XBOX One vs. PS4

[Pengwin7]

This year's E3 expo will be June 11 - June 13.
For the video game community, should be lots of interesting stuff that comes out of there.

An article about some new "policies" that Microsoft may be incorporating into the XBox One Gaming System.
The author seems to think PS4 could gain significant marketshare from XBOX users if they just hold with the "old" tradition of allowing used games to be played on any console.

I know we have lots of die-hard video gamers on the site... and I'll be probably buying a PS4 (just because I own the other three systems and they've gained my loyalty from being dependable, never had one break).

A thread to voice comments, opinions, ideas... leading up to, and after, their releases.

XBOX One currently slated for late-2013 release.
PS4 also slated for late-2013 release.

[hockeyrobot]

Can'tttttttttttttt freaking wait

[doulos]

I can't see myself going back to console gaming again, particularly with their always on (checking your internet connection every 24 hours), and Anti-Used Game policies.

They should both sell really well though and if I was making a decision it would be purely on which system has the specific games that I liked more, and not based on the technology.

[gainerama]

If Xbox One sticks to its original plan where the console will not play any 360 games and will not play any used Xbox One games without an additional fee, then it puts them in a real tight corner. If PS4 still allows reverse compatibility with older system games and not have the same used game playability restrictions, then I can see Xbox getting real serious trouble as it takes away more than it gives. Unless Xbox comes out with some real good exclusive game titles, they are essentially shooting themselves in the foot with their new strategic plan called greed.

[Bass56]

their new strategic plan called greed.

Ha! well said.

I think that between pirating games and buying them used, the gaming companies are not as profitable as some may think. Most consoles (except during their launch and the subsequent year) are sold at a loss or very close to cost. The revenues are supposed to come from the games themselves, but the increasing trend of used games purchases has really put a dent in the game developers’ wallets, not to mention the console producers.

I pulled out a dusty, beat-up box from my mom's basement the other day, and I found my old Nintendo 64 and games in it. To my surprise, I had kept the original boxes and saw that some games had a price tag of $120!!!! I did not remember buying games for that much, but I guess I was probably not the one paying for them back then...

Needless to say, with a typical lunch price of $60, games are going for less than half that amount within a couple a moths after their release due to economic and purchasing behaviour trends. The used game market just adds to the whole mix of things and I guess that is one of the main reasons that Microsoft is trying to find ways to sell their games at regular price.

Call it greed, call it business; in the end, I would be really shocked if this move hurt Microsoft as much as some may claim. Just think XBOX Live... they charge $60 while PlayStation Network is mostly free to use, yet you don't hear anyone complain cause the service is practically flawless. I believe the same will be done with their new console; where the increase in price for a certain feature (i.e. the purchase of games) will be welcomed with open arms cause the overall experience will be worth the extra cost. I guess we will have to wait and see what rabbit they have hiding in their hat!

[Dakkster]

This comes with the caveat that Sony has been very quiet about their own policies for the PS4, but if they DO NOT go the Microsoft way with used games and some other things, this is not even a discussion.

Xbox One is goddamn surveillance equipment. That is NOT getting into my house. Their war against used games and every-day-online requirements are ****ing bullfeces. There's no way to say that nicely. They ****ed it up. The Xbox One is a glorified cable box that won't even work properly outside the US (word is they're working on the UK, big whoop).

I will not be getting either of these at launch, but depending on how customer-hostile the PS4 turns out to be, I might be getting one of those down the road. Instead I will be building a pure gaming PC. If I have to install games, suffer really obnoxious DRM and not be able to resell my games, I want to do that on the PC where I can get proper performance and buy games on sales on Steam and GOG. With the Xbox One you'll be getting all the bad qualities of PC gaming with all the bad qualities of console gaming. It's utter and complete bullcrap.

My bet is that Sony is watching carefully. If they play their cards right they can become the owners of the last generation of brick and mortar game sales. They can set themselves up to be THE gamer-friendly console this generation. IF they do that, then I'll think about getting their slim version that is bound to be released a year or two down the road. Until then I will be playing through my pile of shame for the PS2, PS3 and 360 and play the newer games on the PC.

TL;DR: Xbox One sucks an ungodly amount of donkey jizz.

Edit: Here's two videos by Angry Joe about the Xbox One. The first one is about the reveal hoopla: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ekOtn7L1N0
The second one is about the clarification BS Microsoft put out about a day ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryB-hdtpQRw

[Dakkster]

Ha! well said.

I think that between pirating games and buying them used, the gaming companies are not as profitable as some may think. Most consoles (except during their launch and the subsequent year) are sold at a loss or very close to cost. The revenues are supposed to come from the games themselves, but the increasing trend of used games purchases has really put a dent in the game developers’ wallets, not to mention the console producers.

I pulled out a dusty, beat-up box from my mom's basement the other day, and I found my old Nintendo 64 and games in it. To my surprise, I had kept the original boxes and saw that some games had a price tag of $120!!!! I did not remember buying games for that much, but I guess I was probably not the one paying for them back then...

Needless to say, with a typical lunch price of $60, games are going for less than half that amount within a couple a moths after their release due to economic and purchasing behaviour trends. The used game market just adds to the whole mix of things and I guess that is one of the main reasons that Microsoft is trying to find ways to sell their games at regular price.

Call it greed, call it business; in the end, I would be really shocked if this move hurt Microsoft as much as some may claim. Just think XBOX Live... they charge $60 while PlayStation Network is mostly free to use, yet you don't hear anyone complain cause the service is practically flawless. I believe the same will be done with their new console; where the increase in price for a certain feature (i.e. the purchase of games) will be welcomed with open arms cause the overall experience will be worth the extra cost. I guess we will have to wait and see what rabbit they have hiding in their hat!

I don't give two shits about greed or whatever. There is bound to be some lawsuits about Microsoft vs First Sale Doctrine when the Xbox One is released.

[Bass56]

I don't give two shits about greed or whatever. There is bound to be some lawsuits about Microsoft vs First Sale Doctrine when the Xbox One is released.

Microsoft is aware of this for sure. Either they found a loophole in the wording or something else, but I'm pretty confident that that did their homework prior to coming up with this decision...

As you said, a PC is the way to go ATM. The computer gaming community is not as strong as it used to be (unless you play WOW) but it is still decent.

[Dakkster]

Microsoft is aware of this for sure. Either they found a loophole in the wording or something else, but I'm pretty confident that that did their homework prior to coming up with this decision...

As you said, a PC is the way to go ATM. The computer gaming community is not as strong as it used to be (unless you play WOW) but it is still decent.

PC gaming never left, actually. WOW hasn't been the top dog for a while. League of Legends and DOTA2 have been kings for a while, but even if you discount them there are loads of highly popular games and big sellers.

[Dakkster]

Found this one on Reddit...



Again, this supposes that Sony does NOT **** over their customer base with this BS... otherwise we'll have to make one for both systems.

[mister_mcgoo]

what a stupid misstep by M$...what the hell were they thinking? After years of gaining market share on Sony they will effectively cripple themselves if they proceed with this move.

Why is it that these companies just never learn from their predecessors? They tried to do this with music, they tried to do it with software, this bullshit has been going on since VCRs were born. When you BUY something you own it to do with as you chose, you don't magically forfeit that right because you wish to use your property in a different way or even if you wish to sell that property to someone else. Imagine if you were to buy a brand new car from Ford and Ford tried to tell you that you (and only you) could drive the car, and then anytime you wanted to drive it you had to be plugged into their corporate mainframe for it to even start? And moreover, that when you were done with that car and wanted to buy a different one, that you weren't allowed to sell it to your neighbor or gift it to a friend or family member?

**** everything about this

[doulos]

Honestly though, while those who follow blogs, are up on tech, and actually care about this stuff are going to not get it, 90% of the consumers will buy it, play it, and have fun with it.

[Dakkster]

Honestly though, while those who follow blogs, are up on tech, and actually care about this stuff are going to not get it, 90% of the consumers will buy it, play it, and have fun with it.

You underestimate the importance not alienating the core gamers. Nintendo did that last generation and now they're not getting any traction with the Wii U. Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft need the core gamers. They're the people who buy the console and then have an attach rate of 15+ (that means they buy 15+ games during the lifetime of their console) compared to the casual family crowd that has an attach rate of 2 to 4.

It's absolutely essential for Microsoft to not piss off the core gamer crowd if they want to have any sustained success instead of just flaming out a year or two after release.

I already know people who don't even connect their Xbox 360s or PS3s to the internet, because they don't own routers. They can still play on these machines. Add another layer of hassle and requirement like almost-always-online and MS loses those customers.

I worked extra at GameStop last year to help out my friend who is a store manager. I know how the higher-ups at GameStop worried back then. I've talked to my friend and he's worried too. It's one thing that MS is trying to kill the used games market, but what the GS people are worrying about is that MS is committing sales suicide altogether, that they will produce such an unattractive machine that people will just pass on it. You can only polish a turd so much and this is industry people worrying their asses off, not just a tech nerd like me.

[doulos]

Yeah I dunno. The majority of gamers I know buy the machine, plug it in, and play. They don't care about anything else as long as it works. However, I don't think I know a single person who doesn't have internet around here either, but there could be a section of folks who will find the always on thing an issue.

[Vancityguy]

PC for me but I will likely pick up a PS 4 as well. Xbox 1 has DRM from hell, sells your personal information to every company and government out there, won't allow you to buy or sell used games, on and on, It's a cluster**** of no.

Edit - Forgot to mention, everyone should remember Anon taking down the PS3 networks for months. XBOX 1 will not allow you to play your games if disconnected from the internet for 24 hours, none of them. ISP issues? no gaming, router issues? no gaming Microsoft network issues? no gaming Microsoft hacked? no gaming.......