Is the Next Xbox's Silence a Problem? And When Can Game Length Distract?

This week on Sessler's ...Something, Adam ponders whether Microsoft's silence over their next-gen console is a bad thing. ALSO: when can game length detract from the quality of the product?

[AngelicIceDiamond]

This is the thing. there is has been no real "silence" MS and MS only knows when they'll announce their console. The rumors are the ones that's loud.

Maybe MS originally wanted to announce the new Xbox 2 to 4 days from now, who knows. All I know is, MS will announce the console in May like they did with the 360 7 in a half years ago. But the funny thing is it was a surprise and nobody saw it coming.

Its different this time around right? We know there's a reveal in May its no surprise, instead its anticipation, Anger, sleepless nights for some.

There's no silence from MS. People just have to wait for the reveal. Its several weeks instead of several months now.

EDIT: Anybody care to explain the "silent" disagrees? there is no silence. The reveal for the console JUST isn't here yet.

[cl1983]

As you said only Microsoft knows, the 21st of may is just rumored by an unreliable source. I myself still wonder if the new xbox will be this year.

[SilentNegotiator]

"They're definitely not being silent. Just silent. We have to be patient for them to break their silence"

[Natso]

I don't believe that s/he even knows what the word "Silence" means.

[showtimefolks]

First no I don't think MS waiting is a problem as long as both come out at the sam time, MS has proven again and again they can advertise Xbox brand

The reason I think MS hasn't said something is because Sony caught them off guard, first KAZ said we will wait till after MS than ps4 announcement and specs were revealed and I believe the ram is the main reason MS had to back track to make sure they atleast match Sony

I am a Xbox and playstation gamer so no need to hate on either, one thing I hope for is more gaming news out of MS and less about media box features or kinect 2
---------

Game length is so over rated to me, now with family and work I don't hav time to play 50 hours game like I use to. And side mission I don't even do unless its RPG which means you have to grind to level up, and the only game I do side mission for in last 2 years maybe borderlands

Most side missions are boring,generic and a after thought, I wish more developers pay more attention to side missins as they do to main story

Give me a 8 hours excellent game over a 50 hours boring one, vanquish is like 4-5 hours but IMO the best shooter of this gen

Spec ops and binary domain 8-10 hours each 2 of the most under rated games of this gen

Skyrim 100 hours but mostly boring to me atleast

Now fallout or GTA I don't mind spending 200 hours

[jmc8888]

It IS a problem, because the rumors out there are all about aspects of a system that could cause a mass exodus from people buying the system.

I'll put it to you this way.

If there were dozens of reports about horse meat and manure in McDonald's burgers and no one at McDonald's came out to say otherwise.....

Would this be...

a) a good move
b) a neutral move
c) a company suicidal move

The answer is by far and away C. If you answered anything else, go back to 1st grade.

No used games and always on connection to not render the console a worthless brick are major issues that could literally drop their customer base in half or more.

Anyone with a brain would understand that with all the common sense feedback that this was horrible and definitely alter their decision to buy the console (as in NOT buying it), then what they have is a major problem on their hands.

I repeat MS has a major problem on their hands. At this point, even if ALL was completely unfounded, this info has made its way around too much, too long, and impacted their customers far too much to be easily retracted from people's minds.

In other words, in many ways it's too late for MS to not be affected pretty heavily. It's already engrained in people's minds and if 80 percent learn that it ISN'T part of the console....that is IF it isn't, then the other 20 percent is literally millions of sales over the first year.

Anyone remember how long the Richard Gere gerbil story lasted? Hell some people STILL believe Richard Gere put gerbils up his butt.

When something like this happens, you have to hit hard back and ASAP.

MS didn't. Which should indeed make people worried. Because since these aspects (and more) would negatively impact customers decisions on Microsoft's next console, and they haven't done squat about these rumors, every day there is more credence to allowing one to believe more and more that they are true.

Either they are or aren't. But people's minds aren't made up on the whim of Microsoft. The information Microsoft wants to convey isn't absorbed by its customers at will.

Either Microsoft is guilty of insane amateur hour public relations that might cost it BILLIONS of dollars, or they indeed are going to push some real fascist crap upon its 'customers'.

Throw in a shady Kinect 2, and a potential weaker console in a console generation already starting off 2/3rd less powerful then what the 360/PS3 launched as and Microsoft is a mongoloid playing with fire in the middle of stacked gasoline canisters.

[jmc8888]

ROFL people don't like the truth I guess.

I'll lay it out for you.

This IS how people work.

Also when the 360 launched it thrashed $3000-5000 top of the line PC's from a year earlier.

Now a five year old PC CPU (that cost $229 when launched) with a $100-150 dollar 2012 GPU (not 2013) will match a 720.

You can judge the STARTING points objectively or like a fanboy.

You can say it matters or it doesn't matter. But the facts are, that IS the starting point.

[cl1983]

Gamers will learn what microsoft new consoles does and doesn't do, only troll fanboys will remember the false information simply to troll.

[dcbronco]

@jmc8888

The problem with your McDonald's comment is that McDonald's is selling hamburgers right now. People are saying bad things about something that hasn't been announced yet. It' like being afraid of the dark. You have no real reason to be. It's fear of what might be. And like all of these rumors, most are so silly and far fetched that it is irrational to believe them. Which brings you to the very definition of a fanboy. An irrational person that doesn't believe in reality.

This doesn't hurt MS with rational people because rational people don't feed into gossip. And gamers seem to believe the average person reads gamer forums. Only a small percentage of the people who will buy a console will ever read most of the crap that has been put out there. And many of the people that do read this stuff have already chosen a side long before they read it. Or they are rational people that will base a decision on facts. So it does nothing.

This could come back to help MS. After all of this nonsense when they release, people will be looking to see what was true and what wasn't. This gives MS a chance to educate people on the console. And since it's far more likely MS has much more to offer than rumors will have you believe, it will only sell consoles.

I'll use hamburgers. Rumors spreads that a place will sell the smallest burgers and they will be over priced. People talk non stop about it and once the place opens many go to check it out. Only they find huge burgers at a low, low price. Word will spread fast that all of the rumors were nonsense and that it is the place for burgers.

Also MS is willing to spend on advertising. Hundreds of millions. Based on all of the calls for Sony to advertise more(and the billions spent globally by companies) many must believe it works. So this non sense will be buried under an avalanche of ads. And the 2/3rd power current gen is a joke. More like 4/5ths. And it ended up meaning nothing. Rumors of a similar situation next gen is just fear of the dark.

[Blaze929]

These rumors everyone seems to care about really, don't leave the internet..if not this website alone. The silence isn't a problem. Xbox 360s are still flying off shelves and gamers are still gaming. Most people don't even know about a new xbox coming because, *surprise* - it doesn't exist.

[jmc8888]

No they are far beyond this website. They are everywhere on the internet, which means they are in the minds of Microsoft users everywhere.

The 360 doesn't have these features. It wouldn't affect those sales.

They aren't hating the brand, they are hating the potential actions based on that console.

I would say probably close to half already know about a new console. By people actually paying, probably more.

The 360 isn't a Nintendo console which has a much lower age demographic in total. The 360 has always been marketed to mature gamers with its FPS and 17+ age rated games. Plus all those 12 year olds that get their hands on CoD, well, they're growing up everyday.

The people who don't know about the Wii U are 40-50 year old parents who buy it for their 10 year old kids. The 15-40 demographic knows about the Wii U.

[Blaze929]

no no, lets not pretend.

[Dasteru]

They are still trying to work out the purple tetrahedron of death issue.

[jetlian]

MS probably isnt worried and thats why they haven't said anything. Another thing by waiting it gives sony less wiggle room to counter once E3 starts!

My reasons is as follow almost all info about 720 stems from documents from what was supposed to be a 2010 release. 1.25 tera would have been good in 2010.

However 2010 saw the release of kinect which was used to extend 360 life,which it did.In GDC 2011 epic showed Samaritan and said for it to work they would need 2.5 tera.

Having said that MS would most likly do what epic wanted seeing as they make the 2nd largest series for MS system. Now epic may not have the most games but its engine is used by more 3rd party devs then any other giving epic even more say.

Given 3 years later release from 2010's 1.25 T the 720 should be 5 TF now with 18 month moore law. I dont think MS will go that high but they should be at 2.5 minimum.

And if thats true why tell sony or the world. So mark my words I think MS is over sony in TF's