The Xbox One is shortly due on our doorsteps, our streams, our hearts, and our NeoGAF resolution-gate threads. I haven’t yet received my console, but I have received a lot of interest from family and friends who are interested in it. Many of them are not what you would consider “core” gamers; they usually have a Wii, for Wii Sports and Netflix, and maybe play a bit of Candy Crush. And yet, the Xbox One has managed to raise their interest, not for its gaming prowess or growing list of exclusives, but rather for its extensive media options. The NFL Xbox One ad shows what could be a great experience of watching football and talking to friends, all powered by one of the "three" Xbox OSes. I think this ad is fantastic and an interesting hope for the future (despite the reality of having a roof garden with an Xbox One like “Derek Yu” is a bit preposterous. Also their coffee table is a WAGON. WHAT.). I would love to watch TV and skype with family and friends. Have an Oscar/Superbowl party with people across the country!

But here’s the thing, no one who is interested in the media side of the Xbox One in my circle of gaming luddites cares about the games of Xbox. Which begs the question, why are they there? Why doesn’t Microsoft release a $199 “microconsole” with Kinect that can do all of the media things, but cut out the games? It can charge more than a Roku/Apple TV, and offer a better experience that would sleekly fit in with my friends’/parents’ entertainment setup. My parents would say “Xbox Skype” or “Xbox Netflix;” they would never pick up a controller. Also, since the most intense app it would probably run is HBO Go, it might actually be a reasonable size, instead of ¾ vents, 1/4 VCR.

TV is the future.

This seems to fit nicely with US sports (where the experience appears to be second to actually watching the game). When I watch English football at home I don't want anything else on the screen certainly not highlights from other games or skype. If I want to see that stuff, I'll do it AFTER the game. Maybe I'm not embracing the social world, but I'm happy in my 90 minute sports bubble. If it's a big game, I'll turn off my phone and not answer the door.

From a business point of view, I've always thought MS were onto something big with the X1. For other TV, chat shows, sky sports news, cricket etc. I'd be all for this integration in most cases. But imagine if the final 5 minutes of Breaking Bad was interrupted by an incoming Skype call from you mum wanting to talk about the XFactor. Urghhh!

Video games disgust me.

But in all honesty with a price starting at $200 and going down to $150/$100 I would definitely have an interest in buying a media-only Xbox One. So long as it's not filled with ads or come with a Gold requirement. While the former of this is unrealistic, the latter part is realistic, but they would never do it. That's part of the reason why I have no interest in the Xbox One. Also, how does your family feel about paying for a Gold subscription along with the standard Netflix fee?

If a TV-only Xbox One model existed wouldn't parents just get that version instead? I think that may be the issue here.

As someone who is annoyed with the ever-increasing focus on things that aren't games in my gaming consoles, I'm not a fan of this thought/trend. However, I understand that it would probably make them a bunch more money, so I wouldn't be surprised if they did something like this.

Not if they put a giant sticker on it that says " NO GAMES IN THIS ONE".

They would not pay for Gold. The fact that Netflix is behind Gold is beyond stupid, and I thought that would be corrected by now. I hoped they would stop that when PS+ picked up so much traction without the entertainment blocks. Gold is for multiplayer (and free versions of Halo 3?).

It's possible, but they've kinda painted themselves into the corner with their branding. Their whole angle has been that you buy this 'One' device and it takes care of everything in the living room. Can't then have another version of Xbox One which only takes care of some of the things, it'd be a confusing mess for regular consumers.

They could release a product like that, but I think they'd have to distance it from Xbox One rather than associate with it.

I wouldn't be surprised if we see a stripped down X-Box that only does the media stuff in the relatively near future. Something that can run apps/etc but not the games, has no disc drive, and is much smaller/cheaper.

I would never spend money on a media-only box just to put an extra/prettier UI on top of my cable box. My cable UI isn't THAT bad where I would resort that. All of the other media services, get a $35 chromecast, cheap roku box, maybe already in your smart tv?, etc.

They should go the Sega route:

Buy the XBox One for TV and media streaming, then connect a 32Xbox on top to play games.

lol their coffee table is a wagon. Xbox One is a great system if you have a MASSIVE HOUSE. (seriously is it just me or does Kinect require way more space than a Wii? The vast majority if not all non-Wii-Fit Wii games can be played sitting down, so theoretically they don't require more space than a controller.)

As for the wagon, what is up with that. I guess they wanted to show how Xbox doesn't clash with interior design. Just sit down on your haystack, prop your feet up on your wagon and say "xbox on".

Because they need the $500 worth of processing power to run such apps so smoothly.