: In 1999, Sega single-handedly created online console gaming by including a
: modem in every Dreamcast sold. It wasn't an adapter that people would need
: to buy. It was a 56k modem, built in as part of the system, so that every
: developer would know that 100% of their potential customers had the
: ability to get online.

: At that time everyone had dial-up access. Between NetZero and AOL, it was
: cheap-to-free to get an ISP for your PC and your Dreamcast. It was a
: genius move, and one that forced Nintendo and Sony to release modem
: adapters for their consoles, since including them in the launch box wasn't
: part of their original plans.

: In 2001, though, only two years after the Dreamcast was released, Microsoft
: upended conventional wisdom by specifically NOT including a 56k modem in
: their new console. Instead, they laid down the law that their online
: gaming system would be broadband ONLY. If you lived in the vast majority
: of the country where broadband wasn't available, you were out of luck.
: Xbox live wasn't for you. If you only had dial-up you could go play
: Phantasy Star Online on your Dreamcast or Gamecube, since you couldn't
: play it on an Xbox through your phone line.

: That was 12 years ago. And Microsoft's strategy was a huge success. Xbox and
: Xbox 360 titles drove up demand for broadband, and expanded broadband
: access increased the size of their customer base. The Xbox became the
: console to own on college campuses, since it could take advantage of the
: universities' high-speed internet access. And as broadband expanded to
: neighborhoods, gamers thought "Finally! I can get on Xbox Live!"

: Microsoft knew that they couldn't offer a superior product if they had to
: cater to everyone. So they picked a segment of the market and focused all
: their innovation there.

: The Xbox One's online requirements are just a continuation of what we've seen
: from Microsoft over the past 12 years. They see great innovative potential
: with digital downloads and cloud computing. They believe they can deliver
: a vastly superior product if they cater only to gamers that have steady
: broadband internet access.

: It's innovative. It's daring. It's off-putting to those who will be left
: outside. But it has the potential to be absolutely amazing, just like the
: original Xbox was.

Microsoft's moves are classic Apple, and maybe that's why they don't bother me as much. Apple has always been about pushing the latest tech. Still want legacy support? Too bad, you should use this instead. Sometimes it's damned annoying (like their backwards compatibility breaking), but most often it's awesome, for Apple and eventually for everyone--I remember tech pundits complaining about USB 1 in the iMac, Bluetooth as worthless, the iPod as worthless without an FM tuner, the iPad as crap without SD expandability.

Microsoft with Windows 8 has been playing a similar game, I just think the problem is they don't have te same market force that Apple does, and I don't think they have the same powerhouse PR and presentation skills. Imagine Apple marketing the addition of a Steam-like games policy or the Kinect integrated into every box, and it wouldn't be the mishmash of conflicting rumors and no explanations we've gotten from MS. When you're trying to push the next best thing, clarity and showmanship count for a lot.