Slashdot Mirror
Cheaper, Disc-Free Xbox One Coming Next Year, Report Says (arstechnica.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Microsoft is planning to release a disc-free version of the Xbox One as early as next spring, according to an unsourced report from author Brad Sams of Thurrott.com (who has been reliable with early Xbox-related information in the past). The report suggests the disc-free version of the system would not replace the existing Xbox One hardware, and it would instead represent "the lowest possible price for the Xbox One S console." Sams says that price could come in at $199 "or lower," a significant reduction from the system's current $299 starting price (but not as compelling compared to $199 deals for the Xbox One and PS4 planned for Black Friday this year). Buyers will also be able to add a subscription to the Xbox Games Pass program for as little as $1, according to Sams. For players who already have games on disc, Sams says Microsoft will offer a "disc to digital" program in association with participating publishers. Players will be able to take their discs into participating retailers (including Microsoft Stores) and trade them in for a "digital entitlement" that can be applied to their Xbox Live account.
They're setting a plan in motion that will end physical game purchases entirely and move consumers to 100% downloaded/streamed content.
This sounds like a great way to begin to get rid of the console used game market.
There's no way getting rid of the blu-ray player in an xbox saves Microsoft $100. What it does do is create a level of consumer that can no longer engage in the used game market.
I ignore Anonymous Coward posts. If you want to discuss something, that's awesome. Log in.
What else are they removing?
The ability to buy and sell second hand games on the used market.
They also don't provide refunds on digital purchases except where the law forces them to, aka not most of the USA.
Physical goods are required to allow this, and most large retailers will do so for longer than required.
The Xbox Live service is the ONLY reason the Xbox division is profitable. The hardware is a massive loss leader for the Xbox Live Gold service (sure they're not sold at a loss anymore, but factor in marketing and exclusivity deals). Those servers aren't getting decommissioned until the Xbox division is completely dead, in which case you'll be playing version 1.0 single-player software on unsupported hardware. PC (even emulation) is a safer bet.
Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
Noone's yet brought up how this echoes what MS tried to do with the Xbox One at launch? They wanted to mandate that all games be tied to an account before they'll run, and can't be resold/traded without also transferring the license. There was a huge backlash against this, with the cheaper PS4 not requiring any such thing, so MS backpedaled and had a day-one patch that killed the last remnants of the registration system. Seems they're bringing it back as an option. I guess the lower price is for casual gamers who might jump on a $200 Xbox but not a $300 one? That also have fast broadband to download their games? Who are these people?
Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
The 'digital' used in the topic is for Digital Equipment Corporation, or DEC. It's not a generic catchall for everything that could be considered 'digital', i.e. 'not analog', but it's pretty clear that the current slashdot editors are ignorant of this. as are you, apparently.
And the ability to make use of the console at all in areas where the best available Internet connection is slow and/or harshly capped
Pretty much. And to keep everything in context, that has been Microsoft's plan for the Xbox One since before its launch.
Many have forgotten, but the E3 prior to the consoles release, it was going to require "always on" internet connectivity to even launch a single player game, let alone actually need the network for anything.
They were also going to put unique keys in with discs for use in locking a game to your hardware and prevent reselling. A used game without an unused key would be useless, and require the purchase of a new key at full retail price (on top of whatever you paid for that used plastic disc)
https://www.theverge.com/2013/6/12/4422014/xbox-360-is-offline-alternative-to-xbox-one
Xbox chief Don Mattrick offered up his own thoughts on the Xbox One online requirement ahead of Microsoft's E3 keynote,
"Fortunately we have a product for people who aren't able to get some form of connectivity, it's called Xbox 360," says Mattrick. "If you have zero access to the internet, that is an offline device." Mattrick's comments appear to ignore scenarios where internet connectivity can be unstable or unreliable.
They only back peddled quite some time after massive backlash from pretty much everyone.
https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/06/19/microsoft-reversing-xbox-one-internet-used-game-policies
Xbox One will also no longer restrict used games, and will instead allow discs to be exchanged in the same way they are on Xbox 360. There will be no additional restrictions for trade-ins or lending games to friends.
and
"Since unveiling our plans for Xbox One, my team and I have heard directly from many of you, read your comments and listened to your feedback," Microsoft's Don Mattrick wrote. "I would like to take the opportunity today to thank you for your assistance in helping us to reshape the future of Xbox One. You told us how much you loved the flexibility you have today with games delivered on disc. The ability to lend, share, and resell these games at your discretion is of incredible importance to you. Also important to you is the freedom to play offline, for any length of time, anywhere in the world."
Those facts are not important to Microsoft, and they don't even claim so. They just want peoples money, and this back peddle was the best way to get more of that.
5 years ago for many people this day and age might as well have been over a lifetime ago.
Microsoft will continue to keep trying until raping their customers makes more money than giving them what they want.