What makes this thread pointless isn't that it's just MSRP and the tchotchkes are somewhat lame, but that CAGs are looking to sign up NOW for a game not due until October or November when there's eons of time for them to sweeten the pot.
We don't know how they're going to manage Premium for BF4. We know it's coming, but many who got burned by buying the BF3 LE and then buying a non-transferable, redundant copy of Back To Karkand with their Premium are going to be waiting for an announcement of how exactly DLC will be handled.
Then there are the sweeteners, like how they offered a bonus game thru Origin pre-orders (I got Dead Space 2, then a $20 value) and that doesn't even allow for a potential bonuspalooza that could break out as it did with Bioshock Infinite. It's currently tied for the highest score on Metacritic (96), but it was possible to get four games PLUS discounts right up until it shipped, even after the reviews came out. BS:I, BS1, X-Com, and choice of title for only $45?!? If I didn't already have all the games I'd wanted from the perks pile, I would've hopped on it. Who's to say there won't be some goodies forthcoming to entice us to buy what we already plan to? Exactly. Patience...
As for the gameplay, I hope they fixed the dumb changes in MP from BF2142 such as taking out squad VOIP in PC matches and the too-cluttered commo rose that makes snapping off commands a time-wasting experience. I was bored by the pretty, but linear COD-wannabe campaign from BF3 and as slick as it all looks, I must say that I'm not super stoked to play what's in the demo.
[quote name='sTaTIx']But what if the rumors and leaked hardware specs are true, and the Next Xbox is going to be significantly less powerful than competing consoles? Rumors are just rumors, but I wouldn't want to be stuck with what might very well be a strikingly inferior version of the game.
Fair enough. I'm not slighting you for your love for the 'Box, but I'm just commenting about some of the not-so-flattering rumors that have been floating around about the next Xbox. Not the least of which are that it will ban used games, or require Kinect and an internet connection to play any game. But of course, these are just rumors that may or may not come to fruition come the launch of the retail product.[/QUOTE]Are you a Sony employee collecting a check to spread FUD or are you just a fanboy spreading FUD for free? While you're peddling rumors, why not include that the NextBox720LOLWTFBBQ causes cancer, kills kittens, funds terrorism, and will replace all game soundtracks with Justin Bieber or the sound of walruses farting?
Half of the things you mention have be attributed to the PS4 like the no used games patent Sony filed last year. When they announced the PS4, they said that used games would be supported, so only if Microsoft was seeking to blow their dominance would they be the a-holes who didn't allow used games. Always-on Internet connection would also be a non-starter, but they'd definitely make it so you'd WANT to be online. As for Kinnect, the rumors I've heard would be that it would come bundled with, not be a required peripheral. None of the FUD you're spreading passes the common sense smell test. M$ would have to have the dolts responsible for the Kin debacle running Xbox development.
As for the laughable claim that it's "significantly less powerful than competing consoles" - you misuse the plural since there is only ONE competing console for Sony or M$ and it's the other guy's box; Nintendo isn't even in the same sport anymore. You also require us to believe that while Sony has been talking to developers for years to see what they want from the next gen of hardware, M$ has been whipping up their own mess like the Cell processor to make things as miserable as possible for developers. After all they've done to make development for Xbox and PC as similar as possible - not that they've managed to avoid screwing the pooch in the process - it's ludicrous to suggest they'd mimic Sony's failed scheme to be a paper tiger with Cell.
It's almost certain that the next Xbox and PS4 will be very similar to each other. Both will have Blu-ray drives, big internal hard drives, multi-core CPU/GPU and tons of memory to allow for PC-quality visuals in games like Watch Dogs which were shown at E3 last year and were obviously PC/next-gen console titles because nothing out now could possible run it.
Since the hardware will be quite similar, the differentiators will be exclusives and overall presentation. Sony will have InFamous, Metal Gear, Final Fantasy, Ratchet & Clank, Quantic Dreams and Naughty Dog titles and M$ will have Halo and Gears of War and so forth. M$ is rumored to be dumping their IPTV business to focus on Xbox. They want to be the entertainment hub for everything. What Sony showed at their announcement was heavy social aspects (thus always-online) with sharing and Facebook connectivity, etc. It's really silly to puff and posture over how uber-l337 your Sony is and how lame and cruddy the Xbox will be based on NOTHING because a sober analysis of the facts and passing familiarity with reality disproves most of your contentions.
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