They don't need to damage control anything, because these are still just foggy rumors. Not to mention the only people who care about, or know of, these rumors are people who use video game forums or peruse video game websites for rumors, ie a very, very small minority of people.
I think you're twice wrong here. For one, these foggy rumors get repeated so often that they take on the weight of truth. By tomorrow, people will be altering that PS3 has no game comic and posting it across reddit. Take the Orth debacle. If the narrative hadn't been constructed already, one idiot opening his big mouth on the internet wouldn't have been taken as 'OMG CONFIRMED'. So much that we started seeing controlled leaks via Verge and Polygon since then that help quell some of the more toxic rumors.
For another, you underestimate how loud and obnoxious the very passionate fans are, and the strength of a good meme. 2-3 weeks after the Orth thing I had colleagues come up to me and give their own very twisted take on always-online Xbox and Orth. They're not gaffers, they don't read Kotaku, but they got the news anyway. Not only that, but they were disseminating their (incorrect) version of facts to THEIR even less-hardcore (but console-buying) gamer friends.
Microsoft has done a pretty bad job of controlling the message via back channels. Until recently, most 'news' was bad, or at least taken in the worst possible light. On the other hand, the tone changed considerably once the Verge/Polygon started leaking out info, particularly regarding always online (it's still very confusing, since no one can agree on what the term means, but it's better than it was).*
*Hell, good spin can completely alter how reality is perceived. Sony did a great job selling the PS3/CELL's technology, to the point that to this day you have enthusiasts insisting that the PS3 is more powerful.