The Xbox 180

Sometimes plans can change on a dime.  Originally, this writer was planning to write a wrap-up of last week’s events at E3.  During the writing for said post, some news broke that changed a big focus of that article.  That particular piece of news was so big that it needed a whole post dedicated to it.  So the E3 2013 Wrap-Up has been nixed in favour of this writer’s opinions on these current developments.  Do not worry if you were hoping for a post to wrap-up this writer’s opinions of E3 2013, it will be integrated with the Top 5 Games of E3 2013 post that should be up later this week. 

The big new this writer has been alluding to for the last paragraph is Microsoft’s complete 180 on their DRM and "Always Online" policies.  As of Wednesday, June 19^th, the Xbox One will no longer require users to connect to the Internet every 24 hours and now allow users to play used games and share their games with friends with no restrictions.  The removal of these features from the Xbox One will come in the form of a day one update.  It is a step in the right direction for Microsoft.  Sadly, this writer does not believe that this supposed change of heart will help Microsoft at launch.  While it does put the Xbox One on an even playing field with the PS4, this announcement is a week too late.  The majority of gamers made their decision on what next-gen console to pick up after watching E3.  At E3, Microsoft had one of the most damaging showings in the company’s history.  The smoke and mirrors that was Microsoft’s press conference convinced some, but the more you peeled back the curtain, the more the Xbox One fell apart at the seams.  From the DRM and "Always Online" policies to their executives’ horrible knack to say all the wrong things (talking about Don Mattrick’s statement to buy a 360 if you cannot or will not use a Xbox One), Microsoft did an excellent job of angering gamers this year at E3.  Funny enough, those gamers answered Microsoft by giving their money to Sony for a PS4.  Microsoft saw how the PS4 was vastly outpacing the Xbox One in pre-orders and the utter lack of positive word of mouth surrounding the Xbox One and knew they needed to right the ship and fast.  Too bad for them, the damage has already been done and Microsoft has lost many longtime supporters over to Sony and the PS4 for their shenanigans this past month.  Their "Deal With It" attitude has come back to bite them in the backside.  No matter what Microsoft tries to right, there is still a huge amount of animosity towards them and the Xbox One.  Gamers are not stupid; they will not forget how Microsoft has mistreated them.  It is going to take a lot more effort from Microsoft than mere policy changes to regain the faith of those gamers.  Microsoft and many of their supporters do not understand that all the animosity surrounding the Xbox One is a culmination of all the crap Microsoft has put gamers through these last few years.  Continually shoving Kinect, Smart Glass and their entertainment ventures down our collective throats has strained the relationship between Microsoft and gamers.  Xbox One was the final straw and the results were undeniably hostile.  To really make this turn of face truly effective, Microsoft should have made the changes in the weeks leading up to E3 instead of after Sony made their move. 

Like this writer mentioned before, people have already made their decision about what console to purchase this upcoming generation so these changes will not affect the Xbox One’s launch in any way.  They will definitely keep the Xbox One from tanking in sales in the long run, but these changes alone will not save this system.  Microsoft needs to drastically change how they deal with consumers because nobody is going to take their cocky "Deal With It" attitude any longer.  While some may be screaming to the heavens that Microsoft is listening to the gamers, this writer believes that Microsoft trying to salvage every little bit of goodwill that they shattered at E3.  If the last month has proven anything, Microsoft does not care about gamers; they care about their money or the lack thereof.