stusser
3949
Yes, they did. You will need to go online upon initial purchase, but after that, if you purchase disc-based games, you never need to go online again.
If you purchase games online that’s a different story of course.
Also, let’s not forget that the direction the publishers are going is to make you be always online anyway. EA, Ubi, and Activision have all said that they won’t release a major game without an online component. (EA just reiterated that yesterday.) They want you online whether that’s leaderboard stuff, MP matches, social connectivity, or second-screen gameplay.
stusser
3951
Those online components aren’t necessarily mandatory, though.
Obviously if you want those features you’ll need to go online, but the single-player game will work unplugged.
Microsoft has basically reversed everything they said. In their latest reversal they have cancelled the release of the xboner and are urging people to buy the ps4.
About the only thing they haven’t reversed yet is forcing Kinect on unwanting gamers, but I expect that after release as if they did it now, the Kinect boxes would join the surface rt in taking up space in the desert.
stusser
3954
Simcity was a debacle. You think anyone’s trying to replicate it?
Sure, some of them. The point is that always-online is the direction of the industry at this point and it’s certainly what the publishers want for multi-million blockbusters. They may not force it, but they’re going to integrate it into every part of the games in some way to encourage its use.
stusser
3956
Yes, even single-player games will come with some sort of online component, and that’s a good thing as long as it’s not mandatory to play. Raph has been talking about that stuff since like, 2006.
EA’s move to everything F2P is laughable. As usual they’re being reactionary. They did the same thing with MMOs, facebook games, and most recently mobile games. They failed there, and they’ll fail with F2P too, because they are reacting to market changes without understanding them.
Last time they lost $300m on SWTOR and a bunch on WAR, hundreds of millions on social gaming acquisitions, etc. This time they’re quite literally cannibalizing their primary business model, so the impact could be even more significant.
They’re fools. They shouldn’t be reacting to industry trends, because they’re continually too slow to react in time and half of them are ephemeral fads anyway. Instead, they should focus on making great games for any platform, fostering internal innovation, investing in inexpensive independent studios, and nurturing their cash cows.
Instead, battlefield f2p? Holy shit, that could go badly.
You think anyone’s trying to replicate it?
Yes. How are they going to sell you IAP if you’re not online?
I agree. Didn’t mean to imply it was.
Just my luck to work for an industry where we don’t get free consoles and where our boss doesn’t bring us all the Disney Infinity toys to test. :-)
Wendelius
Canuck
3959
Xboner’s main selling point won’t be available in most countries upon release.
http://m.gamespot.com/news/xbox-one-voice-commands-not-available-in-all-regions-at-launch-6413828
Microsoft, what ARE you doing?
Voice command is Xbox One’s main selling point?
Canuck
3961
Well as a part of Kinect yes. A huge part of what makes the Xbone different from the PS4 is being able to tell it what to do. And it can’t even be done for a lot of people.
As part of the even bigger picture this shows me that MS does not have their shit together at all. If I were buying a $500 piece of hardware I would have serious concerns about it coming from a company that has had serious hardware setbacks in the past and can’t get the hardware to work properly (or at least on time) with the current version.
Eh, I imagine Microsoft would like us to think the Kinect is their differentiating factor but as for myself and most of the folks I know who are considering a purchase, we could give a damn. I’m looking at potential game library and any cool features in Xbox Live that may set it apart from the PS4. But what do I know, there may be a bunch of Brazilians completely broken hearted that they won’t be able to talk to their Xboxes.
If Kinect features are supposed to justify the price premium the Xbox One demands, despite the less capable hardware, you might not be super pleased to hear those features aren’t going to be supported for you.
Well, let’s ask me. Self: suppose you were thinking about buying an Xbox One, and found out shortly beforehand that the Kinect would not support voice commands? Me: Well, I don’t think that would impact my buying position all that much really.
Hey, this is fun!
I think this experiment might be rigged!
Razgon
3966
Suppose you were thinking about buying an Xbox One, and found out shortly beforehand that the reason you had to pay 100 dollars more for the console than its competitor, does not work when you purchase it. Me : Well, that kinda sucks, doesnt it? Why should I pay 100 dollars extra then?
You are right - this IS fun!
I don’t know, people still bought the PS3 even though it was more expensive than the 360, at least for a while. I presume they had a good reason for doing so.
The PS3 played Blu-Ray, while the 360 didn’t. That feature was available and working in all regions at launch.
