I think Giant Bomb said it best: it's not as "f*cked" up as we thougth it was (Since there's no fee to relicense a game, family members can share games to an extent, etc.), but it's still pretty, well, f*cked. Also, clarification: you can have a (seemingly) unlimited number of users on your system, but you can link up to ten accounts together as one family. That family will then be able to access a shared game library across all systems, but only one person can play a game from that library at any given time. I think. The fact that I have to say "I think" is pretty telling about how badly Microsoft is handling the whole thing. It's too much trouble for everyone involved.
What I find more interesting is how they cancelled their media talks and individual press interviews scheduled for after their E3 conference next week. Wonder what that's supposed to mean?
Well, I think everyone but the most ardent of Xbox fanboys can agree that the past few weeks have been a disaster for Microsoft. From the oppressive DRM to the PS4 + $100 price point, to Don Mattrick and Phil Spencer's idiotic remarks ("You live on a nuclear sub? What does that even mean? If you don't have internet, buy a 360!"), I don't think public perception of MS can get any worse, but they seem to be dead-set on going through with this PR nightmare (and even making it worse if they can!). Their arrogance is way past 2006-Sony levels at this point, and I really hope that it comes back to bite them in the ass like it did Sony with the PS3. Hopefully they can turn things around just like Sony did as well - but I don't look for it.
I feel so bad for the PR guys who must have been told to answer as many questions truthfully as they can. Every time they get a tweet, they probably die a little inside because they have to answer "buy a 360 if you want to do that!" to like... everything.
Apparently, the Xbox One will no longer require Internet and restrict used games... Now I'm just confused.
The system looks a bit better now, but the price tags on both the PS4 and XO are really keeping me away from either. Too pricey for an experience I can definitely wait for. I'd rather pick up a Wii U and 3DS and get double the gaming experience rather than one very pricey system around launch.
But the PS4 is only $50 more than the Wii U and offers a lot more for the money. And it's probably going to be the optimal next-gen experience because it's the most powerful, easiest to develop for, and Sony exclusives are better than Microsoft's. I can understand the Xbox One being too expensive (because it is), but the PS4 is pretty reasonable for what it offers. Xbox One should be the same price and Wii U shouldn't be any more than $249...$299 at the absolute most.
...I dunno, I can see getting a 3DS + something else instead of a PS4. :P I mean, I'll probably end up dropping money on an English 3DS before I get a PS4.
That's not a bad thing. Live has always been the superior online service when compared to PSN and I've never seen why people have an issue with paying a relatively small fee per year for a good service. I'm glad Sony is finally bringing it in so we can have a better PSN too. I think the One looks awesome and has simply been let down by some dreadful marketing and poor decisions. I won't be getting it at launch however (most of my buds are going PS4 and here it's like £80 cheaper) but as soon as the inevitable March price drop hits the One I'll definitely pick one up.
