The Xbox One and why I'm buying it over the PS4

***Alright before I explain myself, I just ask for people to actually read what I'm saying and not just skim over and declare bull crap.***

   After about a week of thorough researching through /r/gaming and other gaming websites about the Xbox One and PS4 I've came to a conclusion. Most of the complaints are do to, yes, bad PR by MS, but also a blind misdirected hatred that should really be changed when you actually see what MS is trying to do.

   Now before I go in depth on why I like the Xbox One, I rather explain why most of the "complaints" are silly.

"The Xbone won't be able to use used games!"

   First, this is a rumor and a false one at that. The Xbox One will be able to use used games just like the PS4. There's just one exception, you must buy the used game from a licensed dealer (IE. Gamestop, EB Games, Play n Trade) so where most people buy used games anyway. Just not from the average joe from craigslist. I'll explain why later.

"The Kinect will be spying on me!"

   Honestly, cell phones have been tracking our locations for years and people don't complain (anymore). Now to just clear all uncertainty the Kinect will not spy on you. You can actually turn it off if you'd like. And if you don't want to and are still bothered you can just cover it or have it face a wall. So basically you can unplug it and still use your Xbox One. So this is honestly a nonissue.

"It's too expensive!"

   One of the few complaints I can actually sympathize with. But you need to take a step back and realize that the Xbox One is a package deal. Xbox One is no longer just a video game console anymore; it's a media system. It will take all the technology in your living room and put it all under one language so to speak. Allowing everything to be controlled through the Xbox instead of 3 or more remotes. It's whats living room tech has been pointing to for the past couple of years and MS is taking the next step.

   Now not only do you get a media system you also get the Kinect 2. Now before you raise the "Aw Hell Naw" flags the new Kinect 2 is said to make the first one look like a child's toy. That is an exciting thing. You might declare that all the Kinect features and games are gimmicky which is a sound complaint now, BUT the Kinect 2 is packaged with each Xbox One now. With this, developers are more inclined to introduce more engaging Kinect features to to a larger population base actually having the technology. Now I won't say things will be different, but I can say no one can complain stating that it'll be the same due to lack of info. But the potential is there, so give it a chance.

   So basically you're getting a bargain deal. You get what the PS4 offers (in terms of video game console), along with some interesting and potentially amazing technology for only $100 more.

"I have to connect to the internet every 24 hours!"

   Ah yes the the white whale of Xbox One complaints. In order to truly understand what they're doing here. People need to realize a few things first.

   Discs are not for playing anymore. The game discs are solely for downloading the game on your hard drive now. You don't need the disc in your console to play the game. MS would rather go completely digital, but they didn't want to isolate their fanbase that likes their discs. Now without needing discs you get some fantastic positives. To name some, a quieter system (no longer shall you wake up the entire house with your system reading the disc to load the next screen!), Faster load times (You see this on the computer already reply if you need further explanation) and finally no more reliance on the quality of disc (Disc scratched to shit? No problem!).

   Now since the discs are purely to download the game (software), you need a CD-Key of some sort to make sure youre the valid owner (Like programs) this is where the 24 hour check in comes in. This prevents users from handing around a disc to 15 or so people so they get 16 games for the price one. The check in confirms that the games are still on your account and not somebody else's.

   The reason that they are incorporating this system instead of a CD-Key like system is due to another exciting feature they have. Family Sharing. This feature allows you to share games with 10 family members anytime anywhere. Now here's the cool thing, the family members can be your brother, your cousin in California, or Vigil in England. That's right, there is no blood confirmation for the family members. So you can have them all be your 10 friends. Here's the catch though, if one of them are playing the game you cant. Now before you fire the "That's Bull Shit!" cannons. Take a step back and realize that this is just like having your friends borrow a game disc from you. When they have it you cant play it anyway. BUT now its not limited by distance! Even steam doesn't have this feature. That's cool. (Side note, there is no fee for sharing a game. Once again a false rumor.)

   Now for the actual check in. Yes if you don't have it check in every 24 hours the system will be locked. BUT if you don't want the Xbox One to be connected, there are other options available. You can use your computer or phone (only takes KBs if you're worried about data) to do the check in. As of now, MS is looking into more options to do the check in and improve the time between check ins (they realize not everybody has internet, but still want to buy a Xbox One). But in all honesty, the majority of the complaining has been on the internet...so you can take that how you want (I prefer medium rare).

   Oh one last thing, yes, Steam has an offline mode, BUT Steam doesnt have to worry about game discs being passed around and used games being sold. You need to remember game discs now are solely for downloading the game, they are not required for playing. Now overtime an offline mode may be introduced but it will take some time.

Okay now for some good things.

   The possibility of Steam like sales. I've realized something over the past week. MS wants to compete with Steam, but on the console. This is one of the main reasons its has such seemingly strict DRM restraints. But with these the price of games can go down. You see the reason a game at the moment is $60 is do to many things. Paying the Publisher and Developer, production of discs, paying distributors, and finally a lil extra for the possibility of the game being resold as used. Now with having digital purchases, you have taken the third party out of the equation, allowing cheaper games. You can say that MS already has this and the games are overpriced, which is true...to an extent. Now the Xbox One is surrounded by this idea instead of an add-on. MS will want to push this due to the direct line of profit. So they will need to incorporate steam like sales to compete with both used games and the PS4. (Looking back through this paragraph, I know it's a lot of assuming, but here's the black and white version. If Xbox One doesn't have this, the PS4 will blow it out of the water. If it does, PS4 will need to do some serious change up to keep up.)

   Now another reason the prices of games can drop is due to having licensed dealers sell used games. At the moment, every time a game is sold the primary profit is split amongst developers, publishers, MS, and the store itself. Now if the game is traded in used, the secondary profit goes 100% to the dealer. Now with having only licensed dealers sell used games the secondary profit is split again, allowing developers and publishers have another part of the profits. Now before you bang on the "Money Grubbing Whores!" drums, this can only be a good thing for you. Since publishers and developers are still getting profits from the subsequent purchases they want be so pushy for high videogame prices. Why do you think Steam always has lower prices and great sales? They don't have to deal with the same issues as consoles do.

   The lure of Kinect 2. I've mentioned how potentially cool this technology will be, but I didn't go in depth why I like it so much. Well there's too reasons, party games, and family sociability. Now take a second and think which games are funner to play with people over? A single player game where everyone but one watches? or Party games with multiple people? Now add this with the fact that you don't need extra controllers and boom you got Kinect party games. This allows people of all ages have fun with games without the intimidation factor of using a controller. Its easy to use, just use your body. This is fantastic for myself since i constantly have family and friends over who i'd love to play video games with instead of watching TV.

   Now family sociability. I know I'm most likely speaking for myself, but in the next few years, I want to start having kids. And with the Kinect 2 I will be able to enjoy games with my future wife and kids without wasting time teaching them controls (video games) or rules (board games) they can jump in and play, even if they're two years old. It's another way to have fun with the entire family which is great.

   Microsoft is taking a big risk here. They could be doing what Sony is doing and play it safe, but they not. They pushing forward and trying to evolve the console market. Yes there will be growing pains, but look at this way, when Steam was first introduced many people "hated" it with its "Draconian" DRM restrictions. Now I have haven't met a person that hated Steam for a genuine reason.

   In conclusion the Xbox One has enormous potential with the introduction of new technologies that can transform your living room/ bedroom to something quite awesome. With the media system connecting everything together, the Kinect 2 possibilities, and the possibility of steam like sales, the Xbox One can turn into something special. I'm not here telling you to go buy it and flip off Sony. All I'm saying is don't write off the Xbox One just yet and keep your eye on it with an open mind. You might be surprised.

***Notes****

It's surprising how many people across the internet are deciding which console to buy already. You don't have to buy it once it comes out.

Backwards compatibility is not that big of an issue anymore. The current consoles are built well and will last. Plus you know, it's not like it blows up once the new consoles are out.

Quote me if you'd like, but in a few years people are going to be kicking themselves for choosing the PS4.

TLDR - Uh No, go read it all, I spent a lot of time writing this. Read it all before you comment.

Subjective: I also prefer the XBO exclusives to the PS4 exclusives. I play mostly AAA shooters and RPGs anyway, so it's not like indie games really affect me. Battlefield, Mass Effect, TES, shootshootbangbang... they aren't exclusive and that makes up a huge part of what I play. Halo and Minecraft is the rest, and those are only available on XBO. Killzone doesn't interest me too much.

I also prefer the 360 controller to the PS3 controller. I know they changed it for the PS4, but the XBO is just a better version of the already fantastic 360 controller. Unless they made huge changes to the PS4 controller, I don't see myself enjoying it.

Just adding on why I'm probably getting a XBO over a PS4, along with yours.

Yeah I agree with all that too. I just feel that was too opinionated for what I was trying to say. :-P Titanfall looks pretty promising as well as Project Spark.

I like how titanfall is bringing back mechs and some vertical gameplay with the jet packs.

Poject spark just looks cool :-P

I probably won't be getting either until the games start coming out. Destiny is coming out with this gen and that's all that has my attention for now.

The new Xbox could be revolutionary (like Steam) or fall on its face (like Steam did when it first showed up). The former would be preferred, but for some reason everyone on the internet suddenly hates the Xbox. idk.

If you all would remember correctly people made fun of the iPod when it first came out saying that Rio and Diamond had the mp3 market on lock and Apple was stupid as fuck. Who's laughing now? NO ONE EVEN KNOWS WHO RIO AND DIAMOND ARE. The word "iPod" fucking replaced the word "mp3" for christ sakes.


For something more recent remember the launch of the iPad? Remember how much fun was made at it's expense? People saying it was an over sized iPhone and no one in their right minds would buy it? That it had a stupid ass name and sounded like a woman's menstruation product? That it didn't have wireless sync and that the Tablet PC and Kindle was better than it? Well guess what motherfuckers? iPad reinvigorated the entire god damn market and read this:


 "IDC also predicted a market growth for tablets from 7.6 million units in 2010 to more than 46 million units in 2014 More recent reports show predictions from various analysts in the range from 26 to 64 million units in 2013. On 2 March 2011 Apple announced that 15 million iPads had been sold in three fiscal quarters of 2010, double the number that IDC than predicted."

Now you can't do fucking anything with a touch screen without it having taken a page from Apple's book.




My point is that people are god damn retarded and don't know their foot from their ass, never mind what is a good product and how the future will unravel in the market.

I appreciate your opinion and respect your choice, but I couldn't disagree with you more on this matter and I've made my opinion clear on this matter to you Bacon.

Though to be fair, the XBO exclusives were better than the PS4 ones.

Xbox One is a huge gamble and only time will tell if these new restrictions are as draconian as they seem, or they will have the good sense to make them a bit flexible.

*Throws up hands* Im stayin outta this one.

I agree with everythi written here. I can see the PS4 being a big advantage to families who dont make much money, being cheaper and not requiring a good internet connection... but I have disposible income AND I pay for high speed internet.

for me it would come down to the games, but since right now I dont play any.... this descision will probably not be made until a few years down the line. when I actually decide I want a new console

One thing you forgot to mention is the fact the Xbox One is still $100 cheaper than the PS3, and the gap between Xbox One and PS4 is smaller than the gap between the 360 and the PS3. Not to mention, the Xbox uses a Blu-ray drive which is still Sony's platform, so Sony has a part to play due to licensing fees. Some would say Sony shouldn't offer the license at all, but current copyrights tend to be maintained longer if you license it. If you pull an Apple and say nobody can do anything similar, the courts will generally rule that it's become a standard that needs to be allowed across the board (and now you get no licensing fees).

Also, you mentioned Steams Offline mode. It even requires checking in before you can use it, and that check in does time out.

But about game costs reducing across the board, I don't believe they will. For one the industry knows we'll pay that much, and 2, games are costing more and more to produce. The money saving tactics are more likely to just delay price increases.

The idea of SALES though is very much a possibility, with mainly sequels being the main sale item.

One thing you mention at the end is Sony "playing it safe." The fact of the matter is people hate change. The biggest applause Sony got at E3 is when they basically said "we're doing nothing new with the console."

Whether all these changes Microsoft is making are for the better, they are taking the chance, and many things the Xbox One has are things I have wanted on a console in a long time, mainly day one digital, especially with preorders and automatic midnight (or even pre midnight) downloads. With better digital control of games they might even just do what STEAM does with pre-installs, and maybe even sending out pre-ordered discs early and only unlocking the game at midnight.

And yes I know PSN+ started doing day one digital within the last year, but I am still in love with the xbox's controller ergonomics, ntm the PSN store is a horrible mess.

I'll be getting an Xbox One, probably early adopter. I figure it'll be a nice Christmas present for myself, regardless of launch titles, especially since I'll be at Special Forces selection in January.

And now I'll use another post to reply to posts other than the OP. btw the new quote thing sucks....

Pheonix, you mention the Ipad, and one reason the industry was saying it wouldn't work is because it didn't work for Microsoft some 4 years earlier when they tried haha

One thing I will add though, everyone I've talked to that has said the oh-so-common "xbox got its ass kicked at e3" has had no reply when I say "How exactly did that happen?"

I mostly agree with Bacon's deference of the Xbox One, but there is just one thing that still bugs me: 

Why don't they just use the same validation system as Steam?

From what I gather, games must now be installed to your system (which is actually an advantage imo).  If this is true, why not validate a game on install and update?  I'm glad they are trying to make the 24-hour check-in easier, but I feel like it would just be easier for everyone to validate on install/update instead.  The 1-hour check-in while on guest consoles is also a little worrisome.

Aside from that, I'm glad they are requiring the Kinect.  By doing this, MS has guaranteed developers that all of the Kinect's functionality will be available to all players.  One of the Kinect's biggest struggling points was that developers couldn't integrate the controls in small ways - they either had to assume most players didn't have a Kinect or go all out and make a Kinect game.  Now they can make voice commands and gestures a seamless part of the game's controls.

Also, as Ang and Vigil already mentioned, the Xbox One is shaping up to have better games so far (unsurprising, given that MS spent wun-billion dollars on new exclusives). Even if the PS4 were a better system, it wouldn't mean squat if it couldn't play half the good titles.  It is a games console after all (which makes Sony's constant "we made this for actual gamers" PR fluff rather ironic).

I think both the Xbox One and PS4 looks like pretty good systems.  I'll get at least one of them a few months after launch, but I'll probably stick to PC for most of my games.

One of Kinect's biggest struggles is that its ass to use.



And always will be (I'll never sell out).

If they are putting it inside the system and forcing everyone to have one i'm hoping they have made breakthroughs in how to make them not shit.

Speaking of breakthroughs, forcing people online might be a good way to get improved internet service in the US. All this stuff they're adding on could inspire people to push for it.

And help Google Fiber sales which is just starting to branch out everywhere which is a pure coincidence i'm sure.

Leaving this Here

http://www.webpronews.com/the-xbox-one-will-be-ditching-its-drm-rumor-2013-06

The Official Post:
http://news.xbox.com/2013/06/update

This has to be the biggest corporate PR and Marketing disaster since New Coke.

Glad they saw some sense when they realised that the entire gaming community and most game journalists pointed out how much of a dumb idea it was.

Now it's just a worse PS4.

That's $100 more and has a camera that spies on you.

It's a start at least.

I personally liked the setup before better than now.

Now if I buy a disc based game I have to keep the disc around....fuck that shit.

and vigil, keep saying $100 more like it actually matters to anyone.

No, it's not a start. It's a step backwards. I was looking forward to fast installs from discs and never needing it again. I was looking forward to family sharing of all my games with anyone, anywhere.

Now I have to have the disc with me to play. Now I can't even share digital games. Now I can only share locally. Thanks, internet, for complaining about being connected to the internet.

Well, at least I can sell my old games for $1.69.

"In addition to buying a disc from a retailer, you can also download games from Xbox Live on day of release. If you choose to download your games, you will be able to play them offline just like you do today. Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console -- there will be no regional restrictions."

Your missing the fundamental appeal of a console game Ang. If you want to do that, the PC has always been the place for that and will continue to do so. The key concept of pick up and play is destroyed by what they were suggesting. The ability to play your version of the game almost instantly in any console without any checks and restrictions is one of the reasons it's still my primary source for games.

 I like the ability to play my copy of the game at a friends house without having to check in on the internet every hour. As a consumer, I should have the right to do whatever the hell I want with a game after I've bought it, be lend it to a friend and get it back at a later date or do it multiple times, sell it to anyone I choose etc. Used games are a problem yes, but without them I wouldn't be able to find some games that aren't available to buy new. 

My Internet is okay but randomly disconnects every so often, just enough to make that 24 hour thing seem like a problem. A lot of areas in America right now don't even have a broadband connection. They were pushing for something that isn't readily there or reliable enough to work large scale. Why do you think the number of countries for the day one edition were so few? They were the only countries that could possibly handle their always-on requirement and Xbox was a strong brand there. It was a quite a smaller slice of the market than their current console operates in, and isn't viable.

Look I get it, Digital distribution is the future, we all can agree on that, and I'm more than ready for that eventuality, but the way Microsoft came at it initially was truly the worst way to do it possible as they went too fast and too harsh in trying to push for this stuff when the market just isn't ready yet. I mean we still have a lot of goods sold as hard copies (Books, CDs, DVD etc) when digital versions are available and are usually cheaper than their other hard counterparts.  

We're moving in that direction, but we're only about half of the way there. We need a transitional period to get us to that place and honestly there's nothing stopping Microsoft or Sony reaching what you want a few years down the line when it's more accepted and high speed broadband is more readily available, but it should be done in a way that doesn't take freedom away from the consumer without a legitimately good reason to do so.

You can buy all new releases digitally on XBL on the day of release. They've already said as much in the announcement.  I can see them bringing back the features Ang wanted in update in the future. Hell look at the huge changes in the 360 from launch to now. It's very likely.

NT, the cost does to anybody who has anybody who hasn't got that money just lying around. This isn't 2007 when everybody had a lot more disposable income. A lot of us here are in College/university and that stuff doesn't come cheap.

Asking $500 for a games console in an age of austerity and slow economic growth is plain absurd. I'm sure some fanatical technophiles will pay for it, they always do for any new device, but for the average consumer, who are 21-28 year old men, most will be hard pressed for that, unless your pretty well off, or you started saving for it now.