We’re stuck with this kind of behaviour though. What am I going to do? Throw out my Xbox because I don’t like what they’re doing? Maybe this will make people choose a different console next generation, but that’s barely sending a message if there’s only a couple of viable options.
Maybe this will make people choose a different console next generation,
Reject consoles, return to PC gaming. As consoles get more and more expensive, with less to offer, it makes less and less sense to continue supporting consoles.
Well, yeah. I get both consoles. But that's one of the reasons I leaned heavily into Playstation last generation. Xbox has been ad heavy since one of their UI updates on the 360.
I mean Sony has been pulling plenty of terrible shit and Nintendo hates their fans. PC is the only consumer friendly option and they're doing their best to make sure that stops.
While I would like this kind of crap to stop, I don't see how you would properly legislate to ban it.
Instead, I think we should look at requiring any changes to software to not be possible to hijack your equipment and remove features.
So if you choose not to update, you can. Currently, they ban you from online play if you don't. Force them to be backwards compatible and they will. Force the updates to provide user benefit and they will.
Bricking devices, like happens all too often when support ends or a cloud server shuts down should entitle you to a full refund unless they specifically offer it for only a period.
Sony recently with the loss of content. Microsoft with the windows ads. Microsoft with the Xbox ads. Amazon with the ad insertions. We need to combat enshittification in general. Force service portability and force backwards compatibility.
It will never cease to amaze me how fast media is to negatively cover Xbox. Its like they've got these pre-written with their finger over the post button.