Electronic Entertainment Expo 2013 (E3)

[GoN_]

I highly doubt that will happen.

[TKz]

Probably still going PS4. But maybe this sways me to getting an XBox One sooner than I might have otherwise.

This.

[King Ellis]

Seems like they actually have posted about it on their site but the traffic is putting it in slow mode.

To me, whilst it was obviously needed if they were gonna win back any of the 'smart' gamers, it does seem a little late. If they'd done this to close at E3, whilst they still would have had the expensive in comparison price, they could have at least saved some face by the sheer fact that they were on first. Now it does come across as an 'oh fuck' response to Sony undercutting them and showing them up by not towing the line with DRM.

And I've just seen someone trot out the 'I guess you could say Microsoft has done a 360 on their DRM policies.' line.

8 years on and people are still that fucking stupid. Love it.

[Ruki]

I think they should have gone one step further and included backwards compatibility.

[ZJ Penn]

Yeah from a PR standpoint the damage is done. And I think some people will be suspicious of a system that has been developed over the last five years and then reworked at the last hurdle.

[GoN_]

I think they should have gone one step further and included backwards compatibility.

That might be harder because of hardware issues, from what I've been told.

Anyway, if this is really happening it's great, surprising news. I'm still more into PS4, because I'm used to Sony's exclusives, but a strong Xbox is good for the business.

[deli]

And I've just seen someone trot out the 'I guess you could say Microsoft has done a 360 on their DRM policies.' line.

Jesus, it's fucking depressing that people don't understand basic logic like this.

Anyway, props to microsoft (hopefully) for backpedalling on this. It was still a shitty move but at least this whole debacle should be over.

[King Ellis]

Last week at E3, the excitement, creativity and future of our industry was on display for a global audience.

For us, the future comes in the form of Xbox One, a system designed to be the best place to play games this year and for many years to come. As is our heritage with Xbox, we designed a system that could take full advantage of advances in technology in order to deliver a breakthrough in game play and entertainment. We imagined a new set of benefits such as easier roaming, family sharing, and new ways to try and buy games. We believe in the benefits of a connected, digital future.

Since unveiling our plans for Xbox One, my team and I have heard directly from many of you, read your comments and listened to your feedback. I would like to take the opportunity today to thank you for your assistance in helping us to reshape the future of Xbox One.

You told us how much you loved the flexibility you have today with games delivered on disc. The ability to lend, share, and resell these games at your discretion is of incredible importance to you. Also important to you is the freedom to play offline, for any length of time, anywhere in the world.

So, today I am announcing the following changes to Xbox One and how you can play, share, lend, and resell your games exactly as you do today on Xbox 360. Here is what that means:

• An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games – After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.

• Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today – There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.

In addition to buying a disc from a retailer, you can also download games from Xbox Live on day of release. If you choose to download your games, you will be able to play them offline just like you do today. Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console -- there will be no regional restrictions.

These changes will impact some of the scenarios we previously announced for Xbox One. The sharing of games will work as it does today, you will simply share the disc. Downloaded titles cannot be shared or resold. Also, similar to today, playing disc based games will require that the disc be in the tray.

We appreciate your passion, support and willingness to challenge the assumptions of digital licensing and connectivity. While we believe that the majority of people will play games online and access the cloud for both games and entertainment, we will give consumers the choice of both physical and digital content. We have listened and we have heard loud and clear from your feedback that you want the best of both worlds.

Thank you again for your candid feedback. Our team remains committed to listening, taking feedback and delivering a great product for you later this year.

I guess the EWB Lads share club is dead before it even started.

[TKz]

Awesome. For all the shit we gave them, they turned around and actually fucking listened. Well done interwebs, you actually made a difference. I've gone from being completely blah about the Xbox One to looking forward to picking one up.

[Liam]

Awesome. For all the shit we gave them, they turned around and actually fucking listened. Well done interwebs, you actually made a difference. I've gone from being completely blah about the Xbox One to looking forward to picking one up.

Or they listened to the lack of cash tills ringing when they saw the PS4 announcement.

I know which one I'm guessing had more of an impact.

[TCO]

They did in their fuck listen. If Sony had pulled this shit too, they wouldn't have given a flying fuck about what the internet was saying and go ahead and ruin the industry.

Don't make it out like they did this for any other reason than they were completely boned if they hadn't. I don't trust them, the machine is obviously capable of putting most of these restrictions back in overnight.

[TKz]

Awesome. For all the shit we gave them, they turned around and actually fucking listened. Well done interwebs, you actually made a difference. I've gone from being completely blah about the Xbox One to looking forward to picking one up.

Or they listened to the lack of cash tills ringing when they saw the PS4 announcement.

I know which one I'm guessing had more of an impact.

...That's pretty much the exact same thing, though. People voted with their wallet and it got Microsoft to listen. I'm not saying people on twitter crying made a difference, I'm saying the outcry of "No, we fucking hate this" made a difference. Which is good. It means people listened, made an informed decision and Microsoft was forced to listen. That doesn't happen often.

[Liam]

Awesome. For all the shit we gave them, they turned around and actually fucking listened. Well done interwebs, you actually made a difference. I've gone from being completely blah about the Xbox One to looking forward to picking one up.

Or they listened to the lack of cash tills ringing when they saw the PS4 announcement. I know which one I'm guessing had more of an impact.

...That's pretty much the exact same thing, though. People voted with their wallet and it got Microsoft to listen. I'm not saying people on twitter crying made a difference, I'm saying the outcry of "No, we fucking hate this" made a difference. Which is good. It means people listened, made an informed decision and Microsoft was forced to listen. That doesn't happen often.

They had no real choice. Their decision in the first instance showed a lack of care or value for their customers, a stance they were forced to go against once they saw the lay of the land.

Since neither console has been released yet, their decision seems to come from a perceived inability to contend with the competition, rather than anything ultimately consumer related. This is all about damage limitation, dressed up as consumer influence.

EDIT: To be fair, probably much of a muchness argument.

[gunnar hendershow]

Kinect is still mandatory though, right?

Because that was another major turnoff since I don't like having a camera set up in my living room for all to see.

[Kaney]

I wil probably get an xb1 eventually, if this news sticks and they don't renege like some people fear, but it definitely won't be on launch and definitely will be after I get a PS4.

[DavidMarrio]

The damage has been done and now its like a "Oh come back, please don't go!!!"

They've pretty much been forced to do it and have reluctantly done so. I would have went with Microsoft that was the original plan and stick with them because of loyalty and how much enjoyment I've had out of the Xbox 360 but the stuff that came out at E3 and the price put me off so much that it pretty much drove me to go for a PS4.

If there wasn't such an uproar over it they would have happily left all this stuff in. I'd consider maybe getting an Xbox One but it wouldn't be for a long time, PS4's going to be my main console that I'm gonna pick up when it comes out, Xbox One maybe a year or two down the line.

[rocksta]

Yah they already lost me. They would have to do something really cool to get me back on board at this point.

Family Sharing actually seemed awesome btu got caught up with all the DRM and online problems so to see that go is unfortunate. I respect them for trying and thought this might happen but it's just not enough.

[Pizza]

I don't understand the "damage has been done" complaint. It hasn't even been released. The majority of the public didn't know these restrictions were going to happen. There would have been a major backlash if they had released it as they originally intended, exponentially bigger than the one we had. Then the damage would have been done, and changing course 2 weeks after release would have been rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. But that didn't happen, and now lots of people are going to get an XBone and like it. Which will lead to more people getting them.

[Dan]

Just saw this on Joystiq about Major Nelson:

He said that the Xbones policies were unreversable and the system was built from the ground up with always online needed. So either Microsoft was LYING to everyone, or the system is going to be much less capable then what Microsoft displayed.

[Your Mom]

If they stick to this ill be happy to get one in a few years after some price drops but I am sticking with PS4 for now