Guys this isn't even about the Activision deal the article is about the unauthorised controller situation, hence the article title. The article just emphasises the fact that MS often say one thing then do the other.
At first glance this is "anti-consumer" in a way that's kind of inherent to console walled gardens. Microsoft made the Xbox and it wants a cut of any business done on the Xbox, so it's trying to lock out any companies that didn't pay up. That part at least is sort of familiar.
But where this is different is that Microsoft is doing this so late in the game, and without much in the way of warning. It looked the other way on these peripherals for the entirety of the Xbox One generation. The Xbox One has been discontinued for three years now, and Microsoft is only now going back to remove functionality, an act of vandalism on a console it can't even be bothered to sell any longer.
The Xbox Series X|S has been on the market for three years now, and Microsoft is only now getting around to locking it down after who knows how many companies have produced their own unlicensed controllers and who knows how many people have bought them unaware Microsoft would – or even could – sabotage them at any time.
On a selfish level, this bothers me because I had been planning to pick up Street Fighter 6 at some point, and I was planning on playing it with my old Xbox 360 Mad Catz FightStick customized with my favorite Marvel vs Capcom 2 characters. That FightStick is an officially licensed Microsoft product and Microsoft already got my money for it, but it won't work with the Series X|S because it was licensed for the Xbox 360, and Microsoft's embrace of backwards compatability never extended to the Xbox 360's peripherals. That's OK though; I just need an adapter like the Wingman XB2 converter from Brook.
It would be bad enough if this was being done just to force people to buy Microsoft's competing first-party product instead, but Microsoft doesn't actually offer a competing product. It would rather I spend hundreds of dollars on a new stick licensed for use on the Xbox Series X|S, even though the only reason the old one can't work is because Microsoft arbitrarily decided against it.
Ok, now that I've got that out of my system, let's talk about one of the more serious problems with this move against unauthorized controllers. It's hurting end users who are by definition Microsoft's customers, and when I say "hurting" them, in many cases I'm talking about significantly more than just making them buy a new controller.
The Quadstick is a game controller for quadriplegics, letting them control a joystick with their mouth and use a mouthpiece, lip switch, or sip/puff straw to push buttons. It's also an unauthorized accessory that relies on other unauthorized accessories to work with Xbox consoles.
They want to stop cheat devices that allow the user to operate a controller like a mouse or some shit. Fps players have been asking for this
If you apply for a liscence your controller will work
If you read the article it says it may even have no effect on those devices since they require an official controller to work. It's a good read.
No, it's not surprising to vast majority of people - Microsoft lied through their teeth as much as they could without being held to anything legally. Once again: every single time an exec says something like "in my opinion, I feel, I think" they do this not to be liable for further decisions. Unless it's in SEC filling you should not trust anything that comes from Microsoft's mouth.it's a little surprising that we're already seeing some anti-consumer overtures from Microsoft.
This is one of the key points I tried to make in the other thread about all of this. Dont suddenly enforce this change 3 years in and not expect consumers to be pissed and have others tell me this has been well managed.But where this is different is that Microsoft is doing this so late in the game, and without much in the way of warning. It looked the other way on these peripherals for the entirety of the Xbox One generation. The Xbox One has been discontinued for three years now, and Microsoft is only now going back to remove functionality, an act of vandalism on a console it can't even be bothered to sell any longer.
The Xbox Series X|S has been on the market for three years now, and Microsoft is only now getting around to locking it down after who knows how many companies have produced their own unlicensed controllers and who knows how many people have bought them unaware Microsoft would – or even could – sabotage them at any time.
Are you drunk why would you baselessly insult someone for only playing one thing, then volunteer that you only play one thing? I don't remember everyone who's in pc threads, either but why say something so easily refuted and self defeating.
QUOTE | "This deal was not done to take games away from another player base like that. Nowhere in the documentation that we put together was: 'How do we keep other players from playing these games?' We want more people to be able to play games, not fewer people to be able to go play games." – Spencer in October of 2020.
And remember how on the very day the acquisition was finalized, Spencer confirmed that Microsoft was absolutely going to make future Bethesda games exclusive to Xbox and PC?
QUOTE | "Now that everything is official, we can begin working together to deliver more great games to everyone… With the addition of the Bethesda creative teams, gamers should know that Xbox consoles, PC, and Game Pass will be the best place to experience new Bethesda games, including some new titles in the future that will be exclusive to Xbox and PC players." – Spencer in March of 2021.
Spencer might have regretted making things that obvious, as Microsoft's apparent backtracking became a point of contention during the extended regulatory review of Microsoft's Activision Blizzard acquisition.
So with the Activision Blizzard deal closing just a few weeks ago, it's a little surprising that we're already seeing some anti-consumer overtures from Microsoft.
Microsoft has control issues | This Week in Business
This Week in Business is our more-or-less weekly recap column, a collection of stats and quotes from recent stories pre…www.gamesindustry.biz
Our main stream media has started to document the misrepresentations of XBOX's goals. Their statements in contrast to their actions.
Ofcourse he is willing to. GamePass has no future without Playstation and Nintendo installbases.His thinking is that the games will be more accessible through gamepass and he has mentioned that he is willing to put gamepass on their competitor's devices.
I don't think anybody cares.Microsoft owns Activision-Blizzard. Accept it, you’ll sleep easier at night.
Unfortunately, most users will continue to ignore this and just bicker back forth (or blindly defend Microsoft).Wow, people really don't bother to read articles anymore do they? This is about their recent blocking of peripherals on the console:
The stuff about the Bethesda acquisition is used as a preface for the article due to it being an example of their rampant hypocrisy.
But I guess a few servings of free gamepass can be a hell of a drug.
People are still crying about this?QUOTE | "This deal was not done to take games away from another player base like that. Nowhere in the documentation that we put together was: 'How do we keep other players from playing these games?' We want more people to be able to play games, not fewer people to be able to go play games." – Spencer in October of 2020.
And remember how on the very day the acquisition was finalized, Spencer confirmed that Microsoft was absolutely going to make future Bethesda games exclusive to Xbox and PC?
QUOTE | "Now that everything is official, we can begin working together to deliver more great games to everyone… With the addition of the Bethesda creative teams, gamers should know that Xbox consoles, PC, and Game Pass will be the best place to experience new Bethesda games, including some new titles in the future that will be exclusive to Xbox and PC players." – Spencer in March of 2021.
Spencer might have regretted making things that obvious, as Microsoft's apparent backtracking became a point of contention during the extended regulatory review of Microsoft's Activision Blizzard acquisition.
So with the Activision Blizzard deal closing just a few weeks ago, it's a little surprising that we're already seeing some anti-consumer overtures from Microsoft.
Microsoft has control issues | This Week in Business
This Week in Business is our more-or-less weekly recap column, a collection of stats and quotes from recent stories pre…www.gamesindustry.biz
Our main stream media has started to document the misrepresentations of XBOX's goals. Their statements in contrast to their actions.
This thread isn't really about the controller thing.Isn’t there a large thread about the controller thing already?
Which probably has more posts in it than there will be people inadvertently affected by the policy.
Wow, people really don't bother to read articles anymore do they? This is about their recent blocking of peripherals on the console:
yep the stuff about the Quadstick likely being broken by this and yet you see people in here acting like this isn’t a big deal because it doesn’t effect themWow, people really don't bother to read articles anymore do they? This is about their recent blocking of peripherals on the console:
The stuff about the Bethesda acquisition is used as a preface for the article due to it being an example of their rampant hypocrisy.
But I guess a few servings of free gamepass can be a hell of a drug.
depends if the one posting read the full article or notAre we talking about 3rd party controllers or game exclusives right now?
I mean, that is what you guys wanted, right?
Between Microsoft buying out the industry and Sony showing signs of a strong woke agenda in their content, I'll happily take refugee on Nintendo's camp. And I count on Gaben to keep providing me with quality content to satiate my thirsty for bleeding-edge tech experiences.
Corporate cheerleading is the problem. These people just want to make money. At every expense to the consumer.Whenever someone realises that Microsoft aren't the people's friend and they're just a bunch of lying scumbags:
Huh? Where did I insult you? I said it must suck as a console only player with corpo's fucking you.
Going off your hatred fueled post against MS.
How is that an insult? A slight jab in jest, sure but insult?
The narrative that Sony are the bad guys for not allowing Gamepass on their system is what Phil and his cronies are gearing up for. Definitely in Greenberg's playbook.If Sony allowed Gamepass on PS5 then the problem would be solved and everyone would be happy, right?
And yet....Other than Sekiro, I never once bought any game from Activision or Blizzard so it make zero difference to me.
Needs the “Windows” slogan somewhere
I have noticed how people latch onto even the most trivial of news when it comes to Microsoft. See the gamepass for Microsoft employees thread, and yet price hikes, charging for a console stand, CEO’s leaving and long time PlayStation employees being fired/walking out and it’s hardly mentioned.Must deflect from PlayStation imploding........beep-boop
And Sony have Quantum Effect.They have Quantum Break
The irony is it seems to be hurting xbox owners worse than anyone else, but keep evangelising.Why this keep getting brought up. This deal hurt you that bad? Please tell me where it hurts
I have noticed how people latch onto even the most trivial of news when it comes to Microsoft. See the gamepass for Microsoft employees thread, and yet price hikes, charging for a console stand, CEO’s leaving and long time PlayStation employees being fired/walking out and it’s hardly mentioned.
I’m all for calling companies out for their shit and Microsoft definitely aren’t saints, But The double standards and disingenuous arguments just really irritate me.It's just par for the course. For how they love to talk about the Xbox fanbase blindly defending Microsoft, these frothing at the mouth fools constantly lose it over the most menial things.
Activision Blizzard and Bethesda are MS OWNED COMPANIES. Get over it. They can keep their own games exclusive if they choose. This is a business. Sony doesn’t put GoW, GT, Spiderman on Xbox consoles. I guess that makes them anti consumer?QUOTE | "This deal was not done to take games away from another player base like that. Nowhere in the documentation that we put together was: 'How do we keep other players from playing these games?' We want more people to be able to play games, not fewer people to be able to go play games." – Spencer in October of 2020.
And remember how on the very day the acquisition was finalized, Spencer confirmed that Microsoft was absolutely going to make future Bethesda games exclusive to Xbox and PC?
QUOTE | "Now that everything is official, we can begin working together to deliver more great games to everyone… With the addition of the Bethesda creative teams, gamers should know that Xbox consoles, PC, and Game Pass will be the best place to experience new Bethesda games, including some new titles in the future that will be exclusive to Xbox and PC players." – Spencer in March of 2021.
Spencer might have regretted making things that obvious, as Microsoft's apparent backtracking became a point of contention during the extended regulatory review of Microsoft's Activision Blizzard acquisition.
So with the Activision Blizzard deal closing just a few weeks ago, it's a little surprising that we're already seeing some anti-consumer overtures from Microsoft.
Microsoft has control issues | This Week in Business
This Week in Business is our more-or-less weekly recap column, a collection of stats and quotes from recent stories pre…www.gamesindustry.biz
Our main stream media has started to document the misrepresentations of XBOX's goals. Their statements in contrast to their actions.
*PS and Nintendo are also scumbags. But sure... it's just MS. Love those PS price raises and Nintendo definitely lowers game prices eventually... eventually... I thinkni just paid 70$ for a WiiU game.I mean this has been obvious since day one OP…MS are scumbags, always have been. In other news water is wet.
If you say so, Im not sure either of them actively try to harm the industry quite like MS though but you do you lol*PS and Nintendo are also scumbags. But sure... it's just MS. Love those PS price raises and Nintendo definitely lowers game prices eventually... eventually... I thinkni just paid 70$ for a WiiU game.