Xbox Reveal

[Malacite]

Re: Xbox Reveal

Uplay was the dumbest idea Ubisoft ever had. That, and their online DRM -__-'

[cidbahamut]

Re: Xbox Reveal

Given what was in that article, I'm inclined to say he's just an idiot. The only other explanation is blind enthusiasm for all things Microsoft, because any sensible person can read the writing on the wall.

[Firewind]

Re: Xbox Reveal

They don't want Microsoft pulling out of PAX. Simple really.

[Firewind]

Re: Xbox Reveal

MS says gamers will buy everything, including Xbox One - Destructoid

The depressing thing is that Phil Spencer is right.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Xbox Reveal

I've passed on a great deal of things this generation because I dislike the practices surrounding them.

Just because a bunch of kids and dudebros in their early 20s don't think things through doesn't mean the rest of us don't.

[Malacite]

Re: Xbox Reveal

Yeah MS can take that attitude of theirs and stick it where the sun don't shine.

[Icemage]

Re: Xbox Reveal

I've managed a complete boycott of Activision for almost four years now. I'm pretty sure there's nothing Microsoft can do to convince me to buy an XBone ever unless they completely reverse course on DRM.


Icemage

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Xbox Reveal

The only EA game I rushed out to buy new all generation was Henry Hatsworth, which was 2006, I think. That was a good game and happened under there so-called "new leaf" phase most of us knew wouldn't stick. Anything else was used.

Activision it was Goldeneye.

Ubisoft only Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars in the last several years for 3DS. It actually was a pretty solid game, if short and totally uninspired in terms of art direction. Wouldn't mind seeing more substantial sequel to that on 3DS

THQ.... pretty much nothing since Wrestlemania 2000 on the N64. I miss when Aki made those games. They make Style Savvy now.

[Malacite]

Re: Xbox Reveal

I've managed a complete boycott of Activision for almost four years now. I'm pretty sure there's nothing Microsoft can do to convince me to buy an XBone ever unless they completely reverse course on DRM.


Icemage

And the camera. I could put up with the DRM if it was done intelligently ala Steam, but the Camera is absolutely without question crossing the line.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Xbox Reveal

The PA Report - Used games, Twitter complaints, and Sony: Why the Xbox One “backlash” doesn’t matter

Ben Kuchera's ability to almost make a good point, but then suddenly remember he wants a PR job at publisher is so naked and obvious that I wonder why he just doesn't stick to sounding like a total douche and just get it over with.

He goes on about all these things we supposedly "don't know" - like the used thing - and then goes on to allege Sony may do the say, which he doesn't know for certain. Yes, that EA will play ball with Sony means there's a distinct possibility they have a similar scheme as MS, but it is not evidence of one. Sony might just stick to this generation's status quo and EA hadn't been posting substantial profits from online pass sales (in its first year they didn't even break a million with it and only in the last two years was it used to gate mulitplayer).

He actually makes a good point that if you're against everything next gen consoles are looking at doing you actually should get a Wii U. I totally plan to, but since he clearly doesn't want to score a PR job at Nintendo, he's doesn't bang on the "consumer behavior" point all that much and goes right back to making excuses for the anti-consumer practices of other publishers.

Sony totally has been dodgy on this subject - and I do see Gaikai as a DRM all its own since its going to require a pristine online connection to even work - but I'm not ready to tell Sony to screw off for next gen yet only because they've not sent the level of mixed messages, bravado and arrogance MS has. That's really the only reason.

I'm still planning on just a PC, Wii U and handhelds for the future, though. MS has proven its irrelevance to me, Sony as a chance to prove its not.

[cidbahamut]

Re: Xbox Reveal

I suspect he's actively baiting people at this point.

[Icemage]

Re: Xbox Reveal

Bahahahaha....

Shuhei Yoshida (@yosp), President of Sony Computer Entertainment



God-tier trolling. I love it!

(for those not in the know, NeoGaf forum kicked off a Twitter campaign a few days ago to try to convince Sony to not include anti-used game DRM in the PS4, via the hashtag #PS4NoDRM)
Are Sony/Microsoft listening? Let them know... #PS4NoDRM #PS4USEDGAMES - NeoGAF


Icemage

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Xbox Reveal

Seems TotalBiscut has sided with Kuchera's shortsightedness.

There's so much bleeding heart bullshit on the "what about developers" side of this that people can't think straight. The reason the used market ever existed at all is because retailers big and small - the ones that don't get the rainchecks and wholesale deals in particular - have been dicked over by publishers in each and every generation of gaming in the US in particular. Gamestop maybe sees $2 a sale on new product and your indie retailers, your mom'n'pops see less than that, if publishers even deign them worthy of carrying their product. There's never been any profit in new hardware for retailers and Sony and MS generally sell their hardware at a loss. I think Wii U is the first time Nintendo has ever sold hardware at a loss.

But the model set forth by Colecovision, Atari, Nintendo and Sega was never changed. Publishers have always given retailers the short end of new sales, keeping the lionshare for themselves. Guys like TotalBiscut don't even factor indie retailers, though, because that's not even something that exists in parts of Europe. Only big players are allowed to distribute retail games at all. The UK doesn't seem to have these indie stores we have in my area.

These are small-time retailers that see even less than what Gamestop gets for a new sale and have no choice but to deal in used to keep the doors open. Not only that, they's catalog games and hardware further back than PS2. Online-only DRM would murder these stores and wipe them off the map, giving us no alternative to Gamestop, Wal-Mart, Best Buy and even damaging part of online retail to boot.

At the end of the day, this is going to hurt consumer choice and that benefits no one, not even developers who wouldn't see a cut of this money anyway. Given the past actions of corporations in regards to music, TV, movies and the "benefiting" from their anti-consumer behaviors Seriously, do I thank the recording industry or Lindsey Stirling or do I thank Youtube? Do I thank FOX that Arrested Development is a thing again or do I thank Netflix? Do I thank game publishers for a thriving indie scene or do I thank Steam for helping celebrate them?

Steam, Youtube and Netflix might not be doing what they do for altruistic reasons, but they're creating opportunities the old guard just doesn't care to.

[cidbahamut]

Re: Xbox Reveal

For me the used game market represents the preservation of culture, and that is heart-breakingly under valued. There are quite a few games I would never have encountered if not for a second hand market.

Developers and publishers not earning enough from their products isn't something I see as a wholly valid concern. There are games out there that rake in money, and there are games that fail to break even. That's completely normal. Good products succeed and bad products fail. Proper budgeting and handling of the product's development is part of the process.

[Icemage]

Re: Xbox Reveal

For me the used game market represents the preservation of culture, and that is heart-breakingly under valued. There are quite a few games I would never have encountered if not for a second hand market.

Agreed. I think that, looking long-term, we really need a way to preserve the best of what video gaming has to offer. We already have a whole genre of games that is virtually impossible to preserve (MMOs), but to push an entire platform that will basically make it impossible to pass games onto the next generation of gamers is just irresponsible moneygrubbing.

Developers and publishers not earning enough from their products isn't something I see as a wholly valid concern. There are games out there that rake in money, and there are games that fail to break even. That's completely normal. Good products succeed and bad products fail. Proper budgeting and handling of the product's development is part of the process.

Developers and publishers aren't earning enough from their products because they're overspending. Hollywood is continually learning that lesson (Waterworld, John Carter, etc.), why shouldn't the video game industry do the same? If you spend more than you can reasonably make back from a movie or video game, then you just suck at budgeting. That's not the fault of the consumer, it's not the fault of piracy, it's not the fault of used games. These are things you have to figure in before you even think about making a game, and this attitude of "Well this is what I wanted to make so fuck you, PAY ME" irritates me to no end.


Icemage