Now I am pretty upset about the XBone also, so this is not a defense, merely a call for some reason in the gaming community. Everyone seems to have missed (or ignored) the fact that all games are digital on the XBone. Buying a game disk is like buying a PC game from Amazon nowadays. You at most get a disk in the mail, install it, and activated it in Steam for a large percentage of games, or in Origin for a smaller percentage.

Yeah, and all that hoop-jumping is what turned a lot of people AWAY from PC games. Consoles offered 'put it in and play, no questions asked' - which people liked.

Which is why I like the solution I gave instead of having to figure out how to resolve the two just make them separate ways to get the game. Also, that's why most people just download the games on PC now instead of purchasing a disk, it's a coaster after you install it.

Now I am pretty upset about the XBone also, so this is not a defense, merely a call for some reason in the gaming community. Everyone seems to have missed (or ignored) the fact that all games are digital on the XBone. Buying a game disk is like buying a PC game from Amazon nowadays. You at most get a disk in the mail, install it, and activated it in Steam for a large percentage of games, or in Origin for a smaller percentage.

Yeah, and all that hoop-jumping is what turned a lot of people AWAY from PC games. Consoles offered 'put it in and play, no questions asked' - which people liked.

I actually question whether Ownership is the best model for video games, but that's a

The best model is always a mixed approach. What's that adage about eggs and baskets?

Okay, NOW I'm intrigued! :D

No mandatory camera is a big deal. I still can't believe that MS's confirmation of a mandatory camera & online check in came out on the same day as the PRISM disclosure.

And then, of course, it could also do this.

Shots fired all night long.

$399
No online check-ins
No DRM
Region free
User upgradeable hard drives
Drive Club free on launch of PS4 for PS+ users

Bummer that they are imposing a multiplayer paywall but at least it covers the console regardless of who's using it.

It does stink that they are going to charge for multiplayer now, but you don't have to have a PS+ account to stream Netflix, Hulu or other such services which is nice. And (for now) it'll still be cheaper than Xbox Live, so there's that too.

Oh!

And no creepy mandatory Kinect to collect "market research" data on you!

A shame that neither have any backwards compatibility though...

Yeah. They slipped that paywall in there - it's not all roses. But at least they later said that all accounts on the console get access to PS+ features. And on the DRM front they aren't prohibiting publishers from implementing their own DRM solutions [EDIT: to block online play only] (so, for example, Destiny could ship with a one-time use account code). But probably not reasonable to expect that.

No mandatory camera is a big deal. I still can't believe that MS's confirmation of a mandatory camera & online check in came out on the same day as the PRISM disclosure.

Shots fired all night long.

$399
No online check-ins
No DRM
Region free
User upgradeable hard drives
Drive Club free on launch of PS4 for PS+ users

Bummer that they are imposing a multiplayer paywall but at least it covers the console regardless of who's using it.

It does stink that they are going to charge for multiplayer now, but you don't have to have a PS+ account to stream Netflix, Hulu or other such services which is nice. And (for now) it'll still be cheaper than Xbox Live, so there's that too.

Oh!

And no creepy mandatory Kinect to collect "market research" data on you!

A shame that neither have any backwards compatibility though...

Drive Club free on launch of PS4 for PS+ users

What?!

$399
No online check-ins
No DRM
Region free
User upgradeable hard drives
Drive Club free on launch of PS4 for PS+ users

Bummer that they are imposing a multiplayer paywall but at least it covers the console regardless of who's using it.

Thank you both for taking the time to respond so thoroughly. With all that tracking, it sounds like Microsoft designed the new Xbone with the help of the NSA...

I really, honestly, would not be surprised. The thing is basically designed from the ground up to be a surveillance device in your home.

The NSA has direct access to Microsoft servers, we know this from the recent PRISM leaks by Edward Snowden (who now has, unfortunately, gone missing from his hotel room in Hong Kong).

Considering the always online internet connection, the design of the Kinect and the spying and surveillance by the NSA on American and other citizens, plus their direct access to Microsoft servers? If they hadn't yet planned on the home surveillence using the devices, it would only have been a matter of time.

After all...

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

If they're already breaking this law, why not go all the way with it?

- To make all this work, tracking which games you own, tracking which games which Xbone can currently play, tracking which games your friends have access to, and tracking which games are being resold, Microsoft requires your Xbone to check in once a day or else it will not play any games, disk or no disk, period. And if you or your friend are playing a game on an Xbone you don't own the Xbone must check in once an hour or else it disallows the playing of games a friend owns.

Kind of random but I had someone trying to sell me a dongle from my mobile provider yesterday - she said "but what if your broadband goes down for a few days and no one can repair it?"

I didn't ask her how much data an XBone would use, poor mite.

The book on this is far from closed. Honestly, I think the price difference is much more likely to influence people than policies re: used and loaned games. The hooting and hollering from the gamenista, while it brought me great joy, might end up being a loud bunch of nothing.

You know, you are right. If Snakes on a Plane taught me anything, it's that the internet and the blogosphere are not nearly as important as they think they are…