Jimquisition: Xbox One No DRM Emergency Special!

[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.

 

[Jamous]

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

Still not buying one though.

Not unless all my favourite things happen.

That about sums it up for me. Too little too late with too little other incentives. Like, you know, exclusive titles that I actually want. Also, not going to lie, Sony had me crushed beneath their boot the instant KH3 was announced. I don't care how long it takes. The fact that it's actually definitely happening is enough.

 

[Wyvern65]

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

It's Remedy's "Quantum Break." The big gimmick with it is it ties into a new TV show, and supposedly "how you play the game impacts the show, and the show informs how you play the game."

It looks like an interesting experiment. It's a XBone exclusive, due out in 2014, so that's why Jim had it in the video.

 

[klaynexas3]

snip

They are not removing any said "cloud," and so the gaming will still be there, you just need an internet connection, just like before with the shitty DRM, only now people have the choice to buy an Xbox One and not need an internet connection. They can choose a single player experience that is truly single player. However, that choice does not get rid of the possibility for Demon's Souls like single player/multiplayer experiences, as I will remind you, both of those games were done without the need of the DRM. If a company truly wants to make an experience like that in a game, they have the ability to do so, that is not taken away from that company.

None of what Microsoft boasted(besides game sharing) that was actually a good thing about the system is gone. It still runs on its "cloud," companies can still make games that require this said "cloud" and thus making you play online anyway, it just means that for those not playing those specific games, they won't have to phone home every 24 hours. The Xbox One can still be a "game changer" if you please, it just won't be a controlling game changer, and it has lost none of its potential, but gained much more credibility.

I would like to ask, what do you think the 24 hour check in policy would have done to further gaming? How about the tying of games to your specific account, making it to where any trading, selling, or sharing was all under the control of Microsoft? Because(besides the digital game sharing, which was kind of cool, but steam will possibly be implementing later anyway, so someone will get it done) those are the only things that the Xbox One is losing.

And as for your food for thought, we cry for changes in the games themselves. The console becoming more restrictive doesn't change the games at all. As I said earlier, what would checking in once every 24 hours add to the gaming experience, or tightening the grip on what you are allowed to do with your game?

I'm sorry, but the features that the Xbox One has lost were nothing but a hindrance to gamers, not progression.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Meh, I would much rather have seen the Xbox Done crash and burn. Still not buying one BTW. Still I guess I got to applaud them for finally get their collective head out of their collective ass.

 

[duck-man]

It's a pity they gave up on the digital license trading. Don't get me wrong, losing the daily logins is worth it, but, they had Some good ideas.
Without the 24hour login someone could presumably download a game, put their xbox offline, login to another xbox, trade a game, keep playing said game on their offline xbox.
Doesn't sound like the biggest issue to me, but, maybe I'm missing something.
And now there's no way they could do the family member circle sharing thing, right?

Edit: Thank God for Jim

 

[Simalacrum]

And, all of a sudden, the console wars are all up in the air once again.

While I do think the PR has still taken a substantial hit for Microsoft, its no longer a case of "this is going to hurt them on a permanent basis for the entire generation", and more of a "this'll hurt them in the early part of the generation but everyone will forget it in a few years"; much like the PS3 at the start of the last generation.

I'm glad that they've done this. Now I don't have to rage against the Xbox One on an ideological level, as well as just a simple "I prefer the PS4's games" level. Heck I might even consider getting the Xbox One over the PS4 now, provided they cut the price and seriously press ahead over the PS4 with games.

 

[Grape_Bullion]

Its probably been said, but this is honestly too little too late. As Jim said, their idea of control and punishment has already been established. They want nothing more than to implement their original Xbox One ideals on their consumers when they can, it'll probably be done within the first year of the launch. You're a fool to think this won't happen, and when it does you'll have no one to blame but yourself. You can be smart about this. There are other, much better options to the Xbox One, no matter how badly they want you to think they've changed.

 

[thewatergamer]

Here is what I will say regarding this:
First Good on yah microsoft for reversing your BS and listening to your customers,

unfortunately it will take ALOT more than that to earn back my trust, and my money,
still not buying an Xbone as you could easily pull another Xbox One80 on us in the future

 

[Silly Hats]

So they just threw a Pheonix Down in the fight. Kind of glad that they decided on the right action, I feel like they should have foreseen such a reaction well before it happened ether than trying to convince everything that their technology is amazing. Still won't buy one and I can't imagine how embarrassed Microsoft is feeling right now.

 

[Shotsniper009]

Thank god.