I definitely think this would be bad business for the console manufacturers if the are indeed considering this.The console business has been stagnant to declining as the consumer has a great many options now including mobile options.Why send even more customers away in droves.I,personally,could care less as i have not bought a used game in many many years since the days of the Turbo Duo(A.k.a PC Engine Duo in Japan which basically was a souped up TurboGrafix 16 with cd drive).Sometimes when you buy games from overseas,used ones are sometimes your only options as the new copies are in limited supply.
I think it would be quite terrible... but you know, we said the same thing a couple years ago when Microsoft began taling about making Office a yearly subscription. And now we have... Office 365, the new yearly subscription. Bad or not, I bet it will be how Microsoft goes.
@DavidP wrote:
I think it would be quite terrible... but you know, we said the same thing a couple years ago when Microsoft began taling about making Office a yearly subscription. And now we have... Office 365, the new yearly subscription. Bad or not, I bet it will be how Microsoft goes.
But they still have Office 2013 for sale!
http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msca/en_CA/DisplayOffice365ComparePage
TH
@ wrote:
But they still have Office 2013 for sale! http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msca/en_CA/DisplayOffice365ComparePage
TH
Yes, but with the subscription 365 out, it is easy to see where they intend to go. The subscription format should make a bit more profit per seat for them, when you consider a lot of companies and end users do not upgrade with every new release. Often, a single version is in use for the span of two releases, so the cost is well below the $100/year that O365 costs.
Get that 2013 while you can... it could well be the last non subscription Office you will see.
@ wrote:
@Triplexes wrote:
But they still have Office 2013 for sale! http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msca/en_CA/DisplayOffice365ComparePage
HTH
Yes, but with the subscription 365 out, it is easy to see where they intend to go. The subscription format should make a bit more profit per seat for them, when you consider a lot of companies and end users do not upgrade with every new release. Often, a single version is in use for the span of two releases, so the cost is well below the $100/year that OHIO costs.
Get that 2013 while you can... It could well be the last non subscription Office you will see.
That could be true I haven't heard anything at this point.
TH
@ wrote:
That could be true I haven't heard anything at this point.
TH
I am into nothing but wild speculation here, I have no direct knowedge. Just my opinion of the direction things are going.
To rekindle the video game conversation flame so-to-speak (and to perhaps further anger potential Xbox 720 buyers, myself included), I thought I'd update this thread with the latest rumors on Microsoft's next console, codenamed "Durango".
Clearly, no consumers had favorable things to say about eliminating second-hand games, but yesterday's
ARS Technica report suggesting that the next Xbox will tightly integrate Kinect (and by 'tightly' I mean it will require it to work) should either further infuriate gamers or engage their curiosity in what may be a cool future tech-feature of next-gen gaming. (I'm definitely thinking it'll be the former) In any case, it'll spur some good debates.
What do you all think about Kinect being a required part of the "NextBox"? Have you tried the current Kinect and if so, what do you think? Personally, it's not bad and can be fun, but I think there is much room for improvement. Can't wait for the consoles to be unveiled already! 😃
I am not a huge gamer at this point, but I do some. I would have a hard time seeing how some current games would be viable for play on Kinect only. Not a good idea to have it required for ALL games, and it certainly will not help to attract new blood into the pool of owners. Even if I decided to purchase a console at this time, one that required Kinect is likely to stay on the store shelf.
No matter what happens,i will continue to do most of my gaming on the pc.I have never been one for gaming gimmicks like Kinect(it's not a new idea..it's actually based on a concept that has been around a very long time),laser guns for games,junk plastic guitars and the like.I am sure the Microsoft marketing machine will do their best to tell you you need this.The single most important goal of marketing is usually to create a market for the product in the first place.In comes the hype..state of the art..etc.I'm a marketer's worst nightmare as i don't buy into marketing speak and avoid advertising like the plague.IN the end it's all about the quality of the games.I'd be content with a normal xbox controller honestly.I will definitely reserve judgement on the next gen systems until i get a chance to play some finished products.Specs on paper are meaningless unless the devs can find a way through clever programming to take advantage of the hardware and that usually takes quite a bit of time.It will be interesting to see how it all plays out and who will come out on top.
Alright!! Some video game feedback to spur conversation! You guys both make some good points.
DavidP-While it's all speculation at this point and I'd need to see how exactly Kinect is integrated within the console, I definitely agree that having it be a mandatory part of ALL games isn't a good idea. That said, if you've seen any recent 360 ads on TV, pretty much any new game coming out tries to integrate Kinect in one way of the other. But it's optional and the slogan in "Better with Kinect". So...if Microsoft really refines the Kinect and makes it truly great (unlikely), maybe gamers won't complain. Still, having it be a voluntary game enhancer rather than a "must use for game to work" is a better idea IMO.
superssjdan-Not a PC gamer myself, but totally agree with your "game quality is top priority argument". And hey, if the new Kinect is ground-breaking and literally game-changing (while still keeping gaming comfortable and fun), then I'm all for it and willing to adapt. I don't see that happening yet and I would assume the next Kinect will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. Still, only time will tell and, like you, I will reserve my judgement until I can get my hands (or at least my eyes) on the new consoles.
Thanks for the input, guys!
My my...the "NextXbox" rumors and gossip just keeps flying in. This time, though, it's in the form of a harsh criticism from Xbox founder Nat Brown! Oh, and it has an
Apple twist!
Saying the the last five years of Xbox have been painful to watch, Brown says that Apple, if it wanted to, could "kill the Xbox" as well as the others in the form of a more advanced Apple TV.
Obliviously the Apple TV, in its current form, is nowhere near a game console, but the fact that it runs iOS makes it an easy and attractive platform for developers, who, in return, have created a great deal of fun "mobile" type games for users to enjoy. While an Xbox equivalent from Apple may never happen, Brown wishes Microsoft would adopt a similar game and app distribution model so that games become easier to develop.
What do you think about all this? Is an Apple gaming console a farfetched idea? And, does Microsoft need to change it's model to be more developer-friendly?
It is an interesting thought. Apple has long been criticized for the degree of control that they enforce when it comes to apps for the iOS devices. If I am not mistaken, there are now far more available apps for the Android platform than iOS. Should Apple decide to go into the console business, I think they will need to be willing to be a little less controlling of the developers, unless they go in the direction of no physical game boxes at retail stores. Would gamers be willing to go with Apple Store downloads only for their games?
I have always been of the opinion that everything Apple makes is overpriced and overrated.I cannot imagine Apple reasonably pricing any hardware for gaming.Pricing does play a role in ones choice to a point.I talked to a few people from Ubisoft at a show a few years back and i remember one of them remarking how easy it was to develop for Xbox360 in comparison to some of the competition.I do not own a single Apple item in my household and do not intend on changing that anytime in the near future.I have developed an almost hatred for Apple and it's practices in much the same way equally some people feel about Microsoft.I am sure Apple has definitely thought about a home gaming platform,but with the margins thinning at the Big 3,i would advise them against it.It would have to be something truly unique for most gamers to even give it a thought.God i miss the old days of 2 major players Sega and Nintendo,and if your were lucky enough to own one of their machines..NEC.Gaming seemed so much more enjoyable back then.
@ wrote:
......I do not own a single Apple item in my household and do not intend on changing that anytime in the near future......
To be fully honest... Same here. I have never owned any Apple product.
