This week's thoughts: I am done with Xbox.
There has been a lot of late that has irked me about Microsoft and it's reversal of good times on the console side of things. Gold fees went up (I have since cancelled), exclusives had dwindled to nothing but core titles only die-hards care about and Kinect support has been wholly and indisputably awful.
With the dawn of a new Dashboard update looming, I had hoped that my enjoyment would return but this weekend, I discovered something that affected my family and has ultimately poisoned my soul towards the Xbox console beyond anything other than an absolute necessity as my sole gaming machine: Video Kinect isn't available to Silver members.
This became personal yesterday when I arranged a teleconference with my Father who lives overseas; he enjoys speaking with my daughter who knows his face well through our family television. It's definitely a positive aspect of Kinect ownership, if nothing else. Imagine my horror when I launched Video Kinect and received a message that the service was reserved for Gold subscribers only!
I completely understand that Microsoft needs to value-add their services, but it is for pure, unadulterated, bone-headed greed like this that we in Britain can get the BBC iPlayer on every console and device imaginable apart from the Xbox 360. The iPlayer is a video replay service that MUST be free to all U.K. residents as we are taxed for the cost of the BBC. We could have had iPlayer on the 360 years ago but Microsoft refused because (wait for it) they wanted to reserve the iPlayer function for paid subscribers only. That's right - Microsoft wanted to charge for access to something that is supposed to be free under law. The BBC Trust, the agency that oversees BBC activities, was forced into a corner and was obligated to refuse so not to violate the BBC charter. Since then, the iPlayer has appeared on Playstation 3, Wii, Android, iPhone, PC, Mac, television-equipped bananas, etc. (ok...maybe that last one was a lie)
This time, Microsoft owns the service so I suppose they should call the shots as they see fit, however, the service in question is already offered to millions of Windows users worldwide under a different incarnation vis-a-vis 'Live' Messenger Video Calling. In fact, this is what my Father uses on his end via his laptop and webcam. He pays no monthly fee for that. Why should I? Surely, as a console owner and not merely a Windows 7 owner (I have two licenses, in fact) I have invested far more into Microsoft's holdings through my purchases of the Xbox 360 console and the Kinect device.
No. Apparently not. Microsoft has made it clear that none of my investment matters. What they consider a free product for all of their Windows users is subject to their annual pound of flesh from Xbox owners. No Gold membership? No luck, pal.
Unfortunately for them, this is the straw that broke the camel's back. As such, I can speak objectively about Microsoft's contributions to the gaming world but I cannot, in good faith, recommend their console products or services any longer as I feel that there is simply much better and customer-centric offerings available on the market without the need for subscription fees.
Apart from the U.S. which seems to get all of the online 'goodies', in this day in age when there is far more available on competing consoles and PC-based services (including from Microsoft itself, I might add) Xbox 360 ownership becomes a Martyr's venture. Only the most pure of fanboyism could possibly justify staying loyal the Xbox cause. Well, they are welcome to it.
My Elite is approaching 4 years and is getting louder as the days go on. I suspect there's not much left in the old girl (although she has served me well) and had always assumed that should she conk before this gen is over, I would likely replace her with a shiny new 'S' model. That position has now, regrettably, changed.
Should my 360 die, I will not hesitate to scrap up as many pennies as possible with my remaining Kinect and small library of games towards the purchase of a Playstation 3 system. As an owner of the Original Playstation system, I have nothing but fond memories and looking back, I feel that my hard-thought decision to go with Xbox was the wrong one taking all into consideration. So with that, farewell Xbox. My customer loyalty just RROD'd.
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