Xbox One Announcement

[ctophil]

Well, I watched the live Microsoft event today of the next generation system, Xbox One. It was a huge bummer. All they talked about was how to watch TV on your new shiny Xbox One and multi-tasking. And then the show lead to 90% on new sports games. Blah, the only thing good about it was a new IP called Quantum Break from Remedy (from the makers of Alan Wake). The trailer was confusing anyways. So I'm not really sure what kind of game it happened to be. Xbox One's specs are quite vague but similar to the Playstation 4 announced months ago. Let's wait until June 10th for E3. Maybe by then, Microsoft will help me stop yawning. At this point, I'm still more way excited about the Playstation 4. Sony's focus are more on games than an all-in-one set-top box like Xbox One.

Let me know what you guys think.

P.S. Xbox One looks more like a box than the original system. lol. It's huge! Looks like one of the earlier VCR models back in the day. Check it out: http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2013/05/xbox-one-analysis/

[DPsx7]

I never liked what M$ has offered. Sony and Nin offer much more. The rumors have been killing this platform as I don't watch movies, don't care about sports, I don't even watch much TV other than 4 or 5 channels for a couple shows. I certainly wouldn't want a platform that's always online, required a camera, did away with used games or a physical format, etc. If Sony chooses to also do stupid things I'm gonna stick with my U and go back to replay all the games I've collected over the years.

[ctophil]

Adding to the disaster, this Xbox One thing is getting worse by the minute. Microsoft updated today that your family and friends can't play the used copy that you let them borrow unless they pay for it. When you buy a new game and install it onto the Xbox One hard drive (it's mandatory) to play, it is assigned to your gamer profile ONLY. No one else can play that copy until they pay full price for it via Xbox Live. You can still trade it in at Gamestop, and the retail outlet will most likely sell you a used license to play it. The copy itself can't be playable unless Gamestop gives you some kind of license (a code or something, to be announced later).

So used games has gotten complicated with Microsoft's new console. But the most perplexing thing is what if you want to sell a used game on Ebay 10 years from now? How is the buyer going to play it when Microsoft no longer sells the license to it anymore? Epic fail.

Looks like Playstation 4 and Wii U are still in the standard used games market, not this new baloney that Microsoft is implementing.

Read the article here: http://www.egmnow.com/articles/news/xbox-one-games-will-be-tradeable-no-lending-games-to-friends-without-a-fee/

Update: One more point I want to mention is that the Xbox One will require an Internet connection to at least register your game. So if you live in an area where Internet is difficult to get or sparse, you are out of luck. Microsoft doesn't require an always on connection, but they do require you to have Internet for updates, game registration, etc. at least once a day. :-)

Read about it here: http://kotaku.com/xbox-one-does-require-internet-connection-cant-play-o-509164109

[DPsx7]

A bunch of people on other sites like to cast off my views because I wasn't a big fan of M$ even before they launched a console. When it comes to gaming I'll go wherever the good games are, and it's happened to be a lucky coincidence that M$ and their platforms have done everything I do not want in a console. I need a varied library with unique games. Specs and graphics aren't my focus. I won't pay extra to play online, don't want non-gaming features since I view very little TV and zero movies, I enjoy finding lesser known games on the used rack, etc. Basically I do not like restrictions that could limit my future access to the things I paid for.

[Areala]

So, let me get this straight...

It's a device with a built-in camera and microphone that attaches to a video screen to provide you with entertainment in exchange for opening up a Pandora's Box of privacy-related concerns.

I read a book that had these things in them once. Didn't care for the outcome in that one. Doubt I'll care for the outcome here.

*huggles*
Areala

[E-Day]

It was clarified today or late yesterday that games installed on your Xbone can be played by other accounts on the console. So your spouse or kid can play the game you bought with their accounts. They will definitely need to clarify things for this whole pass thing when lending games to friends, but it's not a concern of mine. I am interested in the Kinect-enabled stuff the Xbone can do.

[ctophil]

It was clarified today or late yesterday that games installed on your Xbone can be played by other accounts on the console. So your spouse or kid can play the game you bought with their accounts. They will definitely need to clarify things for this whole pass thing when lending games to friends, but it's not a concern of mine. I am interested in the Kinect-enabled stuff the Xbone can do.

I think they are talking about family accounts, which is basically the main account with sub accounts. So we are still talking about the same thing. Only the one account that the game is registered to can be played. There is a rumor that retailers like Gamestop will have access to Microsoft servers in order to deactivate the trade-in game from the registered gamertag. Therefore, they can sell it back to another person.

When you are at a friend's house with your game copy, you can log into your gamertag to play it. But if your buddy want to play it on his own account, he has to buy it using Xbox Live. The game can be installed on any Xbox One hard drive and be played without the disc. However, you must buy the license online for it to be playable.

[E-Day]

The article at The Verge tonight (http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/24/4363732/xbox-one-spot-checks-used-game-authentication) clarifies it, but it's still a weird arrangement.

Good thing I am not interested in the Xbone for the games.

[DPsx7]

As much as I want to discourage anyone from buying this crap and accidentally telling them the 'features' are ok, if you're not looking for games then that's pretty much what you'll get.

[ctophil]

Howdy everybody,

Microsoft updated their used game and "always on" internet connection policies today for the Xbox One. So basically, everything I have found out so far are true except for a few more details.

Your family members can play the game on the same console you registered the game with. Up to 10 family members can do this by logging on to their gamertag. Only one person can play the game at a time through your shared game library.

You can give the game to a friend (or family member). But he or she has to be on your friends list for at least 30 days. Plus, you can only give it to them one time. You can only give it away. You can't let anybody borrow it. This has something to do with disabling the game on your console and enabling it on their Xbox One. So uh, this pretty much prevents anybody from selling the game on the used games market like Ebay or flea markets. Well you still can, but you gotta pay for it twice (once at the flea market and then on Xbox Live). So nobody is gonna do that. Loaning or renting games won't be available at launch (that means no gamefly or playground loaning of games to your mates until, hopefully, sometime in the future). But they are exploring "possibilities" with their partners.

You can still trade in your games at retailers like Gamestop, which what they do is disable the game from your "cloud" registration via your gamertag. As I discussed before, 10 years from now if you want to buy a used copy from an "unofficial" retailer like "ahem" Ebay, you're out of luck if Microsoft decides to stop selling the license. Hehe. Remember that if you own the used disc, you gotta buy the game again via Xbox Live in order to play it. See what I mean? :-)

Now all this stuff is Microsoft's policy when they publish their own games. Third-party publishers can decide if they are going to let you give games to other people or not.

Read about the used games policy here: http://www.ign.com/wikis/xbox-one/Used_Games_and_Rentals

As for the "always on" internet connection requirement, I said before that you don't need to be online all the time to play games. But Microsoft said that you must be connected to the Internet at least once every 24 hours on your own console or one hour if you are logged into another console. Otherwise, you get the boot from your game. Cool eh? Although you can watch TV, DVD, and Blu-Ray movies offline at anytime. Isn't Microsoft nice?

Read all about it here: http://www.ign.com/wikis/xbox-one/Always_Online_Connection

[Ethereal Dragonz]

I was a big supporter of the original Xbox and the Xbox 360, so it is very disappointing to see these anti-consumer practices with Microsoft telling us to "Deal with it".

I hope that the Playstation 4 will fill the void and go the opposite route of just about everything Microsoft is proposing. This upcoming generation I may only purchase a PS4 just in principle.

While Nintendo is not doing any of this garbage, which is commendable, the Wii U does not interest me. I think I am finally tired of playing the same first party titles with the same premise.

[ctophil]

The Xbox One is now available for pre-order for $499. Launch date has not been announced yet, but will be released sometime in November 2013. Pre-order your system now at Amazon.com if you don't mind the used games mess. Hehe. This was from today's Microsoft E3 2013 Press Conference. I will be back later for more info from Sony's Conference for Playstation 4 stuff.

http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-One-Console/dp/B00CMQTVK0/ref=sr_tr_sr_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1370899033&sr=1-1&keywords=xbox+one

Check the list of Xbox One launch and launch window titles here:

http://www.ign.com/wikis/xbox-one/List_of_Xbox_One_Games

I think the notable titles for me are the following:

Killer Instinct (yay, they finally remade it)

Dead Rising 3

Dark Souls II (for Xbox 360, PS3, & PC only--not next-gen title, but still looking forward to it)

D4 (spiritual successor to the D series on Sega Saturn and Dreamcast)

Crimson Dragon (from the makers of Panzer Dragoon for Sega Saturn)

Dragon Age 3: Inquisition

Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain

The Witcher 3

Quantum Break (from makers of Alan Wake)

Project Spark (creative RPG where you customize your own world, enemies, style, etc.)

Ryse (cool looking third-person, medieval hack n slash but too much QTE [Quick Time Events] action similar to God of War)

Below (from makers of Super Brothers: Sword and Sworcery on Mobile and PC)

Halo (not sure if this is part of the main series, maybe just a side story. No actual title was given, just Halo.)

Destiny (from Bungie, original makers of Halo)

[E-Day]

$500 is steep, but I knew it wouldn't be cheap. I'll be waiting a while before getting this, if I get it. Some things about it seem awesome, and other parts are the very opposite.

[KiwiArcader]

The crap DRM around second hand games sales is a killer for me on the games side of things. That leaves it as a Blu-ray player and I have two home theatre systems that do 3D Blu-ray so that advantage is also negated. Then there is likely to be the limited codec support as per the X-360 where it cannot play most formats including MKV which my home theatre units can no problems at all which doesn't even make it a worthwhile media centre purchase.

My view of it is potentially nice hardware and concept .... shit treatment of users = STAY AWAY

Sony have come out and said no mucking around re second hand game sales etc and no always on required to play disc based games so IF they stick to that ... and it's a big IF when you look at the PS2 Linux fiasco ... then it looks a better bet as far as gaming goes. I'd be waiting for a while though to see whether broken promises are the norm with either device.

[ctophil]

It appears that Microsoft has changed their policies concerning used games with Xbox One. They said that the Xbox One games will work just like the Xbox 360, and you no longer have ANY restrictions to buying, selling, borrowing, or trading used games to anyone or any store. You also can play all games offline if you wish, no need to connect to the Internet every 24 hours. Seems Microsoft saw how the gaming community has changed over to the PS4, and it would be a total loss to Microsoft for the awful used game policies before. So Xbox fans, this is good news for everybody.

Read the article here: http://news.xbox.com/2013/06/update

[KiwiArcader]

Well ... everyone who moaned about their used game policy/always on internet setup can pat themselves on the back for making Microsoft see their design decision for what it was. It also means that users will be able to enjoy their purchases long after the console has been superseded rather than becoming useless when it is no longer supported. Horsepower considerations aside the value proposition swings back to a more even keel now meaning the PS4 has less of an advantage than it did prior to the policy backtrack.

[E-Day]

I think the PS4 segment on Jimmy Fallon's show the other night was the straw that broke the camel's back finally.

Now all the Xbone needs are better games.

[ctophil]

Well, Microsoft created a video today to show the contents of the Xbox One box when you bring it home. Looks pretty cool to me, but I'll still wait a year or two when there are games I truly want to play on it. BTW, the Xbox One does support 4K Resolution (video only at this point), hence the included HDMI that is 4K capable. For those who don't know, 4K Resolution is the next-gen high-def that is a followup to 1080p. Some movie theaters already use 4K, I'm sure home TVs will follow suit soon at least with a cheaper price. :-) Let me know what you guys think.