Geek Revolt » Games

Four is Greater Than One: Our Thoughts on Microsoft’s New Console

DeShaun Zollicoffer — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:26:41 +0000

DeShaun

First off, I love the Xbox One’s design and OS. The fast app switching, Skype, and Snap looks cool. Meanwhile the design is sleek and industrial. Showing the console already gives Microsoft a slight edge over Sony. The Next… umm Xbox One is more tangible than the PS4. We can start planning our entertainment centers around it. But Microsoft should’ve picked a better name. I can already hear the jokes — four is greater than one, the PS4 is four times better than the Xbox One, etc.

Now here’s where the praise ends. Microsoft spent too much time talking about entertainment. It was like E3 2010 – 2012 all over again. We get it – you want to rule the living room. That’s why you’re calling it Xbox ONE. Clever! It’s an all in one device. But we’re gamers – we want games!

Sure, they said that there’s 15 Xbox One exclusives coming in the next 12 months and 8 of them are new IPs. But how many of those are core titles? I have a bad feeling that half of those are Kinect 2.0 games.

The PS4 event had a few exclusive game reveals, but Microsoft only showed off Forza and Remedy’s new game. They were more interested in pimping out third-party software. Call of Duty Ghosts and Fifa 14 are coming to the PS4 too – they aren’t Xbox One console sellers.

This wasn’t announced at the event, but the Xbox One has a form of used game protection. The games are installed to the hard drive and we have to pay a fee to play them on another account. Details are still scarce, but it’s a terrible idea.

I don’t trade in games or buy used, though. So I’ll never have to pay said fee. Right now I just care about games. Microsoft needs to impress at E3 2013. Talk is cheap. It’s time to show off some of those exclusives. Sadly I don’t have much confidence in Microsoft, and that’s why I’m still more excited for the PS4.

Andrew

So far, I’m pretty underwhelmed. I understand all of the game companies are trying to market the next gen consoles as “entertainment systems” because they have to compete with the Apple’s of the world, but so far the Xbox One looked like a bad Apple TV. Add in the fact that you have to have Kinect for most of the new features, the games can’t be traded in, no backwards compatibility, etc. I’m not sold on it as of right now. Obviously I have to wait for E3 to really have a full opinion on it but today was disappointing in my eyes. I liked the dog from the call of duty trailer though, he was rad.

Oh and it looks like VCR so that’s probably not the best thing going for it

Bryan

Basically, I feel the Xbox One was exactly what we were pretty much expecting. The conference was mostly bland with Microsoft not focusing on what they really NEEDED to, which was us, the gamers. They put 80% of their focus on the entertainment aspect (hence the “One”) and really, it was no different than the current Xbox.

Kinect 2 was mostly what we expected, which was a nice HD upgrade but making it mandatory for the Xbox One to function, I think, is a no-no. I think showing off Call of Duty was a no-no as well considering we didn’t see any live gameplay of any of the 3-5 games they actually showed. Again, focusing too much on entertainment over the gamer.

No mentions of really how much of Xbox Live is going to be new but they did mention some of the obvious fears. One, no Backwards Compatibility. While I called this quite a while ago, I am surprised I was actually right. I felt Microsoft wanted that little edge over Sony and considering Sony now owns Gaikai, that adds an edge to Sony’s new PS4. Two, always online and well, that wasn’t so much a bad thing anymore (I know, I was wrong) but given how they are handling used games and all the entertainment functions, at least we won’t need to be online for single player.

I felt the strongest thing to come of this event wasn’t the appearance of the Xbox One (which does look appealing), but rather the announcement of Halo’s TV series. We may not get a movie, but if this series is as strong as the Forward Until Dawn, then I think it’ll be better in the long run (Steven Spielberg ftw!). I think Microsoft saying “blu-ray” was a little awkward but with their own recording function as well as a 500GB hard drive, Microsoft is in a good position. I also found the “15 exclusive” comment to be slightly off considering games get delayed all the time, we may only see 5-8 of those next year.

I really don’t know what else to say in terms of the reveal and I’m sure I still have a lot more (maybe I should make this an actual article). I am sure I will get some comments somewhere regarding this but as a whole, I was pleased but I am edging more towards Sony right now but I think that is more of a given considering my prior feelings on Microsoft. I feel Microsoft really doesn’t understand how to truly hype out the gate and it was mostly bland promises that I hope will get clarified for E3. IN SAYING THAT, E3 will be a deciding factor not only for me, but for the majority of gamers, because pricing and release dates will be shown off at that time.

Daniel

I think the Xbox One reveal did exactly what it should have. I now know the Xbox One as a device, and think the things it can do as a device are quite cool. As for the specs and games whose absence disappointed so many, just remember, E3 is right around the corner, and it makes more sense for them to capitalize on the hype of the 15 exclusive games that will be reportedly coming out in the next year – 8 of which will be new IP’s – then, rather than now, while they were just trying to introduce us to their new console. Why blow their load before E3? I took it for what it was, and left a satisfied man.

Camara

Xbox? Won?

If I were to rate PS4′s showing it would be at 6/10, for XBOX ONE 5/10. Sony’s conference was very disappointing to me, it actually made me dislike Sony a little. I thought surely Microsoft would be able to swoon me back, I did own an original xbox and it was fantastic machine, with some stellar IPs to match. Today however, was a let down, from the monstrous console, the lack of actual gameplay, the yawn inducing Call of Duty to executives who fail to grasp what the modern gaming experience should be.

Shoveling over the rumors and introducing further elements that stray away from gaming was what I got from it all. Will used games be blocked, no answer, will it be always online, no answer. Sure some website’s are giving answers to these questions but its all heresay and pointing fingers and retractions. Retractions from press releases, you know your point was not conveyed correctly when they’re retractions. 15 new IPs (gee) Quantum Break, Remedy can do no wrong…right, when I first saw Alan Wake I knew I wanted to play it, same goes for Max Payne. That title though no gameplay was shown was enough to off put me.

Sony demonstrated variety in the gameplay department at their conference. With Microsoft either you will be a gun (violence) or not so much (kinect waggles). In order to win this upcoming gen the behemoths need to do a few things, awesome, clever and emotion inciting games with varied mechanics, slight graphical fidelity leaps, and design a machine that does it without hiccups and one that would encourage daily participation. I must applaud Microsoft they made the decision of choosing Next gen consoles much easier for the fanboys, but what do I know? Hopefully something more develops at E3, but don’t hold your breath.

Antoine

Where do I begin?

Let’s start with the Xbox One reveal press conference. Actually let’s start with the name first. The third Xbox console to come out is called Xbox One. I really wanted to be in the meeting where they came up with the name so I can smack the person who came up with that and the higher ups who approved it. Xbox 720, Xbox infinity, heck even the codename Durango would have been good names that set it apart from its predecessor while sharing the brand name. Xbox One is such a weird name and it will be interesting to see the marketing involved with the name.

Now back to the conference. The conference overall was passable. The conference in some ways felt unnecessary, especially with E3 coming up in three weeks. I know Microsoft wanted to do a two part story with the console unveiling being the first part today and focusing on games during E3 as the second part. The conference had the revealing of the console, TV integration, talks about OS and interface involving Kinect and Skype, the revealing of two exclusives(Forza 5 and Quantum Break) , HALO……….TV series, and finally finished with EA Sports partnership and Call Of Duty. Microsoft, never end your conference with a game that is going to be available on multiple consoles, even if DLC is first on your service. It is not very impressive. Also, it felt like there were people placed in the audience to make sure someone was always clapping; it was kind of weird in some places.

The problem I have with the conference is I’m not quite sure who it was geared towards. Core gamers had nothing to really get excited about besides Forza and (maybe) Quantum Break and they only took up about 7 minutes of the conference. Any casual gamers probably didn’t know too much about the conference and if they did, seeing games they can play on their 360/ps3 and a simpler way to switch between live TV and games is not going to make them rush for a preorder. It felt more like a stockholders meeting then a press conference. The PS4 conference felt that way as well but the gravity towards games for a good part of the conference helped it along.

Then reports started coming out after the conference. As of now, It seems that the Xbox One will require an internet connection every 24 hours, each game will have a one-time activation code that needs to be entered in order to play it, the game needs to be installed, If a person gets a game second hand, they will have to pay a fee to play the game on their console, Kinect(which comes with the system) will be required for the Xbox One to function, and an internet connection is required for quite a few functions while the system is on and off. Right now some details are still being ironed out and I’m sure that Microsoft will discuss these functions later on at E3 and Gamescom, but this news is not going over very well with quite a few people. I like the design of the controller and the console scares me due to its size but it looks nice and love the HDMI in/out. I would love to get everyone’s take on the direction that Microsoft is taking with this console. I will admit I’m not a fan of these reports and hope that Sony does not reveal the same things for the PS4 at E3.

I wasn’t too impressed with the conference and I’m not a big fan of the direction that Microsoft is taking with the Xbox One (still a terrible name), but I’m going to see what E3 holds before I make a final decision and hopefully Microsoft has a strong second act, because the first act definitely lowered my expectations.

Developing….

Xbox Executives Discuss Xbox One

DeShaun Zollicoffer — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:43:54 +0000

Trailer Description: Xbox executives discuss how Xbox built the all-in-one games and entertainment system for today and the decade ahead — Xbox One. Xbox executives Yusuf Mehdi, Phil Spencer, and Marc Whitten discuss how Xbox One puts you at the center of all your games, TV, movies, music, sports and Skype.

Source: Microsoft

Quantum Break (Remedy’s New Game) Reveal Trailer

DeShaun Zollicoffer — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:37:17 +0000

Trailer Description: Master time to survive the present… and save the future. From the creators of Alan Wake and Max Payne comes Quantum Break, a revolutionary entertainment experience that blurs the line between gameplay and television. With Quantum Break, the world will see a new generation of immersive entertainment, only possible on Xbox One.

Source: Microsoft

Call of Duty: Ghosts Reveal Trailer

DeShaun Zollicoffer — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:30:24 +0000

Trailer Description: Call of Duty: Ghosts takes the critically-acclaimed franchise into the next generation. New world. New story. New, next-gen engine.

Source: Microsoft

Xbox One Overview + Gallery

DeShaun Zollicoffer — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:00:24 +0000

Microsoft just released an Xbox One overview and some official photos of the console and its accessories. Check them out below and stay tuned for our brutally honest reaction to today’s news.

With Xbox One, games push the boundaries of realism and TV obeys your commands. You can say “Xbox On” to launch with your personalized Xbox One Home screen, discover what’s popular on TV or your friends’ latest gaming achievements all using your voice. The more you interact with Xbox One, the more it gets to know you and learns what you like. Putting you at the center of your living room entertainment, some of the breakthrough Xbox One features include:

TV on Xbox One: Navigate and watch live TV from your cable, telco or satellite set-top box through your Xbox One.

Home: Turn on your entertainment system with two powerful words, “Xbox On” and a custom-tailored Home dashboard welcomes you with your favorite games, TV and entertainment.

Snap: Do two things at once on the biggest screen in your home. Use Snap to jump into a multiplayer battle while watching your favorite movie, chat with friends on Skype while watching live TV or track your fantasy team on TV as you watch the big game and so much more.

Skype for Xbox One: Specially designed for Xbox One, chat with friends on your TV in stunning HD, or for the first time ever, hold group Skype calls on your TV.

Trending: Stay on top of what’s hot on TV by discovering the entertainment that’s popular among your friends and see what’s trending within the Xbox community

OneGuide: Find your favorite entertainment easily, searching by network, name or time, all with the sound of your voice and presented in a tailored program guide.

To create the most advanced Xbox system ever designed for games, TV and entertainment, the Xbox team created a state-of-the-art gaming operating system and fused it with an equally amazing entertainment platform, resulting in no switching inputs to watch TV or play a game. An 8-core x86 processor and over five billion transistors make lag and load times a thing of the past, so you can instantly jump between your games and entertainment at lightning speed or run a host of apps right alongside your game with no loss in performance.

Source: Xbox Wire

Xbox One Isn’t Backwards Compatible, Charges Fee to Install Games on Second Console

DeShaun Zollicoffer — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:37:26 +0000

I really wanted backwards compatibility, but deep down I knew it was a pipe dream. Well, Microsoft’s Marc Whitten just confirmed my fears — the Xbox One won’t play your Xbox 360 games. Here’s what he told The Verge.

The system is based on a different core architecture, so back-compat doesn’t really work from that perspective.

But the bad news doesn’t stop there. Wired is reporting that Xbox One games will be installed to your hard drive and Microsoft will charge you a fee if you want to install it to another console/account. This is essentially a way to make money from second hand sales. Yikes!

Source: The Verge, Wired

Forza Motorsport 5: Announce Trailer

DeShaun Zollicoffer — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:24:11 +0000

Trailer Description: Forza Motorsport 5, from Turn 10 Studios, is the latest edition of the highest-rated racing franchise of the past 10 years. Forza Motorsport 5 sets a new bar for racing games. With the power of Xbox and the cloud, no game better delivers the sensation of being behind the wheel. Available exclusively for launch.

Source: Microsoft

Microsoft Reveals Xbox One

DeShaun Zollicoffer — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:18:22 +0000

Microsoft just announced their new console, the Xbox One. It has an 8-core CPU, 8GB of RAM, a Blu-ray drive, a new Kinect sensor, and a 500GB hard drive. Check out the reveal trailer above and we’ll share our thoughts on the Xbox One later.

Source: Microsoft

Panopticon is Freedom Wars, Coming to the PS Vita

DeShaun Zollicoffer — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:12:11 +0000

Today Sony revealed some more details about Panopticon. First off it isn’t called that — Freedom Wars is its real title. It’s a multiplayer game that stars a group of “criminals” and you must complete missions to reduce your sentence. Something tells me it won’t be that easy. Check out the new trailer and it’s coming to the PS Vita next year.

Source: PlayStation Japan