Jimquisition: Xbox One No DRM Emergency Special!

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

I'm really disappointed with the reversal of opinion. What made the Xbone interesting to me - the always online connectivity, family sharing and mandatory Kinect - has been somewhat put down. I was looking forward to what exactly 'cloud computing' can do, I was interested in more games adopting systems like Dark Souls and Demon's Souls. You know, integrating the single and multiplayer experience? Game developers can no longer guarantee that every user has access to the internet, which could have been an interesting point to develop from. Now, well, we'll never know.
And that's what hurts about this. What the Xbone was doing was unprecedented. Don't get me wrong, I know that doesn't mean good, inherently. It's just, and bear with me here, nobody has to buy the Xbox One. The PS4 was always an option, and a cheaper one at that. If you don't have an internet connection, you have the option of - no, not the xbox 360 - the PS4. It's there. It's a choice. A safe choice. It's not changing anything. The Xbone? Previously we didn't know if it would be a safe choice. We didn't know if it was what we wanted. It certainly wasn't a rich dark roast. And that's what we want, isn't it? We all want a rich dark roast. We all sing together that we know what we want and what we want is a rich dark roast.

The Xbone could have been a game changer. Microsoft has decided now to go where the money is, abandon it's backbone and chase after every ounce of hype and every last dollar. And now we will never know, at least not for another 8 years, if the Xbone's original system is in fact a great one.

For posterity, I wholly support being able to just, you know, give people discs.

EDIT: I just thought I'd point out something that really irks me about this whole Xbone situation, as I feel it represents the gaming industry and culture as a whole.
People complain, day in and day out, about the lack of change in games. The repetition of the exact same systems and stories from past generations of game. And yet, when Microsoft tried something new with a console, everyone cried 'What's wrong with the way things are? Can't everything just be the same? Everything is fine here, we don't need change!'.
Food for thought.

What of countries without stellar internet need for the Online Connectivity? Suppose you live by yourself? Suppose you don't have a dedicated gaming room? MS isn't killing off the cloud gaming capabilities, Devs can still do that if they want to. A lot of people like single player and hate Multi, why should they have to suffer?

The Xbone might have changed the game, but look at all the legitimate complaints people have against it. Change isn't always good or for the best. That being said, people like variety in games, not the consoles to play them on.

 

[Alex Koelmel]

Guys, they're doing this SPECIFICALLY so they can just put it ALL BACK IN once you've bought the system!

Firstly, they said all the DRM restrictions were built into the hardware, that it was "integral" to the way it worked. Four days later......not only does the X1 not NEED the DRM to function, but it was so easy to remove that it only took FOUR DAYS TO DO IT.

Second, circling back around, not only will M$ put this shit back on later, but the fact that they didn't "stand their ground" on this means Microsoft as a company now has the reputation (due to living examples) of flat out changing directions at the last minute. As good as it is the DRM is out, it only means MS can backpedal on the backpedaling any moment, and can do this re-reversal on ANYTHING (not just DRM policies).

Do not be fooled.

 

[Hazy]

Microsoft? More like Damage Control-Soft!

Am I right people?

 

[Charli]

Dayum you work fast Sterling. You need a couple of extra pennies for your trouble, that was some epic dressing you magical Houdini man.

But seriously damn, now I'm wondering what Angry Joe's video is going to be (If it is NOT 20 minutes of him laughing on camera I might just be a little disappointed.)

 

[DuelLadyS]

So, quick question- will your games still need to download from the disc to the hard drive? Because I hated that the moment I read it, and I hope it's something that's flipped too.

Basically, what this does for me is move the Xbox One from "Not gonna happen" to "number three" on the New System List. I'm still getting Wii U first, and I intend to get PS4 and focus on it this time around. My 360 only got the attention it did because everybody I new had one, and games were cheap and easy to find. I'd like to reward Sony for not being dicks in the next run.

So, that said- put out some games I care about, guys- you wanna get me to pay up sooner? That's what it takes, nice and simple.

 

[Cpu46]

Really? REALLY?! I JUST FINISHED MY LETTER TO MICROSOFT.



Well now at least I know that the Xbox One will be up for consideration when the grand list of exclusives starts growing. Still, looking forward to the deal sweetening that Microsoft will have to do to get all the disgruntled players back.

 

[TheSapphireKnight]

Well that's good news. However I will not be getting an Xbox One until a price drop. I am glad I won't have to say goodbye to Halo forever, perhaps just see you later.

Though at the same time I was kind of wishing the xbone would crash and burn so Halo could maybe get released from its console prison.

 

[conmag9]

WOAH WOAH WOAH WOAH! Hold the phone people! We are clearly forgetting the vastly more important question here, aren't we? The glaring one, that absolutely must be answered before anything else be brought up?

Jim (thank God for him) doesn't go around wearing a suit at all times?!

 

[5mj7R7yf4Dwr3gdZyyu9PeGNwYjlNrjzuh3iTXQG]

Now, for our next trick, can we get Microsoft to patch up Windows 8? Specifically:

~ Remove the Microsoft Certification requirement (at least allow alternative markets) for Metro apps.
~ Cease monitoring user activity and sending it back to Microsoft (yes, they really do this.)
~ Fix the interface so that the desktop and the Metro use the same conventions when possible.

Please?

Until then, Yo-ho, yo-ho it's Windows 7 for me.

238U

 

[ZephrC]

Honestly, and I know this isn't directly related to video games, but this is why I like Microsoft better than Apple. They're both evil to the core, but at least Microsoft is capable of recognizing when their evil is so bad it's seriously effecting their sales. Apple just glosses it over with some shiny design and an insufferable marketing campaign, which is why Microsoft consistently beats Apple even though everyone hates them.

I'm still leaning pretty heavily PS4 for this generation though.

 

[Kinitawowi]

Damn impressive turnaround time on this, Jim.

Let's be clear, this is still going to happen. Always online and no used and single activation codes are de rigeur in the PC market and they've had exactly the desired effect of killing that beast of many faces, the second hand industry.

The only problem is that Microsoft thought Sony were going to join them in doing it this time around. When Microsoft shot their load before E3, Sony just needed to say "nah" and they were free to point and laugh as Microsoft were totally caught with their pants down. Sony will do this too at some stage. And Microsoft will try again. Some lousy guesswork from Microsoft and some great poker faces from Sony mean that the can has successfully been kicked for another generation, but this is not the last we're seeing of this.

Still not planning on buying either, of course; I'll get a Wii U for Bayonetta 2, play FFXV on whatever my cousin buys and everything else will be on my new PC (as Uriel noted above though, I'd still like to see a proper fix for Windows 8). But for Microsoft to actually make this climbdown is still a huge thing that should be acknowledged.

 

[Rebel_Raven]

Still waiting on that whole kinect thing to go away, the hassels indies have in getting on XBL, and the plethora of other problems miring the Xbone to go away.

Still, it's nice the combination of Jimmy Fallon, the consumers, the competition, and no doubt EA caused the change in policy.

 

[dakkster]

EDIT: I just thought I'd point out something that really irks me about this whole Xbone situation, as I feel it represents the gaming industry and culture as a whole.
People complain, day in and day out, about the lack of change in games. The repetition of the exact same systems and stories from past generations of game. And yet, when Microsoft tried something new with a console, everyone cried 'What's wrong with the way things are? Can't everything just be the same? Everything is fine here, we don't need change!'.
Food for thought.

I'm all for trying to change the game, but not in a million years when that entails that I get my game ownership taken away and a have a MANDATORY big brother device installed in my living room.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

Yeah strangely enough I think it was Jimmy Fallon. Not so much that one guy himself, but the fact that the pure anti-consumerism was starting to leak out into the mainstream media and everyone who looked at it thought it was BS. A video game system being openly mocked on late-night television might have been the final kick in the pants they needed to know it wasn't just boilerplate nerdrage from a vocal minority.

This is why I've been saying for years that gamers are terrible consumers. If, say, the film industry had tried to do with Blu Ray what EA did with Project $10, let alone what Microsoft was trying to do with the Xbone[footnote]That just sounds so much better to me than "Xbox One." Whoever said it would have been an affectionate nickname if Microsoft hadn't screwed the pooch so bad was right.[/footnote], the entire world would have flipped its shit. The fact that it took a move this drastic for gamers to stand up is pretty pathetic, and what's worse is it was probably the way it spilled over into the mainstream that caused the actual change.

 

[Amaury_games]

It says "stream not found" when I try to load the video. Was the thread created while the video was still being uploaded, or is there a genuine error with the video?

Got me really excited, this is going to be sooooo embarrassing for MS and I suspect you're going to tear them another one

edit: Video is up and working now. Yeah, I guess it's a positive thing and gamers win in the end. Can't really complain about that.

My thoughts about this, copied from the other thread:

I'm very confused at the moment.

Confused as to whether MS planned this whole thing from the beginning as a publicity stunt (riding on the "no such thing as bad publicity" chestnut) OR whether they were genuinely behind this whole thing and then had a change of heart after seeing people's feedback.

On one hand, the hosts and devs who enthusiastically talked about XBox One's "features" looked COMPLETELY into it, they looked like they truly believed in it deep down that this was the way to go, that gamers would thank MS for these features down the road. It's hard to believe that MS had planned on hitting the reverse gear from the start, because the devs spoke like they didn't even have a shadow of a doubt. You could see it on their faces and hear it in their words, they were standing behind it with resolve.

On the other hand, literally EVERY SINGLE NEGATIVE ASPECT of the XBox One (except for the price, but who knows they might cut that down too at this rate) is being reversed. All in one swoop. That's where I start thinking that they planned this whole thing from the beginning, it looks way too easy and way too convenient to have pulled such a thing off so easily.

Either way Microsoft are still colossally thick idiots. Every single MS employee who preached things about the XBox One during the unveil and E3 is going to have jokes and memes made about them for a long time. Whether they already knew or not, it's utterly embarrassing...nothing changes that part.

Also I'm looking forward to future interviews with MS and how the interviewers will be silently laughing under their breath as MS try to answer the same endlessly-asked questions again and again:
1) "Why did you even think this would be positively received in the first place?"
2) "Why did you have a change of heart, do you believe first impressions have caused lasting damage?"
3) "Does this all come off as terribly embarrassing for your company and your employees, especially the presenters?"

I'm amazed that your first thought was so much alike my first thought!
Already made a comment about it, so I won't post it again, but damn, it's interesting to see this happen for the first time with me! XD

 

[JarinArenos]

I'm still standing by my "not buying either new console" decision, but it's nice to see that Microsoft isn't totally out of touch with reality. I was starting to wonder.

Also, someone please please PLEASE tell me what that trailer is playing behind Jim's video? The one with the time-frozen explosion?

 

[Seracen]

Hah, one of the best damn episodes, just due to how crazy and fast paced it was.

I agree, however, that I will not forget what was done here. Just as I have sworn off buying EA and Capcom games unless used or on sale (due to their policies), I will not buy XBONE until they've proven to me that they won't go back on their word again.

To wit, that means a solid year of waiting, playing PS4 in the meanwhile (assuming I buy next gen at launch at all). By then, they'll have worked out the kinks and gotten a decent stable of games (and had plenty of opportunity to screw the consumer over again with some form of BS).

 

[Innegativeion]

Man, they back-peddled quicker than an Elder Scrolls archer

Still not buying one though.

Not unless all my favourite things happen.

Same, in fact I never planned on buying one. Simply because I got barely any use out of my 360; Sony has the best exclusives as far as my personal experience is concerned.

At any rate, at least now I won't try to convince people not to buy one anymore, or not as vehemently as before. I still don't like the kinect-required bullshit, refusal to allow indies to self-publish, higher price tag, and overwhelming focus on multimedia rather than video games.

But I suppose that's another can of worms entirely.

 

[chiefohara]

Gah... i was already all decided for buying PS4 at launch

now this changes things a tiny bit.

Instead of buying a PS4 off the bat, ill have to wait 6 months now to see how the console wars fade and hear feedback from people.

Chances are I'll probably still get a PS4 though.

Seriously microsoft, i was a loyal 360 fan, and an actual convert from the PS2.... to quote AVGN ...."WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?"

 

[Triality]

Thank you Jim for taking the time out of your day to do an emergency episode on this important topic.

I was happily going to deny Microsoft my business for XBox products for life for this, but it's as you say, forgive, don't forget.