Adam Orth:'I don't get the drama' over 'always-on' Xbox

[Azies]

LOL Classy

[imachip]

Geez can't believe people are annoyed about this approach. It's the future and was always going in the always on connection. To be honest, I'm surprised they still accept media.

Sure you might get some issues occasionally but honestly are you guys still on dial-up or switch off your modem when not in use to save 0.2c of power? Sometimes, I think these days some of you have it too easy. I was paying in excess of ?125 ($200) a month for internet back in '95.

I just hope there is more to it than DRM and marketing because there is the potential to add some really interesting features.

[Azies]

You where talking about always on. how do you use apps on your phone if it's not on. how does your fridge keep cold if it's off....

as I thought, you where confusing always on with always connected. and you are probably confusing always connected with connection required to play as well.

Always on, meaning always on DRM built into the console.. Meaning you need an internet connection to play the game. We all know you're in denial, but please try and keep up. I know about six people off the top of my head who will be burned by this, who were previous Xbox fans who will probably not buy it now because of the internet connection requirement.

[HawkMan]

I am sure you have read Kotaku's article and what their sources had to say? Pennywise also discovered a pretty distinct developer leaving a highly implicit post on the matter:

"Given that legally I cannot confirm or deny if this information is true, nor can I comment on rumor or speculation, all I can say is be sure to pay your ISP bills ."

This is the developer:

This combined with Microsoft Creative Director is as official it is going to get before the reveal; but I'm you do not care about that. You strike as the sort of fanboy that would tell people to "Deal with it" if it turned out to be true.

Kotakus other sources also said there's no connection required. but as always with xbox rumors there's a certain group here who will always believe only the negative rumors.

and why would you be a fan boy for saying deal with it ? it's not a big deal. contrary to claims in this thread, people don't bring their xbox to play in the car. and if you do. then you also bring MBB, and the connection check won't eat anything from your data cap. checking mail would use more of your data cap.

[+Warwagon MVC]

I get the always on requirement, but those with unstable connections will get tossed out of games or apps.

My ISP's modem reboots 3-5 times a day randomly for self-configuration. It's a PITA. It has cought me completing a purchase, sending en email or in a rush to look something up. The reboot process takes about 5 minutes at most.

If the always-on requirement is true, I will be pi**ed everytime I get booted from a game if the modem reboots.

That sounds like a bad modem.

[HawkMan]

The official numbers are around 150 millions worlwide for PS2, around 100 millions worldwide for PS and around 75 millions worldwide for xbox 360.

This is the number of units sold though and not the number of people who owned one. I know i'll get bashed by ms fans but you need to take into account the unusual high defect rate of the first 360 model. Lot of people bought 2 of them. I would go as far as to say i would not be surprised if as much people owned a NES even if Nintendo sold around 15 millions less worldwide.

and I thought we where havign a serious discussion here.

[+Warwagon MVC]

I think we have found the true identity of Dot Matrix! :D

[HawkMan]

Pretty sure its going to be more than a couple of KBs considering it constantly pings your xbox to see if its online.

a ping every 3 minutes won't eat your data cap. certainly not for your at most weekly trip to the cabin.

That sounds like a bad modem.

that or bad copper to the house, which the telecom is by law required to change then.

[BajiRav]

Always on, meaning always on DRM built into the console.. Meaning you need an internet connection to play the game. We all know you're in denial, but please try and keep up. I know about six people off the top of my head who will be burned by this, who were previous Xbox fans who will probably not buy it now because of the internet connection requirement.

[Buio]

Wouldn't it be nice if because of online required(which I guess is what you mean, not always on), you could play your copy of Assasins Creed IV on all your consoles without having to remember to bring your disc around and plop in the disc or anything. just log in to your account and start playing, and since it's always connected, you don't have to wait for updates either as the game is always fully updated.

And that is not possible without always online? At least I can play my Steam games in offline mode on the laptop when I don't have a connection (I don't always need it to be online).

[Dot Matrix]

My phone is always on, even when it's "off". What's the issue with that being the case here?

[JustGeorge]

My phone is always on, even when it's "off". What's the issue with that being the case here?

You buy'n $60~$70 dollar games for your phone and ok with the fact you can't play any of them when you're in an area with poor/no signal? Thought so....

What's being proposed is an artificial limitation put in place to keep all of us criminals consumers in check. Thats's what is ****ing us off.

[neufuse Veteran]

yeah, the Wii and WiiU are "always on" aka always connected to the internet through Wii Connect 24 and such.... doesn't meant it's a DRM laden requires and internet connection system.

[Dot Matrix]

You buy'n $60~$70 dollar games for your phone and ok with the fact you can't play any of them when you're in an area with poor/no signal? Thought so....

It's an artificial limitation put in place to keep all of us criminals consumers in check.

Not sure why that's a big deal. Most game are online exclusive, so they're dead without a connection on any other device.

Plus, how many times does your connection sink? Since getting Time Warner, my connection has been steady 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of the time. I think I've had a service interruption once. Once. Wow. (And I live in the city).

[BajiRav]

You buy'n $60~$70 dollar games for your phone and ok with the fact you can't play any of them when you're in an area with poor/no signal? Thought so....

What's being proposed rumor is an artificial limitation put in place to keep all of us criminals consumers in check. Thats's what is ****ing us off.

Let's wait for something official, shall we?

[+virtorio MVC]

My phone is always on, even when it's "off". What's the issue with that being the case here?

My phone isn't, and I can still run all my Apps and Games. The issue here is that, if true, you won't be able to on the next Xbox.

Not sure why that's a big deal. Most game are online exclusive, so they're dead without a connection on any other device.

Plus, how many times does your connection sink? Since getting Time Warner, my connection has been steady 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of the time. I think I've had a service interruption once. Once. Wow. (And I live in the city).

Lucky for you that you live in part of the world where your internet is up 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of the time.

[techbeck]

Plus, how many times does your connection sink? Since getting Time Warner, my connection has been steady 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of the time. I think I've had a service interruption once. Once. Wow. (And I live in the city).

Not all live in a city with a reliable connection tho. I know several who live on the country using a sat connection and they get disconnected a lot but all they an get is sat internet.

[ahhell]

Not sure why that's a big deal. Most game are online exclusive, so they're dead without a connection on any other device.

Plus, how many times does your connection sink? Since getting Time Warner, my connection has been steady 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of the time. I think I've had a service interruption once. Once. Wow. (And I live in the city).

Normally I agree with you but here you are just being obnoxious. :s

NOBODY wants a system that needs to be ALWAYS connected to the internet. Just ask PC gamers what they think of D3.

[Buio]

My phone is always on, even when it's "off". What's the issue with that being the case here?

Totally off-topic, but do you like Microsoft and their products much? I get that feeling from your avatar and info below it. Of course everyone are allowed to have their opinion, but I get the feeling you are somewhat biased.

[+virtorio MVC]

Of course everyone are allowed to have their opinion, but I get the feeling you are somewhat biased.

Take out the word "somewhat" and you have a pretty good description of Dot Matrix.

[Buio]

Let's wait for something official, shall we?

No fun in that, and Microsoft does not comment on rumours.

I would be fine with a semi-online thing, allowing off-line playing. But I don't like the Simcity ideas of single-player always online due to DRM reasons and Maxis/EA totally throwing smokescreens instead of telling the thruth.

[ichi]

You where talking about always on. how do you use apps on your phone if it's not on. how does your fridge keep cold if it's off....

as I thought, you where confusing always on with always connected. and you are probably confusing always connected with connection required to play as well.

In the context of the OP tweet that's what Orthy was trolling to other guy with, not about whether the device was powered on or not.

[Dot Matrix]

Official Statement on what was said yesterday

I wanted to give you the official Microsoft Statement regarding some comments you may have seen yesterday:

"We apologize for the inappropriate comments made by an employee on Twitter yesterday. This person is not a spokesperson for Microsoft, and his personal views do not reflect the customer centric approach we take to our products or how we would communicate directly with our loyal consumers. We are very sorry if this offended anyone, however we have not made any announcements about our product roadmap, and have no further comment on this matter."

As frequent readers of my blog know, the moment we have news about our products I will be sharing all the details I can.

http://majornelson.c...said-yesterday/

[McKay]

The official numbers are around 150 millions worlwide for PS2, around 100 millions worldwide for PS and around 75 millions worldwide for xbox 360.

This is the number of units sold though and not the number of people who owned one. I know i'll get bashed by ms fans but you need to take into account the unusual high defect rate of the first 360 model. Lot of people bought 2 of them. I would go as far as to say i would not be surprised if as much people owned a NES even if Nintendo sold around 15 millions less worldwide.

Don't forget to take into account the failure rate of the early ps2. I had 7 break with laser reader faults. Ironically my first 360 lasted 3 and a half years.

[shakey]

Don't forget to take into account the failure rate of the early ps2. I had 7 break with laser reader faults. Ironically my first 360 lasted 3 and a half years.

If we are going to account failure rates, I'm sure the PS2 and 360 are dead even in that :p ( Or the 360 might beat it by a bit in terms of having more failures )