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[Alec]

lol people actually believed the always online thing.

I sort of feel like they (MS) had a plan for always online, saw the negative reaction, and switched their shit around last-minute.

 

[RoboPlato]

Good. Now I can go back to looking forward to being able to judge the system based on its exclusive content instead of boycotting it if it was always online.

 

[Guerrillas in the Mist]

I think it'll be a case of publishers having the option of releasing games that require a connection to work, and I think it will be the same with the PS4 as well.

 

[Alx]

Came to say what has already been said:
I find highly disturbing that Microsoft has to explain this kind of information to their own employees working on the Xbox.

Among the many rumors we had, some claimed that MS had very tight NDAs, even within its own teams, so that some employees couldn't even tell their supervisors what they were working on. I suppose few people got the whole picture, so everybody else may not know or understand everything about it.

 

[Goldmund]

The wording makes the e-mail seem fishy, but then again, I've received and written so many e-mails that would have caused speculations about the validity of the content if taken out of context that it's almost impossible to really argue for an outright repudiation of it.

 

[Kill Your Masters]

The usual suspects shitting up another durango thread, are you guys at least on a payroll?

 

[dragonbane]

It sounds like they got this info from their "sources". Just like all the other sites got their infos from "sources". I just wait for the freaking announcement before I believe anything now.

 

[marrec]

All of those rumors didn't materialize out of thin air and I highly doubt Edge was talking out of their ass.

Rumors routinely materialize out of thin air, hence why they're called rumors and not verified facts.

It's okay though man, there will be enough other reasons to hate Microsoft, you don't have a make a fool out of yourself in this thread.

 

[krypt0nian]

So sources vs sources, and rumor vs rumor.

Carry on.

 

[def sim]

Find that post.

no thanks, i was a part of that brief exchange i don't need to look through your history

 

[iMax]

Blu-ray confirmed. Sony gets money on every Durango sold. Console war over before it even begins.

Surely the BDA do? Sony doesn't get it all for themselves. And even if they did, they could do with some handouts from Microsoft.

 

[Concept17]

About time Microsoft said something.

Seriously, why couldn't they have mentioned this weeks ago?

 

[Neuromancer]

Bad news = 30+ pages
Good news = no one cares.

I care

 

[RibMan]

So wait... Microsoft sends an internal e-mail to...People working on the new Xbox...

To tell them that it works without a connection...

Shouldn't they know this if they've been working on the damn thing?

What the heck is this?

It could be a controlled leak. It certainly reads like a message intended for the public.

Blu-ray functionality = excellent news.

 

[Demoncarnotaur]

Thank god. Some good news.

 

[Takuya]

no thanks, i was a part of that brief exchange i don't need to look through your history

You should if you accused me of it. Otherwise take it back.

 

[Phoenician_Viking]

A vague e-mail. I will not believe this until Microsoft explicitly states that it is false. The same goes with anti-used games. They've been so tight lipped and then this magically slips out.

Durango [the codename for the next Xbox] is designed to deliver the future of entertainment while engineered to be tolerant of today's Internet. Those include, but are not limited to: playing a Blu-ray disc, watching live TV, and yes playing a single player game.

Now tell me again, which part is the vague one?

 

[DragonSworne]

This is just a RUMOR guys. Anyone taking this as serious news shouldn't be so gullible.

 

[Doug Heffernan]

Good.
No surprise from me.
I never believed that "always online" nonsense.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

I care

People care. Some are just being coy on how they word it.

I care as well and this is one good thing but we know next to nothing about the rest.

 

[Gordon0Freeman]

GAF will be pissed! They want bad news from Microsoft!

 

[Killthee]

I'm glad if this is true, but it's also hilarious that they're pretending this is supposed to be some confidential internal memo that got leaked. Like the people working on Durango aren't aware of its online requirements a month before its debut. And the way they listed the features? So artificial. I don't know what they meant by "watching live TV" though. Unless Microsoft is becoming a cable provider, doesn't their TV content have to come through the internet? Unless they were actually considering having Durango block your TV's access to its cable box...

The rumored specs listed an HDMI in connection which people assumed would let the console take over your cable box.

 

[MikeE21286]

good

that's done with now

 

[Salaadin]

I dont know why Paul Thurott RTing this means anything as he was one of the guys saying that online was required. Unless this is him admitting he was wrong.

 

[rakkadakka]

Shocking development really.. if you only listened to GAF.

 

[DragonSworne]

good

that's done with now

RUMOR

 

[Uno Venova]

I can't believe no blu-ray playback was actually a rumor.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

But Edge said

 

[Takuya]

I dont know why Paul Thurott RTing this means anything as he was one of the guys saying that online was required. Unless this is him admitting he was wrong.

Yep.

 

[Dunlop]

Surely the BDA do? Sony doesn't get it all for themselves. And even if they did, they could do with some handouts from Microsoft.

Sony lost every profit that the playstation 1 and 2 ever gave them to push the BluRay format on the PS3. With DD becoming more prominent, I wonder if it was worth it

 

[marrec]

This is just a RUMOR guys. Anyone taking this as serious news shouldn't be so gullible.

An Ars Technica internal microsoft e-mail + Paul Thurrott saying it won't be required to be always online vs. the hater's hopes and dreams.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

I dont know why Paul Thurott RTing this means anything as he was one of the guys saying that online was required. Unless this is him admitting he was wrong.

Didn't he clarify afterwards saying he didn't know either way?

 

[Kyoufu]

Good news if true.

Would've been suicide for them to go the always-online route IMO.

 

[dragonelite]

Oooh microsoft take my money....

 

[Zemm]

So why do they send out an email about this to their employees working on this thing?

So someone can leak it and stop the bad press for MS. This is the most obvious intentional leak I've ever seen.

 

[Baleoce]

But all those reputable and trusted sources.

 

[Dug]

You should if you accused me of it. Otherwise take it back.

It might be in this thread:

http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?p=47422852

 

[shinobi602]

Rumors routinely materialize out of thin air, hence why they're called rumors and not verified facts.

It's okay though man, there will be enough other reasons to hate Microsoft, you don't have a make a fool out of yourself in this thread.

Edge doesn't usually screw around with their rumors, similar to Ars.

 

[Xater]

I sort of feel like they (MS) had a plan for always online, saw the negative reaction, and switched their shit around last-minute.

Yep, otherwise the whole Orth ordeal doesn't make sense.

 

[QaaQer]

Funny how 'console will work when internet doesn't' is even a question. strange times.

 

[Officerrob]

Didn't he clarify afterwards saying he didn't know either way?

He sure did

 

[MightyHedgehog]

All of those rumors didn't materialize out of thin air and I highly doubt Edge was talking out of their ass.

Edge was reporting rumors and those have a habit of not being 100% accurate. As a development kit requirement, it makes tons of sense. It never made sense for the consumer when the first serious bits of rumors painted a three minute shutdown scenario. That is when the shit hit the fan. Before that, 'always online' always meant constant feed, like the way PSN/XBL/Wiiconnect are.

 

[Takuya]

An Ars Technica internal microsoft e-mail + Paul Thurrott saying it won't be required to be always online vs. the hater's hopes and dreams.

Supposed email.

 

[Marleyman]

Ehh didn't really matter. I was going to get it anyway. Won't say it isn't nice to have it confirmed though.

Why? Just curious.

 

[madmackem]

Wait we are taking this at its word when other rumours are treated as not fact. Lets wait and see first eh.

 

[InaudibleWhispa]

It could be a controlled leak. It certainly reads like a message intended for the public.

This is what I'm thinking. They can't publicly respond to rumours about a product that hasn't been announced, so they announce it internally knowing full well that it'll "leak". They should have done it months ago though.

As for where the rumours originated, I assume Microsoft referred to the console as "always online" and some people caught wind and without clarification assumed that meant it has to be always online in every circumstance, and not that it will be always online if possible with features designed to take advantage of that.

 

[Mr E.]

Actually the phrase "X box will work" is a relief in it self. Online or not.

 

[DocSeuss]

Blu-ray confirmed. Sony gets money on every Durango sold. Console war over before it even begins.

Uh...

EDIT: Seriously, beaten again? I am off my game today.

 

[bangai-o]

this news is obviously fake.

 

[Harlock]

We all need thank Sim City 5 disaster for that.