I just got finished watching the new reveal for Microsoft's Next Gen console, dubbed XBox One. My thoughts and reactions will assume you know what the fuck I am talking about, so if you are not up to speed yet, you can read a brief rundown of the presentation
HERE
With the caveat that this is a preliminary announcement that delineates direction, rather than details, I am extremely encouraged by the Xbox reveal. Those of you who listened to
Season 2, Episode 3 of the podcast know that I was not a huge fan of the PS4 reveal from a few months ago, and the difference is this: Microsoft understands the role of the console going into the next generation, and this presentation was a clear expression of that vision.
What Microsoft understood, and Sony did not, was that they are simply not going to compete based on "This is the ultimate gaming platform" as was the case, more or less, when the last generation debuted, but since that time has become increasingly specious as a claim for any console. Their hardware is simply not going to be able to compete with anything but the most basic gaming rigs, by necessity, at launch, and will soon be outpaced by them. I'm not really interested in how sweet your gigamawatts are, nor how many tiny tyrannosaurus rexes with lasers are running on hamster wheels to power it. These things are table stakes. Move on.
And so, after approximately 30 seconds of confirming that there is, indeed, a computer in this thing, the pitch was given and it was perfect:The XBox One is a very good gaming platform, with exclusive IPs, some of which are new and revolutionary, and there are gaming things it does well (like Sportsballs). Ultimately, however, this piece of hardware is going to be about the experience of your living room, not just the games you play on it. It is going to be the point device to control all aspects of what you experience as entertainment and living room interactivity, with your family, friends and the world.
(Continued After the Break)
