Gamers are a fickle bunch.  We constantly clamor for innovation and will not accept a rehash of older games.  But when Microsoft tried to provide an innovative platform giving developlers potentially limitless opportunity to innovate, the gaming community cried foul, mistaking policies meant to foster innovation as some sort of shackles on consumers' rights.

MS DOES know what consumers want and DOES know what's trending. They see that bio-feedback is the next big thing, not only in gaming, but in consumer electronics.  Panasonic now includes cameras and mics on their TVs for Skyping and bio-feedback interfacing and voice control.  Imagine a TV that automatically turns on and tunes to the show you want to watch MS when you sit down on the couch.  Only possible with bio-feedback, only possible with an always-on camera and mic.

In addition, the Kinect is required to provide a consistent platform for developers.  Developers know the functionality is there and can design games accordingly.  We are at the same stage in gaming console tech right now that we were at with cell phones when cameras were first attached to them.  At first, I thought What a stupid idea.  I didnt see the need, or the potential.  But now, we can scan bar codes in stores, comparison shop on the Internet and use GPS to direct us to a cheaper store.  No one would have predicted the smartphones potential and how they have become indispensable to many of us.  The same will happen with the Xbox One.  Developers will start to tinker and brainstorm and innovate in ways that we cannot predict right now and bio-feedback will become an indispensable part of gaming.

Further, the Kinect makes perceptual computing possible, another next big thing on its way:

http://www.techspot.com/news/53209-the-next-wave-of-computing-is-perceptual.html

MS is anticipating needs and meeting them early on.  The Kinect is not meant to spy on you, that is a conspiracy theory.  Yes, the government spies on people, yes, MS has worked with them in the PRISM program.

But first of all, if you think the government needs MS help to spy on you, youre naïve.  Secondly, if you think the government is not already spying on people, you are naïve.  Third, if you think that there are no cameras in your home, you are naïve.  There is a camera and mic on you everywhere you goon your cell phone.  If anyone wanted to spy on you, your cell phone is much more effective since you carry it everywhere.  Its not just limited to the living room. Oh, and lets not forget your PC, that has a camera tooand a mic (most probably).  And if you think you can shut either device off with 100% certainty (aside from disconnecting the power), you are naïve.

For some reason, many had a problem with them being monitored while playing a game.  I cant understand why.  What is so confidential and private about your heart rate or facial expressions during a certain game segment?  Besides, if you think this is not already happening to a lesser degree, right now, you areyou guessed itnaïve.  I noticed an option in the Mass Effect 3 menu to allow data collection on playing habits and that is a game that is a few years old.  You think Activision does not monitor online multiplayer Call of Duty matches? Hmmm

And why is being monitored a bad thing?  If my gaming console can figure out what I like and make it easier to find and buy those things, then great.  Imagine being able to purchase whatever it is you may like or need, that you are going to buy anyway, with a few button presses before jumping into a CoD match so you dont have to get on your computer, log on, go to the particular website, click through and navigate to the items page, enter payment info and checkout.

If I can just say Xbox, buy Halo 5, and it shows up on my doorstep on launch day, or say Xbox, rent Star Wars in HD and it starts playing, and while watching the movie, say Xbox, record South Park at 9 and that happensthen sign me up.

For some, the whole integrated control thing seems insignificant, but again, they are missing the potential.  I have a kick-ass home theater system, costs well over $10K.  Its great, I have a super receiver, HD DVR box, universal disc player (my Blu-Ray), 55 1080p 3D HDTV, XBOX 360, PS3, Wii and 7 surround speakers with one ridiculous subwoofer.  Oh, and I forgot.one remote control for the TV, one for the receiver, one for the cable box, one for the XBOX, and a controller for the PS3 and one for the Wii that act like remotes. SOOOlets say I wanna watch a Blu-Ray and Im playing a game.  OK, get the receiver remote, switch it to Blu-Ray, get the TV remote, switch it to Blu-Ray, get the 360 controller or remote and turn the system off, get the Blu-Ray remote, turn the player on, hit play.Then, I wanna watch TV after the movie, OK get the picture? 

OR I can say Xbox, watch Blu-Ray.  See the potential?

Requiring an Internet connection would have ensured the availability of cloud computing processing power to all games.  Eventually, the Xbox One will allow AI and physics processing to be done in the cloud, freeing up the console to focus on graphics and other gameplay elements.  This feature is so potent, it makes some games only possible on the X1. (http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/titanfall-developers-spell-out-benefits-of-xbox-one-cloud/)

The consistent online connection was also necessary to allow games installation, eliminating the need to have the game disc in the console during play. A feature I am sad to see go, and one that our PC gaming brothers already enjoy. To all those that would tell me to just get up and change the disc, I ask, "Do you use your remote control or get up to change the channel?"  I realize it's not the end of the world, but would have been a very nice convenience feature.

Digital distribution is the way of the future and MS knows it.  The family-sharing plan and required check-in were solutions to piracy concerns and other issues involved with digital distribution.   But gamers cried foul, and just plain cried, because this was such an inconvenience, I guess?? It required no work on your part and was done automatically.  I cant even fathom why people had a problem with this.  In this day and age, if you can't afford broadband, you're probably not in the market for a $500 console.  So Im not sure who this affected.

As I read all the anti-Xbox comments, I see a bunch of people that just dont appreciate all the potential outlined above.  The XBOX ONE will change gaming tech the same way the original XBOX did.  The original made HDDs a necessity, ushered in online console gaming, and raised the bar in gaming audio by putting Dolby Digital in games.  The One will make bio-feedback indispensable, introduce perceptual computing to the masses, and provide integrated, easy-to-use consumer electronics control. All while PLAYING GREAT GAMES!!!!!!!

The X1 is designed to satisfy gamers AND anyone that enjoys tech gadgets and wants the latest.  The X1 appeals to a much wider audience and will capture not only gamers, but potentially non-gamers and may even make them gamers.  This is what happened with the Wii and will most likely happen with X1.  Then we'll see Sony playing catch-up, again, and implement everything the X1 has.  The same way everyone copied motion control on the Wii. 

The hardcore gamer audience is now irrelevant, like they were for the Wii. Nintendo did not care about pleasing hardcore gamers and wanted to appeal to a larger audience and it did.  The cash came rolling in and the Wii was a commercial hit. 

Companies will serve the most profitable demographic, and that's the casual user.  When the X1 becomes a hit, Sony will follow suit and I can laugh at all you hardcore gaming social rejects that said Sony was so great for concentrating only on games.

Gamers are a fickle bunch.  We constantly clamor for innovation and will not accept a rehash of older games.  But when Microsoft tried to provide an innovative platform giving developlers potentially limitless opportunity to innovate, the gaming community cried foul, mistaking policies meant to foster innovation as some sort of shackles on consumers' rights.

Microsoft originally intended to require daily check-ins for X1's over the Intnernet.  This was necessary to ensure piracy did not run rampant in the next gen.  This feature would have allowed games to be installed to the console, eliminating the need to have the game disc in the console during play. 

Digital distribution is the way of the future and MS saw this.  They were trying to implement it early and be a first mover in that space.  But gamers did not see it that way, they only saw this as an inconvenience and mistook it as a poor attitude towards consumers.  But nothing could be further from the truth.  Microsoft was innovating, bringing the future to the present and transforming the way content is distributed. 

In this day and age, if you do not have an internet connection it is probably because you can't afford it, with the military as the exception.  If you can't afford broadband, you're probably not in the market for a $500 console.

So now, MS reverses its policy to please the cry babies out there and the old school keeping-the-disc-in-the-console tech is here to stay.  I was actually disappointed with this change as I was looking forward to being able to switch between games from the comfort of the couch.

Kinect was another sore spot for the cry babies who thought MS wanted to spy on you.  First of all, if you really think MS gives a $hit what you do in your home, you need to get over yourself.  What makes your life so spectacular that you think someone else wants to see it?  Yes, they will collect gameplay information, but that is already done with online games.  Jus the other day, I saw an option in Mass Effect 3 to allow Bioware to monitor my gamepley.  So IT's ALREADY HAPPENING.

Second, if you think the government needs MS help to spy on you, you are naive.  And if you think that the government isn't already spying on anyone, you're stupid.  The government does what it wants and if they want to watch you, they will.  With or without Kinect.  Having kinect does not make a difference.

Yes, the Kinect allows for more detailed information gathering, but it will enhance gameplay and allow future innovation.  Just think, if they can figure out how to make the console respond to you based on bio-feedback,  Imagine having a natural conversation with NPCs in RPGs.  I am all for the furtherance of game technology and if that means watching my every move while I play, then I am all for it.  Besides, I'm not doing anything illegal in my living room or anything that I should be embarrased about so I wouldn't care if someone was watching me anyway.

Kinect is required so that bio-feedback can be implemented.  This is the future of gaming tech.  Kinect is required so the developers know that the tech is available to implement in their games.  Gamers completely missed this point and only focused on ridiculous conspiracy theories. 

If the government wanted to use a device to spy on you, they would use cell phones.  It's much more effective since we carry them with us everywhere we go, not just in the living room. 

So gamers will continue to complain that games lack innovation and then cry when a company tries something new. Why? Because people are stupid.  They love their imagination and want to believe that aliens exist, Area 51 houses aliens, that there is a God, that Jesus existed, and that MS wants to spy on you in your home.  One ridiculous thing after another. 

Anyone complaining about MS's policies is just too dumb to see the potential for technical innovation.