The new Xbox.

[Sable Dove]

Regardless of whether or not it's a commonly used term, it's still pretty funny, considering. Also, whoever originally came up with the term 'point of sale' is either a genius, or an idiot. Not sure which.

This explains why developers generally don't like putting out demos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QM6LoaqEnY

[Tygron]

To be fair POS is an accurate term with both meanings at the same time. Point of Sale machines, typically registers at stores, SUCK MASSIVELY. We have Windows XP running on machines that i'm fairly certain can't run it. We get bluescreens all the time, computers slow down.... it's horrible.

As for this blog post... wow. Not to mention I don't care about social networking, and good job Microsoft for letting me share demos of games. Not only is that not a new feature, but they just slapped a bunch of DRM on it and called it a new feature. I can't believe they even.... wait this guy gets paid to do this? This guy gets paid to not really do anything? Can I have his job please? Maybe I can actually... you know... make something that isn't stupid.

[Schrodinger]

I love how this tirade doesn't even address the DRM or how it's the console itself, not the publishers, that was trying to put a stranglehold on the used games market. This is a PR spin, and a terrible one at that.

[Myperson54]

I love how this tirade doesn't even address the DRM or how it's the console itself, not the publishers, that was trying to put a stranglehold on the used games market. This is a PR spin, and a terrible one at that.

Agreed. I couldn't read more than a fifth of the blog post.
Oh, and now that I think of it, sorry, Microsoft. (nsfw language)

[Zylver]

If I am up-to-date with the Xbone news, Microsoft just announced a few things a couple of days ago:
- you don't need to be on the internet for all day if you want to play a game from disc;
- you don't even have to check in for internet connection once in every 24 hours;
- there won't be any restrictions for used game trading, lending or sharing;
- games will be available to be bought on Xbox Live on the same day when the disk version comes out.

So, either Microsoft finally gave it up for the crowd, or they did plan this from the beginning as a marketing twist But if you ask me, the damage has already done and there are still some nuisances that will make people to switch sides to PS4...

[Schrodinger]

We have 48 million Xbox 360 users connected online nearly 24 hours a day. That is much more than any of our closet competitors and vastly more than Steam.

This caught my eye and really revealed the mindset at Microsoft, they are comparing their product to a PC distribution platform, not Sony, not Nintendo, but Steam. Microsoft wants to turn the console market into the PC market just as I said they did and are now throwing a hissy fit because they can't have it their way.

[Insomniac]

This explains why developers generally don't like putting out demos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QM6LoaqEnY

Honestly, the idea I posed addresses no less than half of the negative outcomes presented in that video.

If I am up-to-date with the Xbone news, Microsoft just announced a few things a couple of days ago:
- you don't need to be on the internet for all day if you want to play a game from disc;
- you don't even have to check in for internet connection once in every 24 hours;
- there won't be any restrictions for used game trading, lending or sharing;
- games will be available to be bought on Xbox Live on the same day when the disk version comes out.

So, either Microsoft finally gave it up for the crowd, or they did plan this from the beginning as a marketing twist But if you ask me, the damage has already done and there are still some nuisances that will make people to switch sides to PS4...

Yup, that dun been talked about already.

On a related note, it has been announced that, while the E3 video implied otherwise, the game TitanFall, on both XBone AND 360, will be multiplayer only. Honestly, this kind of thing only works in an MMO, or games like Team Fortress. Making a game that could EASILY have a strong singleplayer campaign multiplayer only is just stupid, and they guarenteed that it's only gonna appeal to the dudebro demographic.

[Geo_&_Bio]

On a related note, it has been announced that, while the E3 video implied otherwise, the game TitanFall, on both XBone AND 360, will be multiplayer only. Honestly, this kind of thing only works in an MMO, or games like Team Fortress. Making a game that could EASILY have a strong singleplayer campaign multiplayer only is just stupid, and they guarenteed that it's only gonna appeal to the dudebro demographic.

I feel like its going to be another Brink disaster. It's best to either just focus on Multiplayer or Singleplayer alone so half-assed attempts aren't being drudged out into the gaming world, mixing the two will only lead to disaster.

[Insomniac]

On a related note, it has been announced that, while the E3 video implied otherwise, the game TitanFall, on both XBone AND 360, will be multiplayer only. Honestly, this kind of thing only works in an MMO, or games like Team Fortress. Making a game that could EASILY have a strong singleplayer campaign multiplayer only is just stupid, and they guarenteed that it's only gonna appeal to the dudebro demographic.

I feel like its going to be another Brink disaster. It's best to either just focus on Multiplayer or Singleplayer alone so half-assed attempts aren't being drudged out into the gaming world, mixing the two will only lead to disaster.

Dang it, I had JUST managed to forget about Brink recently. And yet I somehow remember Warhawk. But yeah, there's not goin to be any singleplayer in TitanFall. Multiplayer only.

[Sable Dove]

This explains why developers generally don't like putting out demos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QM6LoaqEnY

Honestly, the idea I posed addresses no less than half of the negative outcomes presented in that video.

Not really. Suggesting that they use part of the finished game for the demo is something most demos already do, and unless they release the demos only after a significant amount of time, it's still more likely to end up costing sales.
Post-release demos put out as sales start to fade are a good idea, but odds are most people who were going to get it already have, and any additional sales are likely to be at a reduced price, or will be purchases of used games.

Demos simply do not help publishers. Especially the ones who rely on strong marketing to carry a bad game.

[Insomniac]

This explains why developers generally don't like putting out demos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QM6LoaqEnY

Honestly, the idea I posed addresses no less than half of the negative outcomes presented in that video.

Not really. Suggesting that they use part of the finished game for the demo is something most demos already do, and unless they release the demos only after a significant amount of time, it's still more likely to end up costing sales.
Post-release demos put out as sales start to fade are a good idea, but odds are most people who were going to get it already have, and any additional sales are likely to be at a reduced price, or will be purchases of used games.

Demos simply do not help publishers. Especially the ones who rely on strong marketing to carry a bad game.

Actually, most demos are made using the unfinished game. Thus the disclaimer to that effect on every demo I've played since getting a 360, and just about every demo I've ever played in general.

[Zylver]

On a related note, it has been announced that, while the E3 video implied otherwise, the game TitanFall, on both XBone AND 360, will be multiplayer only. Honestly, this kind of thing only works in an MMO, or games like Team Fortress. Making a game that could EASILY have a strong singleplayer campaign multiplayer only is just stupid, and they guarenteed that it's only gonna appeal to the dudebro demographic.

Well, dammit, at least this is not the only game developers/publishers are going to screw up:
The new Legacy of Kain game named Nosgoth is going to be multiplayer only, which is a very big slap for the franchise IMO. LoK games were good because of the story, the world and the characters, and now they are making a stupid multiplayer game about it without Kain and Raziel
Also a bit off topic: here are some pictures about a LoK game which got trashed by the developers because they thought it would have been a bad game... but it would have had a single player! -.-

[EvilNinjadude]

On a related note, it has been announced that, while the E3 video implied otherwise, the game TitanFall, on both XBone AND 360, will be multiplayer only. Honestly, this kind of thing only works in an MMO, or games like Team Fortress. Making a game that could EASILY have a strong singleplayer campaign multiplayer only is just stupid, and they guarenteed that it's only gonna appeal to the dudebro demographic.

Well, dammit, at least this is not the only game developers/publishers are going to screw up:
The new Legacy of Kain game named Nosgoth is going to be multiplayer only, which is a very big slap for the franchise IMO. LoK games were good because of the story, the world and the characters, and now they are making a stupid multiplayer game about it without Kain and Raziel
Also a bit off topic: here are some pictures about a LoK game which got trashed by the developers because they thought it would have been a bad game... but it would have had a single player! -.-

At least it's not the same as making a new watered-down game that nobody in the original fandom wants to play BUT which is essentially continuing the single-player story from previous games.
*cough*deusex*cough*

[Tygron]

Demos simply do not help publishers. Especially the ones who rely on strong marketing to carry a bad game.

After watching the video it makes sense... but. I'm part of the crowed that for some games I simply will not buy them unless I have a chance to try it first. I wouldn't have bought Bioshock: Infinite otherwise. Bioshock 1 for PC was terrible and it isn't fun for me either on the 360. So that already put a bad mark for the Bioshock name for me. Luckily Snow let me try it on his computer and it became a must buy. If demo's show that the game sucks, then they need to go back and make a game that doesn't suck. It's that simple. If it's costing them sales and they go under because of it, then they weren't making games worth buying anyway. I'm sure i'm part of a rather small crowd, but some games I won't play without trying them first. Period.

I don't think I mentioned it before, but Snow actually was for the DRM on the xbone. And his explanation why made sense. The used games market is killing developers. Now the online passes came up and stuff like that, but the online pass thing was done rather badly. I don't have an answer to fix it, but it was done poorly. The online pass thing stopped me from being able to try BattleField 3, and thus never buying it. It coulda been a game to kill time with, now it doesn't matter. Personally I buy all my games new when I can, because I prefer new things over used things. The quality might not be any different, but I just don't like it. Some games you can't even buy new anymore anyway. And the xbone could have had drm. Personally I can't find a time when drm has really been a problem for me. Other than Steam throwing a hissy fit when I don't have an internet connection some times, I can't say i've had a problem. Honestly I have nothing to do on my computer most of the time if I don't have an internet connection anyway. But the way they were going about it was just all wrong, especially for features that didn't need the drm in the first place. Really if that's the only way they know how to do it, they need to be fired and get people in there who know how to program.

And I know in the end it all comes down to how can one make the most money. But when you're basically killing off a big margin of your sales by pissing them off and pushing them away from you, you won't get money. Sure Microsoft gets money from other areas, they have Windows and other things too. They don't really care. But I don't think they're really selling Windows 8 that well either. They thought it was a good idea to bring a tablet OS to the desktop PC, and it really isn't a good idea. Personally I don't see what was wrong with the older tablets that could run Windows XP. A full version of Windows XP. Sure that type of thing doesn't work well on a phone, but put that on a 17 inch screen and you're fine. Integrate touch controls into the desktop experience more. It really shouldn't be that hard to do. Now that I think about it, Windows 8 should have been the other way around. Putting a real OS on a tablet again.

[Zylver]

At least it's not the same as making a new watered-down game that nobody in the original fandom wants to play BUT which is essentially continuing the single-player story from previous games.
*cough*deusex*cough*

What really grinds my gears, is that LoK: Dead Sun is 10th (THE TENTH!) cancelled LoK game... I mean seriously, developers are given money to put a game together, and then all of a sudden they just decide to throw everything in the trash, because "the game was in the wrong place at a wrong time"?! That is the cheapest excuse I've heard about cancelling a game in development <.<