Next Xbox Practically Confirmed "Always-Online"

[Product Placement]

I'll wait until it's actually confirmed.

Then guffaw in an obscenely loud manner and point at and ridicule Microsoft.

^This.

I mean, the exact same bloody rumor circulated about the new Playstation, weeks before it's big "reveal" and people blew a casket just like they're doing now, with their "wroarg! Never bying a PS4!!! Hurf durf!"

If the Xbox rumor turns out to be true, then the developers of Microsoft are being idiots. It's gonna alienate way too many potential customers to be worth it and doom the console.

But I'm gonna wait and see if the damn rumor is actually true before I cast my judgment. For crying out loud, show some tact people.

 

[Treeinthewoods]

Always online means nothing to me, I am blessed with with stable internet and I don't think I've been "offline" for over ten years now.

Still, from a business perspective I can see this is probably a bad move since a lot of people actually do give a crap about this.

Of course I will be waiting for an actual confirmation before I truly believe anything I am hearing.

I'm just going to buy whatever most of my friends get so we can play together. Being the one guy in my group who got the "incorrect" console would be really lame.

 

[Josh123914]

Wow, this certainly isn't gonna blow up in their face is it?
I mean don't you still have to pay for xbox live? I doubt Microsoft would be this stupid but if they truly are then the WiiU has just been given this gen's 1st place on a golden platter, and the PS4 will practically dominate the hardcore scene.

Still, should be fun to see how the diehard MS fans will justify this. Not that I care really, but any argument for Always-Online will quickly fall apart when you ask the other party if the wi-fi has ever gone down on them, be it via thunderstorm, electricity or even someone just pulling the router out on you.

 

[ShinyCharizard]

If so then my purchase of a PS4 is practically confirmed. Hell I'm getting a PS4 instead anyway so it doesn't even matter.

 

[neppakyo]

Btw, forgot where I read it, but MS is increasing the price of xbox live to $10 a month, so $120 a year. Also a lower new gen xbox price, if you subscribe to live for 2 years. Not 100% if it's confirmed though.

 

[WoW Killer]

If they're really going this route, then they need stop with defending the negatives ("it's not that draconian...") and start reinforcing all the positives. Remind us more about the benefits of always-online. All those new little things we're going to be able to do like... wait... what's the point of it again?

 

[Atmos Duality]

If they're really going this route, then they need stop with defending the negatives ("it's not that draconian...") and start reinforcing all the positives. Remind us more about the benefits of always-online. All those new little things we're going to be able to do like... wait... what's the point of it again?

Exactly.
They have to downplay the negatives, because the current model is just flat out better than any Always Online they could conceive.

I'm still waiting on the official confirmation from M$; more for the spectacle of watching everyone tear into them than anything.

 

[Mr.Squishy]

Whelp, have fun not having my money, microsoft, I hope your EA-level idiocy is worth it.

 

[OpticalJunction]

I'm still waiting for official news. The regularity of these rumors is kind of alarming, though

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

I'll just have to keep telling myself even Microsoft wouldn't be THAT stupid. If it is, simply put: I won't buy it.

You've obviously never dealt with Microsoft before, yes they can be that stupid. One just has to look at Windows 8.

 

[Meatspinner]

I'll just wait for the actual reveal that's happening next month

I'll just have to keep telling myself even Microsoft wouldn't be THAT stupid. If it is, simply put: I won't buy it.

You've obviously never dealt with Microsoft before, yes they can be that stupid. One just has to look at Windows 8.

What's so bad about Win8? Other then the "I'm old and It's different" rhetoric?

 

[chozo_hybrid]

I don't take "practically confirmed" news very seriously but yes, an always-online console would put the suck in sucky.

I'm taking the same stance on this one. But if it is always online, I won't be buying one. I'm mostly switching to PC and probably PS4 since it has the exclusives to back the machine up. Even so, I'll be waiting about a year after release before buying a next gen console.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

So Microsoft is that stupid after all. Not surprised. At this point there is absolutely nothing that I'd expect a company not to be too stupid to try.

 

[Terminate421]

I love how people can't just wait until they actually show the damned thing to the public

So far every rumor has been bad, that is what makes me realize that the new Xbox could still be great.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

Always online means nothing to me, I am blessed with with stable internet and I don't think I've been "offline" for over ten years now.

That's great... but the point of always requiring an internet connection is that it has to connect to something to work, and what are companies track records of providing enough server capacity to handle the fluctuations at game releases/holidays etc?

Not good. Not good at all, and you will be at their mercy.
It's not just maintaining a constant internet connection, but making sure that Microsoft's always available to connect to you. Good luck trying to play anything the day the new Call of Duty comes out.

 

[idarkphoenixi]

Adam Orth getting fired after talking about an always-on xbox had already confirmed it for me. It's possible they did some last minute backpedal but either way: I'm really not excited about it. Microsoft seems to be putting WAY too much attention on "social media" and other such things.

 

[TheJesus89]

"Hey you know how pirates get around all our DRM?"
"Yeah?"
"What if... and hear me out here... we make our console completely online, so the regular customers get absolutely fucked over?"
"Okay, I like it so far, but Terry, does that have anything to do with games? Most of the games I love don't require online."
"Absolutely nothing!"
"Terry.... that's brilliant!"
*room explodes with cheering and laughter, as everyone celebrates the Microsoft victory in the next console generation*

 

[jim1398]

I am blessed with with stable internet and I don't think I've been "offline" for over ten years now.

That's great, unfortunately Microsoft can't say the same thing.

The problem is, you're going to be relying on them to keep their side of things running smoothly and constantly as well, which is something companies like Microsoft have shown time and time again that they simply aren't capable of doing.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

Maybe an always-Online console is what the industry needs, to show them how stupid they're being. I wouldn't even need to not purchase it on moral grounds, I have actual shitty internet that would render it unusable. And when not entirely poor people in first world countries are limited somehow from buying your system, you've done something wrong.

 

[The_Blue_Rider]

If the next Xbox were online only it would have to have free Xbox Live to make me even consider it. Also shipping with goddamn Wireless internet connections from the get go. I had to buy a 15m ethernet cable just so I could use my Xbox online