Xbox One

[Slayerx]

It's official
No more 24 hour check in (still need internet for intital set up); offline games can be played offline; and no restrictions on lending, trading, selling or renting; no more region lock. Also for disc based games, the discs are no required to play them (which is only natural with the removal of the 24 hour check)

unfortunately a lot of PR damage has already been done. Trust is easy to break, but difficult to build; in one month they destroyed the trust they spent a decade building. The reversal is a good move and for the best, but their experiment will haunt them

[Freeter]

Don Mattrick: "Remember that comment I made about gamers being backwards? Turns out my company is too! FIRE ME ALREADY"

Major Nelson: "There! You happy now? LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Yusuf: *too busy watching TV*

[Solace]

Originally Posted by GDB

WiiU is more like the Dreamcast. Good system, good games, but bad timing and its schtick isn't grabbing people like they thought it would. Not as strong as the competitors. Sounds exactly like the Dreamcast.

The bone is more like the Virtual Boy. Pushing progress far beyond where it should be just to just to force it there, gives people headaches, does what no one asked for, and ultimately all you see is red.

The Virtual Boy was an interesting system, but it was trying to do something which the technology wasn't ready for. The 3DS, in a way, is the spiritual successor to the concept of a portable "virtual reality" system.

But like the Virtual Boy, I don't think Nintendo has the wrong idea with the touch screen on the Wii U. Personally I find it very convenient for navigating the OS services and it's got some use in games. At the same time, it's just too soon. If the Wii was the NES, the Wii U should have been the SNES: bigger, badder, more refined, with tweaks to the formula instead of trying to reinvent the hardware wheel every generation.

It's okay to take those risks, but if you can't even come up with compelling software to demonstrate why the hardware is worth it, no one will care. Which is exactly why the Wii U isn't selling. Touch screen gaming is the future of console gaming, but it's not exciting in a market saturated with touch screens, and apparently not exciting to Nintendo either, since they can't think of any must have software for it. It's a baffling thing how they could not have realized this when developing the hardware.

Likewise, Microsoft's DRM was poorly planned. The vision of an all digital future isn't wrong, we're heading that way regardless. But the implementation, the PR behind it, the hubris, and no real compelling reason as to why consumers should want any of what they're selling....that's why the backlash exists.

Like Nintendo, people will rush out and buy Xbox One, but because the company can't provide a compelling vision to sell gamers on, it's going to cost them dearly. They've both got the cash to recover, but for this generation, the damage is done before it's even fully underway.

Sony must be popping champagne in the boardrooms right now. They couldn't have asked for a better entrance into the next generation.

[Klashikari]

That backpedaling surely will relish some people although that will put a huge dent on their credibility whatsoever.
The guys who thought it was a good idea are probably not going to have a promotion.

[4Tran]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

Makes me wonder. They must have freaked out, talked to the publishers who freaked out too, and decided all the DRM contracts should be cancelled for the sake of the console's survival.

I think that the inability for their messaging to make the slightest headway told Microsoft a whole lot. That, plus the awful pre-order numbers must have scared them something fierce. I simply can't think of a single case of a corporation reversing course in such a public manner - this is one that will be taught in business and marketing classes for sure.

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

Still, we will see how the changes affect the Xbox1 hardware stability. Last minute changes means last minute coding.

There are a few changes.
Game discs will no longer be fully installed to hard drives
Disc checking is implemented
All online verifications are removed
The sharing feature is removed

These changes aren't trivial, but they shouldn't be all that hard to implement either. The real problem for Microsoft is the other story of the day: that Gamestop has run out of in-store preorders. This means that the PS4 will enjoy an advantage in 2013 sale - probably somewhere in the range of 2:1 to 4:1.

[defki]

Bwahahahahaha but the infinite power of cloud?

Gamers spoke, gamers and consumers won.

FU TB, Kuchera and Gies.

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by Vigo

Bwahahahahaha but the infinite power of cloud?

Gamers spoke, gamers and consumers won.

FU TB, Kuchera and Gies.

This. This is proof that the customer is always first. MS doesn't have a monopoly in gaming. Even if Sony is gone, we would still have Nintendo holding the fort. MS can't abuse customers when they never had the right to.

[DingoEnderZOE2]

Awww I'm kinda disappointed that Microsoft didn't have the balls to stick with their decision and just see what happens if they released the X-bone with all those restrictions intact.

Anyone else feel the same way?

[felix]

Originally Posted by DingoEnderZOE2

Awww I'm kinda disappointed that Microsoft didn't have the balls to stick with their decision and just see what happens if they released the X-bone with all those restrictions intact.

Anyone else feel the same way?

The system would have died in 1 or 2 years. What's the point.

[DingoEnderZOE2]

Originally Posted by felix

The system would have died in 1 or 2 years. What's the point.

To let it be a lesson to what happens when you try to take advantage and screw with the consumers who give you a profit and assume your consumers will just shut up and take it?

[Hiroi Sekai]

XBOX gives in, removes restrictions. Rejoice people! I'm still not getting one.

[DingoEnderZOE2]

I certainty am not gonna be rushing out to get one like I was for the 360. If anything I'll either wait for a price drop and get it or assuming Dead Rising 3 is actually good, then I'll consider getting it earlier but I'll still wait cause so far that is the ONLY game I want the x-box one for.

[Newprimus]

Originally Posted by papermario13689

XBOX gives in, removes restrictions. Rejoice people! I'm still not getting one.

Same here. The PS4 is still stronger hardware-wise, cheaper, and has more games I want.

[defki]

And let's not forget a big and loud "SUCK IT!" towards EA.

But yepp not getting a Xbone in the near future. Not gonna support them just because they got scared and backtracked.

[felix]

Originally Posted by DingoEnderZOE2

To let it be a lesson to what happens when you try to take advantage and screw with the consumers who give you a profit and assume your consumers will just shut up and take it?

Apple users have let Apple do this to them for so long it's essentially proven fact that some people want it to be like that. Things like "expensive" or "restricted" are practically features. That won't change unless Apple manages to shoot themselves in the foot, head and ass simultaneously. Which if their new "coffee machine" computer rumor is true may very well be on their way to denting their disgustingly powerful brand.

[com_gwp]

A case of too little, too late. Sony already stole all the momentum going into the next generation, but at least Microsoft stopped being bullish about their messed up policies anymore.

[Alchemist007]

There's been PR damage, but it's ridiculous to say it's too late. The consoles aren't even out yet.

The thing stopping me the most now is the price and kinect requirement. I don't want to be spied on, and the 'features' it promotes I don't care for. Getting rid of it would certainly lower the price. But the biggest thing was the shitty drm, so I'm more likely to get one in the future depending on how good of a library it churns out.

[takai]

Originally Posted by Alchemist007

There's been PR damage, but it's ridiculous to say it's too late. The consoles aren't even out yet.

This.

The thing stopping me the most now is the price and kinect requirement. I don't want to be spied on, and the 'features' it promotes I don't care for. Getting rid of it would certainly lower the price.

I think regardless of the change or not, it would've sold just fine. I was surprised at the amount of Xbox One pre-orders at my store. Seems that people that wanted it just kept their mouths shut to avoid ridicule and hate from people.

[Xagzan]

Whew! Now maybe I don't have to miss out on Crimson Dragon

[Dextro]

It looks like Microsoft may still have a shoot at this after all. I probably won't consider it anytime soon but at least I don't have to actively discourage anyone who asks me if the console is any good. I honestly don't remember much occasions such as this where a company does a complete 180. Truly one for the school books.