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Xbox One: How Microsoft Could Change the Impression of Their New Console
There is a popular saying throughout the world “A first impression is a lasting impression” and this phrase could not be more relevant in the case of Microsoft’s Xbox One console. Throughout the opening weeks of the consoles announcement, the company has managed to display a combination of blatant greed and general indifference to its potential customer base that would put JR from Dallas to shame. This was further compounded by Microsoft’s announcement that all games would be checked online in 24 hour intervals with an immediate lock switch if the game is not detected. They then took this further still, saying that the Kinect Sensor (of which I so despise) would not only be a mandatory requirement for the console to function, but it would also film you and your environment at all hours and Microsoft could then sell the information to third party companies.
This is a level of DRM that the likes of EA and Ubisoft combined could only dream about, and speaking as a resident of England which is one of the most surveyed countries on the planet, I feel my privacy is already compromised enough without a camera filming me in my own living room. This leads me to a dilema, as many of the ‘mistakes’ that Microsoft have carried out strike a chord with me that I find insulting on a very personal level, already destroying any chance of myself purchasing one of their consoles, period.
Having said this, it would be unfair of me not to discuss how Microsoft have made efforts to try and redeem themselves from their disastrous first few months, further exploited by competitors Sony, executing one of the greatest ‘trolls’ in corporate history (although check out the small print). One of the most noticeable withdrawals was Microsoft’s announcement that always online internet connection, disk verification, and regional locking would no longer be a feature on the Xbox One. Although this is a welcome reversal it still hides some traces of the previous planned system. The most glaring problems are that digital purchases will not be sharable and Microsoft claims because of this change it now has to “pull the plug” on its family sharing feature, which would of allowed you to share digital purchases up to ten times. Considering the Xbox One is geared towards digital purchasing, which is how most games are now bought, it doesn't feel like much of an improvement.
Microsoft have also attempted to defend their position regarding the Kinect, stating that although the sensor would be required to play the Xbox One, the ‘terms and conditions’ state that Microsoft cannot use any images or audio to sell to third party advertisers. However Microsoft did not claim that they could not take and use this information for other purposes and it would not be difficult for the company to quietly change the conditions of the contract following release, essentially forcing those who have already bought the system to sell themselves to Microsoft’s greed.
Overall I am finding it impossible to find any form of redemption on the part of Microsoft, as all the changes they have made do not appear to be in the interest of the consumers. I am certain that this sudden reversal in the company’s DRM policy was not due to the negative response, but more as a reaction to Sony exploitation of the situation to boost their own console, the PlayStation 4. Essentially it’s clear that Microsoft had geared all of its next gen plans on this forced connectivity and after the removal of all the features that were criticized what are you left with? It’s merely an Xbox 360 with better graphics. This is indeed bad news when compared to the PS4’s connectivity with many modern media devices such as Smartphones and Tablets.
Ultimately I am very sad to have to write this, as I dislike writing articles that portray a game of device in an exclusively bad light, but I simply cannot find anything positive to write about or think of any way to rectify the situation. The Xbox One is a poorly planned, overpriced, ugly, and oversized device with inferior software, but the saddest part of this is that it will likley still sell well due to the nature of the console being next gen. However although it will sell, I highly doubt it now has the ability to expand or develop without simply bringing back the features that are already despised, essentially dooming the system to quickly become obsolete.
To summarize, if I had to choose between the consoles I would opt for the PS4, not because I am a Sony loyalist, as there are plenty of things Sony have done in the past to infuriate myself and other gamers e.g. PSP import selling bans and Rootkit spyware on Sony laptops. But I do feel that the PS4 is currently the best hope of encapsulating what could be the future of gaming and as such I hope they will have the success that I feel Microsoft can no longer achieve. I therefore feel that any changes Microsoft have made or plan to make are simply too late to remove the sigma they have created, and considering the fall of PC sales I feel that Microsoft as a business will soon cease to exist within the realms of gaming.
There is a popular saying throughout the world “A first impression is a lasting impression” and this phrase could not be more relevant in the case of Microsoft’s Xbox One console. Throughout the opening weeks of the consoles announcement, the company has managed to display a combination of blatant greed and general indifference to its potential customer base that would put JR from Dallas to shame. This was further compounded by Microsoft’s announcement that all games would be checked online in 24 hour intervals with an immediate lock switch if the game is not detected. They then took this further still, saying that the Kinect Sensor (of which I so despise) would not only be a mandatory requirement for the console to function, but it would also film you and your environment at all hours and Microsoft could then sell the information to third party companies.
This is a level of DRM that the likes of EA and Ubisoft combined could only dream about, and speaking as a resident of England which is one of the most surveyed countries on the planet, I feel my privacy is already compromised enough without a camera filming me in my own living room. This leads me to a dilema, as many of the ‘mistakes’ that Microsoft have carried out strike a chord with me that I find insulting on a very personal level, already destroying any chance of myself purchasing one of their consoles, period.
Having said this, it would be unfair of me not to discuss how Microsoft have made efforts to try and redeem themselves from their disastrous first few months, further exploited by competitors Sony, executing one of the greatest ‘trolls’ in corporate history (although check out the small print). One of the most noticeable withdrawals was Microsoft’s announcement that always online internet connection, disk verification, and regional locking would no longer be a feature on the Xbox One. Although this is a welcome reversal it still hides some traces of the previous planned system. The most glaring problems are that digital purchases will not be sharable and Microsoft claims because of this change it now has to “pull the plug” on its family sharing feature, which would of allowed you to share digital purchases up to ten times. Considering the Xbox One is geared towards digital purchasing, which is how most games are now bought, it doesn't feel like much of an improvement.
Microsoft have also attempted to defend their position regarding the Kinect, stating that although the sensor would be required to play the Xbox One, the ‘terms and conditions’ state that Microsoft cannot use any images or audio to sell to third party advertisers. However Microsoft did not claim that they could not take and use this information for other purposes and it would not be difficult for the company to quietly change the conditions of the contract following release, essentially forcing those who have already bought the system to sell themselves to Microsoft’s greed.
Overall I am finding it impossible to find any form of redemption on the part of Microsoft, as all the changes they have made do not appear to be in the interest of the consumers. I am certain that this sudden reversal in the company’s DRM policy was not due to the negative response, but more as a reaction to Sony exploitation of the situation to boost their own console, the PlayStation 4. Essentially it’s clear that Microsoft had geared all of its next gen plans on this forced connectivity and after the removal of all the features that were criticized what are you left with? It’s merely an Xbox 360 with better graphics. This is indeed bad news when compared to the PS4’s connectivity with many modern media devices such as Smartphones and Tablets.
Ultimately I am very sad to have to write this, as I dislike writing articles that portray a game of device in an exclusively bad light, but I simply cannot find anything positive to write about or think of any way to rectify the situation. The Xbox One is a poorly planned, overpriced, ugly, and oversized device with inferior software, but the saddest part of this is that it will likley still sell well due to the nature of the console being next gen. However although it will sell, I highly doubt it now has the ability to expand or develop without simply bringing back the features that are already despised, essentially dooming the system to quickly become obsolete.
To summarize, if I had to choose between the consoles I would opt for the PS4, not because I am a Sony loyalist, as there are plenty of things Sony have done in the past to infuriate myself and other gamers e.g. PSP import selling bans and Rootkit spyware on Sony laptops. But I do feel that the PS4 is currently the best hope of encapsulating what could be the future of gaming and as such I hope they will have the success that I feel Microsoft can no longer achieve. I therefore feel that any changes Microsoft have made or plan to make are simply too late to remove the sigma they have created, and considering the fall of PC sales I feel that Microsoft as a business will soon cease to exist within the realms of gaming.