How did I not see this coming? What a well thought through plot, if indeed Microsoft saw far enough into the future to predict this course of events.
It may sound far-fetched, but it isn't as implausible as one might think. Microsoft has announced their complete turn-around on the two major features of the Xbox One that caused a huge uproar after their E3 demonstration. The "always on" and limited used game usage features of the Xbox One shocked and outraged many and insult was added to injury when Sony came on stage next and really tore Microsoft apart. For a week, Microsoft has endured the immense amount of criticism and has only issued statements making matters worse for themselves. Statements like "We have a solution for those who want to play offline games. It's called the Xbox 360."
Acting all week like they were intent on pushing this "futuristic system" out to market, they drove many people away from the idea of buying the new console this fall. But, all of a sudden, they do a complete turn-around and "give the people what they want." Tomorrow, when word of this gets out, pre orders for the One should skyrocket. Is it so hard to imagine that this was on purpose?
I postulate that Microsoft announced their new console with all of it's faults knowing that it would cause an uproar. Knowing that it would put their console's name out in the news in a big way, albeit negatively in many ways.
Then, after waiting it out for a little while, they could come out claiming to have listened to the masses and done the thing all good companies should do and acted upon suggestions and complaints from the users. They "changed their mind" about the two biggest complaints with their new console. Amazing.
It still has some deterrents, such as its high price and its lack of backward compatibility with 360 games, but the two things they "fixed" were by and large the most outrageous.
Now, expect to see a huge rise in pre orders tomorrow for the Xbox One. They have been receiving some pre orders up to this point, of course, from those die hard Microsoft fans, but this news should precipitate a massive rush from users.
What an extreme marketing plan. And we will see over the next few days if it turns out to be an extremely successful one.
Look for a jump in Microsoft stock tomorrow and a very noticeable rise in pre orders for the new "re-vamped" Xbox One console.
Don't be surprised if Microsoft suddenly comes through with a "Backward Compatibility List" just before the release of the One with 150-200 Xbox360 games that work with the new system. In a last minute effort to get the 360 lovers to switch to the new console, they may offer this token service like they did when the 360 first came out.
Xbox One. In stores this fall.
