I thought that Microsoft was my friend. Now before you flame on me for being cheesy, hear me out. Microsoft in this last generation provided us with a cheaper gaming console (at release and for a while afterwards), a better controller, and an overall better online experience. I say this as someone who bought a PS3 right out of the gates and loved it dearly up until 2011 when I got an Xbox 360. When Sony appeared to best Microsoft in every one of these ways I was concerned about the vitals of the Xbox One even then, several months before the intended release. Now that Microsoft has back-peddled on issues such as DRM and online connectivity so fast they’re doing a burnout, more people have embraced the Xbox One as their frontrunner choice for a next-gen console. The announcement of Titanfall, the product of several years of labor from Respawn Entertainment, a studio founded by old Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella, being an Xbox One exclusive has even more people convinced, but I’m still hesitant and here’s why
Let’s forget for a moment that the Xbox One still costs $100 more than the PS4 because of the included Kinect 2.0. Should we so quickly forget that Microsoft was about to cut used games, game rentals, or even being able to take a game to a friend’s house?
They released all these details for the first time several MONTHS after the Playstation 4 announcement. They had plenty of time to think about what they were presenting and what their stance on these issues would be, and they stood firm all the way through E3. Only after did they change their mind when the imminent doom of the Xbox One was impossible to ignore. The idea of targeted ads from Kinect 2.0 listening is also a scary one that could have had a very real implementation. While it is true, better late than never, Microsoft made a huge blunder and backed it after their competitor had laid out everything on the table.
“…Microsoft made a huge blunder and backed it after their competitor had laid out everything on the table.”
For this reason I have a skepticism when thinking about purchasing an Xbox One. What other things could Microsoft try to pull in the future once people already own the console? I’m not saying anything negative will happen, but the One’s shaky start leaves me very cautious.
Don’t get me wrong, there is still about a 50/50 chance I will get an Xbox One. It will come down to the last few days before I purchase my first next-gen system, but as someone who has learned to be cautious with people who wrong you or think about wronging you whether they perceive what they are doing as wrong or not, I would recommend that we put both Sony and Microsoft under the microscope going forward as more details about both systems are released. This ultimately isn’t a battle between consoles, but rather about making a smart choice that doesn’t yield negative or limiting consequences for us gamers in the future.
Comparing Middle School annoyances with gaming console frustration may seem ridiculous, but think about it: Microsoft offered a platform where we could pay more money for more restrictions and less features it seemed at the time (although granted the Cloud is a pretty cool feature). I can be quick to forgive but also long to hold a grudge and going forward I’m looking very carefully at both consoles.
Skepticism never hurts and I’m sure in the end which console I buy will depend on friends and titles more than anything, but it’s also important to send a message loud and clear to Microsoft that they messed up in the beginning, and we want no more of their shenanigans in the future. As someone who truly hopes to buy an Xbox One with confidence by the time this holiday season arrives, here’s to another generation of great consoles.
