Unstoppable Rumor Mill: Microsoft Backing Away from Its “Always-Online” Strategy
Truth be told, I’m starting to get burned out on all this Next-Box rumor mongering. The internet may eat this shit up like free ice cream cake, especially Microsoft’s many detractors looking to preemptively label the company’s go at the next-gen a complete failure before it even comes out, but until exact details fall straight from the horse’s mouth — or, better yet, the console releases, you buy it, play it, and deem it suck-worthy for yourself — it’s all just meaningless, speculative prattle.
But, goddamnit, just when I think I’m out, those damn rumors pull me back in. Today’s morsel is a juicy one, though, because word strongly suggests that Microsoft itself has done the leaking in a swiftly orchestrated attempt to put out the fires of discontent sparked by both the news their next Xbox could be an always-online platform, barring use without a steady internet connection, and then the controversial comments a Microsoft Studios employee made telling dissenters to “deal with it.”
Here’s the thick of it: according to a Games Thirst source, Microsoft really was planning to release an “always-online” successor to the Xbox (codenamed “Durango”). This device was also intended to block the usage of used games, another oft rumored indictment. “Microsoft’s original intent was to be the Apple of the games industry by forcing the digital revolution upon it,” reports GT’s sources, “Just like Apple did with the music industry, when it started selling single songs for $.99.”
A bold play, yes, but if Microsoft followed through, and the public hypothetically went along with it, the Durango would’ve been ground zero for anti-used, always-on practices that could have gone on to be industry standards. Like Apple was to music, Microsoft wanted to be an industry-wide trendsetter. New information, however, — that juicy rumor I mentioned — made its way ‘round the net today and seems to indicate Microsoft has dropped these plans.
The revised “Xbox Roadmap” accounts for two separate units; one being the next-gen Durango (or “Next-Box” if you’re cool; “Xbox 720” if you’re not) and the other a drive-less remodel of the Xbox 360 that, when attached to the Durango, allows for backwards compatibility. This “Xbox Mini,” through XBLA and app support, is positioned to compete with Apple TV. Meanwhile, the Durango is no more “always-on” than the current slew of systems on the market, which means games can be played offline and nothing bars used titles. Plus, isolating 360 compatibility to a peripheral can allow the console’s price to stay competitive (competitive doesn’t equal “cheap” but it’s better than “absurd”).
Well, hell, that all sounds a sight better than “deal with it.” Microsoft was ready to drop the hammer; ready to make the future now. In a not-so-friendly to the consumer sort of way, but let’s chalk that up to “growing pains.” So, what happened? What changed the mighty M’s stance on “always-online”? Why, you did. We did. People like me writing about it, you reading it, and then us hating it together.
“Top executives saw the backlash and the bad press Durango was receiving, and held meetings to change that,” says the Games Thirst source. “These new rumors are not happenstance.” Imagine that. The internet can be a wonderful place time to time.
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Unstoppable Rumor Mill: Next Xbox Pricing and Reveal Date Leaked
After pushing their plans for a late April reveal, multiple sources are now claiming Microsoft will finally unveil their next-gen, Windows 8 running successor to the Xbox 360 on May 21st.
Veteran blogger and Microsoft watchdog, Paul Thurrott, announced the news on a recent video, but failed to mention his source. Shortly after, though, The Verge went and legitimatized his claim by confirming the May date as the world’s first look at what is now simply being referred to as “Xbox” (either it’s called that or I’m accidentally reporting news from 2001).
Kindly Mr. Thurrott had more to leak regarding the next-gen system, including a $500 price point that, while being on par with the costs of modern tech, still scores a cringe out of me. As I suspected might come to pass, he also outs a $300 bundle that would follow a subscription model similar to the one introduced with Xbox 360’s last year.
Keeping the “always online” hubbub in mind – along with the ensuing PR disaster – Thurrott could only point to older design documents stating an internet connection was required to use the console. Microsoft has refused to confirm or deny the feature, which is condemnation enough until we hear otherwise.
Backwards compatibility, one of the top most requested features when consumers make the transition between old and new hardware, doesn’t seem to be on the plate for “Xbox." The company will instead debut a dirt cheap $99 Xbox 360 bundle. Also, Thurrott says a drive-less version of the new console strictly intended for App usage rather than gaming (a decision rumored way back when) was shelved by Microsoft but may see the light of day somewhere down the road. Again, Microsoft’s next device will supposedly be shown off May 21st with a full reveal, including the system’s launch lineup, likely happening at this year’s E3.
Despite having supported the Xbox 360 early on this gen (adopting a PS3 much, much later), I’m rather dubious about Microsoft in the next-generation. Sony made a strong case for the PS4 in February and their reveal has been stewing in console gamers’ heads ever since: PC-quality graphics, beastly processing power, incredibly developer friendly architecture… The "Xbox” is at a disadvantage without even having shown anything yet. Pair that up with bad publicity and Microsoft needs more than a knockout reveal; they need a precision strike.
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Always-Online an Issue for You? “Deal With It”
The kerfuffle above: Microsoft Studios’ creative director, Adam Orth, engaged in a heated Tweet-off with the next Mass Effect’s senior game designer, Manveer Heir, over an “always-online” console.
The exchange was likely sparked after another rumor hit the web today concerning the next Xbox’s keen ability to prevent the start up of games and applications if users don’t have an internet connection or suspend active ones if your connection drops. Which, despite speaking to you through the limitless wonder of the internet, sounds absolutely fucking awful. Before locking his Twitter account from public scrutiny, Mr. Orth offered up some…colorful analogies clearly illustrating that our disdain for always-online gaming is riddled with fallacy.
“The mobile reception in the area I live in is spotty and unreliable. I will not buy a mobile phone." I guess "switch providers” is off the table.
Here’s my fave: “Sometimes the electricity goes out. I will not purchase a vacuum cleaner." I’m getting that embroidered on a jacket, no doubt. Check out more Tweets from Orth hereabouts (thanks again, NeoGaf).
So, are Mr. Orth’s comments indicative that today’s rumor of an always-online Next-Box ring true? Ugh, probably. Microsoft’s reveal is sure to come and answers will follow; though, I have a suspicion the big M might downplay that whole game suspension business.
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Is Call of Duty: Ghosts Taking the Franchise Next-Gen?
Of all the places on the internet you could catch a leak, today’s big, ponderous rumor comes from Youtube by way of user Drift0r, a man that busies himself with uploading everything Call of Duty. Stressing (over and over) his source – supposedly someone close to development at Infinity Ward – was too legitimate not to quote, Drift0r quickly put together a video that may just out this Fall’s expected but unannounced installment of Activision’s yearly breadwinner.
Calling the game Call of Duty: Ghosts, it’s claimed this new sequel relates to the Modern Warfare universe but branches off on its own. Though Ghosts’ setting is the future, much like Black Ops II, a major plot device makes it so players have to use archaic – or “modern” – weaponry instead of arsenals augmented with x-ray sights and other attachments twelve-year-old’s use to piss me off online.
Changes to gameplay touched on involve increased mobility including the ability to “slide and shoot” instead of simply diving to prone as well as players being able to peek around corners. Apparently rolling while prone is also being implemented (I can only envision players rolling around on the ground like they’re being wrapped up in invisible carpets – hilarious to watch and shoot at).
Destructible environments are also being toyed with. The feature doesn’t sound locked down yet – single-player might see more breakable geometry than multiplayer – but one example given was a killstreak chopper caving in a building after being shot out of the sky. Loading times, oddly but awesomely enough, are said to be replaced by “mini-games” that have players breaching or repelling onto a map instead of simply watching a countdown before a match. Modern Warfare’s Spec Ops mode is also seeing the boot, usurped by a “new mode.”
The video’s uploader posits we may see an official announcement of Ghosts on or around May 1st, going on to report that the title might be a next-gen exclusive, gracing the PC, PS4, and “NeXt-Box” and not the current slew of established consoles what with their installed user base of millions (extremely far-fetched and yet…an insidiously great ploy to get people to buy up the new consoles). That last bit falls in line with rumoring ‘round the net that Infinity Ward was developing an unnamed title on next-gen hardware.
Until we hear otherwise, though, chase the entirety of this rumor down with a helping of salt. Then swallow the shaker. Grab pepper. Repeat.
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Dead Space Ain’t Dead
We’re prone to our fair share of rumor mongering here on the Herb – ahem, I mean journalism – but today I’m doing my part to squash one like a writhing necromorph gnawing on your rig…for now, anyway.
The rumor in contention being one nasty bit of bad business involving the premature cancellation of Dead Space 4. An anonymous source claiming to be close to the project tugged on VideoGamer.com’s ear a few days back, purporting the horror sequel was already in pre-production at Visceral with their Montreal branch assigned to prototyping the game as well as bouncing narrative ideas HQ’s way.
However, the source alleges the corporate axe came down after the recently released Dead Space 3 failed to meet sales expectations [As of this writing, exact figures have not been released by EA]. Dead Space 4 was cancelled and EA’s company-wide restructuring forced Visceral Montreal’s doors closed. Indirectly, the cancellation would mean the entire franchise is put on hold.
That’s all pretty goddamn plausible. A while back, EA honcho Frank Gibeau did spout some business jargon about Dead Space needing to push around five million units to stay afloat as a franchise. Plus, the closure of Visceral’s Montreal studio left quite a few unhappy campers jobless, so it’s not unlikely we’d hear a few jilted tipsters tossing company secrets around to any news junket that likes its shit stirred.
Something suspect is happening behind the scenes, for sure, but I’ll leave you with the official, more hopeful, byline sent Kotaku’s way: According to a spokesperson, the company is proud of Dead Space 3 and the series “remains an important IP for EA,” going the extra mile to call the rumor “patently false.”
Though EA’s corporate meddling has defaced Dead Space into a more widely palatable, money-making machine (microtransactions are evil; but this is fucking vile), Visceral’s trilogy still owns the distinction of being the most prevalent and critically successful survival horror series this generation. It’d be a gaming crime if Visceral couldn’t compete for that mantel in the next-gen.
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