...and that's what Microsoft wants.
The old adage: "No publicity is bad publicity" rings true for Microsoft as a result of the latest round of rumours regarding the next Xbox requiring an internet connection in order to play.
Microsoft, without having spent a dime on a flashy presentation (or actual technology), have gotten the entire gaming world talking about the successor to the Xbox 360. Someone in Microsoft's marketing department is going to be getting a big raise real soon... The recent bad press stems from rumours of the next Xbox being "always online". In the aftermath of Sims 3, it's no wonder Microsoft have caused a s***storm over this recent rumour.
Evidence of this s***storm can be seen on the main page of N4G and the N4G forums. At the time of writing, all 5 hottest stories are regarding the next Xbox. On the forums, it's the same situation. All this talk and we don't even know if another Xbox even exists. Obviously, after the huge pre-announcement backlash, Microsoft will not be fully committing to "always online". I see two potential scenarios:
1) They reveal the Xbox as NOT requiring online connectivity.
2) They reveal that the next Xbox will have some modified form of "always online", but it will be different than what rumours suggest.
In both option 1 and 2, Microsoft is the good guy for not requiring online connectivity, when compared to the rumours. They are the heroes for not following the what appears to be new industry standard. Additionally and more importantly, they can build on this momentum with an Xbox reveal which will drive the Xbox hype to levels definitely not seen so far with the PS4.
And that's what it is all about. Microsoft want the limelight for themselves. By letting these rumours go without confirming or denying, the hype continues to center around the Xbox and moves away from the PS4. N4G, though a small sample, proves this. Remember that ZERO is actually known about the next Xbox since NOTHING is known about it. All of this is rumour.
When Microsoft does announce the next Xbox (if they do?), N4G will explode. This is what they want. We on N4G are sheeps of marketing. Because of this, I cannot wait for an announcement so the end of the "rumours" and "leaks" can finally stop.
We were expecting problems with mod support, but there are a lot of other issues.
Not accidental, they want modders to stop modding their older games to force them to mod Shitfield.
Over 14 GBs and doesn't change much at all? What? Taking up that much drive space for a pathetic 'remastering' is shameful.
Par for Bethesda.
LOL people are actually expecting massive improvements or something? From Bethesda?? the same people who released Skyrim multiple times and the all look like shit? THAT Bethesda? are people for real?
The ps5 version doesn't change a ton but from my small playtime it's enough to make me want to replay it just to have it running at 60.
A side note to this my PS4 version no longer boots after it's "update" so I guess that's what it feels like to own a Bethesda game on PC
As of right now, there are no monopolies in the games industry, and for the sake of the medium as a whole, they never should either.
And yet the biggest tech companies in America are essentially that. They buy up all the small comps only to kill them off and steal what they have, and if they can't buy em they bleed them to death.
They buy IPs not talent. That's why these buyouts never work and the IPs die. Right now it's too expensive to develop games - but I expect that to shift maybe as AI tools can make it easier. The best games have been indie games for awhile as big developers fuck their ips to death with "games as a service" -
A voice actor from The Coalition's third-person shooter series, Gears of War, has hinted at a new game announcement coming in June.
Hopefully Microsoft will go back to the original story line and get away from that woke nonsense from the last Gears game Gears of Woke! But were talking about Microsoft so all the betting money is on more of the same woke nonsense.
I already pointed out this possibility a while ago because it does seem like something Microsoft would do. They are a marketing company, not a software company nor a hardware company. Neither their software nor hardware have ever been top of the line, but their marketing has always been top-notch.
And it is for that very reason why I'll be ignoring the NextBox. Heck, I made that decision years ago. Microsoft has never been in this industry to advance gaming or expand gaming or to evolve the medium. They've always been in it so that they can capture marketshare, expand their brand, and rake in the profits from any angle they can.
Nope. They're looking like the bad ones, while PS4 and Wii U (somewhat) soak up the positivity. This MS guy f***ed up. Bad.
One of two things are going to come of this current mess:
- Either: MS refutes on always online and everyone moves on. Those interested in the Xbox3 go back to being interested in the console. No actual harm done.
- Or: MS confirms it. Those currently pissed and threatening to jump ship might actually jump ship.
Beyond that there's a slight chance the industry will observe the likely coming blunder. Not do DRM themselves.
There is no overall benefit from what's happening. There is no Machiavellian plot going on here, there is only either potential damage control, or an iceberg.
Brilliant strategy. Lower expectations so that we can all be impressed when it's revealed that it's actually on par with what we expect from any game console.
I think Burger King tried that strategy once. They had their employees get on Twitter to talk up the great taste of dog meat, only to impress and amaze us all when they revealed their newest burger would contain 100% grade A beef.
I bought 19 burgers. Because, hey, it ain't dog meat!
Flawless strategy.