What I hope to see in Microsoft's next gen console

We are just under a week away from the reveal of Microsoft's next gen console and the internet is buzzing anticipation. Everyone is excited to see what Microsoft will reveal at there press conference. We all know a new system will be revealed, but how will it work? Will it be always online? Will it be heavily social integrated? No one knows for sure, but there are a few things I hope at the press conference Microsoft shows us about there new system.

In my opinion the weakest part about the Xbox is its lack of exclusives compared to the other systems on the market. Xbox however, does have some of the best selling exclusives out there ( Halo and Gears of War ). There is nothing wrong with having a few exclusives especially when they are as wildly popular as Halo and Gears of War are, but if Microsoft plans on selling a more casual console or wants there console to be the center of the living room it needs more diverse exclusives to appeal to a larger audience. At the moment Microsoft only has 2 notable exclusives and they are both shooters ( the rest are lackluster kinect games ). Microsoft should bring back some old franchise to expand there audience, like a new Banjo Kazooie  for platformers or bring back Blue Dragon as a RPG. I think that at Microsoft's press conference they need to show that there will be some new exclusives that aren't just shooters that will be out for there upcoming system.

I hope that next gen Microsoft makes some slight changes on there Xbox Live features. I think Xbox Live is great and lets people have a sense of security and gives people access to exclusive features that cant be found on other systems most notably part chat ( party chat is on the PS Vita but im talking about home consoles for now), but I think that if Microsoft is going for the more open and social approach to there next gen console they should make certain features apps free to use. If they go for a more open and welcoming approach they need to make apps like Netflix and HBO Go free sense they are already paid to use through a separate subscription. I think that Microsoft should add the rumored Skype apps and cable functions to make Xbox live more appealing. Xbox live is already wildly popular putting exclusive features like that would just attract more people to it.

If theirs anything I hope the most about the Next Xbox is that it is not always online. The rumors about an always online are already scarring people away form the unannounced Next Xbox. It would have a big negative impact on the Next Xbox if the rumors are true. People are not ready for an always online console just yet, so releasing one would be a big misstep by Microsoft. If theirs anything Microsoft discusses first at there press conference it should be whether or not there next console is always online or not. Hopefully it wont need a constant internet connection because if it does it wont do anything but hurt the company.

We can do nothing but wait for the reveal less then a week away at this point. I think that if Microsoft announces some new exclusives  makes there system more open, makes Xbox Live a little more desirable and debunks all the always online rumors then Microsoft will have another successful generation with there upcoming system.