It’s almost impressive how quickly Microsoft have managed to throw away any good will they had with the Xbox One. I’ll admit, I was quietly pleased at the end of yesterday’s reveal. Judging by the general reaction on Twitter it seems like I was in the minority, but a lot of what they had to show intrigued me.
Oh sure, the concept of an always listening Kinect in my front room is exceptionally troubling, but the quick boot time, the rapid task switching and the multitasking that the Snap concept demonstrated showed that a huge amount of time, effort and innovation has gone into designing the operating system that lies at the core of the Xbox One. Even the TV concepts looked great, although it seemed obvious that they’d only be available in the US initially.
However, as the show ended journalists started to ask questions about the new console, and that positivity rapidly drained away. We started to get answers to the troublesome topic of internet connectivity, and while it seems that you don’t need an internet connection to play, you will need one to register games when you first play them.
Always Online
Then came the news that the Xbox One needs to check in once every 24 hours, just to make sure that you’re not doing anything you shouldn’t be.
While many will find this annoying, things got a whole lot worse when questions about pre-owned games started to be asked. On the upside, you can, in theory, re-sell your games. In practice this seems like it will never, ever happen.
You see, you need to register the game against your account when you first play it, installing it as you do. Once it’s registered you can play it on as many consoles as you like, as long as your account is logged onto Xbox Live on the console.
If another account wants to play the same copy of the game, either because the game’s been resold or because you’ve loaned it out, then they’ll have to pay a fee. That fee? Anything up to the actual price of the game. It’s a little unclear what kind of fee we can actually expect, but some amount of money is going to come out of your account.
Backlash
As you’d expect, this has caused a huge backlash, as has the almost comically poor way Microsoft’s PR machine handled the announcement of this element. They seem to have revised their answer a half dozen times, before finally confirming that there will be a fee, and that the fee may well be the full price of the game.
Then there’s the fact the TV integration that seems to lie at the core of Microsoft’s vision is all smoke and mirrors, simply using an HDMI pass through from the cable or satellite box that your provider gives you. Oh there’ll probably be some clever things with a few select providers they’ve partnered with, but in general they’re just sticking the Xbox overlay on top of what your set-top box already has.
In some ways this is clever, allowing them to hook up to a much wider variety of boxes and TV providers. In others it seems disingenuous, particularly with the fact that you always need a set-top box, even if you’re using a provider that Microsoft have established a relationship with.
The thing is, I’ve got no objection to Microsoft centring the Xbox One around TV and other forms of media, it’s just the way they’ve implemented it and announced it that I find frustrating. Whatever you want to put at the core of your system should be a masterpiece that works flawlessly and simply in almost any situation. Unfortunately, the solution that Microsoft has seems inelegant and deceptive to me.
The same holds true for their internet based DRM solution and the frankly ludicrous concept of transferring a game licence for the same price as buying the game new. The solutions simply aren’t great, and the way that Microsoft put out inconsistent, conflicting statements was incredibly frustrating in the wake of yesterday’s reveal.
In need of a boost
While more facts have at least become clear in the light of day, it seems that within 24 hours of its announcement the Xbox One is already in desperate need of a boost. Hopefully that will come at E3, but right now Microsoft really need to clarify their messaging if they don’t want to fall into a deep, dark hole of negative spin and consumer mistrust.
They need consumers to be buoyant about the console, to be spreading their anticipation far and wide, not worrying about what the console means for buying their habits.
Of course the big question hanging in the air is why they didn’t have a clear message on any of these points from the get go. The questions that were going to crop up were, frankly, obvious and anyone with a modicum of common sense could have worked out what they’d need answers for. How have they managed to get it so wrong?
Broonba
IMO Microsoft have seriously shot themselves in the foot with the game license debacle. I mostly buy games new (when I can afford them) but loads of my mates fund their game purchases by trading in their old(ish) games. As a result of the license on games, not one of my mates will be buying the next xbox. I know this is only a small groups opinion but I think I can (probably) safely say that this will be mirrored all over the planet. And no, I’m not a Sony fanboy…….far from it.
Torquemada
Massive Xbox fan, but I will not be getting this console. I can live without the backwards capability, but I do not like being restricted with goods Ive bought. I want my son to be able to play my game on his own Xbox, and I want to be able to play 2nd hand games. No wonder EA were so keen to drop the online passes the other day; no need now eh EA?
If Sony dont follow suit, then I’ll be getting a PS4 this time round. If not, then I’ll go back to PC gaming which is far far cheaper and innovative. C’mon Microsoft, 8 sequels for a new console. My son was right, its just the 360 reskinned with prettier graphics and without the ability to share/play 2nd hand games.
Microsoft, I do hope this console bombs as you need to pay for your greedy actions. You seem to spend so much in R & D, but didnt even bother consulting your fan base as to what they might want.
Kevatron400
So, do we know what happens if you pop in a new game for the first time, and aren’t connected to the internet?
DarthSharkey
I’ve read it should work if the disc is in the machine, it’s only if you don’t have the disc in the drive!
Don’t quote me though because I don’t even think Microsoft could tell you the right answer at the moment!
DarthSharkey
So to watch TV I have to use and pay for running my TV, my satellite/cable provider and for the Xbox one!
So I’m wasting electricity by running the console when I don’t need to!
Or am I missing something?
boeboe
Jon Blow has tweeted he has been told the specs between the 2 are quite different and heavily suggesting the PS4 is more powerful than the X1; a real difference unlike the current gen.
The Lone Steven
The main thing that i expect from a console is gaming. MS seems to be placing their focus on TV, Social networking and stuff like that instead of the gaming aspect. They have pretty much killed of rentals for the Xbox as no-one wants to pay £45 to rent a game and no-one will trade it in for the same reason. They have made it harder for Indie Developers so i won’t be surprised if they struggle to get indie developers to support it. The having to be connected to the net for the console to check that you are playing that game once every 24 hours sends out the wrong message. You are screwed if your net goes down for a few days.
I think MS either don’t know what they are doing with the xbox or do know what they are doing and have forgotten the core focus of a typical gaming console. Gaming. They are going to be struggling to sell it from day 1.
Loxstokk
As much as I’m enjoying watching the public outcry over the used games situation – I’m also dreading the inevitable Sony announcement of something similar. Has no one else realised that EA have dropped online passes FULL STOP! i.e. no online passes for any console including PS4. This will surely mean they will be utilising a similar system with Sony too. Hopefully Sony are allowing publishers to implement it at a software level rather than hardware as used by Microsoft. At least then consumers will be able to vote with their feet by purchasing games from other (non DRM) publishers…
honkyjesus
The bigger problem seems to be Microsoft is absolutely clueless about their public persona right now.
At some point bringing out EA at a console reveal, not showing a single second of actual (not prerendered weird angle) gameplay and once again telling us “we are about games, they are coming, we just don’t have them” is biting them in the ass.
Xbox management and oversight is a complete clusterbang, embodied by the fact they just have no idea how to be a consumer-centric company. They try to have imagination like Apple and fail.
They get rid of any higher talent in development or management for Xbox and expect great results. See Rare and shoving J Allard out of the company.