Business Approach Comparison Sony PS4 and Microsoft Xbox
- Thread starter BRiT
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In terms of games I disagree with you. If you mean cards and then hardware I will agree with you.
or find another hobby rather than gaming
The "different system" argument NOW works because Sony didn't follow Microsoft. Had Sony done so the only system left would be the Wii U and they are in their own universe.
My post was in response to the idea that consumers will accept whatever is given them when it comes to digital downloads and somehow MS is doing people a favor and my point is that they aren't.
Thankfully in PC-ville anybody with a website can sell a game. Of course this isn't the case with the console space. Then again "trusted computing" comes to mind
I was away on the weekend, so I couldn't respond.
There's a distinction between what I call core features and features that go beyond. A core feature to me, is controlling the Xbox Ones interface, purely by voice. Because it is built with this intention, the Ones interface is likely to be simplified and designed to work well. I bet that these things will work flawless because they effectively built it around that feature.
The problem then starts when you want to use voice-recognition and kinect to work with things that weren't designed around it. That basically includes any webcontent. Just about every website outthere is designed for viewing at a PC and a keyboard and mouse. With the increasing amount of smartphones and tablets, more and more websites are addressing that by making their content viewable on small screens (and navigatable by touch). There are still many sites that don't have this feature. Luckily, using your fingers to point, move and navigate websites is a bit like using a mouse and screens on tablets and smartphones are big enough (have sufficient resolution) to still view most of them conviniently.
Now, I named examples how voice-recognition is problematic on most websites. Take a search engine - how are you going to type search strings and navigate the results at the same time? Or tell X1 how to navigate the site for you, purely by voice commands?
BTW - Microsoft might be able to (want to) change their Bing search-engine and MSN/Hotmail website to work well using purely voice-recognition - but the majority of websites won't be. And the internet is simply too big and in that sense erratic/chaotic to bet on it.
The result is, you'll likely have to use your gamepad for most browsing situations, which is nothing new or exciting. It's already possible today on the PS3 and I'm sure the X360 too. And compared to using it on any smartphone or tablet, the browsing experience on the TV screen is a pain. And that's before you address the point, that in most occasions, reading newspaper articles (or just anything besides youtube) at a distance on a smallish TV screen is difficult - without using any Zoom-Function.
I'm not necesserally dishing the X1s ability to have all these wonderful features inside the box. I'm just a bit, well, lets just say critical. IMO - Microsoft is just too late with most features it views as 'the livingroom experience of the future', as most features are a lot more convinient on other portable gadgets. If it weren't for smartphones and tablets, yes I would agree and would be overly excited - but because of them, I'm precisely not.
I'm also interested to see how well Kinect and Voice-recognition will work, once you are not sitting in a quiet small livingroom, but a big, perhaps noisy one. Or even, if you are listening to a sports-channel at a reasonable volume, how well the Box will respond to your commands (unless of course you have a microphone ready to pick up - but I'm guessing the mics are where you place the camera, which will be at a distance for maximum effect). And at then, there's still a distinction between what is a simple command like "Xbox One, channel 7" or one "Xbox One, browser, search x y and z" (where x y and z might be named/strings and not recognized commands).
These are important points, considering this is Microsofts business approach - their vision of the future livingroom with Xbox. If this doesn't work well (as well as portrayed, but in daily experiences), what is left beyond the features that people are likely going to buy this for; games?
Just to add (this is the right topic for it):
What also will be interesting is that I'm assuming that Xbox One will have to be turned on, if you want to use a device that is connected to it, through its HDMI In. I.e. like a cablebox.
The Box better be extremely quiet and to re-iterate my point, the interface working well, so that people will actively continue to use it as the 'center of the livingroom'. I really can't imagine people wanting this, because you will now have at least 3 (or 2) devices turned on for basic TV - the TV itself, a receiver (if you have one) and the Xbox One. I actually think this whole 'center of livingroom' would work a whole lot better if they had simply made it 4 HDMI In instead of the one, because people might also have a seperate Bluray player, a HTPC or some other device - like a normal CD player. These things connect relatively easy to any receiver (even cheap ones) due to the many input interfaces they offer. It's clear that adding component inputs etc doesn't make sense, but at least multiple HDMI in would have made sense IMO.
What also will be interesting is that I'm assuming that Xbox One will have to be turned on, if you want to use a device that is connected to it, through its HDMI In. I.e. like a cablebox.
The Box better be extremely quiet and to re-iterate my point, the interface working well, so that people will actively continue to use it as the 'center of the livingroom'. I really can't imagine people wanting this, because you will now have at least 3 (or 2) devices turned on for basic TV - the TV itself, a receiver (if you have one) and the Xbox One. I actually think this whole 'center of livingroom' would work a whole lot better if they had simply made it 4 HDMI In instead of the one, because people might also have a seperate Bluray player, a HTPC or some other device - like a normal CD player. These things connect relatively easy to any receiver (even cheap ones) due to the many input interfaces they offer. It's clear that adding component inputs etc doesn't make sense, but at least multiple HDMI in would have made sense IMO.
I can imagine people wanting it. It's already a BD player. You can connect a PVR cable/satellite/freetoair STB and possibly have the option for voice control there too. Plus there's an always ready app and game environment.
They claimed "silent". It should be, given the size of the cooling system and low power modes. It may be enough for passive cooling in low power mode.
I'll plug a cable box into the back of it, and the X1 into the AV receiver. Whichever configuration would get most use of the voice UI and overlays. Switching/snapping.
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You would assume wrong. Pass-thru is passive and will work even if the Xone is off.
Johnny Awesome
Veteran
IMO the true coolness will not be in browsing the web and doing traditional stuff on your Xbox One, but the fact that new interactive experiences will become available like NFL fantasy football integration or running apps that integrate with popular TV shows, like voting for your favorite American Idol contestant etc... People will like this.
It will be interesting when the Xbox one finally hits the streets .....will demo's of switching ....snapping .....voice control of tv .....gesture control of games ....apps ....TV .....a shared game library .... catch the average family interest .
I've not seen this much hate for a games machine on the internet or the gaming press since the wii ....but that caught the public's interest and the rest is history so to speak .
I have a sneaky feeling that what a gamer wants and what your average two kids two adult family wants are not the same .
I think the wii proved that
Sony seem to be playing it safe in my book Microsoft seems to be taking a big risk and trying to expand there market share by taking a risk on a non traditional gaming machine .......TV control built in ....kinect built in ...a machine built to embrace digital down loads .
Are all risks that go against what a dedicated game machine is all about but if it hits a nerve with families like the wii did then well it may brake the wii's records for sales ....if it doesn't well I'm sure gamers will keep it alive for its exclusives just like we will keep the wii u live for Nintendo's exclusives
I've not seen this much hate for a games machine on the internet or the gaming press since the wii ....but that caught the public's interest and the rest is history so to speak .
I have a sneaky feeling that what a gamer wants and what your average two kids two adult family wants are not the same .
I think the wii proved that
Sony seem to be playing it safe in my book Microsoft seems to be taking a big risk and trying to expand there market share by taking a risk on a non traditional gaming machine .......TV control built in ....kinect built in ...a machine built to embrace digital down loads .
Are all risks that go against what a dedicated game machine is all about but if it hits a nerve with families like the wii did then well it may brake the wii's records for sales ....if it doesn't well I'm sure gamers will keep it alive for its exclusives just like we will keep the wii u live for Nintendo's exclusives
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Though true, MS is competing with touch devices in this area. And support for iOS and Android seems a higher priority to me for services than a console/CE device with a tiny fraction of the install base. Google says there exists already an (several!) NFL fantasy football app for iOS+Droid, for example. What does XB1 offer uniquely above and beyond what's possible elsewhere with a second screen that has touch interface and internet access?
I think the vision of console+TV is quite good, but the uptake will likely struggle and it'll fizzle out, maybe not in the US where MS can push support more readily across a unified market.
Compete I don't think so .....I just think there trying to bring all those things onto to the main screen in everyone's house .......after all most people arrange there furniture around there TV not there tablet or smart phone .
Is it a wining strategy to do this ...I don't know only time will answer that
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I have seen a lot of comparison between the XBox and the Wii - but I don't know that I believe that is an accurate comparison.
The Wii had 2 things that really made it sell well:
* A $299 price point in an era of $500 consoles
* A "social" component that was new and unique - and could be easily shared.
The first shouldn't be underestimated. As the other boxes came down in price, the Wii's sales came down as well. The second is something that was pretty unique to the Wii. It was more than just new motion controllers. It was the fact that you could take your Wii to your friends house for a party, they could play games with you, and go out the next day and buy the "fun" system for a reasonable price.
This generation, motion controls aren't "new". Social gaming doesn't seem the focus of either console (PS4 seems to be hard core gamers, while the Xbox seems to be a home media center). The price point for both consoles is higher than the Wii as well. I personally don't expect to see a repeat of the Wii's performance.
The Wii had 2 things that really made it sell well:
* A $299 price point in an era of $500 consoles
* A "social" component that was new and unique - and could be easily shared.
The first shouldn't be underestimated. As the other boxes came down in price, the Wii's sales came down as well. The second is something that was pretty unique to the Wii. It was more than just new motion controllers. It was the fact that you could take your Wii to your friends house for a party, they could play games with you, and go out the next day and buy the "fun" system for a reasonable price.
This generation, motion controls aren't "new". Social gaming doesn't seem the focus of either console (PS4 seems to be hard core gamers, while the Xbox seems to be a home media center). The price point for both consoles is higher than the Wii as well. I personally don't expect to see a repeat of the Wii's performance.
The new Kinect seems a fairly huge leap over the previous generation of motion control, and for multiple users at once without multiple controllers. If it can pick out individual voices at all, I'll be amazed. It could at least see who was talking in the Wired demo.
This will all depend on the content. How easy it is to set up an account and get the system to recognize you.
This will all depend on the content. How easy it is to set up an account and get the system to recognize you.
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The wii was different it tried something new and it hit a nerve with the general public its price may have helped its sales .
I would argue at its height Nintendo could have sold the first 60 million at a £100 more but I could be wrong .
Its sales slowed up after it was passed the 60 million mark which is to be expected really Xbox and PS 3 took much longer to reach 60 million
It took a different route from the normal more power same old game play route and reaped its rewards for it .
Now Nintendo couldn't pull it off a second time because they took a less adventuress path with the wii u in my opinion .
What ever way you look at it Microsoft are taking a risk by trying new things ...TV support built in .....kinect with every machine ......digital future embraced from the start .......
Sony on the other hand are just doing what the games industry has always done more power .....better games .
Microsoft are taking a big risk here and are getting no thing but bad press from the gaming press the same as Nintendo got with the wii .....that's the similarity I'm talking about .
Will it work trying to be different and bring different experiences into the living room through your TV .....I don't know only time will answer that question .
But I know this who would have thought Microsoft taking risks trying something new has the world gone mad .....you bet
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That's because you don't have to.
Take something like the NFL app. Consumers wanting that interactive TV experience and next-gen gaming have the choice of XB1 or PS4+touch device. Lots of people already have a touch device, so the advantage of XB1 in that respect is diminished. Likewise voting on American Idol - people already use their phone for that, and it makes the TV programme money which is why they are formatted that way. No-one's going to be keen to get an XB1 so they vote on that TV show, and I don't see the show being enthusiastic about people using their console to vote unless they can monetise. Even with a change of heart and interest in a free app on XB1 to allow user interaction, that same app is surely going to find its way onto touch devices.The obvious marketing position for XB1 is the uniqueness of the interface and the concurrent activities on the one screen that has the focus, but it's not offering something most people can't manage already threw other platforms such that it has a significant USP over PS4+touch device.
That's because you don't have to.
The obvious marketing position for XB1 is the uniqueness of the interface and the concurrent activities on the one screen that has the focus, but it's not offering something most people can't manage already threw other platforms such that it has a significant USP over PS4+touch device.
I agree you can do all these things already on a separate screen if you wish to but you cannot do it on a big plasma screen in between playing a game of halo or while you keep a eye on the big match snapped into the corner .
Will this impress Mr and Miss average family along with games ..kinect .....game sharing through the internet with your brothers and sisters and there family ....I don't know that's the bet Microsoft have made not me .
Would I make the same bet in Microsoft's shoes after seeing the wii brake console sales records maybe .
Really Microsoft can't lose in my book at £429 in England my guess is there not losing any money on the machine if its a 50 /50 split between games brought digital or retail my guess is there making more money from games than a all retail model .
Like I said I don't have a clue how successful Sony or Microsoft will be because at the end of the day its the family buying power that will decide who sells the most not has dedicated gamers chatting on forums like this
That's because you don't have to.
The MS deal with the NFL is for $400 million over 5 years, it is not for fantasy stats. They could have gotten fantasy stats for free with some co-marketing on them.
If you have PIP, you can game and TV simultaneously, and get Facebook and Twitter feeds and NFL stats to your mobile. If you are using all these services at the same doubt, I highly doubt you focus on the game is that much that looking away from TV to mobile is going to have a severe impact on your playing.
Yeah, but we're talking abigger picture here, what XB1 can enable regards interactive TV. I already said MS have a better shot at the US market where they can provide a more coordinated approach. They can buy interest in sports and develop apps and create an integrated experience that fits very well with US consumers. They'll be very hard-pushed to extend that to the RotW though. I can't see independent development of XB1 exclusive apps being commonplace, so they'll have to be bought, which isn't going to happen unless MS go on an amazingly expensive super-push to secure the living room with XB1.
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