Xbox One: Rewarding Positive Results and Condemning Initial Action

[shirkbot]

Well, I'm actually quite shocked to see Microsoft changing policy, but it's left me a little conflicted. On the one hand, we need to reward Microsoft in some way or they'll just conclude they were doomed either way and won't listen again. On the other, I'm vindictive and don't really want to forgive them for making the misstep in the first place. In short:

How do we reward Microsoft for listening without giving them the false impression that the policy was ever acceptable?

 

[Benpasko]

They did the right thing, but doing the right thing because you're afraid the unwashed masses caught onto you trying to fuck them over isn't the same thing as doing the right thing because it's right. They want to take away your ownership of games, and put an ankle bracelet on you so you can't play your Xbone without their approval. Just because they removed a few things doesn't mean they had a complete change of heart. Still not gonna get suckered by M$.

 

[Dryk]

How do we reward Microsoft for listening without giving them the false impression that the policy was ever acceptable?

Buy an Xbox 360?

In all seriousness I don't know, it's one of my major problems with the whole "vote with your wallet" system. A binary feedback system to a large number of advantages and disadvantages.

 

[shirkbot]

Just because they removed a few things doesn't mean they had a complete change of heart. Still not gonna get suckered by M$.

I mostly agree with you. For me it's a matter of principle at this point: I won't buy it because this debacle shouldn't have even occurred, but I feel like that's not entirely the right answer. The way it appears to me any move right now is a double-edged sword.

Buying an Xbone sends the message that we approve of the change of tune, with the implication of forgiveness for the initial error, which is false. If we don't buy it then Microsoft might just conclude that they were going to fail either way and just strap the next Xbox to the teeth with DRM because, hey, it's not like not doing it was going to increase sales, right? Which is equally false.

Honestly I'm starting to think that "winning" a console cycle makes the "winner" too arrogant to actually comprehend what it is that helped them succeed in the first place.

In all seriousness I don't know, it's one of my major problems with the whole "vote with your wallet" system. A binary feedback system to a large number of advantages and disadvantages.

Not to get off topic, but yes. I'm somewhat tempted to start a separate thread on that.

 

[TheCommanders]

Positive enforcement is better than negative reinforcement. Period. That being said... I'm still conflicted about getting an Xbox One. Had they stayed the course, I would definitely not have bought one, because every purchase would have been a justification for their dodgy policies. As it stands... most of the worst policies may be gone... but I'm damn sure they haven't given up on them. So if I purchased it, I would be worried the whole time, just waiting for them to sneak some sort of backup plan in amongst their terms of agreement. But on the other hand, I want them to respond to user feedback in the future and the only way to do that is to buy the console. Gah, now this is all confusing.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

It's still more expensive and less powerful. And it comes with mandatory Kinect. And it's huge. And I still don't care about Halo and Gears of War. The only thing that this news does for me is it puts Xbone on the radar as a potential purchase somewhere along the line if they get rid of the Kinect. But at least it's on the radar now.

 

[Legion]

They are a multi-billion dollar company, why should we reward them for making the right decision with a product that they want us to buy? People seem to forget that it's their job to please us, not our job to be thankful. They want to make money from us, so they should be trying to keep us happy. It's not our place to reward them when they are doing themselves a favour.

Bearing in mind that they thought these anti-consumer policies were a good idea in the first place. That shows that pleasing their customers was not their priority, they only changed their mind when they noticed that a lot of people simply weren't going to put up with it.

Not that they need one anyway seeing as they know we didn't find the policy acceptable, because if they didn't, then it would still exist.

If a company goes out of it's way to please the customer base, then gratitude makes sense, but thanking a company that is happy to screw over it's customers for a profit, just because they decided not to, is reminiscent of Stockholm Syndrome.

 

[garjian]

They were already rewarded for these changes with the Xbox 360. They already know what works.
Not buying an Xbox One at all will show just how much they damaged their brand.

 

[Tom_green_day]

I'm considering buying a 360 at some point. This shows us Microsoft aren't crazy, and there are some good exclusives. However the XO is just too expensive for me, I shall not buy it despite the exclusives looking better than PS4 IMO.

 

[Benpasko]

I'm considering buying a 360 at some point. This shows us Microsoft aren't crazy, and there are some good exclusives. However the XO is just too expensive for me, I shall not buy it despite the exclusives looking better than PS4 IMO.

They weren't being crazy, they were counting on the market being ignorant, which it is. Just because this once they got slapped on the wrist doesn't mean they won't go back for the cookie jar the second their hand stops stinging.

 

[La Kias]

They don't deserve a reward, you don't give the child a new toy after he says sorry for doing something wrong. If you have a PS4 pre-order stick with it, game on it, wait until further down the line to make your decision on the Xbox One. Show them trust cannot be so easily won back to make sure this doesn't happen again.

 

[Atmos Duality]

They need nor deserve any "rewards".

What we've witnessed was the market (or at least a large enough chunk of it for Microsoft to care) rightly rejecting the deal Microsoft was offering preemptively. It's on them to make the Xbone appealing on its own merits; especially now that it's on more even ground with its competition regardless of whatever good will they have garnered by fixing the problem they created.

Keep in mind, the only reason this "good will" exists is as a reaction to the ill will they created.
Personally, I think they've cost themselves a LOT of trust in the process and that their continued relevance in gaming should be reward enough.

 

[bandit0802]

What we do is get it if we want what it's offering. I plan on getting it when some more interesting games come out. But we stay ready to punish them if they try this again. What I would do is cancel my XBL account, never connecting the machine to the internet again, and stop buying games for it. I can still enjoy the games I have for it (or not, if they patch it before I catch on) and I'll still have a PS4, a WiiU, handhelds, and a PC to keep me entertained.

We buy their products, but make it known we will stop as soon as we feel abused again.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

If someone tries to rape you, and then you scream and yell until they decide "well, I guess I won't rape you" you don't immediately turn around and have sex with them in gratitude for not being raped.

We shouldn't be giving microsoft money for their decision not to completely screw over its customers. That's not a decision they came to, it's a decision we forced upon them. There's no point in rewarding them for a change that we FORCED.

 

[DrOswald]

Well, I'm actually quite shocked to see Microsoft changing policy, but it's left me a little conflicted. On the one hand, we need to reward Microsoft in some way or they'll just conclude they were doomed either way and won't listen again. On the other, I'm vindictive and don't really want to forgive them for making the misstep in the first place. In short:

How do we reward Microsoft for listening without giving them the false impression that the policy was ever acceptable?

We stop our bitching, give them a thumbs up, and then buy the PS4 because it is $100 cheaper.

But seriously, that is basically what we do. We can stop complaining about the Xbox One. It no longer needs to be a joke. Now you should reevaluate the options and make a decision. For me it is still the PS4, for a few different reasons. Even if they were the same price I would still get the PS4, but $100 is a pretty big reason.

But as Jim said, do not forget. Remember what Microsoft tried to do while you consider the options. Consider what they may try to do in the future.

Really, the change for me is that I may someday consider buying a Xbox One. I was never going to buy the system as it was, and as it is now there is no chance I will buy it day one.

 

[lordmardok]

Well, I'm actually quite shocked to see Microsoft changing policy, but it's left me a little conflicted. On the one hand, we need to reward Microsoft in some way or they'll just conclude they were doomed either way and won't listen again. On the other, I'm vindictive and don't really want to forgive them for making the misstep in the first place. In short:

How do we reward Microsoft for listening without giving them the false impression that the policy was ever acceptable?

What was the point of complaining if not to get Microsoft to change their minds. I can appreciate not wanting to forgive and forget easily but you have to remember that MS is not a person, its thousands of people trying to move with the flow of a new medium. If we want them to improve we have to be willing to give them a little bit of leeway when it comes to their mistakes.

Personally I was never going to buy a Xbone OR a PS4, I'm a PC gamer all the way because the depth and modability of PC games appeals to me in a way console games just don't. But I would encourage you to look past their faults this time in favor of the fact that they are desperately changing the model of business that, no doubt, was in place for quite a while, just to please us, the consumer.

 

[Magikarp]

My plan is to basically act like they never said that in the first place, & assess which console to buy based on their current merits.

 

[loc978]

People who actually discuss these things on little internet forums aren't who they need to impress, we aren't who they were trying to impress, and we certainly aren't people with the power to "punish" or "reward" Microsoft for their actions.

They got worried when the facebook campaign started against them, more worried when they were condemned by late-night talk shows. They made a move to mitigate the damage before cable news started slamming them, and they'll be rewarded or punished for those actions by the masses of people who get all of their news from facebook and television.

For the record, though... I wish we had a way to punish both Microsoft and, to a lesser degree, Sony for their business decisions this generation (and last). They've gotten gamers used to the fucking they handed out with the 360 and PS3, Sony had the good sense to only drive it a little deeper (no more free multiplayer, get those who are into that sort of thing used to the mandatory subscription model).

I'll just be an observer this time around. Thankfully the PC market still isn't locked into one trend. OS support outside of Windows is even broadening.

 

[Corven]

If the reasons for a boycott have been rectified then it stands to reason that you should no longer boycott the item, otherwise Microsoft will just see that fixing the mistakes that they did wouldn't have increased their sales in the slightest, so in the future they will be less willing to backtrack on any decision they make.

More to the point with their back pedaling I'm now more open to buying an xbox 180 than I was previously.