PR issues with incoming Microsoft console, or we're just not rich/urban enough for it

[Aldurin]

So everyone is aware that Microsoft is working on their counter for the PS4, since after releasing Windows 8 it's clear they need to find something that they're good at. Apparently one of their directors (who somehow isn't in the Retarded Developer Quarantines of EA or Gearbox) was mistakenly allowed to talk about a potential feature of it on twitter.

The NeoGAF thread, which contains a lot of documentation in the OP. (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=534951)

Also the Kotaku article in case you get off on that. (http://kotaku.com/microsoft-creative-director-doesnt-get-the-drama-aro-)

Short version, Adam "Sweet Billy" Orth, Microsoft's Creative Director, started arguing in favor of always-online devices on Twitter. This resulted in very good counter-arguments (not everyone is rich with a good location, internet provider and modem) cropping up, he ends up responding in a manner that conveys "stop being a poor dick and stop living in the past", with his analogies showing that he considers electricity and optimal internet access to be equally accessible commodities. This obviously pisses off everyone as everyone either has sub-par internet or knows someone that does. It gets especially interesting when he argues with Manveer, a Bioware Dev. Another Microsoft dev hints that the new console will have this always-on feature.

Here's the fun part, his Dick Resume comes up, affirming the fact that he's an unrelenting dick with both personal posts and former associates accounts of his behavior. The Chief of Staff at Microsoft says "I don't actually know who he is." despite everyone already knowing that Orth is in an executive position in Microsoft at this point. Eventually an official statement comes out from Microsoft saying that Orth isn't a spokesperson and thus his opinions do not represent the company (he is in management so that's not entirely true), but at this point the damage is already done.

Now this should be taken with some salt, as we don't know for sure that the new console will have always-on restrictions (with any hope this shitstorm actually killed that design concept), but there is a pretty large trail of wreckage left behind by Microsoft with a few other sources lying around for good measure.

Regardless of whether it's actually as it seems, I'm far less confident in Microsoft than I was before, and I don't have any real hopes for their new console breaking past mediocre unless they find something to really pull through (the Halo franchise has run out of steam so they'll need to actually work for allure now).

So how do you guys feel about Microsoft allowing elitist dicks to have that much influence on their products that are supposed to be accessible for everyone? Placing your preorder for the Microsoft Xbox Durango 720p Xtreme already? Sacrificing your Windows 7 disc to eldritch horrors so that you get some value back out of it as you completely abandon Microsoft? Just want to keep watching Spoonicorn troll Xbox Live Support's twitter team, ignoring this disaster for now (I can't blame you)?

[greed]

So how do you guys feel about Microsoft allowing elitist dicks to have that much influence on their products that are supposed to be accessible for everyone?


Dude it's a $700 piece of electronics. That shit has never been accessible to everyone.

Now if always online is true then yeah no Xbox 4 for me as living in Australia constant stable internet is an impossibility.

[synkr0nized]

When my 360 is on, it's connected to the Internet. So I guess in the long run if I was to get their next console I wouldn't really see much of a difference, though personally I'd prefer it not to be forced on me.


E:
Regardless, that asshat should be fired. I've seen some pretty amusing image macros made as a result of this, but that hardly outweighs being an asshole towards demographics other than your own.
You would think someone in any IT and IT-related field would understand how easy these kinds of things propagate across the Internet and how outrageously stupid it is to mouth off any kind of opinion, let alone such a bad one, while serving as a face for a large corporation.

[Kyanbu The Legend]

Well Gen 8 sure is off to an interesting start.

Sony makes the PS4 easy to code for but is shoe horning in social functions. Nintendo's plan to let the 3rd party devs have the spot light on WiiU for a while has backfired with titles leaving the console left and right with their 1st party support not kicking in till 3Q/4Q 2013. And now MS is having PR problems and may be releasiing a console that will be virtually useless in the hands of 30% of the US X-Box gaming population (stable online isn't as common as Adam thinks).

[Grandmaster_Skweeb]

Microsoft issued an apology, weak as it is (http://www.destructoid.com/microsoft-apologizes-for-deal-with-it-statements-250914.phtml)

But yeah, PR damage is done. Great way to turn this in their favor would be to come clean and remove always on DRM in the console's early stage. But between requiring kinect for using the console and always on DRM I don't see this faring too well at all.

If Sony was smart they'd really hone in on this like vultures and earn some of their lost cred back.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

Just these last few days I've been deliberately disconnecting my internet on my ps3 whilst I've been playing, because I don't want the hassle of being nagged by my online friends in another game I'm playing (and recently neglecting).

So no, things are not always online at all, and nor should they be. Just because a lot of things in this world are online most of the time doesn't mean all things should be 100% of the time. Whatever happened to giving us the option?

[Amake]

If they want us to keep buying consoles, putting in things that make them different from personal computers should be the obvious route. Pulling out things like offline functionality seems kind of like the exact opposite.

Can someone tell me why I need a second machine to use up my bandwidth and tell me I have no new messages in order to - if the quality of the current generation games is any indication - possibly play as many as five games over the next ten years?

[Aerozord]

At this rate it seems Nintendo might do best after all. Wii U isn't a huge step forward but its not a step backwards.

For the record I dont think this guys position actually allows him to make choices like that. But I dont know microsofts hierarchy. They do need to keep a tighter leash on these guys though.

I'm sure someday this kind of thing will be welcomed but we are still atleast a good decade from Ubiquitous internet. And note when we do have ubiquitous internet it will be low bandwidth wi-fi so things like constantly keeping updated on social media is possible. In the foreseeable future the bandwidth for gaming will never become ubiquitous

[Ryong]

At this rate it seems Nintendo might do best after all. Wii U isn't a huge step forward but its not a step backwards.

I'd say PC is the best choice, but hey that's just me.

[Grandmaster_Skweeb]

amusingly enough there has been quite a migration back to gaming PC's this last year. Hell, valve's business growth alone increased about 50% in said year.

As for the wii-u, ive been also seeing a lot of comments from various forums about going wii-u & PC. i have a wii-u myself and love it. sure the selection of gsmes isnt huge right now but ipretty much only play monster hunter on it for the time being. when the next Mario 64-esque game hits ima be all over it.

but yeah, the wii-u is in a comfortable spot of 'not a hindrance' with the connectivity thing.

[Azisien]

Microsoft, Sony, they're both so huge that they can afford to release terrible consoles and still keep doing it for a while. They are the real world implementation of Shit Ass Pet Fuckers. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=X_XiA4U_XsE#t=67s) That's the saddest part about this. A big shitstorm happens about always-online, and they'll just make their console always-online anyway and have better PR about it (but in backrooms just be like deal with it, nerds). And we probably will, and if not, they're still Shit Ass Pet Fuckers, with a loyal army of defenders with warped empathy that can't envision another human being having a different life circumstance than their steady, 50Mbps connection that hasn't gone down in 9 years or penchant for BLOPS II online.

[Marc v4.0]

Yeah, honestly, my Xbox is NEVER offline anymore unless something is wrong. I watch Netflix through it and even when I'm playing single player games I use the party system to shoot the shit with my friends out of state or my sister.

For me to stand up behind the "I don't want to be forced to be online!" banner would be completely dishonest of me because I've never had a single reason to set the console offline from the very first day I was able to actually hook it up to a connection. If I don't want friends bugging me for whatever very strange reason, there's an 'appear offline' option I can toggle.

Yeah, it sucks for people with unstable connections or who don't have the proper connections, but I assume they have weighed those potential buyers and found the monetary impact to be insignificant enough to push forward. It's not like they don't have people devoted to just doing research and analysis for these very things and are just flying blind.

[Aerozord]

I can see logic there, those without internet connections probably have different gaming preferences. For example Xbox live is the only reason I occasionally preference it over another console. I usually get a game for whatever system I can find it for. Maybe they realized their online service is their biggest competitive advantage and are just running with it

[Krylo]

Yeah, honestly, my Xbox is NEVER offline anymore unless something is wrong. I watch Netflix through it and even when I'm playing single player games I use the party system to shoot the shit with my friends out of state or my sister.

For me to stand up behind the "I don't want to be forced to be online!" banner would be completely dishonest of me because I've never had a single reason to set the console offline from the very first day I was able to actually hook it up to a connection. If I don't want friends bugging me for whatever very strange reason, there's an 'appear offline' option I can toggle.

Yeah, it sucks for people with unstable connections or who don't have the proper connections, but I assume they have weighed those potential buyers and found the monetary impact to be insignificant enough to push forward. It's not like they don't have people devoted to just doing research and analysis for these very things and are just flying blind.
I basically keep my systems online all the time too, but every once in awhile when the internet goes out for a few hours and Steam is out of the picture because Steam requires you to set offline before you're actually offline, which is duuuumb. . . but ANYWAY

Point is, consoles need to work when they're offline or they're completely useless to me, even if I don't often disconnect them on purpose.

[Marc v4.0]

The way I've been hearing it is that the 'always-on' is much more like Steam than EA. It needs to call in and verify your game or whatever to your account, but that a disconnection from the internet won't make the system completely useless.

The 360 already uses a local and server licence system to verify your game content for re-download and for use on the system when offline/using the profile on another Xbox. Everything I've heard, again it's all just semi-speculation until we get specific details on how it works, seems to paint it like a mutation of that.

[Bard The 5th LW]

The connection on my xbox shits up all the time, and I don't really see any practical REASON to leave it on always? Like, if the player wants to, that's their choice, but why force it?

Will just move to a faster PC before I shell out a lot for an always online console.

[CABAL49]

I have shit internet. I've had to try and fix it two times just to read this thread.

[Marc v4.0]

Look, you guys just clearly aren't in the target Demo of rabid Call of Duplicate Modern Rehash players who HAVE TO HAVE THIS CONSOLE SO THEY CAN PLAY THE NEW RECOLORING OF THE SAME GAME YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND -racial/sexual slur-.

[CABAL49]

I resent the fact that my phone is now known as a dumbphone. I pay $10 a month though. So who wins?

[Magus]

My PS3 has always been off by default, takes about two seconds to connect and it always pops up a little window with my login stuff to do so if needed. I don't need to be "always-on" to use the thing.

Of course, I didn't get a PS3 until a year and a half ago so I'm not in the market for a PS4 OR an XBox720OrbisThingy

[Krylo]

The way I've been hearing it is that the 'always-on' is much more like Steam than EA. It needs to call in and verify your game or whatever to your account, but that a disconnection from the internet won't make the system completely useless.

No, see, this literally makes it useless to me.

There's two times I use consoles:

1: When my internet is already down and I can't do anything online, including playing Steam games (unless I happened to remember to set Steam offline after my last purchase or upgrade or whatever).

In such cases, a console that has to verify my game before I can play it, is just no console at all. It's as dead in the water as my computer.

2: I just got a new console exclusive game.

. . . So, uh, that's. . . I think 5 games over the 360's life time. Actually, no, only 3, that I actually got (Eternal Sonata, Lost Odyssey, ME1--which was only exclusive for awhile, and then I got ME2, just for my ME1 characters, and then was like no fuck you at ME3 so). I bought a number more PS3 games, both exclusive and non, however, GoWs, Uncharteds, Heavenly Sword, etc. but even then I haven't played a new console game in moooooonths--last was Dragon's Dogma)


Meanwhile, the PS4 not requiring always on, and working to win over more third party support with better dev kits and stuff.

Welp.

Though, I'm pretty lukewarm on any next-gen consoles. Nintendo Consoles have failed to deliver games that I've wanted to play (other than LoZ, and even the last few installments of that have been lackluster, to say the least) for two gens in a row, and I'm not super excited for the upgrade in processing power this generation--I really don't think games are going to look THAT MUCH better than they do already.

That said, the PS4 does have some announced features that I'm looking forward to, like larger amounts of RAM that should significantly reduce loading times, and background update downloading so I don't ever put in a game, sit down to play it and have the console be like "WOAH THERE HOLD ON JUST LET ME DOWNLOAD SHIT FOR A HALF HOUR" like it does literally every time I try to play a 360 or PS3 game.

Basically, the PS4 seems to be offering a lot of stuff that I, as a consumer, will enjoy as quality of life things, but I doubt it will really be as much a change to what games can do and look like as any other console generation before it.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has assholes screeching like monkeys, and says things like 'we're sorry if it offended you' and doesn't counter his claims in any meaningful (or even non-meaningful) way, and--even if its hardware is EVEN BETTER than Sony's (which I find pretty doubtful, as the last few gens have shown us that Sony's strength is in hardware, being a hardware company, and Microsofts is in. . . well it was in software but then they windows 8 kinectishitted everything up so. . ???). Or, in short, Microsoft is actively doing things that I, as a consumer, do not want.

. . . And Nintendo continues to be just kinda on the periphery doing their thing that has managed to slightly entice me for two disappointing as fuck generations, and fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, fool me three times, well no fuck you I'm not buying your console again until I know damn well it'll do more than gather dust and be shitty in the corner.

So yeah, Next Gen for me is either nothing at all or PS4, as things look currently.

[Magus]

A problem tied into what you mentioned: the games should be the selling point. Console exclusives are pretty important. And nothing compelling was said about games yet for Microsoft. PS4 had no compelling games, either, but at least they said something 'bout games.

EDIT: Actually looked at that Twitter. I indeed do not really have a mobile phone because I get close to zero reception where I live. I have a Tracfone for emergencies out on the road, it only costs 80 dollars a year to maintain its service in the pay-as-you-go model.

ANOTHER EDIT: Also Dodge Durango is a dumb code name for your console.

[Krylo]

A problem tied into what you mentioned: the games should be the selling point. Console exclusives are pretty important. And nothing compelling was said about games yet for Microsoft. PS4 had no compelling games, either, but at least they said something 'bout games.

Sony has more enticing IPs, as far as I'm concerned.

Almost everything that's not Halo on the X-Box also releases on PC and/or PS.

Meanwhile, Sony hasss... actually lemme jussssst:

LIST OF CONSOLE EXCLUSIVES (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_game_exclusives_%28seventh_generatio n%29).

360 has more than I had realized but none of them seem interesting to me. PS3 has quite a few I'd like (like man I should really get 3D Dot Heroes, and the rest of the Atelier games).

But really all I'm saying is looking at the past of each console, I'd put my money on the PS4 having the better exclusives.

---------- Post added at 10:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:24 PM ----------

Speaking of Twitters (https://twitter.com/KazHiraiCEO).

[Aerozord]

Oddly enough the big factor for me are non-exclusives. There is no choice with an exclusive, you get the one associated with the console. Its when I'm given a choice that my preference shows up.

[Azisien]

LIST OF CONSOLE EXCLUSIVES (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_game_exclusives_%28seventh_generatio n%29).


Wow, 360 exclusives are fucking terrible. I mean, there's probably around a dozen games on that list that I would recommend, but almost all of them are "play it once, there's one good romp there for you." Nothing at all is "omg must have console to have this" unless you are a diehard Halo fan or something. [Enh, I guess PS3 exclusives are fairly balls too, unless you are into the jay-arr-pee-gees]. Damn, having them all on a comprehensive list like that is sort of depressing.

[Magus]

The GameStop CEO this week described the next XBOX as a “very hot” product. Maybe it will be so hot that it will overheat like the last XBOX

SICK BURN

[Krylo]

This is my favorite: Sorry, I couldn’t tweet earlier about @adam_orth (https://twitter.com/adam_orth)’s comments about the XBOX always online rumors. My internet connection was down

[tacticslion]

The last five days or so, I've had to copy pretty much any post I want to make at all, and repaste it, regardless of the boards, and continually reload whatever web page I want to work.

So... eh, to always-internet-required.

(This one three times!)

[Loyal]

So, how would you like to pay $500 for the next X-Box? (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-04-08-next-xbox-reveal-due-21st-may-costs-usd500-or-usd300-with-a-subscription-reports-suggest)

[Revising Ocelot]

As much as I wanted to pay $599 (Five Hundred And Ninety-Nine US Dollars. It's Ridge Racer!) for the PS3.

IIRC current estimates for the PS4 are $400? Long as they don't announce that the PS4 is fueled by raw babies or similar, it's a free win for Sony. Not that it affects a PC Ubermensch like myself.

[akaSM]

Named just "Xbox"

I think I'll wait for the Xbox with retina screen then.

[Revising Ocelot]

Hey hey hey, don't confuse me with Loyal. See that stunningly handsome avatar he has up there? I just can't compete.

[Aerozord]

But sony is always so slow to price drop. Even if the new xbox costs more initially it probably wont in 2-3 years

[Azisien]

$499 doesn't seem all that steep. It's a mediocre [hardware specs] but fairly future-proofed gaming device and all kinds of useful media jazz too. Well, unless you have to buy like four of them because your warranty juuuuust ran out and hey what's that ring mean-

[Aerozord]

To be fair when the red ring of death became common the warranty for the 360 was extended to like, 5 years so those that got it also got replacements.

[synkr0nized]

My Internet connection had been down all day, and when I got home from work and was making dinner, all I thought was, "Wow, fucking Microsoft wants to make this kind of evening in at home the most boring possible by forcing me to read or watch television."

[Bells]

and then there is this argument... i don't even like Jim's show that much, but here we go... dude has a point.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/jimquisition/7100-Why-An-Always-On-DRM-Console-Would-Be-Dumb-Dumb-Dumb

[Azisien]

My Internet connection had been down all day, and when I got home from work and was making dinner, all I thought was, "Wow, fucking Microsoft wants to make this kind of evening in at home the most boring possible by forcing me to read or watch television."

Hey, reading is awesome. Maybe that's the plan. Maybe Microsoft just wants you to sit down with a good book by the fire. Is that so wrong?

[akaSM]

Hey, reading is awesome. Maybe that's the plan. Maybe Microsoft just wants you to sit down with a good book by the fire. Is that so wrong?

But, I do most of my reading online D:

Which gets even better/worse when I find a TVTropes link.

[tacticslion]

Hey, reading is awesome. Maybe that's the plan. Maybe Microsoft just wants you to sit down with a good book by the fire. Is that so wrong?

I... don't have a fireplace. What are they trying to burn down my house?!

[Aerozord]

I... don't have a fireplace. What are they trying to burn down my house?!

what kind of person doesn't have a Little Inferno Entertainment Fireplace?

[Bells]

Fireplace ? PShhaa!

AC cranked to the max, under 3 Blankets. THAT'S how culture is done...

...goddamn delinquents. Thinking they can ready anyway they want...

[tacticslion]

what kind of person doesn't have a Little Inferno Entertainment Fireplace?

A Floridian.

[Flarecobra]

Or someone who lives in an apartment.

[Magus]

"oh great, i already have an "xbox", no need for me to buy this then"

To be fair, that was an XBOX. This is an Xbox. Totally different.

BTW when are they finally going to make the YBox?

[tacticslion]

Or someone who lives in an apartment.

Right. Them too.

[Arcanum]

-0TniR3Ghxc

[tacticslion]

So, what you're saying, is that you like to watch stuff burn (http://www.bladebunny.com/2013/03/27/book-12-page-13/).

I also love how it looks like your Sakka avatar (Ohohoh! See what I did there?!) is almost moving to the music.

[Kyanbu The Legend]

Well, now I have a new webcomic to check out.

[Magus]

I... don't have a fireplace. What are they trying to burn down my house?!

Maybe the XBOX overheats and provides the fire for you. Or burns your house down, as well.

[Ramary]

I am totally sure no one saw this coming at all (https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2013/04/10/2722664.aspx)

[Magus]

Someone finally took a stand against an elitist hipster? Look out, blogosphere. Your days are numbered.