Microsoft’s Xbox One, one of the strangest additions to the Xbox family thus far, with its massive software and hardware problems and exclusive game titles that seem mediocre at first glance. The game system has had numerous software updates throughout its span, some for the better, and others that should’ve just came with the initial launch. When the Xbox One was released in November of 2013, it was a large piece of hardware that seemed more like a VCR than a game console. The idea for the console was to make it an all in one home entertainment system. Upon near release there had already been speculation of rumors that the system would require the addition of the Microsoft Kinect, a product that wasn’t of huge demand, and that the system would always be on when you were tracked through the Kinect. There was also speculation that the system would have larger memory than what was originally released. Lastly there was the issue of what was to become of the recent hacking that had taken place on both Microsoft and Sony’s platforms. Since then, some of these issues have been dealt with, while others are still in progress. The hacking that had undone lots of system errors including privatized chat amongst friends and between online profiles has slowly been improved for some profiles and is still in progress. Thankfully the Kinect was later removed from its initial launch and has since then become merely an option rather than a requirement. The system’s memory capacity is lower than what was to be speculated during launch, however there is an external memory card add on that grants a terabyte of extra storage, which you will definitely need because of how the system stores data of its games.

The system itself is larger than its two predecessors as well as polygonal and is sleeker than the Xbox 360 slim edition. They design of the controller compared to the Xbox 360’s is overall improved with a sleek and more responsive speed on the trigger buttons, albeit the battery life could arguably have declined. It has a more natural grip than the 360’s and it feels better in general to hold. The Xbox One’s on screen dashboard is similar to Windows 8. In terms of capabilities the Xbox One surpasses the Xbox 360. Downloading digital content was a huge nuisance on the Xbox 360, however on the Xbox One, you’re able to download and play the game simultaneously as well as use combinations of applications such as Netflix and other social media. You can also snap two screens in order to use two applications at the same time as well, instead of the seamless jumping from one screen to the next. The system also has the ability to record gameplay clips of thirty seconds to a minute of footage and pictures to its DVR to share with friends through your profile’s online feed. Because the system is marketed as an all in one home entertainment platform, there are various applications and updates available including Blu-ray player and I-heart radio. You can also customize the color of the dashboard and along with a future update, be able to play games across both the Xbox One and Windows 10 players on the PC. This cross-platforming concept, although not entirely new, has yet to become fully implemented a system in video game history and will greatly influence the market and industry as a whole in terms of game design and experimentation.

            The Xbox One however isn’t perfect, even with the most recent of updates and future announcements. Since the hacking scandal, some of the perpetrators had been dealt with and are in the process of fixing what they had broken this, this however has been a painstakingly slow process for what would seem to be a simple fix, especially since it’s the same people who caused the issue to begin with. Also the amount of memory of the Xbox One is very small in comparison to the amount of storage these games come with, prompting the inevitability to eventually purchase the terabyte addition instead of uninstalling one of your favorite games because an application needs an extra update. Speaking of updates, the Xbox One is finally going to get backwards compatibility for Xbox 360 games. However, this will be from a handpicked list from the Xbox Community that will grow exponentially for the next few years. This update albeit great, should’ve been implemented at launch when it was a great concern for new users. It also should have backwards compatibility for the entire library of games, especially since they are going to be using an emulator of the Xbox 360’s operating system. The Xbox 360 also had the same issue of only being somewhat compatible for its previous system’s games and there isn’t really an excuse for it. Comparing to the PlayStation 2 which was released with full backwards compatibility back in 2000. Microsoft would’ve been able to gain a much greater audience had this issue been dealt with. The bulkiness of the Xbox One is a rather big deal, it takes up a lot of room, and it’s not recommended to be stacked on due to the placement of the ventilation plates on the system. This could’ve been fixed rather effectively had they gone with a slimmer, flatter approach. Comparing to the PlayStation 2 slim version, this system was not only leagues smaller than original design of the PlayStation 2, but it was also greatly reduced in depth, making it the most compact portable home console to date. It had the same capabilities, was able to connect to the internet, play both video games and DVD’s, as well as save content, and with an add-on able to play with up to four people. The portability aspect is something that has been lost for modern videogames for quite some time which is strange, especially in an era where computers and phones have become flatter and more compact. The Xbox One’s Windows 8 operating system is also a challenge for new users to navigate and it’s very tedious to get tasks done. For example, redeeming an online membership code is very time consuming without the Kinect, having to type in the twenty five character and number combination manually without a keyboard pad. There is also a small inconvenience on the Xbox One’s controller is the need for an adapter for a 3.5mm headset along with a 2.5mm cable. Although it’s included with the system, the Xbox 360’s controller just came with a port for a 2.5mm headset. This means that whenever you get a 3.5mm headset for your Xbox One, you need to make sure that both the port and adapter are also functional in order to use the headset. Albeit the adapter’s design is very handy, the 2.5mm cord however could’ve been improved through simply adding an additional port on the controller as a secondary option. In terms of exclusive game titles, there really aren’t that many in the lineup that aren’t already on either the previous console or on the competition.

            Overall the system is a mix of flawed and decent design. If looked at objectively they did manage to make a decent home entertainment system, with a library of games, apps, social media, and the ability to use it all at once without interrupting the downloads of memory for each one. This is still better than the previous system by far, however there are too many aspects that desperately need attention if Microsoft still wants to continue making game consoles. Hopefully as future updates are released, the system might have a chance to stay above water. If you are considering to purchase an Xbox One, it would be best to wait until they release an improved and possibly slimmer version. The system is borderline average in terms of functionality and definitely needs improvement towards online and software capabilities.