Support NeoGAF

[BRocknRolla]

This needs to stop. It's not Ars vs EDGE, it's an internal email from Microsoft vs unfounded rumors.

There's literally no comparison between the two.

What are you talking about? Have you received this e-mail? Did Ars post this e-mail? Or is Ars relaying something they've heard from a source?

As far as I can tell, there is no e-mail to for public consumption. Ars may well have an inside source, but it doesn't mean they've seen the e-mail, and you certainly haven't either unless you work at MS. Unless you see an official press release from MS or someone releases a confirmed e-mail from the inside, this is a rumor. MS's own response over on Kotaku is that they have nothing to say about this at this time. No confirmation, only rumors based on sources.

This sounds reliable and casts a great deal of doubt on all the always-online rumors. I'm inclined to believe it, but it's still a rumor.

Without actual proof, there is no inherent truth to it. Why are you so insistent that it must be true?

 

[Phoenician_Viking]

Console wars... Ugly stuff.

Very entertaining though.

 

[Uno Venova]

Eh, both seem equally vague. Who even sent this email to Ars?

We don't even know if the mail really exists. A "source" of Ars claims it. Same as a "source" for Edge claimed that Xbox is always online. They're both rumours. We really know nothing.

Agreed. People can personally choose which rumor they want to go with, but ultimately they're both insider sources from credible sites.

Although this is the first Ars article I've seen on next gen so I don't know their track record

 

[BlackJace]

Go home, Dragon Sworne, you're drunk.

 

[EvB]

So I can't play my multiplayer games offline? Really microsoft?!

You can't stream netflix without an Internet connection either

 

[AllIsOneIsNone]

I don't know what people were expecting. Sure, they'll have online required games, but single player games requiring online? Come on now, wasn't gonna happen.

 

[Baconsammy]

Kotaku already playing the "We were right, they must have changed it." card.

 

[marrec]

Wouldn't you agree that a "rumored" internal e-mail from MS itself, posted by ARS and corroborated by Paul holds..idk..a slight bit more credence than a bunch of rumors from vague secondary sources?

Is this really hard to understand GAF?

GAF's understanding of actual Journalism is tenuous at best, considering the type we're exposed to most often.

 

[XtremeXpider]

I'm pretty sure the always online debacle started with dev kits being required to be always online to control leaks. Didn't mean the final console would implement it. Anyway, hope we can move on from this crap.

The always online started when some webs published rumors. If the always online is beacuse devkits, why not to said that on the rumor? there is a big difference between "our source said current devkits needs an online connection" and "our source said to us "Durango will need an online connection to work".

 

[George Claw M.D.]

sure, whatever makes you happy.

Well, I admit this rumor could be false, and if it is I'll rescind my happiness. But Ars has a pretty good track record with this stuff, so I hold their leaks with higher regard than many other sources. I hope they're not wrong this time.

 

[DragonSworne]

I'm pretty sure the always online debacle started with dev kits being required to be always online to control leaks. Didn't mean the final console would implement it. Anyway, hope we can move on from this crap.

I don't understand why they would implement such a heavyhanded solution to keep durango leaks under control. Especially given that it didn't do what it intended to do, lol. We still have plenty of leaks.

I think it was a feature of the system, and that they WILL have to take it out. If they haven't taken it out by now, come 21st the public outcry will eponentially increase. They will be foreiting their marketshare on day 1 if they don't remove it.

 

[Phoenician_Viking]

So who would you guys trust more?

Ars or EDGE?

MS when they announce the console on the 21st.

 

[Syphon Filter]

No, Paul tweeted that he'd only link to trusted sources, yet, he linked to his articles about always-online being true (this being a trustworthy source). Then he backtracked saying he "wasn't sure about what they meant" (lol). And now says he trusts Peter (the Ars editor) about a story about an e-mail (which is never fully posted) that doesn't come from Peter (his trusted source) but from some unknown, source.

EDGE posts about always-online, and about a bunch of specs for PS4. Specs turn out to be true, RAM upgrade turns out to be true... hur hur.

Just because they got that right doesn't mean they are perfect.

 

[Neuromancer]

No, Paul tweeted that he'd only link to trusted sources, yet, he linked to his articles about always-online being true (this being a trustworthy source). Then he backtracked saying he "wasn't sure about what they meant" (lol). And now says he trusts Peter (the Ars editor) about a story about an e-mail (which is never fully posted) that doesn't come from Peter (his trusted source) but from some unknown, source.

EDGE posts about always-online, and about a bunch of specs for PS4. Specs turn out to be true, RAM upgrade turns out to be true... hur hur.

Like I said Edge may have had the right of it before but that doesn't mean something couldn't have changed between then and now.

Also it's possible the email wasn't shown in full because other parts of the email may have identified people/projects or other specific information that could have gotten the leaker in even more trouble. I don't think its reasonable to demand to see the entire email in order to prove its validty.

 

[CassidyIzABeast]

You mean the last 2 months of doom and gloom were for nothing? Fuck that, I'm taking Edge over Ars. Always online is still real to me dammit.

 

[Takuya]

Just because they got that right doesn't mean they are perfect.

And same goes for this... "e-mail" from Ars' "source". Not hard to comprehend.

 

[Pyramid head]

Great news. In the same way that the announcement that Nextbox wont give you a terminal illness is great news.

 

[FrankT]

Agreed. People can personally choose which rumor they want to go with, but ultimately they're both insider sources from credible sites.

Although this is the first Ars article I've seen on next gen so I don't know their track record

Anyone who has followed Ars this gen when it comes to MS and the Xbox are fully aware of their record. Pristine. SKU changes, price drops all from Ars. It's not even a question.

 

[XtremeXpider]

I don't understand why they would implement such a heavyhanded solution to keep durango leaks under control. Especially given that it didn't do what it intended to do, lol. We still have plenty of leaks.

I think it was a feature of the system, and that they WILL have to take it out. If they haven't taken it out by now, come 21st the public outcry will eponentially increase. They will be foreiting their marketshare on day 1 if they don't remove it.

You can't understand something you don't own/use.

 

[Reiko]

Bizarre... Seems like this console reveal is playing out just like last gen.

 

[Takuya]

Like I said Edge may have had the right of it before but that doesn't mean something couldn't have changed between then and now.

Also it's possible the email wasn't shown in full because other parts of the email may have identified people/projects or other specific information that could have gotten the leaker in even more trouble. I don't think its reasonable to demand to see the entire email in order to prove its validty.

You can easily remove those parts, or black out the names of the people involved. If it is truly an "internal e-mail sent to all full-time working staff" then there would be no way to trace the e-mail back to any individual leaker.

It's bull that they didn't post the entire e-mail, there is no reason not to.

 

[Recall]

MS on the 21st.

Agreed.

I believe what I'm told on the 21st and then readjust if need be depending on the feedback on the consoles launch.

 

[c0de]

No, Paul tweeted that he'd only link to trusted sources, yet, he linked to his articles about always-online being true (this being a trustworthy source). Then he backtracked saying he "wasn't sure about what they meant" (lol). And now says he trusts Peter (the Ars editor) about a story about an e-mail (which is never fully posted) that doesn't come from Peter (his trusted source) but from some unknown, source.

EDGE posts about always-online, and about a bunch of specs for PS4. Specs turn out to be true, RAM upgrade turns out to be true... hur hur.

I somehow get the feeling you want it to be always-online. Question is: why?

 

[xaosslug]

assuming the narrative behind the scenes IS that MS has 'changed direction' from always online (when playing single player games, at least) due to public outcry, why does everyone think it's so difficult a prospect NOW? I mean before, when the thought was always online was truly a possibility, peeps were like 'well, if it doesn't work out MS can just turn it off with a firmware update' etc.

 

[Syphon Filter]

Bizarre... Seems like this console reveal is playing out just like last gen.

what do you mean?

 

[Neko Mimi Mode]

Without actual proof, there is no inherent truth to it. Why are you so insistent that it must be true?

Because Ars is completely legit and there is literally no reason to believe otherwise? If you feel this report should be discredited be my guest.

Never mind the fact it builds on almost every rumor we've heard so far.

 

[ultim8p00]

You can easily remove those parts, or black out the names of the people involved. If it is truly an "internal e-mail sent to all full-time working staff" then there would be no way to trace the e-mail back to any individual leaker.

It's bull that they didn't post the entire e-mail, there is no reason not to.

SHOW US THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE OBAMA

 

[Takuya]

SHOW US THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE OBAMA

Totally unrelated to this topic D3vinchi.

 

[DragonSworne]

assuming the narrative behind the scenes IS that MS has 'changed direction' from always online (when playing single player games, at least) due to public outcry, why does everyone think it's so difficult a prospect NOW? I mean before, when the thought was always online was truly a possibility, peeps were like 'well, if it doesn't work out MS can just turn it off with a firmware update' etc.

Because with always online, the implication of DRM was clear. You don't own your games.

Now, we aren't sure how MS will implement DRM, but we can be hopeful atleastif won't be as bad as always online.

 

[Radec]

Well that's a bummer.

Next gen fun ride aint gonna be hilarious if noone went full retard.

 

[BibiMaghoo]

You can easily remove those parts, or black out the names of the people involved. If it is truly an "internal e-mail sent to all full-time working staff" then there would be no way to trace the e-mail back to any individual leaker.

It's bull that they didn't post the entire e-mail, there is no reason not to.

Dude.

It would take an IT department 10 minutes to find out who on the list of people it was sent to internally forwarded that email on. It would take them another 10 minutes to check the printer cue, to see if anyone printed the email, and who.

If a little office business can do this, I'm 200% sure Microsoft can as well.

 

[Baconsammy]

Because Ars is completely legit and there is literally no reason to believe otherwise? If you feel this report should be discredited be my guest.

Never mind the fact it builds on almost every rumor we've heard so far.

It's weird to me that Ars is even involved. I've always put them in a class way way above the gaming "journalists". Didn't think they did much reporting on gaming.

 

[Hindle]

what do you mean?

It's the whole Xbox 1.5 thing again. People thinking they know what MS will do.

 

[RayMaker]

I wish playstation fans and xbox fans could sing this and be friends

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRD6u0TLqUU

and yeah I kept myself in the real world and not GAF world , so i'am not surprised by this at all.

 

[Gowans]

I don't think any reasonable person on GAF really believed that the next Xbox would be online-required, so this is no surprise.

Yup.

It's crazy what people will give the benefit of the doubt to or leap to outrage about depending on their stance or what the want to believe.

 

[Ushae]

Kotaku already playing the "We were right, they must have changed it." card.

Indeed

 

[Reiko]

what do you mean?

Well Xbox 1.5 for starters.

Always Online was pretty much the major crippling point of the next Xbox.

As I've noticed with each Xbox reveal (For many different reasons) they were always met with uncertainty and negativity.

EDIT: Beaten

 

[Dion Blaster]

To those saying this is just a rumor, if we looks at all the rumors like that then there is absolutely nothing to suggest 720 will require online.

 

[Ninja Moomin]

What are they to say now?

 

[DopeyFish]

I somehow get the feeling you want it to be always-online. Question is: why?

well... do you really have to ask?

 

[Takuya]

Dude.

It would take an IT department 10 minutes to find out who on the list of people it was sent to internally forwarded that email on. It would take them another 10 minutes to check the printer cue, to see if anyone printed the email, and who.

If a little office business can do this, I'm 200% sure Microsoft can as well.

Yea, you're right, there are no other ways to send someone an e-mail other than forwarding it, or printing it...

You've won.

 

[LCfiner]

Well, I admit this rumor could be false, and if it is I'll rescind my happiness. But Ars has a pretty good track record with this stuff, so I hold their leaks with higher regard than many other sources. I hope they're not wrong this time.

honestly, the wording of the email just screams intentional leak to me. I think MS wanted this to be public before the unveiling of the new console so there wouldn't be any more speculation diverting attention from MS's message.

 

[Rolf NB]

Finally some innovation.

 

[kingkitty]

There are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say there are things that we now know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we do not know we don't know. So when we do the best we can and we pull all this information together, and we then say well that's basically what we see as the situation, that is really only the known knowns and the known unknowns. And hopefully by May 21st, these known unknowns are no longer unknown.

 

[Trogdor1123]

Good to hear, nice to see that that it wasnt a fact.

 

[ChosenPredator]

It's the whole Xbox 1.5 thing again. People thinking they know what MS will do.

It feels almost exactly how xbox 360 launch tons of negative responses then bam! it ends up being a pretty good console.

 

[nib95]

This is more recent information, so chances are Ars are right on this. In any case, great, great news. Show us some great games and you have my money Microsoft.

 

[Reiko]

It feels almost exactly how xbox 360 launch tons of negative responses then bam! it ends up being a pretty good console.

Remember when the Xbox 360 wouldn't match the PS3 in multiplats because the PS3 was too powerful?

 

[Dion Blaster]

Dude.

It would take an IT department 10 minutes to find out who on the list of people it was sent to internally forwarded that email on. It would take them another 10 minutes to check the printer cue, to see if anyone printed the email, and who.

If a little office business can do this, I'm 200% sure Microsoft can as well.

You realize we have phones with cameras on them now, right?

 

[chris0701]

You can easily remove those parts, or black out the names of the people involved. If it is truly an "internal e-mail sent to all full-time working staff" then there would be no way to trace the e-mail back to any individual leaker.

It's bull that they didn't post the entire e-mail, there is no reason not to.

The email sender can decide if specific email can't be copy-pasted,forwarded, printed in Outlook, pretty basic stuff.