“Always on” Xbox Next Rumor Bogus

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“Always on” Xbox Next Rumor Bogus

An email sent to all Microsoft employees working on the new Xbox suggest that the ‘always on’ next Xbox will not be happening. The email was obtained by Ars Technica and the email contained the following:

“Durango is designed to deliver the future of entertainment while engineered to be tolerant of today’s Internet. There are a number of scenarios that our users expect to work without an Internet connection, and those should ‘just work’ regardless of their current connection status. Those include, but are not limited to: playing a Blu-ray disc, watching live TV, and yes playing a single player game.”

Rumors surfaced around a month ago of the Xbox needing an online connection in order to play games, watch movies and use applications. This email however, clarifies that this is not the case, if true that is. For most Xbox users, this will come as a pleasant surprise as many had bought the ‘always on’ rumor and was certain it would be a feature of the new Xbox. Although nothing has been announced and with little evidence for both rumors, I’m sure most fans will be backing this rumor 100%.

XBoxLiveLogo

Something I can finally get behind, if the rumors are true…

The email also shows that the Xbox will have a ‘Blu-ray’ drive, similar to the PlayStation 3 (and probably 4). Some may enjoy Blu-ray, finding it a sharper image but I personally rather have a normal DVD drive, as I have no Blu-ray discs and the extra cost of a Blu-ray disc is frustrating. Along with the possibility of a Blu-ray drive, the email also shows that the Xbox may function like a TV. The idea of watching live TV on the Xbox is superb. Although the Xbox had some app’s that let you watch TV, none were live. If this feature is implemented and free (disregarding Xbox Live Gold costs), I’m sure the new Xbox will be highly successful.

For the moment, we know nothing for certain and both the ‘always on’ and this email should be seen as a rumor rather than fact. We’ll have to wait for the official revealing on May 21st before we can seal one of these two rumors as bogus.