Japanmanx3
Member
Matt and Bish going in. Rose (green?) tinted glasses being worn with some very huge revisionist theory. Crazy.
-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
What if Microsoft had stuck with their original Xbox one plan.
- Thread starter Thewonandonly
- Start date
BRocknRolla
Member
This. What's described in the OP never existed and certainly wouldn't have in the light portrayed here. It's revisionist history.
I vaguely remember the family sharing plan. It was something like you could give away multiple digital copies of a game for free. Defenders of the original XB1 trumped this feature as a game changer and blamed the doubters for its death! Many were skeptical, saying that no sane publisher would give away multiple copies of their game for free.
spookyfish
Gold Member
"Family Sharing would have allowed up to 10 members(household or not) to have access to the entire game library of the main account. On any designated Xbox One(any of the 10 selected), as long as the main account is logged in, up to 10 Xbox Ones could access the entire library at once. The main account holder could still access any of their games and also play online with anyone of the designated members. You could literally buy one copy of a game and share it with up to 10 people in your country. Anyone outside of your country would then be subject to the loaning policy."
This pipe-dream was never part of the initial reveal, and seems to be kind of important. This was only brought up after the huge backlash, and many said it as a "well, you could have had THIS." When pressed for info, it was clear Microsoft hadn't worked out this would actually work.
And, let's be honest: if they wanted to, they could do this now. They don't need the old system to make it work.
I file this away in the book of "Things that Would Never Have Happened."
This pipe-dream was never part of the initial reveal, and seems to be kind of important. This was only brought up after the huge backlash, and many said it as a "well, you could have had THIS." When pressed for info, it was clear Microsoft hadn't worked out this would actually work.
And, let's be honest: if they wanted to, they could do this now. They don't need the old system to make it work.
I file this away in the book of "Things that Would Never Have Happened."
This mostly likely isn't true. It would be more than just "scared". The likelihood is that the pre-order numbers were extremely poor vs projections, to the point where they were forced to u-turn. That is why they can make the differentiation between the people that "never intended" to buy and who actually were.
Yeah - that was exactly what I remembered, which is ridiculous to then suggest they were actually going to follow through considering how evasive they were to the information until directly after the u-turn.
soul creator
Member
It would have been good for me personally, but they probably would be in even a worse sales position.
Also, I don't think the family sharing was 10 people playing one game at the same time. What it likely would have been was 1 person being able to play the game all the time (the owner), and then 1 other person from a list of 10 that can access your library. After all, that's kind of what's done now...2 people can play 1 copy of a digital game already on PS4/Xbox, and on the Windows Store, you can install a game on a bunch of devices. As someone mentioned, I think it's publisher controlled how many. Based on what publishers allow now, that gives some insight into what the family sharing would have been.
Also, I don't think the family sharing was 10 people playing one game at the same time. What it likely would have been was 1 person being able to play the game all the time (the owner), and then 1 other person from a list of 10 that can access your library. After all, that's kind of what's done now...2 people can play 1 copy of a digital game already on PS4/Xbox, and on the Windows Store, you can install a game on a bunch of devices. As someone mentioned, I think it's publisher controlled how many. Based on what publishers allow now, that gives some insight into what the family sharing would have been.
The memes then summed it all up very well.
No, it would have failed like the Wii U. And the console market is not collapsing either as sales numbers disprove it.
No, it would have failed like the Wii U. And the console market is not collapsing either as sales numbers disprove it.
They offered nothing in return and family sharing, I've got a bridge to sell you. It still to this day has hampered Xbox One, they'll never escape it and should never forget it as a warning to any future plans. How they never noticed it was the worst idea ever, that's some bubble with a circle jerk in the middle at Microsoft.
makingmusic476
Member
A lot of the details in the OP that turn each feature from something concerning into something amazing were never mentioned by Microsoft when they still intended to go through with always online.
I think it's mostly made up.
I think it's mostly made up.
The memes then summed it all up very well.
My god, this is a masterpiece.
Gnome Scat
Member
I'd probably be enjoying Uncharted 4 right now.
How would that work?
Dreamwriter
Member
Because then you could return that disk to the store or sell it, and now you've got a copy of the game and someone else has a copy of it, but it's only been paid for once. This was the reason for all that "must connect to the Internet at least once every 24 hours" and "games are tied to the account" plans.
SerTapTap
Member
Most of your points to make the thing sound good are inaccurate, unconfirmed or duplicates.
About half of your points can be summed up as "physical games did not exist, disks were useless except for a digital download code they contained". All of the "good" things you note about physical games are simply positives of digital games, because they WERE digital games.
We were told the price of buying a used digital game was "about the price of a new game" so selling wouldn't actually be viable. There certainly was no "activate the digital version then sell the disk at a profit" system like you imply.
Family sharing...seemed unlikely. PS3 had similar "sharing" and has been repeatedly cracked down on. It would more likely be something like Steam's family sharing or possibly more restricted still.
Your point about downloading the games to a friends console is no less true today. Add your account and download your DIGITALLY owned games on any console. Again, this is simply a feature of all games being digital in every way, the disks were entirely meaningless. As a fun side effect, Xbox One disks would eventually be completely useless garbage the moment the servers were shut down. (Microsoft has shown no reluctance in shutting down even recent services that prove unprofitable).
All in all, it would have been a complete disaster and Microsoft knew it. They didn't change because they thought it would work, that's for sure.
About half of your points can be summed up as "physical games did not exist, disks were useless except for a digital download code they contained". All of the "good" things you note about physical games are simply positives of digital games, because they WERE digital games.
We were told the price of buying a used digital game was "about the price of a new game" so selling wouldn't actually be viable. There certainly was no "activate the digital version then sell the disk at a profit" system like you imply.
Family sharing...seemed unlikely. PS3 had similar "sharing" and has been repeatedly cracked down on. It would more likely be something like Steam's family sharing or possibly more restricted still.
Your point about downloading the games to a friends console is no less true today. Add your account and download your DIGITALLY owned games on any console. Again, this is simply a feature of all games being digital in every way, the disks were entirely meaningless. As a fun side effect, Xbox One disks would eventually be completely useless garbage the moment the servers were shut down. (Microsoft has shown no reluctance in shutting down even recent services that prove unprofitable).
All in all, it would have been a complete disaster and Microsoft knew it. They didn't change because they thought it would work, that's for sure.
Fucking gross. If that's their vision of the future of games consoles, count me the fuck out.
Same with the "better" version of the same console bullshit too. Makes me actually think about a purchase next gen. I don't trust any of them really. Give it 6 years in the life span and I might bite.
Same with the "better" version of the same console bullshit too. Makes me actually think about a purchase next gen. I don't trust any of them really. Give it 6 years in the life span and I might bite.
Jessie.Bristol
Member
I honestly had zero issues with the original concept of the system. I am 100% digital now anyway and have been since about a year or so into the Xbox One's life cycle.
I'm digital-only on my PC and consoles currently. And somehow it turns out to be just fine and perfectly possible without any of the draconian DRM measures originally planned by Microsoft which caused the backlash by the "whiners". So.. what you are talking about, exactly?
Dreamwriter
Member
No, it's exactly what Microsoft explained when asked about it in interviews at the time (before plans changed due to backlash), minus the details of family sharing. Not made up. But their executives were the first ones to leak the information, and they SUCKED at explaining what it was all for.
No, it's not.
Daffy Duck
Member
I hope we eventually get an article on Eurogamer about the whole reveal of the Xbox one and subsequent 180's like the Lionhead article they did recently.
I bet it would be fascinating.
Off Topic but what ever happened to CBOAT and the other MS insider (I forget his name).
It was also nice seeing Albert Penello and Larry Hyrb posting back then. Shit sure was crazy back then.
I bet it would be fascinating.
Off Topic but what ever happened to CBOAT and the other MS insider (I forget his name).
It was also nice seeing Albert Penello and Larry Hyrb posting back then. Shit sure was crazy back then.
No, it really wasn't. Half the crap Microsoft was stating after the announcement sounded like they were making things up as they went along aswell.
ROUGE_BLOCK
Member
Yeah there is no way any of that would have happened. Adding an always online DRM BS to check your "ownership" of a license every 24 hours was blatant anticonsumer. Everyone saw through MS' BS and we got a better Xbox one ecosystem to this day because of it.
Consoles are on the verge of collapse?
...you mean remove the data from the game disks? That's not how any disk based media works.
TheSpoiler
Member
Man, people have continued to push this odd narrative even though it's been proven wrong in this very topic over and over again.
Jack The Nipper
Banned
The wii u and x1 may have almost reversed sales
It's SenjutsuSage. He liked the parts that Microsoft came up with.
Edit: well beaten by someone above.
SmoothRunningGun
Member
They would be further behind Sony than they already are.
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
I still wouldn't have bought it. Stupid, anti-consumer concept.
Well, technically, the games could have used rewritable BluRays, and the console would delete the content upon installation.
But, of course, that would make games probably about $10-20 more expensive because of those discs and open the system up for unprecedented piracy.
I did not know that, and have now done a bit of Googling. Thanks for clearing that up.
Joel Was Right
If you smell burning, it's probably the generators acting up. Report it anyway.
Has there ever been a critique of the PlayStation 4 on this forum? I don't really follow the Gaming side, but I would like to hear people's impressions of the system 2 years after its release.
That is not really a feasible plan for a lot of reasons.
Voost Kain
Banned
Actually given the opinion shift in some categories in the last year and a half to 2 years. I think it would have did meh but not BAD at launch, then it would have taken a hit, (still would likely have an bundled kinect option) but the sales would have been up at this point.
Not that I am saying that decision would have been better, the current path was the best short and long-term option. I'm just saying that keeping the plan likely would have worked long-term after taking hits short-term.
They knew the audience for their ideas were there, they just executed it slightly poor but still decent, well, with what they 100% confirmed, and they also did a bad job explaining it, leaving open for interpretation, and people filling in the blanks, and leaving MS with very few ways to circle around those.
But it still would have done better as we know how opinions are now. It wouldn't sell better than what the current form probably will but I could have seen a 25million LTD to maybe 30 maybe... Still better than Wii U.
Not that I am saying that decision would have been better, the current path was the best short and long-term option. I'm just saying that keeping the plan likely would have worked long-term after taking hits short-term.
They knew the audience for their ideas were there, they just executed it slightly poor but still decent, well, with what they 100% confirmed, and they also did a bad job explaining it, leaving open for interpretation, and people filling in the blanks, and leaving MS with very few ways to circle around those.
But it still would have done better as we know how opinions are now. It wouldn't sell better than what the current form probably will but I could have seen a 25million LTD to maybe 30 maybe... Still better than Wii U.
To Far Away Times
Member
Xbox Brand probably wouldn't exist right now.
secondspace
Member
The always on-line was what made it a non-starter for me, but I think the vague way they presented so many of their ideas was almost as bad. They didn't seem sure of what they were doing themselves. The console wasn't conceptually complete when they were announcing it at E3.
Ignoring everything else, 30 million units would have been a massive failure.
kamineko
Does his best thinking in the flying car
Microsoft's proposed policies were so unappealing to consumers that they stayed away even after Microsoft changed course.
I'm one of those people. I owned both 360 and PS3 last gen, but 360 was my main. Unambiguously so. I preferred the MS UI, and it did great with multiplats (seemed like some devs never figured out Cell). Obviously I would buy the next Xbox first. It was a foregone conclusion.
That's not how it turned out for me, though, because the new X1 "features" had nothing to do with my needs as a consumer. How does cutting MS in on used software sales benefit me as a consumer? It seemed like most of their next-gen innovations had to do with photographing my living room, interfering with my ability to sell software titles that I own, and using voice commands to turn on football.
I don't even watch football.
The internet didn't "scare" anyone off--if MS had simply made an XBOX 360 2.0, I'm sure many of the satisfied customers from last gen would have stuck around.
I'm one of those people. I owned both 360 and PS3 last gen, but 360 was my main. Unambiguously so. I preferred the MS UI, and it did great with multiplats (seemed like some devs never figured out Cell). Obviously I would buy the next Xbox first. It was a foregone conclusion.
That's not how it turned out for me, though, because the new X1 "features" had nothing to do with my needs as a consumer. How does cutting MS in on used software sales benefit me as a consumer? It seemed like most of their next-gen innovations had to do with photographing my living room, interfering with my ability to sell software titles that I own, and using voice commands to turn on football.
I don't even watch football.
The internet didn't "scare" anyone off--if MS had simply made an XBOX 360 2.0, I'm sure many of the satisfied customers from last gen would have stuck around.
Personally, it's OK and fills a purpose but first party must play games are few and far between, hopefully that's starting to change now. The first 18 months or so PSN was rough, especially trying to play Destiny at it's peak popularity, but it seems to have been more solid recently.
It's hardly a consensus - you'll probably never get one at GAF! - but I think I've seen other people express similar feelings. Ultimately if it wasn't for Destiny I could have easily waited until this year before picking one up.
Edit: it doesn't even have a Hot Shots Golf dammit.
Kremzeek
Member
Yeah, Microsofts plan was so anti- consumer. It was basically a giant middle finger to the gaming community.
This article from while it was happening sums it up well: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/06/microsoft-details-xbox-one-used-games-always-online-and-privacy-policies/
ForsakenLotus
Member
So, I still feel like some of the features that Microsoft decided not to implement, like Family Sharing, was a last minute PR spin on an idea. I don't think Microsoft and third party publishers were actually going to allow that...
With that being said, I feel like Microsoft made a mistake by not taking their vision further by having even better integration with cable boxes and offering a subsidized console. It's not something that I would have wanted, but if done right it could have been cool and definitely different enough from the PS4.
With that being said, I feel like Microsoft made a mistake by not taking their vision further by having even better integration with cable boxes and offering a subsidized console. It's not something that I would have wanted, but if done right it could have been cool and definitely different enough from the PS4.
makingmusic476
Member
To be fair, even after the u-turn they released weaker hardware for a higher price compared to their direct competitor.
(And looking back, at the time many were proclaiming the XB1 DOA prices weren't even known. Had they stuck with their original vision, pricing would have just poured salt in the wound.)
I don't think third party publishers really have a say here seeing as Steam does this already on every game. Even the xbox one does it with the home sharing thing. Microsoft has said multiple times they still plan to do it, aswell. I think they'll announce it at E3, Ybarra did say they're working on two things as big as BC.
Similar threads
- Poll