Yesterday, to the delight of gamers around the world, Microsoft performed a pretty dramatic U-turn, ditching a swathe of policies surrounding its next-generation console, the Xbox One.
In short, users will be free to play retail or downloadable games anywhere offline, the unpopular daily login system scrapped for a one-time activation. Perhaps even a bigger relief to gamers is that Microsoft has done away with its draconian used-game restrictions. Before the 180-flip, Xbox One users would only be allowed to play borrowed or second-hand games if they purchased a “license”.
Now, as with the Xbox 360, you are free to swap and trade-in freely: it’s business as usual.
Needless to say, this is great news for gamers. Sure, there are a few unpopular features that remain (namely Kinect 2 and Microsoft’s drive to promote the console as a multimedia platform) but the most egregious policies have been now been remedied. Good on Microsoft, eh?
Well, no, not really. If there’s one thing we should all take away from this it is that we literally had to force them to make these changes.
Ever since the Xbox One was revealed to the world last month, it has been the butt of every industry-related joke.
However, beneath all the “TV, TV, TV, sports, sports, sports” wisecracks and “where the games at?” jibes, there was a serious message being put across. Having gone from underdog to being a top player, Microsoft was now throwing its weight around at the expense of its dedicated customers, touting the new Xbox as one box to rule the living room and not the next innovation in gaming.
On top of that, Microsoft had the audacity to impose a string of totalitarian restrictions, instructing users exactly where, when, and how to play the products they purchased with their hard earned money. It was a complete joke -from top to bottom- a big middle finger to those Xbox supporters who made the brand what it is today; and it only got worse.
At E3, Microsoft made an excellent delivery, showcasing a string of solid first party titles and exclusive, yet a shadow still loomed. Though games such as Quantum Break, Halo 5, and Project Spark piqued the interest of many, this excitement was dampened by a slew of unanswered yet extremely-important questions about the console.
Even when PR reps and guys in-the-know, including Don Mattrick himself, responded to the press, it was hard to determine who really had their facts right. Instead of coming clean, Microsoft was still floundering behind the scenes, fumbling around for answers that would appease gamers and justify their unpopular Xbox One policies.
Meanwhile, stock prices fell (if only marginally) and the internet’s distaste for the company and its console only grew. Reddit was aflame with “conversion” threads, memes, and Xbox support trolling. Even Sony was in on the joke when it released an “instructional video”, showing PlayStation gamers how to trade and swap their games.
Finally we had the Facebook poll conducted by Amazon, asking gamers which platform they would side with. The result was almost unanimous with a staggering 30,000 favouring the PlayStation 4 and not even 2,000 rallying behind the Xbox One. It seemed that, wherever you searched on the internet, not one person had a good word to say about Microsoft’s next-generation platform.
So, back to our main point, will the recent U-turn change people’s perspective of the Xbox One? Put simply, nobody really knows.
For many the damage has already been done. Microsoft, quite clumsily, revealed itself as a money-hungry corporation willing to set aside the core needs of gamers to get its console in every household. Even after this latest newsbreak, there’s a good chance many left chagrined by Microsoft’s rhetoric of ownership and licenses will still opt in the opposite direction.
With that said, there’s always a good portion of the market who don’t stay on top of gaming news and may not know that the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One even exist. It’s these gamers who are left unaffected by Microsoft’s previous floundering yet they are ones set to gain the most from the announcement.
Them, and of course, brick and mortar outlets such as GAME and Gamestop. Pre-owned is a huge part of their business and the news that Xbox One games will be tradeable has no doubt prompted managers to already set aside vast stretches of shelf space in anticipation.
Whichever way you look at it, the playing field has been somewhat levelled and, in the words of many an onlooker, the console war can now truly begin…
Dunks
Totally agree about the damage being done but I also think there’s actually a lot of potential customers unaware of the hoopla of the last few weeks so it levels things a tad and will hopefully keep competition strong which is good. Still, for all the features taken away from the back pedal, you’d think they’d reduce that price a bit eh? Im staying with Sony personally.
wick15
This is good news. Even though I agree that the damage is already done. The whole thing has just been a big embarrassing PR cock up for Microsoft. For me personally I still feel a lot of distrust towards Microsoft. There is no telling what they will do further down the line and I could see them possibly trying to implement some of these DRM features later on.
On the plus side it will benefit the gamers as there will be proper competition in the market now and I may be able to justify getting an Xbox One for Forza 5.
jimmy-google
The damage has already been done and still is with the Kinect requirements and the price. The Kinect requirement is being slightly forgotten about with all the DRM issues.
The price could still be the biggest issues – there are reports the XBO allocations are about 1/4 of the PS4 allocations stores are getting. I can’t see that many waiting around for the XBOX if there is $100/£80 cheaper brand new console available to them at the same time. If you’re a parent would you really want to spend the extra money?
If you’re a COD/Fifa player you don’t need to upgrade straight away as you can still get the games. You need a good reason to spend 400-500 on a new console.
Eldave0
“If you’re a parent would you really want to spend the extra money?”
The fact it comes with a Kinect, yes. Not a huge fan of the camera myself but there is no denying it sold well, particularly to families.
wirralsman
Shame really, part of me really wanted to see how this was going to pan out. I suppose things will be a lot more interesting with a level playing field now, so let the battle commence!
Fruitbat1919
I know that the XBone feature set exclusive due to Kinect and Multiple operating systems will not improve my gaming experience. Your gaming experience and TV / Skype needs may be different and hence make the extra money worth it.
Both consoles will no doubt have enough choice of games for myself.
The PS4 has many advantages to myself:
1/ the use of Vita as a remote gaming unit when the family want to watch crap TV.
2/ the price difference and choice of not buying the Sony Eye is beneficial to myself.
3/ the attitude Sony are showing towards developers at this time meets with my approval and I believe it will bring a wider choice of game styles to the PS4.
Nothing Microsoft has shown makes me see any benefit over the PS4 for the one home console I will buy this Gen. I bought an Xbox 360 and don’t consider myself a fan of any system. I just weigh up what is best for myself….pay my money and take my chances.
I’m aware that the bottom line with all these companies is to make money, but please do not tell me that the restrictions would have brought us all cheap games. Games get cheaper on all systems when they have been out a while. I can already buy cheap games for my Vita or Xbox or even if I got a PS3.
The digital only market place will happen in time, but if it becomes a ‘renting’ scheme, I will just choose not to play, unless I believe the price is appropriate to renting. I already buy digital games from Sony. I have them downloaded and can still play all single player options even if Sony went bankrupt and all the servers went down.
Microsoft have felt the backlash and changed their bet. I choose not to bet on Microsoft due to the following:
1/ I felt their arrogance of attitude is not conducive to myself trusting them.
2/ Their ‘extras’ such as Kinect, their lack of swappable harddrive, lack of chargeable battery and higher price, is not a value for money proposition for myself.
3/ I find monopolies to be counter productive. I have to use Windows due to some software, but I much prefer Linux in real life use. Microsoft have stated an intent to ‘own the living room’, to that I envisage an intent to monopolise, which I believe would stagnate a creative industry. I would no more like Sony to ‘own’ my living room either.
John Malcolm
Oh well, the children will buy the new XBox to play CoD – an adult game, but that doesn’t seem to matter – just like they always have, and the adults (or more grown-up children like me (51 and hating it!)) will go for the PS4.
Fruitbat1919
Microsoft Kinect instruction One: “You will buy what we tell you, or I will post this image of your naked wife all over the internet!”
Broonba
At least this news paints Microsoft in a positive light for a change.
I’m still not buying one though. :p