Xbox One discussion

[Giordano]

That is true, I don't know why I said to compete with the tablets.

 

Stealing customers from the cable networks to the INTERNET. Online-everything is the future. That's the goal of the internet providers (Verizon, AT&T) and the online services (Netflix, Huluu) through the XBox hardware.

 

The internet...charge the connections, bombard with advertisements, royalities... It's a businessman's dream.

 

Which is fine, IF STATE-RAN CABLES WERE [bleep]ING UPDATED. [/personalrant]

[Alg]

For what it's worth, their old console could already do that sort of thing.

 

Maybe it's just the preview I saw, where they emphasized the social features. Either way, I can't say I'm in a hurry to spend however much they're asking for on it.

[Giordano]

Yes, they're just continuing it.

 

Which is why I went away from consoles...too much advertising, too much gimmicks.

[xVertigo]

I'm going to be in a tough spot upon release due to the fact that when I had the original XBox, I was huge into competitive Halo 2, and when the 360 released there was still a solid 6 months or more of MLG Halo 2 competition left that they kept going with (since Halo 3 had not been released at this point). So it didn't matter that I didn't have a 360, by the time Halo 2 had ended and Halo 3 was about to release there was more supply, the price had dropped, and so I purchased one without hesitation. COD: Ghosts hopefully will be that game for me this time around, seeing as if trend continue there will be a limited supply of the XBox One and a high price point so majority of the population will still be on the 360 giving me time to play out another game until supply increases and the price decreases.

[nine naked men]

i for one am glad somebody has finally come up with a device where i can listen to music, watch videos, play games and use skype all at the same time if I so chose

So... a computer?

 

wow can someone please ban this palooka for trolling

[Ginger_Warrior]

I don't really understand how this game ownership ('play pass'/'digital permissions'/whatever science-y term you want to use to describe it) system thing works. To be honest, I don't think anyone definitely understands it fully, with total confidence. It puts them in stark contrast to approaches made by Nintendo and SONY on their counter-parting same-generation consoles. The fact something as fundamental as what defines you as a consumer in relation to playing games on this console is quite deeply worrying, as were their confusing, overcomplicated and often ambivalent answers to fairly simple questions on the matter.

 

It's even worse when you consider MS had full control over this press event to say exactly what they felt they needed to.

 

Everyone says "wait for E3" for Nintendo, so I see no reason not to do the same for Microsoft. But if they wanted to create a positive buzz it might have been wiser to bring games to the front more. All I hear anyone saying now is how they didnt talk about the games. I don't think that's the kind of buzz they'd want.

Nintendo aren't holding a press conference at E3 2013 so I don't know how you're defining 'everyone'. Presumably, you meant 'no-one'.

[constrictor]

Honestly, seems like they took Apple TV and smashed an Xbox 360 onto it and put it up for resale.

 

Don't see it going far, congratulations MS, your one well made device has hit its level of incompetence.

[Randox]

Makes enough sense to me. I'm not really understanding, right now, what the possible issue could be with a high end gaming console that can do more. Under the assumption that Microsoft is not run by monkeys, they wont have made it more expensive than the PS4, it will instead follow the trend and be about the same. It's not even like they are moving their market focus here, they are just expanding it.

 

I'm more interested in the move to a PC like architecture, rather than whatever they were using before. This was a problem for the PS3 it seems, where their architecture was apparently giving the developers a headache, or even throwing up actual obstacles that the 360 did not have to deal with. All of the developers Microsoft works with, at least in theory (Rockstar not withstanding, though I'm not convinced they are consistently competent on any platform at all), all know how to develop for the PC. Given how much Microsoft likes to share between the two, this works out really well for them, because it probably means it will be a lot cheaper to port between the PC and One than between any computer platform and any other console.

 

This gives them a nice edge in the Microsoft exclusives where publishers can double dip with minimal expense with the One and PC, and possibly even make themselves more desirable for time exclusive arrangements on DLC and the like as they have been in the past.

 

That's where I see this potentially going.

[Nom]

Everyone says "wait for E3" for Nintendo, so I see no reason not to do the same for Microsoft. But if they wanted to create a positive buzz it might have been wiser to bring games to the front more. All I hear anyone saying now is how they didnt talk about the games. I don't think that's the kind of buzz they'd want.

Nintendo aren't holding a press conference at E3 2013 so I don't know how you're defining 'everyone'. Presumably, you meant 'no-one'.

They aren't holding a major press conference, no. They're holding two smaller ones in which they invite journalists and industry peeps for hands-on with the games. So, yes, wait for E3 where Nintendo will show 3D Mario, Mario Kart, Smash Bros, Retro Studios, Wind Waker HD, etc. All those games we know nothing about other than that they exist. Many of these games will be released in the fall/holiday season and will presumably help boost sales for the Wii U.

 

That's all I meant; Nintendo has been in a game drought with the Wii U. Optimists say that will change with E3. I see no reason not to give Microsoft the same benefit of the doubt. I was just questioning whether the focus of the conference was helpful or hurtful as far as how many other people will give them that benefit.

[Alg]

That's where I see this potentially going.

If the press is to be believed, it's also held back by some other features/inconveniences; not always on, but once-a-day for verification, have to pay extra for used games, no backwards compatability, requires Kinect whether you want to use it or not.

 

Really, this first look makes it seem like it'll benefit everyone except the people that want to play games on it. :-|

[Randox]

As chilling as it may be to finally see that on the horizon, it was inevitable that we would see that in our consoles sooner or later. That they are only doing that is a bit of a relief though, since that should buy us another generation where they focus on moving to an all download model, and perhaps even a subscription model (where you never even download, just pay to run the game off their servers forever). With that in place, all games become a grind. Once the payment becomes subscription based, there is no longer a reason to make any game that can't be continually stretched out. My point being that the slower they can move down this path, the better.

 

This is progress. It might be terrible progress to the consumer, but the market has dictated that this is the path where the money lies, and now we get to deal with it. Technology is also partially at fault, for making this path possible.

[stevepole]

The fee for playing used games was false (Polygon received an email from someone at Microsoft about it).

 

But knowing that none of the money profited from the used game market makes it way back to the developers, it's hard to be against a fee even though the idea of having to pay more does suck especially if you are gaming on a budget, or simply borrowing a game from a friend.

[Randox]

I prefer the standard, which is, once you own something, you can do what you like with it, including resale. This is why Ebay is a thing. While I certainly can sympathise with anyone in the position where an entire portion of the potential market is buying used (where they can) instead of new, I still think they can take their 'we're special because la de da' attitude and stick back up from whence it came. Of course, technology will ultimately allow them to bypass this, sort of like Steam is doing right now (deep down, I hate steam just as much as I love it). Heck, I remember when there were computer games where two people could play from the same keyboard.

 

My point being, if you want to see the future of consoles, just look at computers. Our DRM, or license only purchases, online multiplayer only. That's the future of consoles too.

[baileydafrog]

all i can say is one of the heads of the entertainment part? of microsoft dumped millions in shares before it was first shown, plus the sony raise in shares straight after it, makes you wonder what some people know

[Ginger_Warrior]

MS's shares are only down 0.5% today so it's not exactly logical to attribute that to the Xbox One reveal, let alone condemn it before gamers have really had the opportunity to check out the line-up of games on release. Also, SONY announced they're splitting the company off which more probably explains their surge. Nintendo's only went up 2% compared to SONY's just-under 9%.

[baileydafrog]

it was literally straight after xbox one was revealed, but just checked the other story and that's way outdated, just happened to be at the top of google the same day :S

[jasignhagj]

I'm mildly concerned that the Kinect will be on 24/7 unless you unplug it, listening in to everything you say. I really don't trust Microsoft to not abuse that for targeted advertising purposes.

[nine naked men]

I prefer the standard, which is, once you own something, you can do what you like with it, including resale. This is why Ebay is a thing. While I certainly can sympathise with anyone in the position where an entire portion of the potential market is buying used (where they can) instead of new, I still think they can take their 'we're special because la de da' attitude and stick back up from whence it came. Of course, technology will ultimately allow them to bypass this, sort of like Steam is doing right now (deep down, I hate steam just as much as I love it). Heck, I remember when there were computer games where two people could play from the same keyboard.

 

My point being, if you want to see the future of consoles, just look at computers. Our DRM, or license only purchases, online multiplayer only. That's the future of consoles too.

the thing is DRM from steam comes w/a whole bunch of benefits, xbox 1's DRM less so

[Estonian dude]

New Xbox sucks for everyone but Americans is my view on this thing. NFL? Never watched a single game and I don't get what is interesting in a game where you have a pause every 10 seconds or so. Netflix and all that stuff? I can't have it in my country, no matter what I do. Needs connection? [bleep] you Microsoft, I spend a quarter of a year every year in an area where I have no internet access on everything but my computer. And that with a stick. And there is no way anything that is not owned physically by me lasts forever. I also mean physically as in physically downloaded onto my own local discs, where it physically occupies the magnet disc, but still, I don't support streaming games.

 

I have always been somewhat more of a Sony fan, but this new console completely cements me at Sony's camp. And I am not even starting on that Kinect bullshit.

[Ginger_Warrior]

Sony and Nintendo will go the same way as MS is doing now, in fact, some would argue they already have. Movies are now watched on subscription models. TV is watched on subscription models. Mobile phones are used by subscription models. Music is listened to by subscription models. Some games are already paid by subscription models (namely, the one game which brought you to this website, amongst plenty others) and online gameplay is almost always paid by subscription models now.

 

The future of gaming and indeed the rest of the digital entertainment industry is undoubtedly obvious, whether you like Sony, Nintendo, MS or hate all three in equal measure. The days of physical releases are numbered, and this has been inevitably clear for a while now, more of a matter of 'when' rather than 'if'.

[Alg]

The future of gaming and indeed the rest of the digital entertainment industry is undoubtedly obvious, whether you like Sony, Nintendo, MS or hate all three in equal measure. The days of physical releases are numbered, and this has been inevitably clear for a while now, more of a matter of 'when' rather than 'if'.

I think part of the reason everyone is so wary of it is that they're approaching the switch with all of the elegance of a 13 year old boy that just discovered porn.

 

If all of the other attempts to curb piracy are an indication, the change isn't going to be particularly pleasant. I'm not writing this from a business standpoint as much as a personal one; it's probably going to be very successful in spite of everything, but I'm not eager to drop $400 and $60 for each game or whatever the asking price is going to be on a product that may well not work (see: Diablo 3 and Sim City launches) and can't play anything from the previous generation during the downtime.

 

It'll be great if they make a smooth transition, I just don't trust them to do so. And it's really going to be a rough few years for anyone that buys games legally until they figure out a working model.

[Randox]

Did a bit more looking at the One. The Kinect always being on is creepy, especially when you realize that there are patents (cant remember if they are accepted or just applied) for things like listening to the environment with a microphone and offering advertising based on what the mic hears. There is a similar one for cameras that I'm pretty sure Microsoft owns (so, you know, prepare for your advertising to get way more personal). At the very least I would definately have it pointed at a wall whenever it wasn't actively needed, though in this case I'd prefer to just not have it in my house.

 

I hadn't realized that neither Sony nor Microsoft were making their systems backwards compatible. That's classy. I assume you can plug your old 360 into the One as well so you can play your games though it that way :lol:

 

I also have to say that the idea of offloading some of the processing to 'the cloud' just seems like a terrible idea to me. I mean, I know I am not the only person in the world who already suffers a bit with many online games because my internet is not able to consistently keep up in real time. Why would I possibly want it to do more of that? Other people have data caps, so I can't see it being a brilliant option for them either.

 

I also don't care to see cloud processing touted as a feature. Yes, it is cool that you can allow developers to go beyond the capability of the One. It would be a lot cooler if that's why they made it an option, rather than trying to hide the most draconian of DRM measures under the guise of doing us a favor. It also doesn't help that my internet would probably not be capable of using that 24 hours a day, because it's not that awesome, and short of using about 3 range extenders, I always going to be too far from a router to get a great signal.

 

I'll be interested to see all the news that comes out of E3, when we find out what both Sony and Microsoft are up to, and I suppose Nintendo as well. I'm anticipating less parity between Microsoft and Sony this generation, unless they both manage to tank like the Wii U, but I cant guess which it will be until we find out more from Sony.

[sarg1010]

The 10 Xbox One Commandments.

 

Thou shall not play used games

Thou shall not share thy games

Thou shall not play offline

Thou shall not play un-kinected

Thou shall not play multiplayer for free

Thou shall not use buttons

Thou shall not publish indie games

Thou shall not have exclusives

Thou shall not install thine own hard-drive

Thou shall not buy this console

[Estonian dude]

I love the last one, so true.

[Noxx]

After looking at the PS4 and the XBox One, i really don't think i'll be buying either. I'd rather invest some more money and build a decent gaming PC. I've actually started liking PC gaming a lot more anyway. Only downside is that the online community for games like CoD is extremely small on PC compared to Console.