XO after E3. Did Xbox One redeem itself?

[blzr409]

Sony is openly mocking the Xbox One right now:

This is a PR disaster right now. Really this holiday season has the potential to be a bloodbath.

 

[DaveGx]

MS has an uphill battle. And they ignored talking about this today but after Sony just slapped them, they are getting destroyed every where right now. They need to acknowledge this and better hire a damn good PR team, cuz they need it NOW

 

[_Emi_]

PS4- NO restrictions on used games, NO internet checks...qnd its $399. WTF MS!! This next Gen is going to be rough for MS

why do you keep spamming this? do you really want attention that much? goshhh.

 

[HeyCori]

PS4- NO restrictions on used games, NO internet checks...qnd its $399. WTF MS!! This next Gen is going to be rough for MS

I read Sony's used game announcement and my first thought was, "Awesome." Then I remembered that is exactly what Sony said last week. What Sony didn't address is the other question from last week about whether or not they will block publishers from adding in their own DRM. There's a difference between not supporting DRM and blocking DRM. Right now all Sony gave me was a PR move. I still want final confirmation on whether Sony will 100% block publishers from adding their own DRM.

 

[_Emi_]

I think Xbox one has been always good... and I was excited when i saw Killer Instinct coming to it. i still have it for Snes. I still dont know why people keep complaining so much about Xbox. i bet its people who probably never thought about getting the Xbox console.
but its really silly to think since ps4 they showed a not pretty console, not interesting games, alot of freezing and bad stuff, but since they talked about what Xbox one does, now PS4 won? wow.
Im still getting Xbox one, hopefully this year! if not next. i want KI so bad now even though i dont like 3d fighting games. but that exclusive is amazing.

 

[Mystictrust]

PR wise, yea.. Microsoft is going to take a HUGE hit from gamers. I'm more interested in seeing the response from major developers and what system they choose. Microsoft has always touted that developers like knowing that games on their system are free from pirating (not verbatim) and then they took it VERY far by extending that to disc-based games. If Sony isn't doing it as well, then Microsoft is obviously championing this on their own and betting on a different future.

I'd love to know the details... was Sony set to go through with DRM, staying silent this whole time, until they decided the backlash Microsoft was getting wasn't worth it.. so they axed it and decided to forge ahead alone? Does Microsoft have some contingency plan in place for this? Are they all running around like chickens with their heads cut off at Microsoft campus right now? Will there be backpedaling from either company? Will game devs flock to Microsoft... or to Sony... or to both? All these questions...

I'm at least glad PS4 requires a subscription for gaming now, IF ONLY because I'm tired of hearing how superior PS is because it's free online. At least that nerdy argument can be put to rest so we can start this next one

 

[ncxcstud]

PR wise, yea.. Microsoft is going to take a HUGE hit from gamers. I'm more interested in seeing the response from major developers and what system they choose. Microsoft has always touted that developers like knowing that games on their system are free from pirating (not verbatim) and then they took it VERY far by extending that to disc-based games. If Sony isn't doing it as well, then Microsoft is obviously championing this on their own and betting on a different future.

I'd love to know the details... was Sony set to go through with DRM, staying silent this whole time, until they decided the backlash Microsoft was getting wasn't worth it.. so they axed it and decided to forge ahead alone? Does Microsoft have some contingency plan in place for this? Are they all running around like chickens with their heads cut off at Microsoft campus right now? Will there be backpedaling from either company? Will game devs flock to Microsoft... or to Sony... or to both? All these questions...

I'm at least glad PS4 requires a subscription for gaming now, IF ONLY because I'm tired of hearing how superior PS is because it's free online. At least that nerdy argument can be put to rest so we can start this next one

They had to pay for cross-game chat some how

 

[tekhna]

I read Sony's used game announcement and my first thought was, "Awesome." Then I remembered that is exactly what Sony said last week. What Sony didn't address is the other question from last week about whether or not they will block publishers from adding in their own DRM. There's a difference between not supporting DRM and blocking DRM. Right now all Sony gave me was a PR move. I still want final confirmation on whether Sony will 100% block publishers from adding their own DRM.

I'd imagine they won't block publisher DRM. But they did make it more difficult to implement. And they did give consumers something awfully important--choice. Game comes with DRM? Welp, don't have to to buy it. Game comes with DRM and I'm ok with that? Hey, I can buy it!
Microsoft doesn't seem to be too keen on consumer choice these days, and it's biting them in the a**.

 

[theeboredone]

Since I don't have an Xbox, were XBL users always getting free games/massive discounts on games, or did this just start? The reason I wouldn't mind paying for PSN+ is because you can make up the "costs" rather easily because chances are, there will be two-three games you can get for free that you will enjoy. Games that are recent/new btw.

 

[ncxcstud]

Microsoft in the last year had started giving discounts to some games and DLC on XBL...but they've been pretty bad deals. Like in the realm of 5-15% off at times...sometimes less than that. But, as an XBL subscriber for almost 10 years no, no. I don't believe MS has ever given away retail games for free on XBL before today.

But, correct me if I'm wrong, but with the games on PS+, you only have them free as long as your a PS+ subscriber right? If you don't pay for it, all those free games are no longer accessible correct? That was the case for me after all PSN users were given 3 months free after they got hacked... all those free games I had were non-playable once that period was over.

My understanding is that these games MS are giving out each month are totally free, whether you stay gold or not... That's a pretty sweet deal. I'm just waiting to see what other games they'll give away and I'm hoping I don't already own them or have played them (I already have Halo 3 and beat Assassins Creed 2 on the PS3). I've never played Fable III, so that's cool. I downloaded it this morning

 

[theeboredone]

Thing is...with PSN+ being required for multi-player...I don't think it's really going to matter. So those epic discounts will stay epic, unless you choose to not play online.

 

[squire777]

I'm going to be getting a PS4 but I think MS is getting a lot of unfair criticisms especially in regards to the used games and 24 hour check in. Most people already have their console always connected to their network so it's not that big of a deal to most people. How many times in the last few years has your internet connection gone down for more than 24 hours?

In regards to the used games issue I think MS wants to do something like how PC games are. In other words PC games have serial keys that usually only work on one system or PC games that you buy off Steam only work for that Steam account.

At the end of the day MS and the Xbox One are getting killed online right now by angry gamers and Sony fanboys. The whole notion of big, greedy "M$" is back again among the general public. Either MS will have to change their policies or the Xbox One will sell well and everything will be quickly forgotten.

 

[Reflexx]

MS can come out ahead if they stay on message and focus on

1. Exclusive games. Keep them coming and promote the hell out of them.
2. Promote how Kinect enhances the entire experience. Not just in dance games.
3. Promote convenience of having an all-in-one system and show how archaic others look compared to it
4. Talk Value Value Value

Make the XBOX look ridiculously cheap for everything it does. And make the PS4 look expensive based on the fewer things it does.

And if they really wanted to drop a big BOMB and were willing to eat a bigger loss? Don't cut the price. Instead, include Illumiroom as standard with every console.

 

[Coreldan]

Make the XBOX look ridiculously cheap for everything it does. And make the PS4 look expensive based on the fewer things it does.

This is pretty much how I think already, not necessarily that X1 would be cheap for what it does, but that PS4 is expensive for what it does. It's like buying an expensive feature phone that can't really do much other than calling, texting and playing Snake 2. The fairly basic stuff.. At this day and age I think the PS4 features are sort of ripoff, how does it not do more than that for that price? It's just like smartphones for me, I want more features in all of my devices, preferably so that they also work nicely together!

I'm just not personally worried about always online or used game policy. My internet hasnt been down for a full day in probably a decade, I havn't most likely even bought a game that I could borrow to anyone in over a decade, digital downloads are just so much more convenient Everything I own that has any point of being online is always connected to my Wifi.

 

[anon(5415472)]

Sadly the Xbox one is not available here in my country. We're not in the magic 21, so the question is moot and academic but yes I was impressed by Xbox One. Too bad I won't be able to get one. You guys know if we can change the region lock on the xbox one? I don't want to pre-order until I get a definite answer.

 

[Coreldan]

Where is the list of countries? Also, it will likely come at some point, just like the Surfaces for example came to new countries in several stages.

 

[Keith Wallace]

No, I think that it actually got WORSE. As was mentioned by some, Ryse might just be a Roman God of War clone. We knew Halo and Forza were coming from a mile away a year ago. Project Spark seems neat, but its viability as a true gaming experience (versus a cheap form of short-term entertainment for kids) is worth considering (though I had to leave for class and haven't gotten to take a good look at it). Quantum Break seems like it is cool, and Titanfall might be as well.

Microsoft seemed to bust out EVERY negative expectation, though. Halo is likely a full year away, if not 18 months (I imagine it launches in late-2014, as the games always have). The online check-in might not affect many, but the principle of punishing gamers for wanting to play offline is gross. The used game stuff is being taken to the worst place, limiting the window for which a game can be borrowed, and making the license matter a giant headache. That you MUST have the Kinect plugged in is stupid, because I simply won't be using it. I know it's yet another MINOR inconvenience, but stacking half a dozen minor inconveniences on top of one another equals a BIG inconvenience.

Then, Microsoft threw that stupid price tag at us. $500 is not a reasonable price point. It might be if you want the Kinect, but that I have to pay an extra $100 for a peripheral I don't trust (for fast-paced gaming) or want (for most gaming, or any media features) is unacceptable. I could MAYBE swallow all of the things I hate about the Xbox One for $400, but not for $500. I'll be waiting until there is either a price drop or Microsoft removes some of these asinine restrictions on the hardware (the Kinect requirement, the online requirement, the difficulty of sharing games).

To sum it all up, the games got better, but the console got worse to a greater degree than the game options improved.

 

[blzr409]

No, I think that it actually got WORSE. As was mentioned by some, Ryse might just be a Roman God of War clone. We knew Halo and Forza were coming from a mile away a year ago. Project Spark seems neat, but its viability as a true gaming experience (versus a cheap form of short-term entertainment for kids) is worth considering (though I had to leave for class and haven't gotten to take a good look at it). Quantum Break seems like it is cool, and Titanfall might be as well.

Microsoft seemed to bust out EVERY negative expectation, though. Halo is likely a full year away, if not 18 months (I imagine it launches in late-2014, as the games always have). The online check-in might not affect many, but the principle of punishing gamers for wanting to play offline is gross. The used game stuff is being taken to the worst place, limiting the window for which a game can be borrowed, and making the license matter a giant headache. That you MUST have the Kinect plugged in is stupid, because I simply won't be using it. I know it's yet another MINOR inconvenience, but stacking half a dozen minor inconveniences on top of one another equals a BIG inconvenience.

Then, Microsoft threw that stupid price tag at us. $500 is not a reasonable price point. It might be if you want the Kinect, but that I have to pay an extra $100 for a peripheral I don't trust (for fast-paced gaming) or want (for most gaming, or any media features) is unacceptable. I could MAYBE swallow all of the things I hate about the Xbox One for $400, but not for $500. I'll be waiting until there is either a price drop or Microsoft removes some of these asinine restrictions on the hardware (the Kinect requirement, the online requirement, the difficulty of sharing games).

To sum it all up, the games got better, but the console got worse to a greater degree than the game options improved.

I think this post sums up the reaction I've seen outside of this site pretty well, even from people who I know to be loyal Xbox gamers.

The Kinect being bundled with the console may be a big bonus in terms of content being developed for it, but I think the average person remains unconvinced about its necessity. I know a ton of people who bought one, played with it for a few hours, then wondered what they were supposed to do with it. No one has really developed a compelling way for it to enhance the gaming experience. That may change, but at this point, having it tack $100 onto the price of the system is a negative more so than having it included is a positive for the average consumer.

 

[Coreldan]

It's not like it's just the Kinect that costs the extra 100usd, nothing else. You can point at PS4 all you want, all it means is that they sell the PS4 at a bigger loss

 

[Keith Wallace]

You can say "all it means," but that's NOT "all it means." The PS4 has higher-end hardware than the Xbox One, so the PlayStation alone should cost MORE than the Xbox One. The ONLY hardware that the Xbox One has over its rival is the Kinect. That is the ONLY logical source of the price difference. Even if Sony IS selling it at a greater loss, it tells me that Sony is more dedicated to finding buyers than making a quick buck. I mean, consider the fact that $500 means that most gamers are losing the money necessary for 2 retail games in their purchase (at $60 each, it's just shy of 2 games, but you get the point).

At $400, I might buy the console, Ryse, Quantum Break, and Forza 5. At $500, I would ONLY get Forza 5, as the higher console price hurt my games funds, and I'm not going to make my one game purchase (at release) be on an unknown IP. They're taking away the money consumers will put into funding these new software projects, which ultimately hurts them.