The next Xbox: Always online, no second-hand games, 50GB Blu-ray discs and new Kinect

[Epona]

Microsoft?s next console will require an Internet connection in order to function, ruling out a second-hand game market for the platform. A new iteration of Xbox Live will be an integral part of Microsoft?s next console, while improved Kinect hardware will also ship alongside the unit.

It is believed that games purchased on disc will ship with activation codes, and will have no value beyond the initial user.

http://www.edge-online.com/news/the-next-xbox-always-online-no-second-hand-games-50gb-blu-ray-discs-and-new-kinect/

If this is true, are you going "Jump In" or "Jump Out"?

 

[Epona]

Well, I have to ask, how is this any different than Steam? Activation codes that tie a physical game to your account and always online will probably work like Steam (ie, there will be an offline mode and it might work better than Steams).

Don't get me wrong, I don't support this nonsense but isn't it silly to say "Steam is the solution".

 

[Epona]

Well, I have to ask, how is this any different than Steam? Activation codes that tie a physical game to your account and always online will probably work like Steam (ie, there will be an offline mode and it might work better than Steams).

Don't get me wrong, I don't support this nonsense but isn't it silly to say "Steam is the solution".

I can speak only from my position and country but:

1: I pay roughly 2/3rd of the price of a console game on day 1. Dishonored, XCom, DmC and such were only 40? as physical copies while (depending on retailer) the console versions went from 60? to 70?. Now add to that sale discounts or the natural fall in price and I pay a lot less for my 'one use copies'.

2: I have no problem with constant internet connection so I won't comment on that.

3: Is it revealed if the games are bound to the console? Because this would be the major difference. With Steam they are bound to my account so that I can still let my friends play games they want to test when I visit them (10gb downloaded in 1h - just start it up). If they are bound to the console this would really suck ass...

4: Last but not least: A customer rights organisation in my country is actually sueing Steam on this issue and as a big fan of this platform I am behind that.

1) In the US most games that come to PC start at $60 just like they do on console.

2) Ok

3) Well, I think that goes with 2. With an always on connection your friends can just log in with your account, just like Steam. That's how it currently is on the 360 isn't it? You can log in and play your games from any 360 as long as it is connected.

4) Cool, I am behind that too.

 

[Genocidicles]

Wow it's like the only way they could make it worse was if the games were stored on betamax tapes.

 

[Stavros Dimou]

Well, I have to ask, how is this any different than Steam? Activation codes that tie a physical game to your account and always online will probably work like Steam (ie, there will be an offline mode and it might work better than Steams).

Don't get me wrong, I don't support this nonsense but isn't it silly to say "Steam is the solution".

There is not a single game at Steam that requires CONSTANT internet connection to be played.
The only game currently having such a requirement is DIABLO 3,and it isn't sold on Steam.

Steam is not a panacea but it has its merits. On Steam Sale days you can buy games even with a 75% discount,that is 1/4 of the normal price. And no matter if you buy a new computer you will still be able to download the games at your new computer,you can practically download them unlimited times,on unlimited different computers.

 

[MrBenSampson]

This must be a joke. If the console requires a constant internet connection, what will happen when the day comes that Microsoft decides to stop supporting it? They'll shut down Xbox Live, and an entire generation of consoles will be bricked.

 

[Cheesepower5]

I have a bad history for reliability on internet connections. I don't think I've ever had constant connection for more than three months. If the next-box is always online, I will most certainly not be buying it, not even if it got Lost Odyssey 2, Dragon Quest XI and Fallout 4 as exclusives.

 

[Epona]

Well, I have to ask, how is this any different than Steam? Activation codes that tie a physical game to your account and always online will probably work like Steam (ie, there will be an offline mode and it might work better than Steams).

Don't get me wrong, I don't support this nonsense but isn't it silly to say "Steam is the solution".

There is not a single game at Steam that requires CONSTANT internet connection to be played.
The only game currently having such a requirement is DIABLO 3,and it isn't sold on Steam.

Steam is not a panacea but it has its merits. On Steam Sale days you can buy games even with a 75% discount,that is 1/4 of the normal price. And no matter if you buy a new computer you will still be able to download the games at your new computer,you can practically download them unlimited times,on unlimited different computers.

Well, it is my understanding that you have to be online before offline mode will work. Even if it works without being online first (many people can't get it to work at all), it will eventually need to check in. There are also no used games on Steam. In fact, one could say that the success of Steam could be why console makers are thinking about things like this.

 

[Pulse]

Sticking to ps3 and 360.

 

[Hazy992]

There's no way that this is true. I mean there's shooting yourself in the foot and then there's this. Making it always online would be suicidal, especially when the Xbox's biggest market is the US where internet connections just aren't reliable enough. I don't think even Microsoft is that stupid.

I'm filing this under R for 'rumour'

 

[Pink Gregory]

Seems unlikely, but I clearly picked a good time to become a PC gamer.

 

[Epona]

Seems unlikely, but I clearly picked a good time to become a PC gamer.

...because we have used games and no always online DRM?

 

[sanquin]

So, always online, no used copies, games locked to one console, hardware about on par with a mid-range gaming pc at this moment, and kinect fully integrated.

I definitely won't be getting that crap. I'll keep my PS3 and stick to my PC for the rest...-.-

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Anno 2070 is sold on steam.

You can play Anno 2070 offline. You just lose some minor Ark functionality via UPlay.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

You sure?

Is it something they changed? I remember not being able to play because u-play servers were down.

Positive. It might require a first time sign in or something though. Not 100% sure on that.