#DealWithIt All Over Again

Microsoft have made some dumb statements regarding the Xbox One and its sour reception at E3.
How do you deal with criticism - and valid criticism at that? You attack, apparently. That's what Microsoft are basically doing.
Regarding the issue of the Xbox One's online connection requirement, Microsoft's Don Mattrick came out and said:
"Fortunately we have a product for people who aren't able to get some form of connectivity; it’s called Xbox 360.

"If you have zero access to the internet, that is an offline device."

He also went on to say this:
“Seriously, when I read the blogs and thought about who’s really the most impacted there was a person who said, ‘Hey I’m on a nuclear sub.’ And I don’t even know what it means to be on a nuclear sub but I’ve got to imagine it’s not easy to get an internet connection. But hey, I can empathise; if I was on a sub I’d be disappointed.“It’s a service-based world, if you think about things and how they get better with an internet connection, that’s a design choice we’ve made. I think people will appreciate it... We did a lot of testing, a lot of consumer research and I think we made a good choice.”I actually get what he's talking about when he says that "it's a service based world" but Microsoft's response has been extremely poor.They seem to be attacking everyone who is going against them. I mean, saying "Fortunatley we have a product for people who aren't able to get some form of connectivity; it's called Xbox 360." is such a smart-ass response they might as well have just come out and said: "#DealWithIt bitches!"In fact Microsoft may have gotten rid of Adam Orth (or rather he 'left') but they're acting now just like he did during his twitter rant.It seems to me that Microsoft totally have their own agenda, their own plans and everyone else is along for the ride. But what fun is a ride when you're stuck in the boot in complete darkness with no freedom? Some more bullshit also came to light after Phil Spencer had a talk with Gamespot. To sum up what he said: “We always knew that our story would play out over time. And even now, I would say, this isn't a sprint. The platform launches this November; we've got more content to share."

“There are other means like Gamescom [and] TGS coming that will still continue to put a value [proposition] on what we're bringing to market.

“The reaction, I think, is complete when the product is on the shelf and it has a price and it has a content library and consumers vote.”

Seems more like Microsoft is trying to delay people's reactions to me. The Xbox One reveal in May was poor and while they showed off some great games at E3 they ultimately lost out massively to Sony, despite promising fans that E3 would be where they proved themselves. So now we have to wait for Gamescom....But what will happen there? Ultimately can they even do ANYTHING to fix the shit storm they've caused? Are they going to re-model the Xbox One completely? No, never. Are they going to change it a bit? Well...Maybe...But unlikely.

No doubt Microsoft released the new Xbox 360 model as a way of
trying to make the Xbox 360 and Xbox One seem more connected
and 'equal' and make the 360 seem like a good alternative.
You can see some similarities between the two as well.
Like they're both fuck ugly.

The chances of them changing the online requirement isn't really high because they've defended it through and through. Could they really live down the 'shame' of defending the Xbox One's online check-in system like they've done so far only to end up scrapping it? Probably not. Not from their perspective anyway.

And is it even POSSIBLE to change the check-in system? Who knows. The fact that the Xbox One has been built around and for this check-in system doesn't exactly make me think it would be anywhere near easy to get rid of it - especially before release.

And what about used games? There's been just as much controversy about that. However for the most part Microsoft has remained quiet on the subject. Can they change that? Can they get rid of this blocking system? I don't honestly think there is anyway to do that. 

Why?
First of all Microsoft tried to push the blocking onto the publishers, emphasising it was 'their choice'. Getting rid of the block system completely would raise the question: if it wasn't 'your fault' that used games are blocked and it was the publishers fault for choosing to do it then why are you bothering to remove it?

On top of that, Microsoft has become quite cosy with these publishers. I'm pretty sure they have a nice little deal with them because, after all, they're incorporating this block into the console for THEM, not for US. Are MS really going to turn their back on the publishers and remove the block? No. 

Ultimately it's a game of 'who's more important'; us - the consumers - or the publishers?

I'm sorry Microsoft but if people want a product because they "aren't able to get some form of connectivity" it isn't going to be the Xbox 360 they buy; it's going to be the PS4.