XBox One AND PS4 Discussion

[Teal]

I believe, if I'm not mistaken, I referred to that idiotic response. It was idiotic. Arrogant? Eye of the beholder, I suppose. But there's another thing: technically, it's factually correct. Stupid to say, but accurate nonetheless.


So, I ask: What do you want them to do NOW? They're committed, and any concessions they make at this point they take a hit on. Personally, I couldn't care less about their online thing, because I'm always online anyway. I don't care about the used game thing, because I plan on (when I even bother to GET a new system) making most all of my purchases digitally. And Kinect? I think alot of that is tinfoil hat nonsense based upon what the government is currently doing.

Get a PS4-hell, I don't care. Doesn't affect me one way or the other. But man alive, some of the vitriol is just plain baffling.

[Inuyasha]

I believe, if I'm not mistaken, I referred to that idiotic response. It was idiotic. Arrogant? Eye of the beholder, I suppose. But there's another thing: technically, it's factually correct. Stupid to say, but accurate nonetheless.


So, I ask: What do you want them to do NOW? They're committed, and any concessions they make at this point they take a hit on. Personally, I couldn't care less about their online thing, because I'm always online anyway. I don't care about the used game thing, because I plan on (when I even bother to GET a new system) making most all of my purchases digitally. And Kinect? I think alot of that is tinfoil hat nonsense based upon what the government is currently doing.

Get a PS4-hell, I don't care. Doesn't affect me one way or the other. But man alive, some of the vitriol is just plain baffling.

why are you taking it so personally? they're freaking gaming systems...........nothing else. I think you need to take a chill pill bro. Like 34 said, its entertainment. It's like the Game of Thrones for the videogame industry.

[Teal]

I believe, if I'm not mistaken, I referred to that idiotic response. It was idiotic. Arrogant? Eye of the beholder, I suppose. But there's another thing: technically, it's factually correct. Stupid to say, but accurate nonetheless.


So, I ask: What do you want them to do NOW? They're committed, and any concessions they make at this point they take a hit on. Personally, I couldn't care less about their online thing, because I'm always online anyway. I don't care about the used game thing, because I plan on (when I even bother to GET a new system) making most all of my purchases digitally. And Kinect? I think alot of that is tinfoil hat nonsense based upon what the government is currently doing.

Get a PS4-hell, I don't care. Doesn't affect me one way or the other. But man alive, some of the vitriol is just plain baffling.

why are you taking it so personally? they're freaking gaming systems...........nothing else. I think you need to take a chill pill bro. Like 34 said, its entertainment. It's like the Game of Thrones for the videogame industry.

Funny thing...I'm thinking the exact same thing about many of the comments here. Exact. Some of the complete BS in here is just silly. Nothing about it "personal". Not sure where in blazes that came from. Because I'm one of a few people who think all the bellyaching is out of place? Sheesh...

[Inuyasha]

I believe, if I'm not mistaken, I referred to that idiotic response. It was idiotic. Arrogant? Eye of the beholder, I suppose. But there's another thing: technically, it's factually correct. Stupid to say, but accurate nonetheless.


So, I ask: What do you want them to do NOW? They're committed, and any concessions they make at this point they take a hit on. Personally, I couldn't care less about their online thing, because I'm always online anyway. I don't care about the used game thing, because I plan on (when I even bother to GET a new system) making most all of my purchases digitally. And Kinect? I think alot of that is tinfoil hat nonsense based upon what the government is currently doing.

Get a PS4-hell, I don't care. Doesn't affect me one way or the other. But man alive, some of the vitriol is just plain baffling.

why are you taking it so personally? they're freaking gaming systems...........nothing else. I think you need to take a chill pill bro. Like 34 said, its entertainment. It's like the Game of Thrones for the videogame industry.

Funny thing...I'm thinking the exact same thing about many of the comments here. Exact. Some of the complete BS in here is just silly. Nothing about it "personal". Not sure where in blazes that came from. Because I'm one of a few people who think all the bellyaching is out of place? Sheesh...

True. in the end, we all know everyone on this board will own both systems anyway.

[Rodster]

in the end, we all know everyone on this board will own both systems anyway.

If they'll let me disable the camera and the 24 check in then i'll probably get one. If not i'll stick with the PS4. Besides this time around multi-platform games should look so close to each other that you probably won't be able to tell which system it's on.

[Leebo33]

I pre-ordered the PS4. After a handful of RROD I swore I'd never buy another launch MS product and the PS4 is $100 cheaper (not interested in Kinect or online play plus I don't really feel that I personally have made out on $300 or so in XBL fees with my X360...just don't game online anymore). I'm sure I'll end up with both at some point but I'm going PS4 first.

[dbdynsty25]

s***...I never even thought about the RROD crap. I'm on Xbox 360 number 5...so if that's not reason enough to go PS4 I don't know what is. I've still got my launch PS3 and its still going strong.

[Danimal]

Funny thing...I'm thinking the exact same thing about many of the comments here. Exact. Some of the complete BS in here is just silly. Nothing about it "personal". Not sure where in blazes that came from. Because I'm one of a few people who think all the bellyaching is out of place? Sheesh...

Simple really the Playstation fan boys haven't had anything to run in the MS fanboy faces for 8 years. They have something and they are running with it. Let them have their fun because one thing you can always count on is eventually Sony will do something stupid.

I always own both systems and I never understand being a fan of one and hating the other. I'll get an XB1 and likely at launch I'm sure. It's amusing watching it all though.

[vinny-b]

Funny thing...I'm thinking the exact same thing about many of the comments here. Exact. Some of the complete BS in here is just silly. Nothing about it "personal". Not sure where in blazes that came from. Because I'm one of a few people who think all the bellyaching is out of place? Sheesh...

Simple really the Playstation fan boys haven't had anything to run in the MS fanboy faces for 8 years. They have something and they are running with it. Let them have their fun because one thing you can always count on is eventually Sony will do something stupid.

Playstation "fanyboys"? If you're referencing this thread, list who these people are.

[Danimal]

Funny thing...I'm thinking the exact same thing about many of the comments here. Exact. Some of the complete BS in here is just silly. Nothing about it "personal". Not sure where in blazes that came from. Because I'm one of a few people who think all the bellyaching is out of place? Sheesh...

Simple really the Playstation fan boys haven't had anything to run in the MS fanboy faces for 8 years. They have something and they are running with it. Let them have their fun because one thing you can always count on is eventually Sony will do something stupid.

Playstation "fanyboys"? If you're referencing this thread, list who these people are.

Simmer down, I'm speaking in general terms. As I said I already pre-ordered a PS4 but the fact people still get upset about which console is the best is amusing as hell.

[Rodster]

Hehe gotta laugh at some of the fanbois stuff myself. I don't care about any of that stuff anymore. For those that chose the XONE, enjoy. Like I said both consoles this gen will probably have such small differences in how the game looks that you'll probably have to look at the machine to tell the difference.

I feel good about going with Sony this time around and like Dan I have little to no room to add another Kinect unless I disconnect the one that's plugged into my current X360. Hopefully when all this stuff gets sorted i'll probably add a XONE. I still like the idea of playing OFFLINE and playing the game from the disc and not harddrive if I can.

Also as far as the XONE goes reliability wise. That thing looks like it will have NO issues as far as overheating goes. It appears MS realized that you need to provide good airflow to these units to keep them from overheating and failing prematurely.

[Sudz]

I know I'll end up with each system at some point, just like I did with this gen. it wasn't until about 2 years ago i had both at the same time.

The Division looks amazing. May actually get me to play with sound and a headset.

[Jimmydeicide]

I haven't seen or heard anything other than what I've decided to listen to or watch in this thread but one thing i do know is all this kerfuffle is going to do is split us all up again and what is a watered down poker night version already.
We are gonna need a sticky here as to which guy has chose what system so if we like to play Fifa or NHL or the game of your choosing with dspers we still have a group to join.
Thats what system I'm choosing.
It will be a while if ever i own both again.

[Spooky]

That's right, boys, amidst the smoke from BF4 and craters from Halo, they won't notice what we slipped by them until it's too late!

That's an acceptably cynical way to look at it. Another interpretation might be "People already buy millions of XBL games all the time and don't seem to be up in arms about the fact that they don't get a physical disc they can give away or sell second hand, so we think in the real world application of this the negative backlash will be mitigated by the increased convenience and ease of use for most consumers."

If they can succeed in "Steam-ifying" the console experience to a degree, including price breaks (and somehow finding a way to limit the risk people take when buying $60 games that might suck), I think a lot of the feelings of indignation would be forgotten in the wash.

If "available for download on release day" and "always on" mean that I could pre-pay for a game the day before its release, and my machine will download it automatically at midnight so that it is ready when I wake up, or even better if I decide while at work to buy a game and connect via smart glass on my iPhone and purchase it, and "always on" means the game is downloaded and ready to play that evening when I get home, well heck, that would be pretty fantastic for me and frankly far, far more convenient than anything I know of except buying games for my iPad.

And that's probably not even scratching the surface of those types of features or how they could develop through the 7 to 10 year cycle of the machine.

One thing I like about having Kinnect "shoved down our throats" as well as having "always connected" being a built in feature of the system is that it avoids the dreaded contradictions and complications of the "add on device." With Xbone, every developer knows the machine will have Kinnect and will be accessing the Internet, so they can concentrate on exploiting those features fully and innovatively rather than worrying about making sure their product works for a non-Internet, no-Kinnect consumer. Yes, they'll lose out on an increasingly shrinking sector (non Internet), but the kinds of things they may come up with that could really add to what games are and do would truly make this next machine "next gen." Also, if the Xbone wasn't "always connected," it would be just about the only device in my apartment that isn't always connected to the Internet except maybe my coffee maker and my microwave. And maybe in five years, those things will be too.

I do think MS's messaging has been clumsy and frankly rather awful. Failing to take into account that there may be knee-jerk "you're treating every consumer like a criminal" reactions for "always connected" is indeed pretty bad. And then they haven't done well at all at showing or explaining how these features could actually lead to benefits for their consumers. And they haven't been terribly nimble to react as things play out.

And I do find Sony to be pandering to the basest fears and sense of entitlement the vocal hardcore gamers are prone to. They saw an easy opportunity to get the big cheers and they took it, kudos to them, but I'm not that interrested in subsidizing the continued success of GameStop or Best Buy by forcing publishers to make millions of BluRay discs for games I could just as easily download. No one is shedding any tears these days for Blockbuster video or Tower Records as we have all moved on to instant streaming movies and purchasing music online. Steam shows the same thing can work for games, and why should GameStop be able to siphon off money out of the loop between developers, publishers and consumers? MS has been clumsy about it, but I think we will all benefit if they can forcibly push the whole console ecosystem to where in the end I think everyone agrees it should be in three or five years' time.

Very well said Zep.....

Ditto. I agree with this 100%. I do think it will be VERY important to somehow mitigate the removal of "used" games (buying and selling) with better pricing and sales, etc...

[grtwhtsk]

I have both pre-ordered on Amazon, but figure I will cancel one of them before launch. Really like the Xbone's exclusives right now, and that is what got my pre-order....the cost of two systems around holiday time, a bit much for my wallet.

The thing that has me really bothered on the xbone front more than anything is this kinnect camera being on. Did they say that it will be on at all times that the system is running? So if I am not playing a game that uses it, someone at MS is watching me? WTF??!! What is the point? They think too many people are sharing their licenses? So when people start throwing towels at such on it to keep their privacy, is MS going to block their access?

I hope that there is some clarification on the above, and that it is not what it seems to me. I don't love the used game stuff, the online check ins and such, but could deal with it. My privacy is not something I take lightly. It's bad enough all our other communication seems to be "out there." IF not satisfied, cancelling my xbone pre-order will be real easy for me.

[GameSeven]

Ditto. I agree with this 100%. I do think it will be VERY important to somehow mitigate the removal of "used" games (buying and selling) with better pricing and sales, etc...

The thing is, there is every reason this should be the case. Microsoft and the developers are not fools.

There is a demand curve for content that won't likely change appreciably. If I'm willing to buy a typical used game from Gamefly for $20, I'm not suddenly going to be willing to buy the same aging content for $60.

Microsoft and crew would be far better served getting that $20 than Gamefly or (gasp) Gamespot.

So is the prevailing thought that Microsoft are simply looking to close the gate on used game sales and hold the line on MSRP?

If anything, I'd think the policies are most hostile to distributors who stand to lose lucrative deals on used game sales. And whether there is a backlash of sorts on this remains to be seen.

Likewise with Gamefly's rental business. While these policies will appear to kill Gamefly's XB1 support outright (and the market will decide whether this will be to MS's detriment or not), MS could institute it's own infrastructure for timed rentals for a fee (credited towards a full game purchase would be ideal) or even a subscription fee for a "Gamefly-like" experience with extended access to multiple titles on a monthly basis. Both of these would give MS revenue streams that are proven to exist and can be realized simply through software enhancements to its licensing model.

Overall, I think the move towards all-digital distribution is a bold (and, yes, inevitable) one, and this coming from a guy who is in the market for a pair of physical media copies of Animal Crossing, to my kid's consternation (who lobbied last night for an immediate download).

The thing is, most of the uproar from the end-users is premature as we're *not* certain what the end impact will be to us. And *if* MS tries to do this to simply 'kill' used games and hold a hard line on MSRP, their competitors will eat their lunch.

Conversely, the web-dependent daily check-in is much harder to defend IMHO. While it will amount to a minor inconvenience for me personally, conceding a segment of the population is hardly ever a good thing (the oft-cited military abroad is a legitimate issue here). I think they'd be wise to reconsider their stance on this, although the infrastructure they are proposing likely doesn't allow much wiggle room in this regard. At the very least, securing a longer-term lock on content for offline use should be a consideration.

[GameSeven]

The thing that has me really bothered on the xbone front more than anything is this kinnect camera being on. Did they say that it will be on at all times that the system is running? So if I am not playing a game that uses it, someone at MS is watching me? WTF??!! What is the point? They think too many people are sharing their licenses? So when people start throwing towels at such on it to keep their privacy, is MS going to block their access?

I believe MS has said that Kinect, when the machine is off, is 'on' in the sense that it is listening for one command "Xbox On" or some equivalent. And this feature can be disabled by the user, if preferred.

In light of the recent kerfuffle with NSA surveillance, I can understand people's sensitivity to inviting another camera to their living room, but I think if anyone ever snooped unwarranted video (or audio) streaming out of their LAN there'd be a massive class action suit against MS. And for that matter, all laptops, phones, tablets with embedded cameras would have to be looked at with the same jaundiced eye.

[pk500]

I side with Teal here. There's NOTHING arrogant about building a console that requires Internet access. It's a path Microsoft has elected to take, and the market will determine whether it was a smart move. MS probably knows that most of its 360 customers also have XBL, so a device that requires Internet access probably isn't a huge risk.

I'm not thrilled about Kinect being bundled with the machine and about DRM restrictions and possibly Kinect privacy intrusions. But again, those are Microsoft's choices. If you don't like it, don't buy the XBone. It's not arrogance; it's MS' strategic vision.

My problem with the Xbone is the price. It looks like a nifty machine, but $500 is just too rich for a hobby that once again is fading for me. Then again, $400 for the PS4 also is too much money in my eyes. I'll just wait for a price cut or see if my interest in console gaming revives or evaporates completely and take it from there.

But I will continue to read this thread. Some good information here, and as XXXIV said, some damn good entertainment!

[wco81]

Supposedly the camera can be turned off. But not sure if there's opt-in or opt-out for sending data. Kinect will track your viewing habits and supposedly offer achievements for watching certain shows.

But they say when the system is asleep and you want to wake it, you say "Xbox, on" or something like that, so Kinect will have some kind of active state even if you turn off the camera. And you can't disconnect Kinect.


As for rentals, they could offer it, maybe like the EA pass thing, where you get to download and try the game for a couple of days before release. But when they release the $60 game, I would think they'd want to maximize sales, not let rentals take away potential sales. Because people have been known to finish games on a weekend rental.

[Sudz]

1 thing i enjoy is the ESPN3 access on my xbox. If they continue to add apps like that (and HBO) I'll be happy and the added cost is cool with me.

My gaming set-up is a small TV next to our main living room TV so I can hang with my wife while I game and watch a show. During football season I fire up 2 games at once using the ESPN app. If the NHL gets their pricing down, I'd do that too.

[10spro]

Here are my reasons why I am more inclined to buy the PS4 at this point over the Xbox One. I just feel less restrictive with Sony. Period. And even though my games are both connected online all the time for both the 360 and PS3, I wonder how many check ups I'll have to go thru with MS before I can actually play something as I am constantly on the road and depending on certain months, weeks away from my consoles. DRM restrictions, argh do I really feel like I own a game that I bought with my hard cash?

They boast a nice selection of first party studios and show an increasing interest in Indie games as well.
Since the online games will come at a cost, I expect their online services to be much improved as proven lately with the Plus subscription.

I have the Kinect but frankly only my daughter uses it for her dances with her friends. Personally, I don't use it at all and the idea of including it with the Xbone while paying $100 more is of no interest for me whatsoever. And privacy, yeah while I am watching a flick, I don't want to be stared back.

Give me the choice to pick what it's useful in my household and not the other way around.

Having said that, I do favor some of the exclusive games for MS such as 'TitanFall' and 'Forza5' while I still enjoy 'Halo'.

Although the $100 dollar difference is not the final deciding factor for my inclination towards a PS4, in this rather uncertain economy we live in, a lot of families will just simply look at that reason alone to go with Sony.

As I stated before, I am in no rush to get either console but at this point I am more inclined to put a pre-order towards the PS4.

[Spooky]

So...what exactly is the deal with this camera and privacy concerns? Are people at MS going to be watching us?

[Pete1210]

Ditto. I agree with this 100%. I do think it will be VERY important to somehow mitigate the removal of "used" games (buying and selling) with better pricing and sales, etc...

The thing is, there is every reason this should be the case. Microsoft and the developers are not fools.

Microsoft already offers some enticing "Steam" like sales on downloads. Recently they had dark Souls for $10. I picked up Dirt 2 for $5 and GTA 4 for $10. Not quite as good as Steam offering all the GTA's for $12.50, but its a start.
And I've bought (too) many XBLA games and DLC packs on sale for 50-75% off.

[Teal]

So...what exactly is the deal with this camera and privacy concerns? Are people at MS going to be watching us?

See, I think all that is overblown. I seem to remember MS saying that there are toggles for privacy and all that. So no, I don't believe all the "Big Brother Microsoft" stuff. I think it's just become a boogie man.

[RobVarak]

Regardless of the merits of either system, it's going to be interesting to see if MS can pull of the PR needed for damage control. They've been utterly slaughtered in the post-announcement geekisphere, and that's not going to change without some serious marketing kung-fu.