There's no way they'd announce that they're changing it AGAIN. I'm sure they'll reintroduce some of those features in the future though, gradually. I can see the whole family sharing thing working without the 24-hour check-in for at least the digital copies.
It would be great if they just focused on high quality games. Naughty Dog and Quantic Dream have the right idea on Sony's side IMO, Microsoft have pretty much killed their first party studios, and now relying on the entertainment industry to fill the void.
Employing very crappy tactics to boost gold subscriptions, and windows 8 + windows phone 8 purchases. When they should be focusing on the software, making shit that people actually want.
You do not need anything extra to play PC games online.*
*I'm totally fine if games charge fees or what have you for online functionality (see: classic MMO business model), but I take issue with the platform itself charging me. Does Microsoft handle ALL servers, netcode, matchmaking, etc for multiplayer games? Is any of that money going to the developers of the games who actually have to foot the bill for keeping online running? I'm not sure the answers to my semi-rhetorical questions, but at a passing glance it seems like a middleman taking money for allowing gamers access to something they should be able to do by default (especially since we're already paying our ISPs for a broadband connection).
P.S. My argument against XBOX Live Gold doesn't extend to first-party titles like Halo. If Microsoft wants gamers to pay for Halo multiplayer, that's their prerogative (though I wouldn't personally purchase that).
I'd rather pay like $35 a year and have all the games work online than have to pay individually, but I think its bullshit that I have to have Xbox live Gold to get things like Netflix to work.
I'd rather pay like $35 a year and have all the games work online than have to pay individually, but I think its bullshit that I have to have Xbox live Gold to get things like Netflix to work.
That really pissed me off. I didn't have gold at the time so I couldn't accese youtube to play some videos, a service that is free anywhere else I had to pay for. It made no sense and was a pain in the arse.
Also the PS4 is winning ground with me as it seems to be aimed for people not just in the states. Its always galling to see all the great stuff that is going to be released with the caviate that it will not be available in Europe.
Some person had the idea of turning these 3 skus into triptych box art. Some crazy person is going to buy all 3 just so they can have that in their collection.
Does Microsoft handle ALL servers, netcode, matchmaking, etc for multiplayer games? Is any of that money going to the developers of the games who actually have to foot the bill for keeping online running?
For smaller games on the 360 (multilayer Arcade titles, for instance), they host those servers as well. And almost all matchmaking is done via Microsoft. They try to use all their data (Your location/language, what you set as your preferred player type, your preference rating, etc).
Edit: Didn't look at when you posted that. It's still true though.
Comments
I recently learned that while the PS3 was an awesome machine spec-wise it was a bitch to develop for. PS4 does not have that same problem.
Now he's running Zynga instead.
Good luck with that, Mr. Mattrick! :P
Employing very crappy tactics to boost gold subscriptions, and windows 8 + windows phone 8 purchases. When they should be focusing on the software, making shit that people actually want.
You do not need anything extra to play PC games online.*
*I'm totally fine if games charge fees or what have you for online functionality (see: classic MMO business model), but I take issue with the platform itself charging me. Does Microsoft handle ALL servers, netcode, matchmaking, etc for multiplayer games? Is any of that money going to the developers of the games who actually have to foot the bill for keeping online running? I'm not sure the answers to my semi-rhetorical questions, but at a passing glance it seems like a middleman taking money for allowing gamers access to something they should be able to do by default (especially since we're already paying our ISPs for a broadband connection).
P.S. My argument against XBOX Live Gold doesn't extend to first-party titles like Halo. If Microsoft wants gamers to pay for Halo multiplayer, that's their prerogative (though I wouldn't personally purchase that).
Also the PS4 is winning ground with me as it seems to be aimed for people not just in the states. Its always galling to see all the great stuff that is going to be released with the caviate that it will not be available in Europe.
Some person had the idea of turning these 3 skus into triptych box art. Some crazy person is going to buy all 3 just so they can have that in their collection.
I'd imagine people would just sell there's on ebay. Kind of interesting if it's a kompu gacha situation. Ryse probably being the rare one.
For smaller games on the 360 (multilayer Arcade titles, for instance), they host those servers as well. And almost all matchmaking is done via Microsoft. They try to use all their data (Your location/language, what you set as your preferred player type, your preference rating, etc).
Edit: Didn't look at when you posted that. It's still true though.
Heh heh heh heh...
Somebody who worked extra shifts or something to buy their kid an XBOX for Christmas this year will probably see it get bricked by this crap.