Microsoft pulls a 180 (heh) on Xbone DRM (1 Viewer)

[Sam Posten]

Good link, Sam.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

I'm not too surprised. I'm still sticking with the PS4 though.

Ditto.

Definitely until MS releases a Kinect free SKU for the same price as a PS4.

 

[DaveF]

Yes, it's very much a, "I'm taking my ball and going home" reaction. If they wanted to do this right in the first place, they should have had two price tiers, one for traditional media and a lower price for digital downloads. That's one way to move to the future while letting people have their Start button. It's like they're sore at their audience for the mistakes they made.

"Screw you guys, I'm goin home."

 

[DaveF]

 

[DaveF]

That's something I can't understand the point of them doing. They basically said "fine, if you don't like X, you can't have Y either!". If they said a one time activation check, most people would be OK. Who knows; it's going to be difficult for a lot of consumers on this because the water stays muddy, and as a result, the Xbox-one-80 will have a hard time really cutting through FUD now.

It will get much clearer when there's a product being advertised and sold. Right now it's all VP speak to journalists about "market pivots" and synergizing monetization of business jargon.MS needs clear advertising that shows why this is awesome. The kinect lets dad digitally light-saber duel with his son, just $498.88 at Walmart. The daughter can watch Doctor Who and twitter her friends in split view on the big screen. And mom doesn't have her cable all confused and broken because the Xbox One video pass through makes it all seamless.

 

[Hanson]

They'll have to convince sane people that it's better to Twitter in a split screen using a keyboard add-on instead of YOUR FUCKING PHONE OR TABLET.

This is why so much of the convergence stuff is out of touch and out of date -- it's 2013, and most people have smart phones and tablets for these functions. Then again, MS has no good phone or tablet presence to speak of, so maybe it's a function of corporate blindness.

It's still a very stupid strategery.

 

[mattCR]

When I was young, they would market food processors and quisinart type machines by saying: "It does EVERYTHING!" Then, a few years later, people pretty well realized they didn't want anything that does "everything" they want one specific tool that does one specific thing. We like twitter and the like on our phones.. we are happy with our DVR of choice, whatever it is.
The problem with convergence, merging all these things into one is that the human mind always feels as though it is missing out on something by having everything lumped together in one.

The only thing we want a video game console to do is play video games. Everything after that is neat, but it's not as though we view it as a purpose for buying. Netflix? So what, my TV has netflix built in. Pass-through HDMI? Big deal, lots of people have even basic home theater receivers, they don't want to pass-through twice. Manage fantasy leagues? People generally go to leagues online that they like, not one subscribed to them, and no way MS covers all of them. Easily flick back and forth between the game you're playing and TV? In general, most of the time in the flow of a game it's not "casual" enough for me to just pause and flick to something else and come back in place.
The entire concept just seems flawed.

 

[DaveF]

When I was young, they would market food processors and quisinart type machines by saying: "It does EVERYTHING!" Then, a few years later, people pretty well realized they didn't want anything that does "everything" they want one specific tool that does one specific thing. We like twitter and the like on our phones.. we are happy with our DVR of choice, whatever it is.
The problem with convergence, merging all these things into one is that the human mind always feels as though it is missing out on something by having everything lumped together in one.

The only thing we want a video game console to do is play video games. Everything after that is neat, but it's not as though we view it as a purpose for buying. Netflix? So what, my TV has netflix built in. Pass-through HDMI? Big deal, lots of people have even basic home theater receivers, they don't want to pass-through twice. Manage fantasy leagues? People generally go to leagues online that they like, not one subscribed to them, and no way MS covers all of them. Easily flick back and forth between the game you're playing and TV? In general, most of the time in the flow of a game it's not "casual" enough for me to just pause and flick to something else and come back in place.
The entire concept just seems flawed.

iPhone
PC

We like purpose-built devices until we get an all-in-one device that really works. I think an all-in-one video game, DVR, cable box, Netflix, Blu-ray solution could be successful. The obstacles aren't technological or UI, but industrial. MS or Apple or Google or Tivo could each one make this (easily). But the cable co's prevent it, DRM prevents it.

They'll have to convince sane people that it's better to Twitter in a split screen using a keyboard add-on instead of YOUR FUCKING PHONE OR TABLET.

This is why so much of the convergence stuff is out of touch and out of date -- it's 2013, and most people have smart phones and tablets for these functions. Then again, MS has no good phone or tablet presence to speak of, so maybe it's a function of corporate blindness.

It's still a very stupid strategery.

I felt exactly the same way, until yesterday. (And you can find my comments in the GoogleTV threads on what a stupid idea I've through this was). But then I'm replaying Bioshock Infinite, using IGN's walkthrough as a guide to catching some missed details. Playing through, juggling controller, iPad (and lap cat, who likes to play games with me), I wonder if in fact this would be easier if I could have the walkthrough website on the TV side by side with the game? And I think maybe MS isn't so ridiculous. I don't know; I've never had such a system...but maybe there's something there?


My point of reference to the online sturm and drang is a friend of mine. Late 30's, big time gamer. Has a closet with a few hundred german-style strategy boardgames. Has a Wii, 360, PS3 with hundreds of games. His son has a few dozen Skylanders. I asked him what he thought of the new systems, thinking he'd buy one or more of the next gen systems within a year of release.

He said he didn't see what else there was to be done with video games (more graphics? meh). And hadn't really heard anything about the new One or PS4.

That's my point of reference: hardcore gamer who doesn't know or care about the pre-release info. When the systems are out, have games, are being advertised, he'll pay attention and see what he wants for himself and his son.

I still suspect the online furor over the One and PS4 is limited, the mass market is still ignorant; and their opinions will be influenced significantly by retail availability and marketing campaigns. Yes, they'll also be moved by their super hardcore friends that follow this stuff. But as iPhone and Wii showed, the gadget mass market is no longer moved solely by the geeks. I'm really not sure most people care or would know about daily DRM dial-in.

 

[Hanson]

The reason MS had to act was that their message was being superceded by a new message - "PS4 is better than the XB1 that won't let you lend or sell your games, doesn't have to dial in every day, and is $100 cheaper to boot". Jimmy Fallon got this message rolling into the mainstream, which is why MS finally had to act - once this caught on with the casual crowd, the XB1 was doomed. Again, you cannot pretend to go digital if you insist on charging physical prices. And that's where MS completely fucked this up. And it's irritating that they're pointing fingers everywhere else but at themselves. They are trying to coopt the Apple playbook and dictate to their consumers, but that's not even working great for Apple in the post Jobs era. For MS, it's just coming off as hubris. Once the always on Kinect "snooping" meme hits the mainstream, they're going to have to back pedal on that too. It really comes off as ignorant that they're not trying to get ahead of that story now.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

MS has basically put themselves on an even playing field with Sony in terms of used games and sharing. That said, the differences between the consoles now, in my mind, put Sony still ahead. I don't NEED Kinect or NEED the TV features or NEED to see fantasy scores on my TV and I'd rather save $100.

While a bit late to the conversation about used games, here's my take: so long as the newest Call of Duty continues to sell a billion dollars-worth of discs and special editions within a month of being released, I cannot believe that used games are hurting the industry. If you make a fantastic game with a very supportive and devoted fanbase and release it at a digestible price then people will buy it.

 

[DaveF]

http://www.apple.com/appletv/
+
http://kotaku.com/heres-a-look-at-one-of-the-iphones-new-game-controlle-513662469
+
http://www.destructoid.com/review-xcom-enemy-unknown-ios--256483.phtml

Perhaps this will be the must-have console this Winter?

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Doubtful. Apple TV would be competing with Ouya, not PS4 and XBOne.

 

[Sam Posten]

I don't agree with that at all.

 

[mattCR]

I don't agree with that at all.

I don't think Apple has any interest in chasing that market to begin with. The cost to market as well as develop such a project would be a huge gamble.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

My point of reference to the online sturm and drang is a friend of mine. Late 30's, big time gamer. Has a closet with a few hundred german-style strategy boardgames. Has a Wii, 360, PS3 with hundreds of games. His son has a few dozen Skylanders. I asked him what he thought of the new systems, thinking he'd buy one or more of the next gen systems within a year of release.

He said he didn't see what else there was to be done with video games (more graphics? meh). And hadn't really heard anything about the new One or PS4.

Replace the 360 with about a thousand more board and card games (and not quite so many Skylanders, but we'll get there) and that's me. Well, except for the "late 30s" part.

You know what would be tempting for me? My TV from 2003 had PiP and split-screen. I could play a video game on one half of the screen while following live sports on the other. If the XBone could give me THAT, I might consider it a useful feature.

 

[Hanson]

I can't even listen to a podcast while playing Candy Crush Saga, so I doubt I could watch football AND play a console game at the same time.

 

[Ruz-El]

I can't even listen to a podcast while playing Candy Crush Saga, so I doubt I could watch football AND play a console game at the same time.

Really? I listen to podcasts while playing Skyrim and Fallout 3. *ducks head*

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Aaron - Uhh...I think the XBOne is basically trying to give you exactly what you describe with the split-screen stuff. That said...I mean...are you really going to play a game while watching something on half the screen? Personally, I think its cool to be able to do but not worth actually doing because I don't see myself WANTING to do that more than, really, just one time to see that it works.

 

[Jeffery_H]

For those thinking MS will eventually change their mind about a cheaper non Kinect version of the XB1 are deluding themselves. The reason has been discussed on several podcasts and articles this past week. It shows a direct connect with all XB1 game studios in that MS guarantees the Kinect to be madatory for the XB1 period. This is why you will not see it boxed without one. The game studios have been told to depend on it with every XB1 user because they MUST use it. That way they can code any games knowing it will be there regardless.

Now, rather or not anyone cares or will use the benefits of any game using Kinect is a personal choice. I for one find the whole motion sensor thing no matter if it's MS, Sony, etc. to be more of a novelity that wears thin. Just give me a really good controller or keyboard and mouse any day.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Aaron - Uhh...I think the XBOne is basically trying to give you exactly what you describe with the split-screen stuff. That said...I mean...are you really going to play a game while watching something on half the screen? Personally, I think its cool to be able to do but not worth actually doing because I don't see myself WANTING to do that more than, really, just one time to see that it works.

Sometimes there's a game on that I kinda wanna watch but I also feel like playing something. With split-screen, I can focus mainly on the game I'm playing, and pause it if something exciting happens in the "real" game.

Again, I'm only really talking about sports here. It's not like I would watch a movie or something while playing a video game.