aldo_q

Yeah they are all doing it and yeah its been done before. Doesn't make it right however. At least it's not like with the Xbox where in Europe you pay more for Gold but actually get less. As most features the Xbox has are only available in the US... where it's cheaper.

What war? Microsoft committed suicide before the war even broke out. This is Sony dancing on their grave before it even started.

(and I say this as somebody who owns all main consoles ever released by all major companies and in recent years had a preference for the Xbox).

500 euro's for a box that is dead in the water if not connected to the internet for more then 24 hours? Yeah uhm... Microsoft, what are you doing?

Great article. What I do wonder however is if this is really true:

"Microsoft's appeal to the casual player who wants an all-purpose entertainment device for the future isn't some grand betrayal, but more likely a savvy play by a company trying to weather an inevitable storm."

If the price is going to be that of a brand new console (say 500 dollars or more?) will the casual market really in a time of crisis decide that is a good price to pay for a set-top box with 'swiping at your tv gestures'? Because of Microsoft is seriously aiming for that marketshare it needs to be the price of a set-top box and be around 100 dollars or less. And we all know it won't be..

All the all-purpose entertainment device stuff is something that can convince a gamer to get it vs a PS4. As more and more the consolewar will be fought over which interface and additional features you like best (if your not someone who's going pure by brand loyalty or emotion). But I can't see people who are not really gamers forking out that much cash just for a fancy future looking set-top box to watch tv with hand gestures and voice commands. A few will, but that's a very small market already filled with very expensive electronics most of us have never heard of.... because it's to bloody expensive to spend that much money on something like that :)

At least that's my thoughts on that part..

I think that comment pretty much nails it. I myself was not to impressed with the lack of focus on games, but all the wiping, etc. it looked kinda neat and 'from the future'. But.... a lot of the actual core functionality they offer:

a) won't be available anywhere but in the US.

b) Isn't any different from other setup boxes. Which at the highest range regular setupboxes would get you something like a Boxee for 120 to 150 euro's.

Also take into account most people aren't even fully adopting these setup boxes and are already happy with whatever piece of junk their cable provider gives them. Convincing them to pay somewhere around 500 dollars probably for being able to 'swipe' and talk to their tv? That might actually be quite hard. That's a small market of the most expensive setup boxes. The ones sold in specialized shops...that nobody ever buys.

To validate the pricepoint they need... games. As gamers are willing to pay that kind of money for it. And then these features might become the difference between a PS4 and a Xbox One. Because it will come down more and more to which interface you like more and what extra options do you give me. Since hardware and exclusives are less and less important these days. They kinda cancel one and other out. So good on Microsoft to add those features... but as the OP said, by totally focusing on them in this way, you might just alienate those gamers. Esp. as most are very hostile to some choices you made to get those extra features in (like the Kinect and it being mandatory and always on!).

And it's about feeling. Sony messed that up with the PS3 big time but is on the money this time around. Bringing out indies, bringing out developers and really communicating 'we love games! we love gamers!'. And Microsoft didn't as they are going for a wider audience with the press conference. But will that wider audience pay that price? It's a huge gamble...

From now on all of EA's games will require a Monkey Island Code Wheel?

Darn that both sucks for him and also is pretty cool he's getting such support at the same time...

Over the last few years I really started to love the releases put out by THQ, so I do find it a bit sad this happened. But its no real surprise. Still bums me out however.

Recently read an interesting article about the history of gun violence in the US on schools. It's actually apparently more then a hunderd years old now that kids are shooting other kids and teachers in the US. It's just getting worse as guns become easier to get by and more effective at killing massive amounts of people. In any case proving the problem has little to do with violent media with gun violence as it's older then these media...

Asgorath - Xbox (European time)