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[Vire]

What a fucking prick.

 

[Cronq]

So this is Bomb #1

When do they drop Bomb #2?

And how do we know the PS4 won't incorporate the same requirements?

 

[toddhunter]

I say it in every thread. The problem isn't so much a required internet connection, it is the fact that this model requires that a server is sitting and responding on the other end.

Always being online doesn't help you play games when there is nothing left to connect to.

 

[Mihael Mello Keehl]

I don't get the big deal. My PS3's been online since day one.

Samething. My 360 is online 24/7 but we arent the only people buying consoles, so this is truly fucked up for people who dont even care for online or having the experience of community and just want to play a game let alone the people who cant even afford it or XBLGold for that matter.

 

[Dave Meltzer]

What? Who wouldn't want a server list? I mean Matchmaking is nice and all but lists are amazing.

I'm talking Diablo 3/Sim City style always connected to a server for single player shit.

 

[Gorillaz]

I had a job aaaaand it's gone

/dead

 

[USC-fan]

OP, include these earlier tweets, too:

Wow that guy works at bioware!!! OMG....

 

[Metroidvania]

All of those things are nice options if you are connected, but I don't see how any of those optional features are enough to require a constant connection. It has to be an essential, core, permeating functionality that would necessitate it. I don't know what that could possibly be.

Yeah, I dunno, I could never come up with a satisfactory argument for that either.

MS apparently thinks they have one, though, so we'll have to wait and see how they try to spin it.

Even if this is the case, I have this horrible feeling that there will be mountains of outrage, and huffing and puffing, and then a ton for the generation set by a sold out launch. "Vocal minority can shove it, the market has spoken, etc." Even if it's a device that alienates a whole bunch of people, the overwhelming majority of people in North America today live in urban areas with excellent connectivity. The biggest single chunk of their userbase will want to play FIFA and COD with friends online, or watch Netflix. It is probably more in their interests to better exploit this majority of their audience than it is to try to cater to those poor sods living out there in the boonies with dial-up internet and power outs, or the hardcore 'activist' gamer that frequents a community like this one.

I would agree, but there have been times where XBL has been down for more than a few hours. Imagine if instead of being only able to play offline, you couldn't play for a day or two.

There'd be huge outcries from every direction. People can deal with a multiplayer service going offline for a day or w/e or have the servers go down on a certain game, but not on the scale of the console itself working just fine, but not 'allowing' you to play due to no fault of your own.

 

[Minions]

I hope some websites start running this story. I want to see the "Microsoft rebuttal"

 

[Gordon0Freeman]

Just know Microsoft, I will be buying your systematic launch. But I will also be buying a PS4.

 

[metalslimer]

It's no wonder MS seems hell bent on denying durango's existence. The closer to release they can go without the scrutiny the better off they will be

 

[onQ123]

The Next Xbox isn't really a console it's a multimedia box & might be sold as a service that you will never truly own.

 

[border]

Wow. I never believed Microsoft would be stupid enough to actually require online connection for all games.

Until now.

It's pretty shocking how flip and dismissive their employee is too. "Oh ha-ha! Why would I want to live in your rural craphole?!"

 

[Chie Satonaka]

I love the #dealwithit hashtag.

Someone should respond with "I will!", and #votewithyourwallet

This seems like a pretty big mistake, but after SimCity and Diablo 3, I won't be surprised if the new Xbox wins this gen handily.

 

[BlackJace]

 

[Daingurse]

I'll buy a Wii U before I buy Microsoft's next Shitbox.

At this rate I guess I will as well. Hell it surprises even myself to say those words aloud. Hurry up with the games Nintendo, MS fucked up big.

 

[Takao]

You know you fucked up when you're arguing against an EA employee's anti-online requirement. I can't believe they're doing this. Will the 360's successor only be released in North America?

 

[eshwaaz]

A vacuum cleaner requires electricity to function.

A cell phone requires mobile reception to function.

Single player video games do not require an online connection to function.

The end.

 

[Willkiller]

Sony can have an incredible marketing campaign if they attack Microsoft on this.

 

[Valkyria]

OP, include these earlier tweets, too:

It's like fuck you for living in those god forsaken places, suckers. Hahahahaha, oh boy.

¡Olé sus cojones.!

 

[Fantastical]

Comparing electricity to the reliability of internet connections.

No.

 

[Red Blaster]

He pretty much confirmed it and it also looks like EA/Bioware is in Microsoft's pocket.

bioware guy was taking issue with his stance

 

[Goro Majima]

Seems like tech companies have a larger appetite for this sort of nonsense. I know I would never dare speak on behalf of my company via Twitter. Not even with stupid analogies. The benefits are nil and the drawbacks could be huge.

It really is amazing. I'm not even sure if it's wise to put your company on Facebook much less whatever this guy is doing.

 

[Raven77]

What most people who are "OKAY" with this fail to realize is that you will NOT be OKAY with this when you get home at 12:30 with Halo 5 and you CANT PLAY OFFLINE cause the servers are toast.

Repeat that 10x over the next five years for every major release and trust me, YOU WILL CARE.

 

[somesang]

What does a vacuum cleaner and always-online have in common?

Spoiler

They both suck.

I'll see myself out.

 

[Toppot]

Steam has offline mode. As long as your games are up to date you can play them single player. Used it a lot when my connection was unreliable or I'm at my grandparents.

I can play my games offline on Steam. A claim came out just today that you have a three minute offline period before playing a title causes it to troubleshoot the connection.

Forgive me if I'm wrong or things have changed, but you have to be online to go into offline mode? Like you have to know you are going to lose internet soon and put Steam in offline mode. If the internet suddenly stops working you are screwed with Steam, no?

 

[Jarmel]

I wonder if Manveer actually might get in trouble for this. Bioware is a part of EA and if EA pushed for this change, it would reflect bad on them for a relatively moderate level employee of theirs to insult their own strategy.

 

[Wickerbasket]

Well shit, 360 was my primary console this gen.

Guess I'm going with Sony next gen.

 

[DaBoss]

So this is Bomb #1

When do they drop Bomb #2?

And how do we know the PS4 won't incorporate the same requirements?

When he says this:
"Used game market hurts the industry so much that there is no point in it. It should be gone. Thankfully, MS has the right idea with the best of interest in developers and publishers."

 

[Schnei871]

Lol not buying an nextbox

 

[ReturnOfTheRAT]

A. He's doing it wrong, B. Why feed into the negativity surrounding this console? This is one awkward ruse if they will not be doing a network connection is required OS.

 

[Baconsammy]

Same company that charges for p2p gameplay online will get people to buy an always online console.

They got people to do that because they offered a much better product than the competition. They won't get away with it again if they don't.

 

[Y2Kev]

Maybe they're just grooming people to expect the worst so they can announce a completely underwhelming console by normal standards and everyone will react like it's some massive shocking surprise since they were expecting all of this bullshit.

I am imagining the Derrick post now!

"What a piece of shit. I am not impressed."

 

[Duffyside]

"Honestly, the fact that nobody could use The New Xbox for a week after every major game launch was merely proof that we underestimated the demand for new exciting gaming experiences."

This is sooo dumb, EmCee. Every console is going to work flawlessly: MS is going to build a support structure for 10 million consoles estimated to be sold within a year, and only sell a tenth of that.

 

[J10]

Will always online really affect many people?
Both my Xbox and ps3 don't know what it feels like to be without Internet.

Envision a gaming scenario where you have a console, a game, electricity, and internet access. Now imagine that taking the internet out of the equation renders the other three components useless.

This is soooooooooooo stupid.

 

[travisbickle]

Looks like internally Microsoft spent the last three years convincing each other consumers want an "always online experience". Unfortunately 6 months of negativity online to rumours of such has finally made some within Microsoft snap!!

 

[Slayer-33]

What does a vacuum cleaner and always-online have in common?

Spoiler

They both suck.

I'll see myself out.

8.6/10

lol

 

[x-Lundz-x]

Nothing is confirmed, let's put away the jump to conclusions mat until they confirm it.

Site after site saying its true and now this? What more do you need?

Yes yes I know the reveal has not happened but you can bank on it at this point.

 

[SenjutsuSage]

I don't have an issue with his defending always online, but to do so in such a hamfisted and, dare I say, insulting manner, is probably not a good idea.

 

[BY2K]

Maybe they're just grooming people to expect the worst so they can announce a completely underwhelming console by normal standards and everyone will react like it's some massive shocking surprise since they were expecting all of this bullshit.

So instead of always-online, it will be CD Keys?

EDIT: Wait, I'm not actually sure if that's better...

 

[schuelma]

You know you fucked up when you're arguing against an EA employee's anti-online requirement. I can't believe they're doing this. Will the 360's successor only be released in North America?

Sony has a real nice opportunity here if they can get the price right.

 

[-tetsuo-]

I can play my games offline on Steam.

A console is not a PC. I have multiple xbox 360s here at my arcade and none of them are online. They are only used for fighting games.

 

[Sorral]

Almost as good as getting a second job for PS3.

lol I think it is worse. A second job could be temporary and you do get the extra pay/things get cheaper, etc(Still stupid to be expected from people). But moving to a different city for reliable internet?

Come on. Get out with that crap.
I have a friend who lives in an area with unreliable internet and I sure as hell can tell you he won't like reading what this guy said. At all.

I really do wonder what they have in store next.

 

[blindrocket]

Wow, this guy is doing some major harm.

 

[BraXzy]

I know that for some people, a stable super fast fibre optic connection is the norm and the idea of not being connected to the internet seems dumb and this idea would be fine and dandy. But until recently I had a connection that dropped randomly for no reason, and would take multiple random resets to work.

Until it is commonplace for everyone to have good reliable internet it is just a stupid idea. My little brother plays on my old xbox without an internet connection, what would he do? I know they can go the Sim-City route of "The who ecosystem is built around the connections in your veinzz" but current gen is existing proof that isn't a requirement, and DRM reasons are dumb because people find a way.

If this turns out to be true and it is a mess up I'm jumping ship for the first time in the home console department.

 

[Sophia]

For what its worth, steam offline mode is real piece of shit.

It has it's issues, but it works at least. =P

A console is not a PC. I have multiple xbox 360s here at my arcade and none of them are online. They are only used for fighting games.

He's saying exactly what you're saying, re-read what he said.

 

[~Kinggi~]

What does a vacuum cleaner and always-online have in common?

Spoiler

They both suck.

I'll see myself out.

yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeahhhhh!!!!!

 

[Sky Chief]

A vacuum cleaner requires electricity to function.

A cell phone requires mobile reception to function.

Single player video games do not require an online connection to function.

The end.

Actually, you can play games on a cell phone even when you have no reception!

 

[GravityMan]

It is likely that this creative director will be terminated from his job very, very soon. This fool let his emotions get the best of him and that will probably come back to bite him. Most companies tend to act swiftly and decisively in handling such incidents. Usually by getting rid of the person.

 

[Raging Spaniard]

Fucking idiot, horrible analogy and horrible way to represent your company.

The primary use of a vacuum is entirely dependent upon having electricity. The primary use of a console should NOT be dependent upon having internet.

Fucking stupid.