Microsoft's approach for its upcoming next generation Xbox One console has not been the best of the starts in the company’s history. While on the bumpy road to success, Microsoft did face some blockades in the form of outspread criticisms related to the company’s policies before being altered. However, experienced personalities around the industry believe that Microsoft selling policies have been flawed from day one, and Codemasters co-founder is no different.
Co-founder and industry veteran David Darling recently spoke with GamesIndustry International about Microsoft’s turnaround on its previously introduced DRM policies. He stated:
"It was interesting how the market did pull back with Microsoft. I don't think Microsoft sold it in the right way - they weren't strong enough. I don't think they should have had a physical drive on Xbox One - it's like having a dead body handcuffed to you. It's dragging along this dead body and it's going to slow them down. They've let the market pull them back but I think that was a mistake."
Due to the fact that physical media sales are on the decline and digital sales increasing, Darling also expects console video games to ultimately adopt a primary digital distribution model for prices to go down and compete with the likes iOS and Android titles in the market.
“The price of console games has to drop otherwise they will not be competitive with Apple and Google," he stated. Despite Microsoft's turnaround, Darling feels that the industry is “close to reaching the magical tipping point.”
“The industry will definitely move in that direction, and I think it will move very quickly. It's a bit like flipping a coin - at some stage it will just flip. It will change in six months and everybody will wonder why it never changed before. There's no point in distributing physical media when the internet exists."
Also, Darling feels that both Microsoft and Sony's decision to maintain physical games “has opened the door for rival firms to radically alter the playing field in a similar fashion to what has happened in the mobile arena.”
"They've given Apple and Google a chance to get into the living room - they'll come along with new machines and take over the market. Apple's been adding channels to Apple TV and has changed the whole screen layout, and all they have to do now is release a next-generation Apple TV with a faster processor and more RAM," he added.
Xbox One is currently set for a November 2013 release.