Honestly, Microsoft has been under a lot fire lately with Xbox One but does it really deserve all of it?

Let us take all the info that we know about the gaming industry  until Sony announced the price of the PS4...

Let's try to be a Xbox strategic analyst ourself.

You know that the PS3 released at $600 and $500 back in 2006 and was the most powerfull console.

The Wii U deluxe set was release at $350. Now the Xbox one is getting Blue Ray, you are the undisputed leader in the US for HD Console. So obviously you would feel very good about yourself because you think you have the US in your pockets, you have money, advertising and media on your side (Media was very hard to PS3). So why would a $500 Next Gen Console with Kinect 2.0 has to worry about his competitions while Wii U is struggling big time, and even when the specs on the PS4 are like 50% better than yours, you are probably sure it comes at a price cause in your hear DDR5 is more expensive than DDR3 and Sony is known to have expensive console at release.

So for MS even if Sony were to sell the PS4 at $500 dollar, they could always say and try to sell those following statements even if some of them are false (they are just example that went through my head), but would probably stick to some people

1) You are getting much  more for the same Price

2) To match Xbox One, you have to spend $560 for the PS4

3) Play and control your living room for $500, or just play for $500...

So far, before the PS4 announce it's price, MS didn't actually do nothing wrong. Even the DRM would not be a "real" problem because even the Xbox 360 is pretty much just a Box without Xbox Live and MS main target are the US and UK where internet is decent. Also let's not forget that even before  E3, Xbox one was the hottest video game console on Amazon. You got Foza, Dead Rising 3 and a new IP Ryse, while SONY is still presenting next KZ (could be considered a failure in term of sales for last gen) and next Infamous. Totally nothing to worry about.

So to conclude, MS didn't really messed up with Xbox one, is SONY that has done a wonderfull near perfect job. Releasing at $400 while being the most powerfull console, there is just no way that you can twist that story. In my opinion Xbox one has the better lauch line up. But when I can hope to see the next Uncharted or the Last of Us on the PS4, that hope is enough to get me to buy a PS4. SONY has just done everything right for next gen. And this $400 release price is what makes it look like Microsoft messed up while I believe it is SONY that has done a wonderful job.

Microsoft did mess up. Most of their audience came from how sony failed with the PS3. Now that it's sony with the cheaper price point I fully expect the upcoming generation to be alot like the 6th generation.

If your concern about X1 is on 1st party, I think it is more promising than X360.
From 2010 till now MS Studios has been forming a lot of them including Arcade games studios. I have high hopes for them and I still want to see Black Tusk game that promises a lot.

"Even the DRM would not be a "real" problem because even the Xbox 360 is pretty much just a Box without Xbox Live"

Wow...no it is a big deal because people like to have freedom with their games, even after Xbox Live is not support on the 360 people can still hang on to their games and play them forever or sell them, with the previous policies people's games would have become paper weights on the X1 after the system was done being supported and Microsoft would have forced people to buy the next Xbox.

lol are you mad ahaha

"MOST of their audience came from how Sony failed with the PS3..."

Seriously, you guys should take a break :)

the answer is in your post. they thought only people with good internet were worth making their product for.
and after the uproar, you still think DRM isnt a 'real' issue?

if you ignore the competition you fail
if you ignore the end consumer you fail
if your whole organisation gets tunnel vision and ignores feedback and market research, you fail.

I bet it took major shareholders to storm into xbox HQ and make the employees see the light before it got on track again. i dont think they messed up, the whole world KNOWS they messed up.

It only became a real problem after the PS4 was announce to be at $400 with no restrictions. Before E3 Xbox one was the most pre-ordered and "best selling per hour" game console on Amazon. And 2 weeks after the PS4 was announce at $400, PS4 launch, KZ bundle, Battefield Bundle even the PS4 regular console were among top 10 "best Selling" per hour on Amazon.

Is the Xbox one DRM anti-consumer? Yes... Do I support it? No.      Do I think that DRM would be a problem for MS to sell the Xbox one if the PS4 was not $100 cheaper? No,  because their main target are US and UK where Internet is pretty decent in those countries.

I LOL'd at this myself.  Of course, most Sony "fans" to begin with came from disgruntled SEGA/Nintendo fans who saw one of their companies go belly up from bad decision after bad, and the other continue to focus more on the casual / family market in lieu of the "core" gaming market which led to 3rd parties leaving in droves during the last couple of gens.

Honestly MS E3 was excellent. People kept hounding them to show games and that's exactly what they did.

I don't know.. I really do not believe that Sony fans turned to Microsoft at any point (not a sinificant amount of them at least); maybe Nintendo ones are they were looking for a next gen...

I may be wrong :)