Xbox One

[Xman95]

I've said it before: I don't want to buy both next-gen consoles. So I'm waiting to see if the PS4 or Xbox One (that's the name used at today's reveal) will stand out. Well, I have to say that Xbox One has definitely grabbed my attention.

Obviously it's basically like a recruit's highlight video at this point. All we're going to see will be the cool things they want us to see. But Microsoft definitely succeeded in that respect. I've seen some stuff on the PS4 and, as of now, it pacing behind. Sony will have a chance to make up ground in a couple weeks at E3. Of course Microsoft will also be there and they have plans to announce several titles exclusive to Xbox One.

For those that haven't seen it yet, find an on-demand version of the presentation and check it out (Xbox 360 owners can do so on their console). I know I found it to be pretty impressive.

[rove02]

I was also very impressed. It doesn't really matter to me what PS4 does, I will get Xbox because I can't stand PS controllers ever since going to Xbox ones. Lots of cool features like instantly switching between games, movies, music, and TV. And also the fact that the Xbox looks like it functions like a cable box for TV.

I'm also glad to hear that you won't always need to be connected to the internet to play games. However I heard you will have to pay a fee to play your game on another person's xbox which is stupid. That sounds like bad news for game fly.

[PM Thor]

Nope.

Steam is coming out with a "converter box" type system that will allow for computer games to be played on your tv and let them be transferred to laptop etc. Consoles are dead, they can't keep up with pc stuff. Cloud? discs? Sorry, but Sony, Microsoft are now playing catch up. Don't care if the systems can stream ESPN, Hulu and the whatnot, I can get that stuff for virtually nothing with no monthly subscribtion nowadays through Roku.

[Titanxman04]

I was very very impressed with what Microsoft did with Xbox One. I plan on picking one up once the price settles to something affordable. These systems come out for $800-900 it seems, and then drop after the holidays by almost half.

[coasterville95]

I thought the converter for a PC to a TV is called an HDMI cable. At least that's how it works with my laptop.

[Jumpy]

I agree, XMan. Microsoft's unveiling was more impressive than Sony's. After Sony's event, I was all but ready to pre-order a PS4 due to the integration with the PS Vita (yes, I am one of the ten people who own one) but now I'm not so sure.

Everyone was expecting the new Xbox to push the "always on, hub of the entertainment center of the future" angle and they did that in spades. While I don't think that the Xbox One will become the truly ubiquitous piece of hardware that they portrayed in the launch event (it will be difficult/impossible getting all satellite and tv providers to allow full pass-through of their signal), it will be the closest thing available when it hits store shelves.

While they did promise several exclusives at or soon after launch, they were very light on the actual gameplay. I would have liked to have seen more, but that is a minor gripe. We all know that they will have a huge stable of games just as the 360 did.

The elephant in the room for this generation of consoles hasn't been completely expelled yet. While both companies say that they will allow for used games, they haven't said exactly how they will do so. There are still rumors that the Xbox will charge a fee for loading used games on a system, which brings me to my other concern- the Xbox requiring that games be loaded from a disk (or the cloud) on to the hard drive. If they are only putting in a 500gb hard drive as I've read, we are going to see those puppies fill up quick. With games of this generation reaching double digits in gb file space, I think it's safe to assume that the next generation could be pushing 20gb/game soon enough.

[coasterville95]

I'd think they need to get DirecTV, DIsh Network, and Time Warner on board or the "It will be your TV tuner" will be a non-starter.

[GuyFawkes38]

If the execution is there, this could be a really big deal.

[PM Thor]

I thought the converter for a PC to a TV is called an HDMI cable. At least that's how it works with my laptop.

But remotely? It's going to be cloud based kinda stuff.

[PM Thor]

Don't fret about save space. A cloud based system (with different tiers of savable space) is easily workable. Plus, as with my current XBox, you could buy one plug in save device (TOTALLY blanking on the name right now, stupid) and you won't have to worry about file sizes.

[nuts4xu]

I bet you guys get tons of ass...like crazy porn star ass, day in and day out.

[Jumpy]

Don't fret about save space. A cloud based system (with different tiers of savable space) is easily workable. Plus, as with my current XBox, you could buy one plug in save device (TOTALLY blanking on the name right now, stupid) and you won't have to worry about file sizes.

Negative. The technology behind playing remotely rendered games is very tricky and gets infintely harder when you try to scale it to the number of users that the Xbox One will have. Games have to be saved locally from everything I've read. Microsoft will allow for cloud game saves, but they don't have the technology to remotely run your games from a cloud server. If you buy a new game that takes up 10gb of space, you have to load that on your local hard drive just like you do now.

Sony, on the other hand, bought a company called Gaikai last year that does allow for games saved on cloud servers to be played remotely. They haven't yet released details about how it will tie in to the ps4, if at all. If either of the companies introduces that tech in this gen, it will be Sony.

The Xbox 360 does have an external hard drive that allows for game installs, and I'm sure you're right in that Microsoft will have something very similar with the next gen. IMO, though, it isn't right to demand that all games are installed in your console and then gimp the console with a small hard drive. Memory is cheap. There is no reason they couldn't have put in a 1tb drive or larger, other than the greedy business plan of milking money from gamers by forcing them to buy extra storage space within a few years of the console life span.

[Jumpy]

I bet you guys get tons of ass...like crazy porn star ass, day in and day out.

Says the guy who has spent years curating his own Boobie pic thread just so he can have his own little corner of the net to go stare at lady parts.

[Titanxman04]

I bet you guys get tons of ass...like crazy porn star ass, day in and day out.

I'm marrying a Catholic...so no... Thanks for reminding me, asshole.

[Xman95]

I'm marrying a Catholic...so no... Thanks for reminding me, asshole.

Don't kid yourself. Catholic girls are filthy!

[PM Thor]

Meh Jump, I have quite a few games saved on flash drives over just putting them on my XBox's hard drive. I'm not talking small games either, ones like Skyrim. Not too concerned about having to put them on the hard drive.

In a silly way I am really looking forward to using the XBox to change tv channels and use the operating system while watching tv (or playing a game too).

[PM Thor]

I bet you guys get tons of ass...like crazy porn star ass, day in and day out.
That's funny because my wife is the one who actually said we need to buy this new system. I play "some" games, but use the current XBox more as a portal for other applications, like Netflix, Hulu, Youtube, ESPN etc. (the ESPN one is especially nice, have some Xavier games on demand through it)

[muskiefan82]

Says the guy who has spent years curating his own Boobie pic thread just so he can have his own little corner of the net to go stare at lady parts.

You say this like it's a bad thing. I say thanks to nuts4xu!

[XerXes]

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/06/06/microsoft-details-xbox-one-used-games-always-online

I'm not sure what this is going to mean short term or long term for playing used games and all that. I am not a huge online gamer and it looks like I won't have much choice if I upgrade to the Xbox One.

[PM Thor]

That just made me lean more heavily towards the PS4. One hour of playing on a different console? You gotta be kidding me. There goes me going over to my brothers house for some shootemup on his system with my game. And there goes Redbox' game rental too, which I sometimes use. They are making it harder for me to jump on board with these kind of decisions.

[XerXes]

That just made me lean more heavily towards the PS4. One hour of playing on a different console? You gotta be kidding me. There goes me going over to my brothers house for some shootemup on his system with my game. And there goes Redbox' game rental too, which I sometimes use. They are making it harder for me to jump on board with these kind of decisions.

Yeah, I've been on board with Microsoft since the first generation Xbox but this always on, game restriction stuff s scary. I don't want to switch to the PS4 because I like to play Halo and some of the other Xbox exclusives like Forza but if this holds and there isn't a change I will most likely milk my 360 until death and see what happens after the Xbox One release. I'll see what other people have to say and if it ends up being okay then maybe I'll buy it after the first round of price drops six months to a year after release.

[Xman95]

Some of my folks on the inside of the "gaming world" have said they're currently leaning toward the PS4 as the better system for gamers. Still a lot of info to come out, but that's what I've been hearing lately.

[GuyFawkes38]

One of the cool things about Xbox One is that it will have Prism compatibility. At this point, PS4 doesn't appear be compatible.

[Jumpy]

After Microsoft confirmed all of my fears about overbearing DRM, I am adamant about never touching one of those consoles. It will be the PS4 for me, unless they prove to have the same attitude towards gamers as Microsoft has shown.

[XerXes]

http://www.ign.com/wikis/xbox-one

For those interested you can look around on IGN's wiki guide to the Xbox One. It has all the current details and is always being updated by IGN and anone who has any info so its a good place to keep and eye on. It also has a comparison chart for the One PS4 and Wii-U to allow you to see the differences and similarities between the system but considering the Wii-U is already out that kind of seem odd to include it in this next gen comparison chart. I figured Nintendo will have another system out a year or so after the PS4 and One come out so who knows.

[Muskie]

Here's IGN's live blog from E3 on the Xbox1 (link (http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/10/e3-2013-microsoft-liveblog/))

[XerXes]

Well the games for the X1 looked great but I have to say I am still skeptical of the way Microsoft is treating always online and trading and lending games but I must say Forza looked amazing and so did Battlefield 4 (although not a X1 exclusive) but I'm going to stand by and wait to see how the system is recieved before I commit.

[Milhouse]

The $500 price tag is pretty high. You're looking at well over 600 for a game + spare controller....

[PM Thor]

They won't abandon the 360. There is a huge market there, that Microsoft needs to convert so it's going to be years before they start to phase out the 360, so there is no need to dump the 360 for the near future. They would be idiotic to shut out 360 games. I know most won't change over to the 360 1 for at least a couple of months or a year at least. This is especially considering that 360 games aren't playable on the 1.

What a waste. I would stay with the 360 for 10 years if it worked that long.

[XerXes]

They won't abandon the 360. There is a huge market there, that Microsoft needs to convert so it's going to be years before they start to phase out the 360, so there is no need to dump the 360 for the near future. They would be idiotic to shut out 360 games. I know most won't change over to the 360 1 for at least a couple of months or a year at least. This is especially considering that 360 games aren't playable on the 1.

What a waste. I would stay with the 360 for 10 years if it worked that long.

Yeah Microsoft stated today that they would be supporting the 360 and relasing I believe something like 100 titles that will be available on the 360 so I'm not planing on abandoning my 360 if anything I may buy the new one that was anounced today that is available now. I'm looking into my next gen console though so as far as the X1 or PS4 it is still a toss up for me. I'm thinking that I may end up with the X1 but not right away. I will most likely be getting it a year or so after release. Who knows though but I was impressed with the press Microsoft and EA conferences today that were on Spike TV. Fifa Madden and NBA Live all look really good.

[XULucho27]

I've always been loyal to Xbox, but the "sharing" fee they are implementing is really making me re-consider, especially considering I usually wait several months until a new game's popularity dies down before I purchase a used copy.

Related: This is a great video by Sony that serves as a great "shot across the bow" of the Xbox One's sharing system.

This is how you share games on PS4. (http://kotaku.com/this-is-how-you-share-games-on-ps4-512480452)

[Xman95]

Apparently PS4 will launch for $399. Let the battle begin!

[XerXes]

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/06/19/xbox-one-will-require-day-one-update

Well after E3 it looked like the PS4 was the winner but now it seem Microsoft listened to it's customers. This is genious. They blew it so bad with marketing and original design that it looked like they were going to be completly blown out of the water by PS4. Now they look better because they listened to the consumer. They've made it a race again.

[Kahns Krazy]

How does this impact my Super Nintendo? Will I still be able to play NHLPA 93 and F-Zero?

[xu95]

I'm glad they are reversing field on the used games. I could care less about the always-on. Is there really people with an xbox that doesn't have an internet connection?

As for the PS4, it has never been a consideration for me. I just think the xbox set up is more user friendly.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

I can't stand Microsoft and Bill Gates so I have always been a PS4 fan. There are great games on both consoles and the PS3 has been my blue ray player. I am not a big enough nerd to really care about one game over another.

[Xman95]

I can't stand Microsoft and Bill Gates so I have always been a PS4 fan. There are great games on both consoles and the PS3 has been my blue ray player. I am not a big enough nerd to really care about one game over another.

Says the guy posting on an internet message board!

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Says the guy posting on an internet message board!

Hah, hence why I said not a "big enough nerd"....bastard! :biggrin:

[Jumpy]

Kudos to Microsoft for being willing to admit their mistake and pull a complete 180 on their DRM stance. It isn't enough to get me to cancel my pre-order of the PS4, but I still respect their willingness to listen- and respond- to their customers.

It was interesting to watch it all unfold and, in hindsight, they arguably weren't completely in the wrong. Every other form of media (books, music, movies, PC games) has already made the jump to digital format and it will come to console video games as well in time. Microsoft was willing to stick their neck out on the line and push for this generation of console gaming to make the leap. The only problem is that their ambition was too far reaching and their PR was horrid in explaining why they were taking this tact in stark contrast to Sony's status quo.

When you look at what Microsoft was offering with library sharing between ten "family members" regardless of physical location as well as the ability to access your library from any Xbox One, their form of digital licensing was much more favorable than the typical fare offered to customers of other forms of digital media.

Still, two things are stopping me from staying with Xbox in the next gen. 1) Microsoft still demands that Kinect be always connected and always on. I know it sounds silly, but with the revelation that Microsoft was the first corporation to sign on with the NSA Prism program, the always listening Kinect is too "1984" for me. 2) Microsoft's treatment of Indie developers is borderline criminal. They force small developers to "partner" with larger, Microsoft- favored developers in order to publish a game for their console. This move results in the small developers having to pay tens of thousands of dollars for the "partnership".