The meltdowns on launch day when people won't be able to log in because the servers are at full capacity will be priceless.

It could change things for the worse, especially on the second hand and renting market which microsoft would make pretty much worthless

1.  In other words, all games are now MMOs -- at the whim of the publisher.  As for the Sega example, I can only think of two games that were totally on-line in the Dreamcast era -- PSO and Speed Devils On-Line. (Ironically, SegaNet did not control the Unreal servers -- those stayed up after the deactivation).

2. True. But from what has been said so far -- including by the person who is supposed to be speaking from Microsoft -- there is a required daily on-line check.  How that works, I do not know.   Could this be a DiVx type system?

3. This sounds great -- except the requirement will be embedded in the hardware. So unless you are connected and get that final patch, you might be SOL. (If you can think of another way for this to work, please suggest it).

4. I am not sure what you mean by this. So the PS7 will have B/C with the PS4, 5 and 6?  Or you will have to rebuy games over-and-over again?  Given the track record of companies, which do you think it will be?

On reason I got out of PC gaming is that I can take and put any game made for a console in and know it will work. We seem to be making console gaming more like PC gaming. And while PC gaming may have these things, most people buy PCs for other functions besides gaming. The consoles main function is (supposed to be) gaming.  And if you can't game with it after a while, it is really not yours.

'The end of gaming' is quite the hyperbole.

It´ll be for me, on a personal level.Lending and borrowing games from friends has always been a big part of my gaming hobby, even if though today, as adults, we can all afford these $60 titles, but having that taken away is not something I´m willing to put up with.

I´m sure that, despite all the (rightfully) complaining, many will end up adapting, especially if it means these publishers will start charging less for new games (though I wouldn´t be hopeful of that happening).

With 300,000 servers that seems quite unlikely.

Not to mention logging in to your profile on Xbox has never been a problem except with occasional down time (which is almost always down for less than 6 hours).

That doesn't seem backwards at all...

I also doubt people will really "get used to it" more like "have to deal with it."

PSO and Alien Front Online were 2 games that I loved o the Dreamcast and yes, they both went offline and became somewhat obsolete. Alien Front had a single player campaign but it wasn't worth playing. So I experienced this long before this gen... Some games may become unplayable even this gen. Something like Section 8 on Xbox 360 and PS3 or counterstrike for example.

And yeah, I fully expect PS7 to have PS4 BC. Notice how apps made for iPhone 1 can be used on iPhone 5. Windows Phone 7 apps are usable on Windows Phone 8...etc. The strength of an ecosystem is defined by the number of apps and features it supports and these consoles are no different. They simply cannot afford to wipe the slate clean next gen and every gen after that.

This is what I (as well as others) keep saying but it is being ignored. 

As a gamer and consumer, for as long as I have been able to comprehend/understand the concept of ownership when buying a product/goods, I''m seeing others (gamers) willing to give up their right to own said product just for the sake of saving some money, and convenience which is a cover up for comapnies to control the consumer.

It's not so much the end of of gaming, but the end of retro gaming and collecting (like you said). In my previous post from another thread, I have said that retro gaming is going to be like an sough after prized fossil that is only found in small quantities. older games are going to be of even greater value by collectors cause they're going to be even more nostalgiac and rare.  

Excuse me for being "old fashioned" but I like to have all my games not bound to anything but me (ownership). If this is the route the industry is going then all I can do is  either accept it, or leave. I choose the latter.....Given that if Nintendo also follows this path or goes out of business.

Big decline of console gaming probably.

The Xbox one in this form is pretty much nothing more then an enhanced Steam box. Except with an online fee, only plays MS approved games, premium fee on game price, and less overall flexibility.

Sure people got used to Steam. But I have never paid full price for a digital only game. I use it for Steam sales, that's it. The last full priced pc games I bought were The witcher 2, boxed edition, drm free. And Deus Ex: HR retail version. No I won't get over it and start paying $60 for a digital key.

1. It's always a known risk for multiplayer games and consumers accept that risk when they buy a game for its multiplayer. However, that is not the case with single-player games.

2. As far as the 24-hour check-in statement goes, it pretty much says you must connect to the internet every 24 hours to be able to play your games. What else could it mean?

3. The EULA most likely makes lawsuits extremely difficult.

4. Console gaming is facing enormous challenges right now, mostly because of smart phones and tablets. It's not at all clear that all, if any, console companies will be around say, 20 years from now, or even after this new gen. And backwards compatibility isn't that simple, either. There's a lot else to a system besides just an x86 processor, although it makes it much easier to make future consoles backwards compatible.