310°

Microsoft's E3 Surprise is Not Gaming - Will IPTV + Diamond Fees Save Them?

This podcast reveals the potential rumors being broadcast throughout the internet, and addresses the multimedia push from Microsoft as irrelevant by comparison to the stride of other companies. Their E3 show for 2011 is called into question and analysis is done on their overall strategic stance this year and in years' past.

Read Full Story >>
examiner.com
SpaceSquirrel4746d ago

Microsoft should focus on hardcore gaming for E3.

Hitman07694746d ago (Edited 4746d ago )

Couldn't have said it better myself.

@iamnsuperman No doubt man. Definitely. Thanks for the listen and feedback!

Active Reload4746d ago

Yeah MS, what's up with the games? It's not like L.A. Noire, RAGE, SKYRIM, DARKSOULS, WITCHER 2 are on or coming to the Xbox 360. Oh... wait...

Biggest4746d ago

Remember when people were saying "BluRay? I want games, Sony!" How about when people said "I don't need no stinkin internet browser! I have a PC!" It's funny because those same people are going Lady Gaga over half-cable and Kinect.

Active Reload4746d ago

It's ok, I damn sure ain't about to spend $300 on another console to play average exclusives, lol.

shoddy4746d ago

Why play more variety when you can play less right?

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4746d ago
NYC_Gamer4746d ago

they will continue to let 3rd party software/xbl features move the console

iamnsuperman4746d ago (Edited 4746d ago )

I like they are adding services but like mentioned in the podcast TVs do it already (and in the UK with a service called freeview which is free) kind of makes this redundant in the UK (I hear the US has expensive cable so probably useful there). Microsoft still need to focus on the hardcore like you said. It seems they are stretching the Xbox brand. I wouldn't have minded if they announced this at another press conference and not at E3 (if the rumours are true). They need to announce some exclusives

-Superman-4746d ago

No, i want games not Xbox Live upgrade
I bought console for games not for network

Istanbull4746d ago Show
JsonHenry4746d ago (Edited 4746d ago )

"save" them? I didn't know they needed saving. For me, this could be cool if the programming/features are similar to my satellite provider.

AND, the music in the background is annoying.

ManGastaS4746d ago

they dont need to be saved, they sold 55 million consoles!!!

1998gamer4746d ago (Edited 4746d ago )

and 30% of that is somewhere in a ditch collecting dust illuminated by red light. They sure did such a great job /s They need all the help they can get for their next console.

shoddy4746d ago

Hardcore fans need saving.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4746d ago
JellyJelly4746d ago

Who says they won't have more than one surprise? Sure, IPTV and Kinect will have its place in their conference but that doesn't mean they won't have hardcore titles on show as well. At least I hope :)

Chaostar4746d ago (Edited 4746d ago )

I''ll be honest I only listened to the first few minutes but they make a few good points.

Best of them is that on demand TV is already a part of lots of different hardware i.e even TVs have it nowadays, and it's free.

MS will have to give a VERY good reason for people to pay extra. It's possible they have a ton of exclusive content but I doubt gamers will pay extra on top of xbl fees unless they manage to grab a LOT of incentive.

guigsy4746d ago

This may be a big announcement in their press conference but he acts like this is their only announcement. I don't see why people have a problem with consoles becoming more multi-functional; the stats show that people use their consoles for entertainment other than gaming. This guy comes across more as a disgruntled fanboy throwing a fit as opposed to someone more focused on generating interesting debate.

ash_divine4746d ago

My only concern with consoles becoming multimedia devices is that Gaming(what the consoles were originally intended for) could get pushed into the background because of it.

I get the feeling that this is most people's concern. Because you have to admit, Microsoft seem to be getting less and less interested in the video game industry.(Especially the hardcore side of the industry.)

NYC_Gamer4746d ago

gaming will never get pushed back long as 3rd party studios exist

BabyTownFrolics4746d ago

nyc gamer dont even try to talk sense.

if your not bashing MS then your not a true gamer on N4G.

FlashXIII4746d ago

You're right that gaming won't get pushed back because of 3rd party studios but ultimately why stick with an xbox and play just those 3rd party studio games when you can get a ps3 and play all those plus a whole load of great exclusives spread out across the year?

Unfortunately this gen microsoft can get away with shunning their hardcore gamers and trying to expand their brand however they have a lot of convincing to do if they want me to buy their next console.

ash_divine4746d ago

@BabyTownFrolics

Oh grow up will you? No one bashed Microsoft (your fanboyism is making you paranoid lol). People are allowed to voice their opinion, because not everyone worships their console.(or the company that created it.)

fanatics, sheesh.

@NYC_Gamer

At least you didn't get all defensive, but I still don't really understand the point you're trying to make. If Microsoft relies solely on third parties then what incentive will people have to buy the console?(as opposed to the competition)

and I think you (and Babytown) misunderstood what I was saying. I was simply saying that I'm worried that Microsoft will get too invested into other ventures (such as IPTV) to really focus on games. I think anyone who enjoys the 360 can agree that that would be a bad thing.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4746d ago
Alos884746d ago

Dear Microsoft,
We don't watch your conferences for BS like "integrated media" or "convergence" or any other meaningless marketing phrases and half baked concepts.
We watch for the GAMES.
Please remember this.

karl4746d ago

they do remember it .. they just dont give a shit..

Ms has no shame.. or exclusives for that matter

Show all comments (78)
150°

10 Biggest Xbox Mistakes of All Time (So Far)

The Xbox brand has done a lot of good over the years, but their various blunders are pretty wild to look back on in their magnitude.

Read Full Story >>
culturedvultures.com
piroh8d ago (Edited 8d ago )

Ironically number 9 can save them at this point (releasing games on multiple platforms)

ChasterMies7d ago

By “save them” you mean make more profit for Microsoft. Xbox will still be a dying hardware platform.

OtterX7d ago

You could add the naming scheme for the consoles, it just confuses customers. I know they wanted to avoid traditional numbering bc it would always be lower than their competitor, but this whole 360 then One then Series thing is confusing af. Imagine a Soccer Mom trying to figure this stuff out. I still mistakenly call the Series X the One from time to time on accident.

RNTody7d ago

Don't forget about the Xbox One, Xbox One X and Xbox Series X! Good luck to Soccer moms around the world.

S2Killinit7d ago (Edited 7d ago )

They did that on purpose to confuse and direct attention away from the generational numbering.

MS doesn’t like reminding people that they joined the industry after others had already been involved in gaming.

For instance, they called the xbox “360” to combat PlayStation “3” because they wanted to seem like “more” than “3”, so instead of xbox 2, they opted for xbox 360. Also this had the additional benefit of selling consoles to uninformed parents who might purchase a “360” instead of a “3” by mistake, or because they thought 360 was more than 3. Kind of a disingenuous move.

They have been continuing with their confusing naming patterns for pretty much the same reasons. Frankly, it fits with who and what they are as a brand.

FinalFantasyFanatic6d ago

I can understand their reasoning, but whoever came up with that naming scheme should be fired, bad naming schemes have killed consoles (I'm pretty sure it was the major reason for the downfall of the WiiU). They should have had unqiue names like Nintendo and Sega have had for their consoles, far less confusing for the consumer.

rob-GP3d ago

@FinalFantasyFanatic "They should have had unqiue names like Nintendo..."

lol, you mean:

NES, SNES
GameBoy, GameBoy Advanced, GameBoy Colour, GameBoy SP
DS, DSi, DSXL
3DS, 3DS XL, New 3DS, New 3DS XL
Wii, Wii U
Switch, Switch OLED

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3d ago
Cacabunga7d ago (Edited 7d ago )

Phil Spencer is the worst that has happened to Xbox.
They built a respectable brand up to Xbox one. Then this guy took over and things became a joke

Reaper22_7d ago

He still has his job. Something you can't say about Jim Ryan.

Cacabunga7d ago

Both bad execs. One is on job and one thankfully retired.

FinalFantasyFanatic6d ago (Edited 6d ago )

I didn't like either person, both people damaged their respective brands and produced worse outcomes, but Phil did save the Xbox brand from being retired by Microsoft. Although in hindsight, he should have just let it die, rather than languish in limbo like it is now.

Rainbowcookie5d ago

Yeah but the one that was "bad" didn't even affect sales.

bunt-custardly7d ago

Phil Spencer was also on the team back when 360 was around, alongside Shane Kim, Peter Moore etc. I think the damage that did the most harm was the Don Mattrick "Always Online" console (ahead of its time basically). They handed Sony and Nintendo a free-pass when that was revealed. It went downhill from there. Then the corporate machine went into full swing to try and recover. They have to a degree as a games company for the masses, and less so for the core gamer. Outside USA, the Xbox brand does not sell as well as Japanese based consoles (citation needed).

Cacabunga7d ago

Want a decision maker. The always online and TV plans was a disaster yes, but they caught up by announcing 1st party games that gamers actually kept the hype going.. until this moron took over and introduced the PC day one release.. e all know where that ended..

S2Killinit7d ago

I dont think they were ever a respectable brand, not since the beginning, when their goal was never to be involved and share in the gaming space. I think the OG xbox was an exception because MS as a brand was still getting its foot in and so the people behind that were people of the gaming industry.

FinalFantasyFanatic6d ago

The 360 was the brand in its prime though, everything went downhill towards the end of that generation. Its staple games like Halo, Forza and Gears are what kept the console relevant and afloat for so long.

MaximusPrime_7d ago

Really good video.

I remember the days with RRoD was big news on here, N4G.

Microsoft had it turbulence number of years.

Looking at the success of Sea of Thieves despite being 6 years old, time to release Halo, Forza horizon 4 & 5 on PS5. It'll help their revenue

shinoff21837d ago (Edited 7d ago )

2 of the 4 games they did already sold really well. So it's definitely going down. Idk about halo or forza but I feel those studios they've bought in the last 5 years, their coming

ChasterMies7d ago

I found this video painful to watch. Can someone list them out?

Top 10 for me from are:
1. 2013 reveal presentation
2. Bundling Kinect 2 with Xbox One
3. RRoD or why rushing to market with hardware is always a bad idea.
4. Buying studios only to close them.
5. Ads on the Home Screen
6. Letting Halo die.
7. Letting Geard of War die.
8. Every console name
9. Charging for Xbox Live on Xbox 360 when Sony let PS3 players play online for free.
10. Cancelling release of OG Xbox games after the Xbox 360 launched.

Show all comments (31)
150°

Microsoft to Add Copilot AI to Video Games

Microsoft recently revealed its plans to incorporate Copilot directly into video games, with Minecraft being the first showcased example.

Read Full Story >>
xpgained.co.uk
Fishy Fingers12d ago (Edited 12d ago )

F*** AI

"Hey Copilot, what's a good meme to prove I dislike AI".... https://giphy.com/clips/sou...

Einhander197212d ago

Two trillion dollar company that just can't wait to put as many people possible out of work as fast as possible.

It feels like every single thing they do is making gaming worse and destroying the industry.

12d ago
12d ago
12d ago
darthv7211d ago

....you know it takes people to program the AI.... right? It isnt like it is sentient. We haven't reach skynet level of situation or anywhere close to the matrix just yet.

That's next Thursday.

Einhander197210d ago (Edited 10d ago )

It takes a people to program the AI then that AI is used for who knows how many games eliminating countless jobs which only grows as AI is used for more and more game creation functions.

What you're saying is so ridiculously short sighted and truly larking any kind of understanding and foresight.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 10d ago
CaptainFaisal11d ago

Why all the hate? Im actually excited about this! Always wanted this kind of immersion, and an AI companion with me all the time helping me out knowing the status of my skills/inventory/progress and giving me tips on the best approach or how to craft something specific is game changing for the industry.

Hate all you want about AI, but this is just the start and I can see the potential already. You wont be complaining in the next 5-10 years about this, but rather complain if a game hasn’t implemented it.

MrDead11d ago

Yes we can't wait for the work of others to be used without the need to pay them so that MS can profit even more from the people they fire.

I_am_Batman11d ago (Edited 11d ago )

There is no chance I'd ever use something like this, especially if it's not part of the core game design, but a layer on top of it. It's way too much handholding. Many games already feel like busy work, because they don't let the player figure things out on their own. Having a real-time interactive guide defeats the purpose of playing the game in the first place in my opinion.

If this were to become the standard like you predict, we'll see more and more video games get away with bad design, because people will just be used to ask for help from the AI companion anyway.

Number1TailzFan11d ago

Well Nintendo don't need this with some of their games these days, with invincible characters, items, easy bosses etc.. they do the hand holding built in

helicoptergirl11d ago

Takes "hand holding" in games to a whole new level.

BlackDoomAx10d ago

Because human nature xD Almost every new technology had these kind of comments.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 10d ago
Show all comments (19)
70°

Activision team is opening a new game studio in Poland 'Elsewhere Entertainment' to build new AAA IP

Microsoft's Activision subsidiary announced today that it is opening a new game development studio to take advantage of the huge talent pool growing in Poland. It'll be the second Activision studio based in the region, joining Infinity Ward Krakow, although this studio is, in fact, not working on Call of Duty.

Read Full Story >>
windowscentral.com
Psychonaut8515d ago

They’re not working on Call of Duty? Give it time.