Xbox One: "Everything Will Be Connected To The Internet Eventually" Says Diablo Dev

Our team at E3 have been talking to Jason Bender, Senior Designer on Blizzard's console port of Diablo 3, and we managed to get his opinions on the Xbox One and PS4.

[BadboyCivic]

I agree but don't force the issue.

[NatureOfLogic]

I agree. I think It's too early to force every to be connected. We're just not there yet, as far as Internet availability/bandwidth goes.

[darthv72]

is going off the statistic that there are more people now connected than ever before. to a degree....they are right.

10 years ago when live launched it was met with some criticism and it has endured over the years but with each year more and more people got internet access and as such, more people joined online services like netflix and hulu and what have you.

So there are more people that are connected now than there was even 1 year ago. It is a growing trend to want to be able to access information anytime anywhere. MS is just going about their method of forcing it on people a bit to strong.

People dont need to be forced, they need to be persuaded. sony will likely do their best to persuade people to connect their system and people will do it because it isnt being forced on them.

[NameRemoved0017]

Wait about 10 years then come back microsoft when most of the US is on fiber optics

[badkolo]

no one is forcing anyting, just dont buy it, your not forced to get with the times

[FarEastOrient]

Eventually yes, but you can't ignore the size of the markets that has already been considered in play. Like India, China, South America, and Eastern Europe. These economies are rising and eventually get to parity with the European market in general. It'll be a awhile before anyone can surpass the United States in market share.

[JokesOnYou]

hdshatter "Wait about 10 years then come back microsoft when most of the US is on fiber optics"

-huh, what do we need fiber optics for? sure that will be great in 10yrs but broadband has been doing just fine working with lots of our everyday devices, glad you having nothing to do with future tech, we'd still be using beepers, lol

UK -83.6%
Germany -83%
Japan -79.5%
US -78.1%

"The figures don’t lie and what’s probably reason enough to drop non connected households is the fact that in the biggest gaming countries, there are more people with Internet connections than those without."
http://cramgaming.com/is-th...

-Whats even more telling is that the numbers are likely much, much higher among those who already own a 360 or ps3.

[Dee_91]

Nobody is denying that everything will be connected.But a connection to function is completely stupid and its more dumb than relying on oil the way we have.Do we not learn?

[Crazy Larry]

Well said badkolo.
I'm confused why everybody keeps using the word "forced." Those that buy the X1 obviously have the internet and won't mind hooking it up online. MS isn't forcing anybody. There is no gun to your head demanding you get internet and buy their console. This is a great way to get people with the digital age; those that want to, will, those that don't can skip it. Simple.
FYI, I have both consoles preordered, and will enjoy them boy since I'm not fanboy retard.

[JokesOnYou]

Crazy Larry

"Forced", hell if anything they basicly came right out and said if you don't have internet X1 is not for you, get a 360.

-harsh but true, except obviously the next gen alternative would be a ps4 or perhaps wii-u.

-they are truly setting their brand apart as the "connected console" for better or worse, funny most here that complain about it, over and over again ironicly won't be affected.

[BitbyDeath]

@Jokes, 31 million 360 users are not internet connected.

http://www.forbes.com/sites...

It is almost half their userbase so I wouldn't consider it small.

[Bimkoblerutso]

Almost everything already is connected. That's not the issue. The issue is the requirement.

[rainslacker]

"-they are truly setting their brand apart as the "connected console" for better or worse, funny most here that complain about it, over and over again ironicly won't be affected."

Yeah funny that. Shouldn't that point out that just because it's available, that that doesn't automatically mean that we want it to function in that manner, or that it should be required?

The real problem here is that these forced connections for owning the console are not to improve game play(well it can do that I guess), they're to control the consumer. No matter how much you shiny up the product, the truth remains, people will be opposed to being controlled, even if on a subconscious level. This won't change when everyone has internet...no matter how reliable or ubiquitous it is. Only the people willing to accept an eventuality are OK with being controlled. They are slaves to the future, not freemen of the present.

If there was a real benefit to being connected, the transition would happen naturally, and there would be no need to implement it in such a manner, because most people would do so anyways. You know how I know this? Because so many people have their systems always online now.

In the meantime, and even whenever this eventuality comes, it's best not to remove a portion of your user base, because if you do, you end up making them unhappy, and someone else will happily pick up their loyalty. You know how I know this? because it's what's happening right now with Sony getting all the love.

[ArchangelMike]

The issue is not about being connected, or not, to the internet.

The issue is the fact that if your are not connected to the internet, your can't play your games on the Xbone.

That's the issue that gamers have a problem with. It's a problem on PC (Diablo III, Simcity etc etc), and it'll be a problem on consoles.

[badkolo]

but you can all day for 24 hours then it needs to check in, i dont see this as a issue, im online all day, my fios is as well, if my net goes down so does my tv but it never has happened in 5 years, my phone is connected all day, times are changing and everyone is just being a big baby about it all. what happens when it all goes digital including sony, then what , will you all cry.

[Rhaigun]

@badkolo

That's all fine and well for you, but here in Oklahoma, extreme weather knocks out infrastructure all the time. Its not uncommon to lose internet connection from downed lines and such. Most of the time, all is well. But, I lose power, internet or satellite probably a total of 10 days every year.

Should I have to pay the price because I live in a certain part of the country?

[Crazy Larry]

Rhaigun
Then don't buy the X1...simple.
For those of us that don't live in Oklahoma, we should be fine. You're not "paying the price" for anything unless YOU choose to.
(I actually love Oklahoma; I'm there on business all the time)

[denawayne]

I wish Microsoft would come out and simply say "We NEED everybody to be online so that all the devs, 1st and 3rd party, will develop games KNOWING everybody is online. I can already see that most if not all games will make use of the cloud because of this. I'm excited to see what gaming becomes because of this.

Now, with this kind of setup, explain to me how this would work without some sort of DRM?

[rainslacker]

Devs could do that now denawayne. There is nothing preventing them from making an online game. That dev has to decide if it's worth giving up the sales from the install base that don't have the ability, or choose not to be online though.

Basically, there are people who this won't affect much at all, but there are a lot of people that it will effect in some way or another.

[ceedubya9]

Badboy,

That's it right there. Ease us into it, instead of forcing it from the jump.

[SeriousSam]

Lets just pour a little KY Jelly on the future to make easing it in a little bit easier. HOW can this be any easier? Buy it, or don't.

[ceedubya9]

Haha. Easy there guy. I'll admit, it is extremely annoying, but not a complete deal breaker for me. I'll be getting both consoles, but I'd be lyiing if I didn't say that the One's policies weren't a bit dissapointing in some aspects.

[solar]

i agree as well, but the issue has to be forced at some time. the gaming industry is the biggest whiners when it comes to 2nd hand sales of any other entertainment industry. it's going to come, not by consumers wishes but by the industry wishes.

one of the reasons the PC makes a bunch of money for the big guns nowadays is because of the lack of used games sales on the platform. that is what Sony and MS are striving for. but, for this console gen they are taking the approach of "we aren't evil, we will let the publisher decide on 2nd hand sales".

which, imo shouldnt be left up to the publishers. pick one stance, and stand for it.

[rainslacker]

It doesn't have to be forced. If it's truly beneficial, and people accept those benefits, the transition will come naturally. There would be no need to implement such measures, because people would just do it. Not all people of course, but it's up to the developers to decide if they want to lose those customers by not implementing an offline mode.

[webeblazing]

buy everything goes offline. FACT!!!

[ShabbaRanks]

Yup my Internet glitched 2 days ago for some retarded reason and I couldnt finish watching a movie on Netflix -_-

I live in Montreal Canada btw and it doesnt happen alot, but when it does I want to kill a newborn child !!!!!!!

[DARK WITNESS]

I agree, but only when the internet is as readily available as our basic electricity supply...

until then what is the point trying to force it and pissing off people who don't have it available on a consistent bases?

[Patrick]

This is not about being always connected. Its about MS selling you physical media and then telling you what you can and cannot do with it. Its about them trying to control the market, and thats what they are doing.
Yes, we are heading to a purely digital future, but we aren't there yet and it will happen without MS controlling it. The free market works that way. If Ms wants to get there so quickly, why does the xbone take disk...hell just leave it out MS....what are you, chicken? .... Yeah, see, they know people aren't ready for a console with no drive...so this is the only way to keep it and still control it. They want it both ways...and for me, they can't have it both ways....I will never support this. PS4 on preorder, bring on launch day.

[Relientk77]

Yea EVENTUALLY, not now.

[Conzul]

Remember the 90's?

Ahhh, those were the days. If you wanted to network, you had to actually talk to people in person. Or over a phone.

Now it's a bunch of thumbnail heads and "lolz" and stultifying banality.

Complete connection is only good if it **does good**
Right now, it's only being pushed as a means to restrict, control, and surveil people.

[Relientk77]

Talking whats that?

lol

[Upbeat]

I hope not, not everyone is lucky enough to have an internet connection like the US, Japan and Holland.

[Gigaguy777]

You hope that technological advancement doesn't occur?

[wenaldy]

hence the word "eventually".

[Upbeat]

Didnt say that, I stated that I hope it never happens, alot of countries havnt got a good internet service and it would put them at a disadvantage.

[Foxgod]

Someone has to bite of the tip, and go for progression.
And its MS this time.

[Patrick]

Boy, some of yall are reaching. If MS is so about progression, Why does their console have a disk drive? You can stream movies, games and music. So why? Ill tell you why. Its cause they know people arent ready for it. Give up your "MS is leading the way" crap and see what they are really about. MONEY and CONTROL... Mostly controlling your money... but hey. If you want to be so blind, have fun. I prefer the consumer friendly, its your choice console that is the PS4.

[YNWA96]

What MS is doing will speed up broadband coverage. When Iphone came out..... 4g and LTE quickly got adopted.... Progress....

[Foxgod]

Indeed, its all about demand.
Having the XB1 will increase demand, and enforce better coverage.
If more systems will follow, the chance for bigger coverage becomes even bigger.

Because inet company´s are a lot more interested in investing, if they can earn their money back trough an increase in subscriptions.

[YNWA96]

Thanks, a change from the usual crap....making go sarcastically crazy at times :)

[MRMagoo123]

a console not selling much wont speed up broadband wtf are you guys smoking, in case you didnt know most countries just dont have the money to add the infrastructure for the internet, they arent gonna just go oh look the xbone has sold to 200 ppl we better speed up our internet speeds.

Phones are a completely different thing and if you cant understand that i dont know what to tell you.

[MrWonderful]

There are places in the us that barely have a connection if any, and truthfully our Internet connections are far behind a lot of countries in terms of speed.

[badkolo]

ikt only need 2mb down, its not that big of a deal

[JokesOnYou]

MrWonderful
"There are places in the us that barely have a connection if any"

-uhm so, but its not as if this is 1992, lol places that do not have internet are a small minority, progress doesn't stop because a few cant use it, long ago people brought cars before every city had paved roads, street lights, stop signs, what if car makers had your mentality?
http://cramgaming.com/is-th...

[YNWA96]

If you live in a cave, should consoles be made with in mind?

[Moonman]

Eventually (after that One loses)....

[Software_Lover]

Hell my television is connected to my wifi network.

The difference is my television still works when it is not connected.

[Foxgod]

Yes, but eventually even tv will be streamed over the web to your tv.
By then you wont have tv either if your internet is down.

Copper networks are analog and are on their way out.

[Software_Lover]

I want internet television. I cut my cable and just use Netflix and amazon prime. I'm waiting for the day that television is over the internet. I watch all of my sports games on streaming sites anyway.

[badkolo]

thats how it is now, if my rfouter goes down , no internet connection i dont have tv on fios, but it never happens.

[JokesOnYou]

Well I have Verizon Fios, its awesome but yeah it rarely goes down for at most a few minutes, lol and imagine that I'm so spoiled it still pisses me off...that said even if it would have to basicly stop working for over a entire day to affect this 24hr checkin.....so besides a random storm or something I don't know anybody with service that bad.

[ceedubya9]

I think that if Microsoft would just make it so that if you don't check in online, then you will have to have your disc in the box in order to play the single player content of the game, then I think that would be a bit easier to swallow. There is no reason to keep someone from using something that has no need for online play.

Since a lot of their current policies are done on a software level, it should be fairly easy to change some things if they so choose. But that is an IF.

[JokesOnYou]

Well I think the root of the problem with doing that is they've structured the console so that once you buy the game you can download and play it anytime anywhere without the disc(that's the good news), so if you don't have to authenticate= 24hr checkin(bad news for some), without that then I assume unlimited amount of people can download and play the same game without ever paying for it....just my assumption.

[airgangstarr]

if xbox wasnt forcing it on us then half of there customers would allways be online but now the other half wont be buying a xbox what for to watch tv

[Neoprime]

Xbox One: "Everything Will Be Connected To The Internet Eventually" Says Diablo Dev

Even your Stove, how the hell does your damn stove need the internet.

[Foxgod]

Who knows, in the future we might print our food using 3d printers, and connecting the printer to the internet will allow you to download recipe´s and firmware updates.

[maniacmayhem]

So it can connect to your smartphone and you can turn it on after your off work to heat up.

Time for people to start thinking ahead of now, not just now.

[YNWA96]

If you do not check in on your stove, your roast will burn!

[McScroggz]

I agree, but not now. One of my points of contention with the 24 hour mandatory check in is that it doesn't force developers to create games centered around what an always online game can offer. Personally I hate the idea that at some point I might not be able to play a single player game without an internet connection, but I understand some of the potential benefits.

When the Xbox launched it forced people to upgrade their connection, which would have happened naturally. To me, there is a major difference between that and what the Xbox One is doing.

Good thing I preordered a PS4 :P

[PersonaCat]

I think the last people MS wants vouching for them are the developers of a game that constantly disallowed gamers to play their game because their servers couldn't handle the amount of people playing. Who's going to vouch for them next, Maxis?

[Foxgod]

Diablo is not owned by EA, Activision Blizzard owns it.
And Activision blizzard has given good support for users.

[maniacmayhem]

The 24 check in period doesn't concern me. I don't pirate games and I'm always online. In my opinion the people bitching about that are either pirates or just want something to moan about the X1.

When my internet does go down and I have to say it is RARE that it ever does, it's usually for less than 10 minutes. I think I can hold off on gaming until it is back up.

My concern is the used games and more so on the rental side. I love to game but I don't love spending 60 a pop on games that more than likely will be less than stellar and 95% of the time they have been. If Gamestop offered fair compensation for trade ins I probably wouldn't mind taking more risk in the retail department.

Yes eventually everything will be digital but for now I'll enjoy my Gamefly.

[DARK WITNESS]

.... sure the people bitching are all pirates or people who just want to moan, because every other gamer on the planet runs off your connection...

Trust me we are not all pirates.

[maniacmayhem]

Then what is your concern Dark Witness? Why does the 24 hr check in bother you?

[DARK WITNESS]

if you can't see how this affects other people outside of pirates and people who want to moan then you must live in a very narrow world.

Not everyone lives in a country with stable internet. Some people live in countries that you would think have stable internet, yet still don't get a stable service. Some people live in households where for whatever reason they are not allowed to go online (parents with privacy concerns etc)

I hate to break it to you but the world is a big place and does not revolve around your internet connection.

MS solution is simply to screw all those people.

[maniacmayhem]

That's for some people Dark Witness, but how does the 24 hr check in effect YOU?

[DARK WITNESS]

It affects me because I play a lot of single player games. If for any reason my internet goes off, it's useless.

I move back and forth between uk and west africa. basically the xbone is useless to me if I can't use it when I am away.

The 24hr check affects me the way it affects everyone else.

And whats wrong with thinking about everyone and not just some people? It's a good job sony don't think like you.

[MRMagoo123]

you wont be enjoying any gamefly on the xbone lol

[gunnerforlife]

And this is why the pc market is and wont be as big as the console market. You can't force the issue of always being online or needing online to play single player games on anyone. The day such a thing becomes mandatory is the day I'll quit gaming, people love having choices.

E3 2013 showed MS and every other greedy company out there, what we want, and if we get what we want, we will speak with our wallets.

And thanks to MS Sony has this gen on lock with the full support of 90% of gamers around the world, from every Nintendo (don't lie you was hoping Sony said no to DRM or next generation Nintendo would if followed suit) to Sony fan and 70% of xbox fans. Ms needs to learn a lesson here, this is a warning to every other game company out there, you can't treat us like sh1t and hope to get away with it without any repercussions

[LordHiggens]

I also agree...but until our friends out in the boonies have a good connection you should shut your arrogant mouths and do right by the little guy...and listen to your consumers...

yeah....there's an idea.

[mandeep1803]

No one is arguing that at all. However, online connection is the issue. It's not like PS4 is not connected.

[DARK WITNESS]

bingo....

why cause an inconvenience where there is no need for one. That to me is not progress.

Nothing about what MS has added with the xbone says it's made anything easier.

They keep talking up some of these features like it's some sort of privilege and things were hard before..

oh you can share your games with 10 family members no, I could share my games with all 37 members of my extended family whenever and for however long I wanted to.

ohh I can now sell games or trade games with people on my friends list... I could sell and trade games with people on my friends list before and people who were not on my friends list. I could do all that with people I didn't even know.

ohh I can tell my xbox I want to watch TV on my TV because I didn't know that is what a TV is for..

it's ridiculous people are actually hyping this stuff.

I remember the amount of crap sony took for adding bluray with the ps3 and xbox fans stating that bluray was not needed.. it was overkill etc..

so how the hell is DRM and always online really needed even for games that are single player? what value is it really adding because I still don't see it !

[D-riders]

not now i have great internet and this crap goes out. Maybe ten years from now but by then we need new consoles.

[WeaseL]

Yes its a connected future but its still nice to have a choice.

Which is ironic because it was MS key phrase the start of last gen

[SpideySpeakz]

Everything must come gradually. It cannot be forced. When electricity was discovered, it took nearly a 100 years for it to be utilized by everyone. Only 36% of the world as internet, and its gradually growing. But now, its not the time. And this is where Sony will undercut Microsoft.

[WeaseL]

Some 1.6 billion people, about one quarter of the worlds population, have no access to electricity today

[Igniter]

How is it forced if you have alternatives? There must be a hundred articles around here and thousands of comments that the PS4 is so much better and has a long list of advantages. So why are so many people upset when they have an alternative that they are saying is so much better?

[Igniter]

I 100% support the Xbox One requiring an internet connection. The reason is standardization! MS is guaranteeing the developers that everyone on their console is connected and online. Developers can make games for the One knowing that they will have no problem leveraging online and the cloud. MS is rightfully avoiding the same screw up they made with the 360 in having two models, one with and one without HDD's. No more telling developers that they have to design for the lowest common denominator!

[denawayne]

I wrote something similar up top. I believe as time goes by and more people realize the advantage of always being online, then the frustration on DRM will settle down.

[MRMagoo123]

yeh let us know how that worked out in 10 years when the ps5 is out and MS arent around anymore lol.

[RiPPn]

lol @ this coming from a dev who also tried to force the online issue and ended up with one of the worst game launches in recent history.

[tiffac008]

The check in doesn't bother me, my internet is already so bad that it acts as its own DRM. I have learned to live with it. lol!

Its the other policy that I do not agree with.

[Double_O_Revan]

Maybe so. But today is not that day.

And maybe having the 'possibility' to be connected online, not REQUIRED.

[GraveLord]

MY iPod/iPhone/iPad/Laptop/Deskto p/PS4/Wii U aren't always connected to the internet and they will work fine when they are not.

Always-Connected should be an option, not a mandatory thing.

[RE_L_MAYER]

you wont connect my fukin house to the internet because we aint got not cables running around anywhere so its 3mb dish or offline)))
never cared much for internet,its great but I can live without it