I’m not sure when Microsoft added the best thing ever to their Xbox Live game store, but I’d like to show you some video of it so you can marvel with me. Seriously, who needs breathless catalogue copy or sketchy user reviews when you can get live gamer-driven broadcasts of the $US60 Xbox epic you are considering buying?
If you turn on an Xbox One and go to the system’s game store, you can select any game that you’re curious about and then bumper-button over to a “broadcasts” tab and watch one or two streams of the game being played by perfectly ordinary gamers live in front of you — without exiting the store. (You’ll see in the video above that some games just aren’t being streamed via the Xbox One at the moment, so they have no broadcasts.)
This is incredibly civilized.
Steam has something sort of like this thanks to a new “broadcasts” section you can access from any game’s “community” page.
That’s a nice try by Valve, but Microsoft’s implementation via Twitch, it seems, is far smoother.
Part of what I love about this is that broadcasts/streams have a better chance of showing a gamer a genuine presentation of the game than a trailer, publisher blurb or user review. They might even be more useful than a demo, if you’re lucky enough to catch a stream by an expert player who is saying what’s good and bad about the game.
Good on Microsoft for this. Sony and Nintendo, please add this to your stores.
Comments
11 responses to “A Much Better Way To Shop For Video Games On A Console”
been there since the launch of the twitch app on Xbox One.
“That’s a nice try by Valve, but Microsoft’s implementation via Twitch, it seems, is far smoother.”
Let’s ignore that valve’s streaming is in beta.
XB1 > PC
Microsoft don’t half arse their content and claim them to be in ‘beta’. They do it right the first time.
Valve’s version is also intended for sharing with friends, not the general public.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Edit: Okay, that was a brilliant line. Are we expecting insightful streams to be given preference over the majority of streams which happen to be utter drivel? Is this a constructive addition to the purchasing process?
My strategy for buying a game is to read about the game, watch media about it, ask people who have played it whether they enjoy it, make decision. Alternatively, I’ll find a game I find interesting and purchase it on a whim, hasn’t provided a single dud.
It’s a very strange circumstance where streamers are a suitable sales tactic. Though, if it works for business, it works for business.
I don’t think I’ve watched a stream with volume … ever. I can’t stand celebrity wannabes who think they’re gaming’s ‘next big thing’, or – as you’ve so appropriately put it – utter drivel.
“Alrighty… Dragon Age Inquisition… Select that… Hmm… Looks interesting… Let’s see a video of the game…”
“HI TWITCH VIEWERS!!! IT’S-A MEEE, I’M TRYING TO VENTURE INSIDE A CAVE, OMG I’M SOO SCARED RIGHT NOW LOZLZLZLZLZLZL”
“Ffffffffffffffff” *Closes window*
Rockleesmile, Tom Francis. Obviously avoid anything by pewdiepie. These days Nerd3 is getting on my nerves more and more.
Highest rating stream, generally if someone is quite good, they’ll have more followers, and you’ll probably be connected to them.
What a great idea and it looks great! Here’s hoping Sony implement it too!
We just need internet. I currently have “copper wire?” (whatever that is) near my house. My grandfather said it is a relic from the 1800’s where some settlers used it to transmit the first type of communications instead of using smoke or pigeon.
edit: Meant to reply to a comment, fucked it up.
I remember watching a video of a shirtless fat dude playing Chariot. The game was free, but still, nearly put me off.
I don’t have that problem, no game could ever out me off a shirtless fat dude.