The Xbox One and Why I Hate the Gaming Community

[danweb]

Hello,

My good friend Skrundarlow has written an article discussing the gaming community's reactions to the Xbox One announcement and I felt the need to share it here despite this not being his forum of choice. Here it is:

tl:dr? If you read the article you'll realize that I don't care anymore.

Wednesday March 23rd, 7:00 AM
Melbourne, Australia

It’s three hours after the announcement of the Xbox One. I’ve just woken, up, and I’m excited. I jump online to read up on Microsoft’s latest home console.

“Where are the games!?”
“Xbox One reveal a disaster!”
“Microsoft sure stuffed this one up”
“Why would anyone buy this shit, Microsoft deserves to die”
“The Playstation 4 announcement blew this out of the water”
“Consoles are still shit, omg this crap is already outdated, PC master race”

I'm confused by the articles, particularly the comments, and their overwhelming negativity. There are gifs, photoshopped pictures and videos blanketing the internet with furious hate for the Xbox One. What did Microsoft do that was so terrible? I wonder. I do some further reading. It seems that most people are complaining about online requirements and used games. Some are complaining about Kinect. It’s being called universally ugly. Surely the online requirement isn't that bad, I think to myself. I've always thought Kinect was pretty cool stuff. I think it looks ok, but I’ll reserve my judgement until I sit down and watch the conference.

Later that day, I finally had the opportunity to sit down, and watch the conference from start to end. The further I got into the video, the stranger I began to feel. My confusion from earlier in the morning had returned. I watched it all, through the unveiling, the sports, the TV, the Call of Duty, and by the end of it I was angry. Angry enough to write this piece. Angry at the gaming community.

Right now, I hate the gaming community.

I was excited as I sat through that conference. I saw that Kinect would come included with every console. ‘That’s awesome’ I thought to myself, ‘Every Xbox One owner will have a Kinect. It will really be able to live up to its full potential’ I thought. Blu-ray drive, games being installed to the hard-drive, and being linked to my account ala Steam. ‘This will be very great for a lot of people.’ It seems a small thing, but being able to launch a game without requiring the correct disk is a massive convenience. Then we get to EA sports. I could not care less about sporting video games, but the demos shown were cool. I started to think about how this technology will benefit the games that I love to play. I was excited because this was new, awesome technology that will enhance our experiences as both consumers and gamers. And yet just this morning I had had to sift through an ocean of hate to get to the Xbox One news.

I stopped thinking about the Xbox One and I took a step back to look at the gaming community as a whole. I did not like what I saw.

Because although it’s probably the worst response I've seen, it’s not just the Xbox One. The Playstation 4 announcement was attacked for several reasons, including not showing a console. The Wii U was attacked because people thought the gamepad was a waste of space, time and money. The Vita was attacked because the community felt it had no reason to exist. The 3DS was attacked because the gaming community called 3D a gimmick.

Very rarely do I remember seeing someone take a step back and say ‘hold on guys, think about how cool this is. Think about what new things we can do with it, and how it will enhance our gaming experiences.’ And I see this as a problem. I feel that regardless of what Microsoft had announced at that conference, it would have been torn apart, because that is what our community has become. Criticism can lead to innovation, and it is a very valuable tool that must not be discounted, but we have reached the point at which the gaming community has become so critical, and so hostile, that we have lost sight of why it is that we became gamers in the first place. We have become a community that is stifling innovation, a community that I’m not sure I want to continue to be a part of.

The Xbox One has its share of problems. I could write an entire article about how many of them are of little consequence, and have been over-dramatised by technology websites across the globe. I could explain why Microsoft’s decision during the unveiling event to focus on the console, and entertainment, as opposed to games, was a good one. But why should I? It will just be responded to with hate and disgust, as I’m sure will this one. I could try to change the community, to inspire everyone to just appreciate awesome technology for what it is,

But I’ve just about given up on you, ‘gamers’

This article was also posted at the following links if you'd like to see other comments:

http://www.ign.com/boards/threads/the-xbox-one-and-why-i-hate-the-gaming-community.453049501/
http://forums.toucharcade.com/showthread.php?t=190294

Now I would like to offer my personal opinions on the issue at hand.

I feel that Microsoft did the correct thing at this event. Microsoft had a strong focus on entertainment that does not include games and I see that as a very good decision. This is because E3 is within a month and that is the big video game event of the year. Microsoft have gotten all of the boring software and hardware capabilities out of the way at this relatively small event allowing for many of their "15 exclusives" to be shown at E3. Games belong at E3, and if they hadn't have announced the console and all the 'boring' TV features we wouldn't be able to enjoy seeing all of those games at E3. I also think that bundling Kinect (Still prefer the name Natal) is a great thing for the console as it encourages developers to make use of it in new and creative ways (See Ryse with Kinect). I look forward to what the 8th console generation will bring to video games when in full force (I love ya Nintendo, but you're hardware just doesn't match up in power).

Thanks for reading

Edit: I'd also like to add that in contrast to the enormous amount of hate that the video game community provides, the board game community is almost always full of positivity.

 

[Flame]

but tell you truth why did M$ call it Xbox One, the name is confusing.

 

[danweb]

Actually, I agree with you on that one. I have had many a discussion with so much confusion, especially when we were contrasting the launches of the first Xbox, the Xbox 360 and the Xbox One. I think I would have been fine with the name Xbox 720, but I also understand why they didn't do that.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

The name One is to imply that it's an all-in-one entertainment platform, it handles your TV, gaming, movies, all that jazz.

Not that I think it's a good name at all but that's what they were aiming for.

 

[KingdomBlade]

Dude, it's the internet. The gaming community isn't really the most, um, rational of groups. Personally, my opinion is similar to the overwhelming majority in that I think that the X1 looks to be ass, but I don't like being hostile about it. I wouldn't ever say something like "MICROSOFT CAN EAT MY SHIT!!!!!" I acknowledge that there are some positive things about the X1, but we, as consumers, are more focused on the negatives as we have to make our selection between devices. I mean, they virtually have the same positives to them, what we need is to understand what's wrong with them to make an informed opinion. I mean, sure, we don't have to be ferocious about it, but it's still necessary to realize that there is something wrong with what Microsoft is doing.

I've rarely see the sharp commentators attack anything that the majority see as a positive. Is always on a positive? No. Because it's a form shit DRM and stifles the ability of gamers to play freely. Is having to pay for used games a positive? No. Because it allows Microsoft to gain a profit out of something they shouldn't have the right to. Is the fact that it's ugly a positive? No. Is the fact that Kinect can virtually monitor your living room without you allowing it to do so a positive? No. None of these criticisms are meant to stifle innovation. They're meant to show something that's just plain bad from the point of view of a user. To be honest, anyone who doesn't think that Microsoft isn't doing anything wrong by enforcing strict regulations on the way that gamers can use their games is incorrect in my opinion.

That's why I appreciate the PS4 so much more. The focus on sharing experiences with other players, the focus on making sure that game development is easier for independent developers, while still maintaining a healthy and beneficial set miscellaneous features is such a good thing. There wasn't that much backlash to the PS4. Most were fairly positive. Nothing exaggeratedly positive, since you can't expect that kind of reaction anymore these days, but there wasn't much negativity going around anywhere. When you compare the two launches, it should be obvious that X1 clearly did something wrong to generate that kind of response. They wouldn't have received that much backlash if they were simply innovating, right? I mean, the PS4 did about the same thing and received minimal criticism at best.

Look, I'm not saying this kind of hostility and overreaction is justifiable. It's not. It's the same deal with EA and them being rated the worst company in America, which is horrendous and stupid, because Exonn Mobil, McDonalds, Bank of America, AT&T and probably 20 others are probably worse than EA. However, what we can say is that Microsoft clearly did something wrong for people to be that mad at them. Even if gamers were more rational and reasonable, the amount of apathy would remain intact.

I agree, gamers have somewhat devolved into a community that is harsh, hostile, and tends to overreact to the slightest of things. But there's not much you can do to change the way the community works. Many of them are heavily self-entitled. However, gamers are also capable of doing incredible things to support the industry. Just look at the resurgence of indie games. The support that the community and the industry has given to the developers of these games is there reason why they keep on making games that we would never have been able to see otherwise; without the gaming community's overwhelming support of games that do something different like Flower or Braid, developers wouldn't have that kind of incentive to make games unique. The presence of Kickstarter to fund projects that would've never come into fruition. The fact that gamers have taken a stand to defending gaming as more than a form of entertainment, and instead attempt to cement its place as an art form. The fact that gamers are now, more than ever, willing to share their experiences and passion about gaming to each other and to the world.

The gaming community may have some problems, but you can't deny that there are a lot of things commendable about it. It's young, it's less developed, and it can be a little spoiled, but it's also willing to try things that are new and unexpected.

 

[danweb]

I've rarely see the sharp commentators attack anything that the majority see as a positive. Is always on a positive? No. Because it's a form shit DRM and stifles the ability of gamers to play freely. Is having to pay for used games a positive? No. Because it allows Microsoft to gain a profit out of something they shouldn't have the right to. Is the fact that it's ugly a positive? No. Is the fact that Kinect can virtually monitor your living room without you allowing it to do so a positive? No. None of these criticisms are meant to stifle innovation. They're meant to show something that's just plain bad from the point of view of a user. To be honest, anyone who doesn't think that Microsoft isn't doing anything wrong by enforcing strict regulations on the way that gamers can use their games is incorrect in my opinion.

The gaming community may have some problems, but you can't deny that there are a lot of things commendable about it. It's young, it's less developed, and it can be a little spoiled, but it's also willing to try things that are new and unexpected.

I'd just like to share my opinions on the negatives your brought up.

The DRM applied to games on Xbox One at this stage actually sounds fantastic given what they were trying to achieve. Microsoft wanted users to be able to play their games without the use of a disc and in order to do that they needed to restrict the games usage to an account. You will still be able to go over to a friend's place and log into your account in order to play the game. Microsoft has also confirmed that there will be a system in place to allow for preowned game trading. It is likely that this will be done by deactivating the digital ownership of the game so that it can be registered to a different account. That may not be the way it will work, but I think it is likely given Microsoft's comments on the matter. (Source)

I believe that the Xbox One and the new Kinect are ugly pieces of hardware. I think that Microsoft made both pieces of hardware very boxey and they must have done that to go along with their new style with Windows 8, Windows Phone 8 and the Surface Tablet. Many other software and hardware companies are following suit and making those rounded edges pointy as Microsoft is the one to follow for a lot of companies. It is possible that by the time the Xbox One comes to retail most similar hardware will also be boxey, however, I doubt it.

The privacy issue that the Kinect hardware creates is an interesting one. I do trust Microsoft's security enough that I would be comfortable in front of that camera as with any webcam. It is certainly an area of concern though.

Anyway, I feel that the hate that M$ has been receiving has been far too strong given the announcement.

 

[KingdomBlade]

I'd just like to share my opinions on the negatives your brought up.

The DRM applied to games on Xbox One at this stage actually sounds fantastic given what they were trying to achieve. Microsoft wanted users to be able to play their games without the use of a disc and in order to do that they needed to restrict the games usage to an account. You will still be able to go over to a friend's place and log into your account in order to play the game. Microsoft has also confirmed that there will be a system in place to allow for preowned game trading. It is likely that this will be done by deactivating the digital ownership of the game so that it can be registered to a different account. That may not be the way it will work, but I think it is likely given Microsoft's comments on the matter. (Source)

I believe that the Xbox One and the new Kinect are ugly pieces of hardware. I think that Microsoft made both pieces of hardware very boxey and they must have done that to go along with their new style with Windows 8, Windows Phone 8 and the Surface Tablet. Many other software and hardware companies are following suit and making those rounded edges pointy as Microsoft is the one to follow for a lot of companies. It is possible that by the time the Xbox One comes to retail most similar hardware will also be boxey, however, I doubt it.

The privacy issue that the Kinect hardware creates is an interesting one. I do trust Microsoft's security enough that I would be comfortable in front of that camera as with any webcam. It is certainly an area of concern though.

Anyway, I feel that the hate that M$ has been receiving has been far too strong given the announcement.

I forgot the worst part. The fact that independent developers are unable to self publish their games on the platform. That is horrible, and it completely goes against the recent trends and developments among the gaming industry regarding the resurgence and recent popularity of indie titles, which, in many ways, surpass mainstream games in being unique, different, and establishing games as an art form. That disgusts me.

And also, sure, they wanted to focus less on games and stuff. Fine. Whatever. But at least, please, for the love of christ, show us at least ONE actual game on gameplay. You can show everything at E3 if you want, but just show us, like, one random racing or FPS game during gameplay. The fact that they didn't do EVEN that shows the shift in focus.

 

[Pleng]

but tell you truth why did M$ call it Xbox One, the name is confusing.

What do you expect form a company that brought it's flagship product in the following major revisions:
1,2,3,95,98,ME,XP,Vista,7,8?*


*This is using the 'home operating system' timeline so is ignoring any NT-based releases up until the point the NT kernal was merged into the home operating system family(XP), before anybody feels like getting smart!

 

[emigre]

Fuck Microsoft!


Am I doing this right?

 

[danweb]

I forgot the worst part. The fact that independent developers are unable to self publish their games on the platform. That is horrible, and it completely goes against the recent trends and developments among the gaming industry regarding the resurgence and recent popularity of indie titles, which, in many ways, surpass mainstream games in being unique, different, and establishing games as an art form. That disgusts me.

Wow, I actually haven't heard about that. No self publishing? I couldn't agree with you more there. That disgusts me!

 

[Flame]

Fuck Microsoft!


Am I doing this right?

Wrong! is Fuck M$!

 

[KingdomBlade]

Wow, I actually haven't heard about that. No self publishing? I couldn't agree with you more there. That disgusts me!

Yep. It's true. They've decided to close themselves off and maintain their policy regarding self publishing, unlike Sony or Nintendo. (source)

 

[Gahars]

Negativity? On my internet?

It's more likely than you think.

 

[DinohScene]

Consoles died half way through the 7th gen.
Their not consoles anymore.
Nor are phones, phones.
Nor are telies, telies.

All-in-one.....
So I only need me phone to access the Web and go on Skype and watch telie and make me coffee?
Damn me house would be pretty fucking empty by then.

 

[Foxi4]

Consoles died half way through the 7th gen.
Their not consoles anymore.
Nor are phones, phones.
Nor are telies, telies.

All-in-one.....
So I only need me phone to access the Web and go on Skype and watch telie and make me coffee?
Damn me house would be pretty fucking empty by then.

It's the natural evolution of electronics - people are generally working towards having one device that does it all for them rather than owning tons upon tons of dedicated junk.

You connect a console to a TV, so if the specs are there, why wouldn't it do more than just games? The next step was turning it into a media hub that also plays movies and does all sorts of other stuff.

You carry your phone in your pocket at all times, so why wouldn't it do things other devices with the same nature do, for example play music? If they have big screens, why wouldn't they play video? If they're connected to a Network that's Internet-capable, why wouldn't they give you access to the internet?

This is a positive trend, not a negative one. It allows the End-User to do more things with less devices - the user pays less, has less clutter to worry about and uses less energy to achieve the same goals.

 

[narutofan777]

umm..ur trying to focus on the good like the rest of the media. I went to the majority of their websites and they all tried to make it seem as if the microsoft presentation wasn't bad...it was BAD.

and u hate the gaming community, do u hate the haters or the unbiased folkzz? r u that 1 guy who thinks anon or anonymous is a group?

innovation? u need internet once every 24 hours for the xbox one... and microsoft's pr staff are doing a horrible job at explaining what is what. people are confused and angry right now.

did u see this 1 youtube interview where this microsoft dude was avoiding questions and trying to say nice things about the xbox one? that was a good showing of ignorance. just read the yt comments, omg...





if i want a multi media do-it-all system i can get a computer. the only reason y i'd get a ps4 is because of the exclusives..i dont wanna miss out on the good games from developers such as naughty dog, quantic dream and such.

 

[DinohScene]

It's the natural evolution of electronics - people are generally working towards having one device that does it all for them rather than owning tons upon tons of dedicated junk.

You connect a console to a TV, so if the specs are there, why wouldn't it do more than just games? The next step was turning it into a media hub that also plays movies and does all sorts of other stuff.

You carry your phone in your pocket at all times, so why wouldn't it do things other devices with the same nature do, for example play music? If they have big screens, why wouldn't they play video? If they're connected to a Network that's Internet-capable, why wouldn't they give you access to the internet?

This is a positive trend, not a negative one. It allows the End-User to do more things with less devices - the user pays less, has less clutter to worry about and uses less energy to achieve the same goals.

I'm just getting old then.
I have no use of a phone tho, no one calls/texts me anyways ;p
Internet I have on me lappie so I won't need it on me telie.
Music I have in me car and I hardly go outside so meh.

 

[Foxi4]

I'm just getting old then.
I have no use of a phone tho, no one calls/texts me anyways ;p
Internet I have on me lappie so I won't need it on me telie.
Music I have in me car and I hardly go outside so meh.

Having more features for the same amount of cash is usually called "more bang for the buck". You may have Internet on your laptop, so what? Watching a movie online will still look better on a huge TV than it will on a small laptop screen. Sure, you can connect your laptop over HDMI... or you can "do nothing" and just watch it on your console which is already connected to the TV - that's approx. 2 minutes less hassle.

 

[DinohScene]

Having more features for the same amount of cash is usually called "more bang for the buck". You may have Internet on your laptop, so what? Watching a movie online will still look better on a huge TV than it will on a small laptop screen. Sure, you can connect your laptop over HDMI... or you can "do nothing" and just watch it on your console which is already connected to the TV, which is approx. 2 minutes less hassle and a lot less clutter.

I like me 90's CRT telie >:
DON'T YOU DARE MOCK IT!!
Cause you know yourself, 3rd,4th and 5th gen are the best on CRT ;p

Meh, I prefer watching films on me lappie anyways.
Have done it for ages c:

 

[Chary]

I don't like the always-on Kinect. That thing has always unnerved me, taking pictures and monitoring my room.