...Well, it's that time of year again. The end of the grandest time of year for all young human beings - The Great Summer Vacation.
During this time of fun, sun, and late-nights ~ Microsoft has decided to use most of this time to educate us. So what was there summer-school course? "How NOT to Announce Your New Console!"
So, if you were naughty and didn't sit in on any of the classes - I'll briefly recap all that was said and done:
STEP ONE:
"Include one of the biggest turn-offs in gaming history as a fore-front feature of your new console."
If it's one abbreviation that most, if not all gamers hate, is the horrifying "D.R.M" This practice is scorned by many, as being unfair, and completely stupid. So if it's hated by so much, what sense does it make to make it a fore-front feature?
STEP TWO:
"Create an 'improved' version of a widely-hated (yet originally optional) add-on and make it mandatory to operate the system."
"Kinect - You are the Controller."
Yes...when introduced, the Kinect Motion Sensor for the XBOX 360 looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. Being able to control the system by simply moving your body and using your voice seemed amazing, like JARVIS from the Iron-Man series. But instead, Kinect, while being a financial-success, is considered to be unresponsive, laggy and clunky.
So what did Microsoft decide to do? They upgraded and improved it and sincerely believe that this all-new "Kinect ONE" ~ is indeed the 'true' Kinect-experience that people actually want. But with such a sour taste left by it's predecessor, you'd think they'd play it safe and simply announce it as, like before, an OPTIONAL accessory. Nope ~ How about MANDATORY? Mandatory as in - the entire system can't function without it. Genius, no?
STEP THREE:
"Develop your console to be a virtual spy and watch your every movements and listen to every word you say."
After the info-leak on the U.S government spying on conversations, the last thing anyone would want to do is add to mass-hysteria. But no, Microsoft was sure to declare that the new 'improved' Kinect is so advanced, that it could see your facial expression, identify the faces of different people and even read your heart-beat, as well as listen to basically everything you say. Simply amazing, ain't it?
STEP FOUR:
"Design the new system to look like a cable-box and VCR had a very romantic night."
As technology improves, units are getting more streamlined and smaller. Like how we've moved from giant, 'pregnant' CRT monitors, to near-paper thin LCD TVs. Or even how computer towers are being replaced with moderately-sized 'all-in-one' systems.
Apparently Microsoft just didn't get that memo and decided to take what seems to be like a fused cable-box and VCR and slap an 'XBOX' logo on it. Oh, and it can't stand vertically either. Isn't that an awesome space-saver?
STEP FIVE:
"Parade secondary, T.V and media-features when you're announcing your GAME console"
There's no doubt that game consoles have grown from simply having the singular function of playing games, to being complete media hubs. From playing DVDs and Blu-Ray discs, to surfing the Web, streaming videos, movies and T.V shows, accessing popular social networks, and now - even recording live footage of gameplay - these machines have grown to have almost all the features of an average PC.
But even though it's nice to have all these nifty-addons ~ at its core ~ the machine is still a GAME console. So then, what should you do first? Parade these secondary, unimportant media features first an d then slide the word "game" in your presentation every so often, or just show the games right off the bat?
FINALE:
Okay, that's basically a summary of what Microsoft taught at their summer school course, this year. They've almost completely violated their fanbase, by showing them just how backward they could be.
Thankfully, almost every 'lesson' that I mentioned has been revised. There's no more DRM. The Kinect is once again optional. Games are consistently being talked about. All of that is good - but the damage is done. During the last few months of basically punching themselves in the gut, Microsoft has either scared or completely ticked-off a huge chunk of their fan base. Some have already made the jump to the two rivals, and even now that most things have been fixed - they're not keen to come back.
As to how or why Microsoft took such a startling and face-desk (not palm ~ DESK) approach to announcing their new system is beyond me. But they've realized their error and now they're backtracking. But alas, it will take time and a huge effort to right their many wrongs.
Can Microsoft fix their broken reputation, or will the One be a failure-in-progress? Only time will tell...
Em writes: "Vampire Survivors, but with deck-building and dungeon-crawling? Sign me up. Here’s Kyusai’s first impressions of Vampire Crawlers."
It seems as though Japanese gamers are lapping up the recently released Resident Evil Requiem on the Nintendo Switch 2. Reports are circulating that the latest Resident Evil game on the Nintendo Switch 2 is sold out at three of the biggest retailers in The Land of the Rising Sun. Those retailers are Yodobashi, Bic Camera and Yamada Denki. Coincidently, Amazon Japan has also sold out of copies of the Nintendo Switch 2 version. Seems Capcom made precisely the correct decision launching the game on the platform.
Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter believes the next Xbox console might be already dead due to Microsoft embracing Game Pass at $30.
You know the world is f’d up when Michael Pachter has given up cheerleading Xbox.
Wouldn't it be the case of Pachter finally agreeing with parts of us rather than we agreeing with him?
I remember vividly that back in the day when GP was introduced and shaped further, many of us were saying that it's a great service on one hand. But were also already skeptical, too, as to how Microsoft would be able to keep the service running financially in the future.
Or/and how it would affect studios and game development in general.
As of March 2026, I think we have the answers some of us anticipated back then, when it was still Pachter who had forecasted «100 million subscribers».
Likely the next Xbox will have a premium price tag so they have some profit margin on the low numbers they sell. We all know that the bulk of revenue will come from 3rd party sales on other devices and perhaps some from game pass.
This whole thing from Microsoft has been one wild ride. I still can't believe all of this has happened. I used to be such a big Xbox fan. Loved the original Xbox, and I still play my 360 every week. I'm going to have a wait-and-see approach for the Xbox One though. The only gripes I still have with the system is no SKU without Kinect 2.0 and the HHD can't be replaced. If MS fixes these I will seriously consider buying one later down the road.
The feeling I had, as a gamer, is that MS gathered some managers and partners (TV) and planned the next console/experience.
It DOES feel they were and still are behind with both concept and implementation of this new console.
They DID present games at E3, but when you look closely, they mostly are kind of 360 portings (Ryse and Dead Rising) or just big buyout (COD and Battlefield timed-content exclusives). As if games were kind of an afterthought, compared to Kinect and the TV experience that were the focus during console development.
They present you the future, and still use AA batteries, I know, it's been said again and again, but to me it's a meaningful thing.
So, basically, I really thing they had lost touch with the core market / base, or, perhaps, wanted to kind of shift it, but pre-orders said loud and clear that gamers were not interested and they had to backpedal.
Hilarious article.
It really hits home what a farce the Xbone has been, yet millions of "people" are still willing to buy it, but they're also doing everything they can to defend this hideous contraption, and Microsoft's hideous ideas.