Thoughts on the Xbox One

Most people I know that own an Xbox 360 use it to watch Netflix. Most of the people I know that own a Playstation 3 use it primarily as a Blue-Ray player. Sure, they bought games too, but they really dont play them. Attempting to call the Xbox One an entertainment system that just so happens to play games, is a brilliant move by Microsoft.

After the conference ended, Reddit was quick to complain they wanted a new console, not a TV remote. The fact being overlooked is you still are getting a console with it. Its hardware is on par PlayStation 4. Both systems have even moved to a more PC-like x86 architecture. The focus on yesterday’s event was not about games. It was about the hardware. It was about its place in the living room. Like Apple with the iPad, The xbox One is Microsoft’s entry into a post-PC world.

We as gamers need to step down off this pedestal we’ve put ourselves on. Video games and consoles aren’t just for us anymore. they’re also for our family, our parents, our Grandma. They’re for our partner to watch Netflix on. For so long there have been outcries for gaming to be more accepted part of our culture. Well, this is it. This is the next natural step. Calling yourself a gamer isn’t meant to mean you’re part of an exclusive club. Gaming is a form of entertainment meant to be shared by all.

While video games as we know it are evolving, the core idea will always remain. To entertain. The last 20 minutes of the conference demonstrated that. We still have developers dedicated to making the next generation of Call of Duties and Halos. Those games aren’t going anywhere. But we’re on the cusp of a brand new generation of entertainment. We should be excited instead of jaded. We're getting a device that can now do so much more than just play games.