The next Xbox: Always online, no second-hand games, 50GB Blu-ray discs and new Kinect

[evenest]

Assuming both of those points are correct, I will not be making the leap to the new Microsoft console. As near as I can tell there are only two MS exclusives, Halo & Gears of War; I just now am starting Halo 2 and haven't played any Gears yet, so I won't be missing out on anything that I've just had to play.

If Sony avoids that issue, I'll consider the next Playstation; if not, I've got so many games for the 360 and PS3 that I'll have enough games to play for the foreseeable future. Who knows, if the WiiU can continue to attract those games/publishers that have stayed away from Nintendo in the past, I may even get a WiiU.

 

[Epona]

Read my edit. Microsoft won't gain anything by requiring activation codes for the system, so why would they do it? Unless they somehow manage to get royalties from publishers off of it. Steam is DRM. That's why it has activation codes. The Xbox is a console. Xbox LIVE is DRM.

If there are only new sales, Microsoft makes more on license fees, that's why they would do it. Every console has DRM built into it. Try running a burned DVD in your 360.

Citation needed, because Nintendo has been using proprietary discs since the Gamecube.

Well see, format and type of disc aren't the same thing. You know that you can put data on a DVD that isn't video right? That's a different format than DVD-Video. No matter the format, a DVD is still a DVD.

Anyway, the WiiU discs hold 25GB of data and the format is proprietary. I have this:

Just like the Wii, the Wii U will use a modified Blu-Ray format capable of holding up to 25 GB of data per layer. On a very lame note however, the Wii U will NOT play Blu-Ray or DVD movies. Licensing fees can be a real *****.

http://www.heavy.com/games/game-previews/2012/09/wii-u-top-10-facts-you-need-to-know/

Again, citation needed. Though that certainly would be an unprecedented move, it would also piss off quite a few people I imagine, considering a good chunk of the target demographic probably doesn't have the credit cards or debit cards required for payment plans.

You really are behind aren't you?

In May, Microsoft announced it was offering a new Xbox 360 game console for sale for just $99 in its Microsoft Store locations. The catch? The console, which comes with the Kinect add-on and a 4 GB hard drive, also includes a mandatory two year subscription to Xbox Live Gold at $14.99 a month.

http://www.neowin.net/news/99-xbox-360-with-two-year-contract-now-at-gamestop-and-best-buy

 

[Epona]

Well, I have to ask, how is this any different than Steam? Activation codes that tie a physical game to your account and always online will probably work like Steam (ie, there will be an offline mode and it might work better than Steams).

Don't get me wrong, I don't support this nonsense but isn't it silly to say "Steam is the solution".

Steam doesn't restrict me to a machine.

And I don't have to pay for Steam.

Steam doesn't need to be online.

That's three differences right there.

1) Neither does the 360. As far as I know you can play your games from any 360 (and I assume that won't change) as long as you are online. Christ, I can't believe I am being forced to defend Live but when the facts are wrong they are wrong.

2) Well, you don't have to pay for Live marketplace either.

3) Steam does need to be online, you can't use Steam if you don't have internet. It has an offline mode but no one seems to know how it works and what it's limitations are. No matter what though, eventually you will need to "check in" with Steam. The point is, you need an internet connection for Steam.

Wow. You quoted yourself. What an ego... especially for an idiot.

Strike 1 - We aren't talking about the 360, we are talking about the next xbox which according to rumour wouldn't allow used games. A game I use on my machine would be considered used on my mom's machine. Her machine is never connected to the net and only one of mine is as the wifi is somewhat unreliable in the basement. Also, there is no mention that the disc will ever work on any other machine.

Strike 2 - You have to pay Gold for the discounts on Live marketplace, and to play online as well. Also, the content is locked to one machine so I can't play offline.

Strike 3 - I have and still do play games offline for Steam. Eventually you can check in with Steam but one of my computers rarely does as the building doesn't like wifi all that much. You have to follow their guidelines and it works well enough.

No, I didn't quote myself but I will be reporting you for the personal attack.

We're done.

 

[Epona]

3) Steam doesn't need to be online, you can use steam if you don't have internet. It has an offline mode which works fine. I use it all the time. Don't make up things please.

As far as I know, you need to access the client to set offline mode, and you can't access it without a login. So, no Internet, no Steam account, no games library...

Unless there is a functionality that allows me to bypass that control, which I don't know of, in which case I pretty much would like to, since not having Internet (and therefore being locked out of my games) is not such a weird occurrence.

You have to play the game once while online, then you can play it offline all you want.

So, say you have no internet and you buy a physical copy of a PC game that requires Steam activation. Aren't you just as screwed as you would be if you bought a 720 game and had no internet?

 

[MrGalactus]

I've heard this rumour posted several times over the past 2 or so years. If it isn't true, great, but if it is, there is a simple solution to sleazy, bullshit marketing schemes. Don't support them, buy no Microsoft product, and be as vocal as possible.
Boom.
If it doesn't do used games I have no use for it anyway.

 

[lacktheknack]

Looks like pure slander. Because if that's how it is, then NOPE.

 

[dfphetteplace]

3) Steam doesn't need to be online, you can use steam if you don't have internet. It has an offline mode which works fine. I use it all the time. Don't make up things please.

As far as I know, you need to access the client to set offline mode, and you can't access it without a login. So, no Internet, no Steam account, no games library...

Unless there is a functionality that allows me to bypass that control, which I don't know of, in which case I pretty much would like to, since not having Internet (and therefore being locked out of my games) is not such a weird occurrence.

You have to play the game once while online, then you can play it offline all you want.

So, say you have no internet and you buy a physical copy of a PC game that requires Steam activation. Aren't you just as screwed as you would be if you bought a 720 game and had no internet?

If you have zero access to internet, then it may be an issue. But Steam itself does not require always on DRM, as the article suggest the new Xbox will. Certain games do require this, even through Steam, but that is the requirement of the game developer, not Steam. I use offline mode often, with no issues, but if the game has to be activated through Steam, it does require online access initially. Dial up access is usually good enough.

 

[FoolKiller]

Well, I have to ask, how is this any different than Steam? Activation codes that tie a physical game to your account and always online will probably work like Steam (ie, there will be an offline mode and it might work better than Steams).

Don't get me wrong, I don't support this nonsense but isn't it silly to say "Steam is the solution".

Steam doesn't restrict me to a machine.

And I don't have to pay for Steam.

Steam doesn't need to be online.

That's three differences right there.

1) Neither does the 360. As far as I know you can play your games from any 360 (and I assume that won't change) as long as you are online. Christ, I can't believe I am being forced to defend Live but when the facts are wrong they are wrong.

2) Well, you don't have to pay for Live marketplace either.

3) Steam does need to be online, you can't use Steam if you don't have internet. It has an offline mode but no one seems to know how it works and what it's limitations are. No matter what though, eventually you will need to "check in" with Steam. The point is, you need an internet connection for Steam.

Wow. You quoted yourself. What an ego... especially for an idiot.

Strike 1 - We aren't talking about the 360, we are talking about the next xbox which according to rumour wouldn't allow used games. A game I use on my machine would be considered used on my mom's machine. Her machine is never connected to the net and only one of mine is as the wifi is somewhat unreliable in the basement. Also, there is no mention that the disc will ever work on any other machine.

Strike 2 - You have to pay Gold for the discounts on Live marketplace, and to play online as well. Also, the content is locked to one machine so I can't play offline.

Strike 3 - I have and still do play games offline for Steam. Eventually you can check in with Steam but one of my computers rarely does as the building doesn't like wifi all that much. You have to follow their guidelines and it works well enough.

No, I didn't quote myself but I will be reporting you for the personal attack.

We're done.

Hahaha... I didn't attack you. I just posted my opinion without a shred of evidence in my favour even there though there is some to the contrary, much like what you did regarding my comments. And I did note that you actually don't have any defense for your erroneous statements. Perhaps because you don't have any.

 

[natster43]

So it will be like steam, but I have to pay 60+ dollars a year to get online play and a bunch of functions I don't use. Yeah if it is true I am skipping it, Just gonna stick with Sony and Nintendo and buy a better computer.

 

[Epona]

1) You don't get the save data. And you still need internet for any of this... With steam, as long as the game doesn't use steamplay you're able to play the game without any account, you just copy the folder over from steam into your computer.

2) It's what his point was about. You pay for live to get features that the Playstation and steam give for free.

And no Steam isn't an online game store with built in DRM. Any DRM on Steam has been put there by the developers, not Valve. Seriously... I've tested ALL of this stuff during a blackout. I know that you're either lying about everything you're saying about Steam, or just uninformed. Choose one.

I don't care if you don't like a company, but at least give legitimate arguments which aren't completely false.

So you are certain that you can play in offline mode forever?

 

[Lunar Templar]

Assuming this is true,

The insensitive to buy is what exactly?

For the privilege of having a vastly inferior version of Steam on weaker hardware? No thanks, I have Steam.

Also, not to sow the seeds of Discord, but ... anyone else notice we only getting these kinds a rumors about Mircosoft, haven't heard one relating to Sony for a LONG time now

 

[hermes]

3) Steam doesn't need to be online, you can use steam if you don't have internet. It has an offline mode which works fine. I use it all the time. Don't make up things please.

As far as I know, you need to access the client to set offline mode, and you can't access it without a login. So, no Internet, no Steam account, no games library...

Unless there is a functionality that allows me to bypass that control, which I don't know of, in which case I pretty much would like to, since not having Internet (and therefore being locked out of my games) is not such a weird occurrence.

3) Ok, are you telling me that you can play your Steam games forever without Steam checking in?

You are both factually wrong about the offline mode. 100%.

Also, either of you. Tell me, how do you download ANY digital distribution service without the internet? hmm? How do you download any 100% digital games without the internet? Because it seems like something both of you are complaining about.

I am not complaining about it. If you cared to read my post before going to that sassy attitude, you would see I was asking a question.

My Internet connection is decent but not reliable enough. I can download several GBs in hours with my connection, but I can't trust that it will be up and running all the time, 24/7; and I presume its the same for most people. I recently had a disconnection that lasted several days, and in that time I couldn't access any of my games because all of them (even those without an online component) required me to login to Steam. I couldn't access the "offline mode" setting or the client because that, also, required me to login to Steam. I couldn't use shortcuts because I wasn't logged on Steam.. I was effectively locked out of my library because I wasn't online.

So, tell me, is there something I don't know? or is Steam also locked behind an "always online DRM"? (sarcasm is not needed nor appreciated)

 

[Epona]

3) Steam doesn't need to be online, you can use steam if you don't have internet. It has an offline mode which works fine. I use it all the time. Don't make up things please.

As far as I know, you need to access the client to set offline mode, and you can't access it without a login. So, no Internet, no Steam account, no games library...

Unless there is a functionality that allows me to bypass that control, which I don't know of, in which case I pretty much would like to, since not having Internet (and therefore being locked out of my games) is not such a weird occurrence.

3) Ok, are you telling me that you can play your Steam games forever without Steam checking in?

You are both factually wrong about the offline mode. 100%.

Also, either of you. Tell me, how do you download ANY digital distribution service without the internet? hmm? How do you download any 100% digital games without the internet? Because it seems like something both of you are complaining about.

I am not complaining about it. If you cared to read my post before going to that sassy attitude, you would see I was asking a question.

My Internet connection is decent but not reliable enough. I can download several GBs in hours with my connection, but I can't trust that it will be up and running all the time, 24/7; and I presume its the same for most people. I recently had a disconnection that lasted several days, and in that time I couldn't access any of my games because all of them (even those without an online component) required me to login to Steam. I couldn't access the "offline mode" setting or the client because that, also, required me to login to Steam. I couldn't use shortcuts because I wasn't logged on Steam.. I was effectively locked out of my library because I wasn't online.

So, tell me, is there something I don't know? or is Steam also locked behind an "always online DRM"? (sarcasm is not needed nor appreciated)

Steam's offline mode doesn't work the same for everyone and I think Valve must want it to be unreliable or they would make it work properly for everyone.

 

[ccggenius12]

Wow it's like the only way they could make it worse was if the games were stored on betamax tapes.

I'd personally consider that a selling point. Although laser discs would be more ideal, they're so shiny. Alternatively, scaled up floppies, so I can say that I'm inserting my 72 inch floppy to play a game.

 

[Genocidicles]

I'd personally consider that a selling point. Although laser discs would be more ideal, they're so shiny. Alternatively, scaled up floppies, so I can say that I'm inserting my 72 inch floppy to play a game.

Hell, why stop there? Why not go for a super retro feel and store the games on reels of magnetic tape?

 

[Grunt_Man11]

3) Steam doesn't need to be online, you can use steam if you don't have internet. It has an offline mode which works fine. I use it all the time. Don't make up things please.

As far as I know, you need to access the client to set offline mode, and you can't access it without a login. So, no Internet, no Steam account, no games library...

Unless there is a functionality that allows me to bypass that control, which I don't know of, in which case I pretty much would like to, since not having Internet (and therefore being locked out of my games) is not such a weird occurrence.

You have to play the game once while online, then you can play it offline all you want.

And that is one too many. Unless a game mechanics revolve around online multiplayer, as in an MMO, then there is zero reason to force an internet connection to play, even if it is just once.

Steam is DRM, period. That to me is unacceptable. If the Xbox 720 does this, then I won't be buying one.

 

[waj9876]

Yeah, I don't believe this, like at all. Microsoft wouldn't be that stu...Big company. Big companies have been ridiculously stupid lately...I guess I can kind of see it being true, maybe. If Microsoft has finally lost it, that is. Which is possible.

Either way, I'm probably not going to get the next Xbox. Does Microsoft even own the rights to any good titles anymore? I mean, exclusively own? I'm quite content with my PC, WiiU, and PS3. PS4 if it's good.

 

[sanquin]

...games locked to one console

Did I miss where it said this?

It is believed that games purchased on disc will ship with activation codes, and will have no value beyond the initial user.

That's what I see when I read that sentence. An activation code can generally only be used once. It could also be that the games will be account locked of course, though I don't hold any hope in that. And even then it's still bad. As, like said before, that would totally destroy any used game market for the console.