GameStop CEO: Microsoft's next Xbox "will be a very hot, compelling device"

[king3pj]

Like I said, let's just wait until M$ has their event in May and hope also that it's more than Sony's simple "We're not making the same mistakes we made last time around and here's some random gameplay footage." Given the criticism M$ lobbed at Sony after their presentation I think we're in store for something better at least in terms of presentation.

See, I actually liked Sony's conference. I don't care what the box looks like or what streaming options it has. As a gamer I want to see games. Everything else is secondary. They showed more game footage than I was expecting and less "home entertainment center" than I was expecting. Everyone knows these boxes will play movies. If the last gen could of course this gen can so why waste time talking about it at your big event. The way Sony will make the big money and get out of the red is in software sales. They make their money from software and lose on hardware. Last gen had too many people buying a PS3 for Blu-ray and netflix who they never saw a penny in software from.

Look how terrible their first party exclusives sold compared to Microsoft. Sony has so many more quality exclusives than Microsoft yet Gears of War 3 (which I loved) out sold all of Sony's exclusives added together in 2011. Some of those exclusives were Little Big Planet 2, Killzone 3, MLB The Show, Infamous 2, Resistance 3, and Uncharted 3. They had many more exclusives in 2011 but that list is full of AAA great games and all of them added together sold less copies than Gears 3.

The PS3 launched with too much Sony ego due to the massive success of the PS2. The PS3 launched a year later than the 360 at a ridiculous price point. They tried to be the "media device" instead of a game machine and suffered huge losses. In my opinion they have the best exclusive games and no one bought them. If they want to take over again they need to focus on the core gamer and the casual COD/Madden market will follow. Who cares if they lose some hardware sales from people who just wanted a movie box? Their money is in gamers who will buy new games often so that's who they should focus on.

 

[Zookster]

See, I actually liked Sony's conference. I don't care what the box looks like or what streaming options it has. As a gamer I want to see games. Everything else is secondary. They showed more game footage than I was expecting and less "home entertainment center" than I was expecting. Everyone knows these boxes will play movies. If the last gen could of course this gen can so why waste time talking about it at your big event. The way Sony will make the big money and get out of the red is in software sales. They make their money from software and lose on hardware. Last gen had too many people buying a PS3 for Blu-ray and netflix who they never saw a penny in software from.

Look how terrible their first party exclusives sold compared to Microsoft. Sony has so many more quality exclusives than Microsoft yet Gears of War 3 (which I loved) out sold all of Sony's exclusives added together in 2011. Some of those exclusives were Little Big Planet 2, Killzone 3, MLB The Show, Infamous 2, Resistance 3, and Uncharted 3. They had many more exclusives in 2011 but that list is full of AAA great games and all of them added together sold less copies than Gears 3.

The PS3 launched with too much Sony ego due to the massive success of the PS2. The PS3 launched a year later than the 360 at a ridiculous price point. They tried to be the "media device" instead of a game machine and suffered huge losses. In my opinion they have the best exclusive games and no one bought them. If they want to take over again they need to focus on the core gamer and the casual COD/Madden market will follow. Who cares if they lose some hardware sales from people who just wanted a movie box? Their money is in gamers who will buy new games often so that's who they should focus on.

I totally agree about the importance of the games themselves. Even if MS put out a clearly superior gaming machine at a comparable price-point, I just have too much invested in Sony's exclusive franchises to switch in this new generation. The only exclusive 360 franchise that ever caught my eye was Alan Wake.

Also, there's just too many other devices, including TVs themselves, that act as "media boxes," so the gamer experience will be paramount this time around.

Has any word leaked regarding MS's plans for Live? Will they still require a subscription for basic online access and the ability to use apps that are free on every other device without any additional incentives of the kind PS Plus now offers and one would assume will continue to offer (free games, deep discounts, exclusive early access, etc.)?

 

[meStevo]

I believe expectations that Live will continue to cost a fee (just a matter of what will the features entail) and that Sony will now have a pay service for the PS4 similar to live (price and features TBD).

PSN purchases (PSN+ and otherwise) from PS3 aren't making the transition to PS4. Clean slate. I expect for launch PSN+ will morph into something else, or a tiered service to cover the new streaming capabilities. Unless it's required for the networked apps, I don't see it being nearly as necessary as Live has become, which I would think would be their goal so it will be interesting to see the path they choose. "Backward compatibility" will probably be folded into that too unless that becomes more of a rental service or something to monetize that effort.

 

[king3pj]

I believe expectations that Live will continue to cost a fee (just a matter of what will the features entail) and that Sony will now have a pay service for the PS4 similar to live (price and features TBD).

PSN purchases (PSN+ and otherwise) from PS3 aren't making the transition to PS4. Clean slate. I expect for launch PSN+ will morph into something else, or a tiered service to cover the new streaming capabilities. Unless it's required for the networked apps, I don't see it being nearly as necessary as Live has become, which I would think would be their goal so it will be interesting to see the path they choose. "Backward compatibility" will probably be folded into that too unless that becomes more of a rental service or something to monetize that effort.

I don't think Xbox live will change their structure. It has worked out great for them on their last two consoles. I keep up on video game news pretty regularly on IGN and various podcasts. I haven't heard a single rumor saying that PSN will be a paid service on the PS4 though. I'm not saying it won't be and honestly I would welcome it if it means that PSN would finally be as good as Xbox live.

PS+ has been a great service for me but 360 flat out destroys the PS3 when it comes to online play in terms of features and ease of use. If $50 to $60 per year is what it takes them to match Microsoft that's fine with me.

 

[Zookster]

I believe expectations that Live will continue to cost a fee (just a matter of what will the features entail) and that Sony will now have a pay service for the PS4 similar to live (price and features TBD).

PSN purchases (PSN+ and otherwise) from PS3 aren't making the transition to PS4. Clean slate. I expect for launch PSN+ will morph into something else, or a tiered service to cover the new streaming capabilities. Unless it's required for the networked apps, I don't see it being nearly as necessary as Live has become, which I would think would be their goal so it will be interesting to see the path they choose. "Backward compatibility" will probably be folded into that too unless that becomes more of a rental service or something to monetize that effort.

Due to a special offer, I've extended my Plus sub through Oct. 2014, albeit with a bit of hesitation and anxiety over how the PS4 launch might change the service. But based on how Sony has pushed the Plus service and have given subs a substantial amount of content, including Vita games now, I'm optimistic (if anything, I've locked myself in at the rate I paid should Plus prices go up).

Since Sony probably won't be able to come right out at launch with three free PS4 games every month, I expect there to continue to be free PS3 games for Plus subs for many months after the PS4 launch. In fact, based on the PS2's life after the PS3 launch, I would expect Sony to continue to attempt to make money off the PS3 for a good 2-3 years after the PS4 launches. The bad news, of course, as you pointed out is the fact that the games won't carry over to the new system ... all the more reason for Sony to continue support the PS3 at least until all the popular older titles are made available in some form on the PS4. Not being an early adopter, I'll be sticking with the PS3 until I've played everything I ever want to play on it anyway (my backlog grows weekly).

Ultimately, I feel there's been some strategy at work on Sony's part to do what they've been doing with Plus to capture market share and consumer loyalty in anticipation of the new generation of consoles. As bad as their track record has been with marketing blunders, I can't believe they would suddenly pull the rug out from under their customers as they try to sell them a new console.

 

[yourbeliefs]

Internal Microsoft document basically refutes rumor of always-on requirement..

http://www.destructoid.com/internal-microsoft-email-puts-the-always-on-rumor-to-rest-253184.phtml

 

[meStevo]

Yeah, vgleaks refuted it a month ago, now maybe people will pick up the story. Not as fun as whipping up hysteria though.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

 

[JamesJ]

I think people are getting carried away with this always on talk, it could be as simple as Xbox remaining in a low power state, constantly getting updates and keeping up where you were so when you fire it up to play a game you don't get the whole this game requires a update to play. I highly doubt the next xbox will have DRM where it wont play used or borrow games, I think that's foolish talk.

Just bumping it up, lol

 

[Tyralak]

My kids have ZERO interest in the PS4 and it will be surprising if they are interested in the XBOX 720.

For the past 3 months now they have really played nothing more then Mindcraft... they wont even play new games that we got them.

I find it amazing a 8 bit video game has them both so tied up. (One is 10 and the other is 18)

They aren't calling it the 720. It's going to be called the Infinity or some such thing.

 

[navychop]

They aren't calling it the 720. It's going to be called the Infinity or some such thing.

Or maybe "The LAST XBOX."