Report: Next Xbox Will Be Always-On, Games Run off HDD

[hfitch]

Sony and Microsoft better listen. If any new system comes out where you need a always on internet and no used games it will fail. First off users like to trade games, play at a friends house, and by used games. You may not like it but that's what social media really is. When you lock it down your just hurting yourself. I will give you a example. Call of Duty used to be a average seller. Friends would play at friends house they get hooked. Now Call of Duty is one of the biggest releases because everyone wants to play with and against their friends. Object lesson make quality games people will buy them. Make crappy games and they end up at Gamestop used bin quicker.

 

[dscudella]

So what if your internet goes out? Are you not able to play games (I'm looking at you Sim City)? Didn't skim through all the comments, sorry if it's been asked already.

 

[dscudella]

Also Tom's Hardware does not support or condone Piracy in any shape and it's against the forum rules.

 

[TEAMSWITCHER]

[citation][nom]daglesj[/nom]So a lot of annoyed folks about this concept eh?Still I guess I'll see you all in the line on release day though![/citation]

I will not be there - I already have a PC thank you. I can guarantee you, the PC I'm sitting at right now is faster and more capable than the next XBox. If no one buys it, game makers will be forced to ship PC versions of popular titles - to recoup loses. Here is your chance to save PC gaming....don't buy the next XBox!

 

[warmon6]

[citation][nom]Dyseman[/nom]You guys do realize that Gaming companies are pretty much going to console so they have control over Piraters [/citation]

HAHAHAHAH!

You do realize that people also pirate on the game consoles as well and the companies have no control over them either?

Come on... I'm not even much of a gamer anymore (Rarely game on the PC these days and I dont own a 360 or PS3), and I can tell you that.

 

[corvak]

Many see the PC as successfully eliminating used games...but the important fact is that this is offset with a lower average retail price per game.

I can't sell used Steam games...but if I wait three I will get games on Steam for the same price or lower than an equivalent used console game.

Microsoft has repeatedly shown it has no idea how to be a digital storefront over the last couple years of Xbox Live. Stuck in the past trying to force games to go exclusive to one platform, and quite honestly not supporting the massive wave of high quality indie titles - and finally, gouging both developers and end users with the most expensive and least profitable (for publishers who arent MS...) digital platform in the industry. MS has turned a lot of profit thanks to the 360...but at what cost long-term?

 

[jscynder]

Too bad so sad for those that have a data cap for their internet.

 

[JeBuSBrian]

Just a note for the "end-timers" on here: Anyone can create documentation that looks like this. Well, anyone with a computer, anyway.

 

[SuckRaven]

Time to start stocking up on new-in-box XBOX 360s and PS3s. The prices of those consoles will skyrocket as educated gamers recoil from the stupidity that is about to be unleashed by the new wave of consoles, all marching to the tune of buzzwords like "social", "always-on", "users will quickly andeasily enjoy their shackled/forced/coerced/crammed-down-your-throat-weather-you-want-it-or-not-basically-rape connected bulli-sh*t.

The n00b kiddies that have not grown a brain yet can be easily target-marketed to, and unfortunately, these "we'll let you put on your own handcuffs" consoles will still see tremendous sales. Those of us that have been around the block and watched gaming grow from the good ol' days to it's golden days and now starting it's monumentally epic FAIL of a decline, long for the simplicity of the golden age of gaming.

It has always been leading to this though. With better and faster internet in most homes, and better hardware and software to implement insidious always-on-DRM, greedy profit driven companies like the once awesome Blizzard (now money-grubbing Activision) and EA, now have their wet dreams come true. I think I will not be buying ANY of the next gen consoles.

I will however buy up 3 or 4 of the last revisions of the current consoles, and keep them new in their boxes, when anyone wants to buy one, and enjoy pseudo-old-school gaming awesomeness.

 

[LightningStryk17]

[citation][nom]meluvcookies[/nom]As a consumer, I believe in robust fair use laws and I absolutely refuse to contribute to the growing trend in digital media distribution: We are no longer considered owners of the end software product but rather a license to use such produce in only the specific ways outlined by corporate policies. This is unacceptable to me as a consumer.[/citation]

Interesting, because thats how its been defined since software existed. (owning a license instead of the actual software). There just wasn't any easy way to enforce that rule until lately.

 

[kal326]

I don't see why the "It can't play pre-owned games" issue is pissing some many people off and people calling it a failure in the making because of it. It's not like PC games have ever been readily resell able or significantly cheaper and that was never included in any reasons for the decline of PC gaming. I've never bought a PC, console, or even a game and had the ability to resell the game media ever come into the decision making process. Besides unless the game is old as dirt or you are trading or buying games from friends or person to person sale they usually are not much cheaper than new or catching them on sale. In short, what's the big f'n deal?

 

[back_by_demand]

[citation][nom]corvak[/nom]Many see the PC as successfully eliminating used games...but the important fact is that this is offset with a lower average retail price per game.I can't sell used Steam games...but if I wait three I will get games on Steam for the same price or lower than an equivalent used console game[/citation]
Steam has amazing sales and pretty much prove that if everyone has to buy it then the unit cost is less for everyone - the rub here is that there is an element of trust in play that once they have you in an environment where everyone has to have their own unique copy that they will honour their end of the bargain and actually drop prices
...
Battlefield 2 sold 12 million copies, but you know for a fact that more than 12 million people have played it, so if I make up a figure here and say 24 million people played and drop the price in half then the games company would have made the same money
...
But wait, if AAA title had launched at $30 instead of $60 then the price is already more paletable than the previous used game price and would also likely attract more buyers, steam has very detailed figures to show things like a 10% sale attracts more than 10% more customers, some crash sales have shown sales to explode into the 1000's of %
...
So you need a bit of faith and there is a lot of give and take here, but Steam has done much more than meet the PC gamer half way - all we need to do now is convince the console gamer the same - but once the new Xbox is out and there is a viable digital-download-only system and kill the used games market you will see prices drop and more money go to games developers
...
The only people that will lose out will be places like Gamestop that have inserted themselves into a market, suck on the tittie and creamed off profit for themselves and given nothing back, if they had given 10% of the profit from each used game transaction to the devs I would have been happy but with them it has all just been take, take, take, well now its time for the consumer to get the real service with more money going to develop quality games and lower prices for everyone

 

[animeman59]

[citation][nom]samwelaye[/nom]just one more reason to buy a ps4 instead[/citation]

Just one more reason to buy a PC instead. FTFY.

 

[pliskin1]

This always online crap is complete garbage. I got friends who's only choice of Internet is Satellite or Dial up. So basically they're going to get shafted...and we all know this is due to pressure from the publishers.

 

[snwkill]

Whatever just because a few informed people on Tom's hate it, there will be millions of console kiddies pushing their parents out the door to bring them home the next best thing. Like it or hate it big cities drive policy, big cities drive elections and quite frankly you "gun toting bush wackers" with your dinosaur dial-up don't matter to politicians or large companies.

 

[wiyosaya]

Always on? Not if I pull the plug on mine.

 

[jeremy2020]

[citation][nom]samwelaye[/nom]just one more reason to buy a ps4 instead[/citation]

Except the PS4 is rumored to have the same issues except for the 'always on' is called 'online activation'.

 

[SuckRaven]

moo

 

[mamailo]

I did not like Steam.... until I got great games for cheap.Then change my mind.

I could be good if M$ avarice is under control but thats is unlikely.

 

[mynith]

My heart bleeds when I read stuff like this. Even more so when I think about the fact that nobody seems to mind that they don't actually own their console/games they paid so much for, and simply trust MS to allow them to play. Due to software piracy, it's a logical decision for a software company, but having that feeling of not having full control over my property is reason enough for me not to buy one and recommend everyone I know to stay away from it as well. In my mind, we must all refuse to buy a product so full of DRM its maker could disable every single one of them by the push of a button. We must unite. Show the developers we do not want this. Make sure it's not an economically viable solution. Then, and only then, will we have proper gaming gear. Machines made for fun first, and money hopefully. Not the other way round. Fail safe. Not deadly. Open-source software and hardware are stronger than ever. All it takes is the will of the people. The will to collectively say we're getting real tired of their shit. And not to buy this wretched paperweight. Because as soon as that server gets overloaded, which, if history is anything to go by, it will, that's all it's going to be good for.