Xbox One: Concerns for Next-Gen

Microsoft has unveiled it's new system: Xbox One. While most groan at the name (I know I did), it's Microsoft admitting they are focusing on everything, not just gaming. The "All-In-One" console. See what they did there? Clever.

The majority of the conference itself was focused on the casual crowd, not the gamers. We saw a lot of what the Kinect can do and the numerous apps that the new console will use. The integration, if working properly, looks amazing and better than what it currently does. While all of this is intriguing, as a gamer, that's not what I care about. And unfortunately for those who saw the conference, I wasn't the consumer they were caring about. Games were featured in the last 20-30 minutes, with only two real exclusives in Forza 5 and Quantum Break. I love games, but I don't get surprised with the reveals of EA sports games which come out every year.

So I wanted to make a post regarding my biggest concerns for the Xbox One, especially since most of the big news has been coming out after the conference itself. And it seems to be with good reason.


Internet Connection Required

Microsoft was quick to point out after the conference that the always-online rumor is indeed that, a rumor. But there were two caveats, one being, that an Internet connection is required. As Joystiq points out, Xbox had a Q&A on it's website answering various questions posed to them by users and while admitting that it isn't always-online, you must have an active Internet connection for the console.

To stoke the fires a tad more, the post was removed shortly after.

So at least to my understanding, it seems that while it's possible to run games offline, there will be cases where needing an Internet connection is required regardless. One of which could be to just log in and "save" your profile to that Xbox. The other...



Used Game Fees

Wired broke the news that used games will be playable. Hallelujah! That rumor has now been debunked as well. But not so fast, there may be something hidden they didn't quite mention straight out!

According to Microsoft, all game discs need to be installed to be playable on the new Xbox. Not a big deal, it sounds like something Sony currently does on the PS3. But where the concern comes in is with used games and the ability for multiple accounts to play the same game. For a second account to play the game, a user will be given the option to pay a fee and install the game. You read that correctly, a fee to play an online game.

EA recently announced that it is dropping it's online pass option from it's games because it just wasn't working and it was listening to it's fan base. But then news of this drops, and it seems to make sense. Instead of having online passes, just have "game passes" so you need to pay a fee whether you play single or multiplayer.

Jon Hicks with Xbox Magazine then went on to confirm that a used game will need an additional fee to be played. And once it is installed, the original user will have it uninstalled which seems to lead more credence to that required Internet connection.


Kinect Requirement

Big Brother is watching you. And now, you won't have a choice. IGN has word from Xbox UK Marketing Director Harvey Eagle that Kinect is a requirement for the Xbox One, otherwise, it will not work. Eagle went on to assure that the Kinect will work even in non-living room layouts including bedrooms, but as current Kinect owners know, that statement needs to be proven to be believed.

While the idea of Kinect is awesome, it has fallen far short of it's potential. If it works as intended, fantastic, but most devices don't usually work flawlessly. And to force users to require this device makes little sense. Not to mention, who knows what exactly Microsoft sees from a Kinect transmission.



Exclusivity

I'm sure to most, this doesn't seem like that big of a problem. Exclusivity isn't anything new, especially when it comes to Microsoft and many of the multi-platform games.

The reason I put this as a concern is because it seems Microsoft is taking the safe route and not expanding on more gaming studios. I'm sure they are tossing a pretty penny to games like Call of Duty to receive DLC a month earlier than other systems, but I would much rather them go the route of giving that money to a developer and put out a console-exclusive game instead.

To continue and go this limited exclusivity route feels lazy. While it will undoubtedly help their sales, it just feels like a cheap ploy to lure gamers to their consoles instead of doing so with actual games that no other console can have. There is something that makes me cringe at this business practice and I refuse to give Microsoft any of my money for these lame tactics. But for those who love these games, some will be rewarded by early access, and some will be punished for it. All for the sake of that limited exclusivity. Ugh.




It's a shame that I'm being less and less interested in this new Xbox console. It seems that there are answers being obscured as much as possible, and these aren't questions that don't need to be danced around if they are easy enough to answer. Trying to hide behind all of these vague answers doesn't bode well for things like used games and required Internet connections, not to mention the concrete answers of no backwards compatibility or Xbox Live games being carried over.

It's great that Kinect should work better and more servers are being added, but if all of this negative sounding talk is coming up now, it makes me scared about what else is unknown to us.

Microsoft and the Xbox Rumors

On May 21st, Microsoft will unveil the new Xbox to the world and have gamers talking leading into E3 a few weeks later. And while there's no guarantee of what will be shown or announced, I'm sure it'll be similar to what Sony's PS4 conference had with spec information and some games, I think there will be some focus on the non-gaming aspect the new system will have along with seeing the box (since that's so important to Mr. Microsoft Major Nelson apparently). Not to mention, the name should be announced so people can stop guessing whether it's going to be Xbox 362, The Xbox, Xbox Infinity, etc.

So in this post, I wanted to highlight some rumors that I find either interesting or need to be discussed with a somewhat open mind without jumping to automatic conclusions.


1. Two Models: To Game, or Not to Game

While it's a given that the next Xbox will have both gaming and non-gaming capabilities, rumor is that Xbox will have two different models. One of those models will not include a disc drive as it will be more of a Roku or Apple TV type device that is used as a media center device to stream movies and shows. One rumor is from someone claiming to have worked on this set-top box saying they will have functionality allowing an individual to search using gestures and voice-recognition, which makes it sound like Kinect could still be integrated into this sku.

Microsoft has taken strides to become more and more like Apple as the gaming side of Xbox has dwindled but the functionality with other apps and programs has become increasingly important. Having a box that rivals Apple TV with some new bells and whistles could be another way in doing so while still using similar hardware already being put to use in the gaming market of Microsoft. Whether or not Microsoft decides to go this route will surely be seen later this month, but there's no reason to believe they wouldn't as they seem to have a healthy dose of products to put on such a device.


2. Backwards Compatibility Add-On

The past few generations have been spoiled with backwards compatibility. Back in my day, we wouldn't expect a new console to play old games unless they were re-released on the new console. But thanks to the Internet and vocal minorities becoming vocal majorities, it has become commonplace for people to clamor for backwards compatibility.

Not to say it's not logical. It makes sense as to why people wouldn't want to keep 16 different systems laying around the TV and switching them out to play a few games if you could keep just one that played all of them. And with technology improving with each new iteration, eventually one of these would be able to play old games with little effort, right? In the case of the PS3 it's understandable why the PS4 won't be able to due to completely different hardware, but why not everything else? Cost? Console design? Hell, I don't know. If I could answer this completely, I sure as hell wouldn't be typing up this blog.

While rumors say the new Xbox won't be able to play 360 games, there are talks of an add-on that could be hooked to the new box to do so. Either way, Microsoft might find a way to convince people to get rid of the old system, but keep the games and upgrade to new hardware. While this would be pretty great, let's not forget how the current gen backwards compatibility fared as only some games would work and others wouldn't. Hopefully, if they create an add-on device, they would work out the kinks to allow all current-gen games play, and not only a selection of them.


3. Two Year Contract

Microsoft announced a model last year for a $99 Xbox that would then have a 2-year contract for customers to pay. Easy money up front, long term commitment. And while the total payment would come out to more than what you would just forking it all out at once, it may have been a positive experience for them. They haven't released numbers specifically for that model, but it could have been the beginning of a good idea for the next gen console.

Some look at the overall price and realize that you will pay more in the long run, but most customers won't care. It's easy to pay monthly than one lump sum at the beginning, and that's enticing to many people. Sony and Nintendo would be smart to have a similar option, but nothing has been noted yet. Microsoft looks poised (and is rumored) to release this option with great success, as it will look like a great deal sitting next to consoles priced $399 and up.

On the other hand, consoles make for great presents for birthdays and holidays. I'm not sure how eager some people are to buy "the gift that keeps on giving.....you bills each month". But if Microsoft releases a brand new console with this type of option, it will be a winning formula for them.




4. Always-On

Yep. That's the error message Sim City players received due to the always online setup with the game. If Microsoft decides to go this route, you may be familiar with similar error messages.

But Microsoft wouldn't really do that now, would they? I think people give them a little too much credit. Microsoft knows people will pay for their service even if they aren't entirely sure what they paying for. If I had to guess, it would be more ads and more content I would never use. Yet they get rid of 1 vs 100 which was amazing but is the one device I have to pay extra on to watch Netflix. Something is a little screwy there. But how many people willingly fork out $40-$50 a year on a service for party chat and "better servers". Heads up folks, you aren't paying for "better servers", you are paying for "Internet capability" which just happens to have "better servers". Considering how cluttered the dashboard has become and slow everything seems to have gotten, clearly the money being put on Live isn't going where it should be. But people still pay, and that's how Microsoft knows they have customers hook-line-and sinker.

Microsoft would be foolish to have the next console be always-on, especially after the disaster that was Sim City's launch. Factor in every Christmas where the influx of new users makes the system crash (or the release of a new Halo game) or just cases where it doesn't work where they don't really explain why; having the system be always-on would be the biggest slap in the face to their customers, not to mention the ones who don't have Internet. The negatives far outweigh the positives, and there is no benefit that anyone can muster except Microsoft...because it benefits them.

As much as I want to dismiss this rumor, there have been a lot of rumors about this. Adam Orth helped fan the flames with his twitter ramblings, docs have been released saying it's always online, Dev kit screenshots show always-online capability...there's just a lot coming out to simply dismiss this. If Microsoft thinks they can do this and do it well, best of luck to them. But they are playing with fire, and as Frankenstein knows, you don't want to piss off a mob of people who have fire.


5. Used Games

If the always-on concern doesn't frighten you, then perhaps the talk of no more used games does. I'm on the fence when it comes to used games. I love having the ability to sell my games to purchase a new one, but at the same time, I understand publishers need those purchases so stores will buy more games from them to sell.

But both PS4 and the Durango have had rumors about them not playing used games. Jack Tretton for Sony said used games will be playable on the PS4, and while it's not as definitive as that, Gamestop seems enthusiastic about the new Microsoft console. And if Gamestop is happy about it, then my guess is that it will play used games.

Cut and dry, right? Not quite. Not long ago, something was added into some games that caused a collective groan among gamers. Online passes. Once they were redeemed, other gamers wouldn't be able to access the online portions of the game if they purchased it used. Some would luck out as the passes weren't redeemed, but most gamers would have to fork out an additional $10 to use any online aspects of the game.

Now what if both Sony and Microsoft were being honest in that the consoles can play used games? The caveat being: You buy it used, you have to pay a little extra to be able to play it. Not an online pass, just a game pass in general. As criminal as that may sound, nobody can really complain in the long run. Gamers who had a problem with no used games would still have the ability to sell them to Gamestop, Amazon, wherever. Gamestop would still have sales coming in from used games. Publishers would receive a little something for used games whereas in the past they didn't. Everyone seems to win a little bit, even if it's not a perfect scenario for everyone. So while I think the rumor of no used games is bogus, I think there could be a possibility of some information being held back until the last possible moment.



In just a few short weeks, we may have an answer to a few of these rumors. Some answers may hide crucial information to see the full picture, but some rumors will definitely be put to rest. Microsoft will have some momentum going into E3, and the gaming world will be in full frenzy until the release of next generation of consoles.