Before yesterday’s Xbox One reveal event, the internet was buzzing with gossip about what Microsoft would show. There were many posts and rumors about the potential for the event. It was something that could, if done well, bring Microsoft to the forefront of the next generation party. One of the main questions that was asked pre-performance was would we finally get what Microsoft have moved away from in recent times, the games? The answer came to be a resounding no. The industry held its breath for the announcement and it fell flat. This is all due to Microsoft’s dream of a fully capable entertainment product, not a gaming device.
The stage was set and we got the first few people on the stage of the Xbox Event. Then came the words that everyone dreaded hearing. “Xbox,watch TV.” Some expletives were shared in my living room when this was the first thing on show at the event. After sitting, waiting patiently for the announcement of the console… After being shown the first glimpse of the actual hardware of the future, we were “treated” to a long, overstated presentation that was supposed to be the main piece. The main course of the show was not to be gaming, but television. Even the
How were we supposed to react upon seeing this? Surely Microsoft did not seriously believe that this presentation was what everyone wanted to see. That would be absurd. The decision to maintain the trend that Xbox had been taking over the past few years, away from the gaming and to the living room viewing could not have been a bigger blunder. Entertainment in general was not the reason many of the press were at the event and entertainment in general was not the reason that Xbox are still even a viable competitor to Sony and Nintendo. It was always gaming. Recently though, games that are original and breathtaking from Microsoft have been few and far between as they rely too heavily on the established franchises and third party games being churned out.
Was there going to be anything to do with games? I feared the worst, until they began to talk games. But then the worst became reality, as there was not one glimpse of originality. Quantum Break? It was a live action trailer interspersed with CG. Forza? Sequel. Call of Duty: Ghosts? Did not live up to the promise of being a game changer, still just a sequel. The lack of proof to back up the tag of a next generation console was worrying.
Television is not at all something that will sell systems. If the console is marketed around this basis the console will flail and falter. No one is willing to pay for an overly expensive television recorder. Gimmicky channel changing cameras will not change that one bit for any consumers and those that do purchase the console will end up selling theirs fairly quickly if it cannot hold a flame to the PlayStation 4 and its gamer-centric philosophy. Microsoft need to come back to the gamers and say sorry. Bring us those 15 exclusives that they were talking about! E3 is the last chance for them to reclaim their lost ground.
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