This will be the first generation of console gaming I have ever skipped since the birth of console gaming itself. Yes, my first two consoles were the Magnavox Odyssey and Pong. And I have always owned at least two consoles from each of the last seven generations. Allow me to explain why I am now skipping.
Sony failed me with the PS3 after they shutdown of their online service for 22 days. This caused 5 of my purchased games to quit working. And it wasn't because they were online only games. It was because the games couldn't call home. That's right. They quit working because Sony's network was down. Think I have turned on the PS3 4 times since that happened.
Nintendo failed me with the Wii. It was a GREAT machine when I had kids living at home but as an adult, their online game presence was a nightmare to maintain or use compared to Xbox Live.
Microsoft failed me with the Xbox One. Their digital rights management scheme was a failure the second it was conceived. They did not learn from Sony's mistake. Yes, I realize that they have reversed this policy, but the damage is already done. They have shown what they want and plan to do in the future and I will have not have them use my money to further their goal which is counter to my rights as a consumer.
You may skip the rest of this post if you are not interested in what the future of gaming holds if Microsoft should ever get its way.
Microsoft wants to LICENSE you each game you purchase. Let me explain why this is BAD. If you buy a disc based game for the XBox, Xbox 360, PS1, PS2, PS3, Wii, Dreamcast, etc, they have no legal right to tell you what you can do with that disc. You may at anytime play it, lend it or sell it. Even if their is a court case that makes the game illegal to sell through retail channels, they CAN NOT revoke your right to play the game you have legally purchased.
But a LICENSED game using DRM changes your legal rights INSTANTLY. That means Microsoft can now legally revoke your license and you can no longer play your legally purchased game. And Microsoft DOES NOT EVEN HAVE TO REFUND YOUR PURCHASE PRICE when they revoke your ability to play the game. That's right. You no longer own the game you are playing. Someone else does. And they can take it away. Even if you spent a million dollars on it. Think you are scared now, keep reading.
Scenario One: Xbox Live becomes largest hacker target in history when every Xbox One can become a brick when it can't connect for 24 hours. You don't think someone will pull it off? Yeah, they said DVDs and Blurays couldn't be decrypted too.....
Scenario Two: Xbox Live Arcade game becomes delisted due to loss of product license (you can actually look up how many games this has already happened to on the 360). Legal license holder takes matter to court due to software publisher not paying licensing fee. Court sides with license holder and says game is no longer legally playable. Microsoft is instructed by the court to deactivate the game. You can no longer play the XBLA game. This SAME exact scenario applies to Disc based games as well. And you can also look up how many disc based 360 games can no longer be sold because of similar issues.
Scenario Three: Xbox One game retailer has a rogue employee that goes nuts. Employee starts logging games that haven't been purchased as already purchased or games that have been purchased as sold back. Suddenly you can't play the game you have the disc for because the license has been revoked by a third party source. Good luck getting that straightened out in less than a week.
That is the future of gaming should MS, the developers and publishers get their way. Tell me how this is a good thing.