MS Confirms Online Connection, Game Borrowing and Used Game Details

[ssgt splatter]

I hate to say this but the more I find out about the Xbone, the more I think a PS4 might be the better choice.

Also, I can't tell from the OP but, I don't turn on my console every single day. Sometimes I go 2-5 days before I jump back online. What does that mean for the Xbone if it requires it be connected online at least once a day? Does it throw a fit the next time I start it up or does it turn itself on because the Kinect is watching you?

 

[Tien Shen]

All Sony has to do is drop these quotes at E3.
"No periodic connection required"
"You can play your games offline"
"No used-game fees"

And Sony seals the deal since Microsoft has practically handed the title of next-gen's winner to them. All Sony has to do is take it.

 

[Able Seacat]

I wonder if the PS4 will do this also?

Sony vaguely said they were leaving it "up to the publisher," which, until clarified, sounds an AWFUL lot like what Microsoft has just decreed.

kiri2tsubasa and Zeh Don gave me a few links where it seems to be confirmed that the PS4 will work offline;

The Escapist:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/122307-PS4-Wont-Require-A-Constant-Internet-Connection

NowGamer:
http://www.nowgamer.com/news/1949419/ps4_wont_require_an_internet_connection_confirms_mark_cerny.html

EuroGamer:
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-02-21-playstation-4-does-not-require-an-internet-connection

Neogaf:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=572949

However, call me a cynic but he didn't say whether it'll need to 'check in' like the Xbone does. Because technically the Xbone does work offline just not for long. I really hope I'm wrong and the articles do seem to suggest the the PS4 will work truly offline.

 

[MarsProbe]

What really gets my goat about this is the way they've chosen to describe what we will be able to do with "our" games: that seems to be, only what the publisher decides we will be able to do. Since the title of that particular section is "How Games Licensing Works on Xbox One" I wonder why they don't just go the whole hog and come and say that we really buying games anymore, just paying for a "license" to use them.

I suppose we should be grateful that the publishers are even enabling us to be able to do such things as trade in at selected retailers and loan our games out to (one) friend, provided you have them on your friend list for at least 30 days. Though that's nowhere near as exciting as the fact that I could always just "enable" myself not to buy this increasingly-likely-to-be-a-trainwreck of a console.

Right Sony: it's basically all down to you know. Whatever you come up with between now and the PS4 release basically determines whether or not I'll even be buying a consoel for the next generation...

 

[Uratoh]

So Microsoft is going 'users of our console forefit the First Sale Doctrine'. I mean I know it's theoretically in licencing etc, but it's never been enforced and is of debatable legality...I can't wait to see the EU's take on this system >_>

 

[Juventus]

guys, the console race is decided by price.

if MS says their console is 299 vs PS4 costs 399

who do you think is grandma jane and daddy joe are going to buy?

the cheaper one, even it means ridiculous measures are build in the console

 

[Something Amyss]

However, call me a cynic but he didn't say whether it'll need to 'check in' like the Xbone does. Because technically the Xbone does work offline just not for long. I really hope I'm wrong and the articles do seem to suggest the the PS4 will work truly offline.

And that's the thing. While they have said that it can work offline, it is technically true of the One. Yoshida also said DRM restrictions will be up to the publisher, in a response to questions so vague it could have come from Microsoft. They're not really telling us if it will truly work offline, especially with talks about updates. This is the same kind of Microsoft language that boded so poorly. People seem to be cutting Sony a lot of slack for what could be the same trick.

 

[Able Seacat]

However, call me a cynic but he didn't say whether it'll need to 'check in' like the Xbone does. Because technically the Xbone does work offline just not for long. I really hope I'm wrong and the articles do seem to suggest the the PS4 will work truly offline.

And that's the thing. While they have said that it can work offline, it is technically true of the One. Yoshida also said DRM restrictions will be up to the publisher, in a response to questions so vague it could have come from Microsoft. They're not really telling us if it will truly work offline, especially with talks about updates. This is the same kind of Microsoft language that boded so poorly. People seem to be cutting Sony a lot of slack for what could be the same trick.

And as you say if it's up to the publisher, I can't imagine a 3rd party publisher restricting trading in games or lending games for the Xbox One and being all laid back about the version for the PS4.

At least it's not long till E3 so perhaps we'll get a bit more clarity on the matter.

 

[Zeh Don]

However, call me a cynic but he didn't say whether it'll need to 'check in' like the Xbone does. Because technically the Xbone does work offline just not for long. I really hope I'm wrong and the articles do seem to suggest the the PS4 will work truly offline.

Did you simply not read the links that were provided? Is that what happened?
Sony has confirmed - confirmed - that the PS4 never - never - needs an internet connection. None. Ever. Not once a day. Not once a year. Not when you buy a game. Not when you play a game. Never. Ever. None. Don't have the internet? Doesn't matter. Ever. Not once. Ok?

...the PS4 does not require an Internet connection to function...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_4
Comes from over two dozen sources.

...Sony's head of worldwide game studios, Shuhei Yoshida said, of PS4 gaming, "Oh yes, yes, you can go offline totally. Social is big for us, but we understand there are some people who are anti-social! So if you don't want to connect to anyone else, you can do that."...

http://kotaku.com/5985874/ps4-will-not-require-an-always+online-connection

And, hell, just cause I can:

...Even taking back a step from here, PlayStation 4 can still be enjoyed old school without an Internet connection at all...

From the lips of Michael Denny, VP of Sony's Worldwide Game Studios.
http://www.officialplaystationmagazine.co.uk/2013/03/20/michael-denny/

Sony has confirmed - confirmed - that the PS4 never - never - needs an internet connection. Ok? Can we stop with this "Sony's gonna do it too!". They're not. Ever. At all. Not even once.

 

[FireAza]

I really don't get why Microsoft decided they needed to implement something heavy-handed like require internet connectivity in order to prevent software piracy. I mean, was piracy even a big issue for the 360? There were a lot of technical challenges when it came to pirating software on that console, not to mention the high chance of getting your console banned from Xbox Live if it's detected you're using modified hardware.

For a platform with high piracy rates like PC, sure, I can understand why publishers might want to go iron fisted. But the Xbox? Really?

 

[Sonicron]

You know, M$ have raised quite a stink over their new console's atrocious features with us informed gamers... what kind of interests me is how the un[/i]informed ones are going to take the company's new business model. Recent history has already shown that paying customers are only willing to put up with so much crap before crying bollocks to the whole deal and not supporting a retarded system. Despite their strong influence on mainstream gaming with the X360, I have the suspicion M$ may have royally dicked themselves over, because I really don't believe the average consumer is going to accept the Xbone's nonsense (despite potentially high first-month sales before word-of-mouth gets around).

Personally, the Xbone is already dead to me. I wouldn't be averse to trying the WiiU in the future, since I mostly find Nintendo games fun to play, but not before the game library has a decent size and they've fixed the motion control and battery life issues. At this point my main hopes rest with the PS4, but the word is still out on the used games issue, and the implementation of social networking as a major feature bodes ill from where I'm standing.
If the PS4 should turn out unacceptable as well I might just wait for the Piston (AKA Steam Box), or get a new uber-awesome PC.

 

[Aldain]

My favorite part of Microsoft's epitaph so far is this:

"Because every Xbox One owner has a broadband connection, developers can create massive, persistent worlds that evolve even when you?re not playing."


Ummmmm What!?

"...every Xbox One owner has a broadband connection..."

It is highly probable that the quote is actually right. How much people own a Xbox One outside of Microsoft? They know who owns one and they will know whether this person (/employee) has a broadband connection.


I normally don't get the fuzz in these topics.

"OMG you can't play used games"
"Yes you can"
"OMG you can't play used games because ??"

 

[Wolfhowl the shadow lurker]

With my pc as my sword and my steam as my other.. more steamy sword i think i will be able to live and enjoy myself without the xbox one and from what im hearing this thing will bomb faster a then headcrab canister into St. Olga

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

The whole used game issue sounds like it will be really confusing and overly complex. Will it have "can not resell" on the box? Or will you have to wait till you scan it at a game shop? What about amazon, will people end up buying new games but instead get left with a used brick?

Just stupid. Either allow used games 100% or just dont bother. All this half arsing with it is ridiculous.

 

[zxvcasdfqwerzxcv]

Console wars are generally won by cost, and given that Microsoft is made money and was willing to take a massive loss per unit on the 360, it's likely that they will do the same again and undercut the PS4.

I'm going to reserve judgement until I see the console in action. Right now the internet media on the One is full of conjecture and hyperbole and frankly I won't be listening to anything til the console is released.

 

[vallorn]

You know, M$ have raised quite a stink over their new console's atrocious features with us informed gamers... what kind of interests me is how the un[/i]informed ones are going to take the company's new business model. Recent history has already shown that paying customers are only willing to put up with so much crap before crying bollocks to the whole deal and not supporting a retarded system. Despite their strong influence on mainstream gaming with the X360, I have the suspicion M$ may have royally dicked themselves over, because I really don't believe the average consumer is going to accept the Xbone's nonsense (despite potentially high first-month sales before word-of-mouth gets around).

Personally, the Xbone is already dead to me. I wouldn't be averse to trying the WiiU in the future, since I mostly find Nintendo games fun to play, but not before the game library has a decent size and they've fixed the motion control and battery life issues. At this point my main hopes rest with the PS4, but the word is still out on the used games issue, and the implementation of social networking as a major feature bodes ill from where I'm standing.
If the PS4 should turn out unacceptable as well I might just wait for the Piston (AKA Steam Box), or get a new uber-awesome PC.

Mostly you just have to point out to people the following:

Jake: "Hey bob you know those 360 games you own?"
Bob: "Uh. yeah?"
Jake: "Well if you buy them on the Xbox One you don't actually own them. You cant sell them, trade them with friends or put them on Ebay without Microsoft saying so. Oh and it tracks whether you have or not by making you sign in once a day even if their servers go down or your internet connection goes out."
Bob: "THEFUCK!"

God forbid Mr and Mrs Doe buying an X1 for little Timmy only to find that. Oh. Microsoft servers are down because of reasons. THAT would cause a few headlines in the 24 hour press.

 

[Goro]

So it looks like I'll be either buying a PS4 or building a gaming PC. Until the software revision comes out that does away with all this crap.

 

[Able Seacat]

snip

Alright, calm down, no need to get so defensive. I'm just speculating. But one of the articles you gave me did say; ''Sony's game studios chief, Shuhei Yoshida, told reporters that any requirement for users to register a game online in order to play it would be left to game publishers. Sony won't require that.'' so the cynic within me thinks that perhaps some 3rd party games will require an internet connection in some form even if it's just to register the game.

 

[Sarge034]

Well to be fair, this is a whole lot better than people were assuming... I'd feel a bit of a hypocrite to dish out total hatred for a system that essentially employs the same tactics as a service that I heartily embrace on PC. I know the arguments, that MS is removing a service for the Xbone that was available on the 360, Steam has had years of great service to build trust with consumers, and while I think that they are very valid arguments, it doesn't mean that I suddenly think the MS is the devil...

I'm in exactly the same boat. I think people forget that Steam limits your offline time as well (It's a longer limit sure, but it's still there).
The only difference is that with the Xbox One, you CAN sell games, albeit with some restrictions. With Steam, you're stuck with them forever. But no, people are up in arms over this because of ... Reasons? I'm still not sure why.

And I'm positively excited about not needing to change discs.

Because if I wanted to deal with PC DRM practices I would buy games for my fucking PC. Look at the reasons people buy consoles as compared to PC. Consoles have a quantifiable disadvantage to PCs in every measurable area and you can't mod, but still consoles sell. Why? Because you could be sure the game was gonna run without updating your drivers or having an incompatible part in your rig. You could buy, sell, and trade games without limitations. It was ease of use on the user that made consoles popular. So if you get rid of the ease of use what is the point? You are left with a shitty PC wannabe...

Also, Steam is different because it is digital content. We are talking about physical copies. Apples to Oranges, and all that...

OT- God I hope they crash and burn. If one of the largest industry leaders tries this and ends up with a huge revenue and stock loss no one will try it again. Unless they want to commit financial suicide that is. This whole Xbone revile just feels like a game of texas holdum. Me and MS are all in. First three cards are rumors. 60%-40%, player high. Fourth card, this bull shit announcement. 95%-5%, player high. Fifth and final card, E3. So MS, can you pull that ace of spades out of your ass? Do you feel lucky, punk? Well, do ya? -.- <poker face