Xbox One is not Out of the Woods Yet

Wednesday, Microsoft released an update on their Xbox One website regarding said system. The heat the company took for it's DRM, constant net connection, 24 hour check ins and blocking of used games sent the message loud and clear that the Xbox One was a console that few had any interest in. Much to gamers surprise, Microsoft caved and threw all that nonsense out the window. While it made me proud to see gamers the world over showing Microsoft that they were not going to put up with such restrictive features, I've come to realize that the Xbox One is not in the clear. Far from it, in fact.

Many gamers are still looking at Microsoft with their arms folded and scowled faces. Believe it or not, I think that's perfectly understandable. Some of you may be asking "Why?" I mean, they gave us what we wanted, a next gen console with no DRM. Used and borrowed games have life on the Xbox One. What's the reason to still be up in arms? The fact that Microsoft was willing to run gamers down with a steamroller and implement such limiting features to begin with, that's why.

I'm as happy as the next guy that the Xbox One won't block used games and you don't need a constant connection just to play Forza Motorsport 5. If the net connection gets faulty, you won't have to worry about your game being interrupted and having to resort to reruns of the Golden Girls to pass the time (not that there's anything wrong with that). But for a lot of gamers, removing the things that made the Xbox a raw deal isn't enough to welcome Microsoft back with open arms. Make no mistake, Microsoft got rid of the things that made us loath the Xbox One because we didn't leave them with any choice. There's the saying, you always have a choice, but let's be real here. Microsoft was screwed. Had they stuck to their guns, they would have gotten slaughtered in the coming console war. Sony was considering doing the exact same things with the PS4 that Microsoft was doing before they backed out. But since Microsoft was foolish enough to charge full steam ahead, they came out looking like Cuban cigar-smoking suits, counting their money (which they probably are) while Sony looks like saints that truly cares about what the gamers want. It's the fact that Microsoft was so eager to blow that huge puff of smoke in the face of gamers while looking so smug that has gamers still keeping their backs turned on the Xbox One. For a lot of gamers, the damage is done.

Then there's the Kinect, which is still required and is on at all times. The Kinect is more than likely the reason the Xbox One is $499, which makes it the most costly of all three next gen consoles. Go with Sony or Nintendo or both and you get cheaper systems that aren't always spying on you.

Again, I'm glad Microsoft gave gamers what they wanted but at the same time, I can see why a lot of gamers still have their noses turned up at them. If Microsoft was willing to go such a disastrous route in the first place, what's to stop them from doing something similar or worse down the road?

Gamers: We Have Power. Xbox One Does 180

*Clap Clap Clap*

That is the sound of thousands of gamers around the world applauding Microsoft.

For weeks, Microsoft has been the target of memes, countless editorial slams and all other manner of bile that gamers can spew their way. All of the criticism Microsoft garnered was well deserved. Always online DRM, a constant internet connection to play games, checking in every 24 hours, no trading games and no used games were all reasons that would ensure Xbox One consoles would collect dust on retailer shelves if the majority of gamers had anything to say about it. And we most certainly did. The Xbox One may as well have had a boot up screen that gave gamers the finger because that was precisely what Microsoft was doing. So why would anyone be singing the praises of Microsoft? They had a change of heart.

I believe it was Derek Powers from Batman Beyond that asked new villain Shriek this question. "Have you ever had power? It's no small thing, I assure you."

Gamers, the people that keep companies afloat. The ones that drive sales. The ones that can make or break a game. We have so much power in our possession and over the course of several weeks, we demonstrated that power and showed a juggernaut cooperation just what we're capable of. We may not be able to do the things that Microsoft or other publishers can, but our opinions matter and we are not a people to be taken lightly.

All that editorial bashing? Those YouTube rant videos? All those hilarious memes that made the Xbox One "features" look like a joke? They worked. The backlash Microsoft received for placing such insane restrictions on the Xbox One hit the company like a ton of bricks, causing them to rethink their strategy, which was more or less failure. No more always online DRM. No stupid 24 hour check ins. Trading games, used games and borrowing games? We can do all of that as we've continued to do so for decades. Microsoft, you just sold yourself a ton of Xbox Ones.

I admit that I didn't think Microsoft was going to back down, at least not for sometime. So yeah, I myself was in doubt of the power that we as consumers hold. Like many of you, I expressed my outcry on the Xbox one, venting to get it out of my system, thinking Microsoft would stand firm. But today, I was reminded along with everyone else that what we do, what we say in this industry matters. So the next time you think you aren't contributing, think again. Our opinions, our voices, our say, our purchases make a difference because we have power.

Microsoft: Screwing Up and Punching Consumers in the Face

*KA-CHING*

Hear that? That was the sound of Sony and Nintendo's stocks going up again! See, whenever more news comes out about Microsoft's Xbox One and it turns out being well below satisfactory, their rival's stocks see a rise.

By now, I'm sure everyone that holds a controller in their hands on a regular basis is well aware of the latest on the Xbox One. It turns out that all of our fears that were created by rumors are pretty much valid. Microsoft has shot themselves in the foot twice in a very short amount of time.

Click image to view GIF.

Always Online. The Xbox One demands it.. A 24 hour net connection is required or that stack of games you got can't be played. I've said it before but important things need to be repeated. Anyone's net connection can go out, no matter how stable. This week alone I've ran into a few hiccups on my connection that cut into blog posts I was making and YouTube videos I was watching. The outages lasted for several minutes, too. If I had been playing a game and that required a constant net connection and my service went out, I would have been quite annoyed. Having a constant connection for a basic, age old console function, the primary function of any game machine, playing games is ludicrous. Then there's the fact that not everyone has a next connection. Oh! But you can watch TV, Blu-Ray, and DVD movies! Whoopdy-freaking-do. I can do all of that crap without the Xbox One, thank you.

Kinnect? Always has to be on so it can watch you, get dressed, shower, pee, all that good stuff. Yeah, Microsoft says they care about your privacy and you control what it sees. If that's the case, why does the blasted thing have to be on all the time? It's an extreme method of trying to prevent privacy and is an insanely big pile of horse manure.

The used game market is dead and burred on the Xbox One. This works out great for the publishers that have had it out for used game sales, which is quiet a few of them because they just have to see back every single nickle dime from a game, even though selling things used is perfectly legit and has been for eons. We should be able to do whatever we want with the game after paying for it like loan it to a friend, trade it in or watch the thing get run over by a train. Microsoft wants you to think they haven't killed the used game market on their system by letting publishers choose from select retailers for game trading. How many of them do you think will actually use this feature when they can now cut out the middle man all together? But you can gift games to friends that are on your friends list. You know, so long as they've been your friend for at least 30 days and each game can only be gifted once. Friends and family get unlimited access to your game library so long as they meet the aforementioned requirement. If there's supposed to be a bright spot somewhere in there, somebody please tell me, because I'm not seeing it.

Another major concern is that we couldn't be able to play our Xbox One game son another Xbox One console. Well you can play you games on another Xbox One system. But if it isn't your home console, you only have an hour's worth of game time. I'm not sure what geniuses thought that was a good idea but I've got some bricks I would like to deliver to their faces because no one person could have conjured up anything that dumb. Wonder Twins powers in the form of stupid were clearly activated and at work there.

What about the games that Microsoft and third parties have lined up for Xbox One? I. Don't. CARE. Weeks ago I said I'd give Microsoft a chance to get my attention at this year's E3. With he revelations from this announcement, they blew that chance. In one fell swoop Microsoft has managed to kill the common practices of game trading and game loaning and on top of that, anyone that buys the Xbox One gets a machine that is constantly watching them via Kinnect. "We care about your privacy," my anus, you do. I'm all for a competitive industry but it's looking like things just got a lot less competitive for this console generation. Nintendo may be down but at least the Wii U doesn't have the type of fatal hang-ups the the Xbox One has. Sony, Nintendo, the balls in your court because Microsoft practically handed it to you.