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[Speedy Blue Dude]

Build a gaming PC. Uninstall all the bullshit programs, auto launch to steam big screen mode.

Bam! game only device.

Game only device, oh you sure? You're telling me you DON'T use your "gaming pc" to watch videos, or post on GAF, or anything. It's just for gaming.

Yeah... Nothing in this world is black and white anymore. No worthwhile device is made for one single purpose anymore. People want features. Gamers want games. Microsoft is giving both.

 

[jmood88]

Says the guys who got one of the first big Xbox One reveals.

So is anyone who didn't get a reveal and writes a negative article just bitter that Microsoft didn't talk to them first?

 

[Lunar15]

I think they just wanted some games.

 

[jmdajr]

I think they just wanted some games.

Like I said, the game libraries of both will be very similar. It's all bitching for nothing.

 

[Ushae]

Yeah, after you got through all the TV and other non-gaming related stuff.

"Xbox: Play Game" - Was that hard? Seriously though, most people are bitching because of the rumoured usd games fee, and the online checks. None of which is finalised or confirmed. We need to wait for E3 and MS to come out with actual details.

 

[Bitmap Frogs]

Hello, we are Wired and we landed the exclusive first look and of the Xbone, this got us a lot of hits and money.

Unfortunately it looks like everyone's raining in Microsoft parade and their pr team wants to cash the favor so we are publishing an article praising the company who's exclusive bumped up our quarterly results.

 

[SneakyStephan]

Over 150 million Xbox 360s and PS3s in the world right now and consoles are dead?

530 million OEM PCs (this is not a typo) sold last year alone and apparently pc is a thing of the past as well.

Mobile is the future, bro, didn't you know that?

 

[SquiddyCracker]

I think it's pretty obvious to everyone that PS4 is the hardcore focused console, with a serving of causal features.
Whereas the Xbone is a causal-focused console, with a serving of some hardcore features.

The PS4 is significantly more powerful (50%) than the Xbone, and has features that are all focused on enhancing your gaming experience first and most (being able to stream anything you play, being able to watch your buddy play, being able to take control of your buddy's game if they need help or jump in like an enemy to make it harder for them, free online MP, etc), but if gaming is not your cup of tea it still got causal stuff like skype, on-demand stuff, and a blu-ray player that can actually play blu-ray movies.

 

[Fugu]

No, Wired, let me tell you what I want.

I want developers to release their games on PC. All of them. I don't want to have to spend hundreds of dollars to play Bayonetta and a handful of fighting games on an underpowered "media center" with a convoluted interface and millions of dollars invested into preventing me from getting the most out of my investment.

 

[El-Suave]

People want features. Gamers want games. Microsoft is giving both.

... to their American customers.

 

[kodt]

Consoles used to be the only game in town besides PC. PC has always had certain barriers that make it difficult for the average joe to get into it.

Now with phones and tablets offering tons of games for $.99, I imagine it is more difficult to sell a gaming only device to non-hardcore people when cheaper options are available.

 

[stupid_dad]

I just want to play games and once I've finished them pass them on to my son so he can play them on his console.......too much to ask for

 

[idlewild_]

They don’t want a PC because they don’t want to mess with settings and deal with crashes; they want a standard platform that Just Works.

Is this really a big concern for people? I sometimes fiddle around with settings b/c I want to, but games these days are pretty good about looking at your hw and assigning appropriate settings, I imagine that the ones the game assigns are more than good enough for the casual user. I think I've blue screened once since XP SP2, and that was for a hw failure...unless they're talking about game crashes, which I can't say I really see much of either, especially in unmodded games...

 

[jmdajr]

Heh. I remember when people were mad at SONY for shoving blu-ray down their throats.

 

[Piper Az]

So consoles are "dead" because gamers have been waiting 8 YEARS for a hardware increase?



CAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE HOW BAD IPAD SALES WOULD SLUMP IF THE IPAD 5 DIDNT COME OUT FOR 7-8 YEARS?

I guess if Apple did do that and people stopped using the device as much 4-5 years down the line then that would logically mean nobody wants tablets anymore, right???




I absolutely cannot stand these people who think that console gaming is "dying" because sales are down year over year. OF COURSE THEY ARE DOWN. We are hungry for something new and tired of waiting for it.

Comparing iPad to gaming consoles is not comparable. How many people would pay $500 or more (since the companies would not be take huge loss if the release cycle is frequent) to get a new PS or Xbox every 2-3 years let's say? Also, doesn't it take good 3+ years for the developers to really learn the console and maximize the graphics. physics, etc? Even if all the core-gamers buy a $500+ console every 2-3 years, the market is not big enough to make good profit for MS or Sony (esp when they're selling them at a loss). Just different consumer markets.

 

[Dyno]

Not agreeing with this article. Lots of old ideas in effect without considering technology, how far it's come, what it can do, how much cheaper it is than it use to be.

Sony said they will make money on each console starting at launch. That hasn't been the case in previous launches and I think it's going to change the game. They will be in a much stronger position from the get-go.

Also this 'bleeding edge' sentiment is old too. Graphics have already passed the 'good enough' red line with this generation. No one complains that the graphics aren't good enough or the PS3/360 isn't powerful enough. The conversation has switched to gameplay experiences and innovation, things that don't require raw horsepower to achieve.

If consoles are in any kind of danger it's not because of the product themselves but how it's services are delivered. Consoles are well situated to take advantage of the newer 'App Store' business model. To put it bluntly, powerful yet dumbed down machines are in high demand in our society. iPhones and iPads alone prove this point.

 

[qizah]

I'm not asking Sony to lose money on every console. That's their decision.

Then you'd have to pay a lot for the console and Sony wouldn't get anywhere trying to move units.

 

[.la1n]

I love how these articles take and lump all "hardcore" console gamers into a group of whiny self entitled brats. It must have taken years and years of research to interview enough people to be able to definitely say, "yes they are all exactly like this." Useless journalism and the sooner we have less people getting paid to write this drivel the better writing can be for all mediums.

People are upset because, once again, they are being force fed something by a major corporation. Gamers I know are perfectly happy just getting a new game system every few years. Nothing more, nothing less. I do not think it is asking the impossible. Expecting us to pay upwards of $500 for something we did not ask for in the first place simply to play games is what I consider to be the real impossible request.

 

[Phonomezer]

All hardware released post-2010 hasn't exactly got people rushing to stores.

 

[10k]

GameCube had poor sales due to no DVD playback and smaller discs. Those were big in 2001. Now people stream everything so no movie playback is no biggie.

I bet if Nintendo released a GameCube 2 (a console at least as powerful as Xbox one, normal controller or gamepad, with Blu ray disc games) it would be the dream console for alot of people. It would have some multimedia feature like Netflix and browsing and miiverse, and third parties would port to it. Add Nintendo's exclusives and you would have this high powered gaming console.

 

[derwalde]

Can't remember the last time I had to deal with settings and crashes on my PC.

I DO LOL.

 

[jmdajr]

I love how these articles take and lump all "hardcore" console gamers into a group of whiny self entitled brats. It must have taken years and years of research to interview enough people to be able to definitely say, "yes they are all exactly like this." Useless journalism and the sooner we have less people getting paid to write this drivel the better writing can be for all mediums.

No clue how they got that idea.

 

[Lunar15]

Like I said, the game libraries of both will be very similar. It's all bitching for nothing.

Agreed, but I'm just pointing out why people are bitching in the first place. Had they shown games, all would be fine. Just like it will be when Microsoft shows their goods at E3.

Ultimately, not much is going to change. If you liked Microsoft's games last generation, I have a feeling you're gonna stick to the Xbone. If you only played multiplats, you'll probably stick with live if you already had it.

 

[Klocker]

Some people don't know how a business needs to operate or profit, loss or how money works.

 

[LakeEarth]

Then you'd have to pay a lot for the console and Sony wouldn't get anywhere trying to move units.

Or budget the console design to the price point they think is optimal for their product. Their call. Hell, maybe they did for the PS4, I don't know.

 

[Zia]

It's not hard to figure out what the gaming-first crowd wants: a super-powered box that connects to the TV, has a handheld controller and has a huge library of games from the biggest-budget epics to the breakout indie hits. They don’t want a PC because they don’t want to mess with settings and deal with crashes; they want a standard platform that Just Works.

You mean, like my iMac... ? Yes, the "Impossible."

 

[suddenlyissoon]

It's not impossible. Let me show you how to win a gamers heart:

1. Make a new console that's a substantial upgrade

2. Use the "cloud" to make current games "backwards compatible"

3. Improve on previous imperfections

3. Provide apps without being a dick about it. We like Netflix & Hulu...don't care so much about having a Today show app.

It's not that hard.

 

[UberTag]

You can pursue diversification in revenue streams (that's just fundamentally smart) without pissing all over your existing customer base and jeopardizing what brought you into people's living rooms in the first place.

 

[VanWinkle]

They whole article is basing itself off the assumption that Sony hemorrhaging cash and their console being gaming focused are related, which that is simply not true. It discredits the entire thing, because the PS3 is doing very well and has been for years, despite being gaming focused.

Hardcore gamers don't want something that is impossible to have. They want what Sony has already showed with the PS4.

 

[Beermeister]

Wired: Hardcore Console Gamers Don’t Want Much, Just the Impossible

PS4.

 

[BlazingDarkness]

You can pursue diversification in revenue streams (that's just fundamentally smart) without pissing all over your existing customer base and jeopardizing what brought you into people's living rooms in the first place.

.

But apparently that's asking for the impossible.

 

[Gorki247]

I think all anyone asks for is that their gaming console has a lot of cool games on it. We didn't see that on Tuesday, and that's been why there has been so much backlash.

That and all the DRM bullshit.

I can understand the DRM and 'always online' complaints. I have no problems with these features, but I can understand others may do.

But people complaining about the lack of games at Tuesday's event is something I don't get. This was known before going into the event. MS did say this event was to show the new console with its new features and that E3 would be where they would show new games.

If E3 doesn't deliver on the games, then people can complain about that.

 

[jmdajr]

Agreed, but I'm just pointing out why people are bitching in the first place. Had they shown games, all would be fine. Just like it will be when Microsoft shows their goods at E3.

Ultimately, not much is going to change. If you liked Microsoft's games last generation, I have a feeling you're gonna stick to the Xbone. If you only played multiplats, you'll probably stick with live if you already had it.

At least to me the drm and always online are the only legitimate complaints. I don't have a problem with tv functionality, or double A batteries, or only HDMI, or kinect always on. Shit kinect 2 looks pretty impressive. The games will also be there. Why wouldn't they be?

 

[Venin]

We just want something that plays games as its main function, not much to ask for, is it?

This.

My friend and I were discussing the XBone reveal and at some point my friend started to get into the topic of "we really don't know what we want," and went on and on about how gamers are selfish and always want this and that but are never happy when they're given this and that. I would have agreed with that at one point in my life, but right now the truth is most gamers aren't being given ANYTHING substantial this generation.

I argued that most gamers today just want a decent gaming console with a focus on actual games. Stop focusing on everything else BUT games, and I, personally, will be very happy.

 

[Chaplain]

PS4.

Bingo!

 

[mantidor]

You people have very odd reading comprehension I never saw the article as a defense of the Xbox One, only as an explanation.

And the article is right, the $500 console $60 game model of AAA games with insane scope and budget is simply not viable, we just need to see the financial reports, or the number of studios that died this last gen.

 

[Flo_Evans]

Heh. I remember when people were mad at SONY for shoving blu-ray down their throats.

Well I wanted a bluray player. I don't want a twitter feed overlay on my game of thrones.

 

[Raven77]

Comparing iPad to gaming consoles is not comparable. How many people would pay $500 or more (since the companies would not be take huge loss if the release cycle is frequent) to get a new PS or Xbox every 2-3 years let's say? Also, doesn't it take good 3+ years for the developers to really learn the console and maximize the graphics. physics, etc? Even if all the core-gamers buy a $500+ console every 2-3 years, the market is not big enough to make good profit for MS or Sony (esp when they're selling them at a loss). Just different consumer markets.

I agree completely that they are not comparable from a business perspective but thats what these "analysts" try to do. Lump everything into one business basket if you will.

Also, yes it does take developers 2-3 years to really start taking advantage of the power, some would argue that they never really "tap it out".

I agree with just about everything you say and that is really my point. The consoles are their own thing, lumping them into the same bucket as ipads or smart phones just isn't logical. Just as it is not logical to say that gaming is dying when in reality gamers are just bored waiting for next gen.

 

[Woggerman]

I can't say this enough. The business model has to change. Microsoft is going in the right direction and the 360 is proof of that.
It's funny, we all want the best spec'd box at a low price with no restrictions and all of the games. In a perfect world this would happen. The fact is this is an equation to lose money.

Let's start with the box. Microsoft could afford to take a loss on the box early in the cycle due to the revenue Xbox Live was giving them. Think about it If you bought a 360 early in the cycle AND had Xbox live and bought let's say 8 games a year at full or close to full price, you were worth at least $4000 to them, give or take. That's not including any other purchases , accessories, DLC, etc. More than likely, it is more around $6k-10k range.(I am more around the higher end of that)

Sony, without that monthly service, is around at least $500-$1000 less than that on the low end.

Bottom line, it costs a lot of money to provide an online service and Sony at the beginning was not pulling in any money while taking a massive loss on the system.

Mostly everyone on this board is complaining about the not being able to lend games out to a buddy. Well, to be honest, I'm surprised this didn't come up much sooner. The cost to produce and market these games have gone up tremendously. Publishers have been accepting this loss for many years. That and the rise of the used game market has seriously cut into their profits and developers as well as publishers have been hit hard. Look how many have gone under recently. I'm sure they figure that they can't necessarily get rid of both used games AND lending so let's go with the one that hurts us more. LENDING!
The fact is trading in used games for new games does give some revenue to publishers as a new game is being purchased. Lending games to a buddy does not. Therefore make them buy the game.
BTW both Sony and Microsoft have gone on record saying used games WILL continue for both new platforms. The rules may change, but they will be there in some capacity.
Other revenue streams are also important and MS realized that in the middle of the current console cycle. It's smart. It is allowing them to pay for the infrastructure needed to expand it for the upcoming cycle. Sony just realized it a few years ago with PS+.

Things are changing and it really is necessary to adapt. I am a hardcore gamer as well as a realist. I want what everyone else here wants. But I am aware of the business side of things. It had to end sooner or later and its time to suck it up.

 

[avaya]

All I see are big Halliburton suitcases full of money being shipped from Redmond to media. Damage control in full flow.

 

[MikeE21286]

It doesn't work anymore because the "core" gamer experience was largely funded by the demographic that barely played games but bought the systems and the cheaper (i.e. more profitable) experiences.

Those people are not on consoles anymore, they're on iOS/mobile/tablets.

 

[jmdajr]

Sony's PS4 multimedia capabilities will probably be about the same. Heck they could potential market it behind that, but the "it's a game console" strategy is panning out so far.

To me in the end it won't be insanely different.

 

[Jburton]

Wired just angry that the exclusive they got with the Xbox One reveal background story ended up being not as valuable as they thought ......... due to the almost complete dismissal of what was shown.

 

[JDSN]

The problem is that half of those features can be done by my TV, they also probably wont work in my country. But I guess its easier for Chris "Vaporware" Kholer to blame consumers for not caring about stock, tho.

 

[jmdajr]

Well I wanted a bluray player. I don't want a twitter feed overlay on my game of thrones.

sorry

 

[MisterHero]

All I see are big Halliburton suitcases full of money being shipped from Redmond to media. Damage control in full flow.

Guess who's getting free Xbones at E3!!

 

[ferr]

Has system wars come down to marketing? Outside of a handful of exclusives, X1 and PS4 will have the same game library.

 

[GravityMan]

This article is kind of silly.

I expect the PS4 to do very well in the U.S. (possibly as good or even better than the X1) and dominate worldwide. I also expect the PS4 to be a major financial success for Sony.

Guess what, the PS4 is a games-focused machine. Sure it does other things (movies, etc.) and has sensible social integration, which is fine...a nice perk even, but games is the console's priority, its bread-and-butter. Just like the PS3, PS2 and PS1.

The PS4 also has an elegant, efficient architecture that has good power on par with current mid-range or possibly mid-high-range PCs. It will also be easy to develop for.

Sony has pretty much hit the bullseye on what I'm looking for in a next-gen console, at least in terms of hardware and features.

All it really took was for them to have a gaming-focused vision, to give at least SOMEWHAT of a damn about consumers, and to get the right people (e.g. Cerny) on the team to design the product. That's it. "Impossible" my ass.

The PS4 (which is a console) will almost surely be VERY viable in today's market. Assuming Sony doesn't screw up with the price.

The X1 on the other hand...I'm hard-pressed to even call it a "console". And then there's Microsoft's anti-consumer practices.

 

[Isak_Borg]

I can't say this enough. The business model has to change. Microsoft is going in the right direction and the 360 is proof of that.
It's funny, we all want the best spec'd box at a low price with no restrictions and all of the games. In a perfect world this would happen. The fact is this is an equation to lose money.

Let's start with the box. Microsoft could afford to take a loss on the box early in the cycle due to the revenue Xbox Live was giving them. Think about it If you bought a 360 early in the cycle AND had Xbox live and bought let's say 8 games a year at full or close to full price, you were worth at least $4000 to them, give or take. That's not including any other purchases , accessories, DLC, etc. More than likely, it is more around $6k-10k range.(I am more around the higher end of that)

Sony, without that monthly service, is around at least $500-$1000 less than that on the low end.

Bottom line, it costs a lot of money to provide an online service and Sony at the beginning was not pulling in any money while taking a massive loss on the system.

Mostly everyone on this board is complaining about the not being able to lend games out to a buddy. Well, to be honest, I'm surprised this didn't come up much sooner. The cost to produce and market these games have gone up tremendously. Publishers have been accepting this loss for many years. That and the rise of the used game market has seriously cut into their profits and developers as well as publishers have been hit hard. Look how many have gone under recently. I'm sure they figure that they can't necessarily get rid of both used games AND lending so let's go with the one that hurts us more. LENDING!
The fact is trading in used games for new games does give some revenue to publishers as a new game is being purchased. Lending games to a buddy does not. Therefore make them buy the game.
BTW both Sony and Microsoft have gone on record saying used games WILL continue for both new platforms. The rules may change, but they will be there in some capacity.
Other revenue streams are also important and MS realized that in the middle of the current console cycle. It's smart. It is allowing them to pay for the infrastructure needed to expand it for the upcoming cycle. Sony just realized it a few years ago with PS+.

Things are changing and it really is necessary to adapt. I am a hardcore gamer as well as a realist. I want what everyone else here wants. But I am aware of the business side of things. It had to end sooner or later and its time to suck it up.

Great summary of why gaming is heading where it's going. As someone who already digitally downloads most new releases the whole sharing/lending games hasn't been an issue for me for a long time.

 

[Mxrz]

Oh look, we're villains again because we do not want Microsoft's latest bullshit. How fucking dare we uppity consumers not bend over and take all that lovely corporate 'policy.' Meanwhile Sony looks to be offering me what I want. And if that means going down with the ship then I'll piss in Wired and all the corporate DRM supporters faces as as we do.

But what's this shit about "teh hardcorz" not wanting PCs? That's a real fucking leap there. Maybe, just maybe we already have devices that can do this other crap, and we would like our damn video game console to play actual damn video games first and foremost.