The Xbox One Future That Never Was

Microsoft’s latest entry into the console industry is rife with examples of a company that wanted to usher in a fully digital gaming ecosystem. A single look at the Xbox One’s operating system today is enough to see that Microsoft’s last-minute policy reversal was a half-baked emergency maneuver to undo the PR damage to Redmond’s image in the weeks following E3 last June. What if it had stuck to its guns?

[Insomnia_84]

The author seems confused lol

Buy all your Xbox games digital then, Adriaan. Make a sandwich or 5 while it downloads and installs. Good luck with that.

I've saved a lot of money buying retail copies of my games. Deals that you can only dream of on the PS Store and Xbox Market place.

[KenAdamsNSA]

The idea is that it didn't have to be that way. We could have had Steam-like functionality on the Xbox instead of Steam being the only platform for elegant digital distribution. Competition is good for everyone, and the possibility of a console platform embracing what Steam has laid the foundation for and, eventually, improving on it, was extremely promising.

Too bad we won't get a chance to see how that turns out unless Microsoft aims to reach its original vision over time.

[christocolus]

Ms could have released a version without a disc drive for those who prefer digital.It would have been a bit cheaper too and while i wasnt totally sold on the idea, i know a few friends of mine who were.

Going full digital imo is something ms should have done gradually cos internet availability and bandwith speeds are some of the most important factors to be considered and right now broadband services are still very unreliable in many countries and that alone would have crippled and alienated the console in many markets.

[jessupj]

But do you really think MS would give you steam like sales?

Absolutely not. They would be the only distributor so they would set the prices at what ever they wanted.

I honestly wish MS kept they original DRM so that the people defending them would get what they deserved.

[cyguration]

What's stopping them from doing it now?

No one told them NOT to do Steam-like sales after the policy reversal. MS decided they weren't going to do Steam-like sales at all.

Even with the suppression of DRM, why is the OS still crap? No one told MS to undo all the good they did with the Xbox 360 dashboard and turn the XB1 into a Windows 8 tablet.

I don't understand fanboy logic. All the reversals did was remove the DRM and the unnecessary chokepoints on consumers. It had nothing to do with Microsoft not being able to model a digital distribution method after Steam.

Heck, no one told Microsoft to have digital games available at the same price as retail games. THEY chose to do that.

And for anyone saying "In the old method it would have been different!" no it wouldn't have because they were still working with Gamestop, Walmart, Best Buy and other big retailers to distribute games via physical copies that would be tied to the Azure network. So literally, NOTHING would have changed other than that you would have more roadblocks, checkpoints and DRM in your way.

And before anyone brings up the Family Share Plan, just remember that even in their old policies it wasn't going to be available at launch anyway. So again, NOTHING would have changed.

[DARK WITNESS]

where do people get this idea that MS was going to do a steam with xbox live?

maybe it could have been like steam, but If I was look at everything MS said and how they have done business so far, I would say not a chance.

like the other guy said, if they really wanted to push this and show how awesome this service would have been then they should have just given people the option with 2 services. one service people people buying digital only and it works just as they planned... and another for everyone else buying discs.

when people like me (unbelievers) see the service in action and the cheaper prices of the digital service (if you really believe they would be cheaper) we would then see the real benefit and sign up for this digital future.

MS simply wanted more control and a way to squeeze as much $$$ from us as possible, including taking more money out of our hands and the secondhand market.

I have an xbone and if tomorrow they brought back all this digital crap they were trying to push, I would sell my console the same day.

[MasterCornholio]

Microsoft's goal with their DRM policies was to have absolute control over retail copies. It had nothing to do with bringing steam like sales to their consumers.

P.S They can still have sales with digital copies and still allow freedom with retail ones.

[UnHoly_One]

Jessupj

"I honestly wish MS kept they original DRM so that the people defending them would get what they deserved."

Get what we deserved? A console with some great and unique digital features?

Yeah, I wish we'd have gotten that, too.

Hopefully they'll gradually bring back all of their original ideas.

[DragonKnight]

"Get what we deserved? A console with some great and unique digital features?"

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[johndoe11211]

@UnHoly_One

God help us all if people like you were to ever achieve positions of authority.

[AceBlazer13]

So how is it psn offers decent sales for console standards without microsofts approach.Microsoft should have started by showing lower prices

[avengers1978]

I still say to go all digital they need bigger HDD (PS4 and XB1). 500 gigs cannot support all digital. Unless they offer unlimited cloud storage. Plus digital games should be cheaper eve if it's 55 compared to 60 usd there should be some kind of price break.

[mrpsychoticstalker]

Digital is the future, one way or the other gamers will embrace it later on.

I agree with you @ Linchpin

[Activemessiah]

It's gonna be a while... a long while.

[DragonKnight]

"Digital is the future, one way or the other gamers will embrace it later on."

People always say that like we don't have a choice in the matter. Things like this are only "the future" if we let them be. Otherwise, they fail and are not the future.

[kingdip90]

If ISP's succeed in bringing in tiered Internet (I've noticed time Warner Cable trying and have heard of Verizon doing the same) an all digital future may simply be to expensive for many gamers.

It may be the future if the current ecosystem stays the same but companies are going to profiteer where they can. Don't expect Internet usage costs to stay so affordable.

[SirBradders]

And that is what scares me.

[AKissFromDaddy]

“The primary and most oft-cited rebuttal against a fully digital console is the notion of choice.”

Of the too many factors that make Steam and PC arguably the best version of digital distribution is that my games, old or new, are accessible on any computer with capable hardware. As I write this, I believe consumers would rejoice if enhanced 1080p versions of Halo Reach, Gran Theft Auto V, Modern Warfare 2, Borderlands 2, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Bayonetta, Saints Row IV or (place favorite here) were available to repurchase digitally with a very significant discount similar to a Steam Summer/Holiday Sale.

I dislike letting go of last gen software because of new hardware. I'd personally love to play the games I just listed without having too keep my previous console(s). That's what's PC has.

“It’s almost comical how the gaming community at large was starting to wrap its head around the benefits of Microsoft’s original vision when the announcement came that they were going to change it. A new platform with a chance to improve on the foundation that Steam has so delicately established over the years; a unique opportunity to redefine how we consume content from our gaming box under the TV.”

Unfortunately, I 100% disagree. A faction in the community wants Microsoft to remain in their good graces. If this was “a new platform with a chance to improve on the foundation that Steam has so delicately established over the years”, then their executives and Major Nelson would have demonstrated this, in my opinion.

No demonstration of mod support, for at least first party games, for a digital console that Steam enjoys. Mod Support attracts more gamers, thus more gamers to distribute good DLC too. No demonstration of genuinely good deals for a digital console that Steam enjoys. Steam isn't the only distributor of Steam Keys too. No demonstration of community discussion(s) for a digital console that Steam enjoys and I enjoy this feature more than I care to admit, lol. Steam offers options such as Mouse/Keyboard or gamepad support. They all matter and accumulate into the best experience.

This Was Never the Xbox One Future After E3.

[KenAdamsNSA]

To your first point, I wholeheartedly agree. What could have been really interesting as well is if purchasing an Xbox One version of a game also available on PC granted you either a discounted price for the PC version, or the full game on PC to match. I'd be interested to see if the number of people who own a copy of one game on more than one platform is anything even remotely close to significant enough to justify NOT doing that.

To your second bit: I think that's what was starting to happen before the 180 took place. Phil Spencer and co. were beginning to talk to us about the potential and said it himself that they didn't really get a chance to:

""I felt like we could have talked about some of the parts of the program more completely, to put some of these people at ease," he said. "I think people went to a place where they thought that [our] motivations maybe were wrong. That's the part where I was probably most disappointed with us, that loss of trust with some of those consumers." (excerpt from Polygon article here: http://www.polygon.com/2013...

He's totally right, by the way. The problem isn't that it COULDN'T have happened the way I had hoped, it's that we were never TOLD that it was in the cards. A PR disaster through and through that ultimately resulted in a worse product.

Additionally to your last point about mod support, that's something else entirely. I would love to see something like that on the platform, but unless you're someone who actively uses mods (not the majority, unfortunately) it's not a first-class priority. And, to the best of my knowledge, Sony is doing something similar to what you mention (at least with CoD: Ghosts) where digital download codes are available at Amazon and other retailers. If Games with Gold is any indication, I think Microsoft could've easily followed up with that.

[AKissFromDaddy]

You're halfway right. Nevertheless, Phil is lying and so are the other executives that echo this talking point. Lawrence Hryb aka "Major Nelson", the Director of Programming for Microsoft's Xbox Live didn't know that his corporation, Microsoft, could flip a switch to turn off their DRM in his interview with AngryJoe, a popular YouTube videogame reviewer/interviewer.

Nonetheless, there is no better place than the Microsoft 2013 E3 stage to demonstrate any of the features I wrote in the first paragraph.

It was their policy that was a disaster, not their PR.

[DragonKnight]

Ken, you're seriously naive if you think that Microsoft's original vision is A)Gone forever because it's not, and B)Anything even remotely like Steam, and Steam is already DRM anyway.

Microsoft weren't interested in sales, cheaper prices for gamers, B.C. for older titles. Microsoft were interested in partnering with larger publishers like EA to destroy the used games market out of sheer greed.

Pubs like MS and EA are under the misconception that used games are costing them money and they spread that lie every chance they can get. It was the same thing with the excuse that there were too many consoles on the market, demos were costing sales, rentals were costing sales, piracy costs sales. They just don't want to admit that they make bad games and charge too much for them so people don't buy them.

MS' DRM was good for MS and MS' partners only, not the gamer. Steam itself is DRM that people have come to accept because it's better than the alternative of never having games at all. PC games floundered when you could only buy physical copies.

Nothing about MS' DRM was pro-gamer or Steam like.

[dazzrazz]

1) Even if it looked like Steam you would never get any discounted prices close to it

2) How do you imagine disc less digital only device with 500GB non replaceable, even less usable space hard drive ???

I can't imagine when I saw last time a better price on XBL on a game I wanted to buy ( wanted to buy not some impulse holidays 10 days countdown) their digital titles are always up to $20 and even more upmarked

[KenAdamsNSA]

I'll be the first to admit that they haven't demonstrated that they WOULD have done Steam with the Xbox 360, but the One is a chance to start anew, and if Microsoft wants to stay relevant (especially with Sony pushing them around so much in the PR department) you better believe they'd try to win people back over.

Additionally, I agree that the hard drive is on the small side, even with the console NOT being digital-only.

[urwifeminder]

Was with them DRM or not I really enjoy the tears from people that had no intention of buying it anyway yet get on the highest horse in town to shout their displeasure go play something.

[Activemessiah]

If Nintendo ends up being the sole company that still does physical... I'm heading there.. I can't live in a digital world.. I have shelves to fill damn it! I KNOW Nintendo will stay that way because we all know their stubborn attitude... blessing in disguise.

[SaveFerris]

If Microsoft was so sure of their digital vision why didn't they go all in and design the console with a larger HDD and made the blu-ray for movies only? MS could've made arrangements with EA, Activision etc to sell game downloads online or Xbox live.
Would gamers embrace this?

[avengers1978]

If downloading huge amounts of data was faster and they gave say 2tb maybe more. And didn't charge as much. Then I think a lot of people would embrace it. Especially if you could sell your digital games to others via XBL, or PSN.

[SirBradders]

Its simple guys microsoft is a big corporation they want this all digital future because they then save money from manufacturing and shipping their games, they can then cut out the middle me (shops) thus fixing prices and making more money.
Wake up people why do you think the hard drive is not replaceable even though the 360 one was. A company run by a board consistently strive to maximise profits and i wouldn't be surprised that them bundling a kinect in every box is to collect your data to churn out games more suited to their audience.

[Beastradamus]

It might sound lame, but I am a collector and I want my damn cases!!! I just bought GTA V on PS3 and am bummed I don't have the case. Screw all digital systems.

[coopman300]

You can bet that it was game developers pushing for all digital because they were taking the biggest hit from places like gamestop reselling their games en masse royalty free.

There's good and bad things about both models and you can argue the point for either side all day long but unfortunately we'll never know what ms's earlier policies would have led to or what could have been.

[icerob]

all digital download and LOWER GAME PRICES!!!
a lot of savings from not having to make the physical game, not having to ship it, not having to pay all the middle men for selling the game in the store and of course it would be also cheaper because of the fact that you would now not be able to resell the game. 20$-25$ game prices should be the norm.