Too Little Too Late For Microsoft?

So the screaming, ranting, and raving can indeed produce results, especially in the gaming industry. Similar to what happened when Mass Effect 3's ending was too much of a downer for the general public, Microsoft decided to backtrack all their controversial changes and just become a regular ol' system that allows you to share games and purchase used games with minimal issue. Microsoft's battle against gaming pirates and Gamestop will ceasefire for at least another day. Gamers spoke up and Microsoft responded.

On one hand, Microsoft did a good job in changing and altering practically the entire system to calm the flames of anger. You don't see Nintendo doing something like this when there was backlash towards their designs of the Wii....and the 3DS....and the WiiU. So with them listening it definitely gave them some respect points.


That being said...



Microsoft, what on earth was your problem? They didn't just present us with bad news that didn't sit well with consumers--they did it in a most disgusting manner. They had a douchebag My-Way-or-the-Highway persona that not only spread around the internet faster than you would believe, but actually increased the stock of the Playstation 4. They insulted the military, didn't even consider countries with weaker internet service, and pretty much insulted anyone not in agreement with the online policy----by offering us the XBox 360.

This past month pretty much secured Microsoft's reputation as the anti-consumer company that sticks around because of its decade head-start on the competition far far back in the day. There was nothing attractive about the XBox One except for the lineup of games, which could have won it E3 if it had not been boggled with the bad taste of bad news and bad press.

And now we have the XBox One that we prefer, at a whopping $100 more than the PS4--when both are similar in power (And rumors suggest the PS4 is actually stronger). So now your system is more expensive, and its backed by a company that you aren't sure you can truly trust anymore. This XBox should be called the 180 because of the total panoramic shift in features in a span of a couple weeks. And the sadder thing is that it will take forever before the gaming industry actually learns that the DRM and mandatory online isn't around anymore. Remember how long it took us to realize the WiiU was a new system and not a mere extension?

Answering the question of the topic at hand, this is definitely too little, too late for consumers. The PS4 is riding the great momentum of the PS3 inches from handily taking 2nd place in the Seventh Generation and remaining the best-selling system amongst the big three in the past three years. As for Microsoft, a good bundle of their fans are so disappointed a good number of them have shifted sides towards Sony. After all, outside the extra shooters both game lineups are very, very similar.

Here is the final breakdown: The Playstation 4 is the XBox One except arguably more powerful, a better and a more diverse first-party lineup, a cheaper price, and its being supported by a company that had not attempted to stab you in the back multiple times within the past few months.





Microsoft, you have some major marketing and PR work to do.