Ben-DutkaYes, I am aware that we're a PlayStation website and as such, the Xbox One maybe shouldn't concern us too much.
But we're all gamers here and when a new console is announced, true gamers pay attention. Besides, the scandal that has arisen from Microsoft's next-gen Xbox reveal is a general news item and of interest to everyone involved in the industry.
Okay, so it seems like the Xbox One reveal didn't exactly wow the crowd. …and that's partly because there was no crowd. Or rather, there wasn't a crowd that was actually applauding, according to several Tweets from those who attended the event, including Adam Sessler and Jeff Gerstmann . It seems that nobody was really applauding and Microsoft implanted fake applause, kinda like what sitcoms have done for years. It's hardly anything new.
My point is that gaming is big business. This isn't a tactic that should surprise anyone, especially where it concerns Microsoft. That's a company that understands how to make money and part of that process might just involve misrepresenting something. A little white lie or two never hurt anyone, right? Well, maybe that isn't true. Maybe this kind of tactic isn't ever okay. Maybe we shouldn't give MS a pass just because it's common practice in big business. The worst part is that given the overall reception of the Xbox One – lukewarm at best, it appears – this story won't dissipate. It'll sort of hang around and everyone will remember it.
So perhaps without even considering it, Microsoft shot themselves in the foot with this one. They probably never even thought of the possibility that anyone would find out, and if they did, they wouldn't care. But clearly, a great many do care. And it just isn't going over very well.