Xbox 720 'to employ always-on DRM'

[CrAwL]

Microsoft’s next generation games console will employ an always-on internet connection to safeguard it from piracy, a new report claims.
News site VG247 believes the system is due for release Christmas 2013 – a claim in line with what Develop’s sources have said on the matter – and will play game media through Blu-ray.
The claims remain unverified. Microsoft was not available for comment at the time of going to press, though has in the past declined to discuss speculation.
It is not known whether the alleged always-on internet connection will be used to curb second-hand game sales.
Further speculation within the VG247 article suggests the system will inhabit two GPU cards, both said to be the equivalent of AMD’s 7000 series.

“The GPUs aren’t structured as they are in a normal dual PC set-up, in which the two chips take it in turns to draw lines of the same object: Xbox 720′s graphics units will be able to work independently, drawing separate items simultaneously,” the report added.
The machine will work with “four or six” processor cores, it is alleged, of which one is reserved for Kinect which “will be built into the device as standard”.
A wave of studios, from Lionhead to Bethesda, Crytek and Remedy, are currently hiring for “next generation” projects.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...-always-on-DRM

[DhinShin]

Well at least it sounds like it'll be strong, but PC users will be looking at 22nm GPU's and 14nm CPU's. I could probably live with the DRM as long as it wasn't annoying.

[CorrupT88]

Eugh trying to kill off the second hand market is a really poor move for consumers...

I mean lets face it most console games, for the content you get, are a rip off... At least that is bearable when you can then exchange the games in or sell them to someone else. A lot of games have very little replay value after you have completed them so what are you supposed to do? Use them as a £40 paper weight? This is encouraging piracy by being even greedier.... As if charging £40 for games wasn't greedy enough ffs.

[StonedOne]

Eugh trying to kill off the second hand market is a really poor move for consumers...

I mean lets face it most console games, for the content you get, are a rip off... At least that is bearable when you can then exchange the games in or sell them to someone else. A lot of games have very little replay value after you have completed them so what are you supposed to do? Use them as a £40 paper weight? This is encouraging piracy by being even greedier.... As if charging £40 for games wasn't greedy enough ffs.

Spot on.

[Kyros]

Not at all surprising, but also not great. It might encourage piracy, but surely that's of no worry if the DRM works. I can see myself becoming very hesitant in buying games though, because yeah, £40 paperweights not good.

[DhinShin]

I'm a bit more careful with what I buy, but this is a move that could play right into Nintendo's hands, as out of the three they are the company least likely to chase customers over piracy, they normally chase the people that make/sell mod chips.

[Ripcord47]

it will be cracked within weeks and only legit users will have to suffer it.

[Risco]

Killing off second hand games would mean they could charge what they like for new games as there would be no fear of people waiting to buy until they can get it dirt cheap pre-owned.

[mark_man]

well I will go from buying around 25 (new,old and second hand) games a year to 3 or 4 .I will defiantly only buy one or maybe two consoles dependent on Nintendo effort instead of the usual try setup.Hopefully this will drive up PC sales .

[EarthAtGates]

Equivalent to the AMDs 7000 series?

Ugh, the GTX680 already blows it out of the water and its not even 2013 yet. Sad days ahead.