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[Dead Man]

I know a lot of people are pretty sure some form of always online requirement will exist, but how stringent do you think it will be?

I feel they probably will require a connection to launch a game. Does anyone think they will not require a connection at any time? Or that it will be required at all times?

 

[Flatline]

I've said this before, they must be fucking insane if they insist with their always online plan. I don't think it'll happen.

 

[Ravager61]

I love that Microsoft seem to be doubling down on the always online stuff.

All I know is that E3 is going to be unbelievable this year.

 

[TangerineCloud]

After seeing the mess that happened last night, I would honestly be shocked if Microsoft required online connectivity for the neXtbox. They'd have to be crazy.

 

[ciridesu]

They're relying on some secret sauce that we don't know yet. Evidently, they're building it up to be a multimedia machine with all kinds of cool gimmicks counting on everyone making the impulse buy, considering it will pale against PS4 in games if the rumors hold true. MS is a prime example of an old boring brand that cannot find success, unless it comes up with something revolutionary (For comparison, see Surface, Win 8, Windows Phones). They definitely have both the human capital and the cash to make it happen though, so there's still hope for them to blow our minds. A predictable updated version of Kinect with ever more capabilities likely won't do it.

Edit: Personally, I find it ever more clearer that the common idea of MS's plan of using Xbox as a trojan horse is happening with their next iteration. Yet I'm just still skeptical on, whether the technology and market exist for anything interesting.

 

[Quasar]

I expect it will be up to publishers. MS will just provide the hooks needed for publishers to use it or not.

 

[fart town usa]

I wouldn't put it past them.

Microsoft is brazen as hell.

 

[mavs]

I think Xfinity will be at their reveal conference.

 

[Bert]

Part of me wonders if they're putting out all this online stuff just to go "no always online!" at the reveal in some perverse bid for good karma.

If they go with it I imagine they've got a pretty big hint from publishers that they'll do the same on other platforms where available.

 

[Voice of Reason]

I don't think they're gonna pull through. Too many negatives, for flimsy positives. They're not gonna take such a big risk. I understand they're arrogant, but they're not stupid.

 

[Dead Man]

Part of me wonders if they're putting out all this online stuff just to go "no always online!" at the reveal in some perverse bid for good karma.

If they go with it I imagine they've got a pretty big hint from publishers that they'll do the same on other platforms where available.

I really really hope that is what they are doing. I just can't see the market going for an online requirement.

 

[Takuya]

I don't know why people are trying to find ways to want to buy this machine at this point.

 

[Thug Waffle]

I've said this before, they must be fucking insane if they insist with their always online plan. I don't think it'll happen.

I agree, but I think the rumors are more than likely true. Major Nelson's post said they wouldn't even comment on it. If it was a concern we had no reason to worry about, I think they'd offer some form of consolation.

 

[Reiko]

Lower rumored specs than the competition and always online... If true... They have lost me as a customer.

This isn't a gamer issue, or a mainstream issue... It's a fucking common sense issue.

I don't care who it is, do not support a anti-consumer console. There is no benefit for the end user.

 

[saunderez]

I think they'll push forward with it regardless. They didn't listen to early criticisms about Windows 8, they've become extremely arrogant and seemingly don't really care what the customer wants if it goes against their internal agenda. As a supporter of Microsoft since the original Xbox I'm currently planning on jumping ship.

 

[valkillmore]

The always-on shit will be disastrous for them if they go through with it. What will happen is, I won't buy the new Xbox. That's what will happen.

 

[Voice of Reason]

I really really hope that is what they are doing. I just can't see the market going for an online requirement.

Very smart strategy if true. What probably happened though, is that they pulled it in the last minute after hearing the outrage. They can put a spin on it and say they never planned it, but they definitely must have implemented at some stage during development.

 

[MVP]

I hope they move forward with their always online thing. Catering to the lowest common denominator on a video game console is stupid. If you have crappy internet, don't buy a video game console or go buy a Wii or something.

 

[Reiko]

I hope they move forward with their always online thing. Catering to the lowest common denominator on a video game console is stupid. If you have crappy internet, don't buy a video game console or go buy a Wii or something.

Their lowest common denominator is what made them successful today. Terrible logic.

 

[BigDug13]

All I know is that if they go through with the always online stuff, it's Sony's generation to lose. They seem to have everything stacked in their favor at this point except BC, which really only lasts the first year or two.

 

[Voice of Reason]

I hope they move forward with their always online thing. Catering to the lowest common denominator on a video game console is stupid. If you have crappy internet, don't buy a video game console or go buy a Wii or something.

Too bad not having internet does not equate to the lowest common denominator.

 

[peanutbutterlatte]

I don't know, but it will be un-intuitive and anti-consumer as fuck, and people will lap it up anyway because people are stupid.

 

[MVP]

Too bad not having internet does not equate to the lowest common denominator.

Lowest common denominator as far as technology is concerned? It doesn't get much more "disconnected" than not having internet. I'd wager the percentage of people with no internet is the lowest, compared to the percentage with no HDTV, no cell phone, or any other tech-related demographic.

 

[Knux-Future]

I hope they move forward with their always online thing. Catering to the lowest common denominator on a video game console is stupid. If you have crappy internet, don't buy a video game console or go buy a Wii or something.

what is the benefit for always on tho?

Stops Piracy? Cool...but what do I as a buyer get out of it?

That's the crux for me. I have internet. It occasionally goes out and it would suck that I can't play my expensive as fuck system and games because of that.

If there was more benefit to me as a buyer then sure..but as it stands, I don't get shit out of it outside of potential headaches.


It should be an option to be always on ala wii24...not required.

 

[dragonflys545]

Free online play...

 

[Dead Man]

Very smart strategy if true. What probably happened though, is that they pulled it in the last minute after hearing the outrage. They can put a spin on it and say they never planned it, but they definitely must have implemented at some stage during development.

Heh, probably.

Lowest common denominator as far as technology is concerned? It doesn't get much more "disconnected" than not having internet. I'd wager the percentage of people with no internet is the lowest, compared to the percentage with no HDTV, no cell phone, or any other tech-related demographic.

LOL, lots of people with internet connections don't want this.

 

[Alchemist]

Won't happen.

 

[Jadedx]

I don't know, but it will be un-intuitive and anti-consumer as fuck, and people will lap it up anyway because people are stupid.

It won't have any of the features these rumors are talking about, no always online, no always kinect, and used games will work. People will still hate on it for no reason though because people are stupid.

 

[peanutbutterlatte]

It won't have any of the features these rumors are talking about, no always online, no always kinect, and used games will work. People will still hate on it for no reason though because people are stupid.

If it's still pay to pay for Netflix, then that's reasons.

 

[Tyrax]

I'm already at stage 5: acceptance. I'm hoping this means all my games roam with me and I can gift the licenses to my friends across the country

 

[DSN2K]

MS have shown with Windows 8 that they are willing to potentially throw away a large part of their "current" market to push a future agenda. Think MS are looking long term..and see a gaming focused platform is doomed. If that's right or not I guess we will find out. I Think people also need to remember MS didn't enter the Game Industry for the good of gaming, they wanted a quick way into the living room.

 

[saunderez]

Lowest common denominator as far as technology is concerned? It doesn't get much more "disconnected" than not having internet. I'd wager the percentage of people with no internet is the lowest, compared to the percentage with no HDTV, no cell phone, or any other tech-related demographic.

I have both DSL and mobile broadband and I don't want this shit. Go and play Simcity when your ISP is having issues and tell me it's a good idea. Your view is so myopic you won't complain until it affects you personally and by that time it's too late.

 

[Diablo Rosso]

I think they'll do it. The Microsoft of 2013 isn't the same Microsoft of 2005.

 

[soul creator]

I think it'll have some form of authentication if you want to play games without a disc, or digital games that aren't already tied to your console, but I don't think it'll be the "you will be kicked out of your retail, disc-based single player game after 30 seconds if your Xbox gets disconnected" variety. Basically, how the current Xbox 360 works. Though I could see big publishers on an individual basis becoming more "online pass" happy. Of course, that can happen on any console.

But who knows, heh.

 

[Dead Man]

I think it'll have some form of authentication if you want to play games without a disc, or digital games that aren't already tied to your console, but I don't think it'll be the "you will be kicked out of your retail, disc-based single player game after 30 seconds if your Xbox gets disconnected" variety. Basically, how the current Xbox 360 works. Though I could see big publishers on an individual basis becoming more "online pass" happy. Of course, that can happen on any console.

But who knows, heh.

Yeah, I can't see it being a requirement the whole time you are playing, that is just too extreme.

 

[Jadedx]

If it's still pay to pay for Netflix, then that's reasons.

You can easily use netflix without gold, I used to do it all the time, mediacenter.

 

[Plywood]

The twitter fiasco was a way of gauging reaction to the idea, believe!

 

[Jadedx]

MS have shown with Windows 8 that they are willing to potentially throw away a large part of their "current" market to push a future agenda. Think MS are looking long term..and see a gaming focused platform is doomed. If that's right or not I guess we will find out. I Think people also need to remember MS didn't enter the Game Industry for the good of gaming, they wanted a quick way into the living room.

Sony didn't enter the gaming industry for the good of gaming either, they entered it because they wanted to push CDs and Nintendo wanted to still use carts.

 

[Myshkin]

If they have always-online, they might as well implement a system that makes it impossible to sell a console. The last thing they want is to have craigslist flooded with unwanted 720's in the first year - and they don't seem to care about any furor.

 

[Voice of Reason]

Lowest common denominator as far as technology is concerned? It doesn't get much more "disconnected" than not having internet. I'd wager the percentage of people with no internet is the lowest, compared to the percentage with no HDTV, no cell phone, or any other tech-related demographic.

Okay then, but what about the quality of the internet? Especially in the US, which is there target demographic? Spotty connections are frequent, outages are frequent, discrepancies in general are frequent.

 

[JDSN]

They will go with it, lots of people will back it, lots will defend it, some will complain before buying it and some will do so after. Red Ring of Death is still a thing and people still cant wait for the next MS console, this wont change shit.

 

[senahorse]

Part of me can see them bringing out a couple of SKUs, a standard one that takes discs, and a cheaper model that is online only without a drive as I assume all games in this coming console gen will be available from the store at the get go.

 

[Krappadizzle]

They'll probably stick to their guns. Then about 6 mos. later, they'll patch it out with the release of a major title.

I don't want to see the next MS console fail at all. I don't, I love/d the 360, it's been my go-to console this generation, the competition is healthy and makes each company strive to do better. If MS fails to deliver on a console, Sony has no competition to keep them on their toes and then they'll start going anti-consumer too.

 

[saunderez]

They will go with it, lots of people will back it, lots will defend it, some will complain before buying it and some will do so after. Red Ring of Death is still a thing and people still cant wait for the next MS console, this wont change shit.

This isn't comparable to RROD. This is something that can't just be fixed by sending a console to Microsoft, it affects everyone from day 1 to the consoles end of life. People will be far less willing to overlook that.

 

[D3VI0US]

I just think there is a distinction between an "always on" device and having an internet connection required for the device to function. The latter seems to be what people all the rumors are hinting at but that just seems like market suicide.

I mean I'm sure MS has been tracking all of this and maybe it's worth it to them to go this route cause it allows them to more heavily monetize their core consumers. They will do it through some combination of ads, higher profit margin digital distribution, DRM and piracy protection, the possible elimination of used games, and knowing they can microtransaction the fuck out of every game if everyone is required to be connected, more games as a service. They've got numbers on how many 360s are connected to Live and how many 360s they've sold so it's a calculated risk on their part if the rumors are even true.

My whole gripe with it is that all these decisions just seem very anti-consumer. I mean it's bad enough that I wouldn't be able to loan games to friends or rent games or trade in shitty or mediocre games but they could go as far as to bind a game to an account meaning multiple people playing on the same hardware will each need a copy to play. I mean MMOs already do this, so I could easily see something like Destiny doing this. I could see them effectively trying to kill split screen co-op. With Sony making so many gamer and developer focused decisions and on the other hand MS silence and these rumors snowballing I just don't know what to think. I know if my internet went out and I couldn't access my games I would be pissed but I can't believe they'd take it that far for games where the internet isn't a requirement. They just seems like a dumb decisions to me to spite so many people who buy used games or aren't connected to the internet or gamers who just don't want platform holders to exert so much control of their games.


I mean the only potential positive I see about this is for Live to become more like Steam with variable pricing and sales and free weekends. Sure they might serve me ads but I'd put up with all that for good games at great prices. If they can hook you into a Live subscription plan or pair it as a cable box/DVR as an upgrade for your existing service and get the console or sell it for like $199 with a two year contract for Live at like $15 a month that's something that might get me to put up with the always online bullshit.

Then again MS hasn't revealed anything yet so its still just snowballing rumors. When they do their unveil shit is gonna be bananas! Can't wait! I'm excited!

 

[The Living Tribunal]

I've said this before, they must be fucking insane if they insist with their always online plan. I don't think it'll happen.

Pretty much this.

 

[Spongebob]

The Kotaku rumor has already illustrated how this will work.

To play a game on Durango you need to be connected to the internet, if you get disconnected then you will have a 3 minute grace period of offline play to save or do whatever in the game you are playing, or the application that you are using. After these three mintues then the game will be suspended and a network troubleshooter will pop-up.

 

[infiniteheteroskdasticity]

I cover the digital entertainment space for my job at a hedge fund and I've also been a gamer for a very long time before that. My initial thoughts on yesterday's twitter PR debacle are that I'm now very, very interested to see the business model behind the next xbox. If MSFT are doing nothing more than making an always online console and selling it and its games using a conventional distribution model then you might as well give up on getting a PS4 this year ... because everybody and their aunt will want one. I do however have a theory about what MSFT is upto if anybody's interested - this is just some triangulation on my part and not based on any confirmed information I have heard.

What if the next "XBox" is actually a family of streaming devices? There could be a basic TV streaming box, a combination of the basic streaming box and the 360 hardware and a flagship combination of the streaming box and "next generation" hardware at different price brackets. Publishers are media distribution channels just like Netflix, Amazon and Spotify. People could pay an annual subscription (say $80) per big publisher like EA, Ubisoft, Activision and MSFT to access all games released by the publisher in a given year (Smaller publishers could have different packages). Customers would also have to pay a nominal amount (say $5 - $10) per title within its first year of sale (they go f2p after) with the game itself being digital download or physical download via blue ray (just like Netflix lets you borrow discs for a small extra fee). This sort of operation would obviously require a internet connection at all times because customers wouldn't "own" games, just the rights to access them via a xBox. This sort of business model doesn't perclude the $60 ownership model currently in place which could run in parallel for people who don't want to move to a subscription based gaming ecosystem. I've run the numbers and it could work fairly well with enough users. Its also the sort of thing that could take competitors like Sony time to copy because though the tech is pretty easy, the licensing deals with publishers will take time to negotiate.

 

[saunderez]

The Kotaku rumor has already illustrated how this will work.

To play a game on Durango you need to be connected to the internet, if you get disconnected then you will have a 3 minute grace period of offline play to save or do whatever in the game you are playing, or the application that you are using. After these three mintues then the game will be suspended and a network troubleshooter will pop-up.

The joke is how many combinations of circumstances the Network Troubleshooter will be useless for. ISP having authentication issues or DNS issues? Useless. Microsoft having problems with Live? Useless. Connectivity issues between your ISP and Microsoft? Useless. I mean you were just connected and it dropped out, what is there even to troubleshoot? So stupid, beyond belief really.

 

[CambriaRising]

Stranger things have happened in gaming.