Rumored Xbox One Launch Issues Lead To Lots Of Questions

[Ironman273]

Rumored Xbox One Launch Issues Lead To Lots Of Questions


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As we inch closer and closer to the release of next-gen consoles, we're starting to learn more and more about their features?and some of what we're hearing might not be great news for anyone who expected a totally stable experience at launch.

 

Over the past few days, the Internet has exploded with drama surrounding the Xbox One. We've seen a maelstrom of rumors revolving around resolutions, power issues, and potential bugs in the console's software. Rumors suggest that Microsoft's next console is dealing with some issues affecting the operating system and Xbox Live, and Kotaku has heard from our own industry sources that software development kits for the system have been buggy as well.

 

Microsoft, both in public and in statements to Kotaku, is optimistic about their console but will not address specific rumors.

 

It's worth noting, of course, that video game console launches are rarely smooth. The Red Ring of Death fiasco killed a seemingly endless number of Xbox 360s back when Microsoft's last console hit stores, and, more recently, Nintendo's Wii U launched with missing features and a sluggish operating system.

 

In other words, these systems tend to come in hot.

That said, we've been hearing for months now about issues facing Microsoft's next system, and the rumors that have been floating around for the past couple of days seem to support what we reported back in May: that the folks behind the Xbox One have been hard-pressed to get it ready for its launch on November 22.

 

We hear, for example, that the Xbox One software development kit?the set of tools that development studios use to facilitate game creation?has been stumbling recently. Yesterday, two developer sources told Kotaku that Microsoft found a number of bugs in one of the most recent versions of the SDK.

 

One source said that as of at least a few weeks ago, Xbox One SDKs were very buggy. Another source said some developers who have already submitted their games to Microsoft for certification have had to resubmit those games with a more recent version of the SDK. In other words, both developers and Microsoft staff have been working overtime to get games shipped and approved.

 

"It's going to be a fun few weeks in Microsoft QA," one developer source said.

 

What does that all mean for people who plan to buy an Xbox One on November 22? At this point, it's tough to say. A third, high-level developer source assures us that this sort of thing is par for the course. Hardware launches are always rocky, and while this is the type of issue that will lead to all-nighters for people working on the console and its games, these last-minute SDK bugs might not have much effect on what we see and play this fall.

One of the rumors that seems to be worrying gamers the most involves possible issues with the console's operating system. Our sources have had less to say about this, one way or other, but we needed to address it.

 

Pete Dodd, a frequent NeoGAF poster and blogger, reports that multiple developer contacts tell him the Xbox One operating system is plagued by bugs that affect applications like party grouping on Xbox Live. Since Dodd's blog post went up last night, it's been widely circulated on Reddit, NeoGAF, and other large websites. People are panicking.

 

"My understanding from [my sources] is that the [OS] problem happens with the apps," Dodd told me when I asked him to elaborate on what he'd heard. "So if you are playing by yourself and just playing the game online it should be fine. But if you're in a party, people get dropped. Voice chat cuts in and out. Certain app combinations make the machine crash completely."
 
Dodd, perhaps best known for launching the #PS4NoDRM campaign earlier this year, is not a professional journalist. He doesn't have the cachet of a well-known gaming website or magazine. However, he has been publicly correct about rumors in the past, such as the delay of Sony's PS4 racing game DriveClub, which he reported was true two days before Sony confirmed the news.

 

When we reached out to Microsoft for comment both on SDK bugs and these OS issues, they sent over this statement:
 

We?re on track for a great launch. We?re in the final stages of development and things are progressing well. Games are moving through certification now. We also feel great about the platform and Xbox Live. We?ve been building great multiplayer experiences for more than 10 years and Xbox Live multiplayer on Xbox One will be the best it?s ever been. 

 

Microsoft top executive Phil Spencer did address this rumor on Twitter, although he didn't exactly confirm or deny it. "Games are in certification now and we are playing SP & MP nightly," he wrote. "Anyone can post 'stuff' to the web."

 

Microsoft spokesman Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb also addressed the rumor: "As far as Xbox One, I've been testing the OS at home it's been great," he said.

 

I talked to Dodd privately both last night and today, and although I haven't been yet able to confirm the rumors he's reporting, I believe that they do come from developer sources. What we don't know?and what we might not know until November 22?is just how many of these alleged issues will still be problematic when Xbox One launches.

The PlayStation 4, of course, may have issues of its own. We've already seen Sony confirm that their suspend/resume feature won't be available at launch, and that much of the PS4's functionality will be enabled by a day-one patch. Who knows what else we'll learn as we get closer to the next PlayStation's release on November 15?

 

This is all just the latest news in what has become a large, dramatic debate over the next generation of gaming consoles. Conversation has fired up on sites like Reddit and NeoGAF in response to vague tweets from game journalists and rumors that the next Call of Duty runs at a higher resolution on PlayStation 4 than it does on Xbox One. It's led to some insane, totally false conspiracy theories.

 

It's also led to some panic around the current status of next-gen consoles, and we feel compelled to share everything we've heard so far. As always, we'll keep you updated as we hear more.

 

Source: Kotaku

[trooper11]

Its interesting how it seems that everyone is obsessed with each and every X1 rumor that points to a negative topic, but Sony gets none of this with the ps4.

Even though there has been info regarding possible issues with its own launch, including Sony itself admitting that more features won't make the launch, and yet it is MS that draws all the arrows from the internet community at large.

Also, while few give Sony any grief for not laying out all of the ps4 details, it seems like there is a constant drum beat for MS to lay it all out. Even MS own people giving responses aren't enough.

I don't know what rumors are true or not, but this back and forth is ridiculous.

[psionicinversion]

someone at said at work that theres possible yield issues with the esram and maybe dropping the clock speed, but im sure he was reading someat from months ago cus i remember that and it wasnt new and seems to be fixed ages ago. but after seeing the new x1 interactivity demo lets say, if it really really plagued with bugs its kind of misleading and i cant imagine the ps4 is any different at the moment. the UI will be in development for a while but basic features which either console is supposed to be have should of bin addressed and fixed. Maybe its harder with the slower processor cores and/or limited amount of system ram BOTH consoles have. Cant remember what both consoles have reserved as system ram but i dunno lets say the x1 snapping skype could consume quite a bit, but then sony ps4 is supposed be capturing 15 minutes??? (cant remember or maybe 5mins) continuous gameplay footage then you choose what you want to upload will tax the ram cus its not just focusing on playing the game its focusing n capturing everything you do for x amount of time to so i think both consoles will have ups and downs for a while till its all sorted so there shouldnt be any MS sony backlash cus there both feeling the heat, of inadequate software. simple as so pre-order buyers, welcome to the beta test :P :P

[Ironman273]

I was curious what response this would get.  I wholeheartedly agree but I generally hold my tongue as people tend to classify me a fanboy.  Even on the article about the digital gamesharing on the PS4, which has gotten gimped compared to the PS3s you have comments like "It's basically the same" and then they point out all the differences that they have removed.  For some people I guess they've "grown up" with a Playstation and can't bear to let it go, to others it's the "M$ is evil" thought.

[madd-hatter]

Further supporting my thought that there is no reason to buy a launch console. Ever.

[spaceelf]

Further supporting my thought that there is no reason to buy a launch console. Ever.

Unless you want the games or to use it for its non gaming features, of course.

[madd-hatter]

Unless you want the games

 

What games? Launch games are historically poor.

 

use it for its non gaming features, of course.

 

PC?

[Blackhearted]

Unless you want the games or to use it for its non gaming features, of course.

 

No one with any sense spends $500 on a game console to then proceed to use it to just do something like... watch netflix and little else.

[spaceelf]

No one with any sense spends $500 on a game console to then proceed to use it to just do something like... watch netflix and little else.

These are basically PCs.  I'd use it as my main machine, since my PC is too loud for me.

[spenser.d]

No one with any sense spends $500 on a game console to then proceed to use it to just do something like... watch netflix and little else.

I think he meant use it for nongaming features until the games you want come out. Or at least that's what I assume because otherwise, yeah, that's a lot of money for Netflix :P

[Showan]

Everybody has their reasons...  Microsoft is currently making these people famous.

 

This Dodd guy now has his 15minutes of fame. 

Haters like Kotaku & GAF, who already have TONS of HATERS, got a few ton more haters

The Sucky Indies now feel lime they are big wigs. Have their chest pumped out.

So called "Gaming Journalist " who websites were barren and nobody bothered with until the One was announced.

[spenser.d]

What games? Launch games are historically poor.

PC?

A lot of people enjoy COD, or Battlefield, etc and want new tech right away.

[trooper11]

No one with any sense spends $500 on a game console to then proceed to use it to just do something like... watch netflix and little else.

Um, you must have missed the ps3 launch then.

There were many early adopters that had little to no interest in gaming. It was simply the cheapest and arguably best bluray at the time. So yeah, there are scenarios where a gaming console is bought for non gaming reasons. Now that these consoles are more all-in-one machines, you will get tech enthusiasts that early adopt them, not just gaming enthusiasts.

[JonnyLH]

When did pre-release XDK's for developers which are months old get nightly builds of the dashboard which contains the most up to date software codebases? Never.

 

So why has this become news?

 

Journalism.

[Skiver Veteran]

To be fair, since when does a piece of software launch without bugs?! I mean I know its MS so I suspect they have the money and resources to keep this sort of thing very low, but with the best will in the world bugs are inevitable.

 

Again, I may be making excuses and coming across fanboyish but I would imagine that the policy changes with always online etc have had a knock on effect to the OS and certain things will have been stripped/changed at a point where they are probably going into their final test cycles.

 

If its sluggish i will be disappointed, but if they address it quickly and efficiently then i can deal with it.

[BajiRav]

To be fair, since when does a piece of software launch without bugs?! I mean I know its MS so I suspect they have the money and resources to keep this sort of thing very low, but with the best will in the world bugs are inevitable.

 

Again, I may be making excuses and coming across fanboyish but I would imagine that the policy changes with always online etc have had a knock on effect to the OS and certain things will have been stripped/changed at a point where they are probably going into their final test cycles.

 

If its sluggish i will be disappointed, but if they address it quickly and efficiently then i can deal with it.

There was also this mention by MJF that Microsoft has moved some Windows dev. teams on XBO for finishing the OS on time. I am sure Sony is also in the same boat(crunch period prior to launch) because we haven't seen any finished OS walkthrough from them as well.

[BajiRav]

So just saw this on GAF

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Click here to view the Tweet

[Growled Member]

I'm tired of getting all this based on rumors. I think I'll just wait until it's released and then pronounce judgement.

[Houtei]

I just do not get why there's not more people taking issue with the fact that sony has not said crap since E3 and have not really given anyone full access to the system and also have NDA on everything so the only news we even hear about is what they want us to hear which i can be sure is not 100% truthful.  And this not even being able to play bluray or dvds among many other things until you access the internet and download a patch.  People were all over MS for their patch.  From what I gather the first time anyone is going to have decent access to the ps4 will be like 2 days before at a SONY run event and everyone there will be signing NDA as well.  Something just sounds fishy.  I still plan on getting mine launch day but i have to say i am a little scared.

[George P Global Moderator]

I just do not get why there's not more people taking issue with the fact that sony has not said crap since E3 and have not really given anyone full access to the system and also have NDA on everything so the only news we even hear about is what they want us to hear which i can be sure is not 100% truthful.  And this not even being able to play bluray or dvds among many other things until you access the internet and download a patch.  People were all over MS for their patch.  From what I gather the first time anyone is going to have decent access to the ps4 will be like 2 days before at a SONY run event and everyone there will be signing NDA as well.  Something just sounds fishy.  I still plan on getting mine launch day but i have to say i am a little scared.

 

 

Well now that we're getting closer to release all the negative info Sony has kept under wraps about the PS4 is coming to light.  It's not as rosy as people believed it would be months ago it seems, lots of things missing from day 1 and quite a few of them have people scratching their heads over it.

[George P Global Moderator]

There was also this mention by MJF that Microsoft has moved some Windows dev. teams on XBO for finishing the OS on time. I am sure Sony is also in the same boat(crunch period prior to launch) because we haven't seen any finished OS walkthrough from them as well.

 

I don't think that's correct, as part of the reorg the Xbox OS guys are now all together with the Windows and Windows Phone OS guys part of the OS group.  So in a sense Windows devs are working on the Xbox One OS but that's really the norm now.  Having everyone together in one core OS group should speed things along on all 3 of MSs platforms, phone, PC, Xbox.

[-T- Member]

More rumours to bash MS on the day the PS4 officially confirms,

• All Retail Games Will Need To Be Installed
• No Audio CD Playback or MP3 Playback
• No DLNA Support for PC Media Servers
• No External Drive Support
• No 4K Output Support

What a coincidence

[George P Global Moderator]

More rumours to bash MS on the day the PS4 officially confirms,

• All Retail Games Will Need To Be Installed
• No Audio CD Playback or MP3 Playback
• No DLNA Support for PC Media Servers
• No External Drive Support
• No 4K Output Support

What a coincidence

 

So, because I don't much care about NeoGAF and so on, are they even raising hell about all this stuff over there or is it only the bad Xbox stuff that gets traction?  

[LaP]

Seriously the new consoles are coming out in less than a month can't people wait and see ?

[Atomic Wanderer Chicken]

The biggest question I have about the Xbox One is

 

Does the Xbox One accept Atari 2600 cartridges? :laugh: