Rumor: Next Xbox Always Online and No Used Games
This is probably complete nonsense, but Edge supposedly has insider information about the next Xbox: most interestingly that all games will have a single use code to activate, which means no used games and possibly no gaming whilst offline.
The same report claims that the earlier rumored specs are now confirmed as an AMD eight-core x64 1.6GHz CPU, a D3D11.x 800MHz graphics solution and 8GB of DDR3 RAM. Currently no word on the size of the harddrive included in the Xbox 720 or Durango, but the “inside source” claims it will be the biggest they’ve ever put inside a console.
In addition it appears that the games will be loaded onto 50GB capacity Blu-Ray discs and the machine itself will presumably play Blu-Ray movies. These same inside sources are claiming that developers are telling them that the new PlayStation is far easier to squeeze power out with a far less draconian operating system.
The only thing in the article you can take to the bank is that the new Xbox will include a upgraded Kinect. With as much money as Xbox has already sunk into this thing it’s almost a no-brainer that they intend to include it in their latest system.
The reason I seriously doubt that any of this will come to pass, besides the Kinect part, is Microsoft would essentially be pushing themselves completely out of the console market. If Sony comes out with a PlayStation model that doesn’t implement these sorts of restrictions it’ll automatically become the go to console of this next generation. It won’t matter if you can only get Halo on Xbox, gamers will migrate in flocks to escape these kinds of insane business decisions.
What do you think? Real, fake? Completely stupid?
Charles Kheng
February 6, 2013 @ 8:12 pm
I think this could be a possibility. This is already taking place for PC gaming, no reason it can’t be done for consoles.
Is it anti-consumer? Very much so.
Do the developers care? Hell no.
2nd game sales is a very real reality which developers cannot overcome for the consoles. However, it this really is true, brick-and-motar game stores might be a thing of the past.
Let’s not forget that Sony did patent a new tech which could block 2nd hand game sales.
Everyone is hell bent on them not doing it that they refuse to believe that it could be a possibility.
If Microsoft and Sony is able to develop their various networks to support a robust online store for their various system, you can bet that they will do it.
Daniel Flatt
February 7, 2013 @ 10:46 am
Oh don’t get me wrong, I know the companies don’t care. However, both Sony and Microsoft would have to come out with this sort of thing in order for one not to completely obliterate the other in sales.
Some people say GameStop would never let them do it, but I think it’s the other way around. If the two biggest console makers stopped doing used games it would shut GameStop down. So I have no doubts that the companies would do it, I just think it’s incredibly stupid and not consumer friendly.
Like I said, if Microsoft did it and Sony didn’t it would be pretty much done for them.
Michael Foy
February 7, 2013 @ 4:46 am
This is…. just so stupid….
bleachorange
February 9, 2013 @ 4:18 pm
If they both came out with it, Nintendo would rule the world again.
Daniel Flatt
February 9, 2013 @ 4:58 pm
Agreed. If the two consoles are extremely restrictive and expensive, regardless of any graphical upgrades, we could see an upset with Nintendo