Okay...
I used to think the next X-BOX would just totally bomb without a next generation disc format, nor BC or a HD...but now, I dunno. I think American's are just dumb. Nothing against people who bought an X-BOX at all...I just think that even with these three major brick walls the X-BOX bandwagon won't lose much momentum 'cos MS has already made a name for themselves in videogames and (mostly stupid American pride) people are going to get the next X-BOX regardless due to the whole Americaness of it. It'll be "big" and "bad" and "powerful" just like the first X-BOX in people's minds even if that's totally not the case. I used to think that headstart was going to kill thier next generation system as well...but again, I dunno anymore. I think this whole "made in the U.S.A." crap & the almighty MS name is really gonna be a factor. Sony (despite being "cooler" than Nintendo) is still going to be seen as Japanese, too Japanese for some American's. Sorta sickens me.
Having different models of the next X-BOX is actually pretty cool though. But hopefully they don't run things into the ground with the approach and take the industry down with them. The last time the market was flooded with too many systems was when we had the "crash". Having a bare-bones games only machine is great though as it get's the system out there at more affordable prices so more people can get it which can be a factor in multi-console owners. Plus this is good for people who don't want bells'n'wistles. For people who want more they can get it. Maybe MS (by not going with a next generation disc format) is wise in forseeing that people will be happy with DVD despite HD-DVD & BR...and by staying out of (what may be) a pointless tech. war they save grief and money. But what if the disc capacity will matter? What about BR being faster than DVD too? There are risks, but with coming out earlier and sticking with a cheap tried'n'true format like DVD they may give themselves the headstart and userbase they need to make those factors a non-issue. To add, MS may have the edge in the licencing department 'cos of sticking with DVD too as it'll be the cheaper format than the competition...plus with only a DVD drive the money saved there could be spent to beef up other specs? Plus with the theory of releasing an "X-BOX 540" or "X-BOX 900" they may help themselves to lose the stigma of being "less powerful" than PS3 by giving options the PS3 won't have. For instance, PS3 may play this new fangled BR format while "X-BOX 360" only plays DVD's...BUT..."X-BOX 540" will play AND record DVD's or have TiVo functions and all that jazz and I think people will see that as the better system or at least the better value.
The whole no HD & no BC issues are still there, but that's not to say they couldn't be offered in some other way. Maybe by getting an "X-BOX 540" or "X-BOX 900" or getting an add-on HD/BC deal...as I think alot of the first X-BOX games would require a HD anyways. I know there's problems with making such an add-on cheap (due to Intel/nVidea), but there was a company that suggested they could help MS emulate the first X-BOX using the next X-BOX's power and thier special software or something? I dunno about all that, but anything's possible I guess? Someone suggested that (for those who want custom soundtracks or other HD features) that they could link the next X-BOX to thier PC's HD. But would doing this require some new MS software probably?
I still think that the next X-BOX is coming too soon, is taking away features and sorta gipping thier fans and that any kind of "momentum" they have will meet with the brick walls of having no HD, no BC, no next generation disc format and losing thier biggest selling point (by being less powerful) this time around. But...I still see the masses gobbling it up and I feel MS has sorta forced themselves to do this in order to make thier plans work and in order for them to start turning thier mindshare and marketshare into something profitable.
