Microsoft: "We Done Goofed"

As I previously documented, the Xbox One thus far has been a bit of a disaster.  Basically, Microsoft wanted to change everything about how game ownership has previously worked.  You could no longer just lend someone a game without jumping through hoops.  Used games of any kind would face similar restrictions.  The system would require a connection to the internet once every 24 hours or it would no longer function.  The reaction was, to put it mildly, bad.

But today, Microsoft decided that their policies sucked, most likely due to the backlash, and changed many of them to reflect what the PlayStation 4 and the current generation of consoles already do.  They updated the Xbox website to reflect these changes.  

While I've already preordered my PS4, now I'm debating if I've made the right choice.  I think that, for right now, at least, I'm going to hold on to the order I've already made and then get the Xbox One at some point next year when the exclusive games I want are released.  The PS4 is still $100 cheaper, after all.

It Will Be Mine

Today, I can claim victory, and these trinkets as my spoils.  To avoid the typical rat race that is the launch of a new console generation, I decided to go out to Gamestop today and see if they began taking preorders on the PlayStation 4.  Fortunately for me, they were.  I'm getting a PS4 day one, along with Call of Duty: Ghosts and Battlefield 4 (the dog tags came with the Battlefield preorder).

When I was in 8th grade, trying to get a PS3 at launch was next to impossible.  People camped outside of stores for days for their chance to get their hands on one.  I went to Sam's Club at 6 in the morning the day of release to see if they had any, seeing as there was no line outside the store, only to find out that they had exactly one console for sale for the one other person who was waiting.  The next few weeks I called every store in town almost every day asking if they got any more in, until eventually I was able to get one at a Best Buy near my grandparents' house in West Virginia.  I'm so glad that I don't have to go through that again.  Or pay $600 for the console.

Xbox Fan Support Group

After the PlayStation 4 upstaged the Xbox One at E3, some are finding letting go of Xbox to be more difficult then they initially thought.  We're all in this together.  And it's for the best.

Early Christmas AKA E3 Roundup

Ahhhh the Electronic Entertainment Expo.  More commonly known as E3, this event held yearly in the LA Convention Center plays host to all of the biggest names in the gaming industry as they announce and demo loads of new games.  This particular year was extra special, as with a new console generation looming, many of the games were for the next generation consoles.  I'll get to the consoles in a second, but right now I want to highlight the games that caught my eye at the show.

The Last of Us - (PS3)

Naughty Dog is arguably one of the greatest game developers in the business, and The Last of Us is just another excellent addition to their pedigree.  The game actually comes out on Friday and has received universal acclaim.  I'm really excited to get my hands on it later this week.

Star Wars Battlefront

Star Wars Battlefront II is one of my all time favorite games.  I can't even begin to imagine the number of hours I've spent playing it on PS2 and more recently PC.  People have been clamoring for a sequel since 2005, but for various reasons it was never produced.  Until now.  Obviously this is just a teaser announcing that the game is in development, so nothing is really known about it yet, but hopefully it remains faithful to the older games.

Kingdom Hearts III - (PS4)

Back when I was in middle school, Kingdom Hearts was the bee's knees.  Since the release of Kingdom Hearts II in 2006, they've released a ton of spinoffs on various handhelds that only served to convolute the plot even further.  I said that if they made a true third entry that I wouldn't be interested.  I lied.  I'm actually really hope this ends up being as good as the previous games, and now that Disney owns Star Wars, Marvel, and Pixar, I really, really hope they can be incorporated into the game.

Battlefield 4 - (PS4, XB1, PS3, 360, PC)

I'm pretty burned out on Battlefield 3 for various reason, but Battlefield 4 is going to allow for a whopping 64 players per match on next gen consoles, compared to a meager 24 in the PS3 and 360 versions of Battlefield 3.  Despite the game looking very similar, the larger scale battles and the new destruction and maps features give me enough of a reason to give it a shot.

more after the break