All Things Videogame Related: EXTREME VS!!

[Duke Togo]

On the bright side of things for Microsoft...

Xbox 360 top console in May...with 114,000 units sold

Feels like a "get it while it's still good"-moment.

Except they're still third in sales behind the Wii and PS3.

[Beltane70]

I still wonder how many of those are replacements for units that succumbed to the RROD or other problems.

[frothymug]

It's the new marketing strategy:

Announce the next-gen system and purposely make it look like a piece of garbage. Sales of current-gen system skyrocket as a result, depleting inventories of remaining stock. Company re-packages and revamps next-gen system with all the features fans have wanted and at the same time, looks like a company that admits its mistakes and listens to its potential customers. Next-gen system sales go through the roof and company enjoys extra-large profits and stockholders get sizeable dividends. Everyone wins.

[azrael]

And Sony gets taken back down a peg...

Don't Update Your PS3 Today! [update: Firmware Pulled]

[GU-11]

Glad I never got around to upgrading that HDD.

[Duke Togo]

And Sony gets taken back down a peg...

Don't Update Your PS3 Today! [update: Firmware Pulled]

It's been grossly misreported. Systems are still recoverable, but those affected may have to wait a few days for Sony to push a fix.

That said, I can imagine some people deep into a The Last of Us play through are mighty pissed right now.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

And Sony gets taken back down a peg...

Don't Update Your PS3 Today! [update: Firmware Pulled]

good looking out. i was about to do the update.

[dizman]

It's the new marketing strategy:

Announce the next-gen system and purposely make it look like a piece of garbage. Sales of current-gen system skyrocket as a result, depleting inventories of remaining stock. Company re-packages and revamps next-gen system with all the features fans have wanted and at the same time, looks like a company that admits its mistakes and listens to its potential customers. Next-gen system sales go through the roof and company enjoys extra-large profits and stockholders get sizeable dividends. Everyone wins.

You are probably dead on accurate as to what is going to happen. I'd even bet Microsoft will release an X1 without the kinect at $399.

[azrael]

Microsoft reverses Xbox One DRM policy, kills required online check-in and used game complications

Post is live: http://news.xbox.com/2013/06/update

[Duke Togo]

Looks like MS is going to reverse some of its DRM policies on the Xbox One. Months and months of user backlash didn't do it--a week of getting slaughtered in pre-order sales by Sony did.

[azrael]

Now if only they'll undo the always-on Kinect... and Windows 8.

[Archer]

I have mixed feelings now about xbone vs ps4. Xbox seems to have the better interface, but i wonder how advantageous the GDDR5 in the ps4 will be in the future.

Gah, indecision

[Chronocidal]

Are they renaming it the Xbox 180 then?

Good to hear they're not completely deaf to reason, but it's funny that it took such a huge uproar to convince them they were trying to market an unsellable idea.

It does make me wonder though. If the situation had been reversed, would Sony have done the same thing? Or, if both of them had gone the same route, would the outcry have been enough to get both of them to change, or would they have just stuck to their DRM-happy fantasy world, and told the market to get used to it?

[mikeszekely]

Now if only they'll undo the always-on Kinect... and Windows 8.

All Microsoft has to do to have a surefire hit with Windows 9 is to put relabeled Windows 7 discs in the box.

[David Hingtgen]

I'd rather MS have gone ahead with their original plan---the massive failure would have been a better lesson, and PS4+WiiU could have shared the market easily, with different segments. The "hardcore" games/FPS on PS4, and nostalgia/oldschool/family ones on WiiU.

Now, everything will have to be "split" again, with every AAA title having to devote resources to running on multiple platforms. (as opposed to the Xbone failing in 18 months, leaving every developer free to optimize for PS4 only)

[Archer]

I'm not super familiar with GPUs. What's the disparity between the box's ddr3 and the playstation's gddr5? Will multiplatform development hold back what can run on ps4?

[Hoptimus]

Well the PS4 and XB1 are very similar(and too the PC really..) . It is not like the current gen where the XB360 and PS3 have entirely different architecture.

[D.D. Ivanov]

I'm not super familiar with GPUs. What's the disparity between the box's ddr3 and the playstation's gddr5? Will multiplatform development hold back what can run on ps4?

GDDR5 RAM is more efficient power-wise and I believe is faster overall.

Given that the PS4 is more powerful and both consoles share very similar architecture, I would expect that more games would be developed using the PS4. Keep in mind that while the PS3 was technically more powerful than the 360, the over-complicated Cell turned away many multiplat developers simply because it was a pain to work with. With both new consoles being so similar, it's more likely that the One versions will suffer more due to less CPU usage and weaker RAM.

[GU-11]

Looks like MS is going to reverse some of its DRM policies on the Xbox One. Months and months of user backlash didn't do it--a week of getting slaughtered in pre-order sales by Sony did.

Money talks.

Still sticking to the PS4, though. Never been an XBox fan.

Edited June 20, 2013 by GU-11

[GU-11]

I'd rather MS have gone ahead with their original plan---the massive failure would have been a better lesson, and PS4+WiiU could have shared the market easily, with different segments. The "hardcore" games/FPS on PS4, and nostalgia/oldschool/family ones on WiiU.

Now, everything will have to be "split" again, with every AAA title having to devote resources to running on multiple platforms. (as opposed to the Xbone failing in 18 months, leaving every developer free to optimize for PS4 only)

I was hoping the same thing myself.

Not sure how true this is, but some say that game companies start off developing games for the weaker system (XBox 360) first before porting it to the stronger one (PS3), resulting in the stronger one getting dragged down with glitches and poorer graphics than the system itself is capable of handling.

Edited June 20, 2013 by GU-11

[Einherjar]

And Sony gets taken back down a peg...Don't Update Your PS3 Today! [update: Firmware Pulled]

Guess I was lucky. I updated then played a couple hours of Far Cry 2 without any problems.

[GU-11]

Guess I was lucky. I updated then played a couple hours of Far Cry 2 without any problems.

Apparently, it only happens if you've upgraded your HDD. Those still using the original HDD's are reportedly unaffected.

[GU-11]

BTW, and I'm just totally speculating here, do you think MS might reinstate their online checking DRM bullshit after sales have stabilized?

For a company to have even come up with this authoritarian BS in the first place, I wouldn't put anything past them.

[Benson13]

It's the new marketing strategy:

Announce the next-gen system and purposely make it look like a piece of garbage. Sales of current-gen system skyrocket as a result, depleting inventories of remaining stock. Company re-packages and revamps next-gen system with all the features fans have wanted and at the same time, looks like a company that admits its mistakes and listens to its potential customers. Next-gen system sales go through the roof and company enjoys extra-large profits and stockholders get sizeable dividends. Everyone wins.

Aaaaaaannnnd you called it. Well played sir.

[Einherjar]

BTW, and I'm just totally speculating here, do you think MS might reinstate their online checking DRM bullshit after sales have stabilized?

For a company to have even come up with this authoritarian BS in the first place, I wouldn't put anything past them.

They would be just begging to be hacked if it ever got to that point. Someone is bound to crack the One sometime.

[Duke Togo]

I'm shocked the gaming press is reporting this as a victory for consumers. They ignored us for months on this issue, and only caved after they saw their pre-order numbers dwarfed by the PS4.

It was a financial decision, period.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

Microsoft reverses Xbox One DRM policy, kills required online check-in and used game complications

Post is live: http://news.xbox.com/2013/06/update

i called it!!!

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

Microsoft back peddled and left it up to the 3rd party publisher to decide to limit/restricted used game sales. The daily online check just furthers microsoft to keep track of where your games are being used (DRM) ala steam.

there's probably an offline mode for military personnel. but it's so much more refreshing to hear if there isn't any restriction software on the PS4. privacy concerns (kinect always on) plus DRM and the 500 price point. xbox has an uphill battle. lot of spinning/backtracking to do.

yeah, it's looking bad, i gotta feeling Microsoft will backtrack... and address this soon. i think they're trapped and need time to re-work the agreements in place with the publishers and used retailers. or they may hope to ride it out believing the hardcore fans will love HALO.

need to rub my head a bit (ok, enough acting like a douche)

i'm guessing next they will address the price point with some kind of promotion like a year of free gold live or holiday bundle to stay competitive

Edited June 20, 2013 by davidwhangchoi

[Duke Togo]

need to rub my head a bit (ok, enough acting like a douche)

i'm guessing next they will address the price point with some kind of promotion like a year of free gold live or holiday bundle to stay competitive

They've already stated there will be no price change.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

that's why i said promos. that's how you offer competitive value without cutting msrp. (cutting msrp will cut into business projections hurting their annual shareholders reports)

Sony did the same for the overpriced ps3.

they offered anyone who signs up for a sony card ca get the ps3 for 399 (200 off) just to try to stay competitive with the lower cost 360 without cutting the price officially (permanently) as that would've killed them since it was so expensive to make

.

also Microsoft offers holiday 360 bundles (2 free games) for the same cost as a standalone for the holidays so i think it's not far of a reach to think they will do something to be competitive with Sony's machine in the lead.

they may first wait and see if taking off the DRM helps before doing anything. But if Sony is still outpacing Microsoft in pre-orders in the next month i will see Microsoft doing some kind of promo.

Edited June 20, 2013 by davidwhangchoi

[GU-11]

They would be just begging to be hacked if it ever got to that point. Someone is bound to crack the One sometime.

Yup, one way or another. If they don't hack it for the DRM and online checking, they'll still do so for the ability to play copied games. BTW, does the One still use HD DVD or whatever they were using for the 360?

I'm no expert on console engineering, but from what I've been told, the only thing that saved the PS3 from being hacked and modded was the Bluray disc.

[anime52k8]

Yup, one way or another. If they don't hack it for the DRM and online checking, they'll still do so for the ability to play copied games. BTW, does the One still use HD DVD or whatever they were using for the 360?

I'm no expert on console engineering, but from what I've been told, the only thing that saved the PS3 from being hacked and modded was the Bluray disc.

HD DVD is dead, it's been dead for a LONG time. Also one of the first things we found out about the 1 is that it'll have blu-ray.

[GU-11]

HD DVD is dead, it's been dead for a LONG time. Also one of the first things we found out about the 1 is that it'll have blu-ray.

I don't read up on XBox news usually. I was only drawn to the recent XB fiasco because almost everyone was talking about it.

In that case, I guess the 1 is safe from piracy...for now...if what I heard about BD's being hacker-proof is true.

[azrael]

Yup, one way or another. If they don't hack it for the DRM and online checking, they'll still do so for the ability to play copied games.

Microsoft will be careful about letting the DRM genie out of his bottle now. If they decide to bring it back later, which isn't beyond possibility, they will probably have made their money off it by that time. Will it be worth hacking by that time? I would like to see the long-term impact on sales. Will consumers forgive and buy in to the XBone? Or do they feel like they've had enough with Microsoft and move to the PS4? We'll see.

Now if only the Windows team would take a page from the Xbox/Game Studio division and reverse Windows 8/8.1. (Yeah, I threw that in again.)

[the white drew carey]

Good to hear they're not completely deaf to reason, but it's funny that it took such a huge uproar to convince them they were trying to market an unsellable idea.

I doubt that they were/are deaf to reason. They obviously had this plan in place, but wanted to see how far they could push the customer. I mean, just last week Mattrick (sp?) quipped about how there was a solution for users who couldn't go online: the XB360. Now, I can imagine his sh!t-eating grin as he says that MS "listens" to the consumers, etc., etc.