MS Clarifies Xbox One Features

[NE146]

Why is anyone having to deal with anything?

If you as a consumer don't like a product and or a company's policies, can't you, I dunno, maybe just not buy the product or support the company?

Seems like such a simple concept. For instance, I don't like chick flicks. I'll spare you the reasons why because I know no-one cares, but I don't buy them or watch them because I don't like them.

Easy peasy.

 

I'm the first in line to not bother with whatever I don't care for. But I think though what is playing with people's emotions this time around is the trends they're seeing slowly manifest themselves. i.e. it seems to be a slippery slope that COULD potentially affect all games to come. We've laughed about "Big Brother" all these years, but as technology advances and those concepts come peeping through in small and previously unthought of ways, it naturally makes people uncomfortable, especially in the consumer market where we've been used to buying stuff, and then we HAVE that stuff and can use it.

 

It always starts out small.. i.e. last gen we found when you buy a game and if you want to play it with your sibling, you realize you need to buy 2 copies, as well as have 2 online subscriptions. "But, it's designed that way".. you need to deal with it. ok. Well that technology keeps creeping along and has now advanced. Where it's reaching a little further to control how their products are used and even more clampdowns are in place. It just seems all a little potentially insidious if you know what I'm saying that the producers still want control on their products after it's been sold.

[xDragonWarrior]

All this recent news of the next gen consoles is why Nintendo (and maybe Sony) will succeed while Microsoft fails.

. It will be so much of a hassle just to play/sell a used Xbox one game.Lots of people only buy Used games because there cheaper and because of the hassle just to sell/buy a used Xbox one game all those people will switch to the PS4 or Wiiu because they play used games and you can sell them(loss of customers and money there).

 

.it has to connect online every 24 hours in order for the gaming capabilities to remain.I know alot of people who have Xbox 360/Wii/PS3 and don't have internet so if it has a mandatory 24 hour check to keep the gaming capabilities on,they will switch to the Wiiu or PS4(unless they get internet by then)

 

.The system has to be online in order to play the game and once the live servers go down,you can't play any of your games.

 

If you take away the Microsoft fans that very rarely brought new Xbox 360 games and/or didn't have internet and switched to Sony or Nintendo, that's alot of customers and money given to their rival companies when it could have all been avoided.2014 may be the year Microsoft goes the way of the Dreamcast.

Edited June 10, 2013 by xDragonWarrior

[S1500]

Playing devils advocate... its possible that when MS turns off the servers that they also flip a switch inside the firmware that says "we're done profiting from this, go ahead and do what you want with your games".

 

I'm not willing to risk hundreds of dollars in gaming investments on something that "might" happen.

I like the other business model of "go ahead and do what you want with your games" from the beginning, like we always have been.

[godslabrat]

 

 

They probably aren't good for gamers and for what we do know, won't be beneficial, and there probably isn't much in it for you except for some games. It's probably not a system for you.

 

The part I don't understand is... How is this okay? A game system that isn't good for gamers. It's failing on the most basic level... And it's predecessor, for all its faults, was a success with gamers. If a product fails to consider the very people for whom it should appeal, that's worth noting.

 

Microsoft's position isn't just exclusive of everyone outside the "frat boy gamer" demographic... It's openly hostile toward them/us. I'm not supporting this product, I'm making it very clear why. What happens after that is anyone's guess.

[cimerians]

http://www.destructoid.com/-dew-and-doritos-teaming-up-with-xbox-one-seriously-255816.phtml

 

frat boys giving large corporations their mama's money.

[Jess Ragan]

The corporate cynicism! It burns!

 

 

"So, I heard you were looking for a new game console. Step right this way, hu-maan, I've got one that's perfect for you! Never mind the thin coat of dust."

[cimerians]

Aha....the frat boys get #1 of the 15 exclusives announced:

 

Kinect Sports Rivals.

[moycon]

It doesn't matter

 

I agree. Even if they implement policies a person doesn't like, in the end it doesn't matter.

They won't force you to buy into it....I promise.

Don't get me wrong. I could understand 100% a person's decision to NOT buy an Xbox One, but seriously, some of you sound like you are going to be forced to buy one!

 

I'm not buying all the gloom and doom I'm hearing either. It's nonsense. I swear some of you sound like because of the Xbox One all video games are about to disappear off the face of the planet or something. Silly. Screw MS, we have more video games at our disposal right this second to last us the rest of our lives, dig in.

[Pixelboy]

I wouldn't buy an Xbox One even if it was widely recognized as a true gift to humanity. I don't hate Microsoft or Sony, it's just that as a retrogamer, I'm watching current events unfold from the sidelines, like a cow calmly chewing on some hay out in the field while it watches the cars whizz by on the nearby highway.

 

Whatever games people will buy over the next few years for their Xbox One, they will be able to play them if they maintain their internet connection active just enough to satisfy the "24-hour check" thing, which in this day and age is not really a big problem for most people. Microsoft went out of their way to provide good service for people who had RROD problems with their Xbox 360, and they were praised for it. So if some recurring problem happens with the Xbox One games, Microsoft will no doubt make adjustments along the way, therefore I don't see it as much of an issue.

 

My take on this, as an outside observer, is that Microsoft has decided that nostalgia is something that should be exploited as a future source of revenue. If it's true that all Xbox One games will stop working altogether 8 or 9 years from now (or even before that, if publishers have anything to say about it) then it means that today's kids and teens who play the really good Xbox One titles will yearn for these defunct games later in their lives. And what will companies like Microsoft do then? They will simply release remakes of these popular defunct games on their latest consoles. So in effect, they will milk the nostalgia factor for all it's worth. They cannot do this right now because the consoles and games are still fully playable as stand-alone hardware. But that's where the industry is going, from my point of view. Of course, the problem here is that "defunct" games who are not deemed popular enough to warrant a remake on newer console will fall into complete oblivion, and even worse, they will completely disappear from human history with almost no chance of being salvaged for historical purposes. And that's the truly ugly side of Microsoft's long-term strategy.

 

But video games have always been viewed by most consumers as disposable toys. We AtariAgers undertand the value of preserving old video games, and we're also lucky to be able to create homebrew games for our beloved classic consoles, but we're a small minority compared to the much larger group of gamers who are only concerned about the current generation, the latest technology, the latest game releases, the here and now. How many adults today played video games when they were kids, but wouldn't be caught dead holding a game controller today? There's a legion of those people out there, and they don't concern themselves over the fate of the video games industry, nor will they ever care if every last Atari 2600 console was destroyed and lost forever. They just buy currently available video games for their kids and teens to keep them happy and occupied, just like their parents did during the eighties. That aspect of video games really hasn't changed all that much over the last few decades.

 

I consider myself fortunate to be able to appreciate old consoles like the ColecoVision, the Atari 2600, the NES, etc. I'm glad that I can still get a kick out of playing Donkey Kong or Mega Man, while the newer generations of gamers are completely turned off by 8-bit graphics. I can own these old games and play them anytime I want, on real hardware or even under emulation, and the likes of Microsoft cannot take that privilege away from me. I do feel bad for today's kids who will lose part of their childhood once Microsoft decides to flip the switch, but then again, none of today's kids will ever create a homebrew game for the Wii/X360/PS3 20+ years from now anyway, so perhaps it's not all that important.

[cimerians]

My take on this, as an outside observer, is that Microsoft has decided that nostalgia is something that should be exploited as a future source of revenue.

 

Sony did that with PS2 games. Removed PS2 emulation from hardware so they can sell the same games to you as downloads. At least Microsoft hasn't really changed hardware on the fly like that. I think that killed Sony's rep forever.

 

They are emulating Steam but in a more extremist way. They are also trying to build an infrastructure similar to Apple IMO. Who isn't?

[S1500]

Nintendo's been doing the nostalgia re-release train for years. When Atari was trying to do it, the games were only a couple of years old and the concept of "retro" didn't exist.

[Master Phruby]

[/size]

 

They are emulating Steam but in a more extremist way. They are also trying to build an infrastructure similar to Apple IMO. Who isn't?

 

See! Steve Jobs was the devil!!! They would have never thought to do this without him!

[Atariboy]

I hope the Xbone fails because its DRM scheme terrifies me but I don't have the time or the money to play all the games in the world that are of interest to me. I just blew my quarterly bonus at Gamestop and now I've got like 8 games that I need to play through. That's going to take me forever with a full time job. I understand and am not trying to dismiss your point Atariboy but for me, I am happy to sit the Xbone out and play other games and systems that I find just as enjoyable.

 

Certainly understandable, but what about the future when you may decide that you want to delve back into the latest game console?

 

I agree. Even if they implement policies a person doesn't like, in the end it doesn't matter.

They won't force you to buy into it....I promise.

Don't get me wrong. I could understand 100% a person's decision to NOT buy an Xbox One, but seriously, some of you sound like you are going to be forced to buy one!

 

 

I'd like to buy one and I'd like to continue buying modern game consoles. That's why I'm complaining since there's an element there that I very much dislike that has absolutely nothing to do with sitting down with a controller and enjoying a videogame.

 

I'd love to be excited for the Xbox One since I think it does a lot right and much of what I don't care about I'm simply indifferent towards and don't care that it's there. But this disc based DRM nonsense is not only a big issue for me where this console is concerned, but is setting an alarming precedent if I want to continue to enjoy modern console gaming.

 

So either I'll have to work around my issues, avoid it entirely, or hope to see those plans scuttled. I'd rather see them backtrack and offer a more traditional model for retail games.

 

Hence the complaints even although I'm sure they're tiresome to those that don't care one way or another (The category I think they're hoping most people fall into), those that simply don't mind that these limitations are present (The category I think you'd fall into), or perhaps even see it as a legitimate compromise due to the explosion of the used game industry or piracy like JTAG'ed 360's (At least a couple of AtariAge users fall into this category).

 

[/size]

 

Sony did that with PS2 games. Removed PS2 emulation from hardware so they can sell the same games to you as downloads.

 

They emulated one of the two major chips. The other was still present. So backwards compatibility was removed when they removed that chip in a cost cutting drive.

 

They didn't just remove a emulation program. If they had done that they'd of ripped out the PSOne emulator. They've been selling those a lot longer digitally than this fairly recent PS2 Classics program. And that program is quite possibly not even 100% emulation. There has been speculation since some games seemingly perform better than they originally did on the PS2 that they're at least partially ported to the PS3 rather than strictly 100% software emulation.

Edited June 10, 2013 by Atariboy

[Pixelboy]

Sony did that with PS2 games. Removed PS2 emulation from hardware so they can sell the same games to you as downloads. At least Microsoft hasn't really changed hardware on the fly like that. I think that killed Sony's rep forever.

 

Perhaps, but on the other hand, Microsoft now has a red button it can press when it decides that it's time to kill the game you bought, and force you to buy the remake on their next platform, assuming you really want it. At least with PS2 emulation removed, you can still get a real PS2 and play the game on it. You won't have that option with XBox One games released from now on.

[cimerians]

Perhaps, but on the other hand, Microsoft now has a red button it can press when it decides that it's time to kill the game you bought, and force you to buy the remake on their next platform, assuming you really want it. At least with PS2 emulation removed, you can still get a real PS2 and play the game on it. You won't have that option with XBox One games released from now on.

 

Right. They can pull the plug anytime.

 

In my case since I do play modern games, it's just that who do you trust more in the long run?

 

I chose Steam and a PC.

 

Still the good old days will never return. I think the Nintendo Wii U is the last offline system.

 

We'll see what Sony says tonight.

 

Hell. I'm going to fire up my Coleco tonight and play some Wargames.

[Master Phruby]

So how hard would it be for Microsoft to send us a new dashboard for the 360 that uses the same DRM rules as the XBox One? It kind of makes sense that will eventually happen. Now your 360 collection is toast.

[bennybingo]

...Of course, the problem here is that "defunct" games who are not deemed popular enough to warrant a remake on newer console will fall into complete oblivion, and even worse, they will completely disappear from human history with almost no chance of being salvaged for historical purposes. And that's the truly ugly side of Microsoft's long-term strategy.

 

So true.

[MCHufnagel]

I agree. Even if they implement policies a person doesn't like, in the end it doesn't matter.

They won't force you to buy into it....I promise.

Don't get me wrong. I could understand 100% a person's decision to NOT buy an Xbox One, but seriously, some of you sound like you are going to be forced to buy one!

 

I'm not buying all the gloom and doom I'm hearing either. It's nonsense. I swear some of you sound like because of the Xbox One all video games are about to disappear off the face of the planet or something. Silly. Screw MS, we have more video games at our disposal right this second to last us the rest of our lives, dig in.

 

Obviously you must wear glasses because you sure are near-sighted. Well at least you know how to edit a post so you don't have to answer the real question.

 

Of course nobody is forced to buy a product. But the slippery slope is quite real. The destruction of the used game market started the in pc world and we even have to update a freakin' BD player to play certain discs. Sooner or later we won't have a choice, well unless you want to abandon technology all together.

Edited June 10, 2013 by MCHufnagel

[Gaztee]

Here's a nice article listing the T&C of the X1. Wouldn't touch this thing with yours!

http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2013/06/11/xbox-one-some-games-not-transferable-and-have-no-resale-value/

 

[Austin]

Sony just officially made Microsoft their bitch. No used game limitations and no online connectivity requirements.

[S1500]

Sony just officially made Microsoft their bitch. No used game limitations and no online connectivity requirements.

 

It's a sad day in gaming when not having such goofy restrictions is considered a plus. Hey, your dream girl has BOTH her arms!

[Atariboy]

I'll miss some of the exclusives like Forza and what looked like an excellent gamepad that evolved a design I've preferred over Sony's Dual Shock counterparts for two generations now. But that news makes me very happy.

[moycon]

Obviously you must wear glasses because you sure are near-sighted.

 

Nope, never have had to wear glasses...yet. I just don't agree with your prediction is all, and that's all it is. A prediction. Even if I did, I still don't think it's a life changing situation. What's next, we all live "off the grid" to escape the evil? The market will evolve based on the consumer. That's the way it works. There is nothing wrong with that in my opinion.

 

I do know one thing. It seems to me MS has pretty much screwed folks who would have bought multiple consoles. If nothing changes, my limit is ONE xbox One. Hopefully you can network the PS4

[Christophero Sly]

PS4: No DRM, no used game restrictions, more powerful, $100 cheaper.

 

Xbone: DOA

[Mendon]

One thing about the 24hr "check in" required by MS that really bothers me is what about those serving in the military?? Whether they have boots on the ground or are ship based, they could be losing out big time if they don't have the internet signal their XB1 needs.