Microsoft Alienates Troops with the Always-Online Xbox

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
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May 9, 2000
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The Xbox One saga just keeps on getting better and better. With the ‘always-online’ requirement of connecting to the internet at least every 24 hours, Microsoft has effectively ignored the needs of the almost one and a half million of our active duty military personnel, most of which fall in the 18-35 demographic, the prime audience for the Xbox One.

Counting the Coast Guard, the number of active duty military, most of which lives in barracks housing, rests at around 1.4 million. That's a lot of units sold or not sold even more of a reason Mattrick might want to step tenderly around the subject of uniformed members.
 
The real issue here is that members of our military apparently don't have internet in their barracks... WTF?!?
 
I seriously think that it's worth the cost for military people to get free internets as much as possible.
 
The impact is more than just the numbers, in the U.S. we so hagiography the military that this is probably the worst possible PR Microsoft could get, even more so than what we've seen up until now.

There is no way to minimize it, they goofed in a big way.
 
The real issue here is that members of our military apparently don't have internet in their barracks... WTF?!?

The vast majority of barracks have broadband internet, even overseas in OCONUS stations. This does screw over most who are on deployments though unless MWR goes through the trouble of dealing with the consoles at their Rec Centers which if the staff is informed they likely wouldn't.

NIPHERNET would block it, nevermind putting an Xbone on the network.
 
Even if you're deployed to a place where they offer wifi in your barracks/dorm/hut/tent, Microsoft is limiting the connection to certain countries anyway. They don't want deployed service members to buy their product, simple as that.
 
has effectively ignored the needs of
Forgive me for playing Devil's advocate here... but is a NEED of our soldiers to play the latest in video game consoles from Microsoft? They can still play video games, just not the XBone
 
Forgive me for playing Devil's advocate here... but is a NEED of our soldiers to play the latest in video game consoles from Microsoft? They can still play video games, just not the XBone

So we shouldn't be allowed to have fun? Why do you NEED it?
 
When I lived in the dorms my internet wasn't too bad. We just went through the local ISP's and they hooked us up like any other place, but this 24hr check in will be detrimental in deployed areas. In deployed areas 90% of my web access was through the military internet with all its filters. There was internet you could purchase but they price gouged you to hell and back again for little better than dialup. MWR internet is usually available for free but since its free there's a million people trying to do stuff so pulling up a simple email becomes a chore. Even if MWR internet was fast its only at specific locations like coffee shops(sorry, not dragging a xbone + screen to a small shop on other side of base). My last deployment I think i saw over 10 Xbox's in various shops that people would play when they get some down time, those people don't have the option this time around.

Microsoft really screwed the pooch this time around all because they are afraid of piracy on the consoles. They should have asked ubisoft about some of these heavy handed DRM schemes if they wanted to avoid this major PR nightmare they have atm. Anytime there's a ubisoft game me and my friends have to stop and think if we really want it because of their god awful drm. No product should eve make you think twice about wanting their product. When they announced the PS4/XBone I wanted the XBone over the PS4 but now my only choice will be PS4.
 
Soldiers are always in a constant state of stress and playing video games is a way to safely release this stress. This is why there is a NEED for military personnel to play them.
 
oh and I also wanted to add that microsoft is embracing digital distribution, which I'm happy about(have $5-10k worth of games on steam) but they should have modeled themselves after steam. I have no problem with my steam library in deployed locations because it has its offline mode. All i have to do before I go on a deployment is load my computer up with what ever games I want then I can play it to my hearts content.
 
This is blown out of proportion, their is no alienation at all with the ONE. This article is pure bs and im surprised it got posted here. Other the. Deployed locations their is internet everywhere. In deployedocations there are ALSO internet connections, everwhere i've gone there are mwr tents/buildings which you could get on the internet.

*mind blown*
 
This just pissed me off even more, our U.S Soldiers don't even get the respect from the American people half the time, let alone the U.S Government Supporting for there benefits and such, now Microsoft wants to be a dick and make it hard for a U.S Soldiers to use, Thats just plain out bullshit.

This country aka "America" Is not the Great nation she was once, when the founding father's who builit her.
 
Chill guys, but they can still play the 360 :rolleyes:

But seriously, they actually can and it looks like there are still several games coming out for the 360 this year.

What the argument here is about specifically is a next-gen tech which hasn't been released yet. If the true worry is reviewed, which is that soldiers need games to keep them occupied in their downtime, then right now -- and even in the future it is not justified. They can still play 360, they can still play PS2, they can play Nintendo Wii, OR they can make an entirely new purchase of next-gen consoles when they are released.

With all the flak that Microsoft is receiving about the Xbone, I would be surprised if they do not either backtrack or otherwise engage in some form of damage control to make offline gaming in some fashion possible (someone above said like Steam - that's a good idea, playable digital downloads only with an active license at the time of internet disconnection). And if this doesn't happen then if soldiers must have all the next-gen console advancements, then the choice is obvious.
 
So we shouldn't be allowed to have fun? Why do you NEED it?
I did not say "you" are not allowed to have fun, I didn't say anything that resembles that. My question is the NEED to play the latest in video game consoles? You could play any number of other consoles that will work just fine, and obviously the PS4 as well, there are avenues out there to "have fun". So wait a few years when you get out of the service, or get deployed stateside where you might have internet access then you can play. Does the military get to see the newest movies too overseas? Or do they have to wait?

I'm sorry but it seems like a tremendous bitchfest here that is perpetuated by the idea that the only way you can have fun is by having the latest one that came out. You can't have any fun with a Wii, WiiU, Xbox 360, or PS3, no... you MUST have the latest system otherwise you can't have any fun and it's insulting the military!
 
Soldiers are always in a constant state of stress and playing video games is a way to safely release this stress. This is why there is a NEED for military personnel to play them.

Holy fuck, would you listen to yourself for one second. Why are you acting as if the XBox One is the only way to play video games?
 
This is blown out of proportion, their is no alienation at all with the ONE. This article is pure bs and im surprised it got posted here. Other the. Deployed locations their is internet everywhere. In deployedocations there are ALSO internet connections, everwhere i've gone there are mwr tents/buildings which you could get on the internet.

*mind blown*

I think you missed the parts where the console doesn't work in something like 75% of the world, where the barracks internet has traffic shaping, and where (anecdotaly) the connections are spotty in general.
 

yea yea I tried to go back and fix it after I posted.

Honestly I think some of you guys are getting carried away and using the troops to push an agenda much like everyone on capital hill. It's not that serious, we have better things to do than play Dance Central with our M4's slung like playing Kill Zone on PS4.
 
Forgive me for playing Devil's advocate here... but is a NEED of our soldiers to play the latest in video game consoles from Microsoft? They can still play video games, just not the XBone

Spoken like somebody sitting safe and sound and comfy in their air conditioned house. Try being deployed to someplace like Afghanistan where you could be killed any minute. Wouldnt it be nice to be able to fire up some video games every once in a while to give you some sort of comfort and entertainment?
 
I'm a Veteran. I think that focusing on "the troops" for headlines is dubious, at best. Yeah, Military personnel are people that should be able to play videogames, too. But I find little value in singling out these situations, especially when the problems are much more broad than that:

At Launch, Xbox One games will only work/be able to call home, in the following countries:

Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Russia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States


If you notice, there are no asian countries in there at all. Not to mention, many others. Some asian countries are said to get their own launch of support, some time in 2014.

In addition to this, there are implications that games may not even work, outside of the region you purchased them in. Even if you move to a "supported" region. Although to be fair, that's a rumor right now. But MS isn't exactly laying it out clear for us.

So as it stands right now, I'm set to move to Taiwan next February. If I were to buy an Xbone at launch, I have no idea if it would even work at all. I know this....

.... But A LOT of customers WILL NOT know this. Because MS is dodging interviews and when they do get cornered, they either passive aggressively tell us to shove it and play 360, or they contradict the little that they already have said.

What a mess.
 
^^

Ya'll see what I mean about pushing an agenda? MacLeod hit all the rights notes there; guilt, fear, patriotage, etc.

The bottom line here is that the Xbox One is a product, they can do whatever they want and the market is going to react. I'm not getting one and find their policies hilarious, but going as low as to bring up the troops and how they can't play their Xbox One is rather absurd and nothing but a guilt trip to try and give them what THEY want by getting Microsoft to change their policies.
 
This is blown out of proportion, their is no alienation at all with the ONE. This article is pure bs and im surprised it got posted here. Other the. Deployed locations their is internet everywhere. In deployedocations there are ALSO internet connections, everwhere i've gone there are mwr tents/buildings which you could get on the internet.

*mind blown*

Lemme guess, you've "deployed" to the 'Deid?
 
Spoken like somebody sitting safe and sound and comfy in their air conditioned house. Try being deployed to someplace like Afghanistan where you could be killed any minute. Wouldnt it be nice to be able to fire up some video games every once in a while to give you some sort of comfort and entertainment?

Spoken like someone who doesn't comprehend what is being said. Try reading sometime and take longer than a minute before you rage reply. Wouldn't it be nice to understand that the Xbox One isn't the only way to play video games on this planet?
 
No, no, no, no! This is a good thing for MS to do... because shut up that's why.
 
Forgive me for playing Devil's advocate here... but is a NEED of our soldiers to play the latest in video game consoles from Microsoft? They can still play video games, just not the XBone

The necessity of any human being to have their preferred choice of entertainment is on at the very least, the same level of necessity as your perceived need to play Devil's advocate.
 
Spoken like someone who doesn't comprehend what is being said. Try reading sometime and take longer than a minute before you rage reply. Wouldn't it be nice to understand that the Xbox One isn't the only way to play video games on this planet?

I understand exactly what you were saying and my statement stands. As cool as a lot of older games are, it would still be awfully nice to be able to play new games as well when youre deployed and considering how long these consoles last, itll be even nicer 5 years from now. As much as I loved Max Payne, Id like to be able to play Crysis 3 too.
 
^^

Ya'll see what I mean about pushing an agenda? MacLeod hit all the rights notes there; guilt, fear, patriotage, etc.

The bottom line here is that the Xbox One is a product, they can do whatever they want and the market is going to react. I'm not getting one and find their policies hilarious, but going as low as to bring up the troops and how they can't play their Xbox One is rather absurd and nothing but a guilt trip to try and give them what THEY want by getting Microsoft to change their policies.

At first I was like, "What agenda?" but yeah, I see what you mean. :) It's okay though. Most people don't post here without an agenda or some super seekrit squirrel reason, like for getting on their soapy box. It's the same way at catforum.com sometimes.
 
New product launch, new issues. Personally, I think Microsoft should release full details and explain why they chose to implement the restrictions as currently publicized.

On another note, I game strictly on PC anyways (sold off my XBox 360 a few months back) so the restrictions don't affect me. :D
 
Umm....wut?

What you didn't read the rest of the statement? I made it perfectly clear what you guys are doing by going ape shit over "the troops" and the Xbox One. You're trying to force change by associating Microsoft by being against the troops. You do not want these policies and are trying everything to make them reverse course. Intentionally or not, that is what you and everyone else are doing.
 
The region locking alone is enough to make it a bad choice for servicemen. Same for anyone else who may spend a lot of time in a foreign country.
 
Spoken like someone who doesn't comprehend what is being said. Try reading sometime and take longer than a minute before you rage reply. Wouldn't it be nice to understand that the Xbox One isn't the only way to play video games on this planet?

You are missing the point that some people have preferred the Xbox experience over the past 12 years. everything from live to Halo to Gears of War and beyond. Now MS is saying you can only experience Xbox if you live in an idealized and frankly, privileged reality.
 
What you didn't read the rest of the statement? I made it perfectly clear what you guys are doing by going ape shit over "the troops" and the Xbox One. You're trying to force change by associating Microsoft by being against the troops. You do not want these policies and are trying everything to make them reverse course. Intentionally or not, that is what you and everyone else are doing.

Yeah I read your statement and it was as senseless as the first part. I wasnt saying anything against Microsoft. I was questioning the notion that troops deployed overseas "need to play the latest games" and that any old gaming system would be just fine. I maintain that while its technically not a "need", being able to play the latest and greatest games out would be a welcome escape from their shitty deployment on the other side of the planet that theyre stuck in for the next several months.

I would think that would be something easy to agree on. Youre stuck in some desert thousands of miles from home, wouldnt you rather play Crysis 3 or Batman Arkham Origins instead of Halo for the millionth time?
 
Who are we kidding the military wouldn't allow a device with a mandatory spy camera and microphone on military premises anyway. The internet connection is the least of the issue here.
 
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