E3 2013 - Console Wars!!!!!!

[Fievel]

Xbox One launches in November for $499

Sony Says "Fuck You, Microsoft!"
PlayStation 4 Launching for $399

E3 2013: PlayStation 4 Supports Used Games, Don't Require Online Connection

PlayStation Plus Required for PS4 Online Play

[Fievel]

This might just be a thread where I'm talking to myself....

Really it's just Microsoft and Sony's big reveals being the meat of E3. Sure, the publishers have some things to show, but really they show some of their big exclusives during MS & Sony's shows.
I wanted Microsoft to do something to wow me, but I was so pissed off at their arrogance displayed a couple days before (used games, always online, lending games, the kinect camera, etc.). It would have taken a $200 console to make me really take notice............... whoops. $500?!?!? Are you fucking kidding me?!?!? Did they not learn ANYTHING from the disastrous PS3 launch?!?!?

It's almost like a complete role reversal from last generation in price, except the consoles are likely launching at the same time (Sony didn't even give a launch month).

But after Microsoft's conference, Sony could have easily dropped the ball..... again.... like they always do. And it seemed like they were going to. It was a pretty safe, boring show from Sony....
...until this happened - Sony Sticks it to Microsoft on Used Games and Always-Online - This was brilliant on Sony's part. An almost note-for-note rundown of Microsoft's asinine Used Games/Lending/etc. policies and how Sony isn't having any of that.

Once again, no The Last Guardian.

[Fievel]

I just saw the "Must have PS+ For Online" for PS4 owners. I had an immediate twinge of anger, but got over it. I just bought PS+ myself a couple months ago for my PS3.

BEST INVESTMENT EVER.

The free games. The free games. THE FREE GAMES!!!!!!!

And now you'll get the same thing on the PS4. 'nuff said. It sucks for people that weren't planning on it, but they will find it so, SO rewarding!!!!

[RogueScribner]

I don't do online multiplayer anyway, so no skin off my back. Sony just won my loyalty for not fucking with used games and always online (and all the game restrictions that comes with from MS). I was never a huge console gamer before I got my PS3. Honestly, I had always wanted to get the X-Box 360 but by the time I got around to it, it seemed like Sony had the more interesting IPs and their machine played Blu-ray, so bonus on that front. I've never once regretted that decision. Looks like my household will be getting a PS4 too.

[TheBaxter]

i've yet to see anything that makes me want to buy either one of these new consoles. my PS3 still works fine.

but it's hard to imagine anyone sticking with the xbox over the ps4 except out of pure microsoft fanboyism. it costs more, places all kinds of ridiculous extra restrictions, and with the lack of backwards compatibility in either one, there's nothing to keep current console owners from jumping ship. maybe there's some tech-y game-y thing the xbox has got the PS doesn't, but i don't know what. seems like the PS4 is superior at least in terms of user-friendliness, and wallet-friendliness.

[Spandau Belly]

Microsoft just seem to be shooting themselves in the foot every way they can with this new console. I really can't imagine what board of execs thought that the best way to compete with Sony was to have no advantages.

My X360 works fine, and there's probably about a million games for it that I haven't played, so I'll stick with it until it dies. After that, I'll re-evaluate. I don't really play videogames much, and I generally like simple retro games, so Ouya might be the system for me.

[papalazeru]

I just love this ad...

[TheBaxter]

Microsoft just seem to be shooting themselves in the foot every way they can with this new console. I really can't imagine what board of execs thought that the best way to compete with Sony was to have no advantages.

My X360 works fine, and there's probably about a million games for it that I haven't played, so I'll stick with it until it dies. After that, I'll re-evaluate. I don't really play videogames much, and I generally like simple retro games, so Ouya might be the system for me.

"call it doody!" "call it doody!" "call it doody!"

[travis-dane]

So, MS pulls it together and says: "JESUS! we fucked up..."

from CHUD:

Citing numerous sources within Microsoft, and the fact that the XBox Q&A section is currently being updated. (UPDATE: It’s official now. ) Giant Bomb was first to report, via an exclusive that pretty much brought their site to a standstill, that Microsoft will be announcing a complete about face on, well, everything dumb about the XBox One today. To get more specific about what that means, though:

No more always online requirement
The console no longer has to check in every 24 hours
All game discs will work on Xbox One as they do on Xbox 360
Authentication is no longer necessary
An Internet connection is only required when initially setting up the console
All downloaded games will function the same when online or offline
No additional restrictions on trading games or loaning discs
Region locks have been dropped

Again, the official word from Microsoft hasn’t hit just yet (though multiple news sources on Twitter caught a fast glimpse of the announcement on XBox Wire before it vanished), but Patrick Klepek, the gentleman who broke it originally, is vetting highly for his sources. And really, this was pretty much Microsoft’s only viable move. Everything out of that company since May 21st has been like watching a YouTube video of Sideshow Bob stepping on a rake for a month straight. Eventually, it starts being sad.

So, technically, Microsoft may have just bought themselves back in the game. With a system that’s still $100 more than its competition. They still have 4 or 5 months to win back the folks who already threw down to pre-order a PS4, but are gamers going to put up with a company that stood so firmly behind not having their best interests in mind? Dunno. All the DRM smoke-and-mirrors aside, they actually had a decent showing of games at E3. We’ll see if they can leverage it to dig themselves out of their own grave.

I almost pre-ordered a PS4.

[TheBaxter]

can't ever recall a company being forced to reverse course so completely on their policies by one of their competitors.
i wonder how much this fouls up things behind the scenes for them. do they have to do a lot of last-minute reprogramming of these machines? do they need to rework agreements with game publishers who were expecting more rigid DRM controls?
and will anybody trust them that they won't change course again in another year once they feel like they've gotten enough people to buy in to their console?

[papalazeru]

can't ever recall a company being forced to reverse course so completely on their policies by one of their competitors.
i wonder how much this fouls up things behind the scenes for them. do they have to do a lot of last-minute reprogramming of these machines? do they need to rework agreements with game publishers who were expecting more rigid DRM controls?
and will anybody trust them that they won't change course again in another year once they feel like they've gotten enough people to buy in to their console?

I'm still waiting to see what the late entry, Piston, will do.

It's release by Valve, based on Linux and there's going to have a huge backlist of games they can prey upon.

I'm interested to see if Steam leaves it's PC base behind and focuses more on Consoles rather than PC - then I'm out, but for the moment. I'm going to wait.

Also, after original problems with XBox and PS3 (RROD etc...) I'm going to wait till these machines have had at least a year in testing.

[Spandau Belly]

I guess XBox's only other option was to rename the product as HAL.

[RogueScribner]

I'm sticking with Sony. They went into this respecting their customer base and I feel they have the better exclusives anyway.

[TheButcher]

This is the most ambitious game in the universe
'No Man's Sky' swaps fetch quests and missions for a living, breathing universe of infinite possibility

[so sorry]

This is the most ambitious game in the universe
'No Man's Sky' swaps fetch quests and missions for a living, breathing universe of infinite possibility

Meh. That was a pretty boring 3 minute trailer if you ask me.

[TheBaxter]

what is a BSG Viper doing in this game?

[so sorry]

what is a BSG Viper doing in this game?

Yeah I had the same thought. It looked like the offspring of a Viper and an XWing.

[TheButcher]

Frankensteining Together The San Diego Comic Con 2014 Panels So Far


SUNDAY, JULY 27

Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation (Room 23ABC, 2:30PM).

Remember when Sonic took on Mario and tried to prove that Sega does what Nintendon’t?

Revisit the first generation of console wars with author Blake J. Harris (Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation) and some of the video game personalities who were in the trenches—Tom Kalinske (Sega of America), Al Nilsen (Sega of America), Bill White (Nintendo of America), and Perrin Kaplan (Nintendo of America), as well as Julian Rosenberg, producer of the upcoming Console Wars documentary.

Expected to Appear: Blake J. Harris, Tom Kalinske, Al Nilsen, Bill White, Perrin Kaplan.