Rumor: Next-Gen Xbox Will Cost $300-$500, Be Always-Online

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

Oh boy...where do I begin?

The Xbox 720/Durango/Next-Gen Xbox will launch in November of this year, and set you back $500 for the standard edition, or $300 for a "subscription based" model, claims noted Microsoft insider Paul Thurrott

First of all, that's a crazy price point. Seconldy, 300 bucks a "subscription based" version? ...I...Don't know what that means, but it makes me think that you'll need to pay a monthly or yearly fee for something, making the 300 dollar one a bad investment...

I guess time will tell if this is a bad idea, but so far, not looking to promising...

Thurott claims the system's notes specifically state that the new console "must be Internet-connected to use." The console reportedly stops functioning if its internet connection is dropped for more than three minutes.

WhoawhoawhoawhoaWHOAAAAAAAAAA THERE SPARKY.

It STOPS FUNCTIONING if the connection is dropped for 3 MINUTES?!

That's...that's a terrible idea. What happens if a freak accident takes out your internet? What if you live out in the boonies with terrible and unreliable internet? What if you don't give a rat's ass about online functionality and you just want to play games alone without needing to deal with the horde of monkeys that is Online Gaming?

"But is that a bad thing?" What The Tech host Andrew Zarian asks Thurrott regarding the always-online requirement. "I don't know," he replies, "because I don't know what it means."

I....You don't know what it means? the wording is vague? Didn't he just say the console shuts down if it's not connected to the internet?

because the next-gen Xbox will not be backwards compatible with Xbox 360 games

And the icing on the cake...

Listen, Microsoft. If this turns all turns out to be TRUE...I have only one .gif to use:

Spoiler

Seriously, if this is all real...I can't see this really working out for you.

Honestly...I might just pass on the whole next generation completely. Steam away!

 

[mattttherman3]

So now I have to get the damn ps4 with their shitty shoulder button design . Always online= no me, What if I want to go (get dragged)on vacation to a place with no internet and I wanna play my xbox? common man, always online is fucking stupid. And what happens if you get banned from XBL? Can you start a new account?

 

[Colt47]

Rumours are rumours, but at the moment saying it might use babies as power is pretty much the way for it to sound more like a step in the wrong direction...

...I mean, why have nearly all the recent consoles failed to be backwards compatible? Is it on purpose?

Well, in Sony's case there wasn't much of a choice going to the PS4 from the PS3. Next to actually including a PS3 inside the PS4 there isn't a way to make it work. However, PS2 emulation should be fully possible on the PS4 architecture, and the only reason not to include it is to force people to eventually repurchase their previous games on the newer console. It's a low brow move that no one really likes, but it's not enough to make people not buy the PS4 so they'll do it anyway, burning bridges and all that.

Nintendo is sticking to it's guns on how it handles backwards compatibility. It supports the previous generation console through the newer generations life cycle by allowing backwards compatibility with the last consoles games. It's done this ever since the Wii and the DS were released, first supporting backwards compatibility with GBA and Gamecube, and now supporting backwards compatibility with the Wii and the DS.

Microsoft has never allowed backwards compatibility on their consoles and it is fairly likely they wont have backwards compatibility with the previous 360 generation of games. They have the worst support of any console manufacturer, and they are diving for any money grab opportunity they can find: perfect example of capitalism going awry.

Edit: Forgot about handhelds for Sony. The reason they don't have backwards compatibility on that one is due to lack of foresight into the limitations of DVD based storage. They seriously should have used flash memory instead, since flash memory is following Moore's Law.

 

[Entitled]

You know what this rumor tells me? Sony is going to feel the love again! They deserve something after all of the events they had to deal with in the PS3 generation of consoles, especially the PSP, PSP Go!, and now possibly the Vita (though the Vita still looks like it can make a comeback as it's getting some good games over the next few months).

I'm wondering how well the "successful ones" will actually sell. The PS1 and the Wii both grew the pre-existing gaming audience with large numbers. But this time the WiiU obviously isn't doing it, and the PS4 doesn't seem to offer anything new either beyond slightly more shiny effects.

The Xbox losing it's sales won't result in the PS4 cannibalizing it's market, since the PS360 market already consisted of the same indivduals buying both consoles to begin with.

If the PS4 does PS3 numbers, and the WiiU does half-Wii numbers, then we might be looking forward to a generation with overall console unit sales halved.

And that's not even counting the commenter threats about picking a fourth option and migrating to PC gaming, since I assume that to be said by the same few hundred recurring news site posters over and over again.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

Lots of angry people here in response to my post! Was merely highlighting that I'm not one of those who have taken to excessively moaning about this feature without even knowing the full details. Apologies of course as I can see how many will have misunderstood my point as I didn't expand it.

You pretty much pulled an Adam Orth, what did you expect?

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.405101-Microsoft-Exec-on-Always-Online-Consoles-Deal-With-it

To refresh your memory.

May also ask what was your point?

From devs saying 'make sure you pay your ISP bills' to a Microsoft Creative Director saying 'deal with it' to this, rumour after rumour about Durango being Always Online has bubbled up and MS has yet to refute any of them.

(As I was typing this my internet connection had a little hiccup, which thankfully only required a restart of the router this time).

 

[Frezzato]

So let's see here: multiple SKUs that will probably confuse the average consumer regarding 360 games versus next gen Xbox game compatibility. A subscription model that will actually cost more money in the long run. And a naming convention that uses the old 'Xbox' nomenclature from 2001, which follows the classic Microsoft strategy of giving their tablet the same name as their giant, touchscreen table, 'Surface'. All standard procedure from Microsoft, so it doesn't sound like baseless rumors. That's not to say Sony is innocent of confusing marketing strategies.

Granted, it will be nice to be able to replace my 360 once it dies, and let's face it, all our 360s are going to die at some point

I'm still getting the new Xbox though, and a PS4. I just pity the average consumer when the holiday buying season rolls around.

 

[ThunderCavalier]

So, let's break it down, shall we?

We have a subscription based Xbox that probably won't work unless we keep paying our monthly dues to Microsoft.

We have a "standard model" which makes no sense, given how Microsoft seems to be pushing for this "always-on" nonsense and thus meaning that they have no intention of making an offline Xbox.

They intend on continuing their current Xbox 360 alongside their new Xbox.

They were planning on releasing a gameless Xbox, but scrapped it before they realized exactly how retarded they were being.

This isn't "bad executive decisions" more as it is "company ritualistic suicide." Literally anyone that has been on the Internet for more than five minutes will tell you more than seven hundred reasons why this is a worse idea than Nintendo's botched Virtual Boy.

If any of this stuff is true, it'll basically kill Microsoft's gaming branch.

 

[Andy Shandy]

You know what Microsoft, even with a potential console reveal soon, you should probably come and address some of these worrying rumours. Because there's no chance in hell I'm getting a Xbox 720/Durango/whatever you decide to call it if it's always on.

 

[Zeckt]

I got to admit that these constant 360 news stories are good for a laugh, every one entirely justified as they have not given enough information yet. Can't wait for kinect to be FORCED on you in every game! actually, I won't wait at all and just save myself the cash for the next steam sale!

 

[Tradjus]

As someone with a very stable cable internet connection I'm not so worried about the requirement personally.. however, as it is so universally reviled among gamers, I'm failing too understand why Microsoft saw it as a pertinent addition. The bigger problem for me personally is twofold. One, the "Standard Edition" of the console is 500$... enough said. Two, there is nothing impressive about what I've seen leak about the 720's specs so unless it gets.. oh.. somewhere in the neighborhood of -five- transcendentally wonderful exclusive titles that I simply cannot live without playing I couldn't be less interested, my desktop is top notch as of this year after all.

 

[synobal]

They should call it the xbox 180 because that is what consumers are going to do. See the damn thing and then run the hell away from it.

 

[Colt47]

So, let's break it down, shall we?

We have a subscription based Xbox that probably won't work unless we keep paying our monthly dues to Microsoft.

We have a "standard model" which makes no sense, given how Microsoft seems to be pushing for this "always-on" nonsense and thus meaning that they have no intention of making an offline Xbox.

They intend on continuing their current Xbox 360 alongside their new Xbox.

They were planning on releasing a gameless Xbox, but scrapped it before they realized exactly how retarded they were being.

This isn't "bad executive decisions" more as it is "company ritualistic suicide." Literally anyone that has been on the Internet for more than five minutes will tell you more than seven hundred reasons why this is a worse idea than Nintendo's botched Virtual Boy.

If any of this stuff is true, it'll basically kill Microsoft's gaming branch.

It wouldn't surprise me, though. Consumer rights don't really exist in the United States and a lot of companies realize this, putting anti-class action law suit clauses into their EULA's. If one looks at the last three consoles, which one near the end of it's life cycle started having advertisements on the paid dashboard just to get advertising revenue on top of subscription revenue?

Microsoft isn't the only company making decisions on this basis: a lot of companies basically only have each other to keep themselves in check, and there isn't a lot a single consumer can do against a corporation without government backing. It's gotten so bad that even employees are basically products.

 

[mechalynx]

Meanwhile at Sony

While I reserve judgement until an official press release, this seems such a stupid move. I can take the price, but always online AND have that useless gimmick (read Kinect) staring at me while I relax? I already feel slightly unclean when I power up my 360 for the one title I still have any desire to finish.

 

[Something Amyss]

You know, all the rumors are starting to get tiring. This is, what, the third? Fourth?

This week, maybe. There's been like two a week since last Holiday season. And it's ramping up.

Not to mention, people have taken it as fact because reasons, and are going to a system that two months ago they thought had always online, too. Makes perfect sense.

And for the record, IF true, I definitely won't buy a next gen XBox. But yeah, the jumping to conclusions thing...And the rumours thing....

 

[Something Amyss]

Hey look, it's the Titanic 360

That's unfair. The Titanic actually had to hit somethign to sink.

*rimshot*

 

[Uber Waddles]

Even if people have a "stable internet connection", I'm willing to bet that it goes out once or twice a year. Even in tons of first world countries, the internet is not as stable as you think due to: A. A crumbling infrastructure and B. Uncontrollable weather patterns.

The outrage with "Always On" is it inconveniences the end user for the sake of the company. YOU do not receive a benefit for always being online - you get punished if you don't have a stable internet connection (meaning if you find the snow or a Tornado has torn down your internet line, you don't get to enjoy your $300 magical smiles box). You ultimately get inconvenienced when their servers crash (they will), and may suffer lag issues from the game always requiring a check in to the servers - even if its not a multiplayer game. You also get to foot a higher electric bill - which is something some people do think about.

And for what? No backwards compatibility. No offline support if and when you or they suffer an issue. You are being asked to take a huge hit for the sake of the company.

News flash - Piracy is not our problem as the consumers. Its your problem as the industry. You have to find a way to make purchasing games an equal or better experience than just torrenting them. And slapping arbitrary "you MUST be online" BS onto it isn't that appealing.

Especially when the PS4 doesn't require you to always be online. Nor does the WiiU. Nor does Steam. Its cocky to think your consumer base will just sit down and take it

 

[GonzoGamer]

Oh god. I think we can reasonably assume that a console that does this will bomb. But will it bomb quickly enough to prevent the cancerous disease of always-online ruining games on other systems? I certainly hope so :/

Don't know. I thought a console with an online fee and a 50% chance of melting to your shelf would bomb but it seemed to do okay.
With this one it could be like getting the RROD every time your modem needs to be restarted.
As thing goes along further and no word comes from MS, I'm starting to think some of the rumors might be true. Considering how much they got away with this gen, who knows what they're going to try and pull.