The next Xbox

[Iceman]

I think there were rumours about them getting rid off Microsoft points. Would make DLC purchases a lot clearer & more straightforward.

 

[X Knight]

has there been any hints if the next Xbox will be BC with 360 games?

 

[Soapy]

I highly doubt it.

 

[SolarTiger]

I highly doubt it.

That'd be terrible.

 

[Soapy]

It's just not feasible. It would be nearly impossible to emulate the 360. Incredibly high end PCs even have trouble emulating last generation games. The only way to do it would be to include a 360 inside of the next console and that would raise prices, cause heat issues, and increase the size of the unit itself. Plus it's been proven beyond the shadow of a doubt at this point that people are willing to pay to play ports of old games.

If you want to play your Xbox 360 games then you better hang on to your Xbox 360.

 

[hippie_hunter]

I would imagine that the early models of the next Xbox will include the parts that allow it to play Xbox 360 games as opposed to emulation. But then they'll gradually phase it out the way the PS3 phased out PS2 games and the Wii phased out GameCube games once the games library builds up.

 

[Benstamania]

Agreed.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

Yeah 60 bucks for 12 months isn't anything to cringe about. Its the price of a new game you'll be using all year long.

What they need to do is go away with microsoft points. I hate when I'm 100 points away from an arcade game and I need to buy 1400 points and then have 1300 points just sitting around. Go with dollar amounts next time.

While I agree that it's nothing to cringe at, and I don't have any complaints about paying it (especially when I get a yearly subscription for as low as $30 from Amazon), I feel like Microsoft could do a lot more to distance themselves from Sony and give subscribers even more exclusive stuff that doesn't involve more outside payment like Netflix or HBO. For example, I feel as though Xbox music is a missed opportunity for Microsoft to introduce Gold members by perhaps cutting the price for Gold members. Paying another $120 a year for Xbox music is something I'd be pretty mixed on.

One of the better ideas they did have was the diamond service. I used to have a card and get exclusive deals from retailers. Microsoft should push that again. I wish I hadn't lost my card.

In short, I feel as though Microsoft could build upon Gold membership.

 

[Soapy]

Microsoft teasing E3 a bit early.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

It's smart. They need to release the new system next year. I know that's why there's been a lack of exclusives, well that and the overwhelming focus on the underwhelming Kinect games.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

It's smart. They need to release the new system next year. I know that's why there's been a lack of exclusives, well that and the overwhelming focus on the underwhelming Kinect games.

Think so? I hadn't noticed the lack of exclusives on 360 until you mentioned it... seems to make sense.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

Recently there haven't been many last year and there hasn't been many announced this year either. The only one I can name off the top of my head is the new Gear of War game.

 

[Soapy]

Yeah, lack of exclusives has been a major complaint leveled at Microsoft the past couple of years.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

I've been noticing that it's been since the launch of the Kinect that games for Microsoft haven't been that good. Mass Effect exclusivity is a huge loss for Microsoft. So was the loss of limited exclusivity for The Elder Scrolls games.

 

[Grievous]

I gotta say when I think of Xbox games I think of Halo and Gears of War, which btw are my two favorite game franchises and the reason I choose Xbox over PS3. But PS3 you got god of war, killzone, little big planet, resistance. But I'll take quality over more games. But Xbox def needs more games. They also need to do something else to make being a Gold member worth it. Cause I'm sure the PS4 will offer the party features that the 360 did.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

The problem is that those games aren't every year, nor are they every two years either. Not to mention that PS3 also has the Last of Us, Beyond: Two Souls, among other anticipated exclusives.

I really hope Microsoft is going to bring in some new IPs for the next gen.

On an slightly off topic note, whatever happen to Fusion Frenzy? The first one was fun as hell. I would say Microsoft should bring it back, but they'd put a lot of Kinect crap in it.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

I miss Fusion Frenzy and was hoping they'd release one for 360. Oh well, there's always hope for the next console.

 

[SolarTiger]

Think so? I hadn't noticed the lack of exclusives on 360 until you mentioned it... seems to make sense.

That'd be cool. Come out Fall 2013 with a bunch of cool new exclusives. I bought the 360 way back because I loved the exclusives on it most importantly Mass Effect...but I always wanted to play Heavy Rain, Uncharted, InFamous.

But if Microsoft has been working with other studios on next gen exclusive games how come we haven't heard a peek about them? You'd think something would have slipped.

The problem is that those games aren't every year, nor are they every two years either. Not to mention that PS3 also has the Last of Us, Beyond: Two Souls, among other anticipated exclusives.

I really hope Microsoft is going to bring in some new IPs for the next gen.

On an slightly off topic note, whatever happen to Fusion Frenzy? The first one was fun as hell. I would say Microsoft should bring it back, but they'd put a lot of Kinect crap in it.

I loved Fusion Frenzy as well...played the sumo game all the time. Never tried Fusion Frenzy 2 but heard it was lackluster.

 

[hippie_hunter]

I know this is probably going to get me some flak, but here's how I see it:

Microsoft isn't focusing on exclusive games anymore because games are just an incredibly small part of their overall strategy with the Xbox. To sum it up: unless it's a select group of elite first and third party franchises (Halo, Gears of War, Fable, Forza, Call of Duty, Elder Scrolls, and Grand Theft Auto), Microsoft doesn't give a flying **** about the games anymore. The games they're more focused on isn't about the hardcore audience, it's about the casual audience. Their main strategy now is to appeal to the casual audience.

And why the casual audience? Because Microsoft doesn't see the Xbox as a games console anymore. It's an all-in-one entertainment box for all sorts of media content ranging from games, movies, television, music, etc. Just look at how Microsoft is now treating the Xbox brand now. Xbox is now seen as a digital distribution platform for music, movies, television, and games across multiple platforms: Xbox 360, Windows Phone, Windows RT tablets, and Windows 8 PCs. Xbox is essentially Microsoft's answer to Google's Google TV and Google Play; and Apple's Apple TV, App Store, and iTunes. But unlike Google and Apple, they're wrapping it up in one big efficient brand. It's their way of dominating the living room and unlike their competitors, are being extremely successful at it. It's also their way of getting into digital distribution the way Google and Apple have done it and Xbox is their best chance at it. And in order to be the dominating device on the market, you appeal to the casual audience, not a niche hardcore audience. Apple and Google didn't become huge successes by appealing to the hardcore techies, they'll come along anyways. You become a success by appealing to the troglodyte casuals.

So in the end, expect Microsoft to continue appealing to the masses by pumping out more causal games like they have been for the past couple of years. More Kinect games and small indie-esque XBLA games that can be played across multiple Microsoft platforms. And Microsoft's studio strategy reinforces this opinion. They turned Rare into a Kinect factory. Most of the studios (not all, but the vast majority) that they have acquired or formed are dedicated to Kinect and XBLA titles. Microsoft just isn't going to suddenly change direction for these studios that are designed for one thing (casual games) and do the complete opposite (hardcore games) They'll throw a bone or two every so often to the hardcore, but the casual is where it's at for Microsoft. And a new console isn't going to change this direction. The days where Microsoft did everything right in the eyes of the hardcore are essentially over now.

 

[Soapy]

I know this is probably going to get me some flak

Nope. I think you're right on the money.

 

[terry78]

So basically Nintendo had it right all this time, MS was just waiting to see how they could tweak it.

 

[X Knight]

^^ great post, hippie_hunter.

And that's why, even though I got my XBOX first, and I've gone back and forth many times, I ultimately go back to the PS3 as my console of choice.

I feel like PS3 is still focusing on GAMES, not being an all purpose entertainment system, even though I can save my photos, videos, and music to my PS3 ( and it's easier to do that on the PS3 than on the XBOX ) and I can watch Blu-ray on my PS3.

If the next XBOX continues the focus on casual games and being an all purpose console, then I will continue to be loyal to the PS4. especially if the PS4 continues to focus on GAMES, and continues to offer PSN as a free service to go online and play against other gamers.

 

[Iceman]

I agree with most of that but I'd say the likes of Apple & Google got their success from the casuals but their products satisified the techies as well. That's why they had long term market dominating success unlike the wii which focused only on casuals. Also they didn't improve the core product, which is a phone to make phone calls & texts, by a crazy amount; they just gave it a tonne of super powers so maybe Microsoft are doing the right thing from that point of view.

I want them to have an extra 2 or 3 must-have AAA exclusives beyond Gears & Halo (the formation of Black Tusk suggests that could be possible) but after that I don't care if they leave it to the multiplatform developers as long as their hardware is great.

 

[Soapy]

Microsoft isn't stupid, they know they have to sell this thing to the enthusiast crowd first. So I think they'll definitely come hot out the gate with some new stuff (they've been staffing up quite a bit recently), but it will curtail in subsequent years like it has this gen.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

I know this is probably going to get me some flak, but here's how I see it:

Microsoft isn't focusing on exclusive games anymore because games are just an incredibly small part of their overall strategy with the Xbox. To sum it up: unless it's a select group of elite first and third party franchises (Halo, Gears of War, Fable, Forza, Call of Duty, Elder Scrolls, and Grand Theft Auto), Microsoft doesn't give a flying **** about the games anymore. The games they're more focused on isn't about the hardcore audience, it's about the casual audience. Their main strategy now is to appeal to the casual audience.

And why the casual audience? Because Microsoft doesn't see the Xbox as a games console anymore. It's an all-in-one entertainment box for all sorts of media content ranging from games, movies, television, music, etc. Just look at how Microsoft is now treating the Xbox brand now. Xbox is now seen as a digital distribution platform for music, movies, television, and games across multiple platforms: Xbox 360, Windows Phone, Windows RT tablets, and Windows 8 PCs. Xbox is essentially Microsoft's answer to Google's Google TV and Google Play; and Apple's Apple TV, App Store, and iTunes. But unlike Google and Apple, they're wrapping it up in one big efficient brand. It's their way of dominating the living room and unlike their competitors, are being extremely successful at it. It's also their way of getting into digital distribution the way Google and Apple have done it and Xbox is their best chance at it. And in order to be the dominating device on the market, you appeal to the casual audience, not a niche hardcore audience. Apple and Google didn't become huge successes by appealing to the hardcore techies, they'll come along anyways. You become a success by appealing to the troglodyte casuals.

So in the end, expect Microsoft to continue appealing to the masses by pumping out more causal games like they have been for the past couple of years. More Kinect games and small indie-esque XBLA games that can be played across multiple Microsoft platforms. And Microsoft's studio strategy reinforces this opinion. They turned Rare into a Kinect factory. Most of the studios (not all, but the vast majority) that they have acquired or formed are dedicated to Kinect and XBLA titles. Microsoft just isn't going to suddenly change direction for these studios that are designed for one thing (casual games) and do the complete opposite (hardcore games) They'll throw a bone or two every so often to the hardcore, but the casual is where it's at for Microsoft. And a new console isn't going to change this direction. The days where Microsoft did everything right in the eyes of the hardcore are essentially over now.

This mentality is the same one Sony had why they first released the PS3, and it backfired on them. Microsoft needs to remember why and how they build up so much goodwill and that was through quality games (and being cheaper than the PS3). The drop in quality is why Sony managed to climb up and even themselves up with Xbox. It's dangerous thinking.

I don't mind it becoming an entertainment system because I honestly do use my Xbox more for video than games these days now anyway, but at the same time if I can't really see them completely ignoring the hardcore gamers because look at the Wii; the Wii had the fewest games bought of the three systems. Casual gamers aren't going to buy that many games for their systems, and they'll probably buy a few Kinect games, but are Kinect games that successful?

Remember that Microsoft originally sold these games at a loss because their accessories and games like Halo, Gears, and Mass Effect. They can't completely forget about the Hardcore crowd.