I think they didn't really plan to release the XB1 in 2013 and just weren't ready.  The stuff that they have fixed with the first update were things that I was amazed weren't there at launch.  I think they planned either a May 2014 or even November 2014 launch.  It seems that they didn't want Sony to get a year head start and just plowed ahead.  The systems tools for the developers weren't ready, even Killer Instinct only had a couple of characters.  They still don't have one Kinect focused game released yet!!!  The Sports Rivals game looks like a pack in game more than a stand alone.  It should have been included from day one.  They don't even have Direct TV/Charter (large satellite and cable providers in the US) support natively yet.  How about 3D Bluray?  Hell, a $50 bluray player can do that!

Just look at the number of countries they have launched in .They seemed to have a problem with the language/localization issue that is stopping further deployment.  Part of it relates to content providers to do the advanced TV features that they are pushing.   The real answer is the KINECT.  The Kinect forced them into a number of system features they weren't really ready to support language wise or media content wise.

They probably could have come closer to the PS4's price 6 months or a year later also.  Had they let Sony release a few more details of their system first, they might have been able to make some changes to better compete tech wise also.  Or atleast, they could have changed their mind on the forced Kinect pack in.

One way to look at it is, they wouldn't have changed the number of sales that the PS4 has, as it sells every unit available even with the XB1 in the marketplace.  Would it have changed things too much to let Sony have the 6 million sold before they launched?  Maybe not, as they have a 2 million lead anyway already.  Had the XB1 been improved somehow spec wise or price wise, they might have been able to keep pace at launch and kept the gap to 3-4 million on a consistant basis.

Either way, I enjoy my XB1, and don't regret buying it at all.  I guess, I have more to look forward to as far as system updates and game optimizations.  It would have been kind of cool to have Titanfall as a launch title though!

Agreed. Sony's PS4 announcement last February caught them off-guard and started a series of hasty decisions, alterations of plans and politics and confusion regarding the original plan.

More amazing is the fact that Sony was that ready to launch and suffered absolutely no leaks.

*insert blatant advertising for my thread* http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=178680

 It sounds reasonable. Either they really weren't ready or they planned to steadily improve the thing over the span of the first year.

PS4 isn't much better though. Just imagine if it had launched with PSNow and the PS1/2 emulator.

I hope they add 3D blu ray soon, because there is NO $50 3d blu ray player (that isn't used).

Yep. They knew what would have (is happening) if Sony got head start. PREPARE YOUR.....

Have to admit, after reading your OP of that thread, it made me want to discuss this whole idea in detail a lot more.  I have been thinking this since launch week and it just seems like there are more and more reasons to think this every few weeks wen something is either announced or is fixed.

The only reason they launched the console in 2013 was because of Sony. The media was following Sony's dev kits and said a long time ago that Sony was prepared well ahead of Microsoft. People think I am joking when I say that Microsoft is only in this industry to distract Sony from gaining ground in multimedia and from affecting the console realm. MS has only worsened the issue. Microsoft doesn't like leaving Sony with too much breathing room because they know in the gaming industry that Sony is a dominant force.

The features aren't really the problem. It's common practice to release software and patch it up later. And as I said the PS4 is missing numerous features as well and it was definitely ready to launch.

What gives it away is the missing launch countries. You need a lot of preparation for that and it seems MS just didn't have enough time.

They couldn't let Sony have a lead regardless of plans/changes to final product. But yeah I agree that they likely didn't want to release this early and/or they wanted to but as anyone software development/product development knows... things happen and that causes delays.

Remember all the rumors of issues with initial chips and code? I think that was all very true and took time away from finalizing the many features/language support you refer to. Thus a working but not finished product.

Microsoft the Trojan Horse!