Microsoft's marketing for the Xbox One has gotten off to a rocky start since the near-disastrous reveal event last week. Since then, fan and analyst reactions have only grown worse for the still unreleased console, exacerbated by the fact that no one at Microsoft seems to have gotten the memo on how to address a number of controversial issues.
It's natural that Microsoft wants their next-gen machine to be a pretty significant departure from the Xbox 360. What is feeling more and more unnatural is the company's reluctance to provide any sort of straightforward answer on how this console will actually function.
Always On
Does the Xbox One require an internet connection or not? You'd think this would warrant a straightforward answer, and yet, Microsoft continues to dodge the question. Early reports suggested it would be, and Microsoft declined to comment. We were left to assume that this would be addressed at the official unveiling.
Unfortunately, the Xbox reveal event came and went, and we still had no official answer on whether the Xbox One would feature "always on" DRM.
Then in an interview with Adam Sessler, Microsoft had the opportunity to clear the air. Instead, Redmond Games general manager Matt Booty has made things about ten times more confusing.
He stated:
"Yeah that's another topic where there's been a bunch of stuff flying around and I would probably look to what our official update through the day is. What I'll say is that we definitely designed Xbox One to take advantage of everything that the internet has to offer. And everything that being ready and connected can bring.
So in terms of automatic updates, in terms of expanded content, obviously multiplayer, online play, the power of the cloud. These are all the great advantages of the internet. I think we've gotten a little hung up today on some of the details, and is it two minutes or two hours, and I like to think more about all the advantages of that an internet connected device are going to bring to a console."
If you're confused, you're not alone. Sessler asked him to clarify, if it is a "truly solitary singleplayer experience, would that require an internet connection?"
If you're expecting a straight answer, prepare to be disappointed. Here's Booty attempting to dodge and weave like a seasoned boxer:
"I think we're going to- so in the absence of any internet connection, you're going to be able to play Blu-ray movies, and there are likely to be some games modes that you'll be able to continue to play. But again, the Xbox One was really designed to take advantage of the modern era where people have got high speed internet, where it's just all the advantages it brings in terms of the cloud, knowing what your friends are doing, online play and everything else that goes along with having an internet connection."
To make matters even less clear, Booty also addressed concerns about DRM. Specifically, many gamers wanted to know what would happen if you brought a game over to a friend's house to play.
He stated, "If I come over to your house and I play with my profile, then I'm going to be able to use that game. If you want to play with your profile, that's as if you're buying the game."
Always Watching
It has been confirmed that the Xbox One will require the use of the included Kinect 2.0 to function. This will no longer be an optional peripheral device, and will instead be central to how the console functions.
This is alarming for one big, particular reason: this effectively makes the Xbox One a video and audio recording device that is always on, and constantly sending a stream of data to external servers without your permission. While Microsoft has confirmed to Kotaku that the entire console can be completely powered down, that doesn't change the fact that when using the Xbox, this Kinect monitoring system will not be optional.
Aside from the general creepiness of a recording device plopped down in the middle of your living room, there are some practical fears here. For one, a Microsoft patent has been discovered that would allow the Kinect to scan your room while you are watching a movie, count the number of people, and charge you accordingly if you are over the "limit." Invasion of personal space much?
While this feature may never see the light of day, just the fact that Microsoft is exploring these options should be a sign of what to expect once the Xbox One hits the market.
Region Locked
A Microsoft spokesperson has confirmed with Digital Trends that the Xbox One will be region locked.
"Similar to the movie and music industry, games must meet country-specific regulatory guidelines before they are cleared for sale," the rep stated. "We will continue to work with our partners to follow these guidelines with Xbox One."
While this statement sounds reasonable, it makes almost entirely no sense. After all, the PlayStation 3 does not feature region-locking, and one would have to assume they have to meet the same "regulatory guidelines" as Microsoft's console.
When asked to clarify if this meant that the Xbox One will utilize region blocking, a Microsoft spokesperson told Polygon, "Regarding region blocking, Microsoft don't have anything further to announce at this stage. We'll have more to share later."
If nothing else, that last sentence seems to sum up Microsoft's entire marketing strategy so far.