Today will be remembered as the day gamers and consumers won.    #SDFvictory

Microsoft:

Last week at E3, the excitement, creativity and future of our industry was on display for a global audience.

For us, the future comes in the form of Xbox One, a system designed to be the best place to play games this year and for many years to come. As is our heritage with Xbox, we designed a system that could take full advantage of advances in technology in order to deliver a breakthrough in game play and entertainment. We imagined a new set of benefits such as easier roaming, family sharing, and new ways to try and buy games. We believe in the benefits of a connected, digital future.

Since unveiling our plans for Xbox One, my team and I have heard directly from many of you, read your comments and listened to your feedback. I would like to take the opportunity today to thank you for your assistance in helping us to reshape the future of Xbox One.

You told us how much you loved the flexibility you have today with games delivered on disc. The ability to lend, share, and resell these games at your discretion is of incredible importance to you. Also important to you is the freedom to play offline, for any length of time, anywhere in the world.

So, today I am announcing the following changes to Xbox One and how you can play, share, lend, and resell your games exactly as you do today on Xbox 360. Here is what that means:

An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games – After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.

Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today – There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.

In addition to buying a disc from a retailer, you can also download games from Xbox Live on day of release. If you choose to download your games, you will be able to play them offline just like you do today. Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console — there will be no regional restrictions.

These changes will impact some of the scenarios we previously announced for Xbox One. The sharing of games will work as it does today, you will simply share the disc. Downloaded titles cannot be shared or resold. Also, similar to today, playing disc based games will require that the disc be in the tray.

We appreciate your passion, support and willingness to challenge the assumptions of digital licensing and connectivity. While we believe that the majority of people will play games online and access the cloud for both games and entertainment, we will give consumers the choice of both physical and digital content. We have listened and we have heard loud and clear from your feedback that you want the best of both worlds.

Thank you again for your candid feedback. Our team remains committed to listening, taking feedback and delivering a great product for you later this year.

“When I thought about who’s really the most impacted, there was a person that said he [serves] on a nuclear sub — I don’t even know what it means to be on a nuclear sub,” said Mattrick. “I’ve got to imagine it’s not easy to get an Internet connection.”

Now, I don’t have the resources of Microsoft, but I was able to contact a U.S. Navy sailor to actually find out what it’s like to live at sea for months at a time and what the Xbox One’s daily online check-in requirement will mean for his downtime. The serviceman asked to remain anonymous.

“Nothing should only be playable over the Internet,” the submariner told me. “We work all the time. Now, I work harder than most, but I check e-mail once a week and play games every few days. Mostly it’s Call of Duty or other shooters — which is hilarious to me — or sport games so that four people can play at once. But if you get lucky, you can play a campaign-based game. I like long open-world games that you can just do what you want. It’s relaxing, so if games require online, I would hate it.”

I told him about Mattrick’s comment and asked him if the consoles can connect to the Internet.

“Hell, no! Come on, man,” he told me. “We’re not on a cruise ship.”

Source:  http://venturebeat.com/2013/06/13/microsofts-mattrick-doesnt-know-about-living-on-a-submarine-so-we-asked-someone-who-does/

Consumers on Amazon have clearly spoken.

Even Amazon customer representatives are pre-ordering PS4.

Even Walmart knows what shoppers are really looking for.

The war is over before it’s even begun.

Wall Street Jurnal got an article up on PS4 demand exceeding Sony’s expectations.

“Sony (NYSE:SNE): Sony has raised its initial internal sales estimates for the PlayStation 4, based on early indications that demand will be stronger than though previously. Now, one of the largest concerns among managementis the supply necessary to meet said demand. With a $100 premium over the PS4 and tighter restrictions on game sharing, Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Xbox seems to be pushing more gamers Sony’s way.”

If you don’t have a stable internet connection then Microsoft doesn’t want your business on Xbone.

Mattrick: “Fortunately we have a product for people who aren’t able to get some form of connectivity, it’s called xbox 360″  (source)

http://www.gametrailers.com/netstorage/e3/live.html

The interview starts about 26 minutes in.

No more Kinect.

No more lies.

Last night, Sony committed justifiable homicide.

And gave consumers the ability to control their own content.

Last night, consumers in one voice gave Microsoft a very specific message.

And the gaming world has been forever changed.

Thank you gamers for standing by us and doing the right thing.

Witness the crowd reaction:

Wat.