Microsoft defends their Xbone from attack. In their explanation, the $100 price increase will add more value to "the gaming experience" by offering better content (really, the price jump is because of the camera). Furthermore, Microsoft had the arrogance to release this statement:
"This is a big change, consumers don't always love change, and there's a lot of education we have to provide to make sure that people understand."
I do not need an education in DRM practices in order to understand the ulterior motives of the Xbone. The object is to become the center focus of the entertainment system while providing passive-aggressive safeguards for publisher DRM and being full-fledged on inconveniencing end users and stripping them of their right to game ownership. According to Microsoft, people are eating up the Xbone. They aren't lying- it's been in the top 10 on Amazon pre-orders.
The question is how will the sheepish mass public respond to the ad campaign that is about to ensue for the holiday season? Sony kind of made a move on that front; offering a gaming experience $100 cheaper than Microsoft, something that Microsoft failed to provide a good excuse for.
The answer is simple for me. The Xbone has a camera that is always on and is always listening. It has no other purpose than to watch you and listen to your conversations. I have to be online to play single player games once every 24 hours- and I have to jump through hoops to authenticate my games, as well as restrictions on how I can sell my software.
The competitor, the Playstation 4, allows me to buy/sell used games, does not provide the ability for publishers to lock out used games, lets me play games offline and treats me like a good customer. But for those who don't like Xbox One, Microsoft has a message for you.
"Fortunately we have a product for people who aren't able to get some form of connectivity, and it's called the Xbox 360. If you have zero access to the internet, that is an offline device." -Donald Mattrick, Microsoft Xbox Executive
Further reading
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/06/microsoft-defends-the-xbox-ones-licensing-used-game-policies/
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