Alright, if you're a consumer and you're considering picking up the new Xbox One console, then please, take a moment to listen to me. Before we begin, no, I am not a fan boy or a hater. I have no console Bias. I have a PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, and a Gaming PC. Each has their pros and cons but now onto business.
DO NOT BUY AN XBOX ONE (or I wouldn't suggest that you do currently.) Why? See the reasons below:
Xbox Requires an internet connection. Here's how it works: Every 24 hours your Xbox will try to connect to Microsoft's servers for verification.If it is unable to connect, sucks to be you. You're blocked from playing even single player games until it can connect.
Update: Microsoft is claiming that what Phil Harrison described in the above source was only a possible scenario. I really do hope that's the case. Though, Microsoft needs to make up their minds. They say one thing and then days later say another. The source below has been updated to reflect this new information.
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Do you like renting games, lending them to a friend, or even borrowing them from a friend? No longer possible. Every Xbox One game you get must be registered to your Xbox live account to be played. After that point it will only work for you. No one else can use it unless they pay a fee. Essentially it works like this. You pick up a used Xbox One game from somewhere or someone, pop it into your console. The system verifies it's been registered to your account. Uh-oh, it isn't! In order to play it, you have to pay Microsoft a fee, which is currently slated to be full retail price. Doesn't matter how scratched up it is or how cheap you got it at Gamestop or from a friend. You aren't just buying the physical copies anymore. You're paying Microsoft for a LICENSE (for lack of a better word or phrasing) to be allowed to play that game.
It is worth mentioning Microsoft is exploring ways for you to trade in and resell your used games. This is rumored to mean that you can sell your digital license to play the game (registration) back to Microsoft, likely for Microsoft points. You can then trade in the game at Gamespot for some cash if you like. Either way, as it currently stands, the new owner would still have to pay a fee on top of the price of actually buying the physical copy.
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UPDATE:Used games may not have a fee but will still require online verification. It seems Microsoft is starting to get the message but the other points still stand.
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Is it worth mentioning that Microsoft if shafting Indie Developers as well? Where as on Playstation Network or (whatever the Wii has) Indie Developers can self publish their content easily. Playstation even encourages this. Microsoft however forces these Indie Devs to enter publishing deals with them to be allowed to market their content. You don't go through them, you don't get to sell what you developed.
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I'm not quite done yet! Now, I'm sure you heard a lot about "TV TV TV TV SPORTS TV TV SPORTS SPORTS TV." Yes, the Xbox is slated to be able to stream live tv, live sports, etc. So let me ask you this. You obviously already have something like cable or DirecTV (or at least I am assuming you do.) Do you really want to shell out hundreds of dollars more and pay a monthly subscription fee to have another television provider? Yes, I said hundreds of dollars, and I don't mean just the cost of the console. To view live TV from the Xbox you are required to purchase ANOTHER separate device for it to work (if you don't already have one that's compatible.) Why would you even consider shelling out more money for something you already have anyway? Even if you didn't, DirecTV is cheaper. Or you could even subscribe you Hulu.com and watch live tv on your computer. FOR MUCH CHEAPER. You essentially have to buy another cable box if you don't have one. And if you do... what do you need the Xbox One for?
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Update: Alright, so here's how it works it seems. The additional device you need is in fact a cable box of sorts. You don't already have one of those, you'll need to buy one (along with a television provider.) Xbox One does not provide you with the television service, they just... route it? Channel it? For lack of a better phrase.
Though again that makes me think... again, if you already have something like DirecTV or Cox Digital Cable, why do you need the Xbox one to stream tv? With the proper channels, you already have (Or can get) live sports and other shows.
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So far we've discovered that the Xbox One is not really a gaming console, at least... not a consumer friendly gaming console. It's being marketed as an all-in-one home entertainment system. Something to replace all of the other devices in your house. But there are drawbacks even to that. Put on your tin foil hats for this part folks. Take from it what you will, all I'll say is... possibilities...
The Xbox One's features will not function unless the Kinect is plugged in and active. This is not an optional piece anymore.
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So imagine your Kinect piece breaks? Tough luck, no more Xbox for you. But you know what's worse?
Pay attention, because this is important. The Kinect is always watching. Always listening. Even when the system is off.
Yes. One of the ways to turn the system on is to audibly say: "Xbox On" while the system is off. The Kinect, which is always on, hears you and turns it on. Now this might seem like a cool feature, but did you know Microsoft patented a feature that would allow the Kinect's camera (It's no longer just a sensor, but a camera) to spy on you for the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America?) While they may not actually do this, it is actually possible for them to do this now. It has a camera, and a microphone. The Kinect is always on. It is ALWAYS listening, ALWAYS watching.
An idea has been tossed around that by using this feature, it will allows game developers and movie produces to set a limited amount of how many people can be allowed to view the entertainment. So as a hypothetical example, you and three friends are watching a movie, which is the maximum allowed. A fourth friend enters the room and the Kinect's sensor registers the fourth individual. The movie stops and you a prompted to pay a fee so that the extra individual may also view the film. Again, that is NOT currently the case, but these are the ideas currently being tossed around with the system's current capabilities.
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Now, just two more things and I'll be done here!
This isn't really a good or bad thing, but it's annoying. It also explains how they can prevent you from playing a used game if you didn't pay their fee. Xbox one no longer plays games off the discs, you HAVE to install them to the hard-drive in order to play them. I believe PS3 also has you do this (on a number of games but not always it seems), except that PS3 isn't trying to Nickle and Dime you at every corner. It also seems according to this article there is something related to the Online portion at the beginning of this post. The option is there for Developers to require the Xbox to always be online to play their particular game.Well, it seems PC gamers and console gamers have one thing in common now... DRM. (Digital Rights Management)
(At least pirates on PC can bypass DRM easily. Not an option for Consoles.)
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And last but not least, another annoyance... Xbox One will not be compatible with any and all current headsets. Nope, companies will either have to make new headsets altogether specifically for the Xbox One, and they have to adhere to what Microsoft wants. Look forward to price gouging.
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Oh, one more thing... If you have an Xbox 360, don't get rid of it. Why? Well if you want to keep playing your old 360 games you'll need it. The Xbox One isn't backwards compatible. At all. Not only that, but President of Microsoft's Xbox Division Don Mattrick insults the very notion of backwards compatibility! He calls it: "Backwards thinking."
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Source ("backwards thinking")
Another update! Some information has been released on how Xbox live will work with the Xbox One. Finally some good news here folks, but there is also some bad.We'll start with the good news! Things like your gamer tag, gamer score, achievements, and entertainment such as movies you may have digitally purchased/downloaded can be ported over from the Xbox 360 to the Xbox One over Xbox live.
The bad part? As mentioned above and in the source article I'm about to give you (with it's own sources as well) the Xbox One is not backwards compatible at all. So if you bought ANY games from the Xbox Live Arcade, those won't be coming with you. So unless you want to have wasted your money in that department, hold on to your old 360 consoles.
At this time there is no confirmation on how much an Xbox live gold membership will cost on Xbox One, but I assume that it will be the same as it currently is as they have said before they intend to continue their support of the Xbox 360 Console, which already has a monthly fee for Xbox Live Gold memberships.
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That is all I have to say currently folks, and I hope you took the time to read this far. I'll conclude with the following... please... PLEASE do not buy this console. Paying for this supports greedy and anti-consumer business practices. Speak with your wallet, and pass up the Xbox One. No matter what games it might have that you want, even if they are exclusive. Do the right thing and make a statement. Refuse to be nickle and dimed like this. Refuse to be seen as a mindless consumer who will buy anything tossed to them.
We won't know much else until after E3, but as it stands now, the PS4 or a decent gaming PC is the best way to go for "Next-Gen" gaming. It goes without saying that in time some or all of this information could become outdated, it's up to Microsoft to amend these issues. For now though, it's all fact gathered from various interviews with magazines, the Xbox Reveal, and statements from Microsoft executive such as Corporate Vice President Phil Harrison and President of Microsoft's Xbox Division Don Mattrick.
If such a time does come that Microsoft corrects these issues then I will encourage the purchase of this console should you want it. I should mention that yes, PS4 does have some problems as well, but as it stands it is currently a better choice than Xbox One.
If you are willing to do so, please spread this post around. Liking is not even remotely necessary, but do please share it if you agree with and acknowledge what you've read here. The more people know, the fewer of them waste their money.
Thank you, kindly.
~Dylan Jordan
Original Post
Mods: I'm reposting for the discussion since my last post bombed from my mistake + this article has been updated since anyway.
ONTD: I'm really sorry :( I wanted to disable email notifications, not the comments themselves. I'll pay more attention from now on.At least we get more info this time. My fuck up was meant to be ~