Frustrated With The Xbox One? That’s Okay, Because Microsoft Isn’t Building Its Next System For You

The Next Web ''Microsoft’s unveiling of the Xbox One yesterday caused quite a stir among the gaming community. The mixed messages regarding always-on and always-online (which are two completely different concepts by the way) and pre-owned games didn’t help either.''

[ApolloTheBoss]

And that's the sad part isn't it? They've completely abandoned the consumer base that made them great to begin with. When the casuals realize how much of a joke this thing is who's gonna be there when there's no one left? Not us, that's for damn sure.

[daggertoes83]

Damn sure

[HammadTheBeast]

Doesn't matter, they've lost touch with pretty much everyone.

Who in the US, doesn't have cable or some form of TV by now? No one.

Who wants to pay to lend games to friends? No one.

Who likes paying for online? No one.

Who will get the Xbox One for something other than gaming? Who knows.

What I know is that my Samsung Blu-Ray player does everything Xbox One does, but gaming and the motion control crap.

[NewMonday]

Samsung is now strongly marketing voice and motion control and streaming, so even the casuals will get mixed messages, and the core are getting the wrong message.

[sengoku]

OMG i'd never thought that i would say this but i miss Bill Gates.
A smart guy that should have stayed on in a more important role at M$

the jar heads that run the show now are just...
unbelievable

[Retroman]

then who are they building it for??? soccer mom's? casuals kids?? Nintendo got that covered.

as APOLLO said: who's gonna be there after the hype died and no one left?? not us, for damn sure.

aman apollo......

[_-EDMIX-_]

After yesterday.....Wi....Wii U looking pretty good right about now. LOL!

[Eyeco]

Now while I was underwhelmed buy the unveil, after looking into it, I kinda see what Microsoft was trying to do.

The problem is we're looking at this from a gamer standpoint as we should, because we are gamers. But we're not looking at this from a business standpoint.

Microsoft is trying to appeal to the middle class family, it's a game box for 14 year old Timmy who just want's to play COD and Madden, a TV/sports box for Dad when he comes home from a long day at work, a casual work out box for stay at home Mom, and a Party box for the whole family or when little Sarah brings her friends over.

But here's the thing outside of little Timmy, Why would Dad care about the T.V side of things when he has a cable box and computer that can do all these things better ? why would Mom and Sarah care about the Kinect 2.0 when she already has a wii or even Kinect ? what incentive would she have to buy the same game over again ? Causals can't tell the difference between that, and besides like we've seen with the Wii-U the casual audience has moved on to Tablets.

In the end it boils down to gaming and given Microsoft's last 3 years and especially after this conference it's becoming clear that they certainly don't care about gaming, It's cool that they had these features and apps, but they shouldn't have spent so much time focusing on that during the unveiling of their latest console, they should have left that all for E3, I guess we're gonna have to wait till E3 to have a somewhat solid judgement.

[joeorc]

I talked about this very thing:

The Change up over @ Microsoft and why Hard core gamer's may be worried

http://forums.n4g.com/The-C...

did you know this?

I Think there may be a reason why people are a lil uneasy about Microsoft's Focus.

example:

ED fries: Left after 18 year's over at Microsoft help create the xbox platform.

Robbie j Bach now [former Microsoft executive]

Ray Ozzie [now gone]

Peter Molyneux Hall of fame just like Mark Cerny

Also now Gone!

Nat Brown one of the [xbox founder's] Gone

as a matter of fact

http://www.huffingtonpost.c...

Kevin Bachus [yet another founder of the xbox project gone]

Seamus Blackley [yet another founder of the xbox project gone]

Ted Hase and Otto Berkes [both founder's of the xbox project and now both are gone]

J Allard

http://www.engadget.com/201...

the key people that help create the xbox project and made a pitch to bill gates, all loved Gaming and Were Gamer's at heart, all now no longer with the Xbox Project. look at both Nintendo and Sony's core people in key positions to keep hard core gaming in a front and center focus for their companies. They both has not lost this Many of the people who founded the principle and development of a game console for Gamer's.

they are now gone no longer @ Microsoft!
the founding father's of the xbox project are no longer there, at the event for XBOX One Ed fries was on the video screen when they did the intro but do you know where ed fries is now?

At the OUYA Android game console project!

Ed was the very person to get halo on the xbox, was also the key person in helping Microsoft snag rare. and after 18 years he's now gone from Microsoft, but still in the game console biz, but now promoting another game console over the very console he helped start!

that is pretty telling in my opinion!

[DevilishSix]

The good old days when they guys behind the xbox and 360 were still at MS, gamers had a voice. Those guys are gone. Now all thats there is Spencer, Greenburg, Harrison, etc. and they are just a bunch of tools. They use smoke and mirrors and insult their fanbase. MS is going to take a big hit in this next gen.

[turgore]

Sucks for them. Good for consumers with a brain. They can clearly realize the PS4 is the way to go (or PC).

[MasterCornholio]

Sony built the PS4 for gamers and Microsoft built the XBOX One for TV lovers?

Thats the message i got from the conference.

[Wikkid666]

The first point is that PS4 and Wii U both do gaming. As will One, so in the world of business you have to set yourself apart from your competition. MS chose the entertainment route.

Point two... MS clearly stated that e3 is where they are showing the gaming side of the console off.

[CerebralAssassin]

Why the disagrees people? that's exactly what they said... If they already have the gaming scene on lock then why would you not show the new stuff it can do. Why waste a reveal of a new system showing us games we know is coming out when e3 is next month?

[bednet]

Cause that's how you reveal a game console, by showing the awesome games that will come out for your new game console...

MS just did exactly what Sony did with the PS3, but much worse, they did not focus their message...it does everything!!! Too much is too little in this case.

[maxgamehard]

Yes both PS4 and Wii U does gaming. The xbox One will also do some gaming. But the PS4 and Wii U do not charge a fee for used game or online play. Sony didn't make move mandatory and the PS4 and Wii U did not make every 24 hour internet checks mandatory. PS4 and Wii U also do not require games to be installed to the hard drive.

People are really upset at these aspects and are upset that the xbox one puts entertainment before games.

[Wikkid666]

The Xbox One will do some gaming? WTH does that mean? It does just as much gaming as any other console.

Xbox One doesn't put entrainment before gaming. Why talk about something, when it's a given fact that it does it?

Sorry the days of putting all your eggs in on basket are over.

[I_am_Batman]

I don't need 8GB of Ram to watch tv though and I won't pay 400-500 bugs for a freaking cable box.

[joeorc]

"Microsoft built the XBOX One for TV lovers? "

Microsoft built the XBOX One to face this , and other such hardware companies that make TV's:

Press conference introducing the "Samsung Smart TV at CES 2012 that has motion gesture control, voice control and face recognition.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Looks familiar?

that was CES 2012! that was just samsung, now think Phillips, LG, panasonic, hell even Sony with their smart TV's!

[cleft5]

Microsoft is totally bringing back the VHS/Betamax player and I am all for it.

[Veneno]

I can't wait to play those game tapes!

[Bathyj]

Game tapes are no fun. I had a tapedeck on my commodore64

[The Meerkat]

MS have done something that has never been done before.

They have united N4G!

This place has never been so peaceful.

[Ace_Pheonix]

Did the Green Ranger die yesterday?

[tigertron]

Well if Microsoft don't want my money then they don't have to take it. I'll take my custom to a company who actually cares.

[JohnDread]

I sincerely hope Microsoft crashes with that approach. That's totally possible, too. Look at the stocks. Not that that is evidence, but it clearly is a sign.
The article is very true and as people have pointed out, it's very sad for gamers. It's way too soon to lose hope but that show was pretty ridiculous from a gamer standpoint.

[Veneno]

I'd rather get an Ouya then XboxOne

[mega31]

XboxOne will sell more than PS4, gamers are a small community, TV lovers however, Sports, Fantasy, yeah you have tons of those guys, Put AMC with Walking Dead, CBS with their sitcoms, NBC with news you put those in the XboxOne your gonna get a lot of people who would want it. PS4 is for gamers yes, but lets be fair, you dont make up the world lol.

This isnt a Fanboy remark or a personal attack its just common sense, Microsoft has a reason for this move, it is justified. Remember the Iphone was all in one too, Phone Internet Capabilities and Music. PEOPLE LOVE SIMPLICITY, people love having ONE device for everything (see what i did there LOL) Which is why they are concentrating on this, and in all honesty this will give them a lot of money, because as i said before, Gamers don't make up the world.

And also there are two parts to this presentation E3 and Yesterday, wait till E3 to reserve judgement, what if Xbox in E3 has games that can boggle the mind? What would u all say then?

[SexyGamerDude]

Okay, let me approach this as a fan of TV and media. Even if they are building it for TV, I wouldn't buy it. Why would I buy a 500 dollar console when I can go get one of Sony's WiFi media players for 100? They have everything the Xbox One has. Netflix, Hulu plus, ESPN and much more. Looking at it from that base, the One still isn't that great.

Also, keep in mind that most of the TV options MS has to offer only cater to US audiences. MS might have them beat in the US but Sony will take it worldwide.

[mega31]

True, but remember they are uniting everything if Microsoft wants people to buy it then they will need to have those three things in the xbox available, and it will, cause then if it doesnt youd have a situation where 2 out of the three things the xboxone offers useless, which shouldnt be the case.

[JohnDread]

Who do you think brings an Xbox into the average household? TV lovers? That's still gamers. Kids if you will. And they're not a small community anymore. I know more than enough people who have abandoned the TV program in favor of gaming. Also, what has been shown is incredibly US focused. Not even half of what has been shown will work in Europe or Asia. You just can't neglect that, even though the US is the Xbox's biggest market. I strongly believe this was a grave mistake and it seems many experts agree. Compare the reactions to PS4 with the reactions to the Xbox One.

Well, I agree we have to wait until E3 though. Maybe they can fix something there.

[mega31]

Its just that Reactions. I have a proposition, what if Microsoft does something incredible at E3 announce new IPs which arent kinect, explain THE USED GAMES THING (This has been annoying by far lol) and shows the console with its true power by bringing out top notch developers, say what you will about EA being evil but EA SPORTS, very important, but anyway what if they bring Rockstar, or other big name companies.

What if they show Exclusives they took from sony, for example what if Agent switched to XboxOne (this is hypothetical im just trying to make a point) or Insomniac developing something for XboxOne or that respawn game, you have 15 exclusives they could be ANYTHING

What would happen if Microsoft did that? Would you all still say they suck and PS4 all the way? No now you have to reevaluate your decision and thats a pain to do haha. So lets all just reserve Judgement, no point in complaining or saying they lost and its over and PS4 won, no one won yet, E3 is coming, what if everything screws up and Xbox comes out of E3 a winner? Or even a loser.

Reserve Judgement, and dont say its all kinect based exclusives there is already too many kinect games, and no one knows what their planning, you are going to have to wait and see.

[CerebralAssassin]

agreed. As much as I play games I'm looking forward to these new features. I don't only play video games. And with a family and kids on the way there's no sign of my game time increasing. This fits my lifestyle prefectly.

[JAMurida]

THIS!!!

Pretty much everything you said is 100. People need to wait til E3 to decide. + bubs man.

EDIT: Not "pretty much" but "everything"

[Prcko]

ps4 then,you don't need to search

[MontyQ]

sweeeet I live outside the usa and hate sports and don't watch tv,,,,,,,cliffy b 4 life

[mega31]

How many people live outside TV and Love sports and watch tv, lol Xbox has the Sky tv App, and those sports channels,its just moved on, PS will do the same sooner or later, you cant just rely on gamers, its not enough, you need more, you need something bigger. You need to take the market and choke it out, and by choking the gamers that isn't enough LOL

[cyhm3112]

people will pay
$500 for a TV box? really? I don't think so, the gaming aspect of it are terrible. I hope people aren't that stupid, but I know they are.

[mega31]

How do you know its 500? im betting its gonna be 399.99, but still no one knows wait till E3 what if xbox is 400 and PS4 is 500 how would that work?

No one should be quick wait till E3 its a few more days, lol im sure everyone here can survive

[SexyGamerDude]

I still wouldn't pay 399.99 for a TV box when I can go out and buy something much cheaper.

[CerebralAssassin]

People paid $600 for a bluray played with the ps3. whats the difference?

[Drekken]

Those people were paying for the Playstation to play games.

[strigoi814]

buddy bluray player was so high priced when ps3 was released and its the only bluray player fast and more updated that date..and its cheaper by hundreds of dollars

[insomnium2]

Ummm.... standalone BD-players cost a thousand bucks back then. With xb1 and "TV box" it's the other way around? That's the difference?

[MikeMyers]

insomnium2, think about it for a second. Kinect right now is what, a hundred bucks? The Xbox 360 cost how much right now, $200 bucks? Why would $500 be unreasonable for a much improved Kinect that was $150 when the first one came out and a next gen console with 8GB of ram and a bluray player? The PS3 is likely to be $400 or more and it may not come with their new camera. A PS3 which pales in comparison to the PS4 and Xbox One cost $250 right now so it's not unreasonable to think the Xbox One will be $500.

[claterz]

I was just thinking exactly the same thing. No matter how bad core gamers think the conference was, Microsoft will be laughing there asses off because they know how many stupid people there are around the world who actually want this piece of crap. The same people who have been giving Microsoft their money to use free services for the last 8 years probably.

Xbox fans will say "oh but there are gonna be 15 exclusives!". So what, they did that same thing with the 360! they released core games for the first few years to get core gamers on board, then completely shifted their focus to the casual market once the console came down in price. Meanwhile Sony are releasing 3 brand new IP's for the PS3 in the same year the PS4 is launching (Last of us, Ni No Kuni and Beyond). Seriously I cannot actually believe people want to buy a console from such a disgusting company.

[Minato-Namikaze]

You forgot puppeteer.

[thehitman]

To be honest I think MS will be in for a huge awakening launching side by side Sony. MS were able to ride the I launched first wave with better graphics that gamers werent use to and lots of people bought it. Then friends wanted to play with their friends so they bought xbox not because they really thought it be better than PS but because they wanted to be w/ their friends. Now the playing field will be completely leveled and if Sony contains the buzz they have now over MS they wont even have a shot this gen in terms of competition. Price point can be their only saving grace.

[jacksheen0000]

Now I know what the whole Fusion thing was about.

MS is trying to be like Comcast xfinity.

MS FUSION will offer entertainment very slimier to Comcast xfinity.

Fusioning everything from gaming to TV, social, PC, who knows what else.

XBOX ONE name fits.

[Gimmemorebubblez]

Lol, I think Phil Harrison is Sony's mole in Microsoft.

[jetlian]

I was thinking that same thing. Games isn't the problem its the mandatory kinect to play, blocking of used games and the need for internet that makes me not want it.

I was thinking I would need 1400 dollars this year for games looks like I need about 700. I'll most likely get Infamous, KZ,CODG,WD, and AC4.

[Boody-Bandit]

Obviously.
That's okay. There is still one company that is building a cutting edge console where the gamer is their top priority.

[Triforce079]

Both Nintendo and Sony have built real gaming rigs with further enhanced controls END OF,it's not Nintendo with gimmicks this time they have proper traditional controls with an extra screen that does actually benefit the gamer,because if you consider yourself a hardcore gamer well WiiU will allow you to game on say Watchdogs or Beyonneta2 ect even when u can't access the TV which has already benefited me on Blackops2 so all i can say is the WiiU is impressive END OF,ps4 also can have off screen play but on a more expensive Vita with lesser controls than say a GAMEPAD but hey the option is their i suppose Xbox one has same controls and just looks like a set top box and has all the same features by the sound of it ??? not interested in anything from Microsoft.

[Triforce079]

Good luck to Microsoft because even Apple failed with trying to enhance the TV experience,the only way would of been to make it a games console 1st and then add a Nintendo TVii type app which basically is a Hardcore TV guide that lets you quickly scan whats on TV,SAT,CABLE/TIVO,NETFLIX,LOVE FILM,INSTANT VIDEO,ECT ECT,so you never miss ur favourite shows,wiiu is doing this already with their TVii app,but also the WiiU is 1st a games console and all these features are just their if you want them.
Xbox one is trying to sell you on this idea alone ?? i mean yes it's going to have exclusive games but lets be honest it's established franchise's that we really look forward to and Microsoft own none ??? i just think Xbox one is going to die just like Apple TV,what their making priority shouldn't be,ie they built the brand as a hardcore gaming device now all of a sudden gaming is the after thought makes no sense ?

[SquareEnixFan]

I am pretty sure this system was made for me. Games are the main reason I buy consoles but having all these other great features definitely gets me hyped.

[contradictory]

i don't want TV
or sports.

show us the games or simply GTFO

[josephayal]

omg i love this console I can't wait to buy it, but The requirement of the Kinect camera to be always on makes me very nervous

[barb_wire]

I'll admit I can't say I'm surprised with the XBOne reveal.. I knew for months about the TV side of the box (widely reported on entertainment/movie websites)

The thing that gets me, is that my 'cable box' already does all of things the XBOne does (except the Kinect interface).. I already have apps, simple games (puzzle and such, multiplayer) I can use my ipad as a remote (if I want) upload photos.. I have on demand services and movie rentals and DVR.. does the XBOne have a DVR? Also, my 'cable box' is a fraction of the size of the XBOne.

So, if you already have a smart 'cable box' why would you consider getting an XBOne?.. now of course, it'll come down to what games are going to be released for it.. hardcore games or will it be more Kinect centric ones?

I'm not sold on either of the next-gen consoles just yet.. I still need to know the cost of the actual console and any incidental (monthly) costs to get the most out of them, whether that be XBOne or the PS4.

[joeorc]

100% in agreement

"The thing that gets me, is that my 'cable box' already does all of things the XBOne does (except the Kinect interface).. I already have apps, simple games (puzzle and such, multiplayer) I can use my ipad as a remote (if I want) upload photos.. I have on demand services and movie rentals and DVR.. does the XBOne have a DVR? Also, my 'cable box' is a fraction of the size of the XBOne. "

Have you seen this?

this is exactly what Microsoft is fighting!

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

But so is Sony! but unlike Microsoft Sony is looking at making the PS4 Game console about "Games" not just the connection to the smart TV. that's the problem what Microsoft is doing is already too late, look at that The TV already does many thing's the XBOX One will do for camera control's for general UI control's the only thing really is that kinect offer's interactivity that Samsungs does not.

but will it be enough to offset the cost to a person that looks at this is i already have such functionality vs the price your asking for this extra functionality?

to top it off, that's just samsung, you have Apple, LG and yes even Sony doing those very same control functions in smart TV's. Sony is putting the PS4 as a game console first Microsoft is trying to compete in a market with this xbox one that was already contested heavy already. combine a advanced cable box with a smart TV and Microsoft is fighting in a part of the market they are going to have a very steep hill to climb! but that is the challenge and it seems Microsoft is up for it.

[Triforce079]

But if you couple a Smart TV with a cable box then u have kinect as well ????? i'm sure Smart tv's allow kinect like interactions.

[joeorc]

"But if you couple a Smart TV with a cable box then u have kinect as well ????? i'm sure Smart tv's allow kinect like interactions. "

it depends on the camera technology that they are using for example:

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

remember it would come down to a 3d depth sensing camera and the software in order for you to do thing's that kinect can do. but with ways to focus the camera on such as a multi colored LED lighted ball you could track that depth in a 3d volume of space. which aside from the also adding the magnameter to offset sensor drift, that is how Playstation's Move works, so many of the functions could be done that are UI control but some functions like in depth 3d mapping of all your body's joints at the same time, no not with out focus points for the camera to track if its not a 3d depth sensing camera.

but for UI control yes this would give you control over control imputs that could in effect mimic many of the thing's they showed off about controlling the TV functions remotely.

[Alos88]

Even if casuals do buy it, Microsoft are forgetting that a lot of them will buy maybe 4,5 games all gen, and that the second they see something fancier they'll jump ship.

[brianunfried]

The all-in-one box might work in 2013, but it's been attempted many times before and failed. Anybody remember the Commodore CDTV or The Philips CD-i?

[GABRIEL1030]

Houston we have a problem.......Bill come back and fix this mess pls :(

[DevilishSix]

This article is insulting to gamers, nothing to see here, moving on.

[Muigi]

I dont even need to wait for E3 to make my decision. I pretty much see which direction each companies going towards. PS4 is for the gamers!

[Baka-akaB]

I dont get it , i dont see (yet) one feature making it tempting for even tvgoers .

Everyone needs a screen , the same is not true for an xbox (or ps4 or wiiu or whatever) .

Every TV manufacturers , especially the most proeminent and successful ones like Smasung , are already building smart tvs with streaming , touch and voice control capabilities .

Kinect might do it better , but not in any kind of "must have" , useful or essential way .

I guess content will pave the way , but so far all they have as truly exclusive content is the Halo tv show .

They will not steal away from tv manufacturers and tv channels right from the important sports , nor the truly popular shows . At least not in the close future .

they just provide yet another hardware in the middle of the tv process with no gain . Can they replace cable and sat subs ? nope . Can they ditch tvs and prevent smart tvs from being better and smarter in their field than the xbox ? Nope

Call me sort sighted , but i'm not getting it

[InSpectre]

It's a bizzarre strategy. The XBone will fragment T.V. even more not unify it.

[urwifeminder]

I love entertainment in general movies ,games,tv pole dancing this is for me I like to be entertained.

[creized1]

PS4 all the way for me. No doubt.
I new Microsoft will F**k up.
Everyone could see it coming except of some brain washed people.
MICROSOFT! If i want to watch ESPN i just press one extra button on my remote to change to the channel! If I want skype on my big TV (First time on a big TV they claimed)
I just drag Skype window from my PC screen to my TV screen.

PS4 & PC for me this Gen, already build my PC, now Sony bring me the PS4 :)