Wow. Let’s give a hand to the Microsoft PR machine. Because they sure seem to be on the cutting edge of the PR game. You think I’m kidding? How else do you explain them coming out and announcing that the Xbox One is going to cost only $499. ONLY $499. Like $499 is not a lot of money for us gamers. Then they come the head of the Xbox division comes out with the comment below:
“We have a product for people who aren’t able to get some form of connectivity – it’s called Xbox 360,” Don Mattrick told Geoff Keighley on GameTrailers.
Once again, put your hands together for the Microsoft Xbox PR machine. I think someone over at Microsoft must be fluent in Jedi mind tricks. I say this because it seems their basic message on the Xbox One goes somewhat like this: “Hey, buy our new device, it’s called the Xbox One and costs only $ 499 and you only need to have a constant internet connection. What? you don’t think you might always have an internet connection? Don’t worry, in that case you can buy/keep your old generation device Xbox 360.
I really don’t know where to start. Maybe in the part where this view that gamers have 24/7 internet connection, will never want to play offline and can afford your gaming device no matter the price point is the trifecta of ignorance that sometimes leads loyal fans astray. I mean, I like multiplayer games and can appreciate the features and added perks that online gaming gives me, but I love single player games.
I might be part of the minority, but I know I’m not alone. A good single player game with a great story, great characters and great cut scenes. Single player campaigns are an awesome part of good games. Far Cry 3 is an amazing game, it has multiplayer options but the single player campaign shines. When you’re going to play online with or against other players, you need (or should) carve out a block of time to be able to get into it. You need your internet to not go out or sputter midway through a deathmatch. Fans of COD and similar multiplayer games know what I’m talking about and have no qualms with having their systems online 24/7 for the most part.For others like me, well, do I really need to be online to enjoy Batman: Arkham Origins or Uncharted? No, heck no.
I even enjoy playing my single player games in short bursts. Like watching a TV show that I can turn on and off. If I want to play just one mission or do a little damage in GTA V, why do I need to be online to be able to do that. Not all of us are online all the time. That’s just the truth. By what’s coming out of Microsoft’s Xbox division, it sounds like they forgot that gamers aren’t companies. We don’t have 24/7 internet, even if we do, we don’t have an IT department in case it fails, we move without having all of our services installed in our new home, we can’t always afford to have a decent connection, some of us only go online on our phones and at Starbucks. But a gamer is a gamer and we all have either and Xbox or a PS and we’d like to be able to enjoy it no matter what our situation is. Besides, sometimes all we can do is hook up our device to the TV and play a game, no internet, no nothing, and after paying $399-$499 for a system and $40-$60 a game, we should be able to enjoy them, no (online) strings attached.
What do you guys/gals think? Is Microsoft going overboard by making us be online at all times to be able to use the Xbox One? COMMENT BELOW
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