DarthVolod said:
One of the key advantages of consoles over PC has been a cheap used market that allows for swapping games with friends. You buy relatively cheap dedicated console and avoid the hassle of upgrading hardware while buying pre-owned games on the cheap with some occaisional good 1st party games that PC players would not get. With used games eliminated, we just have the few exclusives that Xbox will offer. Even with the supposed 15 exclusives coming to Xbox One, how many of those will also be on PC remains to be seen. After pondering all of this, I am starting to understand why Xbox One is moving towards TV and ect. in order to justify the existence of a console in a market where one can buy a PC, tablet, ect. that can do pretty much everything the console can do while also offering additional vital services (word processing, internet surfing ect.). Microsoft is going to have to do more then just turning the Xbox One into Steam since Steam exists on a device that everyone needs regardless of whether they are a gamer or not. I guess as a retro gamer I was hoping things would continue on this way. In the not too distant future (after Xbox One goes under in favor of the next console) the only way we can access these games will be through emulation. It is not the end of the world if consoles go in this direction, but it does make it difficult for anyone to justify the purchase of consoles when PC offers literally everything a console can offer on a device that you need to own anyways. Used games was always a big advantage over PC, but it looks like that is going away. Also, I refer to it as "renting" since ownership is never really transfered. I will have access to the content I "rented" only so long as Microsoft keeps its servers running (so they decide when I "return" the product). I can play any of my Xbox 360 games 20, 30, or however many years from now so long as I maintain my system. Xbox One games will all have an expiration date on them that is determined by Microsoft. No matter how well you maintain your games, they will be paperweights in 5-10 years depending on how long Microsoft keeps the servers up. |
I think in this case the thing that Microsoft (and other consoles such a Playstation with PSN) really has going for them is the whole ecosystem. When you get people hooked on an ecoystem like Steam, Live, or PSN, they really won't leave unless something drastic happens. More people will be joining those ecoysystems as well due to wanting to play with friends and whatnot.
The second thing Microsoft really has going for them is ease of use. The Xbox One is probably one of the most seemless, most user friendly and generally, easy to use devices I have ever seen (if they are truly as good as they look). Granted in today's world it's not very difficult to hook up a PC to your TV and play Steam/Origin games off of it but compared to consoles, it's still a much bigger hassle (even if it's not that big of a hassle in reality, it still is in many people's minds). When most people think of computer gaming, they automatically associate them more lone wolf type of gaming (even though that isn't necessarily true either), hassles, and sitting at a desk with a computer chair wheras most people associate consoles with community, a laid back feeling, and ease of use. I think the fact that Steam is making a Steambox is proof enough of that market being perfectly viable even without used games.
Then you have exclusive games, timed exclusive content (COD DLC first on Xbox is huge for a lot of people) and exclusive TV shows and on top of all of that you have tons of kids who are growing up on ecosystems that are purely digital (phones and tablets) so they won't care if something like the Xbox One or a future Xbox console doesn't have used games.
It's the same thing as why buy a Tablet when a PC can do all that and more?
I honestly think in the future we will get down to 2-3 devices total. A TV that plays console games, TV, Cable, On demand services, and in fact basically has a PC in it. A Tablet/laptop hybrid that is very powerful that seemlessly connects to all your devices, plays those same games from consoles and does everything that the TV does except it will be more portable. And finally a phone that also connects seemlessly to your devices and does all that as well. At that point in time, as far as gaming is concerned, it will boil down to what gaming service do you want to go with.
