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Want To Record Xbox One Gameplay? Get Ready To Pay

First time accepted submitter tocsy writes "Microsoft has seemingly not learned from their previous PR fiasco. According to the official site, some features as basic as recording and sharing gameplay videos will require a $60/year Xbox Live Gold account. PS4 owners will of course also have to pay for some online services, but recording and streaming will not be exclusive to Plus subscribers."

203 comments

  1. It's called a capture card... by Sydin · · Score: 1

    Or are they also doing HDCP just to make sure that if you want to record footage, you need to pony up the cash?

    1. Re:It's called a capture card... by ackthpt · · Score: 1

      In Xbox Live Gold

      the Gold is what you have to give them, not to be confused with some pseudo-status.

      'and for Xbox Live Double Platinum we'll give them regular updates to the software used for paying us!'

      --

      A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
    2. Re: It's called a capture card... by dnadoc · · Score: 2

      Might be FUD. GameDVR is a new in-game feature. They're not removing or restricting old functionality, afaik.

    3. Re:It's called a capture card... by gl4ss · · Score: 2, Insightful

      even fucking ouya has hdcp.

      the membership fee is a big downer. my classic xbox cost me less than the fees for 3 years.

      and no I don't really see what I'm getting for the money, I'm getting everything the membership gives for free on my pc connected to my tv. I don't need to pay MS extra for accessing netflix. I don't need to pay MS for hosting net games. I don't need to pay MS for playing multiplayer games online. I'm even using MS os on that pc connected to the tv!

      you know what was the biggest bullshit about live gold? games like halo4. want to go online with a friend, splitscreen? well fuck you BOTH need to pay for live gold! FUCK 'EM.

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    4. Re: It's called a capture card... by HairyNevus · · Score: 2

      Yeah, this article is biased, but not incorrect. Namely, they forgot to point out that the PS4, for the first time in the console history, will require its subscription (PlayStation Plus) for online play. Here's a more even take on how both consoles are ramping up their profits: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/pay-play-xbox-one-playstation-4-differ-premium-features-6C10874607.

      --
      You were critically hit for no damage. The bruise will look nice, and maybe the scars will make good party talk.
    5. Re:It's called a capture card... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

      First-world problems. QQ

    6. Re:It's called a capture card... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      there is no HDCP on the HDMI out on the xbone for gameplay.

      http://www.xbox360achievements.org/news/news-15728-Xbox-One-s-Gameplay-Recording-Facility-Won-t-Use-HDCP.html

    7. Re: It's called a capture card... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      "you know what was the biggest bullshit about live gold? games like halo4. want to go online with a friend, splitscreen? well fuck you BOTH need to pay for live gold!"

      What?? Are you being serious? That's not true, you can have friends sign into your Xbox with the Guest Live account and play multiplayer on the same Xbox with just one account.

    8. Re:It's called a capture card... by Seumas · · Score: 1

      The point is that the new consoles have built in capturing capability built in. Why would you setup a whole capture card and PC and everything on top of that, if you can avoid it?

      Of course, that also bring sup the question -- if the machine that I bought and paid for is doing the actual work of capturing video and I am uploading those videos to the free twitch.tv service (which is what Microsoft is using), then . . . exactly what the fuck do I need a subscription to anything for? It's my machine that I already own capturing going to a free site... wtf...

    9. Re: It's called a capture card... by RoboJ1M · · Score: 1

      Yes I notice nobody seems to be talking about this.
      But who'd have thunk it eh?
      Services in exchange for money.
      That's a new one on me...

    10. Re:It's called a capture card... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Let me guess, you're a fucking nigger who wants every-fucking-thing for fucking free. Well if you want that get a pretendo piss. Oh, that's right you feel the fucking free market is too fucking racist and you fucktarded niggers want fucking communism. Well boo fucking hoo if you don't like freedom to choose then go to fucking North Korea where the son of Kim Jong Mentally Ill is dictator. After all you will get along quite well with your communist butt-buddy.

      GO AHEAD FUCKING FLAME AWAY OR
      WASTE YOUR GODDAMNED MODPOINTS
      FUCKTARDED SHITDOT SHEEPLE!!!!!!

    11. Re:It's called a capture card... by ildon · · Score: 1

      They're not using HDCP. This headline is idiotic. They're just making you pay for Xbox Live Gold if you want to use their built in gameplay recording feature. You're basically just paying for access to their servers for various services and forms of cloud storage.

  2. Uh... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Not calling Microsoft a paragon of virtue here, but what are you recording offline anyway? PS4 is a great console, I might get one, but the xbox bashing is starting to feel a little over the top.

    I have a picture of the end screen from Punch Out, thats about the last gaming achievement I felt compelled to capture.

    1. Re:Uh... by ackthpt · · Score: 1

      Not calling Microsoft a paragon of virtue here, but what are you recording offline anyway? PS4 is a great console, I might get one, but the xbox bashing is starting to feel a little over the top.

      1. Buy XBox One
      2. Complain about greedy, capitalist oppressor extorting money from proletariat
      3. ???
      4. Profit!

      --

      A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
    2. Re:Uh... by spire3661 · · Score: 1

      The machine is capable of happily recording video without having to be connected to the internet. Who cares what i do with the footage, why do i have to be connected online to use it?

      --
      Good-bye
    3. Re:Uh... by flimflammer · · Score: 1

      Lets players. Regardless of your opinion of them, it's a pretty gigantic deal these days. Of course this is nothing that couldn't already be done with third party hardware, it will probably make the whole thing more accessible if the consoles themselves are handling the streaming.

    4. Re:Uh... by twotailakitsune · · Score: 1

      Also speed runners.

    5. Re:Uh... by ildon · · Score: 1

      They're going to continue using capture cards the way they always have. I don't think hundreds of 15 minute clips hosted on MS's servers and without audio commentary are going to be that useful to them anyway.

  3. Good luck with that by Hatta · · Score: 1

    HDCP is broken. How do they expect to prevent people from dumping the digital video stream?

    --
    Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
    1. Re:Good luck with that by Desler · · Score: 1

      HDCP is broken for those willing to go to the effort to circumvent it. That is an extremely tiny amount of people.

    2. Re:Good luck with that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      DMCA + Lawyers

    3. Re:Good luck with that by Hsien-Ko · · Score: 1

      And how are they going to tell if footage is from the Xbone version? Most of the games are multi-platform, and if they go after footage of them, it's going to be a false-positive goose chase.

    4. Re:Good luck with that by tlhIngan · · Score: 4, Informative

      HDCP is broken for those willing to go to the effort to circumvent it. That is an extremely tiny amount of people.

      Got a few hundred? This is all you need.

      Or if the console supports component video out, problem solved.

      The 360 didn't put HDCP on the HDMI. The PS3 did, so all the capture cards today tell you to use component in for the PS3.

    5. Re:Good luck with that by alen · · Score: 4, Insightful

      why would i buy this compared to paying for 5 years of x box live?

      some of you people are crazy. spend lots of money to bypass some feature that costs less than the workaround

    6. Re:Good luck with that by suutar · · Score: 2

      I suspect this is not so much aimed at "hey, that video was recorded from an xbox" as "you can't use this xbox app that records and uploads your game footage without Gold", which is pretty much the same as they do for Netflix.

    7. Re:Good luck with that by Desler · · Score: 1

      Almost no one is going to spend a couple hundred dollars to crack HDCP. That's before you even get to the fact that almost no average consumer even knows about being able to bypass it or that HDCP exists. Which is my entire point.

    8. Re:Good luck with that by Desler · · Score: 1

      You wouldn't and neither would almost anyone else.

    9. Re:Good luck with that by citizenr · · Score: 3, Interesting

      there are $30 chinese hdmi splitters/switches that also strip hdcp, but dont advertise it

      --
      Who logs in to gdm? Not I, said the duck.
    10. Re:Good luck with that by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 4, Interesting

      some of you people are crazy. spend lots of money to bypass some feature that costs less than the workaround

      Lots of people will do things that are against their immediate economic interests to bring social pressures to bear on those who are behaving badly towards the community. It's called spite.

      --
      My God, it's Full of Source!
      OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
    11. Re:Good luck with that by Desler · · Score: 1

      Yeah all 10 people are making Microsoft quake in their boots.

    12. Re:Good luck with that by CanHasDIY · · Score: 2

      some of you people are crazy. spend lots of money to bypass some feature that costs less than the workaround

      Yea, but they get to hand money over to a different corporation. So, you know, like, totally different, man.

      Fight the power!

      --
      An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
    13. Re: Good luck with that by alen · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It's called upselling

      Red hat and all the open source companies do it as well. And google

    14. Re:Good luck with that by spire3661 · · Score: 1

      umm you are very sadly misinformed. MY xbox360 would bitch about HDCP handshakes if i switched inputs on my TV while watching something.

      --
      Good-bye
    15. Re:Good luck with that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      FYI: In my case, the projector I have in the home theatre only supports component video in (or DVI or SVGA), but the PS/3 wouldn't do HD over anything but HDCP encumbered HDMI.

      So I bought a fury, slapped it on the HDMI out port of my stereo and fed unencumbered HD content to the projector over a component connection. THAT'S an example of why someone would buy one of those (this was about 5-6 years ago and the entire setup continues to work perfectly well to this day...)

      -AC

    16. Re:Good luck with that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      They might not buy the HDFury at nearly $400, but plenty would get a cheaper alternative like the $120 AverMedia Game Broadcaster HD C127 or a similar equivalent.

      Prices for these tech gadgets fall very quickly. If the workaround is in demand, it'll be sale at a price to make it worthwhile very soon.

    17. Re:Good luck with that by O('_')O_Bush · · Score: 1

      They do once one of them makes a kickstarter, and another posts a Youtube guide.

      --
      while(1) attack(People.Sandy);
    18. Re:Good luck with that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're assuming that using a capture card and using MS's built-in recording feature are completely similar. We don't know if they are, and there are many areas where MS's solution can potentially be far inferior.

    19. Re:Good luck with that by 91degrees · · Score: 1

      By providing a simple to use alternative for subscribers. A lot of people are going to have a Gold acccount anyway. For most people who care this is part o the bundle they'll receive.

    20. Re: Good luck with that by Patch86 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I always thought the main point of HDCP was to prevent precious Hollywood movies leaking out of DVD land and on to Torrent. It only takes one determined hacker to render that purpose useless, even if you have (bonus!) managed to make millions of innocent users' lives more difficult in the process.

      But then that's the DRM story all over, isn't it.

    21. Re:Good luck with that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      why would i buy this compared to paying for 5 years of x box live?

      Because the last console generation lasted more than 5 years, this hardware works with other consoles, it can be sold, and Microsoft can't mess with it after they've got your money. Who here would be surprised if MS
      * added a watermark to all recorded video, or
      * altered the deal further to require more fees, or
      * only provided flash video from a Microsoft-affiliated site?

  4. Of course they haven't learned by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Let me tell you a story about a scorpion and a turtle who helps it cross a river ...

    1. Re:Of course they haven't learned by anethema · · Score: 1

      It's a frog. Would be hard to sting a turtle's back.

      --


      It's easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them.
    2. Re:Of course they haven't learned by Richy_T · · Score: 1

      There are at least a couple of versions. Including one with a turtle.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Frog_and_the_Mouse

  5. Flip-flop by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And I probably won't buy into either XBone or PS4 (_maybe_ until my PS3 60GB finally gives in and can't find any other PS3) because they might change their mind back to the beginning of their original secret plans as soon the market is flooded by devices.

    1. Re:Flip-flop by ackthpt · · Score: 1

      And I probably won't buy into either XBone or PS4 (_maybe_ until my PS3 60GB finally gives in and can't find any other PS3) because they might change their mind back to the beginning of their original secret plans as soon the market is flooded by devices.

      I stopped playing games years ago, but only bought two consoles, one of them used. The willingness to fork over money for New Locked-up gaming hardware and New games locked into one console have left me utterly fascinated. Not for a business model (which isn't particularly brilliant) but for the lemming-like procession of people queuing up to be shackled. Yeah, some of the games a pretty neat, but if people would stop buying this Console + Game = -$$$ line of math you'd find the games finally migrating all back to the desktop, laptop or tablet. I figured consoles would all be dead by now.

      --

      A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  6. 3 words by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Black Magic Pro :p

  7. Console not an arcade by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This latest gen of consoles doesn't interest me. It seems what they're trying to do is get me to set up an arcade in my living room at my own expense then charge me (eventually per play). Get stuffed.

  8. Either way. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I'm done with consoles. None of them can be trusted.

    Greedy assholes. Fuck them all.

    1. Re:Either way. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's OK. It's time to embrace the GabeN and build yourself a Steam Box.

      It'll be all right.

    2. Re:Either way. by acariquara · · Score: 4, Informative

      I'll bite. I run Steam on Windows and OSX, my Windows client lists 257 games. The same library on OSX amass 167 games, and 83 on Linux.

      Yeah, Linux compatibility is a fraction of Windows Steam titles, but not that low.

      --
      Dear aunt, let's set so double the killer delete select all
    3. Re:Either way. by Sarten-X · · Score: 5, Informative

      Yeah, Linux compatibility is a fraction of Windows Steam titles...

      As an utter jackass, I feel compelled to point out that every rational number, even those greater than one, are fractions.

      --
      You do not have a moral or legal right to do absolutely anything you want.
    4. Re:Either way. by dmbasso · · Score: 0

      http://lmgtfy.com/?q=definition+fraction

      2. A small or tiny part, amount, or proportion of something.

      So, not only a jackass, an idiot one at that.

      --
      `echo $[0x853204FA81]|tr 0-9 ionbsdeaml`@gmail.com
    5. Re:Either way. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, every rational number can be represented as a fraction (ratio of p/q where p and q are nonzero integers)... that's not the same thing.

    6. Re:Either way. by Sarten-X · · Score: 5, Informative

      You missed the first definition, and all of the wit:

      1. A numerical quantity that is not a whole number

      Or, you could consider that the default dictionary is simply wrong. Improper fractions representing whole numbers are still fractions, and that limited scope doesn't even cover all of the fields that use the word "fraction". Try this one instead. It's a more complete set of definitions, but it does lack that particular insulting quality that you seem to hold so dear.

      --
      You do not have a moral or legal right to do absolutely anything you want.
    7. Re:Either way. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You know, if you were just joking, then you should have just let it go. Now you look like you're grasping at straws to justify what you said, since any (reasonably-educated) native English speaker will be familiar with the definition of 'fraction' that he was using.

    8. Re:Either way. by dmbasso · · Score: 1

      Try this one instead. It's a more complete set of definitions, but it does lack that particular insulting quality that you seem to hold so dear.

      From your link:
      1 - 3. A small part; a bit: moved a fraction of a step.
      2 - 3. a small piece; fragment
      3 - 3. a part of a whole: Only a fraction of the members were present.
      3 - 4. a small part or segment: only a fraction of the cost.

      So, it seems you need the following link:
      http://lmgtfy.com/?q=how+do+dictionaries+work%3F

      --
      `echo $[0x853204FA81]|tr 0-9 ionbsdeaml`@gmail.com
    9. Re:Either way. by jxander · · Score: 1

      They're not all bad. Ouya is pretty fun. For less than the price of a next gen console alone, I've purchased the unit, 2 controllers (plus you can use PS3 controllers,or even your phone as a controller on some games) and a dozen different games. Plus it works as a Plex box if you don't have a Roku. The whole experience has been immensely entertaining. caveat : a lot of the enjoyment comes from sitting on the couch playing Multiplayer games with old friends.

      In the longer term, Steambox has the potential to destroy both XBox and PS marketshare.

      --
      This signature is false.
    10. Re:Either way. by flargleblarg · · Score: 1

      Actually, any real number (not just the rationals) is a fraction. For example, pi/4 is a fraction (one fourth of pi).

      For that matter, any complex number is also a fraction.

    11. Re:Either way. by flargleblarg · · Score: 5, Informative

      You know, if you were just joking, then you should have just let it go. Now you look like you're grasping at straws to justify what you said, since any (reasonably-educated) native English speaker will be familiar with the definition of 'fraction' that he was using.

      Sarten-X is 100% correct — and his original post was hilarious in my opinion. Fractions do not need to be less than 1 (or greater than -1, for that matter). Common English definitions are irrelevant here; this is a mathematical definition.

    12. Re:Either way. by Seumas · · Score: 3, Funny

      Boy, that exciting and compelling Ouya game library!

    13. Re:Either way. by ZorinLynx · · Score: 1

      I think Valve should work with WINE/Cedega/etc. to built a Windows emulation engine into Steam so that most Windows games will work out of the box on OS X and Linux. Sure, this might discourage native ports, but having a much bigger library available would certainly benefit the platform.

      Hell, Valve themselves built an Direct X -> Open GL API layer to get their own games working on OS X and Linux, so they know what they're doing in this regard. And since the games would be sold through Steam, developers would have a consistent emulation environment to target.

    14. Re:Either way. by program666 · · Score: 1

      From my 110 games library 32 are compatible with linux and 15 of those are half-life. Also I do no special effort to purchase linux games. It's still too little for me to even consider suggesting linux for gaming for my friends as something viable. Of course on the other hand having games on linux means that you might be able to do some really awesome stuff like assembling portable gaming device that plays steam games. Given the amount of awesome games that uses few resources these days like FTL it might actually be a really good idea.

    15. Re:Either way. by edibobb · · Score: 1

      So pi is a fraction and 2 is not?

    16. Re:Either way. by edibobb · · Score: 1

      I disagree. A number is a value. Any number can be expressed as a fraction, but that does not make it a fraction.

    17. Re:Either way. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It looked like he was speaking English to me. And I didn't see a pile of formulae in the posts he was replying to, so the parsing rule should be selecting the "Colloquial English" branch of the syntax tree, not the "Strict Mathematical".

      Maybe there's a bug in your parser?

    18. Re:Either way. by RoboJ1M · · Score: 2

      2 is an excellent fraction of 3 and, indeed, of many other fine numbers. :)
      pi is an irrational number, 2 is rational.
      Both fractions, only 2 can be represented as a perfect fraction.
      I *think* pi can only be represented as a vulgar fraction.
      A-level maths, however, was a very long time ago...

    19. Re:Either way. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I love how some of the most up-modded posts are part of a pointless discussion about the proper definition of the word "fraction". Well done, slashdot!

    20. Re:Either way. by ledow · · Score: 1

      I don't wish to be the bearer of bad fortune here, but I have 499 games on Steam on Windows. And 83 on Linux when I log in there. The same as you.

      That's not to say that Linux games aren't there, or don't exist, or aren't moving that way, but it's not a question of there being 50% of games on Steam supporting it (from my account, less than 17%). And I suspect most of those are actually Valve or humble bundle games, and other games that I don't have installed or only played once, rather than top-name titles.

      It's a step in the right direction, but I'm not sure SteamBox is going to make a dent unless it's profitable for players. It has to be cheap, good, and run most of this stuff without hassle. That's not hard - a Linux machine with the barest of 3D cards and "Big Picture" mode on HDMI is more than enough for the most part. But the problem is that if it ISN'T like that, then SteamBox won't boost Linux gaming that much at all.

      There's no good reason why Linux gaming can't be successful. In fact, the only reason really is 20+ years of not being the market leader in gaming, rather than any technical or political reason. But I don't think a lot of people would be happy to splash out on a SteamBox that can only play 17% of their games, and those in a way that's more convoluted and nothing they couldn't have built themselves.

      Hell, why isn't there already a "Games" distro of Ubuntu where we can just install it and get our Steam libraries and/or desura, etc. loaded onto it with a couple of clicks? It's literally that easy, but we all seem to be waiting for Valve to actually produce a full machine that does it for us that few of us are likely to buy.

      Hell, even my parents have a laptop of their own now that plugs into the HDMI TV they have. Why would they bother with a SteamBox?

    21. Re:Either way. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For any given number (A), real or imagined, (A) can be expressed as the fraction (A/1)

      proof.

      If A is a number, and B=A/1, then A=B

      If A=B then B can be replaced with A.

      A=A

      ---

      QED: All numbers are fractions.

    22. Re:Either way. by C0R1D4N · · Score: 1

      Ok, but developing for Linux wont be different than developing for the Sony or Nintendo systems. Just because it is based on Linux the Steambox is still going to simply be a new console entry in the market but with a specific delivery system. The Steambox is just the Phantom console but with a real company doing it.

    23. Re:Either way. by program666 · · Score: 1

      Oh sure, I was talking about the current state of gaming on linux. If the Steambox is ever released as a console it will already have a much bigger library than any other at release and it might finally make companies port games to linux. The problem with your post now is that we have no news regarding the steambox.

    24. Re:Either way. by dmbasso · · Score: 1

      Common English definitions are irrelevant here; this is a mathematical definition.

      The original sentence was "Yeah, Linux compatibility is a fraction of Windows Steam titles, but not that low."
      This is in no way an application of the mathematical definition.

      Are you mods drunk? Ah, wait, this is /., nevermind.

      --
      `echo $[0x853204FA81]|tr 0-9 ionbsdeaml`@gmail.com
    25. Re:Either way. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Any given use of a word does not constitute the use of it in the context of every definition of that word. This isn't something that should have to be explained to you.

  9. Sony should hire the XBox PR dept by Omicron32 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Every time they open their mouths they make the PS4 look better.

    1. Re:Sony should hire the XBox PR dept by Mitreya · · Score: 0, Troll

      Every time they open their mouths they make the PS4 look better.

      Are you saying that they should improve the XBox or that they should just shut up for now?

      PS4 will be just as bad, but users will find out only after they have bought the console.

    2. Re:Sony should hire the XBox PR dept by Horshu · · Score: 1

      "Hey, what happened to cloud-based backwards compatibility?"

    3. Re:Sony should hire the XBox PR dept by Your.Master · · Score: 1

      I'm not paying for the gold account, if I get an Xbox One (probably, due to circumstances too boring to describe). Didn't get one for the Xbox 360 either. Apparently about half of 360 users have gold accounts, which implies about half are like me, and don't.

      People had offline-only consoles for a long time before the Dreamcast was the first (?) to have an online mode, and pretty much failed. That market hasn't disappeared, even though some people have transferred allegiance to online-only play once it became viable.

    4. Re:Sony should hire the XBox PR dept by CanHasDIY · · Score: 1

      People had offline-only consoles for a long time before the Dreamcast was the first (?) to have an online mode, and pretty much failed.

      Point of Clarification: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XBAND

      Yea, it sucked pretty hard, too.

      --
      An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
    5. Re:Sony should hire the XBox PR dept by spire3661 · · Score: 2

      "there is no point in having a console for offline only" Really dude?

      Why cant i record on my Xbox offline and transfer the resultant file to a PC that can upload for FREE? It amazes me how people dismiss perfectly viable and non-burdensome ways of doing things because its not stupid dead simple.

      --
      Good-bye
    6. Re:Sony should hire the XBox PR dept by cpt+kangarooski · · Score: 1

      I have a 360 and it's offline only. I have no interest in online multiplayer games or anything else that a paid account offers. Coop split screen is okay, if the screen is big enough, but that's it.

      --
      -- This and all my posts are in the public domain. I am a lawyer. I am not your lawyer, and this is not legal advice.
    7. Re:Sony should hire the XBox PR dept by Groo+Wanderer · · Score: 1

      "Why cant i record on my Xbox offline and transfer the resultant file to a PC that can upload for FREE?"

      Because Bing wouldn't know how to find it, duh. :)

    8. Re:Sony should hire the XBox PR dept by tepples · · Score: 1

      Why cant i record on my Xbox offline and transfer the resultant file to a PC that can upload for FREE?

      Because I figure that most people aren't willing to learn how to install a PCI Express capture card in a desktop PC or buy a PCI Express to ExpressCard adapter for a laptop PC.

    9. Re:Sony should hire the XBox PR dept by spire3661 · · Score: 1

      Huh? The XBOX could capture the video itself and produce a FILE, that could then be uploaded to a PC in a million different ways. The point is, you are paying fees for functionality that already exists on the hardware itself just to UPLOAD IT somewhere.

      --
      Good-bye
    10. Re:Sony should hire the XBox PR dept by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      PS4 is not receiving the bad press Xbox is, for example, online gaming will require subscription on PS plus.

      If i had to choose between the two, free online play or free gaming recording i would choose the first. But alas no one talks about that.

    11. Re:Sony should hire the XBox PR dept by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      No, it's because Microsoft decided that this feature, which is implemented on the system already, would only upload through Live Gold.

      Also, consoles enforce HDCP. Which is annoying.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    12. Re:Sony should hire the XBox PR dept by jellomizer · · Score: 1

      I currently have a Wii I would like a new Console.
      the Wii-U sucks, the XBox One looked good until the fact that we need to pay Money to Microsoft to use a service, that I already pay a montly fee for, over an internet connection that I pay a monthly fee for.

      The PS 4 does seem like a better deal. If I were Sony I would rub it in the wounds of MS a little more and release more features without the paid service.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
  10. YAAAWN by Ignacio · · Score: 2

    So what. Recording gameplay has always been easy enough for those who want to do it, and irrelevant for those that don't. The ability to record from the console itself is just another gimmick.

    1. Re:YAAAWN by elbonia · · Score: 1

      If it's such a gimmick then why charge for it? Why not just charge for services that actually provide value and make it more competitive against the PS4?

    2. Re:YAAAWN by Ignacio · · Score: 1

      You give Microsoft too much credit.

    3. Re:YAAAWN by suutar · · Score: 1

      same reason they require you to have Gold to watch Netflix: They can. (actually, I have a completely unsubstantiated theory that their system is set up such that any network connection that leaves your household network gets run through their servers and so you need to have Gold so that their server will let it go out the other side, but that's just a wild guess)

    4. Re:YAAAWN by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I see where your going with your line of thinking.
      Now let me explain mine.
      Get people to pay for the DVR feature.
      Make the ToS transfer ownership and copyright of all materials created with and their derivatives flow to MS.
      Create advertising campaigns with said free content, sell advertising and data to 3rd party companies.
      Make the consumer the product, content creator, and investor in a scheme where they will not be shared any profits.
      Only thing that can go wrong is if they cant trick us into these key FEATURES.

    5. Re:YAAAWN by ZombieBraintrust · · Score: 1

      it may be a gimmick but it is a gimmick with value. Prices for a capture card range from 25$ to 150$ on Amazon.

    6. Re:YAAAWN by Ignacio · · Score: 2

      it may be a gimmick but it is a gimmick with value. Prices for a capture card range from 25$ to 150$ on Amazon.

      Only once.

    7. Re:YAAAWN by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > If it's such a gimmick then why charge for it? Why not just charge for services that actually provide value and make it more competitive against the PS4?

      Because it will actually upload video to Microsoft servers and then allow people to download it. Unless you are Google bandwidth is not free.

    8. Re:YAAAWN by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For something you can use with any other console, and probably allows a far better experience than built-in recording.

  11. non-issue by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't think this fits into the same category as games locked to a single console once registered. How many people are recording and sharing their gameplay videos? Is that a big thing now? I'm not a gamer, maybe that is the new core tenant of gaming. Is Microsoft going to host the videos? If so, then restricting use to paying customers makes perfect sense. I'm sure they'll at least provide some kind of index service, right? I mean, the ability to email the videos to a known friend seems like a stupid feature. So I have to assume they're wrapping some sort of service around this, and so limiting it to the upper-tier service makes sense. I mean, it's not like they're going to charge to VIEW the fucking things.

    Maybe I don't care because I'm not interested in the xbox. I probably would have bought one since I skipped the last generation (Well, I have a Wii) but now I'm actually leaning more towards a Playstation 4. I don't think it was the PR fiascos that did it though so much as the price.

    1. Re:non-issue by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How many people are recording and sharing their gameplay videos? Is that a big thing now?

      Yes. Do a quick youtube search for 'Let's Play.' Also check out frag videos, glitch videos, SC2 and other e-sports streams/videos, walkthroughs, etc.

  12. Money. by Str1der · · Score: 2

    Microsoft has become excessively greedy, even for them.

  13. Disgusting how passive people are... by blahplusplus · · Score: 2

    ... the reason all this nonsense is happening is because the game industry has seen the sick money from World of warcraft and F2P's and they want in on the action. Nintendo shutting down video's of people playing games and commenting them on youtube. The vast gaming masses are dumb stupid, passive, tech illiterate sheep. Gaming is suffering because of market expansion (aka appealing to the lowest common denominator).

    The worst part about it is the kids and adults who defend this crap.

    1. Re:Disgusting how passive people are... by oodaloop · · Score: 1

      And since this is clearly, judging by your hate-filled diatribe, the most important problem facing our nation today, I will support you 100%.

      --
      Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
    2. Re:Disgusting how passive people are... by spire3661 · · Score: 2

      Games are art, and as such can be both banal or enlightening. Art is important to life too or we wouldnt spend some much time and effort on it.

      --
      Good-bye
    3. Re:Disgusting how passive people are... by rtb61 · · Score: 1, Insightful

      It really is far more simple than that. New games have to compete for gamers time with old games. There are just so many old games out there that is really has slowed down the purchase of new games because a gamer when they have the time to sit down and play a game can just pick up one the ones they already own.

      So in the greed obsessed fashion of the typical psychopath, modern gaming corporations are trying to come up with ways for charging gamers to pay to play for game they already own. Things like banning the second hand market. I really don't understand console buyers, you pay through the nose for every game you buy, in one year your typical console gamer could pay for a gaming PC in licence fee charges on games, why?

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    4. Re:Disgusting how passive people are... by thaylin · · Score: 1

      So we only address the most important problems facing our society? We as a people are not equipped to handle taking on multiple issues?

      --
      When you cant win, ad hominem.
    5. Re:Disgusting how passive people are... by tbannist · · Score: 1

      I really don't understand console buyers, you pay through the nose for every game you buy, in one year your typical console gamer could pay for a gaming PC in licence fee charges on games, why?

      Local multiplayer. Computers suck at it. Of course, if you never get together with one or more friends to play games you might not have any use for that.

      --
      Fanatically anti-fanatical
    6. Re:Disgusting how passive people are... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Are you for real? You slag a guys 'hate-filled diatribe' while sarcastically insulting him. And why are you insulting him? For suggesting we deal with problems other than the 'most important' facing our(?) nation today.

      (Glad my nation is surely not the same as yours)

    7. Re:Disgusting how passive people are... by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      For PC you do local multi-player by cheating a bit. You deal with a good ISP that does game servers and you take your PC all to one location with good bandwidth and log onto a particular game server at your ISP at the same time (there are always less popular servers at any particular time simply because they lack players). Bit of carrying about and setting up but far better than crappy split screen. If you use steam there are also game servers available as long as you have one free PC to load it onto and do the serving.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
  14. Nothing to see here by 0x15e · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Is it really news that MS is requiring people to have a Gold account to use online features of an Xbox console? There's nothing going on here that wasn't already going on with the Xbox 360 ... except of course stirring up some more MS / Xbox One hate.

    1. Re:Nothing to see here by sl3xd · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I'd mod you up if I could.

      Xbox Live Gold is required for everything except downloading patches. It sounds like a fanboi who really knows nothing about the Xbox is proving his ignorance/making an ass of himeself.

      There's nothing new here; the Xbox Live Gold has been a thing since the original Xbox.

      --
      -- Sometimes you have to turn the lights off in order to see.
    2. Re:Nothing to see here by OhANameWhatName · · Score: 4, Funny

      except of course stirring up some more MS / Xbox One hate

      What site did you think you were on?

    3. Re:Nothing to see here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2

      Yes, it is news. They're deliberately screwing their customers with no good reason for it, and their main competitors are not forcing this requirement. It's the same with Netflix - MS requires you to pay them to access your paid Netflix subscription, ridiculous.

    4. Re:Nothing to see here by program666 · · Score: 1

      I hate microsoft to the bone and when I read the title I thought they would be paying for video recorded or something, I was fairly disappointed to known that it was actually kind of reasonable, at least for people that think it's reasonable to buy crippled locked down hardware in the first place, hardware that have no advantage whatsoever over the PC. The only thing that makes it looks kind of bad for MS is the fact that the same service is supposedly free on the playstation.

    5. Re:Nothing to see here by Sockatume · · Score: 2

      Microsoft isn't competing with the original Xbox, it's competing with the PS4. Times change. People started to think Gold wasn't such a good deal when the video apps launched and you had to buy a subscription to access video streaming services you were already paying for; it has gone downhill from there.

      --
      No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
    6. Re:Nothing to see here by N1AK · · Score: 1

      People started to think Gold wasn't such a good deal when the video apps launched and you had to buy a subscription to access video streaming services you were already paying for; it has gone downhill from there.

      The people I know who supported the PS3 over the Xbox 360 because they didn't like that you had to 'pay for online' all played online. The PS4 is going to require people to pay to play on-line, so lets assume that the PS4 doesn't require you to pay to use Netflix etc; Anyone who wants to play online still needs to pay regardless so only people who are buying a brand new next gen games console without wanting to play online are actually better off.

      I'm not a big fan of MS linking services like Netflix etc and gold accounts but pretending that Sony's offering is just oh so much better is pretty odd. My Xbox 360 is probably my last games console, and I like games consoles, because by the middle of next year (when my 360 is running out of use) I think there will be living room friendly affordable alternatives. My use case is play DVDs, Bluray would be nice, online TV/video and limited gaming.

    7. Re:Nothing to see here by ildon · · Score: 2

      You're right. Times do change. And now the PS4 is requiring PS+ for all online features exactly the way MS requires Xbox Live Gold for online features.

  15. Misleading by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The title of the article made it sound like recording video required a second subscription, but if you want to record videos of multiplayer games, you'll already have the Live Gold subscription anyway.

  16. Not just recording gameplay by Xian97 · · Score: 4, Informative

    They are also putting OneGuide and Skype behind the Xbox Live Gold paywall. It looks like most of the new features they have added to Xbox One will require XBL Gold.The PS4 will let you record gameplay without a PS+ account.

    The main difference I see in PS+ and Xbox Live Gold is that PS+ is per PS3/PS4 where Xbox Live Gold is per account. For those of us with families, that is a substantial difference. Both of my kids and myself would be able to play under the single PS+ account for $50, where for XBL Gold each of us would require our own account, bringing the total to $180.

    1. Re:Not just recording gameplay by suutar · · Score: 4, Informative

      If it helps, xbox live gold family gets you 4 people for $100, if I recall the number properly. Your point that xblg tends to cost more for families is still valid, though.

    2. Re:Not just recording gameplay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      They discontinued the Family Pack. Ours renewed without issue, but you can't get a new pack anymore. http://forums.xbox.com/xbox_forums/xbox_support/f/12/p/501186/2375701.aspx#2375701

    3. Re:Not just recording gameplay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The main difference is that PS+ actually adds value, XBL Gold makes you pay for many services twice.

    4. Re:Not just recording gameplay by robmv · · Score: 1

      False, PS+ is for all consoles the user has registered to PSN. There is a maximum of 2 PS3 and 2 Vitas (I don't remember if Vitas and PSP count in the same two). I have not read about how many PS4 will be allowed or if they will be grouped with the PS3 but Sony explicitly said that anyone can access the PS+ multiplayer on PS4 on those registered devices

    5. Re:Not just recording gameplay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      xbox live subscriptions on the xbone are console based, not user based

      all users on the console get to use the benefits of gold subscription.

      There is no more family account because of this, no more need.

      So one subscription will cover all users on that console.

    6. Re:Not just recording gameplay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Also, "Child" accounts (any account that wasn't the single owner of the Family pack, even if adults) had additional restrictions on them. They couldn't, for instance, download NR game trailers or demos (that is to say, almost all trailers and demos) off the marketplace; the max you could set their allowed rating to was "M", and NR is considered to be higher than that.

    7. Re:Not just recording gameplay by spire3661 · · Score: 3, Informative

      If what you say was true, my wife wouldnt get kicked off Netflix on the Xbox because i logged into GTA IV with GFWL on my PC. When it matters, its per person.

      --
      Good-bye
    8. Re:Not just recording gameplay by Kypt · · Score: 1

      The Vita can only have one PSN ID though. You can't switch and change the way the PS3 can unless you're willing to lose everything saved.

    9. Re:Not just recording gameplay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Your entire family can use your gold account on your home Xbox One. That's not even private, it says that all over the xbox.com.

    10. Re:Not just recording gameplay by Xian97 · · Score: 1

      But they would not have their own achievements or own list of friends - doesn't matter so much to me, but it does to the kids. To do that, you need separate xblg accounts else the one account would be all you could play with online. Microsoft used to have a family plan for $100 for 4 members, but they discontinued that last spring.

    11. Re:Not just recording gameplay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I am amazed that people still believe that everyone on a console will need to have a separate Gold account. Microsoft has clarified many times that on the Xbox One, Gold is tied to an account as well as the Xbox itself, So, a person with a Gold xbox can login to any xbox and play, while any one else on the "home" console for the Gold user can also enjoy all the benefits of having Gold.

    12. Re:Not just recording gameplay by thaylin · · Score: 1

      Except you missed the part where he said the Xbone. Unless you got an early console for some reason you are not yet using the Xbone so your situation is not relevant to what he said. Not saying he is correct, just that you are not in the right league atm.

      --
      When you cant win, ad hominem.
    13. Re:Not just recording gameplay by Sockatume · · Score: 2

      Just $100 per year to use the online features of a console which, until recently, was never meant to go offline. By grabthar's hammer, what a savings.

      --
      No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
    14. Re: Not just recording gameplay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      are you daft?

    15. Re:Not just recording gameplay by jonesy16 · · Score: 1

      Microsoft announced today that you'll only need one gold account per device (and it can actually be shared between a 360 and Xbox One).

      http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/09/xbox-one-home-gold/

    16. Re:Not just recording gameplay by jonesy16 · · Score: 1

      Check they news! http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/09/xbox-one-home-gold/ One gold account per Xbox one will allow everyone to access the services.

    17. Re:Not just recording gameplay by jonesy16 · · Score: 1
    18. Re:Not just recording gameplay by GNious · · Score: 1

      "Xbox Live Family Plans get converted to individual memberships starting August 27th":
      http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/10/xbox-live-family-plan-shutdown/

      In some scenarios, things are getting more expensive on the Green side, it seems.

    19. Re:Not just recording gameplay by ildon · · Score: 1

      PS+ on PS3 is not "per console." It's per account. Exactly the same way Xbox Live Gold is. The only difference is that right now you don't need PS+ to play online. I can't use cloud storage on my account on my brother's PS3. I can only play the PS+ free games he downloads because you can play any games downloaded to that console via any purchasing method on any account on that console, which is exactly how the Xbox 360 works in that regard.

      The way the features are currently implemented means that you might not notice that this is the case, but you will certainly notice when you try to play a game online on the PS4.

    20. Re:Not just recording gameplay by suutar · · Score: 1

      yeah, I just got the email from MS. So much for my attempt to be helpful :)

  17. So? by Deathlizard · · Score: 1

    Unless you like showing everyone how 1337 your Single Player gaming skills are, most likely you're going to have an Xbox Gold Account anyway.

    As for the other things tied to Xbox live, if all you want to do is watch Netflix on your Xbox, your better off getting yourself a Google TV and sit on the $400 you saved by buying it, or even a Chromecast and use the $65 to buy some movies to stream.

    1. Re:So? by spire3661 · · Score: 1

      Its not 'add-on' functionality for an x86 computer, which is what the Xbox one is. Hardware wise, it can do anything a PC with a decent vid card can do.

      --
      Good-bye
    2. Re:So? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ok, given nothing but what comes out of the box, how do you record gameplay on a Windows PC?

      It's not built into the hardware, and there's nothing about it being x86 that means it should be available. It's available because Microsoft decided to _make_ it available - for a cost.

    3. Re:So? by thaylin · · Score: 1

      And PS4 decided to _make_ it available - for free.

      --
      When you cant win, ad hominem.
    4. Re:So? by spire3661 · · Score: 1

      PLENTY of companies offer free/cheap streaming from PC. Sure its not out of the box, but its trivial to install and free. You have no argument. http://www.maximumpc.com/how_stream_your_games_twitch_tv_2013 P.S. Twitch.tv is the Xbox's partner for streaming..........

      --
      Good-bye
  18. Summary is Misleading by AdamStarks · · Score: 1

    My understanding is that the PS4 uses HDCP encryption for everything, whereas the XB1 only uses it for playing movies. This means existing recording solutions should work fine for the XB1 (i.e. you don't need to pay Microsoft), whereas for recording PS4 footage requires the use of the PS4's own recording tools (along with any baked in limitations, like a 15 minute limit I've read about).

    Not really sure of the practical implications of any of that, seeing as I don't myself record footage of games, but whatever :P

  19. Why do you think they have two feet? by korbulon · · Score: 1

    So they can shoot themselves in the foot twice.

  20. Worked in this generation by jratcliffe · · Score: 1

    You've been able to do more without a paid subscription on the PS3 as well, and it hasn't seemed to have handicapped the Xbox's sales and market share.

  21. So? by neminem · · Score: 1

    Want to record SNES gameplay? Too bad, that isn't a thing you can do. Not in the console hardware, anyway. Seems pretty clear that recording gameplay is an addon functionality to a game console, not part of the core functionality. It seems pretty reasonable that you might be asked to pay extra for extra functionality if you wanted it. (As opposed to "play the single-player games you already purchased without needing an internet connection", for instance, which seems like a far more core functionality.)

    Of course, nothing stopped you from mounting a video recorder next to your tv to record SNES gameplay, and nothing would presumably be stopping you from doing the same thing now, either.

  22. Microsoft? No MBASoft by EmperorOfCanada · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It sounds like the spreadsheet wielding MBAs have completely taken over Microsoft. Spreadsheet thinking is an easy trap to fall into. You put up all your costs, and all your revenues and look at the bottom line. Then you start slipping in the occasional extra bit of revenue and suddenly the bottom line numbers start to grow like balloon. The key problem is that some numbers are hard factual numbers such as reducing the quality of the plastic will save you a fairly specific amount of money. But the problem is that a change of that nature may impact things like the reviews, return rates, breakage during shipping, etc. These numbers just come out of their ass and can end up being very optimistic. But you aren't looking at just one MBA with his spreadsheet but dozens all running their little fiefdoms and making their own adjustments.

    I'm not saying they shouldn't make a profit but that they often don't match the weight of the pros and cons of each decision. For example. How hard do you have to push a faithful XBox 360 user to switch to the PS4 instead of buying the new XBox? Or like XP might many Xbox users stick with the 360 instead of going to XBox Vista? Then when they start trying to poison the 360 well the users might switch to the PS4. Even more complicated is that many people might be getting their gaming from their mobile devices. Would people abandon the console for a mobile device. These are all very hard questions to quantify and thus properly spreadsheet. So the MBAs argue that action X will annoy 1% of users while adding 10% to revenue. The 10% is probably close. The 1% is just a wacky guess.

    1. Re:Microsoft? No MBASoft by OhANameWhatName · · Score: 3, Insightful
      I like the point you're making, it's very true. Not every 'saving' is really a saving.

      Would people abandon the console for a mobile device

      But this is so much more true. The 'gaming console' era is nearing the end of it's teather. People are sick of the pump and dump shoot by wire FPS rubbish which has been churned out for the last 10 years. Couple this with mobile gaming devices that are powerful enough and full of fun (if not graphtastic) cheap games using effective intuitive controls along with simple effective PC gaming that moves SSSOOOOO much faster that and you've got the death of the loungeroom gaming device.

      I don't think it's that the MS beancounters are necessarily killing the platform. But unfortunately, nobody is reviving the platform. There's little to encourage people to desire these expensive, inflexible and nonsensical devices in the face of so much change. The XBOX 1 market is essentially the XBOX 360 market, only smaller.

      Until the beancounters face up to the need for massive change, aint nothing gonna keep this dead duck breathing.

    2. Re:Microsoft? No MBASoft by O('_')O_Bush · · Score: 1

      I'm not so sure I agree with the end of tether argument. I spend a lot of time answering Yahoo! Answers questions, and one of the most common ones that I see is 'How can I build a PC that plays well at at med-high settings at good (30-60) fps, for 500-700$?" or some form of that question. I like to think that this is at least somewhat representative of a good portion of the gaming market, young, unemployed, and with parents that aren't willing to drop 1500$+ for a moderate gaming PC.

      I regularly have to explain that you can have cheap, powerful, PC, pick any two. I love PC, and while I have consoles, they just aren't my thing. However, I recognize that consoles are the only option for many gamers, as gaming PCs are expensive, require a lot of knowledge and maintenance, are power hungry, and can be extremely frustrating.

      And let's be real, mobile phones will never eliminate other gaming markets, especially now that virtual reality is finally progressing again (Oculus Rift, Virtuix Omni, other livingroom VR technologies).

      --
      while(1) attack(People.Sandy);
    3. Re:Microsoft? No MBASoft by 0123456 · · Score: 1

      I like to think that this is at least somewhat representative of a good portion of the gaming market, young, unemployed, and with parents that aren't willing to drop 1500$+ for a moderate gaming PC.

      $1500 for a 'moderate' gaming PC?

      I built a new gaming PC for $1500 last year. It has the second most powerful consumer CPU at that time, tons of RAM, an SSD, 3TB of hard drive space, and a mid to high-end GPU that plays most games maxed out at 1920x1080.

      $700 should get you a 'moderate' gaming PC. After all, most PC games are ports of consoles with hardware equivalent to about a five-year old PC.

    4. Re:Microsoft? No MBASoft by N1AK · · Score: 1

      And let's be real, mobile phones will never eliminate other gaming markets, especially now that virtual reality is finally progressing again (Oculus Rift, Virtuix Omni, other livingroom VR technologies).

      I'm really not sure. If anything the move towards VR will push the move away from PCs in the traditional sense. I don't want to be tethered to a PC to use VR, much better to have a centralised server of some kind that does the heavy lifting for appliances around the house (maybe it'll sit next to a screen/keyboard, maybe it'll sit under the TV). Games consoles and static PCs dedicated to a specific user terminal are coming to the end of their useful period.

    5. Re:Microsoft? No MBASoft by tlhIngan · · Score: 2

      $1500 for a 'moderate' gaming PC?

      I built a new gaming PC for $1500 last year. It has the second most powerful consumer CPU at that time, tons of RAM, an SSD, 3TB of hard drive space, and a mid to high-end GPU that plays most games maxed out at 1920x1080.

      $700 should get you a 'moderate' gaming PC. After all, most PC games are ports of consoles with hardware equivalent to about a five-year old PC.

      Better yet, get a 'moderate" PC for $200 (which runs basically most games for PC anyways) and pick up a used PS3 for under $200. Or Xbox360, if you prefer.

      This will get you the AAA titles on PS3 (or Xbox360). And the PC can be used for gaming.

      $200 for a gaming PC? Yes. Because most PC games (except the AAA titles) really don't need more than Intel graphics.

      The AAA titles have moved to consoles and PCs are just crappy ports where it's almost pointless since invariably, the PC version comes later (blame piracy, blame low sales, but I'd be surprised if many PC game ports made up their porting costs - save PC-exclusive gaming companies like Valve). What has exploded on PCs is the indie games which don't have heavy graphics requirements, heavy processor requirements, and more importantly, are *fun*.

      The outgoing console generation was about HDTV. In the meantime, PC games migrated from AAA titles to indie titles, some of which are extremely good (some? Yes, some, as 90% of it is crap. However, the number of indie games on PC is ... mind-blowingly large so even the tiny fraction that's good is still hundreds, if not thousands, of games).

      iOS and Android have been a huge boom for indie devs as well - offering extremely low entry points (the cost to develop a good mobile game isn't that high, and that's good games, not Farmville like ones).

      In fact, this upcoming generation of consoles will be defined more by how they're going to get indie devs moreso than AAA titles. The AAA titles will always be there. But it's the indie developers that'll be the ones who make the platform.

      Xbox Live Arcade and PSN Store were merely feeble entries into the indie market.

      Anyhow, Microsoft is arrogant because the Xbox360 was wildly successful compared to their main competitor (and considering it surpassed the Wii a couple of years ago, it's "the winner"). Of course, this next generation resets the entire playfield - remember how Sony was arrogant about the PS3?

      The thing we should consider is that we have competition. Microsoft's already made some changes (though they really should bring back the sharing/lending/selling of digital downloads feature - no other "app" store has that ability. Even if a portion goes to the publisher, it still beats Steam and other systems where it's locked to your account. Of course, if you have a physical disc, then it's the same as always).

      Imagine how bad gaming would be if Microsoft never entered and Sony continued the PS2 with the PS3 unopposed. Well, Microsoft should be put back in their place as well after beat Sony (who was "winning" for what, a decade and a half?).

    6. Re:Microsoft? No MBASoft by Waccoon · · Score: 1

      People are sick of the pump and dump shoot by wire FPS rubbish which has been churned out for the last 10 years

      Naturally, we don't have that problem on PCs or mobile. It also hasn't been a problem since Doom.

  23. Re:LOL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Informative

    Except that Apple's shit works.

  24. Re:LOL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Until you "hold it wrong".

  25. Microsoft learn? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    From the Slashdot story: "Microsoft has seemingly not learned..."

  26. One More Reason by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Well they've been charging for access to gold so people can get on NetFlix... what do you expect. One more drop in the bucket of why I will never buy another Xbox.

  27. Xbox Live by SmaryJerry · · Score: 2

    I will never buy xbox live again because it was so impossible to cancel the last time.

    1. Re:Xbox Live by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Well since it was impossible to cancel... you must still have it... so of course you won't buy it again...
      </pedant>

    2. Re:Xbox Live by Lectoid · · Score: 1

      How's that? My subscription has lapsed a few times because I turned off auto-renew and forgot to pay. I usually try to find deals online instead of paying the $60 a year it currently is.

      --
      Is it just me, or do you hate it when people say "Is it just me..."?
    3. Re:Xbox Live by Desler · · Score: 2

      How was it "so impossible to cancel"? You:

      1) Navigate to live.xbox.com.
      2) Sign into your account.
      3) Click "My account".
      4) Click "Cancel Auto Payment".

      Now you've canceled your service.

    4. Re:Xbox Live by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Pedant troll is fail troll. You preclude the possibility of having to purchase a second account for another Xbox user profile. My pedantry >> than yours.

    5. Re:Xbox Live by TheNinjaroach · · Score: 1

      You have not always been able to cancel XBOX Live service using a webpage.

      --
      I went to eat some animal crackers and the box said, "Do not eat if seal is broken." I opened the box and sure enough..
    6. Re:Xbox Live by SmaryJerry · · Score: 1

      Trust me it is hell! First, try to cancel using the options or settings in your Xbox, you can search for it but you won't find it. You must go to a PC to even find an online option to cancel but if you try to use the webpage it will gray out your option to cancel, or will give you an error that basically says "it didn't work" with no explanation or link. There is no way to cancel online go ahead and try, I guarantee it won't work. Then you go to support page and it won't give you a phone number, first it tells you to follow all these steps that don't work. Then when that doesn't work it suggest alternate steps that don't work. Still it won't give you a phone number, then it might show you an option to contact a representative with one of those enter you e-mail and phone number and your problem and "well get back to you" things (if you can correctly click through the maze of support links and don't forget to be logged in because you can't get to this without being logged in). And guess what, cancelling or even account management isn't an option for you to enter as your reason for contacting them. Then when they respond you, some time up to two hours later, it is an automated phone call that puts you on hold then redirects you to finally a real person, who asks you a ton questions and keeps hassling you to keep the service with offers of free games and things. They also survey the fuck out of you about why you are cancelling and won't stop even if you say you just want to cancel and not continue. THen, remember all the information you entered online? Ofcourse the person that called you doesn't have it. Remember, they called you with the online form you had to be logged in to use, and still ask for your phone number and other information to confirm that the account is yours. Just search on google for unable to cancel xbox live and you can find a ton threads and complaints.

  28. Sony by puddingebola · · Score: 1

    Sony, of course, rushed to remind the public that their video streaming and video share feature will be free. Sony's strategy seems obvious, when Microsoft announces a restrictive (used games) or $$$ oriented policy, Sony gets a free PR bon-bon by reminding everyone about their new PS4. Can Microsoft really not see one move ahead on the chess board?

  29. Xbox Infinity bill by Animats · · Score: 0

    Items we can expect to see on the next Xbox, the Xbox Infinity:

    • Monthly Microsoft Online service charge
    • Remote maintenance service charge
    • Remote game save storage charge
    • In-game item storage charge
    • Game leader board publication charge
    • Clan group maintenance charge (WoW)
    • Remote chat voice service charge
    • Remote chat E911 fee
    • Remote chat accessibility surcharge
    • Remote chat interstate access surcharge
    • Remote chat international access surcharge
    • Controller replacement protection charge
    • Broadcast video access charge
    • Basic cable access charge
    • Enhanced cable access charge, Tier 1
    • Enhanced cable access charge, Tier 2
    • ESPN access charge
    • Youtube access charge
    • Hulu access charge
    • Netflix access charge
    • Netflix peak period bandwidth surcharge
    • Commercial-skipping surcharge
    • WirePro inside wire maintenance charge
    • BSA software piracy cost recovery fee
  30. They must really not want any customers by TsuruchiBrian · · Score: 1

    Maybe the Xbox factory is just a front for drugs or something.

    1. Re:They must really not want any customers by mjwx · · Score: 1

      Maybe the Xbox factory is just a front for drugs or something.

      Nah, drugs are highly profitable. Microsoft's entertainment division doesn't do profitable.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  31. No pay if it's for the NSA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Streaming is a P2P function using the hardware built into the Xbone. It is a facility designed first and foremost for NSA spying, which customers of Microsoft will be pleased to hear, doesn't require an expensive Live account.

    The Xbone can capture, compress, and encrypt a video stream at any time, with no impact on the gaming function of the console. Microsoft has ensured ALL spying functions (via the always connected, always functioning Kinect sensor array) have their own dedicated OS, CPU cores, hardware blocks, dedicated RAM and dedicated HDD storage space. The Kinect system is a computer within a computer, and cannot be compromised by anything else the Xbox One is doing.

    Every online Xbone console appears on an NSA master list, and any of these consoles can be immediately instructed to move any of their Kinect data streams to an NSA server.

    Every Xbone is ALWAYS monitoring the people in the room. Facial photos are constantly transmitted to NSA servers for face recognition, and cross-referencing against known lists of residents (and acquaintances of residents) expected at the same address as the console. It should be understood that the main function of the NSA is exploring ways to radically increase speculative intelligence gathering. Finding a 'use' for this data is NOT the concern of the NSA. Of course, data gathered by the NSA is used by many agencies- see the recent stories about data transfer between the NSA and DEA. One would have to be truly stupid to NOT comprehend the usefulness of data gathered by the Xbox One to the DEA.

    What really blows the minds of NSA research scientists is the programmable nature of the Xbone. The Xbone is not a fixed spying device, but can be programmed to function in the most elaborate ways imaginable. While default data gathering from the console is amazing enough to the NSA, the ability to program 'trigger' conditions, or to use the motion recognition ability of the Kinect depth sensors, opens up avenues of pattern driven spying never before imagined.

    It is impossible to have every online Kinect send major amounts of data to the NSA. So, the NSA desires to have the Xbone itself decide when something 'juicy' is happening in the room before it. Spy agencies have always had EXTREME interest in sexual behaviour. The Kinect, watching the motions (and hearing the sounds) of the people in front of its sensors, can make an excellent guess as to when sexual activity is occurring. At the very least, the NSA can decide if the likely participants may be of interest to them, and begin a proper video stream. However, the NSA personnel have shown themselves to be extremely voyeuristic, so it is clear that people will frequently be recorded simply for the perverted amusement of NSA staff themselves.

    Microsoft charges users to stream their own video for two reasons. Because MS is miserly, and because by doing so, a psychological ploy plays out implying to the naive owner that the Kinect camera system is under user control.

    PS all forums now have paid Microsoft shiils dribbling "conspiracy theory, conspiracy theory- only tinfoil hat cretins believe Man didn't land on the Moon, or Microsoft works hand in glove with the NSA". They, of course, always attach some nonsense (like the Moon landing) with the widely confirmed fact that Microsoft works with the NSA. So, I'll respond in kind. It is a FACT that the PS4 is vastly more powerful as a games console than the Xbone. One simply fact is that the PS4 has *TWICE* the ROP count of the Xbone, even though both use identical AMD GPU technology. ROPs are the hardware blocks that provide the finished pixels from the triangle rendering system. Half the ROPs essential means half the GPU power. Not something you'll notice on a casual game, but bump up the resolution, framerate and number of layers composited to provide the final image (ie., AAA gaming), and the more ROPs the better.

    The Xbone has an average 128-bit class graphics card (while the Xbone is actually 256-bits, the memory is actually less than half

  32. So much pearl clutching... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...by people who were never planning on buying the X1 in the first place: If you can't afford $3 a month for XBLG (easy to find on sale), you probably should just step aside. But hey, enjoy your $4 latte.

  33. diy gameplay capture by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Or you could just buy one of these

    http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/intensity/

  34. Hey it's a business... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    MS is a business and like every business they are trying to maximise profits by finding anything and everything that can be monitized. If everyone threw a temper tantrum over all the different things all these companies charged money for everything in the world would be free...

  35. OUYA uses HDCP by tepples · · Score: 1

    OUYA has only an HDMI output and no other video outputs, and I've read that OUYA has HDCP always on. (Source: Search Google for ouya hdcp) So how are developers supposed to record video of their own games to make a trailer?

    1. Re:OUYA uses HDCP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just use libgdx and record on a computer.

  36. Time to move on by Totenglocke · · Score: 0

    They just keep making it easier and easier for me to stop buying consoles. The Xbox 1984 is obviously a no-go, but with the PS4 requiring you to pay to do anything online other than stream video, it's looking like I'll pass on that too.

    --
    "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." ~Thomas Jefferson
  37. Is there a component out? by tepples · · Score: 1

    GameDVR is a new in-game feature. They're not removing or restricting old functionality, afaik.

    If there's no RGB or YPbPr component output on a console, then they're removing functionality. Do the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One have component out, or are they HDMI-only like the OUYA?

  38. Genres where PC has been weak by tepples · · Score: 1

    if people would stop buying this Console + Game = -$$$ line of math you'd find the games finally migrating all back to the desktop, laptop or tablet.

    Including games in genres that rely on two to four players looking at one screen, such as fighting games, cooperative platformers, and action games inspired by classic arcade games? Those don't work well on a monitor smaller than a TV, and I'm under the impression that not a lot of gamers are willing to connect a PC in one room to a TV in the living room or build a home theater PC just for one game.

  39. HDCP by tepples · · Score: 1

    Of course, nothing stopped you from mounting a video recorder next to your tv to record SNES gameplay

    Other than that my Philips DVD recorder loses sync to the Super NES's nonstandard video signal for some reason. It records my NES's equally nonstandard signal just fine; go figure.

    and nothing would presumably be stopping you from doing the same thing now, either.

    Except perhaps HDCP on the HDMI output.

  40. What "effective intuitive controls"? by tepples · · Score: 1

    Couple this with mobile gaming devices that are powerful enough and full of fun (if not graphtastic) cheap games using effective intuitive controls

    Say one were to make Mega Man 2 or Bionic Commando or DuckTales or any of several other classic Capcom platformers for a touch-screen mobile gaming device like the fourth-generation iPod touch. What "effective intuitive controls" would a touch-based platformer use?

    1. Re:What "effective intuitive controls"? by EmperorOfCanada · · Score: 1

      Absolutely. I am not saying so much that mobile devices are as good. It is more of a resource issue. People have limited, money and time to dedicate to gaming. So when you mobile budget is competing with a new console and its associated games for many people the mobile will win. With the mobile they can also do some satisfying gaming; satisfying enough for many that is.

      Many people blame piracy for killing record stores and then video stores. But an interesting factoid is that if you look at younger people's budgets in the 50's to the 90's it actually remained roughly the same with money going to clothing, movies, and music in nearly identical ratios. But in the later 90s it started to go into computers and consoles to the detriment of movies and music with the price of clothing dropping somewhat. Then into the 2000's you have another new budget item of mobile telephony. This money has to come from somewhere.

      Looking at my kid's friends I not only see them with fairly high priced phones (iPhone 5s right now) and they seem to go through them fairly quickly. At $500 a pop plus $40+ per month (minimum) that is a whole lot of console budget being eaten up.

      So in the 90s and early 2000s people would jump some pretty tough barriers to get their hands on cool consoles. But at this point people will be far less inclined to jump these barriers. I suspect that MS is seeing kids wandering around with these great phones and expensive plans and thinking. If they have money for that then they have money for us. The real question would be: are these kids willing to give up much of that budget(including monthly) for our console? I am pretty sure the answer is a resounding no.

  41. Already lost, now fighting for #1 failure of 2013? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Microsoft has already lost with Xbox One.
    However it looks they are still trying be #1, but now in greatest failures of the year.
    Good luck, microsoft!

  42. Implying playing a console requires any skill by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Implying playing a console requires any skill with all these semi-automatic movements and auto-aim required to be able to play FPS with a gamepad. If you want to see skill look for the PC gamers.

    1. Re:Implying playing a console requires any skill by N1AK · · Score: 2

      Implying playing a console requires any skill with all these semi-automatic movements and auto-aim required to be able to play FPS with a gamepad.

      Implying playing a PC requires any skill with all these mice and keyboards, huge screens, comfortable surroundings. If you want to see skill go to your local warzone or failing that paintball arena.

    2. Re:Implying playing a console requires any skill by sourcerror · · Score: 1

      Bows are the weapon of cowards. Real men fight with axes.

  43. Seriously? by madwheel · · Score: 0

    Wow a company is including a new feature with a service people already pay $60 a year for. How dare they! I like that no one mentions getting 2 free games every month as well. Seems like Microsoft is so awful. You need to pay $60 for almost any online service you do on Microsoft. Who the hell seriously expects being able to stream content online without paying for said service? Oh yeah, the OP. Nothing to see here. Move along... PS: Not a MS fanboy by any means. This is just a biased article that doesn't belong here.

  44. I wonder how much the NSA pays by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    to record live feed from the spybox one's kinect cameras.

  45. It's all in perspective by jonesy16 · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I get it, you're pissed. You (the general population posting in these forums) hate Microsoft, this is a chance to try and get others to rally behind you. You claim that this is the feature/policy that broke the camels back and now you definitely will not be buying an xbox ever again. To you, charging for video streaming is just one more way that "the man" is trying to stick it to you. Last time it was Netflix, those bastards.

    I tend to approach it from the other perspective. For the last 6 years I've been getting a great online experience. A reliable multiplayer utopia where I can have persistent chat rooms independent of what activity my friends are currently engaged in (ps3? no), access to countless media streaming services like netflix, hbo go, xfinity, vevo, syfy, espn, mlb.tv, etc., and it all costs me about $3 / mo (I don't know why people would pay full retail which is $5 / mo when the memberships are regularly on sale from Newegg and the like for ~$37 online). Outrageous, right? Well I don't think so. I think that's a hell of a deal for what I get. The PS3 fans are right in stating that they can use their consoles without PS+ to do this stuff but I know they're lying through their teeth OR they just don't know any better cause they've never tried XBLG. The PS chat system is HORRIBLE and you have what, 4 or 5 video streaming services and no audio services outside of Sony's own personal offerings? With channels like VEVO on the xbox I have 24 hours a day of music video streaming, on demand, any artist I want, my own personal MTV. Prefer music in the background, fire up Last.fm. Video rentals? Got those too from more sources than the PS3 can touch.

    So while you see this as an affront to your console gaming experience, I see it as one MORE feature that my $3 / mo was getting me. Now I can stream video of me getting tea-bagged to all my friends, damn life is sweet.

    1. Re:It's all in perspective by phorm · · Score: 2

      For the last 6 years I've been getting a great online experience

      And if you want to get online to play on MS's servers, that's legitimate as they have to pay for the infrastructure. The issue comes when they do stupid shit like restricting Netflix to a Gold account. WHY? It costs them nothing for you to run Netflix, so the only reason for this is greed.

      Gameplay recording I could also see being a paid/premium feature if it uses MS's servers.

      But in terms of a great online experience: When I compare my xb360 from when I first got it to now, it has gone from a relatively easy-to-use and clean interface to an ad-laden piece-of-shit which constantly tries to upsell "premium" features and sales at the expense of usability.

    2. Re:It's all in perspective by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're assuming that the online experience won't change with the PS4. In comparing XBLG to the PS3, you're conveniently ignoring that there's a very good change that Sony will have improved the online experience for their users. Given their recent policy stances, I think there's a high chance that they knew their online offerings weren't as well received as MS' and have indeed made them better.

      So while you see this as an affront to your console gaming experience, I see it as one MORE feature that my $3 / mo was getting me.

      And it's one more feature that $0/mo is getting everyone else.

  46. Re:LOL by jellomizer · · Score: 1

    Yes like those Linux Zealots, who don't pay a thing, however they don't get those features that "They done need anyways"

    --
    If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
  47. Another readon they get no more of my money by blanddragon · · Score: 0

    Own a 360 MS but it's the last dollars they'll get from me. Proving once again you're so big, you must fail. Yes I hate MS and Apple and anyone else who tries to drive my consumer dollars where I will not let them go. Call it capitalism. Besides outside world is nice and I don't need a 'Gold' membership to enjoy all it's features. YMMV

  48. Don't buy xbox one without xbox live anyway by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What's the point of recording gameplay if you aren't on xbox live anyway? You want to just record a video and show your wife later? When you have your friends over, do you sit them down and watch your awesome video game highlights? No, no you don't.

  49. This is trolling by gregarine · · Score: 1

    This is trolling. Should never have made it past the mods. To get Xbox Live functionality you pay the Gold subscription. Always been that way. If you don't want to pay get a PS* and get much less featured and cohesive online experience.

    --

    I like traffic lights
  50. THIS JUST IN by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    New XBox Live is literally just as terrible as old XBox Live.

    The only people who will pay for this console and service are those who cannot live without Halo, or kids/teens who still live on their parent's dime.

  51. PS3 and 360 tied by tepples · · Score: 1

    However, the number of indie games on PC is ... mind-blowingly large so even the tiny fraction that's good is still hundreds, if not thousands, of games

    The problem here is two fold. First, sifting through this 90 percent crap to find the gems becomes difficult. Second, indie developers are discouraged from adding local multiplayer features (one PC, one monitor, two to four gamepads) because hardly anybody has a PC monitor big enough to fit two to four people around.

    Anyhow, Microsoft is arrogant because the Xbox360 was wildly successful compared to their main competitor

    How so? Xbox 360 may have won North America, but it tied PlayStation 3 worldwide.

  52. Servers by rsilvergun · · Score: 1

    you're getting dedicated servers. On the PC it's not an issue, because you can run your own pretty easy/cheap. I have several buds that are hardcore PC gamers that pitch in and buy server time with some company to run their Quake/CS games off of so they don't hit performance bottlenecks.

    I don't care much for playing online, but most of my friends that do on the PS3 complained about lag. And I can't imagine developers didn't have a hard time running the all net code client side on top of the game...

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
  53. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion