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Microsoft tightens its grip on the Xbox One, with new rules for developers

"Microsoft walked back on restrictive provisions it had put in place for the sale and distribution of new games for the Xbox One, but now it’s added a new rule that limits developer access to Kinect."

Utalkin2me3741d ago

What is embarrassing is how MS likes to nickel and dime everyone.

r1sh123741d ago (Edited 3741d ago )

MS need to sack don and get someone like peter moore back, he was passionate about gaming.
Don mattrick is making decisions that are clearly hurting MS - its like he has not understood how DRM was a massive bullet in the foot.
Kinect as a mandatory for the X1 is also another missile in the foot, and now not opening up that particular part of the platform to get better by 'hackers' and stay at home devs.

Man Ive lost all confidence in MS, they need to pay peter moore some stupid money to come back to save this situation, Don has destroyed any good work that has been done.

JokesOnYou3741d ago

Wait so keeping something proprietary that you've spent a ton of R&D money on is now evil...whats wrong with paying micro to use something they created?...or use another motion camera...or make your own but don't cry because a business isn't giving you something for free.

Utalkin2me3741d ago

@JokesOnYou

First off i would like to know how you get me crying out of my statement. Or maybe i hit a nerve cause i am speaking the truth, so you felt the need to act like a baby and try to justify you comment by so called "throwing salt in the wounds".

There is no wounds here. I don't buy Ms products and will never buy MS products period, going forward. I was making a comment on a common business practice that MS likes to do in all aspects of their divisions and not just the xbox one.

nosferatuzodd3741d ago

When you think about it, this is actually in response to the “spying” accusations. If only licensed developers can use the hardware, they can at least partially assure the world that it’s not being used for illicit purposes.

If just any third party can release a game that uses the Kinect, then it’s possible they could misuse it.

Microsoft’s PA office really needs to better explain this. Either that, or this site is misrepresenting the facts.

ShwankyShpanky3741d ago

@JOY: Did MS cancel some big Kinect giveaway? Because I would assume people would need to buy a Kinect to hack it or develop for it. Where is anyone asking to get something "for free?"

And that still doesn't address the lock-out of other third party peripherals.

SilentNegotiator3741d ago

More proof that Microsoft doesn't know what they're doing.

Seriously, putting the squeeze on indie devs in this day and age? REALLY? Right as indie development hits its stride?

guitarded773740d ago

@ r1sh12
Right on about firing Don... What they really need is some new blood in there. Some real devs with business sense to head up the place. Their iron fist mentality isn't going to cut it.

GrownUpGamer3740d ago

@Utalkin2me
"What is embarrassing is how MS likes to nickel and dime everyone. "

What is embarrassing is how SONY likes to nickel and dime everyone.

What is embarrassing is how Samsung likes to nickel and dime everyone.

What is embarrassing is how Apple likes to nickel and dime everyone.

What is embarrassing is how Panasonic likes to nickel and dime everyone.

BattleAxe3740d ago

What they need is a Google or Sony executive to take over the Xbox division, because the mentality of the people that run that company is terrible.

thechowderp3740d ago

@jokesonyou
its not the fact we have to pay for stuff, but a lot of there stuff is crap. why would i pay for gold when it doesnt offer me anything, unlike ps plus? why would i buy a motion control gimmick when im never gonna use it? why would i buy an xbox one when i could get a ps4 $100 cheaper? why would i buy an xbox one when most of their "exclusives" are on pc? why would i get an xbox one if i already have a cable box?

GrownUpGamer3740d ago (Edited 3740d ago )

Utalkin2me send me a private message with this:

"Some people like to nickel and dime consumers more then others. I don't have to name names cause we know. "

His comment is/was this: "What is embarrassing is how MS likes to nickel and dime everyone. "

My opinion is that should have been this: "What is embarrassing is how MS LIKE MANY OTHERS likes to nickel and dime everyone. "

Imalwaysright3740d ago

@ jokes. Kinect is hardware and when we buy its 100% our property. We have EVERY RIGHT to hack it as long as it isn't done with the sole purpose of doing something illegal. Now instead of buying we are licensing hardware and we can't claim ownership of the things we trade our money for.

Raoh3740d ago (Edited 3740d ago )

What is embarrassing is how MS likes to nickel and dime everyone.

LMFAO. What I find funny is for years I've been saying this and that once MS felt they won the console wars that their arrogance would surpass any of nintendo, sega or sony. I've been semi anti MS since well before the xbox was ever conceived and got called a hater. Now all those friends who called me a hater want to change the subject when I bring up the xbox.

Only the newer generation must be surprised, this has been Microsoft 101 for the past 20 years and probably longer.

With steam providing linux support for games I may just go PS4/Linux and drop windows all together finally.

The only reason they were nice to developers and gamers this gen was to shake the failure of the first xbox and beat sony so they could charge everyone for everything like they do with windows.

Syntax-Error3740d ago (Edited 3740d ago )

I said the same thing a month ago. Don Mattrick is killing the brand. Peter Moore had more vision and appeal. Don needs to go. I dont want to Xbox fail, but this guy is making them look really bad to the public. I am actually buying an X1 and PS4 at a later date, but I am disappointed with the decisions he has made for the company so far. Phil Harrison is not that much better. He was the douche bag that launched the PS3 and you saw the negative publicity that received as well. Same scenario...overpriced forced to reduce price tag twice within a year. HORRIBLE VISION

combatcash3740d ago

@ utalkin2me

You state that you don't buy MS products so I'm not sure why you're commenting here since it doesn't affect you in any way. Most companies nickel and dime apple,Sony,Microsoft and so on it happens its another way for them to make extra money.

Mounce3740d ago

You think the Xbox Team are the kind of people who instantly pick up a penny once they see it on the ground and they start going: "MINNNENNE...MEINNEN MINE!! THE PRRECCCIOUUSS"

Sounds conceivable.

Kurylo3d3740d ago (Edited 3740d ago )

And the hits just keep on coming. I mean i gotta say microsoft really is a big joke. This guy is clearly one of those buisness guys who looks for every way to make money, but he doesnt look at the bigger picture. He doesn't realize that his ways of making money in fact make them lose money. He really is just arrogant as hell. Losing many many potential customers. If u wanna charge people to use kinnect which most people hack to do free stuff with.. not sell stuff with.. well then ur going to stop people from buying the kinnect all together. The free stuff was the reason to buy the kinnect. If it aint free to use then screw it.. u just lost money from potential purchases of the kinnect cause u decided it wasnt enough that they just buy it, they need to pay to use it. Dumbest buisness practice ive ever seen.

Have they not learned anything from apple? Apple only owns 10% of computer markets because they wanted to keep it all to themselves. Iphone is falling fast and falling hard.. record timing.. because apple wanted to keep it all to themselves and lock it up tight so u cant install whatever u want. At the end of the day if u dont learn from history you are doomed to repeat it. One of the things that made windows great was its open nature to developers... vs apples "all mine" mentality where you were forced to use apple OS. They are forgetting their roots.

NukaCola3739d ago

I remember when MS banned loyal xbox gamers after they modded the internal 360 fans to run faster because of overheating and that RROD issue. People who didn't want to buy a 2nd or 3rd console but stuck to the brand. Oh how MS screwed those people too. MS is a pretty terrible company at their heart.

+ Show (15) more repliesLast reply 3739d ago
Why o why3741d ago (Edited 3741d ago )

Its a pity for those who actually care. . . I'm not going to complain or act like I've been wronged because I give zero fs about kinect past not wanting it.

In regards to the 3rd party peripherals, its a shame but not surprising ms want to maximise profits.. They tend to overcharge because they know their customers have few alternatives. . . Just look at the hdd's as an example.. Its the ms way, nickel and dime dons

minimur123741d ago

I used to follow MS, im a PS gamer, but nevertheless I'm a gamer and follow gaming news. But I've given up on MS now, never visit their website unless their's something to blog about on their site. They've made a right fumble of themselves, and I can't believe there's still some fanboys out there supporting them.

You know, my friends MS fanboy arguement is
'Yeah, but MS had Bill Gates behind it, so therefore its great'
I reply with
'You may not have heard of him, but Shuhei Yoshida is the biggest G of all time.'

hellvaguy3741d ago

Ps4 is mandatory online charges. Vita has proprietary memory cards. They are all guilty of maximizing profits.

With that said, is MS more guilty of it than Sony? I'd say yes to that, but then you'd have to acknowledge both are more greedy Nintendo.

kewlkat0073741d ago (Edited 3741d ago )

Yes, Everybody tries to maximize profits in their own way...Sony, Nintendo, MS, Didn't Sony take away Linux for similar hacking reasons..

Tres213741d ago

kewlkat has a point when a company gets worried about some1 exploiting there product they take steps even a small company would & with everyone worried the kinect is gonna go all skynet on em its not really a surprise. i was kinda of excited tho 2 see what homebrew was gonna come from the new kinect tho cuz i saw some crazy thing i never thought of from it that i hoped would of gotten used in games but they may just make a new kinect 4 pcs so who knows heck even ms doesnt kno cuz they could change there minds later

YNWA963741d ago (Edited 3741d ago )

Minimur12, that is the most stupid thing I have ever heard. Are you that sad? These are what you people talk about? Shlt, you people need help. No hope with the ladies.... You idolize a person for this? Christ the future is bleak if it's people like you.... Good help us all, it's just video games.....

Gribblegrunger, well said, nice to see things as they are. Some comments here really shame all gamers, of both stripes.... Bubble for you, from someone who prefers Xbox, but buys all consoles...

SilentNegotiator3741d ago

You should care...since the Kinect is functionally ATTACHED the system.

Unless you don't care about the Xbox One itself.

Imalwaysright3740d ago

I don't want to hack kinect but this is MS telling us what we can or cannot do with our property. This is MS going after OUR rights AGAIN.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 3740d ago
LackTrue4K3741d ago

Now, you have to pay. The likelihood that the same awesome homebrewed artistic applications for Kinect 1 — the ones that made it a viral phenomenon and brought a ton of good press to Microsoft — will be developed for Kinect 2 is now basically nil. That’s the issue here.

slazer1013741d ago

Correct me if i am wrong but once there patent runs out on the kinect technology won't third parties be able to develop for it without MS permission? I don't know, that's why i am asking.

greenlantern28143741d ago

Unless they renew their patent.

Utalkin2me3741d ago

You have a patent for 5 years. And it is very very rare to get a patent renewal.