Bonus Post - Can I Gloat for a Minute?

Because I am absolutely going to gloat.

And by gloat, I mean repost a couple points that I made in the days leading up to E3.  Because I was so very very right and it doesn't happen often and it's a sweet feeling.

The way I'm thinking of things, it seems like Microsoft might think this was their way to keep the train going from this generation. Yes, the Wii out-sold them by miles and miles, but to Microsoft, competition was Sony. For a -long- time, they completely out-paced Sony and only here towards the mid-end was Sony actually catching up. Still, things like Sports games, big multiplayer focus games all sell better on the 360 because of whatever reason you could think of - 360 was out first, People really dig XBox Live, etc. etc. But with this new round, they know they're launching around the same time, so the slate is 'clean' and they have to have something to drive it.

So they go, "Games". And how do you get games? By sucking up to Publishers/Developers.

It is entirely possible that this is Microsoft's baby because it is a fucking huge power play. If you set up this system, it's enticing to the Publishers/Developers which brings them around for big exclusives (Respawn's thing) and great partnerships to make your version of a game more enticing (EA's Special Partnership). As many, many, many, many, many companies have proven time and time again, people who have objections about a product because this and that really don't matter in the least so long as that product is shiny enough to make a larger amount of people buy it and not care.

So, really, it is very possible that Sony will come out and win our hearts by saying "Off-line always is totally viable, no DRM", because the way Microsoft figures it, they've already won our wallets if that is the case. Barring big, big backlashes (not a bunch of people being angry on internet forums) that -might actually be the case-, since if you have the publishers, you have the games, and if you have the games, you have the customers.

For all you folks going "Oh, the PS4 is going to be just as bad!", well, there is your scenario that suggests it might not be.

- Me from this post ("Get Fucked, Microsoft", June 6th, 2013)

What I'm -hoping- (and expecting) they hammer in first is what a lot of people are hoping for:
No XBone-Style Restrictions.
It's simple.  And if you'll allow me, I'll try to explain my own reasons for why I absolutely believe that the PS4 -won't- have those restrictions.  (Which means more bullet points, yay!)

• Shuhei Yoshida has already said "Oh yes, yes, you can go offline totally" when referring to the PS4's online necessity.  (At the time, the "Always-On" question was being asked)  Detractors are saying that, if you use the highest order of bullshit semantics, you can go offline totally with the XBone (just only for 24 hours), but -come on- already.
• Microsoft is planning on using the Azure cloud for just about all of this stuff, including MP and their Used Games things.  Azure is a big fucking cloud that Sony simply does not have an equivalent of.  Without requiring online, this essentially kills all opportunities -to- enforce such a system anyway, which means Shuhei Yoshida would be a dirty, dirty liar.  Which could still be the case, but -come on- already.
• One of the main arguments has been "Publishers wouldn't go forward without -both- companies doing it" which is stupid and you're stupid if you honestly believe that.  Here's why:  What happens if Microsoft goes forward with their plans, and Sony doesn't, offering an alternative without the restrictions that most gamers will (apparently) happily run with instead of the XBone (which will still see a lot of purchases)?  They get to play both sides of the fence.  They take Microsoft's buddy-money in one hand for exclusivity and such with DLC (and the 'big bucks' from the used shenanigans) and they probably sell more copies on the PS4 because of the lax restrictions, thereby making the amount of money they look to make about equal from both.  Eventually, they'll figure out which has been the better fit for them and go from there.  It's actually the perfect scenario for Publishers instead of a scenario where both consoles have such a measure since that will, ultimately lead to less sales overall.
• There have been absolutely no rumors about it yet.  No inside information.  No leaks.  Let's face it - Sony's ship isn't the tightest out there, and neither is Microsoft's.  These restrictions and such, we had heard tell of months before the announcement (The only thing we didn't know about the XBone, really, was the name) and simply refused to believe because who would be that stupid?  But you bet your ass if there was anything anywhere about this from Sony's camp, especially after Microsoft, we would already know it by now.
  
  -Me from this post ("E3 - My Sony Predictions", June 9th, 2013)

It's not often that I can point at one of my predictions/expectations and say "NAILED IT", so, especially for something this big, I did want to toot my own horn here.  It's unnecessary, of course, and self-serving, but, well, I called the PS4 not doing the XBone stuff.

Let me enjoy it.