Leak reinforces idea that NEW XBOX will be always-connected. Bleh.

Last time I posted about the possibility that the new Xbox will be always-on, more than one person pointed out what a dangerous roll of the dice this would be. You know, always-on games and always-on consoles are two beasts. How many people would Microsoft lose out on, from this policy alone? And what would the risks be? Look at the fucking SimCity debacle. So I was convinced that it probably wasn’t going to happen. Now? Now I am not so sure.

Gizmodo:

A new leak seems to reinforce claims that Microsoft’s next-generation “Durango” Xbox will require mandatory game installation and have an “always on, always connected” internet policy.

The leak, from VGleaks and reported by Verge, provides screen shorts from an Xbox Development Kit (XDK) for Microsoft’s upcoming console. Those grabs state that each new console will house a hard drive with enough capacity to “hold a large number of games.” More than that, “play from the optical drive will not be supported.” That lines up withwhat Kotaku reported last month.

The leak also includes references to the fact that the Xbox will be an “always on, always connected” console. That could add weight to rumors that have suggested that an activation system will prevent users from using second-hand games on the console.

It’s worth pointing out that, while the leak seems genuine, the XDK dates back to 2012. So, it may be the case that Microsoft considered an anti-used policy on games but has since abandoned it. Don’t hold you breath, though. [VGLeaks via Verge]