There have been a lot of rumors, many contradictory, swirling around the Internet about the as yet unannounced successor to Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console. You may have heard the names Xbox 720 and Nextbox connected to this maelstrom of malarkey. Hatred and praise for this still imaginary device have been flung, dare I say, willy-nilly (pardon my language). Everyone has something to say on the matter, and most importantly, none of it is actually verified by anyone in any position of authority or in any official capacity. Read the full story

There has been a lot of speculation about the next generation of Xbox. The rumored methods that the next Xbox will apply to used games must have Gamestop feeling a bit like Damocles, and has many consumers who are unable (or unwilling) to pay full retail price for games in a state of disappointment and despair. This, while anti-consumer and very frustrating, is at the very least not preventing the console from playing retail purchased content. Now, the all but confirmed mandatory Internet connection for basic console operation? That’s a bit of a different story. The current rumor is that the next Xbox will not launch any applications or games without an active Internet connection, and that if the connection is interrupted during operation, it will only continue to operate for a scant three minutes before suspending operation and launching the network troubleshooter.

The problem with an “always-on” requirement is in the assumption that every consumer capable of purchasing (and willing to purchase) will also be capable of affording a consistent and stable Internet connection. Click here, and a new tab will open with a screenshot taken from the National Broadband Map showing the availability of all broadband technology short of wireless (and by wireless, I don’t mean your home wi-fi router). There is hardly any coverage to speak over over most of the western half of the country, but this can be explained by the incredibly sparse population centers across this region. This lack of population density has resulted in a lack of investment interest on the part of major broadband providers, which leaves any gamer consumers with a passion for Xbox in the lurch once the next generation hits. The same can be said for the large swaths of broadband unavailability in the incredibly densely populated eastern half of the country, however.

According to the FCC (as of August 2012), approximately 19 million Americans lack access to fixed broadband service. This is not an economic determination, but a simple statement of availability. The number of Americans with access to broadband service, but without the ability to afford broadband service is surely more considerable. Affordability isn’t always as simple as a monthly fee, either. With broadband providers placing increased emphasis on transfer caps, and streaming services becoming more and more prevalent on consoles, an additional factor of charging for overuse comes into play. So, what would a reasonable response to the concept of an “always-on” next generation Xbox be?

How about telling these millions of consumers to “get with the times” and “deal with it?”

This is apparently how Adam Orth, the Creative Director at Microsoft Studios, chooses to respond on his personal Twitter account.

The sheer arrogance and disconnectedness of such a response is staggering, especially from someone so critical to Microsoft’s game development operation. As you can see, he chooses to support his defense of the “always-on” argument against such claims of availability and (more importantly) stability by presenting straw man fallacies, likening the game console’s rumored connected requirement to the functionality of a mobile phone or a vacuum cleaner. He has a point in that a vacuum cleaner can not function without electricity, and a mobile phone can not perform its most basic function without a stable cellular network. His argument falls apart, however, when you realize that a majority of games do not require an Internet connection to play. If you want to play the multi-player portion of a game, or if you want to play a MOBA/MMO, then you absolutely do need an Internet connection. But tell me, how many MOBA/MMOs exist on consoles? How many games are released only as multi-player titles? And how do the answers to both of those questions compare to the number of games that are capable of being played without the requirement of an Internet connection?

In this case, it’s not only the shortsightedness of an “always-on” console that troubles me; it’s Adam Orth’s arrogance and his lack of respect for consumers that I find distasteful and foolish. Adam, I have a question for you: How many people do you anticipate will choose to “deal with it” by purchasing a PlayStation 4 instead, since it is confirmed that it will not come with an always-on requirement?

On a lighter note, enjoy the almost immediate birth of a new meme: the Always Online Adam Orth (AOAO).

In part 3 of our Darksiders II preview coverage I’ll be looking at the combat mechanics of the game, both in the context of the game as a whole and as a creature unto itself. Read the full story

Today, in continuation of our Darksiders II coverage (see part one here), I will be going over what may be the most addicting and, to me, the most appealing portion of Darksiders II: the character customization.

Melding an action game with aspects of the RPG genre is not exactly a new idea. We’ve seen more and more of it over the last 5 years, to varying degrees of success, but there is still a wide gulf between a traditional role playing game and action games. Hearing that a game has “RPG elements” typically makes me gag; not because I don’t like the concept, but because every other game seems to use that buzz phrase to garner attention. I was less than excited to see what Vigil offered up when I heard this. Read the full story

When I reviewed Darksiders back in 2010, I was pleasantly surprised. As my memories of the game aged, what stuck with me was the untouched potential behind the game and the mythos surrounding it. The initial showings for Darksiders II did nothing to make me feel that there would be any dramatic improvement this time around, and while I held out hope that I might be surprised, my attention shifted to other upcoming titles. Well, I was able to sit down with Darksiders II for two full days, diving in to nearly every aspect of the game, and my every hesitation was promptly destroyed. Read the full story

In October 2011, Blizzard announced a charity auction in which they would sell their old server architecture.  Interested parties could bid on the blades for their favorite World of Warcraft servers with the proceeds going to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.  While the prices were a bit high for me, I found the idea and the cause to be compelling and novel.  For those of us who have played WoW since launch, those servers are something like a second home and I would have loved to display one of the blades from Lightbringer, Azuremyst, or Feathermoon proudly in my own home. Read the full story

I hate rumors. I hate spreading rumors. I hate reporting rumors as news. “But dude, what are you doing RIGHT NOW if not reporting/spreading a rumor? Isn’t that hypocritical of you?” Well, yes…and yes. Kind of. The only reason that this rumor is being reported on here today is because I desperately fucking want a solid sequel to Rayman Origins, one of the best platformer titles I have ever played, and easily the best platformer title of this entire generation of consoles and handhelds. So, reporting this rumor may be something I hate doing, but if it helps build any kind of groundswell for a Rayman Origins 2, then I’ll do it and not regret it for a nanosecond. Read the full story

Welcome to this week’s MMO’s Tavern.  Sorry about last week’s rant. Things like that don’t usually get to me something about it just stuck in my craw and I had to get it out. So have a drink and enjoy the news. Read the full story

Let me start by saying this: Ghost Recon: Future Soldier’s multiplayer has come a long way since E3 last year, and it was already tight and fairly well balanced back then. This game is smooth, fun, addictive, and the most fun I’ve had with friends online in a very long time. Are there some issues with it? Yeah, it’s a beta. There’s some lag and I hate snipers (not because I can’t snipe…at all.  That’s a silly allegation >.>). It’s all still real fresh in my head so bear with me as I give you a quick rundown of what I saw. Read the full story

Sorry, no news this week just me ranting.  So if you come here for the news and not my writing style now is the time to turn around.

Now that it’s just us, why don’t you grab a seat up here at the bar and I’ll pour you all some free drinks while I tell you about the way things used to be.  More likely I’ll just complain about whipper-snappers and how they pollute my fictional game worlds. Read the full story