While the storm of post-E3 criticism of the next generation Xbox, the Xbox ONE, is yet to cease, not all is bad news.
Recently, 4J studios confirmed that the widely successful Minecraft game will be ported to Microsoft's next gen console. The catch? Your Xbox 360 save files won't be going with it.
The next-gen version of Minecraft will be available during the same "launch window" of the Xbox One. This next generation version suffers from the same drawbacks as all the other Xbox 360 games, however: Xbox ONE is not backwards compatible. The ONE uses Microsoft's x86 internal architecture, a great leap from the current inner workings of Xbox 360, but the difference in systems means that the new console isn't only backwards INcompatible, but the games brought to the Xbox ONE will not be able to use any data from save files of its previous iterations.
Minecraft players: your saved games on the MInecraft campaign will not be coming with you if you want to experience Minecraft on Xbox ONE.
The new MInecraft, however, is supposed to showcase bigger worlds and a breadth of basically better experiences than the original, which means more creative landscaping for players. The graphics and processing power will also be upgraded significantly, meaning the entire gameplay experience should be of a better quality - not that graphics matter much to the game.
The Minecraft save file incompatibility is just a minor issue compared to the larger issues that Microsoft faces, including the controversial DRM policies, used game securities, and always-online (or at least once-every-214-hours-online) requirement, not to mention the mandatory Kinect connection.
Hardcore and veteran gamers are none too pleased with the decisions made by Mircosoft regarding the Xbox ONE, with most of the gaming media online echoing similar sentiments. The larger crowd of entertainment-seeking consumers, however, seem a-okay: after all, the ONE is touted as an all-in-one entertainment system, probably the best in the next generation.
Presale metrics for both the Xbox ONE and the PS4 are still up in the air, and while manufacturers are reporting good sales, the best estimate of their prelaunch success is that presales to both aren't sold out just yet, despite the buzz.