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Xbox One Launch Woes Were Preventable, Next Console Likely Digital Download Only

MojoKid writes: Microsoft's Xbox One launch didn't go off exactly as planned in late 2013. Before the console's release, the company was dogged over DRM restrictions with the console and concerns over its high price tag compared to its counterpart, the Sony PlayStation 4. Microsoft would attribute the higher price tag to the included Kinect camera — a peripheral that many gamers didn't particularly care for. Former Xbox Chief Robbie Bach offered his two cents recently on the Xbox One — a console that launched years after he announced he retired from the company in 2010. Bach noted, regarding the Xbox One's rocky launch, "...gosh, I think some of that was predictable and preventable." As for the future of physical game media, Bach doesn't think that the future will be so bright when it comes to DRM and always-connected requirements in the next generation of gaming consoles. He said that the next Xbox would "probably not" have physical media to speak of, with consoles adopting digital-only distribution.

5 of 230 comments (clear)

  1. Fine with me. by Sable+Drakon · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So long as they offer an experience comparable to Steam, including weekly sales and the deeper discounts around Summer/Winter. I've got no issues with always-on, since I'm always connected anyway. Just give users a sane amount of offline time and it's all good.

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    The Amarri pray for god, the Caldari pray for profit. the Gallente pray for peace, but the Minmatar pray their ships hol
  2. Woes == Customer Dissent by Kunedog · · Score: 5, Insightful

    To them the "woes" were the customer revolt that forced them to backpedal on always-on connectivity, the invasive 24/7 HD spy camera and microphone, and disabling of second-hand games. And they think "preventing" that is merely a matter of tightening the lockdown.

  3. 90% of the titles are actually download only now by Lumpy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    you get a disc that tells it to download a 20gb "update" that is actually the whole freaking game.

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    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  4. Re:Offline mode on reinstall? by PopeRatzo · · Score: 5, Funny

    How will your disks survive if your house has a fire?

    And how will you play Borderlands 2 after a meteor destroys all life on Earth?

    You didn't think of that, did you? BOOM!

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    You are welcome on my lawn.
  5. Not a troll, Valve shill by drinkypoo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I have personally tried to restore Steam backups, so I know the drill. You cannot play the backups without being online. And last time I checked, the Steam installer would refuse to install if it was old, and the download for the new one still won't resume. You either get the file all at once, or not at all.

    It's really pathetic that someone is actually shilling for Valve here on Slashdot by modding down my factual comments. It's sad if they pay for it, and it's even sadder if they don't.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"