'No Internet? Stick with the Xbox 360' is Apparently Microsoft's Current Stance on the Xbox One Hate

[Shawn Zipay]

Rural areas, armed services that deploy overseas, etc. Not to mention how some regions are already saying that the Kinect having to always be connected to the device is unlawful/invasion of privacy and may be banned in that area (obviously outside the US herpderp).

Most of the One's touted features are focused on the TV or on service that aren't available in areas outside the US and North America. Europe especially had such a lukewarm reception to it since 90% of what MS showed off during their first reveal isn't available to them at all.

Edit: Forgot to mention how some countries also make the restriction and prevention of selling your purchased goods an illegal practice. Remember how Valve has gotten into trouble over that very same thing? It won't bode well for MS if they attempt to limit used games/game reselling.

[K-16]

There's a part of me that feels like the Xbox One will have most of the publishers' and non-independent developers' support due to the security features it has, and how many sales will be protected for them. I also feel that the PS4 will have most of the consumers' support due to the simplicity of how licenses are being used (the disc and license are together unlike the Xbox One and PC), and how flexible it is with internet connections (you can bring it with you on vacation, and/or it will work reliably even if your internet does not). It also seems Microsoft is trying to protect cable television (and satellite too?) as more and more consumers move to more on-demand entertainment through the internet, which may gain the support of telecommunications companies (television package with a free Xbox One sounds likely). The more I look at their plan, the more it feels like their focus is not about dominating the gaming industry, but rather protecting other industries and gaining their support in regions where said industries are changing (such as the United States). The PS4 won't get that kind of support, because they're going in the opposite direction, choosing to avoid disruptive changes and continuing to focus on the gaming industry.

As an analogy, I'm seeing the Xbox One as a bulldozer. Versatile and more practical as a tool for various jobs, but when put into a console war where the bulldozer is going into a tank fight... Well... It's out of place. In other words, if the internet goes down you can still enjoy a more interactive way of watching television through that beloved HDMI passthrough, and major telecommunications companies will love you for it. Honestly, I still don't understand why I would want an Xbox One when I can get a Smart TV if I really feel that privileged in a first-world society. Even some telecommunications companies already sell first-party boxes that do almost everything except voice controls.

Edit: Oh and two questions, which countries have World of Warcraft as free-to-play? I only know of countries that don't sell them at retail, but require time credits to be purchased so it's not free anyways. Second question, why is Saudi Arabia favoring the Xbox One according to Gamespot's Twitter battle? I'm really curious about both of these questions.

[Shawn Zipay]

It's hard to say if those added protections will benefit the publishers at all. If the sales of the hardware are well short of the PS4, then it won't really matter what protections there are.

For example, if PS4 has 10 units sold and XBone has 5 sold, there is still a better chance of getting new game sales on the PS4 even if every single XBone owners buys a new copy of the game.

On paper, the protections sound great for profit focused publishers. But when the numbers show how many people are flocking to the PS4 for the next generation, they may realize that the old methods are still more profitable for them.

And AFAIK there is no country that lets anybody play for WoW for free. China might be the closest in that they have to buy prepaid game cards to play for a bit over 66 hours per card, and that there are no monthly fee options in the region. South Korea is sort of similar in that they pay per time (x number of days at a time) not per month.

[jimykx]

In my country Wow is advertised as "free to play", but it's exactly the same as the Trial was, only without the 14 day restriction. So you can play wow untill level 20 (wich you can get to in a few hours if you are experienced), but you can't add friends, trade or join a guild

[K-16]

Agreed. It's definitely hard to say, as it depends on the actual reception of the console in order to determine potential customer base for software. And I think the reason why Microsoft chose to send a bulldozer into a tank fight, is so they can also gain some of the market share for cable/(satellite?) television, and pool both the gaming industry and the telecommunications industry (TV/Mobile/Internet all works with the Xbox One in some way assuming you're also using SmartGlass) into one potentially large customer base. Personally I see that being a naive strategy as I feel Microsoft is too focused on serving producers (as in businesses) in local regions to have any time to listen to consumers both locally and internationally. They probably figure the producers will adopt the product and take care of marketing the product to consumers in a desirable way (instantly upgrade your TV to a Smart TV for $50/month on our 200 channel package with 3 free PPV shows per month, and get a free Xbox One!).

Non-gamers will shun the PS4, but entertainment users may consider this product if it's marketed by someone other than Microsoft, at a time when their country is supported (internet privileged or not wouldn't matter as the focus is on its non-gaming features), and do not already have a Smart TV/set-top box doing the same thing. It'll be difficult to buy the Xbox One on its own as the price is too high, so it needs to be bundled with a third-party deal (maybe that's where the "mobile contract" rumors are coming from). It's also a shame Microsoft is too scared to deal with legal issues, because it would've been nice to have DVR capabilities for television shows (which already cripples Xbox One's core focuses). It'll be a very awkward battle between the Xbox One and Google TV (and Sony Smart TVs I guess?). At least Microsoft is expanding their horizons beyond software and gaming, and going from focused software to general electronics. Sony did this in reverse when you think about it.

And thanks for answering the World of Warcraft question Zips and jimykx. Is the level 20 cap based off of the Starter Edition? Because if so, then I understand how some countries are free to play, because a lot of regions have that option.

Anyways, I noticed a few people calling shenanigans on Saudi Arabia's participation in the Twitter battle, but I don't see the point behind sabotaging a Twitter battle... Kind of petty to do so, and the worldwide voters are too few to have any significance to prove anything. Overall, I don't know why that country somewhat supports the Xbox One.

[SgtMattBaker]

I bet he knows they're screwed and that they got owned by Sony but if he says something like "we might explore different policies" it's bye bye 6figure salary.

[Thortok2000]

Even with the whole internet, everywhere, telling them how wrong they are?

Google 'disruptive technology.' Business term.

Example? Steam. I signed up for that thing the night it came out like 9 or 10 years ago, my steam ID is 0:1:3090. Back then it was to be used to do the CounterStrike 1.6 beta.

Not sure how many of you were around for that but I can still remember the complaints a decade later (the most common being that Steam was a steaming pile of, well, you know), especially cause it had so many technical problems and simply didn't WORK most of the time, and features that a customer would expect weren't in it (like offline mode), etc. And when they cut off the old 1.5 system and required all CS players to use Steam in order to play? OMG the internet was on fire from all the flames, at least in this little section of it.

Now look at it. Some people like it, some people don't, but the outrage, "the whole internet telling them how wrong they are"? That died away. Cause they weren't wrong. They had the right idea all along and just needed to work the kinks out and get the system actually functional.

I feel like SOME of what Microsoft is doing is in that direction, but, I don't think it's going to work out well for them. They're doing too much and they're not right, like Steam is/was. You can assume a computer is connected to the internet, for Steam or Diablo 3 for instance, but consoles? I don't think it's a good assumption. And even Steam has an offline mode that's less strict than what MS has in mind.

[stilla-killa]

Should be more like: No internet then go with the PS4.

[CptainCrunch]

Looks like Playstation has come out with how to share discs for their box. This is pretty good information as well so you can compare Xbox to the Playstation model:

[jimykx]

Crunch, Zips is going to be mad!

[Shawn Zipay]

No I'm not. Stop saying that.

[CptainCrunch]

HA! Thats funny.

See Signa, I do it too.

But I want to know why my New Posts didn't show me that

[jimykx]

HA! Thats funny.

See Signa, I do it too.

But I want to know why my New Posts didn't show me that

That's why I always check things from the forums and make sure I have no blue folders xD

[Shawn Zipay]

HA! Thats funny.

See Signa, I do it too.

But I want to know why my New Posts didn't show me that

It's in the Off Topic thread I think. One of those threads there. Do you see any search results from OT when you go to "What's New?" at the top?

EDIT: Oh wait, it's in the news area already. Probably didn't show up since it was put up days ago and already got buried under new news.