Update: Graduation & Xbox One

I'm not that interesting of a guy, so I won’t bore you with the reason of my break, part II, except busy-busy life. I did however come back at a time perfect for a Soapbox moment, and that is one you shall receive today.

Oh, how you have forsaken me.

For those of you who have read my content before, I used to be a major Xbox user. I really got into PC gaming as my love for TF2 grew, and now I’m almost exclusively on there (minus the fact the laptop I’m using hasn’t been fixed successfully in 3 attempts by Acer, which I will talk about in my
next entry) but I still love my 360. I bought it for Halo 3, but ended up with a love for gaming that is hugely with me, even if I have changed systems. So, when I heard that Xbox’s big reveal was coming up, I got excited.
I shouldn’t have been.
From what we know right now, the new Xbox ONE will need to be connected to the internet, at some point of time, once a day. To use any pre-owned or used game, Microsoft will hit users with a fee, which could be as much as the original copy, ruining the point of borrowing from friends, or GameStop’s sly money-making machine. I could nearly forgive Microsoft for all of this, but somewhere along the way of the El Grande reveal, there wasn’t a true mentioning of games—but there was a big focus on Kinect, the NFL, and a NEW Halo TV show!
This can’t be happening.
Microsoft, if I remember correctly, the Xbox originated as a gaming console. I can understand and can almost empathize with the online and fee requirements you’ve put on this system, which completely isolates your main community of people who love to play video games.
Microsoft, you’ve turned your focus to being an “All-In-One” system. A system meant to be cute, but not to game. I am a gamer, I don’t care about Kinect, or TV when I play video games.
Why would I buy a console that gets away from this?
Microsoft, as a fan for quite near 5 years now, I hate to turn my back on this relationship that I’ve bought into. I just can’t accept this glorified DVR as a gaming system though. I don’t care what specs. You put into it, this device isn’t gaming AND other features, its other features AND gaming. You’ve moved your focus from your hardcore-gaming community, all within the goal of appealing to a more neutral audience, in which I think you may succeed. You have however isolated a huge fan base which has been loyal since the release of Halo on your new console back in 2001, and you give us this.
We aren’t being hard on you. You have betrayed us.
I won’t buy an Xbox One unless I see something that truly changes the way games are played today, but I don’t really see that happening. Your reveal was glorified by Steven Spielberg and Kinect, which was already a failure in the eyes of nearly all old-school gamers. This new culture is a new embrace, a new direction. I get that, but I will have no part in it. Godspeed in your new gaming universe Microsoft, I think you may see an overall change in your constituents, not just me.

--Santa