Will-Nots and Can't-Dos: The Caveats of the Xbox One

Now that Microsoft has released their next generation console, we have a bit more information on what to expect before it releases.

The Xbox One will not be backwards compatible
Much like the PlayStation 4 and newer PlayStation 3 models before it, the Xbox One will not play Xbox 360 or Original Xbox games, ending a long line of playable games on an all-new console.

Downloaded games from an Xbox 360 will also not be transferable on the new Xbox One, although music and videos will.

The Xbox One will not work without a Kinect attached
To ensure its continued control over humans through self-awareness and sentience, the Xbox One will not work without a Kinect sensor plugged in, likely because Microsoft is encouraging you to use it for everyday non-gaming purposes, as well as explaining that the sensor is essential to Xbox One.

Although it won’t mean that all games will need you to get up and prance around. And with all that wonderful new natural speech voice commands, it’s probably more convenient to leave it in. Covering the camera with a rag will usually thwart it’s privacy-violating schemes.

The Xbox One cannot make friends with your old Xbox controllers and accessories
Only Xbox One controllers can be used to operate the Xbox One, and you’ll all have to buy new ones. This is due to the Xbox One controller’s high speed wireless technology for a better experience, something the Xbox 360 was not capable of.

“Xbox One was designed from the ground up with entirely new technology to deliver a new generation of experiences for both games and entertainment.” a Microsoft spokesperson explains in a statement to Joystiq. Xbox Support has also stated that “Only Xbox One accessories will work with Xbox One, which helps us deliver better headset audio and other benefits.”

The Xbox One will leave your Xbox 360 friends behind
Although your Xbox Live account will survive the transition between your Xbox 360 and your new Xbox One, you won’t be seeing cross-platform play across the Xbox One and its predecessor, simply because the two consoles are built on totally different architectures, with the Xbox One now on an x86 chipset, which is also the reason why Xbox 360 games will not be playable on the Xbox One

Will these little (or major) caveats deter a first-day purchase and make you jump ship to Sony? Fill us in in the comments!