A current generation system that has been out the longest is the last to announce a new system. If you don't see a problem with that, well then something is wrong with you. Sony had stated they would hold off until Microsoft announces their new system, and alas, they couldn't wait any longer. The thing is, they still have not come out and said they plan to announce the new system. All things point to it happening at the upcoming Microsoft meeting, however, they are saying this is simply an annual meeting. One thing to keep in mind is that most of the "rumors" for the PS4 were actually confirmed during the reveal, and that doesn't bode well for Microsoft judging the rumors around the new system. Here are the five reasons why Microsoft continues to set themselves up for failure:
1. Console DRM Gaming - This is currently a strong rumor involving the new system. There are plenty of people living in areas that can only support DSL, or no internet at all. Some people can't afford the internet and buy systems second hand. The recent issues with the new Sim City and having to wait on servers just to play a single player game is honestly a joke. Imagine just wanting to play Madden on your own season, but you can't because the server is down. You have no intentions of playing online, and you're not allowed to play something you paid for because there's too many people on a server. Then there's server maintenance. If the system requires an internet connection, I just can't see how this would be beneficial at all.
2. No Used Games - This is the pretty obvious rumor at this point. Microsoft has yet to downplay this idea, either. It will take jobs away from people, and really close out the market for consumers. Sony has stated that you can try any game you like before buying it thanks to Gaikai streaming. If the consumer can't rent a title, or just wait to pick it up used a few months later for cheaper, it really narrows down the consumer options for promoting. Retail outlets help promote your titles, yet you're going to put them out of business due to the only thing that keeps them afloat.
3. Kinect-focused Casual System - Sure, games like Halo and Gears of War won't be abandoned, but a Kinect required system doesn't bode well for potential shovelware. There's plenty of that recently on the Xbox 360. The idea that Microsoft may not even bother with having a controller on the new system would kill off the hardcore players. Also another reason listed below involving the Kinect could be the ultimate killer going in.
4. No Blu-Ray Support - Recently it was revealed that the new system will not be supporting Blu-ray. Now this could mean one of two things, either it won't support movies and will have high density discs, or the system could be all digital. This might be the reason the used games won't be supported, and with DRM, this route makes perfect sense. There is no way possible they would do dual-layer dvd's at this point. Honestly, any partnership for developing for Microsoft would once again limit the other consoles if they offer a medium with half the space that the other systems handle. I would not be surprised if this ends up being all digital, which would mean the people with weak internet are left out to hang.
5. The New Kinect Patent - It was revealed today that Microsoft has filed a patent involving the Kinect to monitor what you are doing. According to Extremetech.com, Microsoft is going the way of Big Brother. What this seems to mean, at the moment, is if you have too many people trying to watch or listen to something, they will charge you for another license. It's bad enough that there's a rumored increase in a Xbox Live subscription, on top of having to pay for movies, music, and streaming services. Some might down play this, but it's an opening for things that could potentially be far worse down the road.
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