Things I Want Out of the Next Gen Xbox

With all the rumors flying around about the possible specs of the next gen Xbox, I thought I'd weigh in with my two cents worth. My ideas really aren't that original, but I still think that they're important. Keep in mind that a lot of these ideas are just rumors, and may never come true!

1. Backwards Compatibility
Without this feature, I will most likely not buy the next Xbox. I bought all of these Xbox 360 games for a reason, and I'd like to continue gaming on one console. Is it really that hard to do?

2. No "Always Online" Function
Not everyone has a good internet connection. Not everyone even has an internet connection in the first place. I don't think it's a good idea to alienate a possibly good chunk of your target market by adding this feature. Plus, gamers will be royally pissed if you do, especially if the reactions from the same feature in Diablo III and SimCity are any indication. Plus this seems like a ploy to help their ISP (Internet Service Provider) buddies make more money than they already do.

3. Blu-Ray player!
No explanation necessary :)

4. Lemme Play Used Games!
Seriously guys!? Seriously? If you're that bent on sucking as much money out of your customers as possible, then maybe used game stores can cut you a percentage of the price- I mean, you did make the game, and GameStop makes a butt-ton of money anyway. (fat chance that'll ever happen, but one can dream!)

5. Disc Drive
While if the next Xbox is all digital (like Steam) with no game discs, it won't be the end of the world, it would be nice to have an option to direct download it or play a game from a disc. Hard drives will run out of space eventually, no matter how big you make them. It would be nice to have enough space for games that release soon after launch, but also for games that release 5 years later.

6. A Tough System
Basically, I don't want my console to red ring unless I did something stupid to break it, or it gets really old.

7. It's A Gaming Device!
The Xbox is a friggin' gaming console, not a glorified cable box. Yes, those extra features are nice, but make them peripherals, not the sole focus. I mean, come on- the gaming tab on the current 360 menu is like the third tab over, not the main one.

8. Free Multiplayer
If the PSN can do it, why can't you Microsoft? I'd like to be able to play online and fully utilize all the functions of this game I bought without having to pay more money!

9. Keep the Controller Simple
Touch screens are cool and all, but make the controller easy to use/navigate, be wireless, be ergonomic, and not be freaking huge.

10. Don't Break the Bank
I honestly think that this won't happen- it's gonna be anywhere from $500+. If I decide to buy it at all, I'll wait for a price drop or a really good sale.