The Xbox One reveal Thoughts

Microsoft announced the Xbox One on May 21st, just weeks before the main attraction, E3. They did a pretty good job of showing what was new and unique with this system compared to the Xbox 360. But, they focused on all the other features rather than the actual gaming aspect of the system; leaving many fans disappointed even with the showing of Forza, EA Sports games and the already announced Call of Duty.

I think it is confused about what the system is really meant for. They supposedly plan on revealing more at E3, but the gaming community wants to know more about the gaming experience. Not how fast you can switch between games and tv.

Lets think about it for a moment. What does an all in one system really do for gamers? Not much. A gamer cares about the gaming aspect of the system, as the Xbox name has been known for powerful and entertaining games for years. Now lets focus on what this means for non and casual gamers. Owning a system that is built around everything you do in your living room would eliminate other devices; as well as give you a unique controlling experience over your TV. WIth the Kinect, you can control everything with gestures and your voice as you enjoy your favorite programs. You can also see what shows are trending and always find something new and exciting to watch. For sports fans and fantasy sport nuts out there, you can watch the game live while seeing what is happening with your fantasy teams. You can even rewatch specific plays.

The Xbox itself looks like a VCR/DVR hybrid. This is not a bad thing, and in fact could be a major selling point of this system. Users will be able to run their normal TV service through the system complete with a cable guide and DVR features. In two years time everyone will know what the Xbox can do for entertainment. It would not be a reach to see companies such as Directv, Comcast, or Time Warner adding an “upgrade” from their standard DVR/box to an Xbox One for a fee. The system would be hard to keep out of households. This would open up the gaming experience to a fresh audience. It can further expand on this by combining new and original shows based on gaming, such as Halo directed by Steven Spielberg. By having a console in nearly every household, it would be hard not to convert non gamers into at least casual gamers.

Of course this system is very capable of playing games at a high level. If you watched any of the game videos shown, they do look amazing. For us gamers, the real “reveal” will come at E3 when they show more gaming aspects and specs of the system. So in this regard, the show failed to meet gamers expectations. From observers not keen on gaming, this brings a dynamic system that could easily become a huge success by being in nearly every household.