Not confirmed yet, but Microsoft updated their FAQ page and many sites are basically confirming that the news is real. Talk about a massive backpedal. I think I'm still sticking to my guns and getting a PS4 though. Confirmed: http://news.xbox.com/2013/06/update They must be so damned worried. So much for the infinite power of the cloud.
I guess they realized they were going to get their shit pounded, sales-wise, in November if they didn't change course once Sony completely smoked them at E3. Seriously, the only thing missing from that presentation was a mic drop.
[yt]v=np6vAuS0KNs[/yt] I must admit, I'm a little surprised. After Sony's conference, I expected they'd wait a month and announce some concessions, but a complete reversal only a week after E3? I guess that shows just how spooked they are by the preorder numbers they're privy to. Overall, I think this is great news for the industry, but I am a little bummed that they appear to be abandoning the plan to share downloaded games with friends. The industry is moving toward digital distribution over the long term and I'd like for some way to transfer licences to be included in that future. I'm tentatively sticking with my plan to get a PS4, but I'll see how things pan out over the coming months before making a decision.
Good that they changed their minds but they have only done it due to $$$ and not out of any moral sense or just common sense. Also with PS4 being cheaper and the fact Sony never tried to fuck us, am sticking with the PS4 but I will get an XBox One probably hoilday 2014 when Halo 5 comes out.
Smart move by Microsoft, but I'm still getting a PS4. The only thing that's changed now is that I might get an Xbox One at some point in the future, depending on price drops and whether or not their exclusives can match Sony's (which, based on this generation, I highly doubt). The only game announced for XB1 that genuinely interests me right now is Titanfall, and that's not a permanent exclusive; it'll be on PS4 eventually.
And this is how listening can benefit everyone. They should have done this from the onset, but good on them for changing their minds.
Now all we got left is the mandatory Kinect and it's always on, and of course that higher price point. Still not touching it though, i simply dont trust MS to at some time in the futute try to impliment this again once people have invested in the X1 and have it in their homes, and do they really think we are so stupid to believe this about turn was done for our benefit. lol But for those that still want a X1 you got your wish.
I'd still like to give them the middle finger for even thinking about it, but Sony having a monopoly, or even undisputed dominance on the home console market wouldn't be any good for us. Don't really want to contribute to that either.
I'm glad they're reversing the decision. I'm still not going to buy Xbox One, at least not until price drops and a decent amount of games I want. Basically a reverse of this generation with PS3.
This is the only decision they could have made without committing financial suicide. It's nice to know that consumers didn't just sit back and tell Microsoft, "Thank you, sir, may I have another?"
I think they need to fire their entire market research department, as didn't they say they had conducted extensive market research to determine what the consumer wanted, before the back tracking? Seriously it wasn't rocket science that the entire once a day sign-in was a bad idea. If you need to sign in once to set-up the console, most people who don't have the internet would have a friend that does and they can borrow their internet to set-up
I did notice one more thing in their annoucnement, no region restrictions for games. Does that mean the blu-ray player will be region-free as well?