Poll: MS may be pricks but maybe they aren't complete morons.

[klaynexas3]

I think that they know what they're doing and that they're going to make a lot of money.

I doubt most of the Xbox consumer base isn't well-informed and will just buy it because of the brand. Add to that children who will want the new Xbox for christmas, and those who actually know about the flaws but decide that "it's not so bad", you have a huge consumer base.
The restrictions on game sharing will more than make up for the money lost due to people who will switch to Playstation on this generation.

I hope I'm wrong.

31 Million people who owned 360s never had Xbox Live accounts. My guess is 2/3rds of them never got an account due to faulty internet. At any rate, my main guess is that Microsoft will lose a fair amount of their original 360 fanbase due to faulty internet alone. Past that, the people that still just hate the draconian policies will also not continue forward, and there has to be a good few million there. The won't be getting any more fans because they have nothing to offer anyone that wasn't already in the Xbox circle of consumers, and even then there will probably be plenty of people that can't afford the $500 price tag, or simply want a next gen console for multi-plat games, and will probably go for a cheaper one at that. All in all, nothing is going to gain Microsoft any support, only their most loyal fans will stick by their side, and so it won't sell near as well as the 360 did, we can at least tell that much for now. They might still make money, but the market will most likely shift in favor of Sony due to all this. I wouldn't fear too much.

 

[Doom972]

I think that they know what they're doing and that they're going to make a lot of money.

I doubt most of the Xbox consumer base isn't well-informed and will just buy it because of the brand. Add to that children who will want the new Xbox for christmas, and those who actually know about the flaws but decide that "it's not so bad", you have a huge consumer base.
The restrictions on game sharing will more than make up for the money lost due to people who will switch to Playstation on this generation.

I hope I'm wrong.

31 Million people who owned 360s never had Xbox Live accounts. My guess is 2/3rds of them never got an account due to faulty internet. At any rate, my main guess is that Microsoft will lose a fair amount of their original 360 fanbase due to faulty internet alone. Past that, the people that still just hate the draconian policies will also not continue forward, and there has to be a good few million there. The won't be getting any more fans because they have nothing to offer anyone that wasn't already in the Xbox circle of consumers, and even then there will probably be plenty of people that can't afford the $500 price tag, or simply want a next gen console for multi-plat games, and will probably go for a cheaper one at that. All in all, nothing is going to gain Microsoft any support, only their most loyal fans will stick by their side, and so it won't sell near as well as the 360 did, we can at least tell that much for now. They might still make money, but the market will most likely shift in favor of Sony due to all this. I wouldn't fear too much.

I think that most of these people aren't informed enough to know that that the Xbone will require daily online check-ins, and will just decide to live with it after they discover it (which will probably happen after the purchase).

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

Looks at Windows 8

Yes, they know what they are doing /sarcasm.

I don't know about you, but alienating your main install base by forcing them to use a tablet OS wasn't the best strategy.

The current debarkle only confirms my personal theory: MS is run by corporate bureaucrats with no idea what to do.

 

[klaynexas3]

I think that they know what they're doing and that they're going to make a lot of money.

I doubt most of the Xbox consumer base isn't well-informed and will just buy it because of the brand. Add to that children who will want the new Xbox for christmas, and those who actually know about the flaws but decide that "it's not so bad", you have a huge consumer base.
The restrictions on game sharing will more than make up for the money lost due to people who will switch to Playstation on this generation.

I hope I'm wrong.

31 Million people who owned 360s never had Xbox Live accounts. My guess is 2/3rds of them never got an account due to faulty internet. At any rate, my main guess is that Microsoft will lose a fair amount of their original 360 fanbase due to faulty internet alone. Past that, the people that still just hate the draconian policies will also not continue forward, and there has to be a good few million there. The won't be getting any more fans because they have nothing to offer anyone that wasn't already in the Xbox circle of consumers, and even then there will probably be plenty of people that can't afford the $500 price tag, or simply want a next gen console for multi-plat games, and will probably go for a cheaper one at that. All in all, nothing is going to gain Microsoft any support, only their most loyal fans will stick by their side, and so it won't sell near as well as the 360 did, we can at least tell that much for now. They might still make money, but the market will most likely shift in favor of Sony due to all this. I wouldn't fear too much.

I think that most of these people aren't informed enough to know that that the Xbone will require daily online check-ins, and will just decide to live with it after they discover it (which will probably happen after the purchase).

If it's the case of faulty internet connection, then they'll most likely return it the moment they realize they need an internet connection for it. I don't think the ones with the internet problems are the ones that will be in the uninformed masses group. There is still going to be a great shift from Xbox due to this, despite brand loyalty, ignorance, and a "fuck other people's problems" attitude. They won't keep that 77 Million that they had this generation, that much is at least certain.

 

[Zeh Don]

No publicly owned Company deliberately creates a shit-storm, walks into that shit-storm head first without glasses on, and screams out to their potential customers from amongst the tornado of feces "THIS IS THE FUTURE!". It's irresponsible to their shareholders, and so is an incredibly expensive endeavor that will cost people their jobs.

Microsoft banked on their reveal wow-ing the mainstream audience with the prospect of voice and gesture controlled TV. Since then, their strategy has never come together, because that was their entire game plan. Kinect powered TV. That's all they had. That should advertise how immensely disconnected they are from the general public. They really are that stupid.
Hell, Don Mattrick's comments alone qualify Microsoft for the title of dumbest company at this point.

And now, everything moving forward carries the systemic problems created by poor decisions based on the concept that "Xbox One is an entertainment media hub". Riding on from the worst console reveal in history, they then receive the greatest public smack down in E3's entire history. There has never been such an open and focused backlash to a gaming console in the industry's history.

Does that strike you as the moves an incredibly smart company would make?

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

Speaking as someone who fully plans on getting at least 1 Xbox One, I wouldn't be so sure of that.

Just remember that this is the company that made the Zune.

Not sure If good or bad,

If the same division that made the Zune, made the X1 it would feature

-plays any game from any console(nintendo,sony,dreamcast)
-Exact same specs as competitors if not better
-Comes packaged with a high quality headset
-Well designed hardware with multiple color choices and limited editions
-A user interface designed by some sort of design deity
-More than likely half the price then the competitor
-Picks up any wireless signal that even sneezes in its direction

and ultimately no-one would buy it because its not apple

As someone who bought it, you forgot to mention

-random hikes in subscription music passes when the company isn't doing so hot
-underdevelopment of apps even though they were trying to go against their competitor who built their freaking house on the idea of the 'app'
-When Microsoft gives up on it, they'll reach in and strip functions that really don't even affect them. like your ability to put on apps on your zune... Even though that was one of the things you bought it for..

 

[Vetta E-dom]

Speaking as someone who fully plans on getting at least 1 Xbox One, I wouldn't be so sure of that.

Just remember that this is the company that made the Zune.

Not sure If good or bad,

If the same division that made the Zune, made the X1 it would feature

-plays any game from any console(nintendo,sony,dreamcast)
-Exact same specs as competitors if not better
-Comes packaged with a high quality headset
-Well designed hardware with multiple color choices and limited editions
-A user interface designed by some sort of design deity
-More than likely half the price then the competitor
-Picks up any wireless signal that even sneezes in its direction

and ultimately no-one would buy it because its not apple

As someone who bought it, you forgot to mention

-random hikes in subscription music passes when the company isn't doing so hot
-underdevelopment of apps even though they were trying to go against their competitor who built their freaking house on the idea of the 'app'
-When Microsoft gives up on it, they'll reach in and strip functions that really don't even affect them. like your ability to put on apps on your zune... Even though that was one of the things you bought it for..

As someone who's bought all of them,

Why the hell would someone buy a music pass from zune when it plays any media type, go to soundcloud follow any of your favorite artist/Djs and you'll be steam rolled by all the free music thats given, I think I have somewhere in the 10,000 range of free songs alone.

As for the apps... o well haven't used one app haven't needed to, maybe thats a deal breaker for some people, guess it sucks. But I could care less when i'm given the ability to use just about any song format as well as many video formats.

 

[JudgeGame]

I'm just scared. I think Microsoft has turned into the Joker and is just playing with us while their henchmen are planting bombs in hospitals and kidnapping important figures.

 

[faefrost]

Looks at Windows 8

Yes, they know what they are doing /sarcasm.

I don't know about you, but alienating your main install base by forcing them to use a tablet OS wasn't the best strategy.

The current debarkle only confirms my personal theory: MS is run by corporate bureaucrats with no idea what to do.

It's even worse. In both cases they also alienated, if not enraged their key business partners. The people that they need to keep their core business afloat. OEM computer manufacturers and resellers remain more than a bit ticked at MS over Windows 8 and the Surface. Now they have major game publishers like Ubisoft and EA climbing over each other in their race to get some distance from MS and the used games issue. While their primary retail outlets have got to be a bit furious. (Does anyone else think that the XBones presence in Gamestops will be in the darkest dustier corner, behind the PSVita shelves?)

Ticking off e customers is business as usual for MS. Ticking off he partners? That's extra special.

 

[Epicspoon]

Theory

Microsoft has already realized that what they are doing is completely fucking stupid but are to embarrassed to admit it. They probably think that if they back down now that they'll be making gamers think we can get our way with whatever we want.

Well that's stupid, we aren't a hive mind. If we were then there would never be any arguments about which console is better and when people called for a boycott it would actually happen instead of people threatening each other to not play something.

 

[Hazy]

Shit, I didn't say it was a good idea. Like the rest of you, I'm just trying to figure out why they would be constantly spitting on their consumers.

That in and of itself is a very, very stupid thing for a business to do.

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

As someone who's bought all of them,

Why the hell would someone buy a music pass from zune when it plays any media type, go to soundcloud follow any of your favorite artist/Djs and you'll be steam rolled by all the free music thats given, I think I have somewhere in the 10,000 range of free songs alone.

As for the apps... o well haven't used one app haven't needed to, maybe thats a deal breaker for some people, guess it sucks. But I could care less when i'm given the ability to use just about any song format as well as many video formats.

I loved the Zune wholesale when I first got it, but Microsoft really showed their hand when they decided to take their functionality away.

You pay for a device for the expressed functions, one has the reason to believe that device will always give those functions. Microsoft not only decided that it would stop offering these things, but it stripped devices of the ability to add the content it used as a selling point. Didn't care for or try the pass thing, but it is technically a function I 'bought'.

I shrugged and just got a device that would give me what I want. However, any company that practices those policies, I marvel over the loyalty it generates. Not saying that's you. But in general.

 

[Olas]

Well if Microsoft's goal is to not sell consoles they're doing a damn good job of it.

Damn good.

 

[Vetta E-dom]

As someone who's bought all of them,

Why the hell would someone buy a music pass from zune when it plays any media type, go to soundcloud follow any of your favorite artist/Djs and you'll be steam rolled by all the free music thats given, I think I have somewhere in the 10,000 range of free songs alone.

As for the apps... o well haven't used one app haven't needed to, maybe thats a deal breaker for some people, guess it sucks. But I could care less when i'm given the ability to use just about any song format as well as many video formats.

I loved the Zune wholesale when I first got it, but Microsoft really showed their hand when they decided to take their functionality away.

You pay for a device for the expressed functions, one has the reason to believe that device will always give those functions. Microsoft not only decided that it would stop offering these things, but it stripped devices of the ability to add the content it used as a selling point. Didn't care for or try the pass thing, but it is technically a function I 'bought'.

I shrugged and just got a device that would give me what I want. However, any company that practices those policies, I marvel over the loyalty it generates. Not saying that's you. But in general.

Well I can't argue with you there, Having no interest in the apps or whatever their music service is I can't really say anything one way or the other. I am slightly surprised they don't just piggyback on what ever the nokia phone thing is doing seeing how it looks to just be a reskinned zune HD with phone functions.

The microsoft zune division sealed the deal for me when my Ltd. edition Halo 3 Zune broke and they sent me an aluminum coffin like case to have it sent in. They sent back a brand new Halo one as well as moved over all my info from the older hard drive, which was a godsend seeing how some of those songs would be hard to get back.*
They even sent someone to cook me and the girlfriend dinner, did the dishes, taught me to play the pipe organ, walked the dog, had someone do my taxes, manually added bubbles to my bubble bath with a syringe, lowered my cholesterol, aired my tires and balanced them, and ironed my jeans...

Theres a slight chance anything after the asterisk might not have happened that way.

 

[KeyMaster45]

Microsoft has simply realized that all the discussions and marketing and debates are pointless. The kind of people with the most buying power are the same people who didn't know that Sarah Palin wasn't Obama's running mate...

You mean she wasn't?! Oh damn...I guess that explains old ramblin' Joe Biden. I thought he just got the job after Palin was called back to Alaska to defend against a pending invasion of renegade Russian circus bears.

 

[Strelok]

The 360 never had a 50% defect rate.

The reason Microsoft got away with a high defect rate is that they launched first and were literally the only game in town for a year.

It didn't, as you seem so enlightened tell us what the rate was? This should be good since Micro$oft has been asked directly many times and their reps never answer the question. The range asked about goes from 16% to 32% to 50% and above Micro$oft never confirmed or denied any of them thinking that the better option, guess it worked cause they kept buying them even multiple consoles after warranties expired. The reason they had a high defect rate, whatever the number is was because they launched early, running to the finish line before Sony or Nintendo could get there, cutting corners along the way, what Micro$oft does best.

 

[Rob Robson]

Unfortunately, no matter how abusive and seemingly self destructive a company makes a gaming product, it seems the lines of consumers never ends, and so I don't think Microsoft are as stupid as they are purely lawful evil for taking advantage of what has somehow become the consumer segment with the lowest average intelligence and self-preservation.

The 'fanrape creep' seemingly has no limit unfortunately, because consumers are too brick-headed.

 

[Vivid Kazumi]

Speaking as someone who fully plans on getting at least 1 Xbox One, I wouldn't be so sure of that.

Just remember that this is the company that made the Zune.

zune was actually good for what it was.good quality, never broke, and practicly dwarfed the ipod in all functions.It's just that people prefer cheaper over a good product.

 

[mokes310]

I think they know exactly what they're doing, and I think they're going to make a metric fuck-ton of money doing it. That being said, I'm 100% against absolutely everything they're doing with the XBOX One, and will not be purchasing one.

 

[Smiley Face]

They're idiots. Even if your premise is correct, that they lose money on consoles sold to offline players, they're losing their online players too, because their PR is a NIGHTMARE. It has been ever since they announced the Xbone, and it shows no signs of stopping. At this rate, many XBL Gold users are abandoning ship (myself included). These are all inconveniences, which while probably not relevant to me, I see no reason to invite this nonsense into my life - and Microsoft's not giving me any reason to, they're just cockily dismissing criticism left and right.

"Microsoft has a console for offline gamers - the Xbox 360, hnyah", "If you're backwards compatible, you're just backwards, hnyah". These comments aren't saying why the Xbone is good, no one is seeing these and saying "You know, I was on the fence about getting the Xbone, but now that I know that I can't lend my games to a friend without filling out forms in triplicate, I'm sold!" All Microsoft's PR is doing is alienating more and more of their customer base, and NOTHING they have done has appealed to their alleged "target market" of XBL-Gold users, at all. If they were trying to alienate everyone but those guys, we'd see things UNIQUE to the Xbone that appeal very specifically to the online multiplayer crowd, but we're not - we just hear the same hilarious stream of nonsense.