Microsoft: Next Xbox will work even when your Internet doesn’t

Breathe for a second dude.

The best part is that any evidence to the contrary is also only from rumor and speculation. But looking through his post history that hasn't stopped him from wildly jumping down Microsoft's throat in every thread where always online has been rumored.
 
That goofy motion control demo was weak sure, but considering how credible Media Molecule is, I let it pass. WTF to the blu-ray part, that makes no sense. The PS4 is hitting all the right notes for the community here as hardcore gamers, there's no reason why the PS4 should be this forums favorite console at this point considering MS hasn't shown us anything yet. Anything is subject to change, that IS the reality.

Of course you do. I bet you also forgive them for their kinect-like camera.

The point is, blu-ray jacked up the price of the PS3 without really benefiting games.

Again, the PS4 looks awesome, but they're not only catering to hardcore gamers.
 
Glad they came to their senses.

I bet they were actually considering it. Only explanation for them taking so long to deny the rumors. Unless they believe 'bad press is better than no press' thing.

Haha really?

How about the fact that nothing matters until the console is actually shown and is on store shelves?
 
This thread basically confirms that all the "legitimate concerns" regarding the Durango, especially in the 6 months thread, are mostly from Sony fanboys with an agenda.

It's really fucking hilarious the amount of mental gymnastics people in this thread are going through to discredit this leak.

LOL

I wonder who the real fanboy is here.....



BAD = Rumor!!!
GOOD = Set in stone, confirmed and.... oh boy my dick is really hard...
 
You basically know nothing about the console, but that it does NOT require always on is enough to "seal" it!?

To be fair, the same lack of information has been enough to see, "good that settles it I'm not getting this piece of shit console anyway" posts for the last month or so.

That said, I'm still taking this with a grain of salt and holding out til the 21st/E3 before I start deciding. Will probably get both the next box and PS4. Just deciding on which to get first.
 
Finally, shame GAF wants to see the Durango burn regardless.

Next on the agenda; DVR capabilities & Kinect. Boo! We want gaming only. *another day at GAF*
 
People questioning Ars? C'mon.

I mean if you'd like to vouch for a site feel free. Some of us don't hang around the internet enough to understand the reliability of any given website.

Perhaps a brief breakdown of their credibility for those who don't know? It's not exactly unreasonable.
 
Of course you do. I bet you also forgive them for their kinect-like camera.

The point is, blu-ray jacked up the price of the PS3 without really benefiting games.

Again, the PS4 looks awesome, but they're not only catering to hardcore gamers.

Kinect-like camera? Joke post? The Playstation eye has been in development WAY before the Kinect. The bluray didn't benefit PS3 games? Are you kidding me?
 
Glad they came to their senses.

I bet they were actually considering it. Only explanation for them taking so long to deny the rumors. Unless they believe 'bad press is better than no press' thing.

I bet they considered lots of stuff that didn't happen. If not, then they are bad developers.
 
EDGE online =/= "Sony fanboys with an agenda"

Plus, they didn't address the no used games thing at all. You'd think if they were purposely trying to quell damaging rumors that would be in there if it allowed used games.
Pretty obvious that I was talking about GAF, not Edge. I guess not to you though.
 
I'm not saying this is wrong, but I'd like to know:
1) How this e-mail got to ArsTechnica when everyone who received it is under NDA.
2) Why Microsoft had to tell the people working on the system that it would not be always online (why is that important?), why they didn't already know this, and why they didn't just send one to the news media, which is who they should be talking to.
3) Why that one Microsoft employee (creative director, I forget his name) got so up-in-arms over the issue if the system wasn't even always online to begin with.

If it is true, it sounds like it might be a reaction to fan outcry. That seems unlikely, though, because changing something in DRM like this at the last second would have to be discussed with a lot of publishers who were on board with that policy. It's just an odd situation in general.
A is just how every other leak works, people break NDAs, thats the nature of these rumours. With regards to b, someone suggested this may be in preparation for when post-May 21 employees can talk about the new Xbox and promote it, which I think is logical. For c, I think it's pretty likely he was just trying to defend his company despite not knowing the real state of affairs. Remember, work on Durango is supposed to be super secretive even within the company and even people working on it had alibis in case their superiors questioned them on it. And he's only one of many creative directors, his title was always seemingly smaller that it appears in isolation.
 
So, that would apply to this rumor too right?

Of course it applies to this rumor. The only people paying attention right now are folks like us. Mass market that will decide the fate of Sony and MS didn't care about the earlier rumor, and they don't care about this one. Because they're not listening. They'll care when they can buy it.
 
I'm not saying this is wrong, but I'd like to know:
1) How this e-mail got to ArsTechnica when everyone who received it is under NDA.
2) Why Microsoft had to tell the people working on the system that it would not be always online (why is that important?), why they didn't already know this, and why they didn't just send one to the news media, which is who they should be talking to.
3) Why that one Microsoft employee (creative director, I forget his name) got so up-in-arms over the issue if the system wasn't even always online to begin with.

If it is true, it sounds like it might be a reaction to fan outcry. That seems unlikely, though, because changing something in DRM like this at the last second would have to be discussed with a lot of publishers who were on board with that policy. It's just an odd situation in general.

This is what I'm thinking too. It seems like it could be a really late game decision.
 
Nice now it's time for May 21.

ultragif.gif
 
I don't think Microsoft is stupid enough to force always-on to gamers. The internet just went mad when all the rumors began surfacing and blew this out of proportion.
 
No way. Always online DRM alienates large parts, I might even say most, of the world because of the largely unreliable Internet services available across the world, and sets a precedent in the industry and for publishers who can extend their policies onto the PS4 as well for parity. Even if its just like a heartbeat like Thurrott suggested. Stricter DRM control encompasses a capability to block used games and more.

Used games screws over Japan and people who borrow their games/don't support devs/publishers directly. Yeah I'd take a console I can turn on whenever/wherever over blocking used games in a world where games drop more rapidly than ever post-release and can be found at used game prices, new.

But isn't the used gaming market popular in Japan? I always thought that it was.

I don't think Microsoft is stupid enough to force always-on to gamers. The internet just went mad when all the rumors began surfacing and blew this out of proportion.

This. Being always online to play games as well as blocking used copies of games would be considered suicidal, especially when a lot of people don't have internet access or have bad internet in general.
 
The best part is that any evidence to the contrary is also only from rumor and speculation. But looking through his post history that hasn't stopped him from wildly jumping down Microsoft's throat in every thread where always online has been rumored.


The firing of Adam Orth pretty much confirmed the rumor of durnago being always online for me. It is going to take an official announcement from MS to make me think differently.

I value real actions taken by corporations over questionable rumors.
 
Haha really?

How about the fact that nothing matters until the console is actually shown and is on store shelves?

Public outcry and watershed moments like the Simcity always online debacle potentially changing the pr course of always online as a whole is very relevant.

How could the outcry not matter? It might have just saved your beloved console.
 
The best case scenario is that Microsoft will lease you the Xbox 720, you'll not be able to use it without signing up to a 2 year contract with Xbox Live and a downpayment of $299.

At the end of the two year contact you can take up the lease again and they'll let you reconnect to the Xbox Network - otherwise you have a dead paperweight.

.....which is about as likely as this always online bullcrap.

Let's wait for the 21st and then burn or praise Microsoft.
 
Finally, shame GAF wants to see the Durango burn regardless.

Next on the agenda; DVR capabilities. Boo! We want gaming only. *another day at GAF*

I am hyped about the HTPC capabilities on next Xbox, people should know what are gaining if Durango really is "THE" HTPC.

I would like to open a thread about it, but my english is too bad xD
 
My point is that Microsoft doesn't have the best track record, and I agree, this is definitely good news. I hope the next good news is that LIVE is free.
I think its more likely the next bad news will PSN will go the way of Xbox Live, but that's a discussion for another thread.
 
I never thought that always online was going to make it to launch. But that doesn't mean that the rumors were wrong. There's a good chance that Microsoft were contemplating it. I know from people inside sony that they also contemplated always online and no used games but eventually decided against them.


Who knows... that entire Adam Orth fiasco may have been what changed minds inside ms after they saw how their customers reacted to the news.
 
The firing of Adam Orth pretty much confirmed the rumor of durnago being always online for me. It is going to take an official announcement from MS to make me think differently.

I value real actions taken by corporations over questionable rumors.

It didn't confirm anything other than him being a dick. If you were a notable person for a company and saying the shit he did, you too would be fired. It makes the company look bad.
 
Well, it seems like the current conspiracy is that Microsoft leaked the memo on purpose. So it would make sense (in the scope of the conspiracy) that they leaked it to everyone for maximum coverage.

Yes because leaking it makes more sense then them just godamn saying it.

Seriously people.
 
Well, it seems like the current conspiracy is that Microsoft leaked the memo on purpose. So it would make sense (in the scope of the conspiracy) that they leaked it to everyone for maximum coverage.

Due to Ars listed it clearly as "official mail", I think they has contacted MSFT PR and got greenlight before posting this feature.
 
Of course they mention blu-rays and live tv before playing games. Dammit MS drop the fucking entertainment focus already.

FYI, they won't.

Neither will Sony.

If you don't want heavy entertainment features
in your gaming console then the best system to get out of the three is the Wii U.
 
It didn't confirm anything other than him being a dick. If you were a notable person for a company and saying the shit he did, you too would be fired. It makes the company look bad.


Then why were Peter Moore, Reggie, Iwata, Miyamoto, and Kaz not imeddiately fired after making their companies look bad?
 
It didn't confirm anything other than him being a dick. If you were a notable person for a company and saying the shit he did, you too would be fired. It makes the company look bad.

Not if there was no truth to the rumor then it is just chat. If there was truth to it then it irreparably damaged their planned spin so that dude gets canned.
 
This thread basically confirms that all the "legitimate concerns" regarding the Durango, especially in the 6 months thread, are mostly from Sony fanboys with an agenda.

It's really fucking hilarious the amount of mental gymnastics people in this thread are going through to discredit this leak.

Uhh, if anything, doesn't this confirm that the "legitimate concerns" were actually very real and that Microsoft is trying to react accordingly (assuming it is, in fact, legit)? Look at the language they use in that email. It talks about user expectations and how they SHOULD respond to those expectations. That indicates a change in policy, a new set of instructions, or some sort of clarifying instructions to make sure that the development team is on the same wavelength with corporate (and vice versa).
 
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