New Xbox requires an always-on connection to block used games

[Arthur]

Only a rumour, but it sounds very plausible.

 

Source: Edge

 

Microsoft’s next console will require an Internet connection in order to function, ruling out a second-hand game market for the platform. A new iteration of Xbox Live will be an integral part of Microsoft’s next console, while improved Kinect hardware will also ship alongside the unit.

 

Sources with first-hand experience of Microsoft’s next generation console have told us that although the next Xbox will be absolutely committed to online functionality, games will still be made available to purchase in physical form. Next Xbox games will be manufactured on 50GB-capacity Blu-ray discs, Microsoft having conceded defeat to Sony following its ill-fated backing of the HD-DVD format. It is believed that games purchased on disc will ship with activation codes, and will have no value beyond the initial user.

 

Our source has also confirmed that the next Xbox’s recently rumoured specs are entirely accurate. That means an AMD eight-core x64 1.6GHz CPU, a D3D11.x 800MHz graphics solution and 8GB of DDR3 RAM. As of now, the console’s hard drive capacity is said to be undecided, but Microsoft’s extended commitment to online delivery suggests that it will be the largest unit it has put inside a console to date.

 

Though the architectures of the next-gen Xbox and PlayStation both resemble that of PCs, several development sources have told us that Sony’s solution is preferable when it comes to leveraging power. Studios working with the next-gen Xbox are currently being forced to work with only approved development libraries, while Sony is encouraging coders to get closer to the metal of its box. Furthermore, the operating system overhead of Microsoft’s next console is more oppressive than Sony’s equivalent, giving the PlayStation-badged unit another advantage.

 

Unlike Nintendo, Microsoft is continuing to invest heavily in motion-control interfaces, and a new, more reliably responsive Kinect will also ship alongside the next Xbox. Sony’s next-generation console camera system is said to have a similar set of features, and is expected to be discussed at the company’s PlayStation event on February 20.

[TechMonkey]

Games better be cheaper then. If they are going the way of "you don't own the game but a license to use it once" then people will see less value in them and be less inclined to pay full whack for them. I doubt they will think of this but I can see it being an issue.

[featured_spectre]

This will be the death of consoles, and the death of many game stores that trade with 2nd hand games (such as game/gamestation/cex/cash converters/hmv etc). However they do plan on doing digital downloads at the same time as physical releases, which IMO is better than a physical disk as it applies to the account. Xbox gets stolen, get a replacement from insurance and your games are fine.

[TechMonkey]

But, 50GB Blu-ray disc capacity. How is that going to download for most people? Plus how often are we going to see day one releases crippled because everyone is hammering the download server or trying to activate their download/game.

 

Could work well , would love it to work, as long as prices reflect the change. Imagine Xbox mimicking Steam. You put your pre-order in and then a few days before the release date it starts to trickle download in the background. The moment the deadline is reached you have your shiny new game to play. Brings up the question of what happens if a shop breaks the release date? Will MS be inclined to change the release date for digital download or will all games be locked out as they have to register first time? So even if you get your game shipped a day early you still have to wait till the release date to play?

 

Interesting future!

[Geoff]

Illegal in the EU.

 

The Escapist : News : EU Court Legalizes Selling "Used" Digital Games

[SYNACK]

Boo, ddr 3 instead of 5 and they can get bent if it requires an always on internet connection. My internet connection is flakier than snow ( thanks orcon.co.nz for your rubbish product ). Such a requirement would kill gaming for me entirely. Games here are already 140-150 $, they apparently looking at making them more expensive next round. Given the inclusion of limited maps and pushed season passes like Black Ops 2 and in game purchasing like Deadspace 3 they can get well bent if they expect me to pay more than half the price of a console for a single decent game. Dirty profiteering canabalistic.....

[CAM]

They don't realise that always-on is too unreliable for home users. They've looked at The Cloud, gone "Ooooooh people have always on Internet. Now is the time!" and failed to realise that at home, we don't have redundant Internet connections and consumer-grade Internet isn't repaired in days with corporate support contracts. Try more like weeks...

 

And unlike the PC gaming crowd who have been used to no second hand market, console gamers are far more likely to lend games to mates and be understandably annoyed when they can't.

[sonofsanta]

'king morons. Ubisoft have just failed to manage this for much smaller volume PC games, because they couldn't keep their servers up. And what about armed forces without internet connections?

 

Blocking used games is also a daft move - it will kill off all brick & mortar stores, which may be a short term gain in allowing MS to get all the profit from digital downloads, but a long term loss with the loss of that high-street presence and the mindshare that inculcates. It's taking gaming out of most people's minds again, and putting it back into a darkened bedroom for boys that don't leave the house.

There's also a not-insignificant proportion of people who buy games new @ £40, play it through in a week then sell it back used for £30, and move through games that way. They may get more first-hand sales overall, but I suspect week-of-release sales will drop off.

 

Boo, ddr 3 instead of 5

I think 8Gb DDR3 probably refers to system RAM rather than GPU RAM, in which case thank the Lord cos 512mb in the 360 has been murdering textures in my PC games. Mass Effect 3 looked horrible.

Don't know how much GPU RAM is planned but I seem to recall talk of sticking with the EDRAM architecture, which has been holding AA back on the current gen because it was always too small.

Edited February 7, 2013 by sonofsanta

[LosOjos]

Are Microsoft trying to commit commercial suicide?! What with this and Windows 8, I can't think what else they're aiming for!

[X-13]

I can't think what else they're aiming for!

 

Same thing they're always aiming for... World Domination.

 

 

 

Next gen is Wii U, PC and 3DS for me then. [censored] Microsoft and [censored] Sony [They're talking about doing the same thing.].

[jonnykewell1]

Tablet gaming is the future, when you look at how good some of these games are now, give it a few years and there will be no need for a consoles.

[LosOjos]

Same thing they're always aiming for... World Domination.

 

I take the perhaps unpopular view here that as a commercial company, that's fair enough; of course they want you to spend all your money with them, that's business! But this makes no business sense.

 

Why would you look at Windows and say "here we have an operating system so ubiquitous that a large proportion of the world's population are either unaware there are alternatives or too scared to try them, that all developers want to write software for for this very reason, that everybody, regardless of age or IT literacy, can pick up and start using with the help of a family member. Let's completely change that, turn it in to something that the IT-competent are divided at best on, that the IT illiterate can no longer get help with because the PC literate family members are still trying to get their heads around it or just all out avoiding it. Let's make something so different to our usual OS that the alternatives suddenly look and feel more familiar to our user base!"

 

Why would you look at the Xbox and say "wow, people are still buying these in droves despite them not having changed in any fundamental way in 8 years. They're still buying new releases, they're still camping outside shops at night to buy software for our platform. Let's make it so that only the select few with reliable, fast internet connections can use. Let's make trading impossible so that only the wealthy can buy games, assuming they too have the internet to back it up. Let's ignore the fact that many ISP's still have bandwidth restrictions in place that would make it impossible for many to download more than one game a month."

 

It's just ridiculous!

 

I, for one, won't be buying the new Xbox if this is true, this is the final push I needed to abandon consoles all together and stick to my PC.

[X-13]

Tablet gaming is the future

 

How about no?

 

I want my damn controllers.

[JJonas]

OXM Blog: Why the next Xbox won't be always online or block used games - Xbox 360 - The Official Magazine

 

Microsoft likes pre-owned: it means there's a thriving market in software for its console and its service. A lot of good, cheap games, readily available, is another reason to buy an Xbox 720. If you go into a games retailer in 2014 - assuming they still exist - and see a pile of second-hand PS4 games and none for Xbox 720, you're going to buy a PS4. Microsoft knows this.

[SYNACK]

Tablet gaming is the future, when you look at how good some of these games are now, give it a few years and there will be no need for a consoles.

 

Not exactly immersive in comparison, I defy a tablet to be more compelling than my 55" TV and surround system, the whole feedback thing from an ergonomic controller with analogue buttons is also much nicer than jabbing relentlessly as a Paine of glass.

[BigRed]

This has been long time coming from Microsoft, they profits have been greatly hit by custom firmware and pirate games, they have even stopped fighting the pirates about a year ago. It was evident then that they will switch to a completely downloadable content format.

 

I am very sad about the second hand game market. Hopefully they will still support it by allowing transfer of ownership (i doubt it though).

[TechMonkey]

Of course it could just be the start of the Fud Wars, or dis-information propaganda, in the run up to console launches. Remember last time there were articles about XBox games going to be almost double the price, endless arguments about backward compatibility and various discussions about how much more/less powerful the Cell would be.

 

It would be a crazy move so I wonder if actually they will take a two tier system. Have a steam like interface to allow cheaper, download games with no sell on ability and boxed games for those that want to continue. That way everyone is happy and they can play around with price points, discount sales and strategies without the prospect of alienating their customer bases. Then either mid-life they'll drop physical media or people will get so used to digital downloads that come next gen it will be feasible.

[BigRed]

Of course it could just be the start of the Fud Wars, or dis-information propaganda, in the run up to console launches. Remember last time there were articles about XBox games going to be almost double the price, endless arguments about backward compatibility and various discussions about how much more/less powerful the Cell would be.

 

It would be a crazy move so I wonder if actually they will take a two tier system. Have a steam like interface to allow cheaper, download games with no sell on ability and boxed games for those that want to continue. That way everyone is happy and they can play around with price points, discount sales and strategies without the prospect of alienating their customer bases. Then either mid-life they'll drop physical media or people will get so used to digital downloads that come next gen it will be feasible.

 

hmmm not sure about that, MS have changed their directions along with their leaders in the last few years and have become more bold in their decisions.

 

I think they will actually take a leap of faith this time and try to be the first mainstream provider to do this "all out". They will not lose their core audience i.e kids with MasterCards. I have been a loyal xbox fan since day-one however the product started to lack in feeding my gaming desires and I have now almost entirely moved my gaming back to the PC.

 

at the moment my xbox is only to watch LoveFilm and have the occasional Fifa match or Kinect game when someone comes around

[X-13]

they profits have been greatly hit by custom firmware and pirate games

 

Try again.

 

File-sharers are content industry’s “largest customers” | Ars Technica

[tmcd35]

This is not a MS only thing though, Sony are rumored to be planning something similar for their next outing. Thinking about it, I don't blame them. Games companies only make money on the first sale of the game. If it lead to cheaper games from now and more money going into games development then I'm all for it. If it's about flogging games at the same £60 asking price and lining shareholders pockets then I'm on the ol' piracy bandwaggon all the way!

[Pottsey]

How about no?

 

I want my damn controllers.

That is not really a problem as you can get controllers for the tablet. Just output the tablet/phone in HD to a TV and use a controller. See something like http://analogaddiction.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/moga-controller-with-tablet.jpg?w=640

[SYNACK]

That is not really a problem as you can get controllers for the tablet. Just output the tablet/phone in HD to a TV and use a controller. See something like http://analogaddiction.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/moga-controller-with-tablet.jpg?w=640

 

At which point why not just use a device designed for it, why the drive for everything to be one device, universal hammers are always horrible.

[LosOjos]

That is not really a problem as you can get controllers for the tablet. Just output the tablet/phone in HD to a TV and use a controller. See something like http://analogaddiction.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/moga-controller-with-tablet.jpg?w=640

 

There is no doubt that tablets have made casual gaming a huge industry and yes, I agree, there are some cracking games on tablets/smartphones now. But let's not kid ourselves, you're not going to convince a "real" gamer to give up their console/PC and stick to whatever offering is on iOS/Android any time soon.

[TechMonkey]

But if they were truly going to make a leap of faith on this why not be totally innovative and rip out the optical drive and go digital only? They'd save costs, have an extra peripheral to sell at a mark up, be able to have a slimmer box and crow to have one up on Sony. Seems a bit of a half arsed attempt so if they are being cautious then the softly, softly two tier approach seems more likely or what was posted from OXM.

[tmcd35]

As others have said, the problem with download only is not everyone as access to suitable broadband. I've gone download only on my PS3, but I live in a Virgin Media area so so long as I avoid peek times I get very fast downloads. 5 miles down the road and you're lucky if you get 2Mbps from any provider...