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[The Scrivener]

I lost a lot of trust for Microsoft with the whole always-online debacle

It sounded like a veiled threat, didn't it.

Microsoft: We check if you are online every 30 minutes.
Journalists: And what happens If we're not.
Microsoft: You don't want to know, but it's not good.
Journalists: Hurrah, thank you.

But I am hyped for the XSX. Spencer knows how to address the crowd.

 

[Heinrich]

Is that what you took from it? I'm an Xbox only gamer, who's happy with how MS are going about the new Generation. But, I cant forget that last gen I was hanging to see the new Xbox, as I was a 360 only gamer (still have my 360 Elite) and was hanging for the new Xbox. I was invested in Xbox, but was totally depressed by the reveal.
Remembering the cluster fuck that was the Xbone reveal is worth revisting on the eve of the XSX.
And as it srands today I have a One X, which I love as a console, and over 60 games. So yeah, hardly anti Xbox.
Dont be so sensitive.

the fuck? What’s the sense of it? The only sense is: shitting on Xbox. Trying wind down the Xbox momentum. Because Xbox is doing incredible well right now and people like are trying to bring up the past to shit on Xbox.
Pathetic move.

Start looking at the feature and stop looking at the past just to shit on Xbox. .

 

[Heinrich]

Fans are allowed to critice their favorite products.

This is like 10 fucking years ago. Seriously. Microsoft already did EVERYTHING to turn around and did the complete opposite. Shit is getting ridiculous.

 

[cireza]

It was awful indeed and I stopped following news about the console until they dropped Kinect and the price.

I then decided to by one on a whim (saw the pack without Kinect in a shop maybe a couple years later) with Sunset Overdrive and loved the console and the game.

But all their marketing around entertainment, TV and Kinect was the worst.

 

[FranXico]

This is like 10 fucking years ago. Seriously. Microsoft already did EVERYTHING to turn around and did the complete opposite. Shit is getting ridiculous.

The thread is just about remembering everyone's reaction 7 years ago. Nothing more.

 

[molasar]

I called 911 to help MS.

 

[GHG]

The best bit about it was seeing people trip all over themselves to say that the always on drm and no used games was going to be a good thing for us, only for Microsoft to quickly reverse the decision.

Everything about it was a clusterfuck and so many sheep exposed themselves.

 

[MoreJRPG]

It’s was so bad to the point that I bought a PS4 at launch which had nothing to play except Black Flag and BF4.

Thankfully Microsoft turned it around.

 

[Quasicat]

I actually liked the online DRM system since I was already completely digital at that point on 360 and PS3. Being all digital was (and still is in most cases) more expensive and the prospect of installing cheap used games from GameStop and throwing them away afterwards was a cheap alternative to buying from the digital stores.

The always online stuff never bothered me since I cannot think of a time in the past 6 years that the internet or Live was down when I wanted to use it.

 

[JAMMA]

.

 

[CeeJay]

Looking at the replies here I can see that I am firmly in the minority but personally I had no problem with the plan for the Xbox One and looking back I see no reason to think any differently. OK, the console was slightly underpowered and developers had trouble reaching 1080p but apart from that I think it was alright.

Always online - Yep, since 2013 my Xbox One has been always online.

Digital Library - Yep, the only game I have on disc is Forza 5 that came with the console and Guitar Hero that needed the peripherals anyway, everything else I have bought digitally.

TV - Yep I use the TV tuner and media remote which puts the Xbox One at the centre of my living room and is more convienient than using the tuner built into the TV itself.

Kinect - I thought Kinect seemed like a device that truly made the console feel like a next gen experience. I loved the idea of been able to control the console with my voice and for it to recognise me and sign me in automatically. Voice control is now widespread (it wasn't in 2013) so Microsoft were definitely ahead of the curve on that one even if the implementation left a lot to be desired. I still think that the Kinect hardware is a quality piece of kit even though It is now a relic sat in a cupboard never to be used again. It may have been dropped by Xbox, the Kinect project continues to this day as Azure Kinect and has found a new home as a research and development tool.

Maybe it was more a case of the world was not ready for Xbox One? Since then, I have noticed that a large amount of console gamers habits have moved closer to what the vision of Xbox One was during the course of the generation with a massive shift towards digital purchases and services. I know there are still a lot of people who are steadfast against it but, I do wonder whether the same reveal today in a world where the original Xbox One reveal never existed would be greeted with a different response.

 

[Elektro Demon]

 

[Rightisright]

the fuck? What’s the sense of it? The only sense is: shitting on Xbox. Trying wind down the Xbox momentum. Because Xbox is doing incredible well right now and people like are trying to bring up the past to shit on Xbox.
Pathetic move.

Start looking at the feature and stop looking at the past just to shit on Xbox. .

Yeah, my post on Gaf is going to wind down the XSX momentum.
Just chill. Nothing we say here is going to effect the console, it's specs, the quality of exclusives, what other studios MS buy out, or how many people buy the console. That's not how it works.
MS has moved past the disaster of the Xbone, and they are going all out for this one. You can see from the tons of other posts I have made here that I'm pretty stoked with what has been going on.
That doesnt mean we can laugh at what happened previously.
Man, I cop it from the Sony Fanboys here for pushing the Xbox too much, and then get it from Xbox fanboys for dareing to talk about the last reveal.

 

[Rightisright]

The reveal was jaw dropping. I went from excited to absolutely not getting the Console upon the always online digital crap.

I bought a PS4 at launch and ultimately decided to grab an xbox one at launch because the game lineup seemed promising, but I wasn’t happy with the weaker One hardware nor did I ever take the Kinect out of the box.

I’ve bounced around between Sony and MS, but currently game on Xbox because they adopted 4K more widely sooner and nothing beats the Xbox One controller compared to the flimsy DS4. I mean, my day 1 impression of Xbox One that is most memorable was how much more AMAZING the Xbox One controller felt compared to my PS4 controllers (which I Honestly thought were pretty decent in ergonomics and comfort compared to the DS3, although less sturdy)

I’m not holding my breath on the next Xbox controller though, they said that they changed to design to fit more hands, so those of us with big hands will probably be left purchasing an Elite or dealing with a less ideal controller.

Back to the OP’s question, my reaction now and forever is No Physical Software = Boycott.

And just thinking about what could have been.
If Kinect wasnt included, and MS spent that extra money on compute units then it would have been every bit as good as PS4. Even without the GDDR 5 RAM, the games would have performed the same. It would have been a true 1080P console.
Then if MS had of kept Bungle, and bought a few more studios and had some more exclusives then I think they would have done just as well as the 360 did.
But, they really did a stellar job with the One X. Its So well made, quiet, powerful, and even plays Ultra HD Blurays.
To me the One X is a sign of things to come, and Im pretty excited.

 

[ksdixon]

I remember being terrified that Sony were going to do the same, because either xbox just massively shot themselves in the foot, or they were confident in doing it because Sony was also doing it. Thankfully they didn't.

 

[Gloggins]

We will never see a company so completely demolished by their direct competitor at an E3 again. It did Microsoft a lot of good.

2013 was a very fun time.

 

[JLB]

Xbox One reveal was the typical case of innovative ideas/products that were ahead of market, and also were terrible implemented and communicated.
What MS tried to execute and failed at the time, is what successfully executed later, and presented on during E3 2018.

 

[Potato Chip PRO]

I was conflicted..........

 

[Zimmy68]

I was one of the few that was hoping their online model would have been implemented and worked.
Putting a disc in the console to prove you own it is so archaic to me.
Why can't it be like PC where I enter a license code then I can play it anytime? Let me download for offline use if I want.
I can still play my Steam games offline.
I don't give 2 shits about used game trading or sharing it with a friend.
But here we are in 2020, and I am still digging for the old Batman Arkham Knight PS4 disc so I can check out the new costume.
The bigger problem for the Xbox One was the forced purchase of the expensive Kinect and it being so underpowered compared to the PS4.

 

[Dane]

That circus killed the console.

The irony is that today most consoles are always connected, let alone that most games on PC are sold digitally, but most doesn't have a shitty online only drm.

 

[Journey]

LOL

It didn't even start at the reveal, there were many leaked rumors about the upcoming disaster, some believed it, some thought it was so preposterous that we assumed it was fake FUD. Then it happened!

Like watching the Titanic, but in real-time after boarding a time machine.

 

[Deleted member 774430]

"Xbox is about to become the next water cooler"

I thought Don Mattrick clearly showed his heritage from EA especially during that press conference.

That kind of attitude where "we're not trying to be the good guys, we know where we can make the most money and we're gonna tell you with a straight face"

Because frankly if Don's original vision for Xbox One succeeded as intended, Xbox would have been leader of this generation by now with insane revenues from:

- Casual audience who bought the system as their all in one solution for TV entertainment
- Gamers of course, with even more data gathered through their Xbox systems always connected and always-on spycam Kinect.
- Microsoft would have been so far ahead on the cloud streaming race since they were already working on a cloud streaming infrastructure.

The problem is that they presented all of this all at once, in the worst possible away and that scared consumers especially gamers.

Their original goal was to sell 120-180 mln Xbox One units, as of now they sold it maybe 50 mln units, we don't even know.

The fact it bombed that's maybe for the better for us consumers, people responded that we still buy consoles for games, if you don't have those we're not interested.

 

[DonF]

All I could think while watching... TV.

yep, as someone outside the states, all that TV talk didnt even apply! I couldn't believe how xbox was being so blind to the global market. the reveal of the xbox one was 100% an america only thing, TV and CoD.

 

[JAMMA]

.

 

[MaximusPayne]

Honestly, I think the forced Kinect killed the vibe. I still got one and used it, but sales wise they should have had different skus. They have had a really good turnaround if we are being honest, though.

 

[Nikana]

I am one of the few I was actually super into what they promised, as long as it would of worked they way they said it did, which was part of their whole issue lol.

A more digital approach was something I was into because as I got older and friends move away, have less time for gaming etc, the digital nature of it seemed really neat. I could share games without having to give a disc away etc.

But the way they described it was abysmal. The you can give the game away ONCE thing was beyond dumb. On paper I get it. Opening up this idea of digital sharing brings a whole lot of issues and trying find that balance is what killed it. It should have been more cut throat and basic. If you buy games on a disc they work exactly like they do now. If you buy digital you get digital benefits like sharing up to 5 people.

 

[JOEVIAL]

I have been such a huge fan of XBOX for most of my life. I started playing on PC in the early 90's and gravitated to consoles in the late 90's. I remember the XBOX reveal was nothing short of magical, especially compared to what we had at the time. The visuals were nothing short of spectacular, beating out the competition and even aligning with the PC's of the day. It came at the perfect time and people were really receptive too it! Afterall... it's hard not to get excited for a dedicated gaming console made by the largest player in the tech world, Microsoft. And it was revealed and backed up by none other than Bill Gates, which amped up the excitement and reveal to a magnitude of 10.

Oh wait.... this is a thread about the XBOX One.... woops...

 

[sn0man]

I was a Xbox fanboy and hated it, especially forced Kinect. The console was weaker and more expensive than the ps4. I waited until they broke that up to buy one.

They were forcing too much too early. Today I’m fully digital with always online connected devices all around my house. I thought it was insane in 2013.

I could have been you but I was already broke and out of work and the idea of a monthly fee or a tied to an online connection to enjoy video games rubbed me the wrong way. I miss Xbox games like gears and forza.

I lost a lot of trust for Microsoft with the whole always-online debacle because even after the backlash they are still too focused on online services and cloud streaming IMO

I'm all for game preservation so naturally it pushes me away from gaming on Xbox

Same. They won’t even let you save your game without creating an online account.

I was disappointed and thought MS had killed all the moment it had built on the 360.

Exactly. The 360 showed how online could be a carrot and not a stick. They saw and promoted the power of playing online in the living room. With the xbone instead of focusing on being the best at matchmaking and party chat and all that stuff they used the stick of forced online.

This is like 10 fucking years ago. Seriously. Microsoft already did EVERYTHING to turn around and did the complete opposite. Shit is getting ridiculous.

You’re blinded Heinrich. Microsoft hasn’t removed all their online requirements. They’ve done more of a 90 than a 180. Now it’s all about how cheap game pass is and that you have access to exclusives as a service instead of a purchase. Again this is better because it’s a carrot. It’s not a reversal and a return to the capabilities of the 360.

The reveal was jaw dropping. I went from excited to absolutely not getting the Console upon the always online digital crap.

I bought a PS4 at launch and ultimately decided to grab an xbox one at launch because the game lineup seemed promising, but I wasn’t happy with the weaker One hardware nor did I ever take the Kinect out of the box.

I’ve bounced around between Sony and MS, but currently game on Xbox because they adopted 4K more widely sooner and nothing beats the Xbox One controller compared to the flimsy DS4. I mean, my day 1 impression of Xbox One that is most memorable was how much more AMAZING the Xbox One controller felt compared to my PS4 controllers (which I Honestly thought were pretty decent in ergonomics and comfort compared to the DS3, although less sturdy)

I’m not holding my breath on the next Xbox controller though, they said that they changed to design to fit more hands, so those of us with big hands will probably be left purchasing an Elite or dealing with a less ideal controller.

Back to the OP’s question, my reaction now and forever is No Physical Software = Boycott.

If the hardware to play physical software requires an online connection to set it up and an online connection to create a profile to use it, doesn’t that diminish the value of the physical software?

Don’t get me wrong, physical has a lot of baggage: creating plastic is energy intensivepace concerns to keep the physical software, physical is fragile.

Yet I still do it for systems like the NES and other retro consoles because I control them. I decide to play those on the CRT downstairs and Nintendo can’t stop me. Sure the switch brings convenience but they control the selection and they require a recurring fee. They also shut down the Wii’s online altogether.

I guess what I’m saying is that if I had stayed Xbox this gen I’d just go digital. Instead I’m PS4 and switch and I’m physical 99%

Yeah, my post on Gaf is going to wind down the XSX momentum.
Just chill. Nothing we say here is going to effect the console, it's specs, the quality of exclusives, what other studios MS buy out, or how many people buy the console. That's not how it works.
MS has moved past the disaster of the Xbone, and they are going all out for this one. You can see from the tons of other posts I have made here that I'm pretty stoked with what has been going on.
That doesnt mean we can laugh at what happened previously.
Man, I cop it from the Sony Fanboys here for pushing the Xbox too much, and then get it from Xbox fanboys for dareing to talk about the last reveal.

Thanks for being in gaf OP. I really appreciate your perspective. It was all a shock. They focused on so many things that were against what I wanted. It was such a shock and turn around from the 360 that I studied from rumors to got on launch and loved and dealt with red rings and bought two or three through the years. I was so very excited for the new Xbox and I felt so abandoned.


For me personally I kind of keep hoping that MS throws us all a bone and reverses the last vestiges of online requirements but I assume they won’t. Windows is online required now so I have a Linux gaming pc. Xbox is online so I have a PS4. yet the software franchises they have appeal to me.

I hope they release more of their software on other platforms and that is where I’ll play MS titles.

 

[Hobbygaming]

the fuck? What’s the sense of it? The only sense is: shitting on Xbox. Trying wind down the Xbox momentum. Because Xbox is doing incredible well right now and people like are trying to bring up the past to shit on Xbox.
Pathetic move.

Start looking at the feature and stop looking at the past just to shit on Xbox. .

Developers are worried about the future of AAA because of subscription services like gamepass and I blame MS tbh because they are conditioning the gamers on their platform into not buying games

 

[Chromium.Wings]

I remember very specifically being upset at Microsoft for the always-online pitch and the way they handled it. It seemed to take some of my freedoms away when announced (though later they changed their tune and said "this would have been a great thing for sharing games but nobody wanted it" - I'm skeptical on how much of this was just trying to save face but it really came across as childish as "I'm taking the ball home so no one can play with it."), and I had already been upset because since I got my PS3 in 2010/2011 or so, I'd noticed that my PS3 was receiving a lot of games that held my interest but my 360 was hardly receiving any. I found it difficult to trust the next console from Xbox when it felt like my current one had nothing to offer me any more.

They've since made some decent turn arounds, but not enough to instill anywhere near the same level of brand loyalty in me as Sony has. That said, this generation Microsoft really put together a sturdy box. I recently purchased my cousin's Day One edition Xbox One when he upgraded to the Xbox One X, and the box still runs pretty well. Obviously some hiccups due to age, but overall very minor issues.

Honestly, I hope Sony follows Microsoft's lead and develops a Dualshock 5 Elite controller (obviously with a different name, likely Pro). The Xbox One Elite controller is a fantastic piece of hardware and after my cousin got his Series II for Christmas, I've been considering getting myself one for my PC gaming that I'd rather due with a controller.

 

[Highway Star]

I was still going to buy one, until I found out that my FFB steering wheel was useless, and I would have to buy all new peripherals. Seeing as the PS4 was more powerful and cheaper, I took the plunge and bought a PS4. Didn't regret it and now with VR, I'm loving the PS. When the X1X came out I bought one for Forza series. In all honesty I love both consoles.

 

[Grinchy]

Looking back now, I actually would like some kind of disc policy where I don't need to have the disc in the system to play the game.

Maybe instead of charging, it could have been that registering the disc to a new console just made it unable to run on the first.

 

[stitch1]

At the time...

It made it real easy for me to buy a PS4. Now, things are moving the right direction again.

 

[Entroyp]

It was pure joy combined with a bit of vicarious embarrassment.

 

[Dlacy13g]

I wasn't totally thrown off by the reveal.... I actually liked the concept of combining my television and gaming into one system. HOWEVER...the interviews/mixed messages happening post reveal were to this day just brutal. Most importantly and damaging was Don Matrick and his ridiculous "...we have a console for you" line basically giving a stiff middle finger to many a gamer.

 

[Bladed Thesis]

Some things sounded good, some things sounded bad. Thought the internet overreacted but the marketing and talking heads at Microsoft totally bungled the entire thing. I was a Store Manager at GameStop at the time so I got to see and hear a lot of GameStop's talk to the managers and that was also eye-opening.

 

[JAMMA]

If the hardware to play physical software requires an online connection to set it up and an online connection to create a profile to use it, doesn’t that diminish the value of the physical software?

Don’t get me wrong, physical has a lot of baggage: creating plastic is energy intensivepace concerns to keep the physical software, physical is fragile.

Yet I still do it for systems like the NES and other retro consoles because I control them. I decide to play those on the CRT downstairs and Nintendo can’t stop me. Sure the switch brings convenience but they control the selection and they require a recurring fee. They also shut down the Wii’s online altogether.

I guess what I’m saying is that if I had stayed Xbox this gen I’d just go digital. Instead I’m PS4 and switch and I’m physical 99%

The ONLY downside with the xbox over PS is this weird situation of creating an account online and then setting your console to offline. I’m sure this is something that can be remedied in the future. The only games that can’t be played offline are the free “games with gold” acquired games or Gamepass games used to play offline. I do suppose that I should be entitled to my Games With Gold Titles forever, but that’s another story.

All physical games and Digital games you purchased work without internet.

It’s a totally awesome console offline once signed in *and then* taken offline.
I’d like to see a generic offline guest setup option in the future though, for preservation or for servicemen.

 

[Trogdor1123]

If I remember right, I was pretty confused

 

[Gargus]

Mine was pretty much like everything I know about the new xbox "ok great. Now where are the games I want to play?"

 

[Codes 208]

Great throwback to the juvenile 16-bit rivalry between Sega and Nintendo

More making fun of the competition, less pie charts.

I personally find competition like this healthy. It was just one of the several kicks in the ass MS needed to get out of their ps3-launch era sony levels of cockiness.

 

[Saber]

I remember that time. It was so stupid that I talk to my brother like "do you think they're doing it on purpose? It sounds as if they wanted to screw Xbox as a part of plan".

But the TVtvtv part sucks. It was embarassing to watch.

 

[Slings and Arrows]

As a YUGE xbox fan from the day the OG launched, I saw where they were heading by the end of the 360's lifecycle; downhill, very quickly. Talking about Kinect for two years as an excuse not to launch a new console, supporting it with zero games, lying at E3 year after year and assaulting the internet with a throng of Kinect-loving shills, told me that MS had lost their way.

Then came the Durango leaks and I knew it to be true; the next xbox was going to be a big pile of wank.

I never thought they would be so stupid as to what they did and reveal it in the way they did. It wasn't just the Tv Tv Tv or "xbox is the next water cooler", it was how much money was spent on non-gaming and even worse, non-gaming specific to the US. Peter Moore paid $1 billion dollars to upgrade the RAM in the 360. Mattrick and Spencer paid $1 Billion dollars for NFL exclusivity. That statement alone said everything I needed to know .

Europe was completely abandoned and they made a 'Murica-centric box that was intended to compete world-wide. To say nothing of their always-online DRM, Buy a 360 if your internet sucks and no used-games.

Tl;dr: The worst disaster from a company I have ever witnessed. The only saving grace is that Microsoft didn't fumble a little bit, they just totally fucked up, which was more entertaining than the console they were proposing.

 

[JAMMA]

.

 

[Slings and Arrows]

Your reaction to the Xbox launch was this? Sorry pal, I call complete bullshit on you. The PS4 launch was pure ass and maybe killzone. The One had a better launch lineup than PS4, nearly everyone can agree this was not only true but essentially the only benefit at the time (besides the controller differences)

Get out of this thread you thin skinned tosser. This is peoples opinions on how they saw the reveal.

Fucking flag wavers man, it boggles the mind.

 

[Codes 208]

Your reaction to the Xbox launch was this? The One had a WAY better launch lineup than PS4, nearly everyone can agree this was not only true but essentially the only benefit at the time (besides the controller differences)

They didnt announce any of the games until e3, this isnt about e3 or the actual launch. Its about the reveal, the reveal which they only showed forza 5 and TVTVTVTVTVTVTV KINECT TVTVTV KINECT

 

[Alx]

Most people misremember the reveal(s). The negative reactions after the first reveal was always about the multimedia focus and the lack of games presented (which was intentional by MS since they had E3 coming a few weeks later when they would show the games). That's when the "TV TV TV" meme emerged, but nobody knew about digital licenses, price, hardware performances etc. At that time I was interested by that multimedia focus that was bringing something new (it's still the thing I enjoyed most this generation), and annoyed at people who were shouting "where are the games ?" when we knew they were coming.
Next was E3, and that's when all hell broke loose : PS4 being cheaper, limited second-hand market and no game lending, always on and kinect required,... There was a tidal wave of criticism, that completely overshadowed the games that were presented (for the record : Ryse, Titanfall, Sunset Overdrive, Killer Instinct, Dead Rising, Forza, ...).

 

[Codes 208]

Most people misremember the reveal(s). The negative reactions after the first reveal was always about the multimedia focus and the lack of games presented (which was intentional by MS since they had E3 coming a few weeks later when they would show the games). That's when the "TV TV TV" meme emerged, but nobody knew about digital licenses, price, hardware performances etc. At that time I was interested by that multimedia focus that was bringing something new (since the thing I enjoyed most this generation), and annoyed at people who were shouting "where are the games ?" when we knew they were coming.
Next was E3, and that's when all hell broke loose : PS4 being cheaper, limited second-hand market and no game lending, always on and kinect required,... There was a tidal wave of criticism, that completely overshadowed the games that were presented (for the record : Ryse, Titanfall, Sunset Overdrive, Killer Instinct, Dead Rising, Forza, ...).

If only Don had just focused on making an actual game system, the latter wouldve been mich more well recieved without all the tvkinectonlineDRM shit looming over it

 

[Alx]

If only Don had just focused on making an actual game system, the latter wouldve been mich more well recieved without all the tvkinectonlineDRM shit looming over it

The thing is it was actually a pretty good game system, as the launch and near-launch lineup can prove (one could argue that the games were never as good as that after Spencer came in and "fixed the Xbox").
That's what was frustrating for me at the time, one could disagree with the choices they made, but saying it was just a multimedia machine and not a gaming one was flat-out wrong.

 

[Slings and Arrows]

The thing is it was actually a pretty good game system, as the launch and near-launch lineup can prove (one could argue that the games were never as good as that after Spencer came in and "fixed the Xbox").
That's what was frustrating for me at the time, one could disagree with the choices they made, but saying it was just a multimedia machine and not a gaming one was flat-out wrong.

The focus was multimedia, which took away from it being a pure gaming machine. I don't deny that it played games, but it didn't do it as well as it could have or should have, had the money and focus not being spread between gaming and multimedia.

I moved away from Microsoft for the first time since day one of the OG xbox. I do so because I couldn't trust Microsoft to invest my money in the right directions that I wanted. It wasn't until I picked up a cheap Xbone, later upgraded to an X, that I came back.

Even now though, I only play the X because of Gamepass and the Elite controller. I think their games output and games focus has been abysmal compared to the OG and 360. Unfortunately, there's no signs that that is going to change.

IMO, the X and gamepass have saved enough face for Microsoft to just scrape through this gen. Though I would say, if it wasn't for gamepass, I wouldn't have even bothered with an Xbox this gen.

 

[Alx]

The focus was multimedia, which took away from it being a pure gaming machine. I don't deny that it played games, but it didn't do it as well as it could have or should have, had the money and focus not being spread between gaming and multimedia.

That was always an assumption from angry gamers, and I was never convinced by that. Kinect taking away resources from games, sure. But multimedia ? How do they limit the performance or focus on games ? Besides, all consoles are multimedia now (you can browse the web, listen to music or stream movies on all of them... the only thing Xbox has for it is HDMI in, which is just a few cents of hardware plus one additional app). And as I mentioned, dropping the multimedia focus didn't translate to more games focus on the console.