So if all the rumors are true, is anyone else worried about the Next Xbox?

[greenmedic88]

If you have a significant investment in the MS/Xbox/XBL ecosystem, then you are essentially tied to the next hardware platform MS releases, regardless of whether there are little nagging details like always online (let's face it; the majority of core players are already connected every time they play), game to account tie ins (so that games can only be played on one account), etc.

I'd say leave online codes and vouchers up to individual publishers if that's how they want to conduct business, whether it's for online access modes, or extra content or unlocks. If that's how MS will want ALL retail software transactions to be handled, it will cause friction with secondary market resellers, particularly the Gamestops that depend upon that source of revenue to maintain their margins. As for rental services, I'm sure MS or individual publishers can release rental specific copies, same as what is done for movies on optical media.

I'm sure there will be some sort of offline mode, a lá Steam, even though the focus on consoles and gaming in general from this point on is really on community gaming, even for single player oriented games.

Given that the XB platform generates a significant amount of its revenue through renting/selling multiplayer access features, that is naturally where they want the focus to remain for the future. MS doesn't want to sell consumers a plastic box and consider it a done sale; they want platform users generating steady streams of income through purchases, even outside of game purchases, because the average console owner only buys maybe 4-6 games or less per year, and that's during the peak years when the console is actually being used.

Most console owners don't play their consoles from goal post to goal post as it were. Most buy well into the product cycle or at least later in the product cycle and generally lose their interest or enthusiasm by the 3rd year of ownership.

Personally, I think if there's a big enough consumer backlash, MS will backpedal on some of these unsubstantiated rumors, so it's a bit early to be going into nerd rage mode over something that hasn't even been officially announced yet.

I say wait until the April or E3 announcements which should solidify the current facts from rumor.