A move that was supremely foolish given the Xbox's history as a gaming brand.

The whole issue with always online makes very little sense to me. Half of the devices I use everyday are always online, for very good reason, convenience.

As for the move to entertainment hub being foolish, the only people that think that are gamers whose opinion on such matters is questionable at best. I eliminated cable and pretty much every other device in my living room over a year and a half ago, with my 360 there is no need for anything else, and yes I play games on it as well.

 

[Demonchaser27]

Oh, look, it's one of these guys who doesn't have one god damned clue about anything. There is nothing about these features that you mentioned that required an always online internet, contrary to what you want to believe.

Also, these "alternate control peripherals" are still there. People can still get a Kinect if they want. However, having an alternative control method doesn't mean it should be a requirement and the only control method. Think about that before speaking.

You are pretty sure of yourself for being completely wrong. I applaud you for that.

Always online is required if you want it to happen automatically and to be as unobtrusive as possible. Every internet connected device I have is "always on-line" you know why? Because it is more convenient that way. Claiming that there was some MS conspiracy to screw the customer by wanting constant connectivity is silly. It makes it easy for them to keep the machine up to date, to deliver content when the device is not in use, and to diagnose issues. Just like any other internet connected PC.

Notice how we already have these very things (updates, content delivery, and diagnostics) on modern systems and computers and how adding required online-always doesn't add anything to the users experience that they didn't already have? Oh sure its useful for Microsoft but none of this is useful for me. I'm still forced to go through updates, online checks and other very obtrusive demands on their command, not when I decide I want to or need to.
It literally takes all of two seconds for my computer to realize its not on the internet and connect... does that mean that I should have to be online for everything I do on said computer? No. Your telling me in this modern Fiber Optic connected world, that you can't be bothered to wait 2 seconds for it to connect BEFORE it updates. And if that's not enough the NOT ALWAYS ONLINE Wii U can actually do system updates while its turned OFF. It still has that amazing convenience of not having to wait without restricting my access to all my software and discs in case the internet connection goes out. And honestly as much as I dislike Steam, you can still use cloud features with it while having access to your games offline, if need be. Yes you have to be online at the time of use, but I'm not (and apparently not many others either) giving up my freedom to use software and hardware when I want just so that I can have 2 secs free of connect time. And if your internet, their server or your ISP goes offline at anytime you get kicked out of the game/software your using and at best case scenario (with the 24 hour check) you don't get kicked, but if internet problems persist, as they usually do, then you can't play period. For what? So we can have 2 seconds to connect not wasted? Those 2 seconds that are going to be prevalent when you first connect after a disconnect anyways. EVERY TIME YOU TURN ON THE CONSOLE. You know unless you want the console to be using electricity for no reason when your not using it. And of course we're forgetting the activation connection that would have been required to access servers every time you boot a game after not playing said game for 24 hours. Is 2 seconds saved for connection time really worth all that?

And that being said I'm a computer enthusiast, there are always instances where you might want to stay on current hardware or drivers and not update. This is because of things like beta drivers and software that don't work properly and occasionally ruin other software programs. One example of this was when Sony actually caused Fat PS3s to burn up due to an update that had an issue with how it handled resources on the system. And it was an avoidable issue with the ability to stay offline, not update and still use your device.

In fact a modern example of this is Star Wars Jedi Knight Dark Forces 2. On current AMD Video Drivers the game doesn't work properly, but if I revert (something companies with online control won't let you do normally) back to old drivers against the will of the AMD auto updater I can magically play my game again. In your paradigm of always online, if a new update ruined my system or rendered games unplayable I would be stuck until Microsoft has decided its worth their time to fix it. Its the same problem that we've seen time and time and time again with other always-online software, such as Assassin's Creed 2, SimCity and Diablo 3. Your ignoring the fact that they do not do this as a service to the customer, but to control the user's experience and leave the freedom of the individual to use the hardware that THEY PURCHASED on the whim of the manufacturer (Microsoft in this case).

Does the kinect need to be used to operate the XBOX one? I mean is it the only way to control the thing, or to play games? Complaining about them charging for an included peripheral is plain silly. Hey, when I bought my TV, I didn't need 4 HDMI ports or a USB port for playing music and pictures, do you think Smasung was trying to screw me by adding those in and charging more than some other brands?

You truly are clueless. Must be boring in summer school.

No however, the problem with this analogy (even if we ignore the ridiculous difference in cost to the user) is that with TVs I can just go buy a TV that doesn't have 4 HDMI slots and a USB slot. There are many brands of televisions. There is true choice there. Microsoft is the only one developing and allowed to sell Xbox One. Microsoft (at time of release) didn't give anyone the choice of not paying the ridiculous extra fee of having Kinect. Your analogy would be more fitting to, say, computers. I can buy tons of different models of computer all with different power variants and slot types and number of slots/hard drives. If I didn't need 2 DVI slots on my video card I would find a cheaper model with no such slots. Aside from this the Kinect didn't give the user anything of value. Maybe I don't need 4 HDMI slots, but I do NEED HDMI slots and might need more in the future depending on what I buy, since you need HDMI for output of most devices these days. I don't need Kinect and already know I don't want any of the software built for it so why should I have to buy it to get the console?

On note of Blue Ranger, He was being incredibly arrogant towards you and I'll go ahead and apologize to you for him, but you doing the same to him doesn't really make your claims any more correct or incorrect.