Is Xbox One The Future We Want? One Geek Is Worried!

With Microsoft finally unveiling the Xbox One, we now know where they see the future of gaming headed. It just might not be the future we want.

Heavy focus on the Xbox One being “The One” device you need for all your entertainment needs just sits wrong with me. With all the devices most already own-whether it be a smart phone, PC, laptop or tablet- we already have a great setup for consuming entertainment. Having a immobile device that does everything is not how the busy citizen consumes information these days. For example, when I sit down and watch TV, I always have my smart phone next to me. I check Twitter, Facebook, and news feeds while watching a show or movie. I don’t need my gaming console to do that. I want my gaming console to do what throughout history it was made to do first and foremost, to play games. Everything else should come a distant second.

Speaking of playing games, Microsoft seems to be playing games with our emotions when it comes to used games and always online in regard to the Xbox One. So much back and forth from certain people within the Microsoft camp that just made everyone even more confused. What seems to be known is that games will be tied to your profile and that as long as you’re logged in to that profile, regardless if it’s your Xbox One or a friends, you can play said games. Still no straight answer on fees being involved to install on a 2nd Xbox One or if you simply have to deauthorize the game before selling it. The always online question seems a little more clear. It seems every 24 hours, the Xbox One needs to ping the servers to make sure you in fact own the game you are playing, otherwise it will not work until you do. A minor annoyance to say the least.

If you hated using the Kinect before, be prepared to hate it even more now. Every Xbox One will come bundled with the new Kinect, which is required to be connected at all times for the system to even function. I prefer not to have a camera and mic listening for my every command when I am not using the system it’s attached to. I wonder if there’s a soundproof box I can store the Kinect in while still having it plugged into the Xbox One?

With the first outings by Sony and Microsoft out of the way, we know that Sony went out of its way to show us that it wants to make games easier for developers to make for the PS4 so that people can do what a console is made for in the first place, to play games. Innovation can come from anywhere or anyone. Sony making that easier means that the gaming experience could be phenomenal on the PS4. Microsoft on the other hand? How about you just take a look at this video and you’ll get an idea of what they want you to experience.

When E3 2013 arrives on June 10th, will opinions change on the Xbox One and PS4, or is there no change in the minds of the masses?