back to article Next Xbox to be called ‘Xbox Infinity’... er... ‘Xbox’

The next Xbox will be called the Xbox Infinity, if a piccy of an allegedly leaked logo is to be believed. Or perhaps it’ll just be plain Xbox, as a separate, equally unofficial, just as questionable logo suggests. The Xbox Infinity - not actually a name, just the word XBOX with an infinity symbol superscript - and the tagline …

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  1. James 51

    Internet connection required

    Another rumour on IGN about requiring an always on internet connection to use it. I hope these are wrong, otherwise my 360 is going to be sitting in my living room for a few more years yet.

    1. GeorgeTuk

      Re: Internet connection required

      Can I ask why?

      I see lots of posts about this but I don't really see an issue these days with high penetration of broadband and high speed services now.

      Maybe I am missing something though!?

      1. emordnilap
        Black Helicopters

        Re: Internet connection required

        It cam fast in the tracks of the Always On DRM in SimCity - which was universally hated - I think a lot of people didn't distinguish.

        The question should be - Why does a box you play games on need to be online all the time? What else is it doing? If it is set up download the 2 hour long patch for online gaming for a game I am using, then fair enough.

        I dusted off a PS3 to play Little Big Planets, and gave up because of the download times... so that is one thing.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Internet connection required @GeorgeTuk

        We had a lightning strike in our village that took out the mains power for half a day (I think,) and phone lines for over 3 days. (Also destroyed someone's chimney in quite spectacular fashion.) If you can't use the Internet, it would at least be nice to use your console. Granted, it's an unlikely scenario, but ...

      3. jb99

        Re: Internet connection required

        Because it's entirelyt unnecessary for any reason that's of benefit to me, it's only a benefit to microsoft.

        And it's part of the slow erosion of ownership . I will own my xbox but I won't be able to use it without it checking in to microsoft's servers for no reason other than to enforce the fact that they control what can be done with the machine, not the person who bought it.

        It's not an terrible thing in ittsself, it's what it represents. Would you buy a washing machine where every time you wanted to use it you had to call the manufacturer and ask their permission to do so, and the could at some point just say no you need to buy a new machine? Of course you wouldn't, it would be terribly intrusive and of no benefit to you, so why accept this?

      4. RNixon
        Thumb Down

        Re: Internet connection required

        Because penetration of high-speed broadband is terrible, especially in the United States. Even in major metropolitan areas you can't always get a good, reliable connection. There are tons of internet dead zones where you just can't get any sort of reasonable hookup.

        Me, for instance. I don't live in the middle of nowhere; I'm in a suburb of a small city. There's no wired internet on my street. No cable, no DSL, no nothing. All the streets around have it, just not this one. (Cable won't run up here because 'everyone already has a dish for their TV'.)

        This is a lot more common than people think.

        (My choices for internet are 3G cellular, at $70 a month and they recompress every single jpeg that coms over; Satellite, at $400 install and $80 a month for a tiny cap and latency so terrible you can barely run a shell terminal, much less play a game; ISDN at $700 a month; or a T1 at $2600 a month.)

        I already have enough problems with Steam deciding I can't play my games because it can't phone home. I don't need that on my consoles, too.

      5. James 51

        Re: Internet connection required

        Had a problem with BT Infinity + two weeks ago due to the weather. Loaded up Fallout with some DLC. Because the game couldn't connect to the internet (ok it did warn me I wouldn't be able to play the DLC but didn't fully appreciate what that meant) it stripped me of all my DLC perks (including those I picked during level up) and gear I had earned in them (though not the levels thankfully). I only had the autosave as I don't want to have the old I'll load twenty saves ago and it it this was instead trick as I wanted a bit of a challenge.

        Every time I fire the xbox up it kicks every other device in the house off the broadband and they have to reconnect so now I generally play off line unless I want to play multiplayer (or need to prove I paid for dlc (bloody DRM)). If the next one makes even bigger demands on the bandwidth and needs it or it won’t work, there’s just no point. BTW I live in a fairly decent sized town about four or five miles from two exchanges and the broadband service from every provider is pathetic. Only BT fibre offers me faster (only just) access than on my phone no one else is going to pay to install or upgrade equipment here.

      6. Chad H.

        Re: Internet connection required

        Maybe you are.

        Your internet connection breaks. Your ISP says it will take 6-10 Working days to fix. You decide to sit down and play a singleplayer game to take the edge off.

        The game, and I stress this again, is singleplayer. it runs completely on your console, not some remote server. It uses no online content at any point.

        But you can't, because some idiot decided that your console shyould always be online.

        A few months later, you decide to visit some relatives. These relatives live in a rural area where internet connections are spotty... so they never bothered with one.

        You thought you might take your console to play a few party games that have no online component

        But you can't, because some idiot decided your console should be online only.

        When it comes to "online only", the question shouldn't be "Why not", but "Why the hell should it be?".

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Internet connection required

          4G Mifi, you're back in the game.

          Given how many services people use online it's pretty important to have a net connection in general.

      7. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Internet connection required

        "I see lots of posts about this but I don't really see an issue these days with high penetration of broadband and high speed services now. Maybe I am missing something though!?"

        #1 Reason: Power Failure: Can't access internet or work from home. But hey I've got plenty of juice in the laptop battery so I'll play a SINGLE-PLAYER game.... No Sorry! Always-on DRM, prevents you from playing an offline single-player game!!!

        1. Solmyr ibn Wali Barad
          Coat

          Re: Internet connection required

          Power failure is relatively easy to work around. Few 12V batteries + car adapter can power a laptop for days. And it's probably not too geeky to possess such artifacts.

          Resisting all that newfangled onlineware is a much more daunting task. This will certainly draw lots of suspicion, accusations, insults. From relatively mild "what's wrong with being online" and "that's where the technology is evolving", to more hysterical accusations of general backwardness. Eventually reaching for the accusations of evil geekery.

          /a no-line coat, thank you very much/

      8. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Internet connection required

        "Can I ask why?" :-

        I posed this before... As a games designer not living in perfect Stepford-Silicon-Valley... I can think of 6 quick reasons connections to games servers can be routinely interrupted or severed :-

        1. Laptop power failure: i.e. Auto-sleep mode triggered due to power cable slipping out of laptop unnoticed.

        2. Power outages: i.e. Total power loss to your Router after a storm even if the laptop runs off its battery.

        3. Wi-Fi signal temporarily goes out of range / Router crashes / Router resets itself or changes channel.

        4. Wi-Fi interference from 3rd party devices in nearby dwellings operating on same gigahertz freq.

        5. Regional problems: Telcos exchange maintenance / capacity upgrades / Utility accidentally severs cables.

        6. Local problems: Office building re-wiring maintenance / nearby apartment building rewiring maintenance.

    2. JDX Gold badge

      Re: Internet connection required

      There were rumours the PS4 would be like that too. They are merely rumours.

      1. Ramon Zarat

        Re: Internet connection required

        "There were rumours the PS4 would be like that too. They are merely rumours."

        Sony officially denied those rumours. The PS4 *WON'T* require an always on connection.

        The funny thing is, despite the UBER backlash since the "Orthgate", Microsoft never did any damage control to officially deny the always on requirement on the next Xbox. This is so negative to their business that they would have denied it if it wasn't true.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Internet connection required

          "Microsoft never did any damage control to officially deny the always on requirement on the next Xbox. This is so negative to their business that they would have denied it if it wasn't true."

          Microsoft hasn't released ANY details about the new XBox. Are you suggesting that fanbois are getting so angry about this whole notion of "always on" that they will refuse to buy a new Xbox even if it turns out that it can be used offline? You won't be able to buy one of these boxes for months after the May 21st reveal anyway, so how damaging can it really be to wait until May 21st to address this issue?

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Internet connection required

      Give how many people are obsessed with online play you obviously realise that the majority of serious gamers would laugh at any system that was completely offline?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Stop

        Re: Internet connection required

        > Give how many people are obsessed with online play you obviously realise that the majority of serious gamers would laugh at any system that was completely offline?

        The issue is not either on or off. It is requiring online connection for games that are single player.

        The way our PS3 is now is fine. If you want to play online, you can, but you don't need an internet connection to play an offline game.

      2. Chika

        Re: Internet connection required

        As far as I have seen to date, the people with the biggest obsession with online play are the people that own the servers....

    4. Ramon Zarat
      FAIL

      Re: Internet connection required

      It's all about more control for the manufacturer / content provider and less for you, the customer. Simple as that.

      Potential problem with Microsoft business model for the new Xbox:

      1- Your console, games and accessories has an expiration date on them. Because it's always on, the day Microsoft eventually / inevitably discontinue server support is the day they decide ***FOR YOU*** it's time to upgrade.

      2- You don't own anything anymore, you rent the right to use. So when MS pull the plug on the server connection, you'll be the proud owner of a useless >1200.00$ paper weight with no resell value whatsoever.

      3- If ANYTHING of the following fails for 3 minutes and the problem persist for 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week or 1 month, no gaming for you until it's fixed: Xbox network card, router, modem, ISP connection, anything between your ISP and Microsoft server, Microsoft server themselves or even humans error on MS end.

      4- 500GB hard drive on every model and game full install on hard drive for every game imply controlling and blocking second-hand game. Not only your game will have ZERO value when the console become unusable as per point 1, but the game you just bought an hour ago has zero resell value on DAY 1, reinforcing the renting philosophy of point 2

      5- Point 4 also indicate that MS will completely discontinue physical media distribution (DVD/ Blu Ray) to force you to purchase and download all your content directly from the Microsoft store. That fit with their recent massive cloud / online push with Office 365, Windows 8 Metro store for PC, phone and tablet and now the new console. MS will control everything from top to bottom with no competition to drive the cost down. A digital gulag with Balmer as its master.

      6- At least a gold subscription is mandatory for EVERYTHING, even to use something as insignificant as Youtube. That would obviously include access to the MS store to purchase your other stuff!!! You need to pay Microsoft in order to have the right to buy stuff. Isn't that great?

      7- Pay to win. More and more games have payable "DLC", some borderline necessary to complete the game. You end-up paying many times the original price of the game. This is not a problem exclusive to Microsoft, but they didn't addressed it either, they encourage it. Especially now that everything will go through their MS store.

      So basically, MS business model is the following: "We don't give a f*ck, we got you by the balls anyway, we control everything, shut-up and give us your money".

      They want to create a closed ecosystem concentration camp where you have no power, where you pay for everything but own nothing, with a recurrent renting scheme where you are never done sending them money over and over again, for the rest of your life.

      Even if only half of this is true, Sony is 12 billion percent guaranteed to get my business this round.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Infinity

    Because that's how long it will take Microsoft to fix the hardware problems the launch units will almost certainly come with in their rush to launch.

  3. Geoff Campbell Silver badge
    Windows

    Both could be right

    Don't forget there are two separate but linked products carrying the xBox name - the console, and on-line gaming service/app store. Something about the colour scheme and font makes me think that perhaps the second photo refers to the on-line service, which has been referred to as plain "xbox" for a while now.

    GJC

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Like hard disk names in the 90s/early 2000s if you use up all your superlatives by the fourth generation, you don't have anywhere to go and need to think of a better naming convention...

    Where do you go from infinity? The Xbox Ultrafinity? Nah, I hope they've not gone for infinity...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Beyond, obviously.

    2. Malcolm 1

      Xbox Infinity + 1

      obv.

      1. ElectricFox
        Paris Hilton

        they should simply call each console the Xbox, and then retrospectively rename each generation of the old consoles as ex-box, ex-ex-box, and my favourite; the ex-ex-ex-box!

        Paris, because she's third generation ex-ex-ex....

        1. Alister
          Coat

          they should simply call each console the Xbox, and then retrospectively rename each generation of the old consoles as ex-box, ex-ex-box, and my favourite; the ex-ex-ex-box!

          and not forgetting the Australian version, the four-ex-box

          1. Dave 126 Silver badge

            With developments in flexible electronic components, the 3rd generation of Xbox will be named the Xbag.

      2. Benchops
        Happy

        Maths joke alert

        They're obviously trying to appeal to all the gaming-adics

    3. Wild Bill

      That's when you get to do a 'back to basics' rebranding exercise a la Windows 7, so it'd be Xbox 4

      1. Simon Harris

        "That's when you get to do a 'back to basics' rebranding exercise a la Windows 7, so it'd be Xbox 4"

        The 4th generation version will come in a carton instead of a box and be the X-Tetra Pak.

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      beyond infinity would be

      Aleph-1

    5. DavCrav

      Xbox Aleph_1? Xbox 2^aleph_0? Xbox continuum sounds, well, I'm not sure how it sounds.

      1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
        Happy

        They could call it the neXtBox, but I suppose they'd get sued...

        Otherwise it'll be Infinity this time, and back to boring 4 next time. Or they could do an Apple, and just call it the New XBox or even just XBox.

    6. Wade Burchette
      Joke

      We can call it the XBox 42. After all 42 is the answer to the ultimate question.

  5. Frankee Llonnygog

    I've heard ...

    ... it will come with a Hom Office-approved electronic ankle tag peripheral, and be called the asboX

    1. Simon Harris

      Re: I've heard ...

      ...there will be a version specially for cured syphalitics...

      ... it will be called the 'Ex-Pox'.

  6. Electric Panda

    I have this nagging feeling that the new Xbox will be underwhelming. The 360 at launch was basically a noisy brute loaded with overheating PC components with average specs... if this trend continues then we won't be blown away.

    My money's on deeper Kinect integration too... count me out.

    1. JDX Gold badge

      Well the PS4 has switched to using standard PC components...

  7. Drefsab

    meh

    Im not to bothered about the next gen xbox its the one after that im looking forward to xbox infinity +1

  8. Miek
    Linux

    "Xbox ~ Introducing a new way to pay" ~ There, fixed that for you $MS

  9. K
    Pint

    Why not use 720?

    Everybody has been discussing it for a long time, so you have instant brand awareness of it.. What more could you want?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Why not use 720?

      I think that discussion has already gone full circle (twice).

      I'm thinking XBOX 60 (that's a cute name)

      Maybe XBOX 100 (for the obtuse gamer)

      XBOX 270 (just a reflex reaction to the above, maybe)

      or even XBOX 90 - that would be right.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Why not use 720?

        You miss the point... xBox 720 is already a known-entity, it has instant brand awareness, hence they could save money on marketing the product name.

    2. Piro Silver badge

      Re: Why not use 720?

      Because it's retarded. I actually thought Xbox Infinity was a decent name when I first heard it about a year ago.

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

      2. K

        Re: Why not use 720?

        Piro, I'd say the same about Inifity, its sound like Buzz Light Years games console - but that is a personal opinion. Now if you can't offer a reasonably intellectual answer, please don't bother posting, or at least do yourself the favor of posting AC to avoid making yourself look like a moron.

  10. Horridbloke
    Trollface

    Going on recent form...

    ... the new console will be called the "XBox London Underground" at launch. Untold millions of dollars will be spent building brand awareness and generally pumelling the name into the heads of teenagers everywhere.

    Shortly before actual shipping the name will change to "XBox splendid" and Microsoft will claim "London Underground" was only ever a development codename.

  11. Paradroid
    FAIL

    "Infinite entertainment. Infinite possibilities". Ha, reminds me soo much of "Infinite space. Infinite terror".

    (Event Horizon tagline for anyone who doesn't recognise it)

    1. MJI Silver badge

      Sorry they are on PSN

      Similar to a friends PSN name

  12. MJI Silver badge

    There isn't the excitement

    One thing MS are missing is the excitement, with the Sony reveal there has been this under current until we saw the demo and still it is there.

    We are not seeing it with the Nextbox, we should be.

  13. Wild Bill

    Can't see that logo being legit. It looks like a fallen over Windows 8 logo, which would surely be a bit too close to the bone for Microsoft.

  14. Big_Boomer Silver badge
    Trollface

    Ybox?

    Y buy one? I've always hated console controllers. Y design a controller that uses the LEAST dexterous of our five digits as the primary controller? It's nearly as bad as the controls in a car. Motorcycles have a much more sensible layout. I'd far rather have a keyboard and mouse any day of the week. As for Kinect,... watching my neighbour dance, twitch and fall over is moderately entertaining, until he notices me laughing at his epileptic spasms and closes the curtains.

  15. ScottishYorkshireMan
    Alert

    Always On?

    Personally the always on idea doesn't bother me that much, I have a couple of Virgin Tivo's and they are effectively always on, to virgin anyway.

    What concerns me more is the fact that the onboard Kinect v2 can theoretically examine a room and determine how many people are in it when watching a movie and duly charge for each person watching. If this turns out to be true, Virgin media will be getting my money for latest releases even if they aren't in full HD.

    1. Richard 81

      Re: Always On?

      You're with VM and you're not worried about always on?

  16. Tom 13

    Computer equipment plus always on internet and the word 'infinity'

    That smells like a messy fight to me. I expect Comcast to be firing up the Lawyer canons if they go forward with that.

  17. Maharg
    Unhappy

    Split Screen Required

    I know im old fashioned but I enjoy having a few mates round, getting some beers and pizza and playing split screen, it used to be a case of a range of titles and types could be played, everything from fighter jets to FPS, to RPGs, now if I want to play anything other then Fifa or Call of Duty with my friends we have to do it online, its taken to social aspect of gaming away completely.

    1. Richard 81

      Re: Split Screen Required

      Have they said they're going to stop people playing split screen? Surely that's one of the main reasons for having a console.

      1. Grimster
        Stop

        Re: Split Screen Required

        The savvy might say they want you to have TWO consoles.

        1. MJI Silver badge

          Re: Two consoles

          But it would two different wouldn't it?

  18. taxman
    Facepalm

    It's really called

    "another Xbox from Microsoft you can play games with and other 'cool' stuff".

    1. Elmer Phud

      Re: It's really called

      Will this naming end up in a spiral that ends up with an X'upmyown'Box?

  19. adam payne

    It will be interesting to see what they've come up with but i'm not sure about the always on function. If the console has the always on function I won't be buying one.

  20. hplasm
    Devil

    I would go for the second logo-

    1. It looks like the 'Xbox' X is broken; there is past form here...

    2 The broken 'X' also resembles a crying 'Y'.... as in "Why? Why did I buy this?" ; again suitable, see 1.

  21. Mr Spock

    X-Lax

    Microsoft can stick it up their...

  22. Jonathan 29

    Neither

    Pretty sure these are both fan art. Microsoft is going for a more unified branding across products and these don't fit.

    My broadband isn't particularly reliable at the mo (damn you Sky), but I don't really care about always online. If I buy a new console it will be the one offering something new and interesting. From what is rumored from MS and Sony so far, it might be a Steam box with an Oculus Rift.

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Infinity because..1/inf=0

    Maybe their marketing will say that the probability of the rivals getting one over infinity is zero.

    And cue the maths arguments :-)

  24. JimmyPage Silver badge
    Black Helicopters

    I wonder how much

    BT, Virgin, et all would pay someone like (say) Microsoft to release a new games console that required a permanent internet connections to work.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I wonder how much

      Surely it would be the other way around.

      Most people (if not all) who have an xbox already have an internet connection - I don't see many new broadband customers from the always on feature - but I can see Virgin/BT etc getting annoyed at a jump in bandwidth utilisation.

      Remember that when BBC introduced iPlayer the ISPs weren't happy, as they rely on you not using the bandwidth you pay for.

      1. Kevin 6

        Re: I wonder how much

        well in the states AT&T, and most other ISP's would be ecstatic as after reaming people for the $50 or so a month for 100gigs after its used that all up in a week they could ream an additional $5-10 per 5 gigs every time.

  25. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "Infinite entertainment. Infinite possibilities"

    Infinite connection.

    You're not customers, you're our bitches!

    'slap!'

    Give me all your money!

    Nah, you can't play that game today, maybe tomorrow. Why? server down, broadband offline, sunspots... take your pick.

    Swallow that!

  26. andy gibson

    The word "Infinity" already tainted

    Thanks to BT.

  27. Tom 35

    If they use the same people who came up with Metro

    They better attach the logo with Velcro so it's easy to change.

  28. Anonymous Coward
    Flame

    Azure

    I predict part of the new system will involve cloud based gaming via Azure. (try THAT without being 'always online'...) Hence the 'infinity' moniker.

  29. Peter Galbavy
    Facepalm

    forced advertising and movement tracking

    I didn't see anyone mention forced advertising and Kinect integration ala http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/15/interactive-nuads-xbox-360-kinect/

    That's why "always on" is going to be mandatory. DRM is already good enough against the majority of gamers.

    Should be interesting to see how this goes down in the EU and other areas with some semblance of privacy protection.

  30. ecofeco Silver badge
    Unhappy

    Now I remember

    Now I remember why I don't play or buy games anymore.

  31. lunatik96

    Internet as needed

    Someone pays for that internet bandwidth. I remember when my plan limited the # of MB (not GB). The early internet aware games had a local mode and and internet (network) mode. Why is this so difficult to understand.

    However, for all of you complaining, why did u buy the stupid game anyway? I personally don't buy anything with a subscription or that requires on-line connections. If consumers revolted en masse, do u think MicroSucks would adapt? What about EA games?

    Fort those of you that say it is no big deal to have the internet on always requirement, I liked the washing machine analogy in another post. Why would I call the maker to get permission to do laundry and buy a new machine after 3 years of use because they don't support it?

    In general, I think those who disagree with their policy but buy their games promote the environment they curse.

  32. AlexS
    Mushroom

    Rumours

    Apparently there are rumours that there maybe be rumours about, although this could be a rumour.

  33. Jamie Jones Silver badge

    Don't forget your legal rights

    A lot of people saying "they might stop this" or "they might stop that" but whatever they can do technically, they still have to abide by consumer law

  34. mrbawsaq
    FAIL

    NextBox UI

    What's to bet that the next Xbox, whatever the fuck they call it, will have the new Windows 8/Surface/Metor/Whatever the fuck they call it UI?

    Which will work as good with a console controller as it does with mouse/keyboard.

  35. Carlos TuTu III

    Erm, no.

    Clearly none of those are real logos as the typefaces are absolutely shocking.

    1. Oninoshiko

      Re: Erm, no.

      funny, I thought that was one of the points that made them plausible.

  36. Bamboozled
    Alert

    Band-Aid version?

    Second one looks like some plasters stuck in a crisscross fashion.

  37. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Infinity defintion

    History forever repeating itself...

    So does this mean RROD again and a rushed out release to capture the Xmas market and worry about the fallout later???

  38. Nya
    Coat

    Sure it's infinity?

    It looks more like 8 that's fallen over :P

    (yes I know its a Moebius strip)

  39. mike white 1

    Infinity?

    Surely that's actually an 8 on it's side. Does this mean the new Xbox will be powered by Windows 8?

    1. MJI Silver badge

      Re: Infinity?

      Probably

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