What does Microsoft do now?

"Stay on Target."

"But... They're coming from behind!"

"Stay on Target!"

"ARRRGHHHHHH!"

I doubt it's either of the top two. Multibillion corporations aren't that humble.

I think strategically they'll need to concede about their DRM and used game policies sooner or later. It'll be a tough pill for them to swallow but I mean they kind of just experienced some public shaming, so I think it'd be pretty admirable if they doubled back after that.

They may end up with third-party exclusives if it's true they were pressured into it, but I think it'll be mutually assured destruction in that third-parties will likely lose a good chunk of sales for a while if they exclusively sold games in XBONE off the bat.

It would be nice if they could compromise on the DRM (like DRM for installed games only). I think they could pull it off.

This made me laugh so hard.

Go on with their plans and sell the "console" they built to focus on more than just games.
"Well, at least we still have a market when it comes to movies and music and junk like that, so let's just put more time into that"

I wonder if there was any truth to the stuff about the major publishers pushing DRM on Microsoft. Now it seems that either Sony told them to go fuck themselves and they listened, and then nobody told Microsoft, or the whole thing was just Microsoft just trying to pass the buck.

They won't do anything. Their DRM is in place, and they aren't the kind of company to take a hit on their console manufacturing like Sony will. I was really rooting for the current underdog (MS) before the E3 pressers, but that's not how i feel after the two pressers. I'll be buying a PS4 at launch. Microsoft may actually pull a DreamCast with the X1. DRM + Higher Price + Less Powerful Hardware = DISASTER. Other then a few interesting exclusives, i have no interest in the X1 at this time.

They're going to sell some consoles, and choke out the brand loyalty. This whole thing was an experiment they were prepared to lose money on since the original Xbox.

Microsofts bread is buttered elsewhere. And I'm sure their circlejerk deals with EA will pay off with some significant exclusives later on.

Perfect.

They are when losing money is involved :P

Continue marketing to the mass consumer by pushing Kinect, they'll likely do well even if here's a portion of the "core" that won't buy the system. Continue appealing to publishers in the hopes PS4/PS4's policies will go the way of HD-DVD.

As much as I would love to see their bullshit cause them to crash and burn, it's probably more likely that they enjoy a bunch of success in spite of us.

Roll over and bite the pillow, I guess. It's gonna happen either way.

I think it was probably legitimately pressure from publishers specifically, EA. The fact that Titanfall is an XBox exclusive is pretty indicative of that.

It's not Xbox exclusive though.

They still have Halo, so... nothing?

I mean among consoles, of course :P

Realise their dream and make TiVOs.

They do wait and see how things pan out. I personally think both consoles will be sold out during the holidays; the real test will be seeing how the two of them do in 2014. If shit gets bad for Microsoft then we might see them change some shit.

Realistically? Do nothing. They need to stay steadfast. They will still sell well initially; but, I think if the internet is anything to judge by, the gamers know what they want.

Ah right, well then yeah, you would be correct.
But how can we be sure it's gonna stay exclusive? Mass Effect was at one point an Only on Xbox360-game. Now that thing is all over the place like a prostitue trying to pay for "acting classes".
But we still can't be 100% sure about it actually being pressure from the publishers or if it's just Microsoft saying dumb stuff(like they're known to do) to try and save their own ass, again.
And we will never know, because they're not known for being open about that kind of stuff either, sadly.

I doubt they will do anything in the short term but if the sales are low and behind Sony in a few years they may change their policies.

I'm kinda of frustrated because I'd really like a more steam-like digital marketplace for consoles, but that's not coming without more DRM. If Sony wins by keeping everything the same then we are stuck with the same Gamestop preorder exclusives, way too much DLC right at launch, and maybe 70 dollar games down the road.

Like everyone is happy now, but it's going to be the same bs for another generation.

PULL UP PORKINS!

Legend...you are

If Microshaft had any honor it would commit Seppuku.

Only honorable thing left to do now.

RIght now they will do nothing. If after a few months the PS4 is killing them and MS struggles, things will change. Most likely people getting fired.

I would not say years. Maybe two quarters depending on how drastic the PS4 outsells them

@joshwent said:

Yep, this.

So long as the Xbox keeps getting Halo, CoD etc. I doubt any of today's news will have a significant impact on the general public. Sure, it was huge for us, but to the average consumer Microsoft's DRM and used game policies means shit.

Microsoft will eventually quietly drop some of their demands and pretend that it was because they listened to feedback and responded. Not because they were swept away by a tsunami of anger by their customers and were desperately grabbing onto anything that could prevent them from being carried away completely.

Let's face it, they have a history of making very unpopular changes to their core products and then making half-arsed changes when the anger overwhelms them - Microsoft parades Windows 8.1, the version you may actually want.

Pray.

I don't really know how the general public will react. I mean theoretically, Microsoft is in checkmate. Sony has got them beat in price to the point that the general audience will do a double take this holiday season when seeing the price differences between the two consoles. Little Timmy might not get the Xbox One because his parents will think that since it's $100 more and buying it just for the sake of one or two exclusive franchises is not worth it. I don't think either that Microsoft will back down with the DRM policies. They proved today and that in the past they don't really care about what their fans think.

I think its clear at this point that MS have probably lost a large chunk of the "core gamer " audience and that is a big problem for them. However I dont see them changing anything and I think they are gonna bank on the casual audience. Also dont forget that they will sell systems simply because they have a timed exclusive on COD.

But given the all that happened at the Sony show, MS is definately on the back foot and really should do something, ANYTHING to try and get people back on board. I just dont think they will

Nothing but promote the living heck out of Halo, Dead Rising, and Quantum Break, I assume.

Battlefield 4 Exclusive Timed Content

FIFA Exclusive Content

Call Of Duty Timed Content

Titanfall (from the people that Made Call Of Duty 4 Modern Warfare)

Cannot get any bigger partners than this.

Also

Microsoft's PR method in recent years has been to never admit fault and to avoid addressing any problems for as long as possible, in the hopes that people either ignore it or forget. I expect that they'll do nothing and say nothing in response to Sony.

Free Xbox Live.

Boom.

I see the DRM thing as being a result of two things. One is pressure from the big publishers, who are now basically going to be in Microsoft's corner. I guess Sony weighed up their options and decided that they could afford to annoy them, but MS will see some reward for basically kowtowing to their wants. The second part of it is Microsoft's desire to do away with physical copies of games entirely.

It's obviously big that Sony aren't using the same DRM, but I think MS will just ride it out.

Nothing, they can't appear to be desperate this early in the cycle. Do nothing, pretend all the differences don't exist, and wait for Call of Duty.

They probably can't alter the DRM/online stuff. Probably this is part of the agreements with publishers they have to secure al this extra content. So they do nothing. Maybe come up with a Kinect free SKU at the best.

Drop digital prices on day 1 or something that makes the always-online somewhat worth it

Just die silently.

Stay on course and show clear benefits of their system. It's clear they're in it for the long haul and they have some idea what that future is going to be like but the lack of clarification on why they have their DRM in place is just adding fuel for people to rail against them.

Price trumps everything. Unless Microsoft does some kind of 200-300 subsidized deal, all this DRM stuff is just going to be additional nails in the coffin. It's what knocked Sony way off course and will do the same here too, if they let it.

Halo doesn't have the pull it once did. Still huge, but not Halo 3-huge (and it's my favorite shooter series, so I'm not just trying to be a dick). Call of Duty is on PS4, so that won't be much of a factor other than a very minor public perception issue if MS makes it seem like an exclusive.

That wouldn't last though, even if they were pushing that idea. The general public is dumb, but not as dumb as they were during, say, the Xbox/PS2 era. For that same reason, I wouldn't discount the possibility of the One's DRM impacting sales both among diehards and the Madden/CoD crowd.

End of thread

@evo said:

Keep in mind that these bf/cod deals are DLC only. You can still get the base game day one. You still get all the content. And if all your friends also get a PS4, it essentially does not matter. I think the 100 bucks has much more weight with the general crowd. Especially the usual CoD or FIFA-player will ignore the Kinect.

That is true, but I think Sony still need to do more to sway over the average joe. Today's used game instructional video is a start, but I suspect it will fly over most peoples head. They need to straight up compare the two consoles and teach the public why the PS4 is better.

They'll do nothing right now. When their console is released, they will look at one thing and one thing only - sales. If sales truly tank, they will backpedal very quickly. If sales are only a bit disappointing, they might announce that they will consider changes, but then probably do nothing. If sales are reasonable, they'll change nothing. It all depends on how fast the Xbox One sells. Microsoft is counting that anger will die down over the next few months. We'll see if it does.

They'll let it be until they can't let it be any longer. Then they'll alter their policies at next year's e3 or an e3 after that, probably accompanied by a price drop.

Microsoft was running away with this generation. Sony eventually made the right moves and now they are basically in a dead heat for total consoles sold (though Xbox software per console [I think] is substantially higher).

There is nothing they can do. The won't drop the price and they have pushed the DRM issue to the publishers.

Publishers could quickly get out behind Microsoft and emphasise they are not going to implement the DRM, which would make it's initial inclusion pointless. After all if it is the publishers who have been clambering for this type of DRM they are going to be pissed at Sony right about now.

Microsoft needs to hope that brand loyalty, potentially launching before Sony and pumping the All in One media device angle catches the non hardcore market.

They need to get out and justify the extra cost (Which is basically Kinect) to the mass market.