Microsoft Addresses Xbox One Concerns

[RJ 17]

What about gamers without that capability? They don't exist. "Every Xbox One owner has a broadband connection,"

That says it right there, folks: MS literally does not want anyone without a stable broadband connection to buy this console. "But...but...but you can still watch TV and stuff on it!" Yeah, I've already got a TV, thank you. My computer can already do anything else the XBone promises.

I just don't see how they could miss the mark some completely. What MS has done with their new console is straight-up out of some cartoon where a moron with a bazooka takes aim and fires and the missile flies out the back. It's really hard to put into words just how badly MS has screwed the pooch on this one...and coming from and English major who's an aspiring writer - therefor putting things into words is part of what I do - that's saying something. They've literally done pretty much everything wrong that they possibly could have.

People refused to buy the Kinect? Let's make it mandatory!
People wanted a game console that plays games? Let's make it do pretty much everything no one asked for and, by pure coincidence, it can play games too!
People absolutely hated Diablo 3 and SimCity due to problems with "Always-Online"? Let's have one of our executives put out a statement that literally says "We don't want anyone without a stable broadband connection"!

And the list goes on. The only hope for MS is that they come out with an XBone Core or something on a later date that's purely the gaming console that gamers wanted. Something that doesn't require online check-ins, the Kinect, and all the other crap that's making this overpriced VCR the absolute disaster it's shaping up to be.

"MS will not be doing the post-conference Q&A at E3 due to a scheduling conflict." Riiiiiiiight. I don't know if they've been paying attention to the PR nightmare they've stepped into, but if I were them, I wouldn't care about a scheduling conflict. I'd toss a bunch of damn interns out there...SOMEONE who can help manage the wildfire of negativity that has engulfed them. Every - thing - that MS has done since and including the Reveal has been a horrendous mistake, and they seem to be all out of fucks to give with regards to managing those mistakes.

 

[The Great JT]

Corporate think tanks know crap all about what consumers want, who knew.

 

[zinho73]

I can't imagine Sony fucking this kind of advantage up... Nobody could be stupid enough to screw up in their situation.

The problem is: how far the developers are in it with Microsoft. Depending on how much third party support Sony is willing to lose, we can very well have everyone on board of the licensing+DRM train.

Let´s hope Sony has the balls to make a pro-consumer stance...

Captcha: love is blind. Yeah, captcha, but greed sees double.

 

[zinho73]

Corporate think tanks know crap all about what consumers want, who knew.

They know what you want, but they value what they want much more.

Captcha> for sure. Yeah, I know you would agree, captcha.

 

[Longstreet]

So everything that can be said bout MS and their XBone has been said by now; they are pants on head retarded.

With every MS / Xbone news i see these days i just imagine Sony employees smiling and partying all day long for how easy it's gonna be to sell their stuff.

Glad i never bothered with consoles and use my trusty ol' PC for everything.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

More than a few people here have said they are o.k with the once a day connection. Citing that their internet is twitchy and it won't be a big deal.

Wrong.

What happens when Call of Duty wants to download a 600mb map pack update, or games like Witcher 2 that has a 10gb update, or the console needs a software update, or you are trying to enjoy some of the online content present in Blu Rays? You still recon your twitchy internet connection won't be a problem then?

 

[evenest]

I don't want to jump on the angry bandwagon...

Can anyone tell me why the machine would need to call home once every twenty-four hours? For the life of me, I can't figure out why that is a requirement.

I won't be getting this machine. My hope is that Sony will not make a similar choice, otherwise, when I have the money (and provided some interesting new releases come out for it), I'll pick up a Wii-U.

It isn't all that bad. I started out playing games on a computer, continue to play games on a computer, so it wouldn't be too much trouble to cut out the console part of the equation. There aren't that many exclusives that would cause me regret. Besides, I still have functioning current gen machines and a backlog of games to play. If Sony continues to support the PS3 the way it did the PS2, I'll be good for a long, long while.

For the record, no Xbox One for me.

Sony, I'm still waiting to hear what you have to say.

I am curious what will happen if/when Anonymous decides to take Microsoft down a peg or two and knocks out its on-line servers like it did with Sony. Can you imagine what a three month denial of service would do to the Xbox (and its sales) if it happened during the first week of the release for the machines?

 

[chozo_hybrid]

My biggest (far from the only) issue is that I don't like being suspected/accused of stealing, and all this online check once a day DRM thing is for, is just that, to check if you're being a "good boy/girl." Someone pays for a console, the company that makes it is the one that has to assure us we can trust them, not the other way around. It's an attempt to control consumers and what they do with a product they have bought, and it sucks.

Buying the machine (whether to get it hacked if someone manages or not) because you're fine with it, it doesn't affect you, is being fine with that fact. That in turn is telling them that doing this is okay, so what's to stop them from thinking a check every 15 mins isn't a bad idea. They could update the machine to do that, or put it as part of the next machine, either way, by buying this machine, you're telling them it's okay for them to control the things you buy. Lets face it, with the games industry today, it's not extreme to think the companies involved will do this.

It's for that simple reason that I won't be getting this machine. Which is a shame because I've been with the 360 since launch year, but I'm not a brand loyalist, they have to show me they can be trusted, not the other way around.

 

[Neeckin]

So If I lose internet, my Xbox bricks itself? I think I'll just stay with my 360

 

[zinho73]

More than a few people here have said they are o.k with the once a day connection. Citing that their internet is twitchy and it won't be a big deal.

Wrong.

What happens when Call of Duty wants to download a 600mb map pack update, or games like Witcher 2 that has a 10gb update, or the console needs a software update, or you are trying to enjoy some of the online content present in Blu Rays? You still recon your twitchy internet connection won't be a problem then?

Also, several issues may occur in Microsoft's end. To this day, Diablo 3 server maintenance still gets in the way of my game time. I still have some lag issues and some patches have introduced glitches that led to further maintenance.

A LOT of problems may occur when tons of COD fans try to validate their games at the same time.

And I do think that hackers everywhere will see MS as a very juicy target.

 

[Dragonbums]

Cool.
WiiU and PC it is.
Thanks for making my choice so much easier.

 

[Lightknight]

Indeed. I was just pointing out how it was a self-fulfilling prophecy. Which itself was based on a misinterpretation of what Letalisk was actually questioning, but still.

In fact, their new technology smacks of "always online" no matter how much they protest it isn't. It's the EA model of naming a previously single-player title an MMO and using off-site computations to justify an internet connection as a necessity when allthey really want is control. "DRM? Noooooo...It's a SERVICE!"

Honestly, I think I'll be treated better as a PC gamer. I don't actually like Valve, but Steam looks like a much better service than this.

You know what? I was hesitant to go to steam but i've really come to rely on it. It's a top notch service.

Just keep in mind that pcs and consoles both have their perks/weaknesses.

I THINK people are assuming (whether correct or not) simultaneous use by up to ten people. That would be something I can't do with a physical disc. Again, I don't know if this is accurate, but that's far more generous than we expect from digital er gaming.

In short, the bar has been majorly lowered.

Hmm, I guess that could really be a nice feature. The only remaining fear on that is that once this kills the preowned market we'd begin to that number fall. There's also that "it can only be given once" thing... We'll see, I guess. But it looks pretty strongly like I'll be in the PS4 camp while waiting to see.

 

[Midniqht]

While this is bad news and will probably cause me to wait a bit on making a buying decision, I still want to see how it actually works post-E3. I have to wonder if a majority of people are freaking out over something that won't really affect them. I'd bet that a majority of people crying about "always online" (once/24hrs) on the XBox One play games while connected to the internet daily. I don't really see the "always on" bit affecting most people that are freaking out about it except for in fringe cases where something goes out. People freak out if they don't have internet in general, let alone on a console. Sure, it'll happen, but they've made it clear that if you don't have internet, you're not their target market, and you probably shouldn't be buying an Xbox One anyway if you can't even get internet.

Used games is definitely a huge issue, though. I don't really borrow games from others myself, so it may only rarely affect me. I can see how this would be a pain-point for others that frequently trade-in, buy, or borrow used games. They need to address this to really gain any sort of customer loyalty back.

I still fail to see how the Kinect is such a big flip-out topic for people. It's handy tech, if nothing else. Even if you don't use it for gaming, it's super helpful in navigation with voice commands. I use voice commands for my current xbox daily, just because it's easier. I'm not always just sitting there with controller in-hand. I'm glad I have a Kinect if only for the navigation bonuses it provides.

I'm trying to see the silver lining in all of this. Part of me hopes that MS was showing its cards in order to gain feedback and potentially make changes before launch. The games that come out for the new generation of consoles (both Xbox and PS4) are sure to be impressive. Sony is still holding their cards in the meantime. Their move. I guess we'll really see how everything will unfold at E3.

 

[Alar]

I'd laugh so hard if used game retailers just gave Microsoft the middle finger and refused to stock any of their products because of this. Then again, after hearing a certain debate on how the used market IS kinda screwing over developers by constantly PUSH PUSH PUSHING used over new, I can understand why they might be desperate enough to do this.

 

[Mr_Terrific]

I like how the articles says, "and now for the bad news" as if MS allowing you to let guests play your games is some new feature, and that this whole thing is nothing but shit news.

Xbox One is literally, the worst console in existence.

 

[Ukomba]

*slow clap* well done Microsoft, well done. You could have been one of the greats, you could have been a contender. Looks like the virtual boy, and CD-i will have new company.

 

[Ashoten]

(Read Sarcastically)

O wow Microsoft is such a benevolent dictator for allowing me to share my games and with up to 10 people. That must cut into their profits. I am glad I am a robot that cannot make cognitive decisions or I might be concerned with this tone of assumed authority over my purchasing power and demand that I connect with them everyday. I mean I completely forgot why I ever pirated games over a decade ago when company's act this kind. What the heck am I still using steam for. PPpphhht it only provides games cheaply and quickly with no expectation of commitment. Who wants that? What a drag it is to buy a 4 pack of a game on Steam for ~20-40 dollars and have up to and exceeding hours of fun with 3 friends.

No doubt about it Microsoft. I will continue to not give a $#!* about the XBone even after E3. At this point you would have convince that your console cures cancer and feeds starving children in Africa when I am not playing it.

 

[carpathic]

With nearly everything else going horribly pear-shaped for Microsoft right now, why are they actively seeking to sabotage the Xbox1?

I simply don't understand. This is a plan that looks great on paper for executives and game companies, but I won't be buying.

 

[Ken Sapp]

Now that my concerns have been addressed I can assure Major Nelson and Microsoft that I have no intention of buying an XBox One at release or anytime within it's lifespan. There may be some combination of XBox One exclusive titles at some point in the future which causes me to reevaluate my position but I can't imagine any at this time.

I will continue enjoying my unlimited offline single-player games on PC, Xbox 360, and PS3/2/1. The forced connectivity future can kiss my melanin-challenged posterior.

 

[Ken Sapp]

I don't want to jump on the angry bandwagon...

Can anyone tell me why the machine would need to call home once every twenty-four hours? For the life of me, I can't figure out why that is a requirement.

Well.. if you ask the folks at MS trying to sell you the Xbone, they'll tell you it's so that they can make sure the game is fully updated and you have the absolute best experience that the developers can provide as immediately as possible. If you ask the folks at MS trying to sell developers on making games for the Xbone, it's so that they can guarantee the user has purchased their game and so they don't have to worry about bugs since they can fix them iteratively through once/day updates. However, if you ask the high mucky-mucks at MS who are trying to make a bigger bottom line so that they get their bonuses -- it's so that they can get into that sweet sweet advertising revenue.

Which reminds me. Looks like it's time to cancel my Xbox Live Family subscription.. PS3 has crackle and Netflix now anyway, and PSPlus actually gives me free AAA games to play with my subscription.

I won't be getting this machine. My hope is that Sony will not make a similar choice, otherwise, when I have the money (and provided some interesting new releases come out for it), I'll pick up a Wii-U.

It isn't all that bad. I started out playing games on a computer, continue to play games on a computer, so it wouldn't be too much trouble to cut out the console part of the equation. There aren't that many exclusives that would cause me regret. Besides, I still have functioning current gen machines and a backlog of games to play. If Sony continues to support the PS3 the way it did the PS2, I'll be good for a long, long while.

For the record, no Xbox One for me.

Sony, I'm still waiting to hear what you have to say.

I am curious what will happen if/when Anonymous decides to take Microsoft down a peg or two and knocks out its on-line servers like it did with Sony. Can you imagine what a three month denial of service would do to the Xbox (and its sales) if it happened during the first week of the release for the machines?

If they can do a three month denial of service in a single week, I'll be extremely impressed.. and wonder who they're buying their time dilation technology from.

Unless I am mistaken, the 3-month PSN outage was due to hackers (LulSec IIRC) gaining access to Sony's PSN customer database and the resulting scramble to plug the hole and keep it from happening again.