Famicom Dojo Podcast: The Next Xbox

Great comments, as always! 😀

If we ever get any sort of budget, I REALLY want to get those mics that they use on This Week in Tech. SO NICE.

There is an interesting article on Polygon about the Next Xbox: http://www.polygon.com/2013/4/26/4268782/next-xbox-drm-achievements-live

If I had to guess, there will be some sort of always online bit, but it could be for certain applications or non-gaming features (i.e media sharing, netflix, system updates, etc). I’m thinking of a scenario where it’s being left up to the publishers how DRM would be handled. I doubt many publishers or developers would choose to go an always-online route, especially considering the SimCity and Diablo 3 fiascoes. The only exception to this would be MMOs, which need to be online anyway, so from a company standpoint why not make sure the game they’re playing is legit while they’re at it? If anything, I could see a company like EA that does online-pass or day-1 type features use it to ‘activate’ the game and download day-1 content without having to enter a code.

As for the Wii U, I see it having the same problems that the Wii had around this period of time: few third party exclusives and lack of third party support. Of course Nintendo will no doubt bolster the system with the Marios, Metroids, Zelda’s, etc, but besides the metric fuck ton of nickelodean and Disney shovelware that always ends up on a Nintendo system, few third parties are putting out things that are going to make people want to run out and buy it. Besides Lego City Undercover, there are few things on my ‘must have list’ as far as the system is concerned. The big issue with the system is pretty much the same one that the Wii (and to an extent the DS) had: The gamepad, like the wii motion control, is both the system’s hook and it’s biggest weakness. For every game that does something innovative with it, there will be 10 more that either use it as a glorified HUD or menu or worse, try to shoehorn second screen functionality where it would work just as well (if not better without it). Also, depending on the capabilities of the PS4 and Xbox 720, it will graphically be a generation behind it’s soon-to-be-competition.

Of course, it’s not all bad though. The gamepad offers more options than the motion control, so in time, there will be something that can take full advantage of it. And unlike the PS4 (and maybe even Xbox 720), it’s backwardly compatible with it’s predecessor. If nothing else, Nintendo can always be counted on to deliver a strong lineup. The only games I’ll need anyhow are a new Metroid, a new Zelda, and a new Smash Brothers. Although, it would be cool to open up the hardware for homebrew developers. Of course I’m big on indie development and user generated content, so I think everything should be open source.