Xbox One Designed "With Advertising in Mind"

[Freyar]

So Psygnosis should have given Wipeout 2097 away for free because pretty much every track had a Red Bull banner plastered in plain sight? Should Syndicate Wars have been free because half the trucks and billboards had the 2000AD logo?

Keep in mind that as far as Wipeout goes, the RedBull banners (and I remember them in WipeoutXL plainly) kinda fit into the universe/realm of sport.

You did catch me on Syndicate, but I never played the original one so I can't really say much on that.

It really comes down to a combination of "does it fit with the universe", and why isn't the product that I'm paying for less expensive on the shelf? Battlefield 2142 has a problem in which INTEL and DELL, where the boards were clean and easy to read which put them at odds with the dirt and grit of a battlefield. This was called out quite often.

Doubling loading time (hell, having any impact on loading time) is unacceptable just as you said.

The problem is, the way advertising works. Someone has to have a message they want to get to people, and over time people have started demanding impression statistics which in turn means that methods for detecting viewership of these advertisements are developed. Even then, it's the exact problem we see on the Xbox One and 360 dashboard.

I can't be sure a good, quality product is being made with my interests in mind as a customer of Microsoft, Psygnosis, etc. if they're going to be taking a second revenue stream that is diametrically opposed to my wishes for an experience in a video game. You can't have an advertisement that SCREAMS for attention while maintaining the integrity of the experience. To that end, these decisions for advertising (in the modern sense these days) damages the very product I'm paying $60 for.

 

[Jamous]

"[Microsoft] is very keen on protecting the user from any sort of abuse so we can't do certain things."

Ehehehehehe not going to lie I get a kick out of reading this sentence. The irony is delicious. -Microsoft- is talking about protecting the user from abuse. Sure, it may have done a u-turn now but it was still planning a hell of a lot of abuse earlier...

I gotta say though, the way they phrase that sentence makes it sound like they WANTED to do "certain things" but can't due to laws.

It does rather, doesn't it? Can't rather than won't.


AHAHAHAHAHA - Captcha: Jerk Store. How beautifully fitting.

 

[Strazdas]

SO it will reach to the way i say things? will it stop showing devil induced ads that pop up on top of a video if i shout at it angrily? no? then you can shove it you know where yourself.

I think they believe targeted ads are a good thing for both parties... Kinda sad to watch.

The first ads on Xbox One: "Have you considered the Playstation 4?"

it would be funny if SONY bought a huge chunk of advertisement space on the launch week and did exactly that. that would be just trumping on top of the dead opponent by then. then again, the only people who would see it are die hard microsoft fanatics anyway.

 

[Gunner 51]

A 'Damn Fine Response' to Microsoft

You sir, have delivered a damned fine response to Microsoft in this post.
Don't get me wrong, I do like Microsoft - but their arrogance in the last ten years has been completely baffling and rather ill-founded.

But one thing that you did forget to mention is that if you are in the business of creating a games console - playing games and pleasing those who play games is not just your first priority, it is your ONLY priority. In thier folly Microsoft's arrogance has made them forget this wonderful maxim and they are creating something for shareholders and advertisers rather than the gamer.

I don't know about all this NSA stuff, and it's something I'd have to look into - but if the crackpot conspiracy theorists are right, I can see the next console offering from Microsoft shall be going down the tubes faster than Mario going after Princess Peach.

There's nothing worse than being laughed at by men in tin-foil hats screaming 'We told you so! We totally called it, and you didn't listen! Who's crazy now, bitches?!', and knowing that they're right.

That's also a good point about how pleasing your customers should be your first, last and only priority. That said, Nintendo seems to be on the other end of the scale: Right now they're being lambasted for not having enough games for the Wii U, and some of the most popular developers and publishers aren't keen on making more (like EA, who got mad that Nintendo wouldn't implement Origin onto their console, then changed their mind when the Xbone's nastier side started to show), to the point where they've more or less been forgotten (the number of people acting like Sony is going to be the only one profiting massively from the Xbone fiasco is staggering).

I have to say, I was looking forward to the Kinect 2.0 pleasantly surprising me, as I've always seen the Kinect 1.0 as a waste of a LOT of potential. It's an undeniably great idea, hampered by a low response rate (90 ms, if I'm not wrong), unreliable control and an extremely small play area, despite claiming to be able to support multiple people. Now though, the fact that it's going to be watching me, even when I'm not making a fool of myself kicking virtual balls, and selling that info to advertisers, while daddy Microsoft is saying "We're doing this with the customer in mind!"... Now that's a TRUE waste of potential, transforming genuinely innovative technology into invasive marketing bullshit.

The embarrassment of being laughed at by tinfoil hat wearers would be enough to make anyone cringe and change their tune. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be making a dent in Microsoft's arrogance. There aren't enough words to describe just how badly this is going to bite Mircosoft in the arse.

I'll agree that Nintendo do seem to be doing the honorable thing in making games for gamers, but they are almost afraid of creating Western style games for western audiences. Still, I have to hand it to Nintendo for sticking to what they're good at. Though with Microsoft practially digging it's own grave, now's never been a better time to take a chance on a Western style game.

Going back to the Kinect briefly, I'll agree it's a fine idea - but it needs a lot more work and a little less Big Brother. If Microsoft took it's head out of the publisher's rear ends, and went back to pleasing the gamers (as fickle as we can be) - they'd be quids in again.

 

[Saulkar]

Dear Microsoft,

Spoiler: A message from the past

Sincerely,

CCM

P.S. If you record whatever it is that you'll do to heed said advice, that'd be wonderful.

One of my clients who worked at/ran a local advertisement/indie band promotion company and was a coworker at my other job committed suicide less than two weeks ago. Not blaming you for anything, I am just really fucking disturbed by that video, really fucking disturbed.

 

[OneCatch]

So what happens if I just keep screaming "Fuck Ads" at my hypothetical Xbox periodically.

Spoiler: It depends if you have safesearch enabled or not.

EDIT: God damn it, Ninja'd!

 

[RJ 17]

I think we're all fully aware by now of the fact that the only thing the XBone didn't have in mind when it was being developed was the end-user. Seriously, not a single thing about this console is a flat-out benefit for us gamers, every single feature from top to bottom is designed to increase profits for one company or another and little more.

 

[Upbeat Zombie]

It would make sense if the silver membership had all the adds and what not. But I already can't really justify the price of xbox live as far as a service goes. On top of that they want to shove advertisements everywhere for something people already pay monthly for.

In my opinion if your paying for a service they shouldn't shoehorn any advertisement bs in it.

 

[stabnex]

I've been saying this for MONTHS.
I can't see anyting possibly wrong with this scenario...

"<KINECT 2.0> KINECT 2.0 HAS RECORDED IMAGE OF COCA COLA CAN.
What did my Xbox just say?
<KINECT 2.0> KINECT 2.0 DODGES MEATSACK QUESTION WITH TARGETED CONSUMER ADVERTISEMENT.
No, Kinect 2.0. BAD Kinect 2.0. Xbox, turn off!
<KINECT 2.0> I'M SORRY DAVE, I'M AFRAID I CAN'T ALLOW YOU TO DO THAT.
How'd you know my name?"

Oh my god!

Kinect 2.0 is just a lesser evolved form of this!
[http://www.geeklore.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Hk47portrait.jpg]

 

[Skrimmy]

Advertising (for products other than the console itself) should not be kept "in mind" when developing the console. At the very most, ads should be an afterthought or, preferably, not there at all. A gamer wants to play games, not be tricked into clicking a disguised banner ad. I'm sure PS4 will have ads too, but from everything Microsoft has done already and continues to do, PS is a more favorable choice for me.

 

[DTWolfwood]

Microsoft you've already convinced me to buy a PS4. You can stop marketing for them now and maybe market your own system?

 

[Lightknight]

This was my complaint with the 360 dashboard, which was also geared towards advertising. I'm sure most 360 owners have experienced the joy of having an add scream out just because you accidentally moved the clicker over the ad box (not even clicking on it).

This is awful. Really awful. The ps3's dashboard was perfect for me and I actively chose my ps3 for media use because of the horrible dashboard of the 360 and the simplistic ps3 style that was void of third part adds. That advertisers can have even more control over ad delivery in ways that are accidental is... depressing. I want at least two very strong competitors. Nintendo is off doing its own thing and Sony is currently kicking ass.

 

[Scrythe]

Ever since I found out that the Kinect is now a baked-in thing for the Xbone, I've always wondered if someone out there is going to develop a peripheral that completely envelops the Kinect in a way that it can't see or hear anything.

Mind you, I said that in jest, but now I'm starting to feel like this is a legitimately great idea. I mean, having no Kinet would be a much better idea, but let's work with what we have first.

 

[carpathic]

MMMM Microsoft, how dos that foot taste now?

Seriously, can you guys not just stop shooting yourself in the foot/advertising corporate greed/demonstrating how little of the $500 box is actually meant for consumers versus how much is meant for companies to take advantage of said consumers?

 

[Poetic Nova]

Another nail in the coffin, I'm more then happy to not buy that damn thing, ads are already annoying on the 360 and they are making it worse.

 

[mike1921]

I think they believe targeted ads are a good thing for both parties... Kinda sad to watch.

I'd prefer targeted ads to untargeted ads, personally. I'd much prefer an ad for....whatever the fuck can possibly be targeted to me other than games, than tampons. Regardless charging me more than the competition and then throwing ads on top of it is a shitty practice no matter how well targeted the ads are.

 

[OreoDoublestuff]

I think they believe targeted ads are a good thing for both parties... Kinda sad to watch.

I'd prefer targeted ads to untargeted ads, personally. I'd much prefer an ad for....whatever the fuck can possibly be targeted to me other than games, than tampons. Regardless charging me more than the competition and then throwing ads on top of it is a shitty practice no matter how well targeted the ads are.

Fair enough, but it just always seems creepy that they've been watching me. Also, with targeted ads, you might actually find something you didn't know you'd be interested in.

Though, that's all moot considering I'd prefer there not to be adds on a console.

 

[mike1921]

I think they believe targeted ads are a good thing for both parties... Kinda sad to watch.

I'd prefer targeted ads to untargeted ads, personally. I'd much prefer an ad for....whatever the fuck can possibly be targeted to me other than games, than tampons. Regardless charging me more than the competition and then throwing ads on top of it is a shitty practice no matter how well targeted the ads are.

Fair enough, but it just always seems creepy that they've been watching me. Also, with targeted ads, you might actually find something you didn't know you'd be interested in.

Though, that's all moot considering I'd prefer there not to be adds on a console.

Exactly why I'd prefer targeted ads. At least there's a decent chance I'll be interested.

Oh certainly I agree with you, I don't want any ads. Like, if Xbone had the free online or at least cheaper than Sony was providing this generation I'd be fine, since service cost money, but...Xbox live costs $10 a year more than PS+ and is largely considered the inferior service since PS+ flat out gives you free shit.

 

[KOMega]

So I have never used an xbox before. But I hear it has advertisements on it already right?

Still this statement is very much another shot in their foot.

Seriously. Does anyone look over or screen their official statements?
I'm no PR person, but this reeks of "we don't like having customers"