Xbox Always Online Controversy Gets Weirder

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What is the best way to dispel all the rumor mill crap about the next Xbox requiring a persistent internet connection? How about two developers (one from Microsoft, one from Bioware) going at it on Twitter? Yeah, that's brilliant. :rolleyes:

His stance of “get with the times” and “deal with it” is absolutely ludicrous. Just last night, I lost internet for nearly six hours. I live in a developed area of the US with stable electricity and relatively stable internet. For those six hours, I wouldn’t have been able to access anything that was always-on.
 
Mark my words, there will not be any persistent internet connection requirement for the next Xbox or the PS4.
 
Will be always on or not.. but with shit like this MS is not helping themselves at all
 
Mark my words, there will not be any persistent internet connection requirement for the next Xbox or the PS4.

Why not, it would be in keeping with Microsofts anti consumer decision making scheme they've been following.

If they weren't really going to be doing it, you'd think they would have just come out and said so (like Sony did) instead of letting bad feelings fly around for something they weren't even planning on?
 
Please read all of his posts. Notice that he says "Always On", not "Always On Requirement" or "No offline play". I sincerely think that someone noticed "Always On" and confused it with the Simcity fiasco for "Always On DRM" and created this stupid shitstorm.
 
If they weren't really going to be doing it, you'd think they would have just come out and said so (like Sony did) instead of letting bad feelings fly around for something they weren't even planning on?

Well, before this little incident it was nothing but an unsubstantiated rumor that keeps getting repeated over and over without a shred of credible evidence.

Sony did the same thing, let the rumors fester (over its patent) for months until it announced the PS4 and finally laid the rumors to rest.

Microsoft's hand might be forced now to make a statement but I suspect the original "end of April" console reveal will be when the rumors are squashed. E3 will be where Sony and Microsoft really pull the covers off their next-gen stuff.
 
Well, before this little incident it was nothing but an unsubstantiated rumor that keeps getting repeated over and over without a shred of credible evidence.

Sony did the same thing, let the rumors fester (over its patent) for months until it announced the PS4 and finally laid the rumors to rest.

Microsoft's hand might be forced now to make a statement but I suspect the original "end of April" console reveal will be when the rumors are squashed. E3 will be where Sony and Microsoft really pull the covers off their next-gen stuff.

Wasn't the original rumor because the dev kits have this requirement? Which is what the developers complained about (supposedly without an internet connection the games will not lots etc.).

was the Sony thing really that long? Seemed only a week or two, and that wasn't directly related to this console in the same way. It was just a patent for something which might be related, rather than the console itself doing it, a much more direct connection.

The bad publicity might make them change their mind (like they did with "Metro only" VS) but they have been doing a pile of stupid stuff recently...
 
The EASIEST EASIEST way to both combat piracy and used game sales is for each game to come with a serial number. You then put the blu-ray in your system, install the game to the harddrive, and put in the serial number, at which point that serial number will be forever connected to your xbox/psn account.

Done. If you go offline, you can play the game installed in the HD once the key is verified. Simple.
 
On average Microsoft has historically not listened to it's customer base and done whatever it wanted. What makes this different? The vast majority of those that will buy the new "always on" Xbox will have access to "always on" Internet. MS would take a small hit but it's likely they'd be willing to accept the initial loss and recoup the investment later.

You are all numbers. No people. Business will never change in that respect. :(
 
Please read all of his posts. Notice that he says "Always On", not "Always On Requirement" or "No offline play". I sincerely think that someone noticed "Always On" and confused it with the Simcity fiasco for "Always On DRM" and created this stupid shitstorm.

That is what I was thinking as well.

Half the time I take the internet off when I play xbox. The menus for FIFA (for example) move to the subareas much faster when it's not constantly updating info from the internet just to set up the next screen.
 
The EASIEST EASIEST way to both combat piracy and used game sales is for each game to come with a serial number. You then put the blu-ray in your system, install the game to the harddrive, and put in the serial number, at which point that serial number will be forever connected to your xbox/psn account.

Done. If you go offline, you can play the game installed in the HD once the key is verified. Simple.
You will not just combat used sales/piracy. You will combat new sales as I won't buy a console that won't let me freely exchange games. What if I want to use a Gamefly subscription? Not all of us wipe our bums with $100 bills. I like to try before I buy. :)
 
So, who is this guy??
Looks like a professional asshole. MS will self destruct if they keep moving forward like this.

WgVHms8.jpg


MS needs to LISTEN to the market/customers. Not FORCE the market/customers.
If Windows 8 is any indicator, they are not listening. This same attitude for the NextBox? Yeah, Sayonara MS.
 
Always on requirement to play imo is a bad idea. what happens if you lose the internet for a few hrs ...you cannot play any games on the system.

REALLLY bad idea, in my opinion.

serial numbers loaded during first install then "registering" said number to your account - ONCE- then being able to play as long as the console is on-no internet required- imo is much better.

but in all honesty unless something different happens and i MUST get a ps4 or new xbox"720" i'll stick to what i have console wise... 2 nintendo wii's(one of which is not hooked up it got replaced by the WiiU) 5 ds's, one nintendo WiiU. plus 4 computers, 3 cell phones and a modded 7" nook tablet (CM10.1 installed on it-10pt touch enabled)
 
On average Microsoft has historically not listened to it's customer base and done whatever it wanted. What makes this different? The vast majority of those that will buy the new "always on" Xbox will have access to "always on" Internet. MS would take a small hit but it's likely they'd be willing to accept the initial loss and recoup the investment later.

You are all numbers. No people. Business will never change in that respect. :(

That only works because MS has a monopoly with the OS and Office market. They don't have that luxury with game consoles as Sony is just as powerful with their PS3 and the upcoming PS4.
 
if the next xbox comes with some new wireless technology, always on gigabit connection for us for free and no isp subscription required.

would you want to buy it?
 
Please read all of his posts. Notice that he says "Always On", not "Always On Requirement" or "No offline play". I sincerely think that someone noticed "Always On" and confused it with the Simcity fiasco for "Always On DRM" and created this stupid shitstorm.

+1

Tivo already does this, and it's not that big of a problem. It constantly checks in to make sure you have an active subscription. If your internet goes down, it still works, but not nearly as good as when the internet is functioning. It slows down and becomes less responsive to the remote.

As long as the always on doesn't impact performance or non-internet related functions, I don't see what the big deal is.
 
+1

Tivo already does this, and it's not that big of a problem. It constantly checks in to make sure you have an active subscription. If your internet goes down, it still works, but not nearly as good as when the internet is functioning. It slows down and becomes less responsive to the remote.

As long as the always on doesn't impact performance or non-internet related functions, I don't see what the big deal is.

Not quite. They said "Always ON", not "Always Online". Chances are, the system will go into a default "sleep mode" when you turn it off and will download system and title updates automatically. The mechanics to have a requirement for a game system to always be online, even for single player games and to constantly check, that would be a huge waste of network resources on Microsoft's side. I'm willing to bet that the final system will still play single player (or the long lost cousin, the local multiplayer game) without a problem if there's no online connection.

If any of you have had a Wii, imagine something like that.
 
You will not just combat used sales/piracy. You will combat new sales as I won't buy a console that won't let me freely exchange games. What if I want to use a Gamefly subscription? Not all of us wipe our bums with $100 bills. I like to try before I buy. :)

Then you will either no longer play video games,

or you will come to the PC where this has been going on for quite a long time, and everything is just fine.

Honestly, I can't see THAT many people not buying the new consoles because they won't be able to sell their games after they are done. You buy the game to enjoy playing it - not to just resell it later (tho that is a nice perk).
 
On average Microsoft has historically not listened to it's customer base and done whatever it wanted. What makes this different? The vast majority of those that will buy the new "always on" Xbox will have access to "always on" Internet. MS would take a small hit but it's likely they'd be willing to accept the initial loss and recoup the investment later.

You are all numbers. No people. Business will never change in that respect. :(

Wolf is 100% on the money. They have even used almost those words in describing their "strategy" for things like metro. Except they use a nicer word than 'take a hit' - they call it a 'disruption' as in 'we'll deal with the disruption because blah blah apple iPad fever dreams'

the more interesting dynamic is it gives Sony the opportunity to seize the marketing opportunity and end up announcing no always-on requirement even though they'd probably love it too. Things can potentially get real embarrassing for ms but I don't see them backing down. The MS employee's "#dealwithit" hash tag is pretty much a metaphor for overall MS corporate policy lately.
 
Then you will either no longer play video games,

or you will come to the PC where this has been going on for quite a long time, and everything is just fine.

Honestly, I can't see THAT many people not buying the new consoles because they won't be able to sell their games after they are done. You buy the game to enjoy playing it - not to just resell it later (tho that is a nice perk).
Pc has competition. A locked down console with have direct control over its priceing and be able to maintain higher prices because of the lack of a used marked (aka competition.) Pc has competition among it's digital disturbers, consoles don't.
 
+1

Tivo already does this, and it's not that big of a problem. It constantly checks in to make sure you have an active subscription. If your internet goes down, it still works, but not nearly as good as when the internet is functioning. It slows down and becomes less responsive to the remote.

As long as the always on doesn't impact performance or non-internet related functions, I don't see what the big deal is.

True... however since we're comparing to DVRs... I have DirecTV's DVR... and have you ever unplugged one or had to hard reset one? Maybe you were moving shit around, etc, mother fuck that thing takes forever to reboot.

And while, yes the guy kept referring to "Always On" part of that same rumor was an always online bit too, wouldn't surprise me if he was in fact the one who interchanged the two, especially after the Diablo 3 & SimCity comment... you'd think he'd set the record straight if it wasn't "Always online"
 
Not quite. They said "Always ON", not "Always Online". Chances are, the system will go into a default "sleep mode" when you turn it off and will download system and title updates automatically. The mechanics to have a requirement for a game system to always be online, even for single player games and to constantly check, that would be a huge waste of network resources on Microsoft's side. I'm willing to bet that the final system will still play single player (or the long lost cousin, the local multiplayer game) without a problem if there's no online connection.

If any of you have had a Wii, imagine something like that.

Not sure how did you read as this, but this guy clearly is talking about constantly connected to the internet.
 
The best defense against software piracy is twofold:

1) Price it right. $60 is far too high and cannot be justified, imo.

2) Produce software that people think is worth the purchase price, whatever that may be. If you produce lousy games and you want $60 for them, then piracy will be the least of your problems. Piracy has become the scapegoat of incompetence inside too many companies.

What's wrong with selling used games? I do believe it is entirely legal. People sell used books and movies to their friends and associates all the time. Why should console games exist in some privileged milieu?

The best and ultimate argument against making an "always on" Internet device is that the Internet is not always on...;) That's it. Also, last time time I checked, my cell phone did not require an Internet connection simply for me to place a call. In fact, my cell phone is dumb. I use it to make calls--I use my computer(s) to access the Internet (It's much cheaper and far, far faster.)

Anyway--sounds like Orthy is just trolling this guy in what was meant to be a private conversation (Orthy is fairly dumb for thinking his public twitter comments were private comments, though.) I think Orthy is just creating some buzz around the xBox unveiling. I'm not a console person (wouldn't want one if you gave it to me), but I can't help thinking that after Sony's very limited information expose on PS4 that Microsoft will have its next xBox work cut out for it. Sony's gonna' make 'em sweat this go-around, I'll bet.
 
OEY5yp8.jpg

That's a nice F U to rural America.

Last I heard, 40% of Xbox 360s weren't online. So an always on connection being required, is going to cost them a fair share of their customers.
 
I'm not too excited about the always on internet connection either (I live outside Phoenix), but if the Nextbox360 requires that Kinect garbage, there's no way that I'll be purchasing one.
 
Every second they don't publicly fire this asshole and blackball him from the industry is another lost Durango sale.
 
Sony just thanked him for selling me a new ps4 instead of xbox 360. I have had xbox live since it was first available. "just deal with it" is telling me to fuck off, and i will. I will continue to enjoy my 360 til my subscription runs out, then it will be on the fs/ft forums raising money for a PS4.
 
Every second they don't publicly fire this asshole and blackball him from the industry is another lost Durango sale.
It's too late really. It has exploded everywhere already and if microsoft doesn't respond quickly it will be engraved into peoples minds that it will need to be always online regardless of whether or not it's true.

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/...ll-require-always-on-internet-connection.aspx

[Update] We received an official statement from Microsoft, via the company's PR firm Edelman, concerning the tweets sent by Microsoft Studios' creative director Adam Orth last evening.

The statement reads as follows:

"We are aware of the comments made by an employee on Twitter. This person is not a spokesperson for Microsoft, and his personal views are not reflective of those of the company. We have not made any announcements about our product roadmap, and have no further comment on this matter."
Not good enough.
 
The best defense against software piracy is twofold:
<snip>
Piracy has become the scapegoat of incompetence inside too many companies.

What's wrong with selling used games? I do believe it is entirely legal. People sell used books and movies to their friends and associates all the time. Why should console games exist in some privileged milieu?

You pretty much sum up the issue here. Always online is not a defense against piracy, while yes it does prevent it that's not the intention. You can pull all the piracy numbers out of your butt as far as lost sales, etc... but the reality is there's no way to accurate track how much money you ACTUALLY are losing do to piracy.

Money lost to a secondary market of games however, is something you absolutely can track and calculate. Every copy of StarCraft 2 that gets resold (assuming it could) is $60 Blizzard doesn't get (or whatever their cut of that is). For something like an Xbox, every used game that's sold, is a licensing fee that they don't get, which is precisely how they make their money since every game pays that whether or not MS has a hand in it or not, they lose even more if its a game they get revenue from. And this is a value they absolutely can track, and something that can show on a graph and say "If we do this, this loss goes away"
 
OEY5yp8.jpg

That's a nice F U to rural America.

Last I heard, 40% of Xbox 360s weren't online. So an always on connection being required, is going to cost them a fair share of their customers.

That guy is a raging douchebag, the likes I've not seen in awhile. Not to mention his logic is just moronic. He seriously needs to be muzzled by his masters pronto. And then fired. And the made to go live in one of these areas he has so little regard for.
 
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