One of the
most persistent and frustrating rumors about the upcoming Xbox from Microsoft
is that the console would require an always-on Internet connection to play
games. Such a move would severely damage the used games market for the Xbox 720
/ Durango, and would prevent users with spotty connections or limited service
from taking full advantage of the console.
According to a
leaked internal email sent to Ars Technica, the official word is that Durango
categorically will NOT take this route. From that email:
There are a
number of scenarios that our users expect to work without an Internet
connection, and those should 'just work' regardless of their current connection
status. Those include, but are not limited to: playing a Blu-ray disc, watching
live TV, and yes playing a single player game.
As Ars notes,
it's possible that Microsoft could implement a
system that requires gamers to authenticate titles online (but not remain
online post-installation), or the company could insist on periodic online
checks to confirm authenticity. It's also possible that MS will implement a
flexible system that puts final control in the hands of publishers when it
comes to how restrictive titles are and what hoops customers are forced to jump
through.
The
Bigger Question:
Here's the
larger concern: Why are we hearing about this strictly through a leaked
email?
I don't say
that to harp on Microsoft. It's been
obvious for months that consumers were very concerned about the always-on
rumors. The company has refused to comment directly. Even now, we're hearing
this information via trusted leak rather than official statement. It's fair to
say that MS might have still been drawing up its policy, and waiting to confirm
it until the plans were firmly made, but there are plenty of other areas where
Microsoft has dropped the communication ball in recent months.
Last year,
news that Windows 8 would focus on Javascript, HTML5, and XML for app
development caused shockwaves through the industry. It took the company quite
awhile to clarify what it meant by these changes. Early this year, Microsoft
announced that XNA wouldn't be supported
going forward and that the DirectX MVP program was being shut down. A few weeks
back, AMD's Vice President of Graphics, Roy Taylor, stated "Soweit wir
wissen gibt es keine Pläne für DirectX 12." Translated, that means:
"As far as we know / have been told there are no plans for DirectX
12."
Microsoft came
back with "We have no intention of stopping innovation with DirectX,"
which isn't actually a refutation of Taylor's point. We've heard other
rumors that DirectX will be rolled into a standard Windows technology and will
continue to be updated, but not as a standalone component. That would square
with both statements, but it's a major policy shift that again, hasn't been
clearly articulated.
Meanwhile,
Microsoft's Windows 8 plans continue to be vague. Steven Sinofsky was the God of Windows development
until the company fired him weeks after product launch. Now there's talk that
Windows Blue will return the Start button (but not the Start Menu). Maybe
there's a Metro File Manager. Maybe not. Maybe Windows RT is about to get the
axe -- or it isn't. Microsoft's communication is increasingly spotty these
days, and the confusion over the Xbox Durango's always-on status is just one
sign of the larger problem. [Source]
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