THE GAMING PROPHECIES: June 2013

A LETTER TO MY BROTHERS. Xbox vx. PS4

Ok my brothers. I know you are going to think I'm crazy but hear me out. After much thought on the subject, and a great deal of consideration of all aspects (believe me much more time and thought than I should have spent on it) I have come to a modest decision.

I'm likely going to be choosing the Xbox One in November.

I know I know. I have been a huge Sony proponent since PS1 and I was very vitriolic towards the Xbox for so so many flaws in the past years. And they are still not perfect. But again, hear me out.

In E3 last week, Sony gave a 'one two punch' KO to the X1 at the end of their conference. Everything Xbox One is doing, they were doing opposite. And the crowd went wild. Always online, used games, free games, etc. It was everything we wanted to hear. And to be honest, for the most part, gamers have no idea still how all that will work with the X1.

Backwards compatibility. I just found out today that you will be able to plug in your PS3, 360 or even a PC into the Xbox One through it's HDMI In port (the only console that has ever had this) and play on any of the systems seamlessly and switch around through your content without a hitch. The HDMI in was made for cable or satelite TV inputs, but isn't limited to that.

Basically what that means, is I can play my PS3 stuff, PSN games library, and anything new that comes out in the next few years for PS3 (because they are only now tapping into the full power of the thing) on the Xbox One. Basically giving it a form of backwards compatibility. And I can do this, and switch to an Xbox live game, or movie, or anything seamlessly, without playing with the TV controller, without switching anything around. And I can do all this by just saying to the TV "play PS3" "watch movie" "turn on Netflix" etc. This is actually going to be mind blowing for a lot of gamers once it is realized. I can play Beyond Two Souls, Minecraft, Spark, and Little Big Planet all on one machine.

This also means you can plug your PC into the Xbox One, and from the comfort of your couch, you can play steam big picture mode and access that entire library also from your Xbox One. And then you can take a break to work on some spreadsheets if you want, surf the net on Chrome and play some flash games, then get back to some Halo 5 etc etc etc.

Game sharing. It hasn't been marketed well but essentially, you can share your library of games on the Xbox with 10 listed family members or friends that have an Xbox. Meaning, I can give you, Joel, Chris, or Shawn my login info and you can access my games at any time no matter where you are. I can do the same with any of your games when I have your info. No, you won't be able to buy stuff with my account and all that, but you will be able to play all the games. Essentially, this means one of us can buy any game, and we can all play it multiplayer together seamlessly without buying it again. Crazy right? This works with up to 10 people. So if you have other crazy game mates, we can all get on the goods they buy up if they are on our list.

Kinect 2. The potential is astounding. Just watch the demo's. Even with all the other console periferals coming out, none of them will match the Kinect 2's power. Its due to this that some of the future gaming technology will become possible. Illumiroom, Fortaleza glasses, and cloud gaming in general. It's all coming, and tbh, Microsoft is one of the few companies with enough money to make it happen.

At E3 this last week, there were some developers and actors talking about games coming out in the next year. But they were talking about them in a strange way. They said the new games you will be 'IN' the game, with people and stuff happening all around you. The interviewers were a little confused how that would be, but thats because the tech hasn't been revealed yet. Remember the document I sent you last month, before all this stuff was announced? Well so far everything has been spot on, the Xbox 'all in one' box, the price, the hardward specs etc. The next thing in 2014, if you go back and look at it is 'Fortaleza glasses' basically glasses with 3d capability that work with the Kinect 2 that lets you look around the room and see game stuff in the actual area. This again will be a huge step forward in tech gaming.

Oculus Rift. With the inclusion of the HDMI in port, it will be possible to use the OR with Xbox One. PS4 won't have that capability.

Always Online complaints, I watch Netflix every day. Netflix requires always online to use. This isn't a big deal for me, or most anyone with a stable modern internet connection. And thanks to google, most of the world is going to end up having very good, cheap priced internet. (look up what they did for Texas, and what they are doing with their baloons). The complaints on this are very very over exaggerated.

Rental games, traditional disk based rentals won't be available on the X1. BUT, they will have a cloud service that allows you rent games for a minimal price for a certain amount of time. You just download it directly to the HDD. Honestly, this is the way gaming is going, even PS4 is going to eventually do that. PS3 already does that for the most part.

Used games, they are going to work just like any disk based used game currently. But again, the market is moving towards streaming and downloads for the most part, so eventually this is going to be a non issue.

TBH, there is much more and I could go on here, but I've always been a tech guy. You guys know this. PC gaming master race? I've always been there. But I love gaming on consoles too, ever since the Atari 2000 and the original Pong dad got when we were kids.

I have a major hunch, right now, contrary to popular belief, that X1 is going to be the one that pushes gaming forward in a big way. And eventually everyone is going to own one. Everything about it screams 'the next step' even though their marketing about is has been complete bullox. Sports and TV, no thank you. But these guys are more business men than gamers, thats why its been botched so bad imo.

So, in a nutshell, I'm going to start promoting the X1 for all the above reasons and more.
And come this November, I'm going to buy one and give it to my family for Christmas. Hoping that you might do the same in the future.

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A question for you guys - PS4 or XBOX ONE??

We need to Get the same one no matter what so we can game together on Desiny. Cause you guys are getting that right? It's a freaking Halo MMO, but with a whole new storyline (so its not Halo) and freaking first person Melee and POWERS. Its on both, and won't be on PC.

I need you guys help in deciding here. Cause here's the deal. I've always been a Playstation guy. Love the games, and the controllers and all that. This next gen, Sony is blowing Xbox out of the water. Better specs, cheaper price, and better for used games, renting games, free online stuff and all that. BUT..

Both will need basically $5 a month to play online games. PS+ or Xbox Gold. Also both will have awesome exclusive games.

Xbox, has very similar specs. Slightly less than PS4. Xbox will probably have the bigger hard drive. Xbox has the Kinect, which I am very interested in. PS4 has a new version of the eye that looks pretty awesome, but Kinect probably blows it out of the water with its 3D tracking, infrared, even no light mode. Its kinda crazy, and you can talk to your Xbox and tell it what to do due to the Kinect, just tell the xbox to turn on, or what movie or game you want to play etc.

The xbox has a super streamlined UI too. You can open a bunch of stuff at the same time, and play a game and movie at the same time etc.

Playstation has Gaikai streaming stuff, it will be like their version of Steam, and they are planning on having the full range of PS3 and PS2 possibly PS1 stuff sometime in 2014.

Xbox uses Cloud Gaming, so you can have more processes going and play even higher requirement games than the hardware allows by using the cloud servers. Will also have a similar game streaming system called Onlive.

Xbox will require online connection, but we are always connected anyways. PS4 doesn't. Xbox will need most of the content installed on the hd. PS4 will use BR disks like normal.
Xbox and PS4 both let you share your games with anyone that uses your account (so we can put each others names on each of our consoles and play any of the downloaded or installed games we want! PS3 does this too but I didn't know that! We should totally use this feature)

I don't know. I really love the idea of the futuristic talking to the console and the possibilities of the kinect in the future since every xbox owner will have one. But I also love the playstation, the controller, and the general list of games that come with it (Infamous series, Quantic Dream stuff, higher specs etc.)

Here's some comparison stuff for you to look at.

PS4:
PS Eye
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbp0OfQAT68
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CewinNc_hSI

PS User Interface

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mTFOVQsjB0

PS Exclusive Games
Infamous - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHSeyPl--Fw

Dark Sorcerer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqeuHGESZBA

FF15 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRIklFkb-Dg
Thief - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQc8daYz_Ng

Assasins Creed 4 Pirates - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzdarWf6orA

Mad Max - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBpDO45cJms

Every one of these games made me go "HOLY CRAAAAAAPPPPP!!!!!!!"

But there you go guys. Please Please Please, lets decide on which one we need to get.

Xbox - $499 (comes with kinect)

PS4 - $399 (but doesn't come with eye, probably $499 with eye)

I know you guys won't get one of these right away, but these will be lasting for the next 10 years or so, so eventually i suspect we'll all have them when your married n stuff. So lets decide on one please?

Monday, June 17, 2013