Microsoft did a great job lulling many a gamer in with what they originally offered. Yet, for the last 7 Years I have watched them pull one slick stunt after the next, and generally harm the sanctity of the industry multiple times over.

• When the Original Xbox came out, I was interested. Games like Fable and Jade Empire almost had me. Yet I already had a PS2, wth FF and a hefty load of games that were exclusive to it. I decided I would wait to get the Xbox after it became much cheaper. When the New consoles were finally released I though this was my chance to snag one for a bargain......then it happened. MS officially cut off Xbox shortly after 360's release, this was in complete contrast to how the PS2 still thrived for several years, just like the PS1 did. The way it was immediately discontinued, most ofthe games were field destroyed, just erased....didn't sit well at all with me. I still feel like this is a mantra MS might still hold. More on that later....
  • If you never owned an Original Xbox why would you care if it was discontinued so abruptly? In fact, this would BENEFIT you by rapidly decreasing the sale value of the console so you could pick it up to play those few games you wanted.
  • Also, the original Xbox Live lived SEVERAL years after the Xbox died. It was only discontinued like last year.
• RROD. MS ignored the many warnings they got from their tech experts to delay the 360's launch so they could figure out a more viable heat syncing solution. MS big wigs could have cared less, because beating Sony to the punch was truly all that mattered. A electronic device with over 40% failure rate that wasn't immediately pulled from market is unheard of. MS's solution to this was to give you a 3 yr warrenty(from LAUNCH and not buy date) where they would fix your console......just so it would break again a month later. In MS's defense, many bring up the PS2's higher than normal failure rate....yet that was small time in comparison really. It was only a rate of like 8%. While working at Gamestop, I watched people buy console after console simply because they kept breaking. When the main reason you chose one console over the next was due to it's low price yet the cost of replacing it comes out to way more.............priceless.
  • The original PS3's, though not as rapid as the 360, have also appeared to have a very high failure rate. And Sony NEVER created an extended warranty to cover for their mistakes. It seems that 40% or more is not an unlikely percentage of failure for the original PS3's. I know of no one that still has an original PS3 that was not repaied at least once, and OUTSIDE of warranty at a cost of $100 or more.
  • Funny you try to reference working at Gamestop, because I also have very great ties to several of the chains in my area and what you describe is completely false. People would NOT just go in and buy a new 360 any time they broke. They would take advantage of the warranty that MS offered (unlike Sony). The only minute cases of what you are describing would be buying a new Slim model to replace a broken (out of 3 year extended warranty) console, or they bought another console and sold their existing one after it was repaired, thus keeping the actual installed base of 360 consoles exactly the same, or very close.
• Timed Exclusivity: A ridiculous  trade off from real exclusivity if you ask me. I always felt full exclusive games encouraged the best kind of  competition. Mario's success would spur Crash, GT would ignite PGR/Forza, etc, etc. The fact that there are less exclusives these days means there is less reason to buy any particular console(which is what MS wanted) but it also means developers don't have to try nearly as hard to court a fanbase.....and most often, Multiplats feel like a poor man's exclusive Version.
• Total Abandonment of the Hardcore Gamer in the last 3 years. MS has shown time and time again, that their fanbase is just a name and number. They are only as valuable as how much money they are bringing them. Now this isn't news to us about any business. Sony and Nintendo also want your hard earned dollar. Yet MS completely abandoned the groups that gave them their early success as they no longer needed to appeal to them, they already had you (like some douche college stud who sleeps around for the conquest and nothing more). Once they felt they had the "Hardcore Vote" already, the Hardcore centric games became scarce, and the new Casual push began. This is what 360 fans put up with out of complacency for the last 3 years. MS felt as long as they give their fans 2 key franchises a year(an alternation between Forza,Gears, Halo) that their fanbase would stay TAMED.
  • This entire section is purely opinion based and as a hardcore gamer with many hardcore friends, I see thie entire section as completely false. I find it hilarious that someone who DOES NOT OWN SAID CONSOLE is complaining or trying to talk it down. Seems more like you are desperately trying to defend your position of not buying such a great console with so many great games for both hardcore and casuals.
• Charging for what everyone else give for free. We already pay a premium for the internet, why are you paying for a glorified "Membership" that gives you what you rightfully should of had for free? News Flash people, there is very little XboxLive does that PS3 doesn't, contrary to popular beleif. The only true feature of note is XGC.....an overhyped feature from those who are trying to justify that annual fee. Well come PS4 time, you will no longer have that excuse. Vita already has XGC, PS4 will allow it across multiple devices. PS+ is already garnering  far more appeal of late, with its constant sales, free game givaways, auto updates, exclusive betas/demos......on the regular! PS+ isn't required to get basic funtion out of your device, yet people are flocking to it for its REAL value it offers up to you.
  • I hope you enjoy all that PS+ content you bought for PS3 on your PS4... oh wait, you CAN'T! :-O Also, the fact that you still bring up such a dead beat topic is laughable. I have explained the differences between the services countless times and it is the desperate gamers like you that still ignore all the rational arguments in favor of your glorious and "can't do no wrong" PS3/PSN. People pay for Xbox Live because it is the superior service with superior features, superior quality of gaming experience, superior connection/social aspects with friends both real life and digital, and the best, most competitive online service for exclusives and multiplats.
• Cheap scating to APPEAR cheaper. This baffled me when this gen started. Sure, the PS3 was 600 big ones, but in actuality the 360 was just around, if not more. Think about it. Original 360's were coming with no HDMI port, needed batteries for controllers(expensive rechargeable pack sold seperately), no Wifi Built in (When even the damn Wii did), and of course required a Live Sub to play online. Oh but it came with a headset tho....... The system was built around you buying what appears to be a real bargain in comparison to the competition, then get you on the 50million peripherals that will at some point become a necessity.
  • All HDTV's have the HD cable support that ALL 360's came with. What about your PS3? Sony cheaped out and did not even include an HD cable with their new HD console! You could not play HD without even buying an HDMI cable first! At least with the Xbox 360 you could play in HD right out of the box, and the only other thing you even remotely needed from your list was potentially WiFi. Rechargeable batteries are cheap, no need to buy some proprietary battery packs.

Disclaimer: As you all already know, Yes I am a big Sony fan. I don't think this invalidates me from asking a reasonable question though. you should understand that this is obviously a person looking over from one side of the fence and the impression I get from what I see. The whole reason of asking this is that maybe there is a quirk or facet to them that I am not seeing and would like to understand where it derives from.

To be quite honest, I can't believe that you, as a strong Sony fan over multiple generations can trust SONY next generation with the PS4. They will most surely start charging more for online services other than the base PSN. You will essentially lose ALL your PS3 content unless you rebuy it on PS4. Your PS3 launch consoles had just as bad of a failure rate as the 360, yet Sony never took blame of their mistakes and offered an extended warranty like Microsofot.

You paid for wifi on the PS3, whether you wanted it or not. There was no free.