Xbox One: Can it truly stake first place?

From a social media marketing standpoint, a multimedia video game platform sounds like a dream. The idea seems novel an appealing: combining the functionalities of networks like Facebook and communication vehicles like Skype and integrating them into your gaming experience. From a gamer’s standpoint, it’s something that some will appreciate, and the rest won’t mind – as long as the actual software is continually released at a constant pace.

But from what I’ve seen of the Xbox One so far, I can’t say I’m not skeptical. (Look, I even resorted to using a double negative.)

I may not be exclusively a Microsoft guy, but that didn’t stop me from reading a lot of the recent coverage about the Xbox One. After doing so, I noticed that their lineup of games wasn’t exactly robust – a big problem with any console launch. The only two exclusives that I was able to pick out from the list were “Forza Motorsport 5” and “Quantum Break,” with the rest seen on other consoles. It’s possible that more will be shown at this year’s E3 – but I have to wonder why there wasn’t a more fleshed-out showing out of the gate. Is it possible that Microsoft is attempting to make games less of a focal point in favor of other types of media?

If so, I can definitely see where the company is coming from, since gaming is continually being geared to a more diverse crowd. It’s all about broad appeal these days. How many games with “city” or “farm” in the title do you constantly see on Facebook, for example? As of now, I don’t see Microsoft doing anything that will stand out from Sony or Nintendo, or at least anything that will make gamers point at the Xbox One and say, “I want that.”

I’m not holding my breath, but there’s still time for the company to surprise me. Here are four key ways that the Xbox One can come across as a contender in all respects:

1. Price the system well. The deluxe version of the Wii U retails at $349.99 while the PlayStation 4 has been rumored to cost around $400 at launch. In light of this news, wouldn’t it behoove Microsoft to keep an affordable rate by comparison? In the economy that we live in, appealing to people’s wallets is important.
2. Do gamers a favor and take the requirement of constant Internet connectivity away. While a number of gamers are always going to have a steady connection, what about those who live in residential areas which may have shakier Internet access? For them, the Internet mandate only hampers the overall experience.
3. Release information about upcoming Xbox One titles en route to E3. You don’t have to blow your wad all at once: bring out one or two each week or so and give potential consumers a taste of what they’re in for. Once E3 rolls around, it won’t be long until the proverbial video game omelet is served to them.
4. Make sure that social media features remain exactly that: features. Building an entire console around it may be appealing to some but it stands the chance of alienating gamers who may not care much about Twitter. Many of us still just want to game. If there is a happy medium which can be found, I suggest staying in that area so that you can both have the cake and eat it, too.

Food puns aside, what is your take on the Xbox One? Are you excited for the console’s imminent release or could you not care less? Let us know your thoughts!