Microsoft Officially Unveils Xbox One For Holiday 2013

[Bojay1997]

I don't know, nothing is quite as embarrassing as showing that you don't know how to count.

Saturn is a great name - Titan too. Nothing wrong with Dreamcast either.

@ WCP:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...online-for-ps4

Maybe Sony's been treated more gently by the leaks, but when you've ruled out an always-online policy, the most obvious method of ruling out used game usage - tying an activation code to one account, and only moving it if the current owner pays a fee - doesn't seem workable.

Saying that you ruled out always online is not the same as saying the PS4 will never have to be online. The PC has had Internet based activation since dial-up days. I would be shocked if Sony didn't require the same, especially in light of Microsoft's announcement and the pressure they will get from large publishers like EA and others. If Sony has major markets where no Internet is available for some reason, I can see them developing a custom version of the PS4 for those markets or some other means of activation like texting an activation code or even calling a phone number, but to be honest, I doubt many places like that exist anymore, at least not in the US, Europe or most of Asia.

[Ed Oscuro]

Those are all possibilities, but they are also far-fetched. Doing communication with a central server, as the Xbox One, is going to be cheap for Microsoft (or anybody) and far less problematic than trying to administer alternate activation methods just to delay an inevitable reveal of obnoxious new limitations on software use. Sony has already financially profited from Microsoft's assertions, but such profits would quickly evaporate along with the unintentional goodwill generated by Microsoft for Sony.

In the case of the Xbox, we had plenty of "rumors" - mostly leaks, actually - which ended up being worse than what was thought. There were some technically accurate but incomplete "counter-leaks" which purported to disprove always online...which ended up just being some confirmation that no, not even Microsoft is stupid enough to sign you out of a game if you temporarily lose a connection.

On the PS4 side, we don't have any rumors to even start building a case from, just pure speculation. And, for somebody who protested the always online rumors so much, I don't see why you can justify trying to invent rumors. If it was bad to pay attention to leaked (but legitimate) information, surely it's at least as bad to just create rumors out of thin air.

EA can say whatever they want to Sony, but I think Sony now have good cause to be suspicious that they need to build in a draconian "online pass" - like system, as Microsoft has done.

[PreZZ]

From 2006 to 2009, I only played my 360 and my ps3 was covered with dust. But since 2009, PS3 became my favorite system, it had more exclusives and ever since MS launched Kinect they lost their focus on gamers. I dont give a fuck about cameras, wands, waggle controllers, etc its just a useless gimmick. This one requires a new Kinect or else it wont play!! Have fun with Kinectimals One and buying a new house just to have a big sized gaming room to play with it. And MS not denying all the used game stuff just proves they will try to get every penny possible... Fuck it. And if ps4 does the same bullshit, fuck it too. Wii U might be good after all!

[Bojay1997]

Those are all possibilities, but they are also far-fetched. Doing communication with a central server, as the Xbox One, is going to be cheap for Microsoft (or anybody) and far less problematic than trying to administer alternate activation methods just to delay an inevitable reveal of obnoxious new limitations on software use. Sony has already financially profited from Microsoft's assertions, but such profits would quickly evaporate along with the unintentional goodwill generated by Microsoft for Sony.

In the case of the Xbox, we had plenty of "rumors" - mostly leaks, actually - which ended up being worse than what was thought. There were some technically accurate but incomplete "counter-leaks" which purported to disprove always online...which ended up just being some confirmation that no, not even Microsoft is stupid enough to sign you out of a game if you temporarily lose a connection.

On the PS4 side, we don't have any rumors to even start building a case from, just pure speculation. And, for somebody who protested the always online rumors so much, I don't see why you can justify trying to invent rumors. If it was bad to pay attention to leaked (but legitimate) information, surely it's at least as bad to just create rumors out of thin air.

Also, what pressure is Sony under from EA? EA appears to be exclusive with Microsoft this round. Quite apparently they only announced they're ditching online passes (about a week ago) because the new Microsoft system does everything online passes did, but more comprehensively (and with less cost to EA, because it'll all be on Microsoft servers now).

We do have what Sony revealed at their press event. They could have easily said, no Internet connection required and used games work the same way they do today. Given how much Internet and video game media speculation there was following the discovery of that Sony patent last year and in the weeks and months leading up to their event, they had to be aware that it was a concern. The fact that they didn't immediately storm the video game media the minute Microsoft's press event ended today trumpeting that the PS4 doesn't require an Internet connection and that used games are completely transferrable and reusable without additional fees indicates that maybe that's not the whole story. Just like rumors can sometimes have a kernel of truth inside, so too can omissions or a lack of a firm and complete statement of information from company spokespeople.

Sony needs EA and just because EA is providing Microsoft with added features doesn't mean they are going single console this time. Without Fifa and Madden, Sony would have no viable football or soccer games and would lose two of its consistently biggest selling third party games worldwide. Sony also stated at least once in the past few weeks that it will allow content providers to choose how they do content protection. You can be sure that Sony will allow EA and any other third party which so chooses to limit content to a single user or family and require Internet activation in much the same way that online passes used to work.

[TonyTheTiger]

To me it looks like a satellite receiver.

It's specifically designed to look like a set-top box. I'm assuming that was deliberate. Any kind of entertainment system centerpiece like a DVD player or A/V receiver should ideally be very neutral. They went heavy in favor of the "big black rectangle nobody notices" aesthetic. I honestly like it quite a bit. It doesn't have the personality of consoles past and it is awfully large but it actually looks the part of an entertainment center. And I like the idea that it's apparently designed to allow easy stacking of other devices.

In fact, most video game console names are really stupid.

Yeah, but Xbox One is the only name that will actively mess with people. Suddenly "Xbox 1" and "Xbox One" mean completely different things. It feels like trolling. If Nintendo were doing it and we had the "Nintendo One" it wouldn't be an issue since nobody uses that terminology to refer to the NES. But just about everyone uses "Xbox 1" when they need to specify the original.

[Ed Oscuro]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbWgUO-Rqcw

They could have easily said, no Internet connection required and used games work the same way they do today.

Sounds like you want me to prove a negative here.

Sony didn't say "PS4 doesn't kill cute baboon babies," I guess speculation about whether PS4 kills cute baby baboons is kosher now.

Working from leaks > just making up stuff because we don't have perfect information. Sooner or later you'll get what I'm saying.

Also, "no Internet connection" is not something anybody has been saying. Ever. You obviously need an internet connection for some things. Whether a game wants to go online for updates is one thing, as is having the system sitting in a kind of sleep mode for instant-on. Forcing the user to connect every 24 hours or else you lose the game is another.

And I like the idea that it's apparently designed to allow easy stacking of other devices.

Now you can transfer the Xbox One heat failure experience to your other beloved electronic boxes!

Yeah, but Xbox One is the only name that will actively mess with people. Suddenly "Xbox 1" and "Xbox One" mean completely different things. It feels like trolling.

Kind of like how consistently failing to have a plan for keeping old software playable in the future, and then making that model the default for the entire system, might be considered trolling?

[TonyTheTiger]

Now you can transfer the Xbox One heat failure experience to your other beloved electronic boxes!

I'm assuming the size is basically MS saying "fuck it, let's be REAL SURE."

[Bojay1997]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbWgUO-Rqcw

Sounds like you want me to prove a negative here.

Sony didn't say "PS4 doesn't kill cute baboon babies," I guess speculation about whether PS4 kills cute baby baboons is kosher now.

Working from leaks > just making up stuff because we don't have perfect information. Sooner or later you'll get what I'm saying.

Also, "no Internet connection" is not something anybody has been saying. Ever. You obviously need an internet connection for some things. Whether a game wants to go online for updates is one thing, as is having the system sitting in a kind of sleep mode for instant-on. Forcing the user to connect every 24 hours or else you lose the game is another.

Now you can transfer the Xbox One heat failure experience to your other beloved electronic boxes!

Kind of like how consistently failing to have a plan for keeping old software playable in the future, and then making that model the default for the entire system, might be considered trolling?

I don't need you to prove anything. Sony filed a patent application for a means of locking a game to a particular user account. That's not a rumor, that's a factual statement. http://www.gamespot.com/news/sony-pa...-games-6401992. The fact that Sony still hasn't clearly and unequivocally stated that used games can be freely transferred without a fee or some re-licensing process is still a perfectly valid concern. Saying a console can play used games is technically still true of the Xbox One, but it doesn't change the fact that it's not the same as being able to play used games without re-registration or re-licensing or being signed in to a specific user profile.

You're also backtracking on the Internet connection. The PS3, Xbox 360 and WiiU can all be played and used for gaming without ever having been connected to the Internet. Mandatory system updates are distributed on game discs currently for those gamers who don't use the Internet with their consoles. For example, my brother took his Xbox 360 on a destroyer while he was on deployment for six months. He and his crewmates played the thing every day. He had no Internet access as the only Internet connections on the ship were secured and used with specific e-mail terminals. To this day he still uses that 360 and his kids play it and it has never been connected to the Internet even once. IMHO, there should never be a requirement that a console be connected to the Internet if the user has no interest in using online functionality. It appears that you are conceding that the PS4 may in fact require such a connection and if that's the case with the PS4, Sony is going to face at least some level of backlash similar to what Microsoft is now facing.

[klausien]

We shouldn't have to debate any of this. There just shouldn't be ownership restrictions on this stuff. It all started ages ago with the idea of software licensing to combat widespread piracy, and has finally reached gaming via the same industry players. What a surprise. The fears everyone nourished in the wake of M$ joining the console game have come to stunning fruition.

The direction the next generation appears to actually be taking has answered my questions about my current XBLA games that don't work when the system isn't connected. They aren't mine, never were, and they most certainly will be gone when they kill the service someday. There will be no magic unlock patch to allow me to play them without the service. The truth is that we all have already been stiffed - now they're just taking a little more off the top. Once a door is opened, it is very difficult to close. Advantages will always be taken regardless of consequences. It's a process not unlike the way a frog will cook itself to death if the temperature of the water in the pot increases gradually. That said, I think I will miss AfterBurner Climax, Daytona USA and RayStorm HD the most.

The FPS, sports and online multiplayer games that have dominated the market this generation and the people who are addicted to them are the market's only concern - but I understand. The producers are only a small part of the overall equation. We also have to realize the part we play in all of this. The purpose of business is and has always been profit and nothing else. The retro market has proven that it is not profitable; evidenced by the myriad of reboots and remakes that sold poorly this generation. The penny-pinching and low-balling that are a part of all collector cultures also kill many of the games this same niche of gamers clamor for because essentially everyone refuses to pay the MSRP. Just as with the complete commercialization of popular music, popular gaming has now officially lost its soul. C'est la vie.

[CDiablo]

People were excited for the "Steam Box" but MS beat them to the punch and are now angry.

[JakeM]

This console is evil, and if people buy it theyre apart of the problem. It goes beyond problems in gaming into problems with society. A huge corporation is selling kids a box that will spy on them 24/7, once parent s figure this out I hope they'll make their kids understand how bad this is, but most kids wont listen. I hope the machine dies at the store and people stay away from it.


This is the worst console ever made, its worse than the Pippin, Jaguar, and the CD-i.

[Ed Oscuro]

Indeed:

http://techland.time.com/2013/05/21/...tv-over-games/

"Xbox LIVE — which still looks pretty much like the version of Xbox LIVE you’re using today — now remembers what you were last doing, what game you were playing, what song you were listening to and so forth, surfacing that information automatically."

BEADWINDOW codes 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7, don't you think?
Roger, out.

[Daltone]

Bleh. I'm starting to feel like I may as well get a Steam box.

As for Sony, this is the company that released the PSP Go, a device that only allowed you to purchase from their over priced online store.

[Ed Oscuro]

I think Sony is backing off the direction seen in the PSP Go experiment - what it ended up being; Sony must have noticed it didn't sell well - and Vita is somewhat more consumer-friendly than that, I think.

The Go was pretty upfront about what you'd get; without physical media, of course you'd only be getting it from the online stores. No discs to confuse people into thinking they'd be able to sell the games.

[Rob2600]

I'm assuming the size is basically MS saying "fuck it, let's be REAL SURE."

Let's hope they didn't skimp on the fans and thermal paste this time!

[Collector_Gaming]

I'll just leave this here.... Let the rage begin

[Graham Mitchell]

I'll just leave this here.... Let the rage begin

I love that video.

I'm not really surprised that this presentation ended up that way. Every generation the consoles get a bit further from my interests and start to cater to the jocks who made fun of me for playing NES. They might as well have called this presentation "fuck you, you faggot nerd."

Since both the "One" and the PS4 are x86 based, and I'm already a committed PC gamer, neither of these are looking too appealing to me. My PC is already more powerful than both of these. I'm really hoping the "One" doesn't end up with a bunch of awesome Cave shooters or something because I REALLY don't want to have to buy one.

[JakeM]

More hits keep on coming. Microsoft should rehire Adam Orth, keep greedy bastards in the same company.

http://kotaku.com/indie-developers-w...ium=Socialflow

The solo and small-team game-makers who’ve made games like Fez, Braid and Limbo won’t be able to control their own destinies on Microsoft’s next game console...This news comes in stark contrast to Sony’s promises that indies will be able to self-publish content on the PS4. The publisher model, of course, means that some other entity has to decide whether to take a risk on helping get a game on a console and that someone else gets a cut of profits.

[Griking]

I'll just leave this here.... Let the rage begin

Kind of dumb actually. A video could have been made with people repeating the word 'the' as well.

While I personally think I like what I've been reading about the PS4 this time around I hold no hate for this console. In fact, I don't know if it's possible but I think that it would be awesome if we would be able to replace our $5 a month rented cable boxes with an Xbox.

[Collector_Gaming]

Kind of dumb actually. A video could have been made with people repeating the word 'the' as well.

While I personally think I like what I've been reading about the PS4 this time around I hold no hate for this console. In fact, I don't know if it's possible but I think that it would be awesome if we would be able to replace our $5 a month rented cable boxes with an Xbox.

wait.... xbox isn't a cable box?

After all the tv references (and thats why whoever made that video like that).. I thought otherwise.

Huh the more you know I guess.


Actually I thought of another thing this reminds me of.. Remember those hotels back in the day that had a system in the rooms where you could watch tv and play n64 games on a their hardwired n64 controller all in one unit?

BAM Xbox 1 before Xbox 1