Xbox One analysis: One small step for gamers, a giant leap for living rooms

Microsoft’s new Xbox is called simply the One – the idea is that it will integrate with your TV, plus your Sky or Virgin box, let you access the internet, be controlled by your voice and let you play the best games on the market too.

[Gimmemorebubblez]

So wait instead of pressing one button on my remote to switch between cable and gaming, all I have to do is either talk to my Kinect of all the noise going on in the backround and it changes to cable or wave my arms around like a idiot......that is so awesome, I cannot wait to spend $500 dollar/s.

[dcbronco]

Arstechnica has a video on their site where Kinect hears a barely audible voice over loud gameplay noise. So it looks like Microsoft has already addressed your concerns there. I also find it funny that when people saw Minority Report the idea of using hand waves to navigate an virtual environment was considered cool. But now that we are moving toward that and Microsoft is the one doing it it suddenly makes you look like an idiot. Maybe you were against it from the start. But a lot of people are just being a-holes.

[Gimmemorebubblez]

My biggest gripe is that Kinect and TV features actually take up system resources that could be used games. So I was against it from the start. The features they showed just aren't that worth hundreds of dollars.

[dcbronco]

Only a --ck disagrees with facts. Bubblez you assume it is taking away from gaming resources. NO one outside of MS knows what they had intended for games and what they intended for features. And for people to pretend that the PS4 won't have many, if not, all of the same features is a joke. But MS gets criticized for making those feature more convenient. I understand Sony remaining quiet since there is no attention on them right now. It's no different from the way things were on the PS3. People whined nonstop about 360 features and ignored that the PS3 had all of the same things and more. But like you said, you were against it from the start and there is nothing MS or anybody else can say to make you see it differently. Regardless of the facts. But to each their own. But what happens if the OS and design of the One parts makes the machines gaming equals. I'm sure there will be a new excuse.

I will say this though. I was planning to buy a PS3 until I saw the price. I was willing to buy a PS4(and still might), but after the last couple of years being on this site, I'm not so sure. That would be like attending a tea-party rally every time I play multi-player. I lost my love of politics because the facts didn't matter anymore. I feel the same way about gaming now. Everyone has an agenda. It's not only a pain in the a--, it's insulting that so many think they can just pimp me and that so many get pimped. I'll stick to the small group of friends I made on Live.

I'm not a ten year old. I see that there is no real difference in the way Sony and Microsoft are doing things. Sony has sense enough to remain quiet while having every plan to do most of the same things MS is doing. Just like they did with the PS3. I don't remember the always on complaints about Folding Home. But most people don't complain about anything until they're told to.

[Ashlen]

The average consumer (the type who doesn't by games) is not going to spend $300-500 just to change the channel by waving there arms. I'm sorry but there just not.

[nukeitall]

No, but the entire family looking for entertainment might.

For dad, it is movies, for mom fitness, for the children games and for the whole family talking to grandma. In that sense at a similar price point it is a better proposition than either Xbox 360 or PS3 is now.

If MS nails games and prices at E3, I think the got the best value proposition of the three console manufacturers.

[madjedi]

Bullshit neither the ps4 or 720 are required for any of that, you already have all that with the current gens or already existing devices.

The xbox will sell to hardcore gamers already invested into ms's ecosystem/platform looking to upgrade.

"For dad, it is movies, for mom fitness, for the children games and for the whole family talking to grandma." They already have it, and they don't need a $500 cable box that plays games from ms to achieve this.

"If MS nails games and prices at E3, I think the got the best value proposition of the three console manufacturers." Only for xbox fans.

Damn gamers used to argue who had the best games, now we are arguing about who has the most appealing non gaming features.

Having extra shit is good, focusing on it rather than gaming not so much.

And to think the xbox was considered the hardcore console, how things change.

[nukeitall]

@madjedi:

You guys are niche group, but the rest of the world enjoys other forms of entertainment. Is it really that hard to believe when shelling out a $500 for a device, that it should appeal to more than the gamer in the family?

You spent a lot of money on that TV, but that TV usually isn't just for one person.

Gamers really need to grow up and move out of moms basement.

"Bullshit neither the ps4 or 720 are required for any of that, you already have all that with the current gens or already existing devices."

Yup and I can get better than next generation graphics on the PC, but that doesn't negate that there is demand for next generation console.

"Damn gamers used to argue who had the best games, now we are arguing about who has the most appealing non gaming features."

That is where you are completely missing the point and reverting to you or me, but not both mentality.

I remember a time when people used to say, I use my phone to make phone calls only. Fast forward and the phone is barely the focus of making phone calls anymore.

I love the smart phone right now, do you?

"And to think the xbox was considered the hardcore console, how things change."

It still can be if MS delivers the games. It's not about the image, but what s released and how it is supported irrespective of what else is offered!

[Relientk77]

I buy game consoles to play GAMES, not watch TV, or do NFL Fantasy w/e its called

[Sandmano]

I guess that explains why it looks like a VCR

[VforVideogames]

Whats a VCR?

[PooEgg]

It actually looks more like the Betamax Sony put out in the 70s. In case you are too young to remember Beta... well lets just say it didn't end well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

[dcbronco]

Relientk77 you may buy a console to play games. I'm sure everyone that buys a console bought it for that too. But the reality is that companies can measure what the machines are being used for. And the statistics show that consoles are being used for other things as much as they are being used for games. PS3 users use Netflix on their consoles more than Xbox gamers. So the idea that no one wants the other features is the mindset of a vocal minority of gamers. The statistical reality is that most gamers want to do a lot more than game on their consoles.

http://www.destructoid.com/...

So while Apps might not sell you, they will sell a lot of average gamers. And there are far more average gamers than there are hardcore gamers.

[Godz Kastro]

I like Halo and I like Game of Thrones... Entertainment is just that, entertainment, no matter how you slice it.

[kneon]

But you can watch Game of Thrones without giving Microsoft a dime.

[Godz Kastro]

I've paid 40 a year for last three years for XBL. Compared to the free service I'd prefer live. It offers much more.

[Nes_Daze]

@Godz Kastro, I paid one year of Live, and I've paid for one year of Plus, and so far I've gotten much more value and entertainment from Plus than I would ever get from Live. I also like GOT, and I can watch it just fine on my tv or laptop without some greedy company's fee.

[Virtual_Reality]

Explain how can you get more with Xbox Live than PS Plus?

Please, explain.

[Mkai28]

Yeah, they got the small step for gaming right. But I hope they will fully support the gamers..

[pompombrum]

Nah I think they got the small step for gaming wrong, going by what has been mentioned and rumour speculation, I'd say it's a giant leap backwards for gaming.

[HurstDarkStar]

I don't think any remote even (wait for it) "Remotely" comes close to costing $300-500!

[kneon]

Actually the top end Logitech ones do, and there may be others.

[rainslacker]

Oddly enough, those top end Logitech remotes, will actually control your devices better than the Xbox will. I have one myself because I'm a tech junkie and have lots of crap around my TV to control. Xbox won't control any of that stuff though, except I guess the cable box if it's supported by U-Verse.

[Relientk77]

That was clever

[Klad]

Giant leap for living rooms my ass! most people already have cable boxes! dont wanna be spied on by microsoft either with Kinect always connected in order for the system to work!! anyways... Check out this vid for anyone into retro gaming! - http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[Bakkies]

Great, but next time don't invite gaming journalists and gamers if they aren't your primary focus.

Just say "gaming isn't our focus, this is not a gaming console", then proceed to invite sports and movie/television journalists.

What they are doing now is trying to sell cement mixers at a hairdryer convention.

N4G, just remove the Xbox One tab that's on the top bar, unless you are planning to add all none gaming related electronics there.

[Godz Kastro]

Might be a good idea to save games for a games convention like e3. They got most of the fluff out of the way. Now, Sony has to come out, show their box, ui and talk about ps3 during their conference. MS can only focus on games for 360/one.

[Dee_91]

wouldve been a better idea to show games at a game console reveal..They got all the fluff out the way the first 30mins. the rest was talking about the fluff they got out of the way.

[rainslacker]

If all this TV stuff had been a separate thing, then it probably could have done well as a $99-149 tech toy for people to control their TV. Throw in 360 support and it would have been OK. Xbox mini rumor hinted at that. Invite the people that matter to that market segment, and roll with it. Gamer's have no reason to complain because it's not aimed at them, but it gets gamers notice because it supports 360.

As a full on focus for a next-gen console, it's rather lackluster. Should have always remained an added benefit to the X1.

For instance, reveal this tech at a separate event. Announce X1 as a gaming console. Then at E3 announce that this tech is also available in the X1. Everyone applauds. Everyone is happy. MS makes money as it pushes this tech through it's X1 console(not unlike Sony did with DVD and Blu-Ray)...disregarding all the DRM stuff of course.

[mrmancs]

Tv TV TV TV TV , sports sports sports , call of duty , call of duty , call of duty , dog ,e.a , e.a , e.a ... Xbox off.

[pompombrum]

More like Command: Xbox, show me something I give a crap about.

[Pillsbury1]

Haha imagine people yelling at it: "Xbox, stop being so crappy".

[Relientk77]

@ Pillsbury1

People yelling "Xbox, stop being so crappy"

Xbox responds "Call Xbox support"

[LAWSON72]

One giant leap for living rooms yeah okay. MS is just good at making you want the future and their products never deliver it. The only successful things I think MS has done lately is windows 7 (windows 8 is a mess, hey look we have apps to bad we made it hard as hell to develop them so even ours suck) and the Xbox 360 because at the beginning it was all about the games.

[EazyC]

Xbox One makes my dick Microsoft.

[OCEANGROWNKUSH]

I spend ZERO time in my living room. When i watch a TV show i either go on netflix or i download the episode i want to see and watch it on one of the many internet connected devices via my home network. Literally the only time i watch live TV is for sports and i can even stream that via the internet, and do so frequently.

The x-bone's "Snap" is worthless, like any techie worth anything, i have multiple monitors which can display my pc, and one of my many gaming consoles connected to it. Therefore if i want to watch tv, browse and play my psx/360 at the same time i can do it in FULLSCREEN just like i have been everyday for the last 5 years. Which beats the hell out of splitting up my screen into tiny portions.

[McScroggz]

A giant leap would have been the Xbox One being able to act as a cable box and a DVR as well as a gaming console. People who defend the Xbox One because of it's entertainment integration need to step back and think again.

You still need a cable box to plug into the X1. If you wanna watch recorded shows, you still need to use a remote to navigate the DVR. An increasingly large amount of people record their shows and watch at their convenience. So what does the Xbox One REALLY offer for entertainment purposes? I can yell at my TV to switch between playing a game and watching TV. I can Skype while watching a movie, because that's totally what everybody wants. I can get fantasy updates on my TV instead of my...phone. Cool.

The Xbox One offers some cool stuff for consuming entertainment. But exactly how is it revolutionary for the living room? Are people really this mindless to just repeat the buzzwords Microsoft keeps saying?

[Pillsbury1]

What's sad is I don't think Microsoft understands why we buy consoles: to play games. I have a cable box if I want to watch TV. Way to alienate your fans Microsoft!

[g-nome]

A lot of people have a dedicated setup for gaming anyway , since some people in the household want to watch TV while some others like to game. So yes , in my eyes the TV integration of Xbox one is pretty useless.

[Excalibur]

M$ is absolutely delusional.

Do they honestly thing the average person is just going to go out and spend $400.00 - $600.00 on a vocal remote control?

Most people already have devices such as, DVD/Blu-ray/CD players, Cable box/DVRs, why would they go out and buy something that has been brannded as a video game system for almost 12 years?

[Aceman18]

I know I'm not going to spend 400-600 on something trying to be a cable box when I already have a HD DVR box, and a blu ray player which is primarily I'm gaming system 90% of the time.

[TitanUp]

i don't have netflix,don't have any type of cable or satellite i just don't want it or need it. im not a huge movie watcher and i don't watch tv shows.

the only network subscription i have is nfl rewind on nfl.com

x1 features aren't really for me.

[Prcko]

x1 is really not for me

[sarcastoid]

How is it a giant leap? Swapping between inputs with voice commands instead of a button on a remote? It's 2013 and TV is quickly going by the waste side.

[Relientk77]

I have a laptop and a TV, and they do all the same stuff the Xbox One does

I see no 'giant leap'