330°

"Always On, Always Connected" Is It Already Game Over For Microsoft's Next XBox?

Gamer-rider.com writes: "We all saw what happened with EA and SimCity just a few days ago with them requiring the game to be "always online" , which rendered the game unplayable for several days. But now we're finding that every game is going to have to be installed onto the console, and that's a slippery slope for several reasons.

Could you imagine going to Best Buy to buy a game, then get home and put the game in your console, and being unable to play the game because your internet connection is down for some reason? I shutter to think that this is the future that Microsoft is betting on, So for all that it's worth, I'm really hoping that this is really just a rumor, and that the folks over at Microsoft are a little bit more clairvoyant than what these recent leaks suggest."

Read Full Story >>
gamer-rider.com
MariaHelFutura4483d ago

We should probably just wait for something official, before everyone jumps the gun. But if this is true, it doesn't sound good.

darthv724482d ago

are people coming up with the association of always on / always connected as being related to some form of DRM? Is there a new definition of always on meaning always online?

I wont pretend to know what kind of marketing angle this is but i am willing to take the implication as something MS is doing that sony already does.

Anyone with a PS3 knows their system is always "on". that is different than always running. The ps3 is on so it can do background downloads when updates are available or when a user is accessing it via remote play. To do remote play, your ps3 is always connected.

Again, this is something that by the simple implication of the terms is deemed always on / always connected. Now maybe not everyone leaves their ps3 power switch on or even their system plugged in but I do. It remains in low power mode and can be awakened by remote play when I want it to.

Im sorry if i just dont follow the same mentality of the conspiracy people but lets be honest here. How about we just wait for more details. I for one like the ability to connect to my ps3 from the internet and that is something the 360 DOES NOT support but it could very well be what is being eluded to for the next xbox.

If it means something completely different then I will gladly accept the criticism, but for now....i'm going to wait for more information.

MrBeatdown4482d ago

"where are people coming up with the association of always on / always connected as being related to some form of DRM?"

Here maybe.

http://www.edge-online.com/...

Or here.

http://www.cinemablend.com/...

Knight_Crawler4483d ago

Yup MS is doomed.

It will only be Sony and Nintendo in the console business.

This is what everyone wanted right.

TheSaint4483d ago

Because no one will step up and take their place though.

See I can be sarcastic too.

insomnium24482d ago Show
Blacktric4482d ago (Edited 4482d ago )

"The pros don't win over the cons."

Eventhough his post did get marked as trolling, I have to agree with insomnium2 on this one. People always say that PSN is what it is today because of how Microsoft treated Xbox 360's Live in its early stages, which is somewhat true of course... And the console itself has some great software features that I always wanted to have on PS3 (full game installs for instance). But in the end, the bad things Microsoft brought the table with 360 just outweighs the good things by far. You got DLC, season passes, timed exclusive games and worse; DLCs, being required to pay for playing online when competition gives you that for free on top of having a subscription based service that gives you free games every month instead of giving you access to streaming services that are also free to access on competing systems and yearly and bi-yearly re-hash/no risk exclusives.

And the sad thing is, this always on always online and required full game install thing actually fits Microsoft's way of thinking. They never caved in and made online play free solely because of the amount of people who buy XBL Gold to play online, and now they might've gotten even more cocky because of that and decided to pull such moves. And even right now, people are already defending such horrible practices (that or of course, rumored at this point) by saying that their set top boxes and cell phones are always on, etc.

darthv724482d ago

It should be pointed out that timed exclusives existed long before the ps3/360 generation. That goes back to even the snes/genesis days.

The idea of DLC didnt start off bad. It was a way for a company to extend their game's relevancy in light of a full release mainly because there wasnt enough content to create a full release. It was a good idea that became bad but by no fault of MS or sony but the devs themselves.

Once the idea caught on, it left an open door for other companies to cheat the system and release buggy or incomplete titles knowing they can just patch it later with some DLC. .

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4482d ago
Muffins12234483d ago

the built in kinect and lower specs don't help it either

Gimmemorebubblez4483d ago

Spot on, these are just rumors and should be treated as such. But these rumor are from reliable sources like Edge and VGleaks and they don't sound good :) It does not benefit anyone, Sony included, if there is no direct hardcore competitor, I hope these rumors aren't true.

_FantasmA_4482d ago

Competition doesn't really matter here. PS1 and PS2 barely had competition and yet Sony still dominated and brought out several thousand games and countless classic franchises. With M$ out of the way. Almost every gamer would buy a Sony console, thus ensuring even more great first party games and I think more developers would not ignore Nintendo. M$ is cancer to society, using free services and bare boned gimmicks disguised as a trojan horse to trick people into thinking that paying for it makes it better. Its psychology that gets these suckers to say "exbocks live is t3h best"

GamersRulz4483d ago

Actually It's not always on, always connected thats bothering me. its forcing me to install the games to the HDD.

expect MS to charge fortune on their own HDD next gen.

CommonSenseGamer4483d ago

You know that for sure? The 360 slim made it a damn site cheaper to install a drive. Who knows what they will come up with. Does the PS4 come with a proprietary bay for the HDD or you making another assumption on that as well?

1nsaint4483d ago

Agreed, its much better to wait till E3 or anything official from MS.

Although, i do think all this negative media is hurting the 720's reputation in a way.
Cause lets be honest, there has been a ridiculous amount of articles regarding all the rumors, and the comments on it aren't exactly positive..

Imo MS should debunk some of these rumors instead of just watching the public assume things.

Who knows, we might not even get to hear about the 'negative features' of the 720 from MS at E3.

Lol im pretty sure they won't even mention backward compatibility if it isn't a feature.

Then i just hope there's gonna be a guy in the audience who yells: CAN IT PLAY 360 GAMES!!??!

rainslacker4482d ago

I think it depends on what their actual intentions are if the rumors are true.

People will always jump the gun, just look at the Sony patent for restricting used games.

I don't find it bad to discuss these issues before they're announced, because I'd rather a company hear what people are saying, and then decide if their current course will be beneficial for their long term plans or not. Unfortunately, people do tend to take things to an extreme...which is what is damaging.

It could also be that these leaks were intentional, just to gauge public perception. It's not that uncommon, and can offer a better view than what focus groups offer.

If MS wants to do this to restrict used games, or control their user(which I wouldn't put past them), then yeah, this is a bad thing. If they are doing it to provide a better customer experience, but making the system operable without an always on connection, then it's not really that bad.

Personally I think giving the consumer the option is the best way to go. Nintendo does that, and Sony said that it would be optional as well. Realistically, MS will probably be optional as well, and likely more for services rather than gaming.

_FantasmA_4482d ago

I'll be the guy with the sign that says FAIL! And I'm not just talking about system failure but every failure that M$ has accomplished. PC stands for Playstation + Computer. And this is all you need.

1nsaint4482d ago

@rainslacker yeah i noticed that too, lots of PS fans didnt mind it to much when they announced the ps4 wouldn't be backwards compatible, while before the announce, the backwards compatible was a hot topic, for both consoles.

I don't find it bad to discuss either, that's even what draws me too all these rumor articles, to see the guys in the comments talk about it.
If only we could discuss it with MS or Sony for a change :p

I don't even read the articles anymore.
Cause well all the articles still say the same things as all the others, hell even the ones of 2 months ago.
Many sites know the topic is a good way to fish for hits sadly.

Anyway, hopefully its like you said, that it will be optional, or will only be used for other things.

camel_toad4483d ago (Edited 4483d ago )

If it ends up this way I hope it doesn't cause any similar issues to the train wreck that is sim city.

SatanSki4482d ago

Cant believe its 11 hours since you posted a reasonable statement on N4G and there is no one "dissagree". Im shocked ;-)

MikeMyers4482d ago (Edited 4482d ago )

MariaHelFutura,

If it is true and they are the only console doing it then yes, it doesn't sound good. Not for consumers that is but publishers would like it. Microsoft is going to have to have a clear direction with the next Xbox. They won't be able to rely on the competitions mistakes this time or have an advantage of coming out first.

That means Xbox Live will have to prove its worth much more than in the past if a fee is still attached to just gaining access online for games. It also means they will have to create more in-house ip's and not coast of existing ones. They will also need to define what's different about the new Xbox. That could be the new Kinect or something else and if it is an upgraded Kinect show us why we would want to use it and not force it into games.

Boody-Bandit4482d ago

I really hope these are just rumors and rumors only. AOAC would be a deal breaker for me and the 360 is my main gaming device. It's not even close and I own them ALL (Wii, PS3, 360 and a killer PC gaming rig). I did not purchase a Wii U because of the direction Nintendo went with it and I will not purchase the Next Box if MS does in fact goes this route.

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 4482d ago
brandonb214483d ago

if this is true Microsoft shot them self's in the foot

Blackdeath_6634483d ago

agreed they could have easily offered the same features but allow the people who don't want to use those features the option to turn them off that way MS gets what they wanted without causing a scene but no, they went ahead and did what everyone ever knows is a bad idea.

Marcello4483d ago Show
Prcko4483d ago

"Always On, Always Connected" Is It Already Game Over For Microsoft's Next XBox?
Y E P

GribbleGrunger4483d ago (Edited 4483d ago )

... Why does everything have to be reduced to hyperbole and superlatives? How about we approach each issue from a neutral standpoint and then adjust our views as new info surfaces. Even if this IS true, we can't call it 'game over' until we see the general public's response.

N0S3LFESTEEM4483d ago (Edited 4483d ago )

NEUTRAL?
THIS... IS... INTERNET!!!!

adorie4482d ago

Hey. I can agree with this, unless we're talkin' EA, then I am going to have to show my biased side. :)

Show all comments (85)
270°

Looming Xbox layoffs threaten Microsoft's reputation

Even as the company sets out to overhaul the very definition of Xbox, cuts at its studios risk creating a negative image reminiscent of EA's worst era

Read Full Story >>
gamesindustry.biz
Jingsing1d 15h ago (Edited 1d 15h ago )

I appreciate the article but this guy must be living in a delayed universe, The reputation was ruined 10+ years ago and hasn't recovered since. As such people have voted with their wallets and stopped buying Xbox products in large amounts.

YourMommySpoils6h ago

Their reputation was lost way before that. From the moment Microsoft said they entering the console business, we all knew it would be a downgrade.

1d 13h ago Replies(1)
isarai1d 10h ago

What reputation is this threatening exactly? 😂

Lightning771d 7h ago

Rumors of Turn 10 being either shut down or hit with massive lay offs is on the horizon.

The issue is MS will do something right only to do something very, very wrong. And they do this what seems calculative at this point. Doesn't matter what they do the Investors and leadership want more and more money an endless bottomless pit of purr insatiable greed. A company that acts like it's broke or hurting is what really, really infuriates me. They've surpassed apple again well over 3 trillion who acts like they're a million dollar company is fk stupid. Pivots and changes for no reason and can't do things for more than a year with out a pivot or changing their metrics.

Christopher10h ago

That would be really bad since Phil just hyped up next year as a big Forza year at Summer Game Fest.

1Victor10h ago

@christopher: “ That would be really bad since Phil just hyped up next year as a big Forza year at Summer Game Fest”
The key word big can be ether good or bad 🤷🏿only time can tell

DarXyde8h ago

First Forza being generated entirely via AI?

If any company would do it, it'd be them.

11h agoReplies(2)
Show all comments (48)
660°

Microsoft planning “major” Xbox layoffs next week

The cuts are expected to be announced next week.

Microsoft is also planning thousands of job cuts that will impact other parts of it businesses

Read Full Story >>
theverge.com
4d ago Replies(1)
4d ago Replies(1)
Obscure_Observer4d ago

MFs has been beating their chests over great quarterly results and big profits to shareholders while firing people by the thousands just like Sony.

I wonder if at the top of those rumored layoffs they´ll also cancel upcoming or unannounced games while shutting down more studios as well.

4d ago
pwnmaster30004d ago

Always got to throw shade at Sony smh.
Yes we get it,
MS good Sony bad
MS bad Sony is also bad lmao

4d ago
Obscure_Observer4d ago

F* them both!

Just for the record, I don´t care about your victim complex crap either. Find someone else who cares.

blacktiger4d ago

He was talking about both. Why you getting offended when he's using both names

pwnmaster30004d ago (Edited 4d ago )

@Blacktiger

Im not offended , that’s just his formula lol
He can’t help help himself, he needs to bring Sony down when the topic involves MS.
Whether is good news for MS or bad, it some how leads to Sony doing bad lmao.
It’s actually hilarious.

InUrFoxHole4d ago

He's not wrong but im tracking what youre saying. In this case is should just be MS bad. Thats a lot of people fired

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 4d ago
Tacoboto4d ago

"just like Sony"

Gosh you're insufferable, not everything needs to be both-sides'd. Sony's had layoffs, but nothing like what Microsoft has been doing and is continuing to do.

CrimsonWing694d ago (Edited 4d ago )

I mean, no offense, but this is why you’re not some corporate business person running a major corporation. Big profits don’t mean jobs are safe. Do you understand why things like this happen:

Cutting jobs to maintain or increase profitability, especially in underperforming divisions like parts of Xbox like other gaming divisions.

Corporate restructuring and relocating resources for strategic stability in ever changing markets and consumer behaviors.

Investor expectations and optimizing operations to maintain investor confidence. Whatever boosts stock prices and improves future margins.

And there’s many other factors at play. It’s never as simple as business doing well, everyone’s safe. That’s just you not understanding at all how corporations work and have been working since the beginning. This isn’t something that’s specific to Xbox, you can bet your ass Sony and Nintendo do this and if it’s not clear by now, game development is not a stable job nor has it ever been for many. A lot of developers are contractors and guess what happens when a project is done?

Ganif4d ago

Nintendo said they have no plans for layoffs, and you can't seriously claim that the scale of Sony's layoffs most of which involved Bungie which is self managed as even close to the same scale as what Microsoft has done since they purchased Zenimax. And that significantly less layoffs would have happened if those publishers had stayed independent. Keep in mind that much of these layoffs have been due to redundancies specifically related to these buyouts.

CrimsonWing694d ago (Edited 4d ago )

@Ganif

Nintendo:

https://gamerant.com/ninten...

Sony:

https://gamerant.com/playst...

https://techxplore.com/news...

I don’t think it’s realistic to treat Sony’s layoffs as somehow outside the norm for the industry right now. Even if Bungie is self-managed, Sony’s cuts went far beyond that like Naughty Dog, Insomniac, London Studio being shut down completely, and multiple teams across the globe took hits. These weren’t just minor adjustments.

Nintendo, I had to look up and you’re right. They seem to be an outlier, but rest assured at some point it happens. And even then there’s been layoffs, albeit a smaller amount and contractors.

Would fewer layoffs have happened if studios from acquisitions stayed independent? Maybe. But even independents have been hit hard and look at what’s happened with Embracer’s fallout, or smaller devs like Digic, Roll7, or Volition. This isn’t just a “Microsoft problem” or strictly tied to acquisitions; it’s a broader correction happening across the whole industry, and unfortunately, layoffs are a big part of that process right now.

Ganif4d ago

From your article:

"According to reports, Nintendo of America restructured its testing operations, leading to layoffs of about 120 contractors, part of a strategy for global integration.

Nintendo of America, publisher of iconic franchises like Mario and Zelda, is shifting some contractors to full-time roles for better development integration."

Contractors are not employees, and even if you want to count them as that, it's 120 people vs around 7500 since Microsoft purchased Zenimax.

In an era of game industry layoffs, Nintendo is hiring more people
https://automaton-media.com...

Nintendo Announces 10 Percent Pay Raise For Devs Despite Lower Profits
https://kotaku.com/nintendo...

Nintendo CEO’s refusal to layoff staff goes viral following industry-wide cuts
"Satoru Iwata took pay cuts to ensure staff didn’t have to be let go"
https://www.nme.com/news/ga...

And as for Sony you're comparing less than 1000 total jobs to an estimated7500

Has the industry faced layoffs, yes, but that still doesn't account for the mass layoffs due to redundancies that was easily predictable, or that fact that at least 1/3 of Microsoft's layoffs and studio closures happened before the industry downturn.

thorstein4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

Take the L, Crimson.

People hate Nintendo, but Ganif proved why they deserve support.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4d ago
-Foxtrot4d ago

It's like banging your head off a wall, he just can't help himself.

Microsoft can do no wrong, Sony sucks at everything and Nintendo is bigged up because it's less hassle than trying to defend Microsoft all the time

What's going to happen when Microsoft finally turn completely third party, then what?

anast4d ago

I enjoy Obscure. Obscure does good work.

crazyCoconuts4d ago

Did you know that the first n4g was designed to be a perfect human world? Where none suffered, where everyone would be happy. It was a disaster. No one would accept the program.

Tacoboto4d ago

I wouldn't be surprised at this point if anast and osbcure were both alts for the Admin.

We know how Obscure especially drums up additional comments and clicks with his spam-worthy remarks that somehow never get moderated

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4d ago
Profchaos4d ago

Thats business present a strong front to your shareholders while your company burns around you.

Keep shareholders happy at all costs andnif not happy keep them numb to the reality of you organisation

Angyobangyo3d ago

" Just for the record, I don´t care about your victim complex crap either. Find someone else who cares. "

Just for the record, you clearly you do if you have to vent this hard.

TheExecutioner3d ago

Basically you think like kids when it come to choose between candy or chocolate.

Sonic18813d ago (Edited 3d ago )

Are you and Anast the same person?

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 3d ago
4d ago
Show all comments (86)
260°

AMD CEO Shares Vision Behind Xbox Partnership and Next-Gen Chip Roadmap

AMD CEO Lisa Su talks about the Xbox AMD partnership, next-gen Ryzen + Radeon chips, and AI rendering tech coming to all Xbox devices.

Read Full Story >>
clouddosage.com
Obscure_Observer9d ago

AMD is really building hype around their unique partnership with Microsoft to help and build an advanced and seamless Xbox ecosystem across all Xbox consoles and devices.

I wonder what she meant by "full roadmap of gaming optimized chips" though? Seems ambitious.

Next year´s Xbox Showcase already looks promising and exciting. Here´s hoping they deliver.

InUrFoxHole9d ago

They had best show 3yrs in a row. Heading for another

VenomUK8d ago

Obscure_Observer said “I wonder what she meant by "full roadmap of gaming optimised chips" though? Seems ambitious.” To me, I interpret this to mean rather than having a couple of X/S products for launch and a handheld there is a longer term plan to release new products with higher specs at timed intervals. I’m speculating of course, but this could mean a spec bump every year or two, so that even if the PS6 or Steam Deck Home is released a year after ‘Xbox’ Microsoft can release an updated model that has a higher spec.

Agent758d ago

But Microsoft forgot the games.

KwietStorm_BLM8d ago

It's X3D chips for console. Everyone knows this. And it's been rumored in the PS6 forever.

Ganif8d ago

Correct.

"Sony's PlayStation 6 reportedly will feature an AMD semi-custom APU with a Zen 5 CPU and UDNA GPU, capable of 4K 120FPS and 8K 60FPS gaming. The console will include X3D cache and advanced AI upscaling technology."

https://www.tweaktown.com/n...

Obscure_Observer8d ago

"It's X3D chips for console. Everyone knows this. And it's been rumored in the PS6 forever."

I doubt that AMD´s CEO would waste her time making this huge and important partnership announcement over a tech that will be 7 years old by the those next gen consoles will be released.

Notellin8d ago

You should have just lead this comment with the fact that you have zero understanding of technology in the consoles and instead have a Toms Hardware online forum level of education.

Obscure_Observer5d ago

"It's X3D chips for console. Everyone knows this. And it's been rumored in the PS6 forever"

I´d told you were on some bs

https://www.pcgamesn.com/wp...

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 5d ago
Agent758d ago

But Microsoft forgot the games

Obscure_Observer8d ago

@VenomUK

"I’m speculating of course, but this could mean a spec bump every year or two, so that even if the PS6 or Steam Deck Home is released a year after ‘Xbox’ Microsoft can release an updated model that has a higher spec."

Very interesting theory. Still not sure how MS would actually make it work.

KwietStorm_BLM8d ago

"I doubt that AMD´s CEO would waste her time making this huge and important partnership announcement over a tech that will be 7 years old by the those next gen consoles will be released."

How old is the tech in consoles? It's not a huge announcement. It's marketing and you know it is.

Obscure_Observer7d ago (Edited 7d ago )

"How old is the tech in consoles? It's not a huge announcement. It's marketing and you know it is."

Dude, what I know for certain is that a tech as old as X3D chips which is actually *older* than both PS5 and Xbox Series consoles, is hardly the reason behind this new partnership between AMD and MS to build new *custom silicon* for next generation of consoles.

And yes it´s a huge announcement since AMD is working closely with MS to co-develop custom SoC which will allow backwards compatibility across all MS´s next gen devices allowing seamless integration between devices and full backwards compatibility across all generations of Xbox consoles.

I also know is that this announcement don´t have anything to do with Playstation and their strategy with AMD for the PS6, so stop comparing the two pretending that you know what´s going on, because you clearly don´t.

If Sony is working on something remotely similar, that´s remain to be seen.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 5d ago
Fishy Fingers9d ago (Edited 9d ago )

Some odd, deliberate wording, no branding, not 'Xbox consoles, Xbox handhelds' specifically, feels and sounds like they're building towards hardware that anyone can be used or licensed to/by themselves and other manufacturers.

Multiplatform software and hardware 'Xbox/AMD APU'.

Obscure_Observer9d ago

I guess you missed Sarah Bond´s next generation Xbox announcement this week, were she clearly states:

"I´m thrilled to share that we´ve established a strategic multi-year partnership with AMD to co-engineer silicon across a portfolio of devices, including, *our* next generation *Xbox consoles*."

But hey, I don´t think you´re entirely wrong, maybe MS will build their own Xbox consoles while licencing other manufactures to build and sell their own Xbox branded consoles. Who knows

BeHunted9d ago (Edited 9d ago )

I think you watched the wrong video. It's below the description, or you can watch it directly on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/kprpRvsOua...

HyperMoused9d ago

Shares vision....we provide chips for money, this deal will sell many chips, we will make lots of money...good vision

Christopher9d ago

The marketing behind this is so heavy that I worry about the actual outcome. Why are they just not showing us the product, why all this talking in market speak?

Lightning779d ago

Probably because the next xbox isn't ready to release yet?

The marketing and rumors seem to be heavy out of no where. The rumor was a 27 release but it maybe it could be 26 new console launch instead.

Who knows.

Eonjay8d ago

There PR is alrways super heavy handed. No one is acutally buying an Xbox as is.
Also it is very early to be talking so much about a next gen console.

Obscure_Observer8d ago

There´s a lot of people interested on Xbox Next and its ability to run games from major stores like Steam.

We know that the PS6 is just around the corner as well, but so far, no news on what it might improve over the PS5 or PS5 Pro.

However, Sony already made public that their priority and actual focus is the PS6. So its not "very early" to talk about next gen when the very console manufactures are talking about it.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 8d ago
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