Microsoft Struggles to Adapt Xbox One to Japan

[Tribalism]

I'm gonna go out on a whim and say this much. I live in Europe and I don't know a single friend who is going to buy, let alone is excited, about the Xbox One. Many of these people who have 5+ years of Xbox Live membership have cancelled or plan to cancel their Xbox Live membership. The reaction here is overwhelmingly negative. To have a report like this come out can only worsen the situation in Japan, which as other members have stated, is not exactly chomping at the bit to get Microsoft's latest console. At this point, Microsoft really need all the help they can get and this isn't helping.

 

[gamegod25]

Obviously it is their product and they can do what they want with it, I just think it's stupid. The only reason they made it in the first place was a quick grab at the Wii's success with motion controls not because they thought it was innovative or good for gaming. And even if they just want to encourage its use that doesn't justify forcing me to buy and pay an extra $100 for something I couldn't give to shits about. Like 3D in movies, motion/voice controls are and will always be just a gimmick that adds little to the actual experience. Even if the Kinect had had perfect 1:1 accuracy Steel Battalion would still have been a crappy game because it had lacking gameplay and story.

Maybe I'm just old fashioned but I see nothing wrong with a good old gamepad (which btw I'll freely admit the 360 controller may well be the best controller ever designed) and that motion controls while cool on paper only serve to make already simple actions more involved, more expensive, and less reliable.

My point is make me want to buy a Kinect, don't force me to spend $100 and just hope it won't be worthless in the end. Cuz I honestly feel bad for anyone who wasted their money on a Kinect this gen.

You're still thinking in terms of the new Kinect being separate from Xbox One. It isn't. You don't think of the Wii Sensor Bar as being separate from the Wii. Same thing applies to Kinect and Xbox One. You aren't paying for a $400 console and a $100 Kinect. You're paying for a $500 console. If you don't feel like you're going to get your money's worth from a $500 Xbox One, then don't buy it.

And yes, Microsoft should "make you want" to buy its $500 console. If they haven't, that's their problem.

Uh yeah you ARE still essentially paying $100 extra for the Kinect, that's why the Xbone costs more than the PS4. I doubt the Wii sensor bar costs even a fraction of that compared to the Kinect and it's legitimately a needed part of the console where are the Kincect is only required because MS demands it to be for gimmicky menu controls.

The point is they are forcing us to pay for and use something that is not necessary and I don't want.

 

[Shamanic Rhythm]

I love how Microsoft thinks their biggest problem is the fact that people in Japan aren't likely to have a living room to put it in.

From the marketing, you could be forgiven for thinking that Microsoft sees the Xbone as being like the Koran in that you need to keep it in a special place of its own.

 

[UnnDunn]

Uh yeah you ARE still essentially paying $100 extra for the Kinect, that's why the Xbone costs more than the PS4. I doubt the Wii sensor bar costs even a fraction of that compared to the Kinect and it's legitimately a needed part of the console where are the Kincect is only required because MS demands it to be for gimmicky menu controls.

The point is they are forcing us to pay for and use something that is not necessary and I don't want.

NO-one is forcing you to do anything. Microsoft is offering you a product with certain features. If you don't like some of those features, you are free to choose not to buy the product. Xbox One costs $500. It includes Natural User Interface features. That's the deal; take it or leave it.

 

[A-D.]

Uh yeah you ARE still essentially paying $100 extra for the Kinect, that's why the Xbone costs more than the PS4. I doubt the Wii sensor bar costs even a fraction of that compared to the Kinect and it's legitimately a needed part of the console where are the Kincect is only required because MS demands it to be for gimmicky menu controls.

The point is they are forcing us to pay for and use something that is not necessary and I don't want.

NO-one is forcing you to do anything. Microsoft is offering you a product with certain features. If you don't like some of those features, you are free to choose not to buy the product. Xbox One costs $500. It includes Natural User Interface features. That's the deal; take it or leave it.

I actually have to chime in here. Just because nobody is forced to buy it, does not exempt Microsoft from critique. In fact, if we as customers and consumers feel that a specific product or deal is not in our best interest, it is our right to make that opinion heard. Which may i remind you also benefits the company selling the product. Lets go out on a limb here for a second. Imagine the DRM and other related features that were recently cut would still be in place. How many people would have bought the system? Not all to many i suspect. Now they cut those out, which was the dealbreaker for many and as such may have increased the number of sold systems exponentially because they dropped those requirements, meaning more people might buy it now. Now if we consider that, what if they dropped the mandatory Kinect? Even more people might buy the console, plus dropping Kinect might lower the price, which could bring it to the pricerange of the PS4, cutting out another consideration-factor there.

It is in the best interest for any company to sell as much of their product as they are able, therefore the more people that are satisfied with what you are offering, the better. If however features or requirements mean dissatisfied consumers, you lose sales, therefore income. Its pretty much logical here, Microsoft wants to sell as many units as possible, so listening to people who have a problem with some feature might be a good idea. Ignoring your customers is a very bad idea.

Also, what is "natural user interface"? Thats a buzzword. It does not mean anything. And the Kinect isnt really a feature of the console either, at best it IS a gimmick. Because as long as no game makes perfect use of its capabilities, it is neither a good product nor a requirement for anything other than future potential. And Kinect has been around a while, what, 4 years? 5? Maybe more? At least long enough for many a game developer to try to create a system which makes perfect use of the system, so far i havent been impressed. Microsoft isnt selling you a feature there, it is selling you potential. It might be good, it might have good games, but there is no garantuee that it will. Forcing people to "adopt early" isnt a very good business decision.

 

[Lunar Templar]

Think about this for a second. They consider Japan, the country that pretty much defined video games, as a "tier 2" country. Lunatics.

agreed, but then, this is Microsoft we're talking about, 'lunatics' is kind of a given

 

[RicoADF]

Lots and lots of big money is involved here. I'm not naive enough to think that they'd allow you to opt out with a check box that they put up on the screen for you. No, it's going to be buried deep in the system settings menus, to make sure as few people find it as possible. The little things like that make all the difference, because it gets people like you defending them, and they can still rake in the ad dollars from all the people who aren't informed enough to look for the option.

I hate what the XBone was becoming and still have no plans to get one in the near future (no I wont take a crappy Kinnect forced onto me thank you), but I must sadly defend it in one small slightly not directly way. In Windows 8 the setting "Do Not Track" is very prominent and is presented to the user clearly and (from memory) is on it's own page to stand out (or only had one or 2 things so it was clear). If you hit express install it would have "do not track" on by default. So UnnDunn is correct on that regard and I would agree that the XBone would have a similar option.


God I feel so dirty for defending it......

Having said that, while I do believe M$ will have the settings there I still wont get one for privacy reasons, I don't trust that 3rd parties (eg: games) can't use the mic in ways I don't agree to. Not to mention privacy threats from non legal possabilities, don't you think that hackers, spammers etc wont be drewling at what they can do with the system. Either way, the fact is I don't want the Kinnect and them trying to force it has only lost me and many others as a customer. Yes the XBone will sell to fans like UnnDunn who will buy anything with the MS logo on it, but most people I see wont go near it.


Disclaimer: I have 3x PC's, a PS1/2 and PS3, Xbox 360, Wii and PSP/PS Vita. So I'm not a Sony or Nintendo fanboy that blindly defends their system, their all the same to me and I would get all 3 next gen if MS weren't so stupid, so guess it's just 2 this time for now (plus PC upgrades).


EDIT: I just read the reply above saying that you know about the do not track option, so feel free to ignore the first part of the post, I'm happy to pretend it was never said....

 

[Terramax]

Microsoft's entire spiel with the Xbox One was having a console designed around "the living room," being a central device that you can play games on, and much more importantly, watch TV and sports. The problem with this in Japan is that the entire concept of "the living room" is a much less important idea for Japanese families. Many people in Japan live at home until marriage, and spiraling wedlock rates mean that many do not get a living room of their own until they are much older.

Hmm, I read this a lot and yet, having lived and been around Kyoto, Osaka, and now just outside of Tokyo, I've not met any young people whom still live with their parents.

Furthermore, apartments in Japan aren't really any smaller than those in England.

I'm not really sure if the Japanese concepts above are really as extreme as they've been made out to be in the past.

Colloquial evidence. The best kind. The numbers show [http://japandailypress.com/over-3-million-parasite-singles-in-japan-over-35-still-living-with-parents-031659] the the amount of young Japanese people still living with their parents is steadily increasing. The phenomenon is called "parasite singles" in Japan.

I also never said that apartments in Japan were too small. I said that the concept of the "living room" was a much less important idea.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I wasn't challening your post. I was just writing my observation. Whilst there is indeed an increase with people moving in with parents, I just want people to acknowledge that it's not come to the point where a great majority are still living with parents. I've met more people in England that live with their parents.

And I was just also mentioning the other stereotype I constantly hear - that Japanese houses are all small. On the contrary, most apartments I've seen in JP are bigger than in the UK.

 

[UnnDunn]

I actually have to chime in here. Just because nobody is forced to buy it, does not exempt Microsoft from critique. In fact, if we as customers and consumers feel that a specific product or deal is not in our best interest, it is our right to make that opinion heard. Which may i remind you also benefits the company selling the product. Lets go out on a limb here for a second. Imagine the DRM and other related features that were recently cut would still be in place. How many people would have bought the system? Not all to many i suspect. Now they cut those out, which was the dealbreaker for many and as such may have increased the number of sold systems exponentially because they dropped those requirements, meaning more people might buy it now. Now if we consider that, what if they dropped the mandatory Kinect? Even more people might buy the console, plus dropping Kinect might lower the price, which could bring it to the pricerange of the PS4, cutting out another consideration-factor there.

It is in the best interest for any company to sell as much of their product as they are able, therefore the more people that are satisfied with what you are offering, the better. If however features or requirements mean dissatisfied consumers, you lose sales, therefore income. Its pretty much logical here, Microsoft wants to sell as many units as possible, so listening to people who have a problem with some feature might be a good idea. Ignoring your customers is a very bad idea.

You don't represent "Microsoft's customers." You only represent yourself. There are plenty of people out there who will find the product appealing.

Also, what is "natural user interface"? Thats a buzzword. It does not mean anything. And the Kinect isnt really a feature of the console either, at best it IS a gimmick. Because as long as no game makes perfect use of its capabilities, it is neither a good product nor a requirement for anything other than future potential. And Kinect has been around a while, what, 4 years? 5? Maybe more? At least long enough for many a game developer to try to create a system which makes perfect use of the system, so far i havent been impressed. Microsoft isnt selling you a feature there, it is selling you potential. It might be good, it might have good games, but there is no garantuee that it will. Forcing people to "adopt early" isnt a very good business decision.

Natural User Interface on Microsoft Research [http://research.microsoft.com/nui‎]. The term NUI in general refers to computer interfaces that respond your natural way of expressing yourself, without relying on you touching some sort of dedicated device.

 

[Infernal Lawyer]

Here's an idea, MS: DROP THE FUCKING MANDATORY KINECT!

I suppose you wanted Nintendo to drop the Wii-mote as well...? Because that's essentially what you're demanding Microsoft to do.

Well spying and privacy reasons aside, the Wii remote doesn't require as much space as the Kinect does and IMO Nintendo has been more successful with its motion sensor controls than Microsoft has been with the Kinect.

The "spying and privacy" issues are largely paranoid rantings invented by people who, for whatever reason, don't want Xbox One to succeed.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/125523-Xbox-One-Designed-With-Advertising-in-Mind

Microsoft came out and proved all those tin-foil hatted conspiracy theorists right, then went on to say that it was a really a 'feature'. Because apparently being recorded, using the 'voice recognition to decide what you're most likely to buy, sending that information back to Microsoft and using it to bombard your dashboard with ads is just 'enhancing the Xbox One experience'. And before you say it, NO, THIS DOES NOT ALREADY HAPPEN. This is a whole other level of plain-ass creepy compared to what website cookies and the like do for computers. The fact is, people DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF BEING RECORDED IN THEIR OWN HOMES, and Microsoft tried to make the idea sound like a GOOD thing.

Considering that Microsoft was also one of the corporations called out in the NSA scandal, I'd say the 'paranoid rantings' are more than a little justified.

Plus, coming from a hardcore Nintendo fan with his own illogical biases due to brand loyalty, I find your dismissal of people with legitimate concerns about their privacy as 'people who, for whatever reason, don't want Xbox One to succeed' to be extremely arrogant, mainly because that's the attitude we've been getting from Don Mattrick about, well, EVERYTHING about the Xbone. What are people supposed to think when Microsoft either sidesteps the issues, insults them for seeing a problem, or confirms said issues and tries to PR their way into making it look like a selling point?

Well, I'm not here to sell you anything, so I really don't care if you find me to be arrogant.

Microsoft has been very clear that you can turn off all data collection systems relating to Kinect. So the so-called privacy concerns are moot.

If Microsoft puts any restrictions onto the Kinect, they're unlikely to be self-imposed. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/125192-We-Are-Watching-You-Legislation-Could-Affect-Xbox-One]

Secondly, HAS Microsoft been clear about anything? Have they really? First they spent ages dodging the issue of privacy regarding the Kinect. Then they told everyone it was mandatory and had to be plugged in and therefore always on all the time, EVEN when the console was supposedly off, which didn't slide well considering back then they were also pushing the DRM nonsense. THEN they tried to tell us we could fiddle with the privacy settings, but didn't tell us how because as per usual they were too busy pushing their PR words such as 'experience' and 'awesome', so people still don't know whether they're going to have to un-check a checkbox when they turn it on, whether it's buried deep in the setting menu, or if it's in the EULA which noone reads and will tell you to fuck off if you DO notice and have a problem with being recorded (and considering lots of the worst-case conspiracy theories about the Xbone have been proved correct, I'd say there's a good chance of one of the latter).

Thirdly, most of the issue for me is WHY they're gathering the information. Even if I tell them to piss off and they respect that, they're obviously still trying to bombard me with ads, albeit now non-targeted ones, and I very much have an problem with that too. A LOT of people are VERY mad about the new Xbox 360's ad-saturated dashboard, and they probably don't particularly like the idea its return. If I turn on my 3DS, or my PC, I get a dashboard full of the crap I own, not the crap Microsoft is trying to sell me. Even when I go onto the online stores or web-browsers, I'm STILL not bombarded with ads; instead I'm given the tools to search for what i want or at the very least narrow down a list, with maybe ONE or TWO game ads on the side. I don't own a 360, but I hear they're more interested in selling you crap they think you want, rather than helping you find the crap you ACTUALLY want.

Then don't buy an Xbox One. Simple.

You keep dismissing Microsoft's comments as lip-service, despite the fact that this is the same company that took a lot of heat from internet advertisers for enabling "Do Not Track" in Windows 8 by default [http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57488991-75/windows-8-sticks-with-ie10-do-not-track-by-default/], and building extensive anti-tracking functionality [http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/internet-explorer/products/ie-9/features/tracking-protection] into Internet Explorer.

But fine, whatever. Microsoft is the anti-christ. The second you pick your nose in front of Kinect, Microsoft will send that data to every advertiser on the planet, ready to bombard your screen with ads for nose-itch cream. If that's what you want to believe, have at it. Just understand that you make yourself look silly by doing so.

You...you really believe DNT actually does anything to prevent tracking?

"the DNT is merely a signal telling advertisers about users' preferences to not be tracked?it's not a mechanism that actually blocks web ads from dropping tracking "cookies" onto browsers' desktops and devices."
http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-the-gaping-flaw-in-microsofts-do-not-track-system-for-ie10-2012-8

DNT is simply more lip service to customers that are concerned about privacy that does nothing to actually protect them.

I'm not even going to respond to your lazy exaggeration of my concerns to make me look less credible, that would bring me down to your level. Oops, guess I just kinda did.

What s/he said.

I used Internet Explorer for quite a while, turning off all the anti-tracking or whatever off, and my computer STILL got overloaded with cookies and adware that kept installing themselves over and over again, no matter how many times I deleted them with Spybot: Search and Destroy (not advertising it). So I started using Google Chrome, and the same thing happened. And for Firefox. The only benefit these 'anti-tracking' features gives me is the amusement when Youtube thinks that I've got a fetish for fast food and deodorant, or I get spammed with ads for a site I just visited (Green Man Games, if I remember right).

So no, I don't trust corporations when they tell me they won't spy on me because 'pinky promises'.

 

[Keiichi Morisato]

I am not surprised really... as Japan has little no interest in the Xbox One, kind of like the Wii U s struggling in the US.

 

[gamegod25]

Uh yeah you ARE still essentially paying $100 extra for the Kinect, that's why the Xbone costs more than the PS4. I doubt the Wii sensor bar costs even a fraction of that compared to the Kinect and it's legitimately a needed part of the console where are the Kincect is only required because MS demands it to be for gimmicky menu controls.

The point is they are forcing us to pay for and use something that is not necessary and I don't want.

NO-one is forcing you to do anything. Microsoft is offering you a product with certain features. If you don't like some of those features, you are free to choose not to buy the product. Xbox One costs $500. It includes Natural User Interface features. That's the deal; take it or leave it.

I actually have to chime in here. Just because nobody is forced to buy it, does not exempt Microsoft from critique. In fact, if we as customers and consumers feel that a specific product or deal is not in our best interest, it is our right to make that opinion heard. Which may i remind you also benefits the company selling the product. Lets go out on a limb here for a second. Imagine the DRM and other related features that were recently cut would still be in place. How many people would have bought the system? Not all to many i suspect. Now they cut those out, which was the dealbreaker for many and as such may have increased the number of sold systems exponentially because they dropped those requirements, meaning more people might buy it now. Now if we consider that, what if they dropped the mandatory Kinect? Even more people might buy the console, plus dropping Kinect might lower the price, which could bring it to the pricerange of the PS4, cutting out another consideration-factor there.

It is in the best interest for any company to sell as much of their product as they are able, therefore the more people that are satisfied with what you are offering, the better. If however features or requirements mean dissatisfied consumers, you lose sales, therefore income. Its pretty much logical here, Microsoft wants to sell as many units as possible, so listening to people who have a problem with some feature might be a good idea. Ignoring your customers is a very bad idea.

Also, what is "natural user interface"? Thats a buzzword. It does not mean anything. And the Kinect isnt really a feature of the console either, at best it IS a gimmick. Because as long as no game makes perfect use of its capabilities, it is neither a good product nor a requirement for anything other than future potential. And Kinect has been around a while, what, 4 years? 5? Maybe more? At least long enough for many a game developer to try to create a system which makes perfect use of the system, so far i havent been impressed. Microsoft isnt selling you a feature there, it is selling you potential. It might be good, it might have good games, but there is no garantuee that it will. Forcing people to "adopt early" isnt a very good business decision.

Thank you for calling out that marketing buzzword bullshit. Honestly who uses a term like that outside of a paid marketing shill? Don't try to tell me a gimmick isn't a gimmick, because that's all the Kinect is and so will the Kinect 2 more than likely.

The only reason MS dropped the DRM bullshit is because customers voiced their complaints and voted with their wallets when it came to preordering. While the change of policy will help regain some lost sales it isn't enough to change my mind. The Kinect requirement plus the extra cost it entails, the loss of indie support, more ads, and just their incredibly anti-consumer attitude is more than enough reason to take my money elsewhere.

If you want to support MS and the Xbone then that's your choice, but I'm saying no!

 

[A-D.]

I actually have to chime in here. Just because nobody is forced to buy it, does not exempt Microsoft from critique. In fact, if we as customers and consumers feel that a specific product or deal is not in our best interest, it is our right to make that opinion heard. Which may i remind you also benefits the company selling the product. Lets go out on a limb here for a second. Imagine the DRM and other related features that were recently cut would still be in place. How many people would have bought the system? Not all to many i suspect. Now they cut those out, which was the dealbreaker for many and as such may have increased the number of sold systems exponentially because they dropped those requirements, meaning more people might buy it now. Now if we consider that, what if they dropped the mandatory Kinect? Even more people might buy the console, plus dropping Kinect might lower the price, which could bring it to the pricerange of the PS4, cutting out another consideration-factor there.

It is in the best interest for any company to sell as much of their product as they are able, therefore the more people that are satisfied with what you are offering, the better. If however features or requirements mean dissatisfied consumers, you lose sales, therefore income. Its pretty much logical here, Microsoft wants to sell as many units as possible, so listening to people who have a problem with some feature might be a good idea. Ignoring your customers is a very bad idea.

You don't represent "Microsoft's customers." You only represent yourself. There are plenty of people out there who will find the product appealing.

And you seem to have missed the point, i was not speaking for customers. I was speaking universally of both standpoints. Your very idea of willful loss of customers is quite odd to be honest. If a company is fine with losing customers because "there are still enough left", at which point are there not enough anymore? Slippery Slope there you know, what if MS alienates all its customer base except, say 50.000 People. Would they be content with that? What if that number was only 500?

That is the problem, if you are contend in alienating part of your userbase, or potential userbase each time, then eventually you will have not enough left to sustain your company. For the company, ANY company, each customer should be important. If one of them has concerns, they need to be addressed respectfully and professionally, neither of which i have seen lately from Microsofts PR. It should not matter whether it is one concerned customer, 10 or a million. Each voice should be treated just as important as the rest, because if a handful is not important, than what of the rest? Does it not imply they are only important until they too find something worthy of concern?

Also, what is "natural user interface"? Thats a buzzword. It does not mean anything. And the Kinect isnt really a feature of the console either, at best it IS a gimmick. Because as long as no game makes perfect use of its capabilities, it is neither a good product nor a requirement for anything other than future potential. And Kinect has been around a while, what, 4 years? 5? Maybe more? At least long enough for many a game developer to try to create a system which makes perfect use of the system, so far i havent been impressed. Microsoft isnt selling you a feature there, it is selling you potential. It might be good, it might have good games, but there is no garantuee that it will. Forcing people to "adopt early" isnt a very good business decision.

Natural User Interface on Microsoft Research [http://research.microsoft.com/nui‎]. The term NUI in general refers to computer interfaces that respond your natural way of expressing yourself, without relying on you touching some sort of dedicated device.

Which again is a buzzword. Its a blanket statement that does not actually really mean anything other than what MS says it should. Your "natural user interface" might not be mine, likewise, every other use might have another. In fact, what is the natural way of expression? Talking? What about mute people? Physical movement? What about amputee's, wheel-chair bound people and so forth? Would their "natural form of expression" be consistent with everyone else?

But even not considering that, what of the people who prefer another interface just by sheer opinion. Look at Windows 8 which is much more touch-screen oriented. Should a person accept its UI as natural when they much prefer the UI of Win7, or WinXP? Unless the interface is the exact same as the 360, which i doubt, it is not natural, because natural implies familiarity. If the UI is not instantly familiar, or very easy to learn, and by that i mean so easy a 3 year old can learn it quickly, then it is not natural in any sense of the word, no matter what input device is used. Especially since Kinect is a new input device that has only been around for a few years now, not even used by many.

 

[UnnDunn]

And you seem to have missed the point, i was not speaking for customers. I was speaking universally of both standpoints. Your very idea of willful loss of customers is quite odd to be honest. If a company is fine with losing customers because "there are still enough left", at which point are there not enough anymore? Slippery Slope there you know, what if MS alienates all its customer base except, say 50.000 People. Would they be content with that? What if that number was only 500?

That is the problem, if you are contend in alienating part of your userbase, or potential userbase each time, then eventually you will have not enough left to sustain your company. For the company, ANY company, each customer should be important. If one of them has concerns, they need to be addressed respectfully and professionally, neither of which i have seen lately from Microsofts PR. It should not matter whether it is one concerned customer, 10 or a million. Each voice should be treated just as important as the rest, because if a handful is not important, than what of the rest? Does it not imply they are only important until they too find something worthy of concern?

Every company defines a target market for its products in order to focus its efforts. Some targets are larger than others, but there is always a target audience, and if you aren't a part of that target, the company isn't interested in sellng you that product. Marketing 101.

If you feel so alienated, it's probably because you aren't the target customer.

Which again is a buzzword. Its a blanket statement that does not actually really mean anything other than what MS says it should. Your "natural user interface" might not be mine, likewise, every other use might have another. In fact, what is the natural way of expression? Talking? What about mute people? Physical movement? What about amputee's, wheel-chair bound people and so forth? Would their "natural form of expression" be consistent with everyone else?

That's the whole point of NUI: everyone is different, so make machines adapt to people, instead of the other way around. Right now, the only way to interact with most machines is by physically manipulating an input device such as a keyboard, mouse or controller. With NUI, you can use voice and gestures, or it can simply observe the environment and respond accordingly. No input device needed. Each individual can use whichever input method they prefer, in any combination. Your mute can use the controller or gestures. Your amputee can use voice. Your wheelchair-bound person can use his arms, voice or controller. The machine adapts to the person using it, not the other way around.

But even not considering that, what of the people who prefer another interface just by sheer opinion. Look at Windows 8 which is much more touch-screen oriented. Should a person accept its UI as natural when they much prefer the UI of Win7, or WinXP? Unless the interface is the exact same as the 360, which i doubt, it is not natural, because natural implies familiarity. If the UI is not instantly familiar, or very easy to learn, and by that i mean so easy a 3 year old can learn it quickly, then it is not natural in any sense of the word, no matter what input device is used. Especially since Kinect is a new input device that has only been around for a few years now, not even used by many.

If you prefer controller, use it. If you prefer voice, use it. If you prefer gestures, use them. Xbox One gives you all those options.

 

[UnnDunn]

You're missing the point. Xbox One is designed specifically to be used with Kinect, the same way the Wii is designed specifically to be used with the Wii-mote. There is no Xbox One without Kinect just as there is no Wii without the Wii-mote.

If you don't want a Kinect, don't buy an Xbox One.

I don't understand why this concept is so difficult to grasp. There is no Xbox One without Kinect.

No, you are missing the point....

You were quite emphatic on your point. You think Xbox One won't sell in Japan because of its NUI features. That's your opinion, and you're welcome to it.

My response was simply to point out that Xbox One is designed around NUI. So if (as you claim) it won't sell in Japan because of NUI, then I guess it won't sell.

 

[vallorn]

You're missing the point. Xbox One is designed specifically to be used with Kinect, the same way the Wii is designed specifically to be used with the Wii-mote. There is no Xbox One without Kinect just as there is no Wii without the Wii-mote.

If you don't want a Kinect, don't buy an Xbox One.

I don't understand why this concept is so difficult to grasp. There is no Xbox One without Kinect.

No, you are missing the point....

You were quite emphatic on your point. You think Xbox One won't sell in Japan because of its NUI features. That's your opinion, and you're welcome to it.

My response was simply to point out that Xbox One is designed around NUI. So if (as you claim) it won't sell in Japan because of NUI, then I guess it won't sell.

So they built the X1 around features that add to it's price and have been shown by every kinnect enabled game this gen to be either unnessecary or actually dleterous to the game? (Steel Batalion)

That seems like a rather bad move on their part considering that the reason that they "Won" in the USA last generation was mostly due to the X360 being cheaper than the PS3 at launch and so tying in people's friend groups into the system. Making their console more expensive out of the store as well as the various required subscriptions and expensive Microsoft Brand Only Peripherals (Helooo 360 hard drives. (Note: Ps3 hard drives were standard laptop ones and changing them didnt void the warrenty. I should know I did it myself.))that you need to buy seems like a bad business idea if you ask me.

And the other point. Microsoft didnt sell well the last two generations in Japan. Their response isnt to try and court the market with things that they want but to build a console that doesnt fit at all into japanese culture and then further alienate them buy labeling one of the world's biggest markets for video games "Tier 2?" That barrage of poor decisions will likely mean that the X1 probably wont sell even as well as the 360 did and it's just a bad business choice to completly discard and insult large markets like this.

TLDR: I think Microsoft have been drinking the bong water due to their myriad of bad business and marketting decisions. Next comes the Kool-Aid.

 

[wulf3n]

So basically what they're saying is if I'm not going to put my XBone into a living room I shouldn't bother getting one?

Thank you Microsoft, you just saved me $600AUD

 

[UnnDunn]

You're missing the point. Xbox One is designed specifically to be used with Kinect, the same way the Wii is designed specifically to be used with the Wii-mote. There is no Xbox One without Kinect just as there is no Wii without the Wii-mote.

If you don't want a Kinect, don't buy an Xbox One.

I don't understand why this concept is so difficult to grasp. There is no Xbox One without Kinect.

No, you are missing the point....

You were quite emphatic on your point. You think Xbox One won't sell in Japan because of its NUI features. That's your opinion, and you're welcome to it.

My response was simply to point out that Xbox One is designed around NUI. So if (as you claim) it won't sell in Japan because of NUI, then I guess it won't sell.

So they built the X1 around features that add to it's price and have been shown by every kinnect enabled game this gen to be either unnessecary or actually dleterous to the game? (Steel Batalion)

That seems like a rather bad move on their part considering that the reason that they "Won" in the USA last generation was mostly due to the X360 being cheaper than the PS3 at launch and so tying in people's friend groups into the system. Making their console more expensive out of the store as well as the various required subscriptions and expensive Microsoft Brand Only Peripherals (Helooo 360 hard drives. (Note: Ps3 hard drives were standard laptop ones and changing them didnt void the warrenty. I should know I did it myself.))that you need to buy seems like a bad business idea if you ask me.

And the other point. Microsoft didnt sell well the last two generations in Japan. Their response isnt to try and court the market with things that they want but to build a console that doesnt fit at all into japanese culture and then further alienate them buy labeling one of the world's biggest markets for video games "Tier 2?" That barrage of poor decisions will likely mean that the X1 probably wont sell even as well as the 360 did and it's just a bad business choice to completly discard and insult large markets like this.

TLDR: I think Microsoft have been drinking the bong water due to their myriad of bad business and marketting decisions. Next comes the Kool-Aid.

Microsoft should hire you to replace Don Mattrick. You obviously have the qualifications and insight for the position.