Since the reveal of the Xbox One, Microsoft has been struggling to find its way back into the good graces of consumers. There have been a number of surprising policy and hardware changes that many, especially me, did not expect. After the almost nuclear fallout due to poor decisions and atrocious marketing, Microsoft has abandoned its DRM and used game policies, adjusted its approach to self-publishing for developers, as well as given their system a modest boost in power. They have also made a move to become more transparent with Xbox One by sharing more information with consumers and allowing industry leaders like IGN to “Ask Microsoft Anything” about the upcoming console.
With as stubborn as Microsoft has been in the past, I would have expected adjustments to come if the Xbox One started losing a large percentage of the market share to Sony. However, it seems as though Microsoft has learned a valuable lesson with everything that has happened in the past few months. With this tech giant apparently developing a new outlook and strategy for its next-gen console, can consumers look past everything that has happened and support the Xbox One?
At the moment, this is a difficult question to answer definitively, but it does appear as though the public’s general demeanor towards the Xbox One has changed for the positive. The console’s pre-order numbers have risen dramatically and the internet rage seems to have been subsided. It seems the anger that we have seen towards Microsoft has lessened and been replaced by an attitude of tentative support and mistrust. Microsoft is starting to gain favor back from the public, but the Xbox One is most assuredly still under a probationary period.
Personally, I can always forgive, but I never forget. Perhaps time will heal all things, but for now I just can’t seem to trust Microsoft. I believe the policy changes we have seen did not come because of the public outcry, but rather they came because Sony’s PS4 pre-order sales were twice that of the Xbox One. Besides this, there are also still too many issues I have with the console and its creator. Having a required “Big Brother” video camera in my living room is just something I can’t seem to get over, especially with Microsoft recently releasing all our private information over to the U.S. government. The $500 price tag sure doesn’t help their case either. Microsoft lost my trust, and it is going to take some serious changes for them to earn it back.
In the end, I sincerely hope Microsoft does well and learns from their mistakes. Hopefully, they will continue to focus on consumer-centric policies and leave their arrogance in the past. Having multiple consoles may seem frustrating for consumers, but this is necessary to keep a competitive market, drive innovation, and keep prices down. I would like to buy a Xbox One, but I’m just going to give it some time before I make a decision. What will Microsoft will do, and how they will continue to evolve before the launch of the Xbox One later this year? Hopefully Microsoft will have the right answers to our questions and won’t repeat their mistakes. All we can do is wait and see.
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