Has Microsoft caused a calm in the storm?

I am and have been a gamer since I could remember. One thing that has always kept gaming alive to me was the ability to interact with your friends (who sat next to you split screen style), and the ability to lend each other good games. It was something that bonded us as children and kept the tradition alive for generations to come. What happens when a company takes away the ability to own a piece of software you bought, restricts all things you can do with it and limits its use to some type of worthlessness after you had purchased it.

Growing up in the era of Sega VS Nintendo, I am no stranger to the term "fanboy" or "Console Wars". For me the choice was simple I chose both, I had a decently sized family and if one of us wanted a Genesis the other wanted a SNES. I know this isn't the case for most gamers (especially the younger gamers) and it's fine. Support the system you love because you own it.

This generation though showed such a different side of Console Wars, I mean probably thee worst of them I have ever seen. Microsoft VS Sony, I mean thee amount of garbo coming from fanboys this past generation was staggering, I mean did your Xbox 360 actually hypnotize you to actually believe half of what you were saying? Anyway, I digress, the storm is far from over but we are starting to see a calming change. Could Microsoft have single-handedly ended the console wars for good? I believe so.

It was during day one at E3 when I watched both Microsoft and Sony's conference, I had noticed that there was some type of Haze over at Microsoft's corner. The idea of always on DRM bothered the journalist and watchers of the event, hardly anyone reacted even to new exclusives, it was almost like they couldn't get passed the idea that they have a console that not only removes the word OWN from your vocabulary, but requires a mandatory 24 hr connection in order to enjoy it. I couldn't get passed it and I don't see many Console gamers doing it either. Then the price came about, and not many people were really enthusiastic about it either. This could be remedied however, simply make a version without a Kinect, right? Well, they can't; at least not yet anyway.

I hope Microsoft fixes this, and not for me but for the fans of the company, the people who have supported your past 2 generations of consoles, and the people who continue to defend their honor like you are some type of king to them.

I mean to basically tell your devoted fans "not happy with the policy, well there is always Xbox 360" is pretty low even for you guys.

Over at the Sony Conference it was no different either, we saw exclusives we saw some sequels and familiar games, and those often awesome but sometimes too many "Sony Montage Reels" But we were too distracted to really care, we were all waiting...waiting to hear what they had to say about their console and the DRM polices to follow. To our surprise they did the exact opposite and proved that Next Gen DOESN'T NEED a DRM policy (unless 3rd parties add online passes to their games). At this very moment they were hooking Microsoft left and right blow after blow. They knew exactly what they were doing and they didn't want to stop. This enraged the audience a crowd chanting Sony as if a new king had taken the throne. To finish the blow they added a staggering launch price of $399.99 (US) (VS $499.99 for Xbox One), which to me was pretty amazing.

At that moment, I watched Facebook/Twitter/game sites blowing up with articles and tweets about how happy they are. I also saw a change in fanboys, I saw them become realistic for a moment realizing their King (company) has grown greedy and stopped caring about them. I noticed people getting along on these feeds not siding but actually agreeing. It was amazing to see this because it's been so long since I've seen anything like it.

I know there will be stragglers that will still hold on to Microsoft's foot as they get kicked around, but that is going to happen regardless, a die hard fan is a die hard fan even if they get shat on by the company they put so much into.

But that is besides the point. This time, we need to stand as one group. This time we need to remove labels and fanboyisms. This time we need to show this company who considers themselves a juggernaut that they are in fact only a juggernaut because of the fans who support them. IF we let Microsoft get away with this, other companies will follow, new polices would be in place, and gaming as we KNEW it will be done, no longer could you trade/borrow/lend or sell your own property. We need to show them its not right, and that we support the companies that believe DRM is going to hurt not help. I am just saying for the first time in a long time I am seeing fanboys group up from all sides to fight Microsoft and it makes me happy. I just hope it does such a blow that they can change the way the console functions with DRM before its too late.

It's good to see gamers uniting as one and not flaming each other.