Xbox One Console Discussion

[Happenstance]

For me its a lot of things. The way they've taken the Dashboard, more towards a Windows Phone/8 style which I have never liked. Its all cluttered and full of advertising and hard to find what you are actually looking for.

 

The lack of exclusives coming to the console over the past few years and the ones that they do have I dont want anyway.

 

No interest in the Kinect, hate motion controls.

 

If the rumours are true then I dont want a set top box to take over entertainment in my room, my PC does all the stuff I need.

 

No way I am paying a subscription for online if its anything like Gold was. Playstation Plus has proven it can be done so much better.

 

We've had developers speaking out about MS and for Sony quite a bit the past few months, this has been saying a lot.

 

Sony just seems to suit my gaming tastes more.

[bob]

Why would anyone WANT exclusives? That's just ridiculous.

[Hero-of-Time]

I find it laughable you think it's as simple as the PS4 putting people off Xbox.

 

Microsoft did that all on their own and have been doing so for a couple years now.

 

Yup. Microsoft have been living off 3rd party support for a while now and pushing the whole entertainment box far too much. I wouldn't mind but more than half of the entertainment stuff they announce never leaves the US.

 

I still enjoy my 360 and will no doubt pick up the NextBox. I really want to see what Rare have been allowed to work on though.

 

John Riccitiello said this the other day about the new Sony and Microsoft consoles.

 

...

 

I can’t keep track of the number of people who have told me they don’t believe the new consoles, long rumored to be coming from both Microsoft and Sony this fall, will succeed. I’ve heard this from some industry analysts. I’ve heard it from friends. I’ve even heard it from some pretty dedicated gamers.

 

When I press them, most everyone says they see games on smart phones and tablets taking over the game biz. They see the massive numbers of apps—mostly game apps—being downloaded onto iOS and Android devices and see the demise of console gaming as inevitable. They see the multi-year decline of console software at retail, as reported by NPD, and they think the console gaming is done. They see Apple’s PR machine touting the 50 billion apps downloaded, and they’re even more certain the battle is over and that the future is all about mobile. For them, consoles are over.

 

...

 

None of us has seen the future. But based on everything I know and what I have seen, most everything is pretty much in place for all of these things to happen, and to put console gaming front-and-center again. I see 2013 as the year that brings gaming pizzazz back to the living room, where it all really started.

 

But I do have this nagging fear that it is not too late to snatch defeat from the jaws of probable victory.

 

I keep asking myself how this might happen, and I come up with a four potential pitfalls that could turn my predicted console victory lap of 2013 into something a bit less grand. Trip on these, and what could be the start of a game console-driven revolution in the living room quickly turns into something that passes with more of a yawn than a cheer.

 

The first and most obvious of these pitfalls is if Sony or Microsoft forgets who brought them to the dance in the first place. Gamers. I certainly see the temptation to emphasize all sorts of experiences that these boxes might bring to the living room. These new machines can do a lot. The risk is that either or both of the new platforms emphasize these “value-add” experiences too much, both in the user interface on the consoles themselves, or in the story they tell consumers when they unleash their avalanche of advertising. To paraphrase a political slogan, it’s about the games, stupid.

 

We all know that the Xbox was meant as a trojan horse but if they don't start focusing more on the games I feel they will lose a lot of ground they gained this gen. I also don't think this entertainment box idea works if they keep charging for Live. I mean most electronic devices now offer the likes of Netflicks for free.

[Cube]

Microsoft have some of my favourite gaming franchises, but I highly doubt they'll ever use them. The other Microsoft-owned exclusives I care little about. I got very tired of Halo during Reach (and I've only played 3, OSDT and Reach), Forza I was never a fan of and Fable was never amazing. Entertaining, yes, but not much more.

 

However, due to Nintendo's odd approach this generation, I think the Xbox could become the best seller due to the casual and Call of Duty approach.

[Shorty]

I'm going to hugely and unreasonably raise my hopes today and if they are shattered, that's it, they blew it, PS4 for me.

[Caris]

I still can't get over the fact that we're here already, it feels like just yesterday I was chatting to Stocka and CooInTheZoo about securing a Xbox 360 Core on launch.

[Ganepark32]

Others have already listed my concerns about the new Xbox so I won't bother repeating.

 

The main thing that'll swing me is what Microsoft actually develop first party game wise. I'm done with Fable (and really it should be put out of its misery), never cared much for Forza (wouldn't mind seeing PGR come back) and can live without another Halo or Gears for a couple more years. And they can stuff the Kinect stuff as I'm not interested.

 

I just want them to let Rare get back to making game-games and perhaps bringing about some new IPs. Hell, give me another Alan Wake game and I'll be there day and date for it. But if they fall too heavily on 3rd party support and bring little new to the 1st party stuff, I'll most likely stick with the idea of picking up a PS4 because at least there I know I'll get pretty much everything I'd want from the console: solid 1st party titles (both existing and new IPs), good indie support and (now that the console architectures will be similar) really good 3rd party stuff.

 

I won't be watching the announcement anyway. I'll just pick up whatever was said afterwards but I'd like to be optimistic about what'll come out of it but like everyone, there's quite a bit of trepidation.

[Magnus]

Why would anyone WANT exclusives? That's just ridiculous.

Imagine Nintendo consoles without exclusives!

 

It's Iwata's worst nightmare.

[Daft]

If worse comes to worst, at least we'll know about a couple more PS4 games by the end of the day (FIFA, COD and Battlefield).

[bob]

Imagine Nintendo consoles without exclusives!

 

It's Iwata's worst nightmare.

 

Indeed.

 

But seriously though, i don't get why consumers would want exclusives.

 

Exclusives are what the CEO of Sony or Microsoft want, as it makes people more likely to buy their console rather than someone elses.

 

As a consumer, why the hell would you want a game that only plays on one console but not the other? You should want ALL games to play on ALL consoles, so you only have to buy one.

 

Obviously that is never going to happen, but that doesn't mean we should be hoping for games split down the middle so we have to buy both consoles.

 

I don't want to have to choose between the new Xbox and the PS4, i just want one of them, and not have to worry about the games i won't get to play on the other...

[Happenstance]

Of course we would all rather have all games on all consoles but we know that just isnt a fact of the industry and is not going to change anytime soon so for a console to be worth it for me it needs those exclusives. Thats what I was talking about before.

[Magnus]

Well, speaking personally, I'd rather have a lot of good exclusives on both consoles, rather than have a bunch of good exclusives on one console and then still end up having to get the other console because it has one or two exclusive games that I want to play.

 

But I have a hard time skipping out on games that I'm interested in.

[Agent Gibbs]

I have no faith in MS at all to survive this generation, they slowly killed the xbox for me due to all the things listed above, they never improved from launch all the while their perceived direct competitor (Playstation) achieved the same level and then surpassed them on most fronts (exclusive games ad their quality, PSN offering free retails games included in the same price as Live).

 

MS didn't learn this gen, they arrogantly believed the "gamer" side of xbox was perfect and plowed on with Kinect and casual stuff

 

so for the next box i expect more of the same, not to mention i suspect they will further alienate their core gamer audience buy concentrating on the casual market, they don't know it but they are positioning themselves into third place this gen and before the race truly starts!

 

As for always online, it may not be happening......now, i fully believe it was intended until the backlash in the media mainly because xbox this gen has positioned itself as an always online console by virtue of its applications; in that they encourage gamers to always play multiplayer online, then when not gaming they have set the xbox up as this media box connected to just about every internet based streaming software such as netflix etc so you can watch tv and films, now it (finally) has a web browser so it has everything needed for a living room, so the next logical step would be to fully integrate it to always be on and the only thing to use in a living room, as some form of unified hub.

It makes sense in that sense, but the DRM/olways on check is madness that is not feasible at all

[liger05]

I find it laughable you think it's as simple as the PS4 putting people off Xbox.

 

Microsoft did that all on their own and have been doing so for a couple years now.

 

I don’t deny that but the way people were talking it was as if MS were out of the game before they even mentioned anything about their next console.

 

Like it or not you do not become the #1 selling console 21 months in a row in the US unless you know what you are doing. Are Gold Subs on the decline? Are masses of people leaving the xbox ecosystem? I don’t think so, so all this talk of MS losing the core gamer and they are in trouble due to the PS4 was silly talk simply cos MS had not even revealed anything about the 720. It was way too early for people to start making such predictions.

[S.C.G]

I don't think I've switched on my Xbox for about three weeks... :p I have games that I could be playing on it, just... Idk.

 

Then again my PS3 was the same until I switched it on the other day to update it and yesterday to watch a Blu Ray.

 

I do like owning all consoles but I tend to go through 'phases' of playing just one for a while, at the moment it's my Wii U because of Monster Hunter, Super Metroid and Lego City - when I get around to playing it - we'll see how the conference goes, if a load of games get announced for the new Xbox and I end up wanting one I'll probably be thinking 'hmm best clear some of that backlog on my 360 then' however if it's underwhelming then I'm more likely to think to myself 'PS4 for me then!' *switches on PS3 and finally plays inFamous 1&2*

 

It literally all depends on the games.

[Agent Gibbs]

Like it or not you do not become the #1 selling console 21 months in a row in the US unless you know what you are doing. Are Gold Subs on the decline? Are masses of people leaving the xbox ecosystem? I don’t think so, so all this talk of MS losing the core gamer and they are in trouble due to the PS4 was silly talk simply cos MS had not even revealed anything about the 720. It was way too early for people to start making such predictions.

 

from personal experience i'd say there is a mass exodus of xbox gamers, 5/6 of mates had xbox's on or shortly after launch and kept them for a while, other than them 3/4 waited for the PS3.

Flash forward to now and of those 5/6 people one still has his xbox....in a box in the loft, everyone else has sold them to buy PS3's and the reasoning being, more people had ps3's and the online was free....admittedly several of them now have PSN plus, but thats purely because it gives them free games, so the extra cost is justifiable as its money not spent on the games.

 

others on here have moved more towards PS3/PS4 because of dissatisfaction with MS and the direction the xbox is going in.

 

surely this can't be an isolated case, even on the net there is such a buzz over PS4 yet, there is only fear regarding the Xbox infinity

 

It literally all depends on the games.

 

And therein lies the problem with Xbox, its become a third party machine where as PS3/4 offers the same third party games but with exclusives games to boot

[Happenstance]

I don't think I've switched on my Xbox for about three weeks... :p I have games that I could be playing on it, just... Idk.

 

Then again my PS3 was the same until I switched it on the other day to update it and yesterday to watch a Blu Ray.

 

I do like owning all consoles but I tend to go through 'phases' of playing just one for a while, at the moment it's my Wii U because of Monster Hunter, Super Metroid and Lego City - when I get around to playing it - we'll see how the conference goes, if a load of games get announced for the new Xbox and I end up wanting one I'll probably be thinking 'hmm best clear some of that backlog on my 360 then' however if it's underwhelming then I'm more likely to think to myself 'PS4 for me then!' *switches on PS3 and finally plays inFamous 1&2*

 

It literally all depends on the games.

 

Well they wont be announcing many games tonight. They've already confirmed that theyre doing that at E3, tonight is for the hardware and a few games like Fifa and probably COD.

[Daft]

I don’t deny that but the way people were talking it was as if MS were out of the game before they even mentioned anything about their next console.

 

Like it or not you do not become the #1 selling console 21 months in a row in the US unless you know what you are doing. Are Gold Subs on the decline? Are masses of people leaving the xbox ecosystem? I don’t think so, so all this talk of MS losing the core gamer and they are in trouble due to the PS4 was silly talk simply cos MS had not even revealed anything about the 720. It was way too early for people to start making such predictions.

 

It's all change when a new generation hits. Lest we forget the PS2 sold over 150 million unites.

[S.C.G]

Well they wont be announcing many games tonight. They've already confirmed that theyre doing that at E3, tonight is for the hardware and a few games like Fifa and probably COD.

 

Hmm well... I guess it'll be something like, 'oh, that console looks... reasonable, what about the games?' basically the opposite of Sony's conference, 'oh, those games look... reasonable, what about the console?'

 

Even though it ultimately comes down to the games, I do like to actually see the proper hardware that's actually running them, with Sony I was seeing things, great things... (games) but not quite believing them so I expect Microsoft's conference to be more about believing what their machine can do but then wondering where all the games are.

[Charlie]

I only want to play COD. Do I really need to buy a whole new console?

[liger05]

from personal experience i'd say there is a mass exodus of xbox gamers, 5/6 of mates had xbox's on or shortly after launch and kept them for a while, other than them 3/4 waited for the PS3.

Flash forward to now and of those 5/6 people one still has his xbox....in a box in the loft, everyone else has sold them to buy PS3's and the reasoning being, more people had ps3's and the online was free....admittedly several of them now have PSN plus, but thats purely because it gives them free games, so the extra cost is justifiable as its money not spent on the games.

 

others on here have moved more towards PS3/PS4 because of dissatisfaction with MS and the direction the xbox is going in.

 

surely this can't be an isolated case, even on the net there is such a buzz over PS4 yet, there is only fear regarding the Xbox infinity

 

 

 

And therein lies the problem with Xbox, its become a third party machine where as PS3/4 offers the same third party games but with exclusives games to boot

 

That’s purely anecdotal though isn’t it? The numbers from the US and UK show MS has been dominating for months and there has be no decline.

 

PS4 got loads of buzz and well deserved but this time tomorrow morning we could be saying MS delivered. On the flip side we could be saying they shit the bed but as I said I think waiting to see what they bring to the table first is better than the predictions of doom and gloom.

[Agent Gibbs]

That’s purely anecdotal though isn’t it? The numbers from the US and UK show MS has been dominating for months and there has be no decline.

 

PS4 got loads of buzz and well deserved but this time tomorrow morning we could be saying MS delivered. On the flip side we could be saying they shit the bed but as I said I think waiting to see what they bring to the table first is better than the predictions of doom and gloom.

 

Totally its just my own personal experience that has colored my views, i went off the xbox, the ps3 for me offered more, but i doubt i am the only one thats all

 

perhaps tomorrow we'll be singing its praises, i on the other hand may be nursing a hang over

 

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/05/21/play-along-with-the-xbox-reveal-drinking-game

[Guy]

Same controller layout, same controller layout, same controller layout.

 

PS+ style Xbox Live service, no more bullshitty subscription for ads.

 

Everything else doesn't really matter. We all know what to expect here.

[Shorty]

I still think the best thing they could do with the sub is shake up the Xbox Live subs.

 

Like make Xbox Live Silver the same thing you currently get on Gold, and then make Gold even better than PS+.

[Cube]

You mean they're going to stop a source of free money?