Xbox One can provide a great experience whether you choose to purchase your games in store from a brick and mortar retailer, or if you decide to download all of your content digitally from the Microsoft Xbox Marketplace. I personally download all of my content from the store, and have not used to the disk drive to this day (okay, I did once to test for the original faulty Blu-Ray drive issue). It has just been revealed though, that at one point – Xbox One could have been a disc-less console.
The official Xbox magazine for the UK spoke to Microsoft Studio’s boss, Phil Spencer, about the design process of the company’s latest console. Spencer revealed that the company was considering removing the disk drive from the unit as late as mid-2013.
“There was a real discussion about whether we should have an optical disc drive in Xbox One,” commented Spencer, “we could get away with a purely disc-less console, but when you start looking at bandwidth and game size, it does create issues.”
So there it is, Microsoft struggled with the idea of creating a possible disc-less console, but decided against it due to current bandwidth constraints along with the massive size of some of the currently available game titles.
The fact that we have to remember is that Xbox is a universal brand, while some of us may have an excellent internet connection (I get 50 Mb/s down) – not all of us are so lucky. In areas where internet connections drip slower than molasses from a winter tree (what?), the disc-less option of an Xbox One just isn’t a possibility for all at the current time.
While a second Xbox One without a disc drive could have been a possible option, it most likely would have not affected the price by enough of a significant margin.
What do you think about a disc-less Xbox One?
Source: Xbox Magazine UK
Reader comments
Xbox One could have been disc-less; went with Blu-Ray instead
Hate discs. People need to let go. Digital cloud age :)
Eh, good thing they included a blu-ray drive. Since MS is pushing it as a media console, the ability to play physical media is a nice feature. At least it would factor in for me assuming I wanted to buy a console.
Hold on. Where do you get 50 mb/s download? And how much do you pay a month? You must have a business account.
I think disc less could be done as an optional system cheaper system, but for most it would not work.
I personally like having a BR drive, one less piece of equimpent in my tv stand.
Some games i keep until their worthless, others like the Batman series i trade in with a ton of value.
The current hard drive is too small.
Games could take forever to download.
Disc less only would have been a major mistake.
But, as prices come down offer a system with no drive for $299 and i bet it would sell.
Slow internet connection? I'll tell you what's slow. Waiting on a damn install of a disk on the Xbone. I didn't time my Dead Rising 3 because I put it in and got busy but NBA2K14 took like 3-4 hours to install last night. WTF!!! I'm missing my DVD9 right now. I guess I'll play the game tonight when I get home since last night was a wash. There is something about this Xbone that just doesn't give me that feeling like the 360 did. The 360 felt solid, software wise, while the Xbone feels sloppy.
I use my current console (Sony Playstation3) as Blueray and DVD reader at the living room. My next console will be Xbox One (yeah, not a Playstation4) and I'm happy that those functions are there. In my opinion the PS4 has lost this "TV companion" function and that is one of the reasons for me to switch to Xbox in this generation.
And off course I agree with the bandwidth problem. I have 4 Mbps of real bandwidth since I'm in a rural area of a "not that develop" country, Spain. So I really need to load games using a physical element like a BR or DVD disc.
Did the UK magazine ask relevant UK questions as to why we are being screwed? No TV guide functionality and relevant to blu-ray player... how could this box be released with no 50 Hz support? Or were they just fawning?
I would love if xbone came with full win8 without desktop. Then they could release all Xbox games on windows store.. + steam could made a client . This would be the most awesome *** ever! Would not even consider another console and my PC would gather dust
Had it been disc-less it would perhaps have been a tiny bit smaller. Had it been ever so slightly smaller it would have fit in the shelves beneath my TV. Had it fit in the shelves beneath my TV I would have bought one. As of now I'm not buying new furniture just to play Xbox games.
I think it's pretty dire that neither the Xbox One or the PS4 support 3D blu rays. I was looking forward to replacing my blu ray player, but no, I can't just yet. BOTH consoles feel rushed imho.
STILL no announcement for a Xbox One release in the Netherlands. Sigh. I'm thinking about importing one from Germany. Don't know the drawbacks though. If I can still set everything (including voice) on English language, I'll be happy.
Just because it would have been discless doesn't mean cartridge USB sticks couldn't have easily been sold. People don't understand how this would have worked.
If the xbox went discless i wouldn't of have gotten one
Maybe in the future when fiber optics are available in all areas of the world (ha!). But that's a sad downside in that tech upgrades can be expensive to implement. I think discs (as much as I love the cloud) will still be a necessity for some users for a few more years to come. (Go Go Gadget 100Mbps connectivity everywhere!) ;)
Oh, why not admit that they went with the disc player only/just because Sony was also going to do it, and having no disc player would have made, in a very strange way, Xbox have one feauture less than that in PS4.
Along with all those draconian drm measures announcing a diskless drive wouldn't be shooting themselves in the foot, it would've blow it off with a grenade.
Agree, would be in world of hurt if didn't. Would have saved costs, but need a bluray player and for game rentals
Internet only games should NEVER happen. There are people with slow internet or none at all.
Instead forcing car companies to increase MPG's in cars we need to be forcing these ISP's to increase download speeds. The fact that some people still have dial-up or really slow internet is baffling. In Europe....well I won't go there.
You won't go where? Tell us, I'm eager to know :-P
Got mine today, love it. But indeed, had to wait for ages that Call of Duty reached 50% dl so that I can finally give it a try... And then it told me to wait for some install right after the first "chapter". Kinect is awesome, but pad could have felt less "cheap" (light plastics). The picture is great and I even noticed that playing Far Cry 3 on my 360 through the hdmi in of the One removed some screen clipping I observed (I guess because of a little yet almost unnoticeable delay). Yes I know, there was no point in doing this.
And by the way, the One can command both my tv and my sound bar (through hdmi and optical) meaning that I don't have to bother turning them on/off manually nor tweak the volume using their respective commands.
Now I'll have to sell my 360 :-P
Sorry to expose my digital life, I "had" to share this with the community ;-)
I'm glad they didn't make it discless. When I get one, I plan on using it to play my Blu-Ray movies. That's a benefit PS3 has had for a while, and would have damaged Xbox sales even more IMO if X1 had not had one.
A disc less gaming\media center. That's the stupidest thing ever. I used my 360 all the time for movies. Which were on discs. I would expect the Xbox one would need that to be a full media center. Plus the lack of using USB media needs to get worked on. I have a Xbox one and I love it but going disc less woulda made me get a ps4
I bet we'll see a discless Xbox One within its lifespan.
I like both options. I prefer buying games through the store, but I constantly have to delete stuff (about 600mb free at every Games For Gold release) but really good games I buy in physical form cause I love to have a shelf with all my games. Currently all halo, fable, assassins creed, dragon age and mass effect games are there, and its limited ed on halo reach and halo 4, so. I prefer one with a disc drive. And a bigger HDD is really a requirement for me, cause 500GB fills up pretty fast.
One reason in favor of keeping a drive even if not required: marketing a la shelf space for games. Shelf space means customers are reminded of the console, and Microsoft needs customers to be reminded of their consoles, no matter what the streamists think. Get rid of the discs, and Xbox shelf space goes to next to nil. As for online store gift cards, it is rare for me to find any for Xbox these days, and never for the Windows Store, but I can easily find all kinds of gift cards for the Apple, Google, and Kindle stores.
Just where can I get that cyan L920?
Thankfully for them they included a disc drive or I wouldn't have bought it. I'm not a crazy gamer and def don't love spending $60 on a game im not gonna play that much. I just picked up rock band on 360 for .99 cents. That would never happen if there was no discs.
I want to watch my movies on it.. Nope don't like the idea
Anybody's Xbox"ON" voice not working?
When the system has an update it won't work. Need to manually turn it on. If it pauses on the Xbox logo don't reset it. Its updating.
Well, Sony is also a big partner with MS in computers and entertainment. Crackle is on the Xbox, which is owned by Sony. Sony makes PCs, and uses Android (MS owns the patents) in their Smart TVs
With Xbox One games coming in at 45 to 60gb they would have had to include a 2 terabyte hard drive. As it is now I delete all of my games after I am done playing with them, which is something I never had to do with my 360 and the 320gb hard drive.
I don't understand how they could even discuss a disc-less xbox. Pure ignorance.
I disagree 100%, Just a few years ago people thought it would be crazy to sell a ultra-book without physical drives but they are selling like hotcakes every day now.
100% ? Thank god the people at Microsoft had more wisdom
First you said it was pure ignorance for them to even consider a disc less Xbox One now you are talking about the Wisdom of the people at Microsoft hmmm.
My initial reply was to the fact that you said it was pure ignorance to even consider not including a disc drive in the Xbox One. Not sure how many product launches you have been part of but I know it would have been short sighted even ignorance not to consider all options.
I agree, disc-less would have been a deal breaker.
Driveless for 399.99 blu-ray players are cheap
I'm down for it, but a lot of noobs still prefer physical media. These same people who still buys cds and DVD movies and VHS and cassettes. Really?
So people who enjoy physical media are "noobs"? I think maybe it's you who are just a wanna-be modern kid? Otherwise you'd know that many people enjoy the freedom physical media gives them. And that collectors don't collect computer files.
If you don't see the value and freedom found in physical media, I think you're the noob.
I think "noob"(= newbie = new player) isn't a word for this board.
I meant noob as in, they're not open and ready to accept the idea of cloud media. I have ALL of my media on my phone, and surface.. Lets see you lug around your cd collection to school or work. Its just a matter of time until they incorporate Xbox on mobile via tablet or phone.. That is your freedom to play any game, any time. And that is why noobs are the reason why technology is advancing really slow.
I do not think that word means what you think it means. But seriously, it has less to do with not accepting change and more to do with physical=an asset while digital=convenient but not much else. Carrying your entire music/game collection is nice. Now try to sell it (legally) and let me know how that works out for you.
They'll do a version sans drive eventually and sell both side by side for a while. Completely discless just seems too far off to me. Even with broadband I still want a way to just pop in a disc and watch a movie.
Bluray drive eliminated the need for me to go out and get one
Disc-less would also fall better within the original DRM policies which in good time were scrapped.
I, on the other hand, would never buy it without discs. First because I don't like to download games. Second because download games take more space than necessary. And third, and most importantly, because my console (in my case a PS3 but it could apply to any other console) is also my Blu-Ray player (which is why I never bought a 360). So the absence of a Blu-Ray player would be an immediate deal breaker for me, even more than the horrible designs of the new-generation consoles, the mandatory but useless (to me) kinect, or any other silly restrictions. Actually, the abcense of a CD player and media-streaming capabilities in the PS4 was enough to put it aside in my consideration-list, even with the Xbox One reducing the image quality of games.
All Xbox One games take the same space if you download it or install it from the disk. About no Blu-Ray player being a deal breaker for you I would say the group of people that apply to is getting smaller and smaller. The number of people streaming shows and movies is growing ever single day. I for one don't even have any laptops with dvd/cd/blu-ray drives anymore.
Not sure what you mean by the Xbox One reducing image quality. The Xbox One is full 1080p and it is design to handle 4k TV’s as well. I know some games at launch are 720p but that is do to the developer not do to the Xbox One. Forza for one run at 1080p at 60 frames per second without any hiccups at all.
Preach!!!
Knew this long ago. In about two years they'll release a "slim" Xbox One that is disc-less.
Why would anyone like Disc less games? That means you cant sell your copy or lend it to a friend once your done.
I have no desire to sell my games and certainly not lend them out, I pay good money for my games and no one touches them. Also if Sony fanboy media hadn't ruined things we would be able to share games digitally.
I am trading in all my games this time. I'm not finishing this generation with hundreds of basically worthless games.
MS had answers for each of those concerns but had to backtrack due to the DRM outrage. It's really too bad IMO.
The solutions they provided were overly convoluted and skewed heavily in the favor of the gaming companies. They were specifically designed to discourage people from reselling their games in the mistaken belief that companies are still entitled to be paid for a product beyond the first sale.
I don't really agree with that assessment - seems like an oversimplified conspiracy theory of a very complex issue. Regardless, the anti DRM crowd spoke loud and clear and Microsoft listened. Some were thankful, some were disappointed, most could probably care less.
You are not obligated to agree. Doesn't change the fact that it was destined to blow up in their faces one way or the other. Take it from someone who knows a bit more about the second-hand market than the average person.
But you are alright with a third party company to reap the profit by allowing you to trade in your old games with a false sense that you are making a saving?
This vicious cycle actually causing the publishers to incorporate the the potential future profit into the cost of the new game. The first hand buyers are bearing the punishment of the trade in.
Except you are assuming I am only talking about gamestop. There are other places to sell games too such as eBay and Amazon and even Craigslist. And in all honesty I'd recommend people go through those channels as Gamestop's trade-ins stopped being a deal a long time ago. It's like people completely ignored the fact that in order to make a direct sale to someone with an Xbox game you would have to have a person on your friend list for 30 days first and no, as far as we know it did not just apply to digital sales. Also, love it or hate it but Gamestop does serve three small but very important functions. First, it is the only way to buy a game and return it if you don't like it. Second, it gives people who don't hang out on the internet exposure to games that they would probably not have heard of otherwise. And third, it actually does help to grow the number of fans of a series. There are many people who buy a sequel new because they found a cheap used version of the first game.
So how does that answer the issue that after initial purchase, game developers who had server farms have zero revenue and people are still using their services?
A game does not deteriorate unless the media itself is abused - and trading in a license makes just as much sense as trading in a game. If a developer/publisher wants to stifle license trade-in, it becomes an advantage for their competitors (eg: if COD didn't allow digital trade-in, then BF would be a safer buy for someone who was looking for that option).
The demands of the market dictate interest in what's important. It just seems like a few sticking points with a couple of bad decisions allowed the masses of people who DIDN'T ACTUALLY KNOW what the product was determine what would be released.
If their "heartbeat" was instead "Console has to be online, at home, to trade the game in at the store" and there was no online-only or kinect-on-only requirements, the rest of it should have been just fine, and the problems we're seeing with the XBone now with the last-minute re-engineer would instead have been put into actually getting the features that we want working well.
Hell, an online-MS-hosted auction house for digital licenses could have worked just as well, so instead of Kijiji and the like, you'd simply be able to put up your product on the marketplace and have it sell for fair market value based on supply/demand (or whatever unreasonable price you want to put on it).
The fact that pub/devs would get a cut of it is unimportant - it means that your used sales aren't canibalizing their sales of their product so they can stay afloat rather than seeing major studios shut down after a single game release that fails to sell like "Tickle Me Elmo".
I guess that would make sense if it weren't for the fact that used games did not suddenly show up overnight. They have always existed and the used market continues to grow because at the end of they day it's still cheaper. Again, look at my points, especially the one about being able to return games. The problem is that gaming companies are trying to apply PC rules to console gamers when they are actually two separate demographics. You and i understand the concept of licensing but a person who buys physical does it because they see a different value in it versus a digital download. A console gamer buys a game and expects to be able to sell, trade, do whatever they want with it to recover some of the money spent to roll it over, more often than not, into their next game purchase. If you went up to the average console gamer and told them they shouldn't sell their disk because the company only licensed it to them, they'd laugh at you at best. Would the solutions you proposed work? Dunno. Companies have a habit of sabotaging workable ideas in their quest for ever more money (and no Microsoft's ideas weren't workable). Anyways, a company always takes a risk when releasing a big budget game. Saying it fails just because used games exist is not entirely true as that assumes that all the games were good enough to sell themselves. For all you know the person who bought it used returned it the same day because they hated it.
I buy digital copies so me and my wife can play the one copy at the same time across 2 consoles. Saves buying 2 copies
I only buy digital games for several reasons:
1) hot swapping feature (i.e. being able to say "Xbox, go to Killer Instinct" and then "Xbox, go to Dead Rising 3" without having to get up, walk to the TV stand, find the Killer Instinct case, press the eject button, put Killer Instinct disc back on the case, put the case back on the shelf, grab the Dead Rising 3 case, open it and take out the disc and then put it into the drive, then put the case back on the shelf, then go back to the couch and sit down is worth not being able to re-sell a game.
2) no scratched or broken discs (it happens if you have kids in the house; $60 down the drain)
3) having an entirely digital library means I can play my games on any Xbox One without having to lug around a bunch of discs
The only problem is that currently it is possible to find disc-based games cheaper than their digital counterpart, which is baloney and should never be the case, and is also the big reason I'm mad at all the ignoramuses who freaked the frack out back in June and forced Microsoft to remove it's awesome features (e.g. disc based games now require discs in the drive, no family sharing plan, etc.).
That is a Killer feature. I downloaded Fifa14 it's awesome not having to put a disc in my Xbox One.
It also means the cost is much lower.
You know what would be intereting? If Microsoft built a Windows Steam Box. Think about it, it's basically a Windows 8.x PC with an Xbox One controller, maybe with expandable RAM and HDD options. Of course, an optional UI overlay and optional Kinect would be interesting too.
Why? I'm thinking of using hardware as a means to keep Steam on Windows and to co-opt Valve by bringing a chunk of its users to the Microsoft eco-system. There are also some people looking to replace console gaming with PCs, why not cater to that market?
Microsoft can steadily update those PCs to become more like Xbox, e.g. a more living room friendly UI, using apps to help install and manage games remotely, etc.
Others may buy such Microsoft hardware as an alternative to the Mac Pro. A Windows Steam Box *would* have incredible hardware and Windows. If given an attractive Surface-esque design, it may catch on beyond gamers.
I call it "Spark Box."
A better option is for Microsoft to allow a Steam client app to be installed on the Xbox. It'll never happen as they want you spending money on XBox Live games but it's far more likely than MS building a console for a third party.
Depends.
They can't afford letting companies such as Valve stem out and make their own OS and hardware.
The balance of Steam development today is built on Windows, they shouldn't lose it. Instead, they should co-opt it. They want people on Windows 8.x, they want people exposed to Xbox services and the Windows Store...they want people to spend on Microsoft.
There are people out there building their own gaming PCs, MS should try and lure them via Microsoft hardware. Just put out a high-end desktop PC with some special features (such as optional Kinect and a variation of Xbox One's UI when in living room use).
If/when there are enough Steam users logging in from the Windows Box, Microsoft can passively encourage game developers for Steam to use Xbox Gamertags, Start tiles, advertising in the Windows Store, etc. Get these developers to keep focusing on Windows and force Valve to keep catering to Windows.
I'm sorry but that is a terrible idea. Force Valve to forever depend on a closed-source, proprietary OS made by a company that's also competing in the same industry? No thanks. I love Valve and Microsoft both, but Microsoft trying to force Xbox into Steam would be terrible. IMO Valve should be pushing Steam support on Linux instead of SteamOS (which will be awful for the first year or two). That way 1.) They're not needlessly jumping into the console market yet, 2.) developers may be more willing to write for Linux, and 3.) Valve looses dependence on Microsoft and Apple.
Yeah, because Windows works great with a controller.
I think they should still release a cheaper disk less version
Hope so.
Yes please; give me a $100 device that runs Xbox music/video, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, YouTube, etc. as well as some lightweight games or other apps adapted from mobile. Oh, and make it compatible with Kinect so I can add on gesture/voice control and Skype. That is all.
this! . Give customers a choice. I personally wish Microsoft had stuck to their guns and allowed user the option to install the disc once and play from the console going . It's a shame Microsoft gave in to all the crybabies.
+1
That would have been handing the next round of the console battle to Sony.
Would have liked for there to be no disk drive.
Molasses is derived from sugarcane, so it wouldn't drip from a tree at all.
I believe the saying is "slower than molasses in winter"
It is (although around these parts we say "in January"), but that's not what the article says. :P
How much in royalties are they paying to Sony for each sold system with one of their drives?
Zero. Because both Microsoft and Sony are co-owners of Bluray, along with a dozen more companies.
I've only had a real quick read, but doesn't look like MSFT is involved at all? http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-ray_Disc_Association
Microsoft isn't involved with Blu-Ray, which is why they tried to push HD-DVD on Xbox 360. I've also always wondered how much they pay Sony for each XB1 sold.
Sony's cut from the BDA fee might be $1-2 dollars? For a company that makes $6 billion in profit a quarter, it's a rounding error.
My mistake. Thank you.
Would've been horrible. Glad it added a drive. :)
Gross. With only a 500 GB hard drive included, and with some games as large as 50GB~, the storage would fill up fast if we were forced to download everything. Plus that would mean no blu-ray player built in.
Don't disc based installs use the same space?
I don't know if the Xbox One requires disc installation. I personally don't own one yet, but I do know it's optional on the 360.
The install process is required for every physical game I've tried so far. It killed the excitement somewhat Christmas morning when the boys and I had to wait an hour or so while we applied the installs for the three games that were in our stockings. While we waited we had to interact with family and friends like normal humans... through txt messages on our cell phones.
Oh so true. Sent messages to my friends on my L1520 through the Xbox One Smartglass App.
Yeah all games have to install so disc or no disc, its the same size. It will be better when you can connect a hard drive. In saying that, im still yet to fill the hard drive
I would have liked one, I never really buy a physical disk anyway and it is more economical (unless you leave your Xbox one on all day ofc)
Plus most cable companies are putting caps on data. For the first time ever I went over my 300 GB Comcast cap. Nothing changed in my house except adding 2 new Ones on top of 2 360's. Downloaded all games would cost you more on your internet bill. Especially if you start deleting and reinstalling due to a 500GB One.
I'm glad it has a Bluray drive. If I ever upgrade, I want to be able to replace my 360 AND Bluray player. If they wanted to tout it as the "home media supercenter" it supposedly is, it should at least play Blurays.
(Wait, the Xbox One can play Bluray movies, right? o_O)
Yes it can play movies
Just not 3D
Not yet, but support for 3D is planned by MS.
It would have been great.
Agreed. I love that Microsoft is brave enough to contemplate doing something different. We're never going to move forward if we just keep creating the same playstation every couple of years, and the same iPhone every year. Change is good, and I wish there was more of it.
EDIT: On second thought, as much as I like the idea of Microsoft doing something outside of the box, I also agree with their vision of Xbox being a complete media center. So in that case, it should play discs.
Copypasting Steam/App Store, so different and innovative.
Change is good,
wat
It's different for a console. You can't tell me people wouldn't have freaked out and complained about the change and that they prefered the old system. That's something different to me.
My internet is slow. Im currently using my 360 as a digital only device due to DVD drive dying a second time. GTA V was a ridiculous download with the 4 updates. Took almost 8 hrs.
My 2 y/o daugther broke the DVD on my X360 almost two years ago. Been using it as digital device, too. Just 3 months ago II got rid of my DSL line. Started tethering my Lumia 822 for downloading all those Game with Gold games. Currently downloading Sleeping Dogs. it will take more than a month... hehe... oh well at least my backlog is more than 5 games... oppps.
Suicidal. Absolute necessity.
Agreed! Without it I would not have purchased. Nor would I have recommended it to friends prior to their purchase of their own.
I agree. I like to be able to check sites for deals that Xbox Marketplace take years to provide (discounted games and movies). I love everything Xbox, but I would not have purchased either unless I had a choice of online purchase services to get the best game and movie deals.
Agreed. I actually find it worrying that MS would even consider building an "all-in-one entertainment system" without an optical drive.
Me too, it would have killed it. They scare me.
Digital only is 100% about controlling prices and eliminating 2nd-hand game sales.
We all know how great the Steam prices are... but would MS follow-suit? I'll give up a disc drive if it means games will be on discount. Steam is a success because the pricing of games makes it attactive.
But let's look at Xbox Live in its current form.. where the digital version of some games cost $5 to $15 MORE than the disc version. Why?
Why in the world would I download Saints Row the 3rd regular edition for $30 on Live, when its $20 on Amazon for the 'ultimate' version with all DLC?
http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/Saints-Row-The-Third/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d8025451086d?cid=SLink
http://www.amazon.com/Saints-Row-Third--Full-Package-Xbox/dp/B009DZTXR4/ref=sr_1_2?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1388764626&sr=1-2&keywords=saints+row+the+third
I want to be able to shop around for the best deal, and that's out the window in a digital-only eco. Unless it means Best Buy and Amazon get to sell game codes (and not just Live gift cards to buy the games) and can offer sales like they do now.
I agree, that is a major reason, as is the fact that having the device as the One solution to the problem of multiple media devices in the living room tends to necessitate the need for a disc drive. I have suggested previously, that the problem of bad digital pricing could be addressed by allowing companies to offer digital downloads using apps. If Game had an app, they could use their muscle to offer great discounts. They could also offer a trade in facility. Thereby deleting the digital copy of a game and offering you a value against a new digital purchase. Nobody loses as they could offer the publisher a kick back. Problem solved. The established stores gain, so still happily punt hardware. Developers cash in, MS cashes in.
Oh boy. It's not for that at all. It's for convenience. Go back to wearing your tinfoil hat.
What? Explanation needed.
There is nothing convenient about paying more for a vastly cheaper product.
Steam prices are great beucase they have a ridiculous amount of competition.
It just doesn't work on closed platforms, PSN/Live are a joke.
Steam does terrible doesn't it? It is funny how people online went crazy, but I guess Steam just passing 7.5 million online at once as opposed to making 50 million plus consoles...
Though imagine going from leaded gas to unleaded...
Or what happens when we want to kill 32bit processors?
Oh my.
How can you compare Steam to a console? 0_o
It is an online game delivery service.. Although you can still install disk games.. So...
The bluray drive plays a lot more important role then just to install games, it plays Bluray movies without which Microsoft would not be able to call the Xbox an entertainment device.
And you can't compare a console with Steam which is a service and is dependant on PC hardware.
You guys understand digital only would have made it a Steam Box right?
You understand that if it ran Windows 8 full, without desktop, like it should have, it would have been a Steam Box?
MS made some huge mistakes with the Xbone.
I would love if xbone came with full win8 without desktop. Then they could release all Xbox games on windows store.. + steam could made a client . This would be the most awesome *** ever.
I tottally agree. Or at least where the majority of them could. If you look at the 360 library, there's a fair number of them, especially 'arcade' titles that would work awesome on most PCs.
A lot of the titles are too big on the One to support diskless today. Furthermore as other have pointed out, the drive also provides Bluray movie support. It would have been dumb to not have it.
I'm still surprised there hasn't been more of an uproar over the ditching of the 360 library of games/apps. This to me is like if Apple released a new device, but abandonded the existing App Store.
I think the abondoning of the 360 and PS3's libraries was a coordinated effort by Sony and MS. I think both of them didn't want to put in the effort to include these libraries and made a secret agreement not to include them with their new consoles. They both saw what happened to nintendo when they introduced the N64 and abondoned all the old NES games and sony went from the PS1 to the PS2 and did not abondon their PS1 library. Nintendo has never recovered. Do you really think Sony would repeat a mistake that they devastated a competitor with, yeah right.
That's why I think Sony and MS made a secret agreement for them both to abondon their old consoles libraries.
Can I buy my Xbox games from Sony?
I think a lot of the policies, procedures and functionality have come before the market is ready. There were some interesting ideas re drm, and all the rest - and one mighty u-turn.
Not to say ms's vision won't come true, but it certainly isn't for the short term future...
More importantly, a Cyan Lumia 920... Rare as rocking horse poo these days!!
So glad I waited for mine at launch, that cyan is beautiful.
i have one too :P it's really beautiful
A rocking horse poo?
ehm no :D a lumia 920 in cyan :P
Before the market is ready? The issue was just bad PR. Microsoft was attempting to bring to the console market the same thing Steam brought to PC. As for article, having disc does make it easier to deal with bad bandwidth or no internet circumstances so it wad a smart move.
Except we have tons of competition driving prices down on PC.
You'll never see something like Steam on a console.
Most of the original policies made sense in a digital download world. But the reality is many people's ISPs are ready for that kind of downloads.
I assume you mean not ready.