Stupid Stupid Xbox

Mr E

The founder of the original xbox project has had a bit of a pop at the current xbox. An entertaining read, and pretty spot on for most of it (apart from the apple bit maybe - I don't want an Apple console to play Zynga games or Angry Birds on my TV).

http://ilikecode.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/stupid-stupid-xbox/

calex71

Interesting read, some good points though he does come across a little bitter at times and also at times understandably so.

What is the guy doing now if not involved with xbox?

EoghanIRL

Good read , some valid points . He is a bit spiteful towards the current xbox though .

GAAman

A pop?? That is like saying the iceberg had a pop at the titanic

Slugs

Mr E wrote: »

The founder of the original xbox project has had a bit of a pop at the current xbox. An entertaining read, and pretty spot on for most of it (apart from the apple bit maybe - I don't want an Apple console to play Zynga games or Angry Birds on my TV).

http://ilikecode.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/stupid-stupid-xbox/

With the casual gamer market ever on the rise, I think it really is a matter of time before his Apple prediction becomes realised...

There are numerous other faults on Xbox part. A clunky, unintuitive and ever growing,impossible to use interface that is designed specifically with kinect in mind, and is a symbollic "**** you and join the bandwagon" to all non-kinect users, the lack of interaction with the consumer base... I no longer see the community content being plastered around the site... But above all... The ****ing advertisements... Advertisements! ON A SERVICE I PAY FOR!... There are many, many, many more sins that Micro$oft must atone for...

As the casual market grows, and micro$oft continues to stumble, I think we'll see its consoles days numbered... The company seems more concerned about providing an entertainment system than a video games console, and this market orientation will cost them dearly in the future...

I for one will enjoy the demise...

Fingleberries

Slugs wrote: »

But above all... The ****ing advertisements... Advertisements! ON A SERVICE I PAY FOR!...

I understand the argument against the Core being ignored and many of the problems in trying to turn the Xbox into a Multimedia centre for casual gamers rather than receiving all the AAA goodness we have come to expect. But the advertisements on a paid service is a bit thin.

Sky is Paid Service with Advertisements. UPC is a paid service with advertisements, RTÉ in essence is a paid service with advertisements - there are probably other services that can also show this is a business model in the real world as well.

I'm not saying I like it, but Microsoft are a business, and they earn lots of money this way. They shouldn't be singled out for this as if they're the only one.

Slugs

Fingleberries wrote: »

Sky is Paid Service with Advertisements. UPC is a paid service with advertisements, RTÉ in essence is a paid service with advertisements - there are probably other services that can also show this is a business model in the real world as well.

Sky and UPC - From my understanding of how these services run, and correct me if I'm wrong, but these channels are television service providers. Although they run their own stations on this service, a lot of the channels are provided by separate television stations, who are responsible for their own broadcasting and, albeit receiving some compensation from sky, their own funding. Television programs are exorbitant to license and therefore the costs must be abated through advertising. Therefore, that business model has worked for the television industry and will continue to do so and, unfortunately, that's not going to change overnight.

RTE - I would argue, though this is not the forum to do so, that the showing of advertisements on a nationally run television station, paid for by the irish taxpayer, is an absolute disgrace and should not happen. Take a look at Britain. Advertisements are not shown on the BBC as it is a national television station funded by TV Licences... The reason advertisements are shown and accepted on Irish television is quite simply down to the ignorance and docility of the irish citizen.

XBL - There are no legitimate funding reasons for running XBL Advertisements other than for generating more funding for Micro$oft. They are earning a bare minimum of €50 annually from members which, up until last year when the advertisements began, was sufficient enough for the company. Yet again, the docility and ignorance of the consumer is the cause for advertisements to be shown on XBL, not a lack of funding.

Myrddin

I don't find ads on XBL bad at all & I f**king hate ads. In fact I've spotted a few things on ads & made purchases. Really don't see what all the fuss is about, you'd swear your gameplay is interrupted every ten mins in order to force ads down your throat like tv or something.

Slugs

EnterNow wrote: »

I don't find ads on XBL bad at all & I f**king hate ads. In fact I've spotted a few things on ads & made purchases. Really don't see what all the fuss is about, you'd swear your gameplay is interrupted every ten mins in order to force ads down your throat like tv or something.

I'm assuming by ads, you're specifically referring to advertisements for XBL content/services/games. That's not my issue. In fact, given how difficult it is to navigate the dashboard these days, I've found XBL CONTENT advertisements to be helpful.

What I'm highlighting are advertisements for Dairy milk, Nike, Adidas, [insert MNC] that have slowly but surely snuck their way onto the dashboard. And that's exactly how these things are instigated; slowly so that there isn't an uproar on the topic. And what astounds me is the behaviour of Micro$ofts staff towards complaints about advertising. Two seperate threads on the topic (not created by me by the way) were removed without warning from the Xbox forums. And why is that? Yes it's the vocal minority as usual, but these are logical complaints and questions.

I must look further to see if Micro$oft did give a press release or make a statement on this matter. However, what interests me is that given the thanks posts countering mine have received on this forum, as well as the opinions voiced by several posters, a number of you seem to be okay with it. Can I ask why?

From the outset, they don't NEED the money, if they did, I'm sure I'd have heard about it by now. This is not television, cinema or magazines. Advertising in these industries serves a specific purpose. Yes, it's not in the MIDDLE of your games NOW, but these things don't happen over night. Companies will slowly but consistently move the line to a point where they receive resistance from consumers. If they put advertisements in the middle of games immediately, consumers would complain. If they slowly introduce them to you, as time and experience has shown, it will get to a stage where you can't remember a time where advertisements weren't a part of the gaming experience. So tell me, if they don't need the money (If I'm wrong on this regard, if Micro$oft have released a statement on the introduction of advertising, please show me) and, if my argument is to be considered and postulated, then why are you, a paying consumer, accepting advertisements? Them "not getting in the way" does not hold up in my view. They, quite simply, should not be there.

Mr E

Silver users should see ads, Gold users should not (or should have the option to block them if they so wish).

MugMugs

An somebody who was an avid Xbox gamer and then 360 gamer until moving on to the better alternative, I read this article just nodding my head in agreement.

Granted he is a bit bitter but he makes some great points.

Can MS claw this back with the 720? I really don't think so.