Report: Xbox 360 successor can tolerate only brief Internet interruptions

[mindcycle]

we can speculate all we want but it's kind dumb that people are already jumping to conclusions about consoles and features that haven't been announced yet.

True, we don't know exactly what they'll announce. I'm just saying that if the rumors of the Xbox mini are true it's kind of a pointless device considering people already own it with less restrictions (a regular xbox360), so why would they want buy it again? Especially when it's rumored to have to always be connected in order to play games. Doesn't really make any sense to me, but yes, we'll just have to wait and see what is actually announced.

 

[Dominato3r]

If Microsoft could somehow convince cable companies to install the Xbox Mini in homes instead of a cable box, I think that could be a huge win. If that's even possible

 

[Aikouka]

True, we don't know exactly what they'll announce. I'm just saying that if the rumors of the Xbox mini are true it's kind of a pointless device considering people already own it with less restrictions (a regular xbox360), so why would they want buy it again? Especially when it's rumored to have to always be connected in order to play games. Doesn't really make any sense to me, but yes, we'll just have to wait and see what is actually announced.

As long as it works well, I'd buy one simply because it allows me to use my 360 games without having to keep two separate devices attached in my home theater setup.

 

[cmdrdredd]

As long as it works well, I'd buy one simply because it allows me to use my 360 games without having to keep two separate devices attached in my home theater setup.

And we dunno if it'll even release. So there may be a market we don't know about or don't think about. Do we even know if the next xbox will play your 360 titles? If not then the 3650 mini may actually have a market for some.

 

[geniusloci]

Game Informer is reporting that Adam Orth has split from Microsoft, and it seems likely that it was a voluntary resignation.

lol.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Game Informer is reporting that Adam Orth has split from Microsoft, and it seems likely that it was a voluntary resignation.

lol.

I saw that too. I guess he put his foot in his mouth. Even trying to make a joke, people took it seriously.

When you work for a big company it is wise to watch what you say in public. Especially about key product lines.

 

[Aikouka]

I saw that too. I guess he put his foot in his mouth. Even trying to make a joke, people took it seriously.

When you work for a big company it is wise to watch what you say in public. Especially about key product lines.

Honestly, I think it's silly that people even got worked up over it. Who gives a fuck what some random Microsoft employee says when he most likely has no say over the direction of the new console. People just have this ridiculous need to get their panties in a twist over ANYTHING. Hell, the guy supposedly deleted his LinkedIn account because he received death threats.

#kneejerk

 

[American Gunner]

Honestly, I think it's silly that people even got worked up over it. Who gives a fuck what some random Microsoft employee says when he most likely has no say over the direction of the new console. People just have this ridiculous need to get their panties in a twist over ANYTHING. Hell, the guy supposedly deleted his LinkedIn account because he received death threats.

#kneejerk

He got what he deserved. He represents his company and went out and made statements about a product that they haven't revealed yet. I completely understand why he was fired.

 

[cmdrdredd]

He got what he deserved. He represents his company and went out and made statements about a product that they haven't revealed yet. I completely understand why he was fired.

Exactly...you are the face of your company in a public setting. When you act like you don't care about potential customers it does reflect poorly back on the company.

Even if he has no say, he could have been giving us a hint. "lol next console will require internet, your vacuum requires electricity" True or no, joke or no...people had every right to say WTF.

 

[Aikouka]

He got what he deserved. He represents his company and went out and made statements about a product that they haven't revealed yet. I completely understand why he was fired.

You seriously think he deserved to lose his job because he let his OPINION be known about the matter? That he deserved death threats? He made no official statements about the Durango product, but rather that he doesn't think an always online requirement is a big deal. I'm not disputing whether always online is a big deal, but rather whether his completely worthless comments were a big deal.

Honestly, I find it really damn sickening that everyone has to be so fucking politically correct all the time. It's sad that people can't grow a pair and stop getting so damn hurt over petty, inconsequential words.

EDIT:

Who knows... maybe I'm just different than most people as I just don't care about things like that. Did he come across as a bit cold? Sure, but who cares? I know what it's like to have terrible Internet. I didn't have decent Internet (I had dial-up until I was 19) until I graduated from college, and I still wouldn't care.

 

[cmdrdredd]

You seriously think he deserved to lose his job because he let his OPINION be known about the matter? That he deserved death threats? He made no official statements about the Durango product, but rather that he doesn't think an always online requirement is a big deal. I'm not disputing whether always online is a big deal, but rather whether his completely worthless comments were a big deal.

Honestly, I find it really damn sickening that everyone has to be so fucking politically correct all the time. It's sad that people can't grow a pair and stop getting so damn hurt over petty, inconsequential words.

1) death threats weren't discussed outside of you're mention of it. I never said he deserved death threats. I didn't see American Gunner say that either.
2) He made no official statements, but he acted as if the rumors were true and people should move to the city, get electricity for their vacuum, and deal with it. He was a douche, you cannot go around being a douche to customers without consequences.
3) It has nothing to do with being politically correct. Bad press for a company selling a product is bad for business. When you put yourself in the spotlight negatively and it can potentially impact sales, you better believe it turns into a big deal to the people in charge.

You say it doesn't matter, but to Microsoft and any other major corporation. If you lose one single sale because of the way an employee acts, talks, posts on forums or public social media accounts, they will take disciplinary action. It's business. There are things you need to keep private.

 

[Sulaco]

You seriously think he deserved to lose his job because he let his OPINION be known about the matter? That he deserved death threats? He made no official statements about the Durango product, but rather that he doesn't think an always online requirement is a big deal. I'm not disputing whether always online is a big deal, but rather whether his completely worthless comments were a big deal.

Honestly, I find it really damn sickening that everyone has to be so fucking politically correct all the time. It's sad that people can't grow a pair and stop getting so damn hurt over petty, inconsequential words.

EDIT:

Who knows... maybe I'm just different than most people as I just don't care about things like that. Did he come across as a bit cold? Sure, but who cares? I know what it's like to have terrible Internet. I didn't have decent Internet (I had dial-up until I was 19) until I graduated from college, and I still wouldn't care.

The problem is he spoke about a company product or policy, in public, in a way that, to put in mildly, showed poor customer service awareness, and is obviously not something Microsoft wants circulating.

If I work for a car company, have a well-known, public twitter account, and Tweet publically about how people who don't like certain features on one of our models are "poor" and "don't know anything about cars", that's horrible PR.

It's not about being "PC". It's about Microsoft not wanting him as a distraction and possible detriment to customer service/image.

 

[Aikouka]

2) He made no official statements, but he acted as if the rumors were true and people should move to the city, get electricity for their vacuum, and deal with it. He was a douche, you cannot go around being a douche to customers without consequences.

You mean everyone assumed that him talking about "always on" meant that it was true? 'cause that's what happened!

Now, I won't disagree that his comments were dumb. Hell, if he should be fired (or quit) for anything, it should be his terrible ability to make analogies!

3) It has nothing to do with being politically correct. Bad press for a company selling a product is bad for business. When you put yourself in the spotlight negatively and it can potentially impact sales, you better believe it turns into a big deal to the people in charge.

How does it have nothing to do with being politically correct? The idea of being politically correct has to do with ensuring that your words or actions aren't taken in a negative light. In his case, he really can't say anything that goes "against the grain" of the Internet or else people will create a Level 5 Shitstorm (the bad press) over it, which is exactly what we saw.

If you lose one single sale because of the way an employee acts, talks, posts on forums or public social media accounts, they will take disciplinary action.

Hyperbole much?

If I work for a car company, have a well-known, public twitter account, and Tweet publically about how people who don't like certain features on one of our models are "poor" and "don't know anything about cars", that's horrible PR.

There's a rather staunch difference between your example here and what he said. Both of your quoted remarks are made to be offensive toward the people they are directed at. His original tweet was...

Sorry, I don't get the drama around having an "always on" console. Every device now is "always on". That's the world we live in. #dealwithit

It's simply stating his opinion on devices being always on. Now, of course he went into some rather silly analogies, and I touched on their inanity earlier.

EDIT:

It might be better to say that I don't understand why people would get so up in arms over what he said. Since it was carried in quite a few news outlets (at least the ones that I read...), it certainly created a lot of bad press, which no one wants. Maybe after this and what happened at that Python convention (for those who missed that hullabaloo: http://www.infoworld.com/t/technology-business/twitter-shaming-can-cost-you-your-job-214956 ), people will stop posting things like that to Twitter!

 

[Sulaco]

There's a rather staunch difference between your example here and what he said. Both of your quoted remarks are made to be offensive toward the people they are directed at. His original tweet was...

You're also forgetting where he said "Why on Earth would I want to live there?", a snide remark/insult to people who live or choose to live outside of major metropolitan areas.
As well as the ever-so-suave "#dealwithit", which, I'm sorry, comes across as MASSIVELY douchey, and insulting. It demeans the customer, and anyone who raises concern with this purported system. You know, the system he shouldn't have even been talking about? Yeah.

It's simply stating his opinion on devices being always on. Now, of course he went into some rather silly analogies, and I touched on their inanity earlier.

It's not "simply" anything. He has a public account, commenting on COMPANY policy, in a snide, dismissive, way.

There's really no debate here. Look at the HUGE backlash it caused. That's BAD FOR BUSINESS from Microsoft's viewpoint, and that's where their only concern lies. If you have an employee who is going to be a potential liability in a critical phase like this one, that's their prerogative if they don't want that kind of headache while trying to win a P.R. war with Sony and Nintendo.

 

[Aikouka]

Look at the HUGE backlash it caused.

Yeah, and I'm saying that people ought to stop being so damn uptight. Based on his position, he has (or rather, had) no control over the Durango project. So, why do I care about his opinion? Maybe if he was the head of the XBOX Division, then I might care a little bit. Since his opinion doesn't matter any more than mine or yours, why do I care? Why should I make a fuss?

Because he told me to "deal with it"? Oh no, there's a douche on the Internet! Alert the media... this NEVER HAPPENS!

EDIT:

Oh, and here's a good example...

You're also forgetting where he said "Why on Earth would I want to live there?", a snide remark/insult to people who live or choose to live outside of major metropolitan areas.

If you find that to be insulting... honestly, you need thicker skin -- a lot thicker. Imagine the hellstorm that would have rained down if he dared to make a "Yo' Momma...!" joke!

 

[American Gunner]

You seriously think he deserved to lose his job because he let his OPINION be known about the matter?

Have you ever worked for a major corporation? The tell you from the get go to watch what you put out on social media, especially when it comes to company stuff.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Have you ever worked for a major corporation? The tell you from the get go to watch what you put out on social media, especially when it comes to company stuff.

They go so far as to check your facebook and such prior to hiring these days. They even sometimes use that as a basis for turning you down. I mean, what you do outside of work shouldn't have any bearing on your ability to do your job but...sometimes a company wants a certain image.

In this case Microsoft wants to keep the appearance of caring about customer concerns and being understanding of every situation I guess.

Yeah, and I'm saying that people ought to stop being so damn uptight. Based on his position, he has (or rather, had) no control over the Durango project. So, why do I care about his opinion? Maybe if he was the head of the XBOX Division, then I might care a little bit. Since his opinion doesn't matter any more than mine or yours, why do I care? Why should I make a fuss?

g... honestly, you need thicker skin -- a lot thicker. Imagine the hellstorm that would have rained down if he dared to make a "Yo' Momma...!" joke!

Well, it is insulting to someone who lives away from the city because they run a farm or ranch. Or hell, they have the land from their family. Telling someone they are below you because they want to actually own land, or avoid certain aspects of city life (traffic for example) is pretty low IMO.

The fact is, it doesn't matter what he meant or that you don't care. What matters is that Microsoft cares about how it's employees act in a public setting. Just like Apple wouldn't like it if one of its employees said "lol you can't afford a new thunderbolt cable for your iphone? Do you live in a barn or something? deal with it. Why is it such a big deal? Are you that poor you can't buy a new wire?" when they announced the new connector.

 

[Aikouka]

Have you ever worked for a major corporation? The tell you from the get go to watch what you put out on social media, especially when it comes to company stuff.

Yes, I have worked for some rather large corporations in the past, and frankly, I rarely ever talk about what I do with anyone let alone on social media.

However, here's the problem... while I do believe that the origin of his tweets was most likely the latest Durango rumors, I don't recall a single tweet that actually talks about Microsoft's products. He simply states his opinion of always online devices. Hell, for all you know, he could be talking about Sim City, or he's very late to the game and talking about Diablo III.

They go so far as to check your facebook and such prior to hiring these days. They even sometimes use that as a basis for turning you down. I mean, what you do outside of work shouldn't have any bearing on your ability to do your job but...sometimes a company wants a certain image.

Sure, and that's actually one of the lame things about Twitter. You can post a tweet toward anyone as long as you do '@' with their username, but unless your feed is public or they follow you, they'll never see it. On Facebook, you can simply like some public figure and post to their wall, but on Twitter, you can't interact in most cases without being public.

Well, it is insulting to someone who lives away from the city because they run a farm or ranch. Or hell, they have the land from their family. Telling someone they are below you because they want to actually own land, or avoid certain aspects of city life (traffic for example) is pretty low IMO.

Where does your wording "they are below you" come from? To be honest, I wouldn't want to live in those places either if the assumed meaning of mentioning them is that they have terrible Internet service.

I think it's important to stress this again... my ultimate issue here is that I just don't understand why people are so uptight about this guy's fairly harmless words. Sure, he might have been able to choose his words a bit more wisely, but they weren't terribly spiteful or anything.

The fact is, it doesn't matter what he meant or that you don't care. What matters is that Microsoft cares about how it's employees act in a public setting. Just like Apple wouldn't like it if one of its employees said "lol you can't afford a new thunderbolt cable for your iphone? Do you live in a barn or something? deal with it. Why is it such a big deal? Are you that poor you can't buy a new wire?" when they announced the new connector.

Why do you and Sulaco keep presenting analogies that are vastly different than the original issue? His tweet didn't direct anything negative toward a specific group of individuals. Maybe you consider "#dealwithit" to be incredibly harmful, and even if that is the case, that would be the only negative thing in that whole tweet other than the fact that you don't agree with his opinion.

Yeesh... I just don't understand people sometimes. :\

 

[Sulaco]

Yeah, and I'm saying that people ought to stop being so damn uptight. Based on his position, he has (or rather, had) no control over the Durango project. So, why do I care about his opinion? Maybe if he was the head of the XBOX Division, then I might care a little bit. Since his opinion doesn't matter any more than mine or yours, why do I care? Why should I make a fuss?

Because he told me to "deal with it"? Oh no, there's a douche on the Internet! Alert the media... this NEVER HAPPENS!

EDIT:

Oh, and here's a good example...



If you find that to be insulting... honestly, you need thicker skin -- a lot thicker. Imagine the hellstorm that would have rained down if he dared to make a "Yo' Momma...!" joke!

*sigh*

It has nothing to do with what I, or any of us, think.

This has to do with the image Microsoft is trying to convey. This is spin. This is PR.

Is it right? Is it what we would do personally? That's not what we're discussing. We're trying to tell you WHY he was likely fired, and what MS's rationale was.

As American Gunner said, this is par for the course for major corps now.

Bottom line: A backlash was caused. Whether you or I agree with it, it was. That backlash reflected badly on Microsoft, their position, product, and plan. They made the decision that it was detrimental to their image.

P.S. You have to understand too; Microsoft has released no official information on their plans, and their statements have always been essentially, "We have no comment at this time"
What homeboy did was essentially undermine that. He spoke, or alluded publicly to what officially was supposed to be kept under wraps. Whether he was just spouting off, or actually revealing company plans, Microsoft saw the backlash it caused.

 

[ImpulsE69]

In this time of scrutiny of game companies and companies in general, what he did was in very poor taste. Even if it was a joke and misunderstanding, anyone with half a brain knows that "text" doesn't portray your thoughts very well. It WILL cost Microsoft sales, there is no "if". He is in the public spotlight, you have to play to that.

Heck, if he'd have just added a "j/k" to the end of it, he could have avoided the whole mess. Instead, he came off as the typical "we don't care about what you the customer think" mentality that many people feel companies have these days. If he was serious, simply...changing the way he said it to a more straight forward, "this is why" style would have prevented the backlash as well. You're never going to make everyone happy but public perception and PR is a big deal.

 

[Aikouka]

I am sighing at your sighing, because no matter how many goddamn edits I add, you keep ignoring my point!

I don't care about Microsoft's response! I'm talking about what happened chronologically before that! My point is that the Internet overreacted to his tweets.

I've been saying that or something synonymous to overreacting in every post... yeesh. :\

 

[cmdrdredd]

I am sighing at your sighing, because no matter how many goddamn edits I add, you keep ignoring my point!

I don't care about Microsoft's response! I'm talking about what happened chronologically before that! My point is that the Internet overreacted to his tweets.

I've been saying that or something synonymous to overreacting in every post... yeesh. :\

Our point? It doesn't matter. What matters is company image. That's it.

 

[smackababy]

If the image is everything to MS why don't they fire Ballmer? The Ballmer peak is pretty well know in the programming world. Is MS supporting drunk coding?

 

[cmdrdredd]

If the image is everything to MS why don't they fire Ballmer? The Ballmer peak is pretty well know in the programming world. Is MS supporting drunk coding?

He's too high up on the totem pole I guess.

 

[Sulaco]

Our point? It doesn't matter. What matters is company image. That's it.

This.