Flip floppin' away

I'm not really sure how much needs to be said about Microsoft's unprecedented decision to scrap basically all of their much ballyhooed online connectivity policies suurrounding Xbox One. The decision sort of speaks for itself in many ways. But let's talk a little about it anyway.

Firstly, there's no doubt that is an absolute triumph for consumer bargaining power. Let's be very clear here - it's direct feedback from the end user which has led to this change. Microsoft was seemingly set on imposing these restrictions on Xbone users whether they liked it or not, but the sheer mass of negativity surrounding them has caused the tide to turn. It's a win-win situation - Users don't have to put up with the ridiculous always online bullshit, and Microsoft gets a much needed big PR push by appearing magnanimous and open to change.

The thing is, it's difficult not to be a little cynical about the whole situation when Microsoft turns so fast. More obviously than ever now this was not something where 'customer feedback' mattered from the beginning, and the policies were always in flux. No, this is a very specific knee-jerk reaction to a disastrous PR campaign topped by an E3 where Sony ruthlessly twisted the knife and Nintendo offered a few kicks while they were down.

That's not necessarily a bad thing - sometimes pressing the panic button is the right thing to do. But what does this say about Microsoft's dedication to their cause? We were told repeatedly how the always-online and all-digital aspects of Xbox One were key components of the experience and how Microsoft would utilise them to deliver a 'truly next-gen' experience. That they lied should come as no surprise, but it's still a little bitter to the taste. And the scrapping of these policies does mean the loss of some of the more unique aspects of the planned One experience, like the Family Sharing plan.

Ultimately though, as I said before this is a win for both parties. Yes, we as (potential) purchasers are giving up some cool features, but the rights we're regaining are far more important. We shouldn't overlook the fact that the console will now work in perpituity, not merely until one day the servers are turned off. Microsoft still has questions to answer - Kinect, price - and this fiasco has badly damaged their reputation among the gaming community. But the next-gen battle suddenly seems a less clear-cut race, and that's a good thing. Game on.