Microsoft Announces XBox One; Leaves More Questions than Answers

May 21, 2013

When Can We Buy the One?

You have to admit it’s pretty refreshing to hear about a new console, which gets your blood pumping, and not have to see you’ll be checking it out a couple years down the line, “Yes! You’ll be amazed by all the features of the Atari 2600 Mark II so make sure to ask Santa to bring one …Christmas 2016!!!” Granted the exact specs of the One aren’t nailed down for the public at this point and we can expect those at next month’s E3 obviously. As far as when people will be practically killing each other to get their hands on the One or staring in amazement at $5000 price tags on Craigslist and eBay is still up in the air. I’ll make a guess the first models will begin to arrive on the scene sometime in September since there will be some birthing pains for the One. No knock on Microsoft by writing this, as it seems to be a near daily update which needs to run for the PS3, but rolling out the One as far away from Black Friday 2013 as possible will go a long way toward the long term strength of the system since they can iron out any issues prior to the holiday buying season.

What Will We Play?

Sony has already stated they’ll have the largest launch library for the PS4 than any other console they’ve ever released. Microsoft will need to take the same aggressive approach by not only having plenty of titles to play but solid games as well; the Wii U sales continue to drag Nintendo’s profitability down into the red as the biggest complaint regarding the platform is there just isn’t aren’t any compelling exclusive titles to play and it isn’t a huge step up from the current generations from Sony and Microsoft. Halo was a godsend for the 360 and if Microsoft can capture even a fraction of that lightning in a bottle, with a handful of launch titles, they should be A-OK. EA has already stated their line of sports games will feature a new engine, EA Sports Ignite, although it’s not clear if this is exclusive to Microsoft of simply the next gen consoles. I’m betting next gen and not an exclusive. As much as this has been a non-secretive secret developers have been designing games for the next gens for over twelve months and needing to “dummy down” their products because of the constraints on the systems already on the market.

How Will You Get Your Games?

Lastly, how will you buy your games? Microsoft has been a bit less open to the streaming download option than Sony to this point although they’ve made major strides in this department over the last couple of years or so. As much as pre-owned gaming retailers hate to admit it, the writing is on the wall as game publishers are pushing more to prevent buyers from picking up secondhand games – since they don’t get a cut of the sale – and no doubt Microsoft will better embrace prestige titles availability through download only. The public is more open to the fact their music and movies are no longer burned onto a plastic disk (more so music than anything else) and the fact they can save a few bucks through digital download is appealing to a majority of the public. Within the next year or two brick and mortar stores focusing on physical game resale will go the way of the dodo – and Lindsey Lohan’s sobriety – as developers, publishers and those designing gaming platforms implement a much tighter rein on how buyers not only get their hands on titles but what they can do with them once they’re finished; the days of actual physical ownership on media is quickly coming to an end.

I have to say I’d love to see what the XBox One is going to have under the hood and how the horsepower is put to use! I’m sure our very own Tony Manchen is going to take me to task about my affinity for the PS3 (and I really hope he has a chance to chime in on the One reveal today) since I’m probably the least qualified person to be putting together an op-ed about today’s announcement. Don’t get me wrong! I love gaming in all forms as I has a Vic 20 back in the day for crying out loud and I still remember the Apple I, which played cassette tapes to transfer data, so I’ve been enjoying them for a long time. I just have to admit I’m not as well versed as loads of other people may be when it comes to console gaming…

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Jeff McAleer

Founder/Editor-in-chief of The Gaming Gang website and host of The Gaming Gang Dispatch and other TGG media, Jeff tackles any and all sorts of games but has a special fondness for strategy, conflict sims, and roleplaying games. Plus, he's certainly never at a loss for an opinion...