The next Xbox: Always online, no second-hand games, 50GB Blu-ray discs and new Kinect

[Sub-stance1]

This would be suicide for any console company that tries this. Hope this isnt true because if MS does this then Sony will too.

No doubt about it. Can't see just one doing this but it sounds like another made up rumor.

[Ghost-Rhayne]

I call BS.

[radgamer420]

I call BS.

Same here.

[Ixion]

If true....

[YoungMullah88]

lol was MS going off of the supposed BS spec sony handed out to devs? this has to be false

[Nitey]

No doubt about it. Can't see just one doing this but it sounds like another made up rumor.

Just because it's not something you want to hear does not mean it's a made up rumour at all

We will have to see if this is true or not

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if the cutting out used games part is true. I hope it is not though, but when you think about how much games cost to make even this generation, the amount of lay offs and studio closures we've seen the idea behind it makes sense IF fairly implemented. It's like the best blowjob you could give 3rd partys/publishers and we all know how important they are

[chrisw26308]

Just because it's not something you want to hear does not mean it's a made up rumour at all

We will have to see if this is true or not

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if the cutting out used games part is true. I hope it is not though, but when you think about how much games cost to make even this generation, the amount of lay offs and studio closures we've seen the idea behind it makes sense IF fairly implemented. It's like the best blowjob you could give 3rd partys/publishers and we all know how important they are

I was thinking all that, except the bj part. They already do this with windows.

Also their will be a lot more piracy once these machines get hacked.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2

[LfCpS3]

Lets hope its not true ( 99% sure it will be BS)

[J3ff3]

what i don't understand is why implement it at the console level? why not just allow publishers to do it, and then chances are they'll do it on all platforms.

it smacks of EA or someone applying pressure, in which case its very likely sony does it. i hope they don't, and durango bombs because of it. fucking teach them a lesson.

[radgamer420]

If one company does it and the other doesn't I hope the console of the company that does flops miserably. And most likely it will.

[Ixion]

Risky business: the next Xbox versus PlayStation 4

You’ve got to admire Microsoft’s bravery. News that its next Xbox could shut out the second-hand games market has caused strong reactions across social media today, and it has impacted upon the real world too. GameStop’s share price took a dent following the publication of our story earlier this afternoon.

If our sources are correct (and we’re confident they are), Microsoft has made the move that publishers and developers have been asking for. Microsoft’s next Xbox will do what Steam and the App Store have been doing for years, and very successfully, too – a download-first, one profile, one purchase, one storefront system. Overnight, it’ll stop GameStop and GAME from selling on games without a penny heading back to its publisher, let alone its creator.

In recent years, online passes have allowed publishers to recoup some of the cost of maintaining servers for online play, but they have always been something of a half-measure. With the next Xbox, Microsoft could go all the way.

The key differences between Steam, the App Store and the next iteration of Xbox Live are in pricing and that ‘always-on’ detail. There’s good reason no-one really cares that you can’t trade in Steam and App Store games – often, they’re so cheap it barely seems worth the bother. One can easily call into question whether download-first next-gen games will actually be any cheaper because they skip costly manufacturing and distribution processes. One would expect they won’t be. On first impressions, Microsoft is taking a huge risk in cutting out a second-hand games ecosystem which keeps gaming affordable and its players interested in the box under their television.

But it is worth remembering that in adopting this download-first policy, Microsoft is free from existing pricing models. One can easily imagine premium prices for those titles deemed still worthy of a retail release. Service-based subscriptions for bigger, costlier games will play a part, too, and middle and lower tier games will sell further down the pricing scale. And let’s not forget free-to-play.

Microsoft has also, rather more sensibly, surmised that the kind of consumer happy to pay for a next-generation console is going to have a decent internet connection. It is not a portable device; there’s little harm in keeping the next Xbox connected, as long as the next iteration of Xbox Live is implemented in the right way. Past experiences with always-on services have been disappointing – just ask Ubisoft and Blizzard – but that’s current generation technology. Microsoft must take note of its contemporaries’ mistakes and make its always-on Xbox service as unobtrusive as it can.

What’s trickier for Microsoft is in explaining its decision when faced with Sony’s plans for the PlayStation 4. Walk into a game retailer (should you be able to find one by the time these consoles arrive) and the choice could be simple: PlayStation 4 is more powerful, and plays second-hand games. One can imagine how fruitful a call between Kaz Hirai and Don Mattrick might have been had they both agreed to take the same measures against second-hand sales.

Based on our sources’ information, we are building an ever clearer picture of what PlayStation 4 and the next Xbox will be. Right now, there seems to be a subtle role reversal happening; Microsoft’s stricter, more complex box aspires to be the complete entertainment superhub PS3 was once designed to be. Sony’s PlayStation 4 is more PC-like and developer-friendly, as Xbox once was.

What hasn’t changed is the logistical challenge of launching a home console. We understand that PS4 will reach the US and Japan by the end of this year, with European territories to follow after Christmas, just as PS3 did. What Microsoft might stand to lose in halting the second-hand market, it could gain if it manages to launch its new console globally before PS4.

Source


There's no way Microsoft is doing this without Sony doing it too.

[John25]

Source


There's no way Microsoft is doing this without Sony doing it too.

Off course & if they go that route then my next gen console will just be a beefed up Graphics card as I will be a full time PC gamer

[Two4DaMoney]

Source


There's no way Microsoft is doing this without Sony doing it too.

gamestop may just decide not to carry anything related to xbox720. MS are really dumb if they do this without sony.

[ps3freak18]

If this rumor is true 720 is a no go for me. I hate always online and always will. If you lose connection or servers go down you can't play. Not a smart idea. I guess we will have to see how this shapes out. I was waiting on something to come out about this for either consoles because we heard so much about it months back and it just fell off. MS better think twice about this because I believe they will lose a lot of support if they do this.

Although I honestly don't see MS being this blind. Hopefully this turns out to be nothing but a rumor and is false.

[claud3]

wait i am not sold on this idea if true

[Typical guy]

GREAT NEWS! That means we can all save hundreds of dollars on hardware since the current gen will last another 5 years!

[LfCpS3]

gamestop may just decide not to carry anything related to xbox720. MS are really dumb if they do this without sony.

Imagine walking into a GAME shop ( or gamestop) and seeing nothing but WIIU/Nintendo and ps4/PLAYSTATION products.. could be a massive blow to MS ( but like i said earlier if MS do this then i would put my money of SONY also doing it, if SONY don't do this AND still get the support from third parties then i think it could be even worse for XBOX, then again you never know)

[Typical guy]

Imagine walking into a GAME shop ( or gamestop) and seeing nothing but WIIU/Nintendo and ps4/PLAYSTATION products.. could be a massive blow to MS ( but like i said earlier if MS do this then i would put my money of SONY also doing it, if SONY don't do this AND still get the support from third parties then i think it could be even worse for XBOX, then again you never know)

If Sony doesn't announce they're doing it on the 20th then MS won't do it. If Sony announced they're doing it then MS will follow suit.

[playstationfreak91]

if true playstation 4 will destory xbox720

[Sub-stance1]

if true playstation 4 will destory xbox720

If true xbox720 will destroy xbox720.

[XSpike]

I say false, I doubt the 360 will use such an underpowered processor, sure its 8 core but an 8core at 2.6-3.0ghz would be much better. Unless its super efficient - like not missing any cycles or whatever..

I also doubt that MS will make the next xbox always online, still plenty of people who like to take their consoles with them or just doesn't always have the net. It would just be cutting off so many potential buyers

[radgamer420]

I believe the underpowered hardware rumors if its true that Kinect 2.0 is built in or comes with every Xbox. Otherwise they would never be able to sell it at a competitive price. Especially in light of this. http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/6/396...shimbun-report

[Sufi]

I'm still game if Sony does this. Let's hope they keep the prices like Steam too though.

[LfCpS3]

I'm still game if Sony does this. Let's hope they keep the prices like Steam too though.

I do find it annoying, but if they can offer cheaper and more competitive prices (steam) with more sales and stuff i personally would be ok and be able to get over it.

Make sure I can play games offline!!!!!!!!

[mynd]

a download-first, one profile, one purchase, one storefront system.

If the profile thing is the case Ill be gone burger. If I buy a game i want my son to be able to play it in his profile as well.
Always on and 2nd hand, dont care.


I have read this story before like last year though, I even remeber reading the stupid commend about HD-DVD.