Out of everything that has been said and done i feel bad for Phil Harrison that guy has now been involved in two messed up console launches, First 2006 PS3 and now Xbox One

You can apply your first sentence to your third. What makes you think the XB1 can do more with TV than the PS4? In fact the PS3 did far more for TV than the 360 (with PlayTV, Torne and Nasne).

MS knows what they're doing so they didn't screw up....If the entertainment apps is what they want and the fanbase
is fine with it, then so be it.

I've seen you defending DRM and digital distribution in just about every thread since the Microsoft conference.

As someone who has been gaming since the Atari 2600 and my first Amstrad computer, can you please explain these "benefits" to me?

A few points.....

1) I have an unreliable internet connection that can't be changed unless I move.

2) My internet usage is capped. It's the way things are done in this country

3) I borrow a lot of games from friends before I pay up to $120, yes that's $120, for them. Oh and our dollar is worth more than the U.S

4) I often trade old games I no longer play to buy new games.

5) I have a Steam account. With my connection it took me 16 hours to download Borderlands.

How is Microsoft helping me again???

The thing is, what you are describing here is ideal scenarios for why not to get an Xbox One (or PS4 since it will most likely be the same). If someone is in your situation, and still enjoys playing alone and single player games for the most part, and has spotty internet, and likes to try games that friends own...I don't know what to tell you. Next gen consoles won't bring you much happiness. Microsoft is supposedly working on a method for you to sell your games, but playing your friends games and such is not really an option. Maybe in the future you will be able to get a 24 hour pass from your friend where you can try the game?  I see Sony offering this first as they usually find ways to put gamers first like that...

What you are describing here is already a gaming minority, and with the way all entertainment mediums are evolving, it won't be long before digital is the new norm. And not just in gaming...

I personally see lots of benefits for digital distribution over physical medium and I understand that DRM is something that is necessary to ensure that people don't rip off gaame designers and publishers. Blame human nature for the existence of DRM in the first place...

I live in Sydney, where in Australia are you?

90% of this country's population can gain access to relatively inexpensive internet with 200GB+ data a month. Some can't afford it, which is fine. Said people shouldn't purchase game consoles.

What was the last game you paid $120 for? Most new games cost $90. I bought the last gears of war for $69 day one from A brick and mortar store.

I to trade games, XboxOne allows this.

Many countries cannot support microsofts model, but ours can mate.

Holy crap starcraft it back?

You mean a percentage of ours can?

I live in the outer suburbs of Melbourne and I'm not willing to move house for a console.

And since when is purchasing a games console reliant on having fast internet? 

I know about 20 people with consoles. Guess how many are online? 3 including myself.

The reason consoles have always outnumbered PC gaming was the simplicity. You don't need internet or graphics cards or the need to worry about DRM to just plug in your console and play.

The fact that this is even an issue to some should cause concern for Microsoft. They are trying to expand their userbase whilst cutting out a big percentage of users.

I am still waiting for someone to list the benefits of digital downloads and DRM????...............

Haha Starcraft is trying to be back!

I wound up leaving because this site literally absorbed my time!

I am seeing if I can make a more balanced contribution that doesn't annihilate my working/sporting/personal life

The outer suburbs of melbourne can access high speed internet at similar speeds and cost to my location to the best of my knowledge...

A very large proportion of our population can support Microsoft's model.  85+% of our population lives within 50km of the coastline and has access to high speed internet.  Whilst I understand the frustration your situation may cause you, it is anecdotal, and not in any way reliant on a statistical cross-section of our population. 

On the point of simplicity, I agree with you, but simplicity is relative.  Those who use game consoles (and especially those who could be expected to purchase these consoles in the first two years of a cycle) these days invariably have smart phones, high tech televisions and a variety of other web-services appliances.  Using the step-by-step user interfaces Microsoft generates shouldnt be a challenge.  And lets face it, as others have pointed out, this is something Microsoft does well generally, and did particularly well with the Xbox 360.

Now I also agree that any concern this causes should be concerning to Microsoft.  But virtually the same concerns apply to the PS4, Microsoft's primary direct competitor. 

DRM:  I agree with you entirely, DRM is generally bullshit.  But again, its relative bullshit.  As far as we're aware, Sony has the same model as Microsoft.  Both are opt-in for more stringent DRM and online-specific guidance from software publishers.  Do I wish neither of them had it? Of course.  Do I hope software publishers dont routinely enact it?  Yes.  But I suspect many will, consumers will accept some changes, reject others, and a balance will be found.

Digital Distribution...not sure.  On the one hand, it is easy, and allows me to get many late games (especially on Steam) cheaply.  On the other hand, hard copies can be nice.  Regardless, both the Xbox One and the PS4 will have a mix of both, and I look forward to trying both of them out.