5. Gaming As An Escape
One of my favourite things about gaming is when you're really into a game, you can shut yourself away in your room with a bunch of beer and snacks, and just while away the time making a dent in an epic adventure. There's nothing quite like the sense of escapism that the video game medium affords players, but if Microsoft implements this misguided strategy, it will strip gamers of that pleasure; now players will be forced to contend with notifications popping up on their screen every five minutes from friends signing in online or wanting them to join their party. While I wouldn't begin to decry social gaming for a minute, sometimes I do just want to be alone with a game, particularly if it's got a strong sense of atmosphere, or if isolation aids the tone of the game - as in the survival horror genre. When you're walking down a dark, empty hallway and a notification pops up, it does sort of ruin the vibe that the developer is going for.